Week 7 Group Project-GWU

Week 7

By: Kenya Edge, Holly Scoggins, & Naomi Mallory

EDUC 681

Dr. Cheresa Simpson

Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: Chapters 5-7

Diane Heacox

Choices

“Offering choices is an important way to motivate students and get them interested in a project” (Heacox, 2012, p. 107)

Assignments can be customized according to desired difficulty levels or even desired topics/units (Heacox, 2012).

Assignments can be used for warm-ups, cool downs, centers, or complete “lessons” (Heacox, 2012). 

Examples of tiered assignments: 

• Pathway Plans: tier activities for various challenge levels

• Project Menu: “tiered assignments based on challenge” (Heacox, 2012, p. 111)

• Challenge Center: students work independently

• Spin-offs: can be designed with as much or as little structure for students (Heacox, 2012)

Open Ended

What is the benefit of providing students choices in classroom assignments and projects?

Open Ended

How can “looping” be used in a differentiated classroom?

Instructional Grouping

How would instructional groups be accomplished and how are they beneficial?

-Instructions are key in a differentiated classroom. Group students based on their instructional needs, abilities, or learning preferences.

-This is the most effective way to provide activities and respond to students’ learning needs (Heacox, 2012).

Kinds of instructional groups:

• Flexible Groups- Occur as needed; groupings can change; activities based on needs of students

• Ability/Aptitude Groups- Based on test results/performance tasks; groupings are usually fixed;  students may be grouped within groups based on instructional needs; activities are fairly consistent among groups

• Cooperative Groups- Groupings are usually random; students may have choice in groupings and may change; activities are consistent among the groups; groups are sometimes mixed (made up of different learning needs and abilities) to encourage peer instruction

Tiered Assignments

Tiered assignments appear as differentiated learning tasks and projects (Heacox, 2012).

How are tiered assignments achieved and what are the benefits?

According to Heacox (2012, pp. 97-100), there are six ways to structure tiered assignments:

• Tiered by challenge level- Bloom’s Taxonomy can be used to help develop activities that challenge students and promotes higher-level thinking

• Tiered by complexity- Activities are developed based on students’ needs; this is done to ensure all students are learning

• Tiered by resources- Materials are chosen based on the reading levels and complexity levels; additional resources are used to encourage academic growth in all students

• Tiered by outcome- Students may be given the same materials, however, their independent activities may vary; students may need to complete basic, intermediate, or advanced tasks based on their abilities

• Tiered by process- Students are expected to produce the same outcome; results are achieved through various means, processes

• Tiered by product- Groups based on learning styles; all students are given an assignment; the product provided by students may vary; students may present evidence of learning in a variety of methods (bodily/kinesthetic or visual/spatial)

Open Ended

Can flexible groups be used for cooperative learning? Why or why not?

Open Ended

Describe how a history lesson or project would appear using tiered assignments.

Leading and Managing A Differentiated Classroom: Chapter 6

Carol Ann Tomlinson

Marcia B. Imbeau

Routines in a Differentiated Classroom

• Develop a system that helps students make meaningful contributions (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2011) .

• Establish opportunities for students to work together.

• Allow for productive noise.

• Make sure students know when to ask for help.

• Clarify expectations.

• Managing Time

•  Transitions

Poll

Which method of calling on students equitably would be most beneficial to your classroom?

• Name Sticks

• Spinner System

• Baseball Cards

• Computer- Generated Names

Resources

Education Week. (2018, September 11). Differentiating Instruction: It's Not as Hard as You Think [Video] Youtube.https://youtu.be/h7-D3gi2lL8

Heacox, D. (2012). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom: How to reach and teach all learners. Free Spirit Publishing.

Tomlinson, C. A., & Imbeau, M. B. (2011). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom. ASCD.