Differentiated Instruction
| is a set of unique decisions that the educator makes to bring learning within the grasp of all students at all levels of learning. |
Teachers can differentiate
content ••• process ••• product
according to students'
readiness ••• interest ••• learning profile
(click on the words above to learn more about these areas of differentiation)
Click here to view Carol Ann Tomlinson discuss strategies to differentiate instruction (59 minutes with study guide).
| How do you successfully meet the needs of the diverse learners in your classroom? Look at this checklist to compare a differentiated classroom to a traditional classroom: |
| Traditional Classroom | Differentiated Classroom |
| Differences are acted upon when problematic | Differences are studied as a basis for planning |
| Assessment is most common at the end of learning to see "who got it" | Assessment is on-going and diagnostic to make instruction more responsive to learner needs |
| A relatively narrow sense of intelligence prevails | Focus on multiple forms of intelligence is evident |
| Coverage of curriculum drives instruction | Student readiness, interest, and learning profile shape instruction |
| Whole-class instruction dominates | Many instructional arrangements (whole class, small group, pairs, individual) are used |
| A single text prevails | Multiple materials are provided |
| Adapted from The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, by Carol Ann Tomlinson, 1999, p. 16 |
