Differentiated instruction for young learners (6-12 years old)

According to Tomlinson, Differentiation is an organized yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet kids where they are and help them to achieve maximum growth as learners.

Differentiated instruction is adapting instruction and assessment in response to differing interest, learning preferences and readiness in order to promote growth in learning.

It is not individualized instruction; it is responding to varying student strength and needs by providing a balance of modelled, shared, guided and independent instructional strategies.

When we need respond to student need, we differentiate, to some extent, some of time, for optimal success, we need to be aware of the decisions that we make and take deliberate action to meet the needs of all learners. Ultimately, our aim is to shape the learning experience so that it is appropriate to the learning preferences, interest and or readiness of each students.

Why the teachers should differentiate their instruction in the classroom?

1. To help all students learnt
2. To increase students motivation and achievement
3. To connect with adolescent learners
4. To help  adolescent become independent learners
5. To increase teacher satisfaction and efficacy

Before we differentiated instruction, teachers and students work together to know students’ readiness, learning preferences, and students interest so students come to know themselves better. Students who have clearer understanding of themselves are prepared to make more informed choices when differentiated options are available. Students who know themselves as learners are better to advocate for their learning need

Students readiness

Readiness is a student’s proximity to the learning goals at a specific point in time (Tomlinson, 2014); it is where the student is relative to where the learning goals say the student should be.

There are several sources that teachers can use to gauge student readiness:

a.      Classroom-based informative assessments.

b.      Results from standardized assessments.

c.       Prior performance.

d.      Other student characteristics.

Pre-assessment: Gauging Readiness before Instruction

Pre-assessment is the process of gathering evidence of students’ readiness and interests prior to beginning a unit or series of related lessons and then using that evidence to plan instruction that will better meet learners’ needs (Doubet & Hockett, 2015). Pre-assessment gives teachers both a big picture view of where a group of students is relative to goals as well as insights about individual student’s thinking, skills, and preferences.

Pre-Assessment Strategy Examples

·         KWL

·         Agree or Disagree

·         Coming Soon

·         Rank It

·         Performance-Based Task

 Formative Assessment: Gauging Readiness during Instruction

Formative assessment (sometimes called ongoing assessment) is the ongoing process of taking regular and varied snapshots of students’ learning during or after a lesson (or series of lessons) to inform next steps in instructional planning (Doubet & Hockett, 2015).

Formative Assessment Strategy Examples

·         Frayer Models

·         Entry/Exit Tickets

·         Quick Quizzes/Check-Ups

·         White boards

·         Sticky notes

·         Spotlight method

·         Concept sort

·         Classroom  Response Systems and online tools

·         Face time

·         Hand signal

Students' interest 

Interest refers to the passions, kinships, and affinities that can motivate a student to learn (Tomlinson, 2014). In a differentiated classroom, leveraging students’ interests is one secret to making learning both more cognitively and affectively engaging and more joyful.

Interest strategy

·         Jigsaw

·         RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, and Topic)

·         Choice Grid

·         Learning Menu    

Students' learning Profile 

A learning profile refers to how students seem learn to best, how they process what they need to learn, or how they think about, remember, and prefer to use what they learn (Tomlinson & Sousa, 2011). Learning profile is best thought of as a set of preferences, not as inherent characteristics or traits of a student.

·         Learning style

·         Intelligence preference

·         Culture-and gender-influenced preference:

To analyze students learning style, I used helpful website for my grade 6 students. The students will answer some question and we will know their learning style. However, you have to make sure they answer based on their personal preferences

You can use this website personalitymax.com 

Learning profile strategy

·         Entry points

·         Tri-mind example

·         Thinking caps

·         Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic-Tactile (VAK)

·         Multiple intelligence

 

Portions derived from the following sources:

Tomlinson C.A. (2014). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. (2nd ed). Alexan dria, VA: ASCD.

Doubet, K.J., & Hockett, J.A. (2017). Differentiation in Elementary Schools: Strategies to Engage and Equip All Learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C.A., & Sousa, D. (2011). Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom. Solution Tree.

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