"Unpacking Differentiated Instruction: A Roller Coaster Ride in Education!"

Our second episode focuses on differentiation, relying mostly on Carol Ann Tomlinson’s work, especially on How to Differentiate in Mixed- Ability Classrooms. This work, first published in 2012 deepened understanding of what differentiation is. Tomlinson explained that a teacher could differentiate content, process and product- sometimes all 3 based on a students readiness.

It’s important to note an observation that Dr. H.Lynn Erickson made in the second edition of her book Concept -Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom. On page 120, she points out that “conceptual-understanding is not differentiated.” What Tomlinson cites as important for differentiation is based on what students know, understand, and do. “When teachers understand that all students can reach the same conceptual understandings…it gives them the insight to produce quality differentiation.” In other words, how do educators get all students to the same understandings?

The chart from Tomlinson’s work explains differentiation as a whole. Differentiation is the response a teacher has to the learner’s needs. This is done through

• Respectful tasks

• Quality curriculum

• Teaching up

• Flexible grouping

• Continual assessment

• Building community

Teachers can differentiate through many different ways including content, process, product, affect, and learning environment according to student readiness, interest, and learning profile. For this episode, we are focusing on differentiating through content, process, and product.

Before differentiation can happen, there must be a pre-assessment. There are so many ways to do this. Teachers often use K-W-L charts, journal writings, and even quizzes, but there can be a more inductive, inquiry-based approach.

When launching a new unit, first unpack the main concepts for the unit. We usually approach this with Frayer Models that delve the key ideas for the unit. For example, in a unit about revolutions, we might unpack the big idea of revolutions, while also looking into the ideas of progress and hope.

After probing into these concepts, we would pose factual and conceptual questions to the students, usually creating an affinity diagram, which we mentioned in the last episode.

First, we would pose the question - What are examples of revolutions? Working in groups, the students would put each different example on a sticky note. These examples allow us to see what prior understandings they have about revolutions.

As a next step, I would post the question “How does hope drive progress through revolution?” Here we could give the students an option to sort their stickies to create an affinity diagram - we usually explain this by saying “imagine you are creating paragraphs to answer the questions – group your stickies according to paragraph.” Another possibility would be to create a diamond rank, where the students sort their stickies in order of best example for answering the question to the worst. Throughout this process, we walk around and listen to the discussion, which gives us great insight into what they already know and understand.

Finally, we give the students the actual content we are studying and do a doughnut diagram with them. This is a paper with two circles. On the outside circle, I have them write what they already know. In this unit on revolutions, we explored different world revolutions: the French, the Haitian, the Glorious in Britain, the Mexican, etc. After a minute of each person writing what they already know about these topics, as a group they brainstormed factual, conceptual, and even debatable questions about one of the revolutions. Again, this gave us an opportunity to assess their interests as well as their prior understandings.

After pre-assessment, then we plan differentiation for content, process, and product.

There are many ways to differentiate content. You have to remember that differentiating instruction is like creating a customized learning experience to meet the needs of each student. We can use leveled readings. Many online texts offer this as well as sites like Newsela and CommonLit. We can also give students annotated or highlighted readings where the main ideas are clear for them already. With many subjects, a key difficulty is understanding the vocabulary, or academic language, that is new. We can offer support here with word walls or glossaries.

In differentiating the learning process, we can use a range of strategies to cater to diverse learning needs. Group work, perhaps one of the best learning strategies, stands as a collaborative approach, allowing students to learn from each other's perspectives while fostering communication and social skills. Supported technology integrates digital tools that can accommodate various learning styles, making the educational experience more accessible and engaging. Graphic organizers visually organize information, aiding in the comprehension of complex concepts and encouraging critical thinking. We have used "fill-in-the-blank" notes to prompt active engagement, as students must actively participate in completing the missing information, which enhances their retention and understanding of the material. Through these differentiated techniques, we can create a dynamic learning environment that addresses individual strengths and challenges.

With differentiated learning, tailoring the way students demonstrate their understanding is key. One approach involves providing outlines for essays, supporting students in organizing their thoughts and ensuring their ideas flow logically. Embracing technology offers another avenue, enabling students to exhibit their comprehension through digital mediums like presentations or multimedia projects, catering to diverse learning preferences. Moreover, offering a range of product options empowers students to choose formats that align with their strengths, whether it's a visual project, a written assignment, or a hands-on creation. These strategies for product differentiation recognize the uniqueness of each learner, fostering a more inclusive and effective educational environment.

One of our favorite strategies is choice boards. No matter if we are working with 6th graders or 12th graders, choice boards provide an avenue for student agency and differentiation. Sometimes a choice board may be in the format of a tic-tac-toe or a list of project ideas a student may choose from

To explore more about differentiation, we have a couple of book recommendations to help you with your journey to differentiation.

First is, Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom by David A. Sousa and Carol Ann Tomlinson

Also, we recommend Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education Illustrated Edition by Glenn Whitman (Author), Ian Kelleher (Author)

Of course, as we mentioned in the beginning, there is Tomlinson’s book How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms,

So there you have it—differentiating instruction is like giving each student a customized learning adventure. It's all about understanding that we're not all cut from the same cookie-cutter mold. By tailoring how we teach, we're tapping into what makes each of us unique. It's like finding the perfect pair of shoes—comfy, just the right fit, and ready to take us on a journey. So, whether it's mixing up content, finding the coolest ways to learn, or letting everyone shine in their own style, differentiating instruction is like adding a splash of color to the educational canvas. Let's keep celebrating our differences and making learning a fantastic ride for everyone!