Differentiation (teaching and

learning)
(ESS362)
 Introduction
Goals of differentiation
Elements of differentiation

What is differentiation
 Its importance (of differentiated instructions)
 How to differentiate instructions
 Differentiation instructional strategies
Challenges to differentiation instructions
 Definition

Tailoring instructions to meet individual needs

(if a man does not keep pace with his companions,

perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer!
– Henry David Thoreau, 2012)
 Intro

Students learn in different ways

 Require responsive teaching based on these differences
(especially in the areas of literacy learning)
 Students arrive from montage of backgrounds with different
needs
 Teachers should not expect students to learn in the same way
or same pace when they have
 Varying backgrounds
 Learning styles
 Abilities

 These expectations are carefully addressed to ensure learners

have fully understood a concept before moving on
 Questions to answer at the end

Questions to be able to answer at the end include:

 What is differentiated instruction

 How should teachers differentiate instruction

 Why should teachers differentiate instruction

 What are the challenges of differentiated instruction

 Goals

To develop challenging and engaging tasks for each learner

To develop instructional activities based on essential topics
and concepts: significant processes & skills & multiple ways to
display learning
To provide flexible approaches to content, instructional needs,
interests and learning preferences
To provide opportunities to work in varied instructional
formats
To meet curriculum standards and requirements for each
learner
To establish learner responsive, teacher facilitated classrooms
 Elements of differentiation

Three elements guide differentiation (Tomlinson, 99; 2001; 2003)

 Content: Involves what students need to learn
 All students given equitable access to the same content, but are allowed to master it in different
ways
 Process: refers to the way in which content is taught through tiered activities and the use
of flexible grouping by readiness; interest; or learning profile
 Products: entails how students demonstrate understanding and whether they can actually
apply knew knowledge
 Given a choice of products from which to demonstrate mastery including reports, oral
presentations, group discussions, books & games
Includes other elements like effect - meaning how students link the way
the thought and the feeling in the classroom; learning environment
Differentiated instructions are grounded in and related to various theories
of learning
 Vygotsky – Zone of proximal development
 Maslow – interests and needs
 What is differentiation

Differentiated instruction is not

 Mass produced
 Standardized instruction
Allows students to gain basic knowledge of skills
 and when appropriate and possible to dwell deeper into
content to gain a complex understanding of concepts to be
learnt