Overview of Differentiated Instruction (DI)

Introduction to Differentiated Instruction (DI)

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What Differentiated Instruction (DI) Is ----and Isn't

MYTH BUSTERS TIME!

Multiple Choice

DI is a / an ____________ model.

• curriculum

• inquiry

• interdisciplinary

• instruction

Multiple Choice

When a teacher notices Student A has completed a piece of work, she gives out another worksheet for him to complete.

Is this an example of DI ?

• Yes

• No

DI is more QUALITATIVE than QUANTITATIVE.

• DI is responsive teaching --> proactively plans varied approaches to what students need to learn, how to learn and how to

  show what they learn

• If writing one book report is "too easy" --> doing "twice as much" of the same thing in not effective --> alter the nature of the assignment to match the actual student needs --> learn other skill

Multiple Choice

In a DI classroom, we can expect to see whole class activity.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

DI is about giving all students "individualized instruction".

• True

• False

DI is NOT "individualized instruction" (i.e. create a different customized lesson for each student in class)

• DI does not assume a separate assignment for each learner

• DI recognized teacher needed to work sometimes with the whole class / small groups and with individuals

• DI builds a sense of community (i.e. DI is a collaborative strategy that fosters growth & support for all learners) in the group

Multiple Choice

DI is rooted in assessment.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

DI is about designing lessons for the outliers (i.e. high and low level students) only.

• True

• False

DI is NOT just for outliers +

IS rooted in Assessment

• DI is student-centered and meant for ALL students (inclusive)

• In DI, teacher frequently conducts formative assessment systematically and in variety of ways to find out students' readiness, interests and approaches to learning

• This becomes catalyst for crafting instruction --> designs learning experiences based on students' needs.

• DI encourages Teaching Up : ‘working from a complex curriculum that will challenge advanced learners and providing scaffolding for other students' (leading to student engagement)

Multiple Select

According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instructions through....

• product

• content

• research

• process

• grading

Multiple Select

According to Tomlinson, a DI modification can be guided by the teacher's understanding of students'.....

• interest

• culture

• readiness

• learning profiles

• attitude

Multiple Choice

Which DI element deals with how students make sense of ideas and information?

• Process

• Content

• Product

Multiple Choice

Which DI element deals with how students will demonstrate what they have learned?

• Process

• Content

• Product

Let's Define DI

• DI: A teacher’s planned and adaptive response to meet the diverse learning needs of all students

• DI maximizes students’ progress towards achieving specific learning outcomes

• Multiple pathways in teaching and learning so that students of different abilities, interests or learning profiles, experience equally appropriate ways to learn.

READINESS

• Knowing a student’s proximity to the specified learning goals

• Asking what does this student need to do in order to succeed (and not what can this student do)

• Aligns with a growth mindset for the students

INTEREST

• Providing a content (topic or skill) that taps into students’ talents/ experiences/passion/aspiration

• Provides new possibilities for students to be engaged in

• What is appealing for students to engage in/learn

LEARNING PROFILE

• Refers to the ways in which students learn best as individuals their learning style, gender, culture and intelligence preferences

• Helps students be aware of which learning approach work best for them

• Guides students to know when to change approaches for better learning outcome