Understanding Differetiation

Misunderstanding and the Reality

1.  Misunderstanding:   Differentiation is a set of instructional strategies.

     Reality:  Differentiation is a philosophy - a way of thinking about teaching and learning.  It is, in fact, a set of principles.

2.  Misunderstaning:  It's adequate for a district or school leader to tell, or even show, teachers how to differentiate instruction effectively. 

     Reality:  Learning to differentiate instruction well requires rethinking one's classroom practice and results from an ongoing process of trial, refelction, and adjustment in the classroom itself.

3.  Misunderstanding:  Differentiation is something a teacher does or doesn't do (as in "I already do that," or "I tell our teachers they already do this")

     Reality:  Most teachers who remain in the classroom for longer than a day do pay attention to student variation and respond to it in some way- especially with students wh can threaten order in the classroom.  However, very few teachers proactively plan instruction consistently address student differences in readiness, interest, and learning profile.

4.  Misundertanding:  Differentiation is just about instruction.

     Reality:  Although differentiation is an instructional approach, effectivedifferentiated instruction is inseparable from a positive learning environment, high-quality curriculum, assessment to inform teacher decision making, and flexible classroom management.  To the degree taht any one of those elements is weak, the others are also diminished.

(Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010)

Differentiated Teaching & Learning Resources

A DI Classroom.pdf
A DI Plan-Lesson.pdf
DI in Use-Scenario.pdf
DI in Use-Scenario2A.pdf
DI in Use-Scenario2B.pdf
Options for DI.pdf
Planning for DI.pdf
Ways to DI.pdf