Implementing the Differentiation Model

Differentiation is a method of responding to a learner’s needs. The first step in differentiation is to evaluate your learners. Many teachers begin instruction with the assumption that all learners are at the same place and assumptions about where that place is. Providing instruction in this manner does not meet the needs of the majority of learners. The place to start is a pre-assessment.

Pre-assessments should measure the skills needed to achieve the learning objectives. For instance, if a learning objective is to write an effective paragraph, the teacher should test the specific skills needed to write an effective paragraph. In this case, the teacher might test the ability to write a complete sentence, the ability to write a topic sentence, and the ability to include adequate supporting sentences. This will help the teacher understand not only what skills need to receive more focus, but also what skills individual students need before instruction takes place.

After analyzing pre-assessment results, other considerations must be taken into account. One consideration is the student’s readiness and ability to learn. This means looking at the student’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional ability. Age-based differentiation, which is typical in most educational systems, tries to segregate students by these categories already, but each child is different. Another consideration involves the child’s interests and talents. Some students will approach a subject with incredible talent and self-motivation. Others will struggle with a subject and avoid it. These students should not be approached the same way. Other considerations are learning style and prior knowledge. Each of these characteristics makes a learner unique.

Once the teacher has assessed the learner, it is time to look at the standards and objectives. Differentiation does not change these objectives. It only changes the approach to teach the subject. It is what the teacher plans to teach plus how the teacher plans to teach. The teacher should now look at how she can group students to maximize learning opportunities. Based on the group characteristics, the teacher can plan the best methods of instruction to meet their particular needs. The teacher may offer enrichment to one group and remediation to another. He or she may use direct instruction with one group and video-based instruction with another.

Understanding the Differences

There is some confusion about modification, differentiation, and accommodation. The terms, though similar are not the same. All share the goal to help the student succeed, but the purpose and methods are different. Modification is changing what is taught or expected of students. This usually occurs because something interferes with the original plan. For instance, a teacher plans to take two days to teach a concept, but a recent snow day has put him or her behind. He or she adjusts the lesson to fit it into a single day. Another example of modification involves compensating for a missing portion of instruction. Perhaps a guest speaker was not able to speak to the class about a specific part of a concept, so the teacher takes that portion of the concept off of the assessment.

Accommodation involves altering instructional methods to reduce or eliminate the effects of a disability. If a student qualifies for special education, these accommodations are mandated. Examples of modification include extra time on a test, having a test read out loud (unless it is a reading test), or the use of manipulatives in math. For one child with a seizure disorder, memory and reading were problematic. Instead of a long unit test which required memorization and reading, the child completed an alternative assignment—a video discussing his knowledge and understanding of the concepts with the use of toy props. The student was graded against the same objectives.

Differentiation is about using a variety of approaches to teach the same concept in a single classroom. This may seem daunting to someone who has never tried it, but can be quite manageable once established. A junior high English teacher designed four learning centers every week. The class was divided into four groups based on their pre-assessment. Each day the groups would work at the assigned learning center for that day. One group was given enrichment activities in the centers because they had already mastered the concept. Another group was given supporting materials to supplement a lack of prior knowledge. A third group used an interactive, video-based exercise to learn the concept. The fourth group received direct instruction from the teacher. One the fifth day, all of the students could individually choose a different method to review for the test. Some chose to study in groups. Others preferred to study alone. They all took the same assessment.

Groups can be differentiated in a variety of ways using this strategy. Some teachers prefer to break students by creative thinking strategy, content differentiation, tiered activities, or learning centers. Creative thinking strategies are similar to critical thinking strategies, except they emphasize the process of developing unique and useful ideas that lead to further study. Creative thinking strategies include things like brainstorming, concept mapping, and open-ended problem solving. Content differentiation focuses on background knowledge, remediation, and enrichment. Tiered activities alter the level of direct teacher support. Learning centers can be used with any of the above or focus on learning styles.

Once you gain a better understanding of your students and their needs, differentiation becomes easier to plan for and implement. Your students will leave with a better understanding and increased motivation from instruction tailored to them. KoolLearning is a learning management system that helps teachers differentiate learning activities by importing differentiated sources and creating customized playlists for students. KoolLearning helps teachers quickly differentiate based on learner’s needs.

References

Bruening, P. (2011). Modification, Accommodations, and Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved from LEAPS: https://www.goleaps.com/articles/differentiatedinstruction

Mastrodomenico, K. (2011, September 18). What is the difference between an accommodation and differentiated instruction? Retrieved from Differentiated Instruction Activities:http://www.differentiatedinstructionactivities.com/2011/09/18/what-is-the-difference-between-an-accommodation-and-differentiated-instruction/

Weber, C., Johnson, L., & Tripp, S. (2013). Implementing Differentiation. Gifted Child Today, 179-186.