How to Differentiate Instruction
Assess each student’s strengths and areas for improvement., Vary the pace of instruction., Try inquiry-based learning., Assign homework and classroom activities based on ability., Evaluate and reward students based on individualized progress.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assess each student’s strengths and areas for improvement.
In order to effectively differentiate instruction, you need to have a strong knowledge of each student’s current abilities and capacities.
Create learning profiles by tracking each individual’s aptitude and progress in basic subjects like reading, writing, speaking, thinking, and problem solving.It helps to review students’ files in advance to get an idea of what you can expect in your classroom.
Teaching assistants can often help with these assessments since they have frequent one-on-one interactions with students.
Your assessments should be ongoing, so that you can adjust your approach to a particular student in line with their emerging needs and demonstrated progress. -
Step 2: Vary the pace of instruction.
Students learn at varying rates, with some grasping the material immediately and others requiring content repetition.
The brain needs some degree of challenge to stay stimulated, and new skills are better grasped when an associated activity is not too easy or too difficult.
Assess the learning speed of each student so that you can tailor your instruction according to the different paces present in your classroom.Increase the amount and depth of the workload for advanced students.
Moving too slowly creates boredom and serves only as a trying review for advanced students.
Allow slower learners to take more time with in-class assignments.
Frustration with a fast pace inhibits learning and leads to a lack of focus for slower learners.
Use teaching tools, such as interactive instructional software and workbooks, to allow students to learn at their own pace. , When you practice inquiry-based teaching, you start with a question or problem instead of giving your students established facts through lectures or presentations.
This is a useful approach for differentiated instruction because each student can conduct the inquiry process at their own speed while you circulate and help to move each one forward from where they’re at.In the case of a science lesson, you might opt to have students conduct individual lab investigations in lieu of of a full-class demonstration.
For instance, if you’d like for students to learn about physical forces, you could start with a simple question that has everyday relevance like: how can you move a heavy object from point A to point B? , This means creating flexible tiers when it comes to course content and assignments.
For instance, if you’re teaching English, you might assign different levels of reader differing amounts or types of reading in accordance with their comfort levels.
You might ask some students to write a paragraph in response while you ask others to produce a full book report or creative project related to the reading.Provide step-by-step instructions to slower learners.
Repeat information when necessary.
Place fewer demands on slower learners, allowing them to answer fewer questions and spend more time on each task.
Model tasks and provide examples for the average learner.
Encourage average learners to engage in independent work.
Challenge advanced students.
Assign more complicated tasks, and encourage advanced students to study the content in greater depth. , Avoid highlighting the gifted students repeatedly or exclusively.
Celebrate the degree of effort and amount of progress exerted by each student.Create rubrics that evaluate students according to their individual progress rather than on a curve in relationship to other students.
A slow learner who painstakingly masters a difficult skill should be rewarded.
A gifted student who learns the skill in just a few seconds should be highlighted only when they exceed expectations. -
Step 3: Try inquiry-based learning.
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Step 4: Assign homework and classroom activities based on ability.
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Step 5: Evaluate and reward students based on individualized progress.
Detailed Guide
In order to effectively differentiate instruction, you need to have a strong knowledge of each student’s current abilities and capacities.
Create learning profiles by tracking each individual’s aptitude and progress in basic subjects like reading, writing, speaking, thinking, and problem solving.It helps to review students’ files in advance to get an idea of what you can expect in your classroom.
Teaching assistants can often help with these assessments since they have frequent one-on-one interactions with students.
Your assessments should be ongoing, so that you can adjust your approach to a particular student in line with their emerging needs and demonstrated progress.
Students learn at varying rates, with some grasping the material immediately and others requiring content repetition.
The brain needs some degree of challenge to stay stimulated, and new skills are better grasped when an associated activity is not too easy or too difficult.
Assess the learning speed of each student so that you can tailor your instruction according to the different paces present in your classroom.Increase the amount and depth of the workload for advanced students.
Moving too slowly creates boredom and serves only as a trying review for advanced students.
Allow slower learners to take more time with in-class assignments.
Frustration with a fast pace inhibits learning and leads to a lack of focus for slower learners.
Use teaching tools, such as interactive instructional software and workbooks, to allow students to learn at their own pace. , When you practice inquiry-based teaching, you start with a question or problem instead of giving your students established facts through lectures or presentations.
This is a useful approach for differentiated instruction because each student can conduct the inquiry process at their own speed while you circulate and help to move each one forward from where they’re at.In the case of a science lesson, you might opt to have students conduct individual lab investigations in lieu of of a full-class demonstration.
For instance, if you’d like for students to learn about physical forces, you could start with a simple question that has everyday relevance like: how can you move a heavy object from point A to point B? , This means creating flexible tiers when it comes to course content and assignments.
For instance, if you’re teaching English, you might assign different levels of reader differing amounts or types of reading in accordance with their comfort levels.
You might ask some students to write a paragraph in response while you ask others to produce a full book report or creative project related to the reading.Provide step-by-step instructions to slower learners.
Repeat information when necessary.
Place fewer demands on slower learners, allowing them to answer fewer questions and spend more time on each task.
Model tasks and provide examples for the average learner.
Encourage average learners to engage in independent work.
Challenge advanced students.
Assign more complicated tasks, and encourage advanced students to study the content in greater depth. , Avoid highlighting the gifted students repeatedly or exclusively.
Celebrate the degree of effort and amount of progress exerted by each student.Create rubrics that evaluate students according to their individual progress rather than on a curve in relationship to other students.
A slow learner who painstakingly masters a difficult skill should be rewarded.
A gifted student who learns the skill in just a few seconds should be highlighted only when they exceed expectations.
About the Author
Jacob Barnes
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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