Differentiation for Beginners

If you are in education, then you have probably come across articles about differentiation. There are several misconceptions, however, about what differentiation is and how to implement it into a lesson. By examining some myths about differentiation and understanding how learners learn, you can bring differentiation into your classroom with amazing results.

What is Differentiated Learning?

You may have heard the term differentiated instruction for years, but many educators are still unfamiliar with the concept and hesitant to implement it within their classrooms. Although most educators agree that differentiated instruction is beneficial to the learner, some claim that differentiated instruction is too time consuming and difficult to manage. This article will define differentiated instruction, expose some myths about differentiated instruction, and help instructors understand how it can be used in any classroom.

“Differentiated Instruction is a form of instruction that seeks to maximize each student’s growth by recognizing that students have different ways of learning, different interests, and different ways of responding to instruction (Ravitch, 2007). In essence, proponents of differentiated instruction understand that everyone has different learning preferences and abilities and approaches learning with different cultural backgrounds and experiences. This translates into a classroom with multiple opportunities to take in information, process information, and express information simultaneously. The educator focuses on the concept and understanding of the concept rather than the way the concept is conveyed and expressed.

What is Not Differentiated Learning?

There are several misconceptions about differentiated instruction that make some educators hesitant to embrace the concept. For instance, some people believe that differentiated instruction requires a specific teaching strategy. Others believe they must create individual assignments and assessments for every student. Finally, some believe that differentiated learning means that learning expectations are higher or lower for students at different ability levels. Let’s look at these myths a little closer.

Myth 1: Differentiated instruction is just for constructivist. Truth: While differentiated instruction certainly works well with the constructivism, it also works well with other teaching strategies as well. Differentiated instruction does not replace direct instruction. Direct instruction just becomes an option instead of a mandate.

 Myth 2: Differentiated instruction requires the teacher to create unique assignments and assessments for every learner. Truth: Differentiated instruction requires the teacher to focus on the concept and how to convey that concept to different types of learners. Teachers can assign small groups to learning opportunities or students can choose a group that best meets their learning needs.

Myth 3: Differentiated instruction is essentially ability grouping. Truth: Differentiated instruction works on the concepts that all learners have strengths and weaknesses. While groups may be formed on levels of mastery, these groups are fluid. Students are placed in groups based on a pre-test of desired learning objectives. Those with a higher level of mastery for a particular concept work more independently on that concept than students who need foundational skills and more direct instruction.

Basic Understanding of Learners

To understand this concept, the educator must accept three underlying beliefs about the learner. First, learners are not uniform. Second, all learners must be held to high standards. Finally, learners have different gaps in understanding. All learners are unique. Learners bring an infinite array of background experiences, culture, learning preferences, abilities, and attitudes. Using one teaching strategy to connect with the “average” learner is a misconception because there is no “average” learner. Next, all learners, regardless, of their unique qualities, must be held to high standards. Differentiation is not about lowering or raising standards. It is about approaching standards. Finally, all learners have gaps in understanding. Differentiated learning is used to identify and address these gaps so that all learners can arrive at a benchmark level of understanding.

Choosing a Focus

The first step in implementing differentiated instruction into your classroom is to choose a focus. At the beginning level, you can divide students based on readiness to learn or their learning preference.

Readiness to learn can be defined as a learners level of maturity and level of curiosity. Much of the American educational system bases readiness on age. This is not always a good indicator. Readiness can be broken down into emotional or attitudinal readiness, cognitive readiness, and behavioral readiness. Emotional or attitudinal readiness is the ability to assume responsibility for one’s own learning, the level of comfort with self-direction, and the level of appreciation for learning. Cognitive readiness is the ability to think critically and abstractly, awareness of one’s own strengths and weaknesses, and the ability to transfer knowledge from one setting to another. Behavioral readiness is the ability to work with peers, focus attention, and organize and plan for independent learning.

Differentiating a Lesson

• Once a focus has been established, the teacher begins planning for a lesson by forming a standards-based, learner-focused learning objective. This objective should be stated in a way that the learner understands, such as “I will explain the difference between adjectives and adverbs”.
• The next step involves breaking this learning objective down into smaller parts. For instance, what does the learner need to know or be able to do in order to explain the differences between adjectives and adverbs? They need to be able to define an adjective and an adverb. They need to be able to identify an adjective and adverb. They need to be able to choose an appropriate adjective or adverb for a sentence. Each of these skills should be written as a learning objective.
• Next, the learner should take a pretest to determine their level of mastery for each of these objectives. Based on the questions they miss, learners create an individualized learning plan to acquire the skills they need in order to master the overall objective.
• The teacher creates learning centers around the room based on each objective. These centers can be assigned based on the student’s level of mastery for each concept or students can be grouped to work through each concept using a teaching strategy that meets their needs