Differentiated Learning Within
Groups
Cara Mulcahy
A Differentiated Classroom
“provides different avenues to acquiring
content, to processing or making sense of
ideas, and to developing products so that
each student can learn effectively.”
(Tomlinson, 2001p.1)
In a differentiated classroom
• Students are presented with many ways in
which to process information and ideas,
and are allowed to express what they learn
in a variety of ways
• Students interact with many of their peers
in a variety of group settings. These groups
are “fluid” and ever changing as they relate
to ability, interest, and tasks.
Differentiated Instruction is
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proactive
qualitative
rooted in assessment
one that provides multiple approaches
student centered
a blend of whole-class, group and individual
instruction
• environmental
The Teacher’s Role
As a facilitator or guide to the students, the
teacher:
• assesses student readiness in different ways
• knows students’ interests
• creates a variety of ways for students to collect
information and knows that students differ in
learning needs
• allows students to explore their own ideas
The Teacher’s Role
• allows students to exhibit what they have learned
in a variety of ways.
• develops a community of learners
• develops an atmosphere of collaboration
• teaches for success through scaffolding
• plans with flexible grouping in mind
• believes that a classroom of active learners is
better than one of passive learners
When Differentiating Consider
• Student
• Content
Readiness
• process
• Student Interest • product
• Student Learning
Profiles
• Learning style:
how students acquire new
information; how they first take it
in.
• Processing style: how students make sense of
new information; how they
work with it to make
connections and understand it
• Product style:
how students communicate what
has been learned; how they
demonstrate learning by
articulating it in a different way
• Visual learners: graphic and textual
• Auditory learners
• Tactile learners
• Experimental/exploratory learners
•Student Readiness:
Ensuring that the tasks closely match the
students’ skills and understanding
•Student Interest:
Ensuring that the tasks ignite student
curiosity and passion.
•Student Learning Profile:
Ensuring that assignments encourage
students to work in a preferred manner
Content: What the student learns
Process: How the student learns
Product: How the student displays
what s/he has learned
Some Differentiating strategies
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I Search
Design a Day
Group investigation
web Quests
Jigsaw
Literature circles
reciprocal teaching
flexible grouping
• Compacting
• independent
investigation
• peer review
• learning centers
• cubing
• parallel tasks at
varied levles
• differentiated
interactive journals
Differentiating Instruction:
Rules of Thumb
• Be clear on key concepts
• Think of assessment as a roadmap for planning
• assessment practices need to reflect the complexity of the
learner (e.g. interest, motivation, skill level, learning style)
• emphasize critical thinking and creative thinking in lessons for
all students
• Create lessons which will engage all students
• Ensure that a balance exists between
• student selected and teacher assigned tasks and working
arrangements
• Avoid tracking by employing flexible grouping