Overview of Differentiated Instruction (DI)
Whether teaching online or in a F2F classroom, understanding the basic principles of differentiation is important to both the success of the teacher as well as the success of the students in understanding and applying the learning objectives in a course of study. The theory of differentiated instruction is based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms (Tomlinson 2001). The model of differentiated instruction requires teachers to be flexible and adjust the curriculum and presentation of information to learners.
Please navigate through the information below to review the key tenets of Differentiated Instruction (DI).
Differentiation is a teacher’s response to students needs, guided by general principles of differentiation such as respectful tasks, flexible grouping and on-going assessment and adjustment. “Differentiated Instruction is responsive teaching rather than one size fits all teaching. To increase student achievement, educators proactively plan varied approaches aligned to what students need to learn, how they will learn, and how they will show what they have learned.
Content
The knowledge, understanding and skills we want students to learn (the DoDEA standards).
Process
How students come to understand or make sense of the content.
Product
How students demonstrate what they have come to know, understand and are able to do after an extended period of learning.
Teachers gather and use data at many points of the instructional process. Initially the data collected may be the result of a pre-test in order to determine where students are in the learning process. Based on this data, the teacher may differentiate content, process or product. During instruction, teachers use formative assessments to gather data to assist them in the planning process and to determine if further differentiation is needed. The data gleaned from summative assessments tells the teacher if students have reached the learning goals.
Examples include:
Multiple intelligences
Jigsaw
Taped material
Anchor activities
Varying organizers
Varied texts
Varied supplementary materials
Independent study
Tiered lessons
Tiered centers
Tiered products
Learning contracts
Small group instruction
Group investigation
Literature circles
Guided reading
Varied questioning strategies
Interest centers
Interest groups
Varied homework
Compacting
Varied journal prompts
Complex instruction
The Five Tenets of Differentiated Instruction are:
Quality Curriculum
Positive Classroom Environments
Challenging Tasks
Flexible Grouping
Ongoing Assessment & Data
How do you currently differentiate instruction in your classroom?
What seems to be working?
What successes can you share?
What will I change in my classroom?
What will “look and sound different?”
What will be my first step?
What will I do tomorrow?
Who can assist me with this?
Refer to the differentiated instruction .pdf. Overview of Differentiated Instruction
Check your understanding of Differentiated Instruction by playing the Differentiated Instruction Quiz Game.