D I F F E R E N T I AT I O N : W H AT D O I A L R E A D Y D O ?

You’re probably already adjusting your instruction to meet the needs of your
students.
Reflect on the strategies in this list, feel good about what you are already
doing, and identify areas for growth.

I
Yes, I Someti haven’
do mes I t done
this! do this. this
(yet).
Classroom Culture
I model and teach students about respect for
❏ ❏ ❏
individual differences.
I have established long-term goals that are the same for all of my
students; short-term steps to those goals that may differ for ❏ ❏ ❏
different students.
We define excellence as significant growth from a starting point, so
my students and I celebrate progress more than ❏ ❏ ❏
absolute achievement.
Lessons Plans and Learning Profiles
I have gathered information on my students’ interests and I use
this information when planning lessons. ❏ ❏ ❏
I have determined my students’ various learning styles and I teach
skills and concepts through those learning styles. ❏ ❏ ❏
I have surveyed my students about their
strongest “intelligences” and I include
❏ ❏ ❏
strategies suited to these intelligences in my
lessons.
Grouping
I use many different instructional arrangements
– whole group, various small group
❏ ❏ ❏
permutations, pair work, and independent
work.
I use diagnostic/assessment data to strategically place students in
homogenous and/or heterogeneous groups. ❏ ❏ ❏
I utilize ongoing assessment data to frequently change the small
groups I place students in. ❏ ❏ ❏
I have independent reading or writing time
when students are working at their own pace ❏ ❏ ❏
(such as in Readers’ or Writers’ Workshop)
I use centers or stations in my classroom.
These stations are either differentiated within
themselves (e.g. they have different levels of
work/activities based on different learning ❏ ❏ ❏
styles at one station) or there is a difference in
level/learning style/etc. between stations,
designed for particular groups of students.
Modifications
I have reading material on different levels, and I allow students to
choose books that they determine they can read on their own ❏ ❏ ❏
(using the “five finger rule” that I teach them).
I have reading material on different levels, and I direct students to
appropriate texts given their reading level. ❏ ❏ ❏
I assess my students in multiple ways. Sometimes I let them
choose the form of assessment; other times I choose the best form ❏ ❏ ❏
of assessment given the type of mastery I am assessing.
I modify assessments for some students – by
asking only the essential questions, by
formatting the document differently (e.g. more ❏ ❏ ❏
space between questions) or by using different
types of questions (matching vs. open ended).
I have set up systems that allow for students to
work at different paces (such as extension or ❏ ❏ ❏
anchor activities for students who finish early).
I ask students different level of questions,
based on what I know about their level of ❏ ❏ ❏
proficiency with the topic/skill.
I assign students different journal prompts,
spelling lists, or homework assignments ❏ ❏ ❏
depending on their level of proficiency.
I give students different levels of support – for
example, I provide some students with a
dictionary while others need to first try to
define our vocabulary words using a knowledge ❏ ❏ ❏
of roots, prefixes or suffixes. Or, I might
partially fill in a graphic organizer for some
students.
I use technology to my advantage – such as by
having a computer station where students use
❏ ❏ ❏
software or visit websites that have games or
other activities that reinforce or push skills.
When I identify students who need extra
attention in a specific skill/concept, I work with
❏ ❏ ❏
them individually during any free time in my
day (before or after school, for example).
I allow students to work on independent
investigations if they demonstrate mastery of ❏ ❏ ❏
content we are about to explore as a class.
I outline different levels of achievement on
assignments or projects and either let students
❏ ❏ ❏
choose what level they want to work towards or
assign students specific expectations.