DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION - DOC

							DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
Description:

Differentiated instruction is teaching with student variation in mind. It means starting where the kids are
rather than adopting a standardized approach to teaching that presumes all learners alike. Differentiated
instruction is “responsive” teaching rather than standardized teaching.

A fuller definition of differentiated instruction is that a teacher proactively plans varied approaches to what
students need to learn, how they will learn it, and/or how they can express what they have learned in
order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can as efficiently as
possible. (Tomlinson, 2003, p. 151)


Teacher Comments:



Website Links: Differentiated Curriculum
Mathematics:

This is a visual representation of adding integers:
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_161_g_2_t_1.html

http://www.quia.com/cm/112736.html

Combining like Terms internet activity:
http://www.quia.com/rr/195128.html

I use a web site called Classzone.com for math and use the Elmo Projection unit to help show to help explain and
show math problems.

Careers:
We go to act.org and gather information about careers and colleges.

A website that I use with my students for the career unit is careercrusing.com. I also used plan your future, which
we have on the computers in the lab at West.

I use the website www.consumerjungle.com for my consumer ed. class all the time. It's the best free site I have
found.

Science:
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm
http://visual.merriam-webster.com/
http://education.jlab.org/
http://chem4kids.com/files/elements/008_comps.html



Social Science
I typically attempt to establish student strengths by reviewing IEP's. The IEP document is usually full of information
that relates to student weaknesses. Scrutinizing the document to see what it does not say can provide insight into
student strengths and interests.

Establishing student readiness, and creating flexible groupings that allow students to work at reasonable rates
according to their ability levels are useful. I also attempt to connect students with others who have similar
interests.

Glencoe.com has a really nice table that concisely defines the differences between Content, Process, and Product
diffentiation.

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/di_meeting.phtml

Other web sites that can be useful are:

www.enhancelearning.ca

www.ldonline.org


Keep the focus on concepts, emphasizing understanding and sense-making, not retention and regurgitation of
fragmented facts.
Use ongoing assessments of readiness and interests, and preassess to find students needing more support and
those who can leap forward. They don’t assume all students need a certain task.
Make grouping flexible. They let students work alone sometimes and also in groups based on readiness, interests,
or learning styles. They use whole-group instruction for introducing ideas, planning, or sharing results.
See themselves as a guides. They help students set goals based on readiness, interests, and learning profiles — and
assess based on growth and goal attainment.

United Streaming.com
Dictionary.com
fleurdelis.com - Middle Ages "Coat of Arms"




Reading/English
I use the novels:
Drivers Ed by: Caroline Cooney
The Car by: Gary Paulsen

web site:
Reading Quest - has a list of reading strategies and graphic organizers to go along with them
http://www.readingquest.org/strat/

I use webenglishteacher.com which is more of just lesson ideas and activities for English teachers.

I also use something called "Hot Fudge Monday: Tasty Ways to Teach Parts of Speech to Students Who Have a
Hard Time Swallowing Anything to do with Grammar."

AND...I use something called "Hip-Hop Poetry."

www.edhelper.com
http://www.sqworl.com/
www.pixton.com