In most elementary classrooms, some students struggle with learning, others perform well beyond grade-level expectations, and the rest fit somewhere in between. Within each of these categories of students, individuals also learn in a variety of ways and have different interests. To meet the needs of a diverse student population, many teachers differentiate instruction. This Digest describes differentiated instruction, discusses the reasons for differentiating instruction, discusses what makes it successful, and suggests how teachers can start implementing it.
Teachers can differentiate at least four classroom elements based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile: (1) content--what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access to the information; (2) process--activities in which the student engages in order to make sense of or master the content; (3) products--culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse, apply, and extend what he or she has learned in a unit; and (4) learning environment--the way the classroom works and feels.
Content. Examples of differentiating content at the elementary level include the following: (1) using reading materials at varying readability levels; (2) putting text materials on tape; (3) using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students; (4) presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means; (5) using reading buddies; and (6) meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.
Process. Examples of differentiating process or activities at the elementary level include the following: (1) using tiered activities through which all learners work with the same important understandings and skills, but proceed with different levels of support, challenge, or complexity; (2) providing interest centers that encourage students to explore subsets of the class topic of particular interest to them; (3) developing personal agendas (task lists written by the teacher and containing both in-common work for the whole class and work that addresses individual needs of learners) to be completed either during specified agenda time or as students complete other work early; (4) offering manipulative's or other hands-on supports for students who need them; and (5) varying the length of time a student may take to complete a task in order to provide additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.
Products. Examples of differentiating products at the elementary level include the following: (1) giving students options of how to express required learning (e.g., create a puppet show, write a letter, or develop a mural with labels); (2) using rubrics that match and extend students' varied skills levels; (3) allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their products; and (4) encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long as the assignments contain required elements.
Learning Environment. Examples of differentiating learning environment at the elementary level include: (1) making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction, as well as places that invite student collaboration; (2) providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings; (3) setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs; (4) developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with other students and cannot help them immediately; and (5) helping students understand that some learners need to move around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly (Tomlinson, 1995, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996).
There is ample evidence that students are more successful in school and find it more satisfying if they are taught in ways that are responsive to their readiness levels (e.g., Vygotsky, 1986), interests (e.g., Csikszentmihalyi, 1997) and learning profiles (e.g., Sternberg, Torff, & Grigorenko, 1998). Another reason for differentiating instruction relates to teacher professionalism. Expert teachers are attentive to students' varied learning needs (Danielson, 1996); to differentiate instruction, then, is to become a more competent, creative, and professional educator.
One challenge for teachers leading a differentiated classroom is the need to reflect constantly on the quality of what is being differentiated. Developing three avenues to an ill-defined outcome is of little use. Offering four ways to express trivia is a waste of planning time and is unlikely to produce impressive results for learners.
There is no recipe for differentiation. Rather, it is a way of thinking about teaching and learning that values the individual and can be translated into classroom practice in many ways. Still, the following broad principles and characteristics are useful in establishing a defensible differentiated classroom:
*
ASSESSMENT IS ONGOING AND TIGHTLY LINKED TO INSTRUCTION. Teachers
are hunters and gatherers of information about their students and
how those students are learning at a given point. Whatever the
teachers can glean about student readiness, interest, and learning
helps the teachers plan next steps in instruction.
* TEACHERS WORK
HARD TO ENSURE "RESPECTFUL ACTIVITIES" FOR ALL STUDENTS. Each
student's work should be equally interesting, equally appealing, and
equally focused on essential understandings and skills. There should
not be a group of students that frequently does "dull drill" and
another that generally does "fluff." Rather, everyone is continually
working with tasks that students and teachers perceive to be
worthwhile and valuable.
* FLEXIBLE GROUPING IS A HALLMARK OF THE
CLASS. Teachers plan extended periods of instruction so that all
students work with a variety of peers over a period of days.
Sometimes students work with like-readiness peers, sometimes with
mixed-readiness groups, sometimes with students who have similar
interests, sometimes with students who have different interests,
sometimes with peers who learn as they do, sometimes randomly, and
often with the class as a whole. In addition, teachers can assign
students to work groups, and sometimes students will select their
own work groups. Flexible grouping allows students to see themselves
in a variety of contexts and aids the teacher in "auditioning"
students in different settings and with different kinds of
work (Tomlinson, 1995, 1999).
*
Frequently reflect on the match between your classroom and the
philosophy of teaching and learning you want to practice. Look for
matches and mismatches, and use both to guide you.
* Create a
mental image of what you want your classroom to look like, and use
it to help plan and assess changes.
* Prepare students and parents
for a differentiated classroom so that they are your partners in
making it a good fit for everyone. Be sure to talk often with
students about the classroom--why it is the way it is, how it is
working, and what everyone can do to help.
* Begin to change at a
pace that pushes you a little bit beyond your comfort zone--neither
totally duplicating past practice nor trying to change everything
overnight. You might begin with just one subject, just one time of
the day, or just one curricular element (content, process, product,
or learning environment).
* Think carefully about management
routines--for example, giving directions, making sure students know
how to move about the room, and making sure students know where to
put work when they finish it.
* Teach the routines to students
carefully, monitor the effectiveness of the routines, discuss
results with students, and fine tune together.
* Take time off
from change to regain your energy and to assess how things are
going.
* Build a support system of other educators. Let
administrators know how they can support you. Ask specialists (e.g.,
in gifted education, special education, second language instruction)
to co-teach with you from time to time so you have a second pair of
hands and eyes. Form study groups on differentiation with
like-minded peers. Plan and share differentiated materials with
colleagues.
* Enjoy your own growth. One of the great joys of
teaching is recognizing that the teacher always has more to learn
than the students and that learning is no less empowering for adults
than for students.
Danielson, C. (1996). ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: A FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ED 403 245.
Sternberg, R. J., Torff, B., & Grigorenko, E. L. (1998). Teaching triarchically improves student achievement. JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, 90(3), 374-384. EJ 576 492.
Tomlinson, C. (1995). HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION IN MIXED-ABILITY CLASSROOMS. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ED 386 301.
Tomlinson, C. (1999). THE DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM: RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF ALL LEARNERS. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ED 429 944.
Vygotsky, L. (1986). THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Winebrenner, S. (1992). TEACHING GIFTED KIDS IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. Winebrenner, S. (1996). TEACHING KIDS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. ED 396 502.
-----
References identified with an ED (ERIC document), EJ (ERIC journal), or PS number are cited in the ERIC database. Most documents are available in ERIC microfiche collections at more than 900 locations worldwide, and can be ordered through EDRS: (800) 443-ERIC. Journal articles are available from the original journal, interlibrary loan services, or article reproduction clearinghouses such as UnCover (800-787-7979) or ISI (800-523-1850).
ERIC Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced. This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, under contract no. ED-99-CO-0020. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
ABOUT ERIC/EECE DIGESTS...
ERIC/EECE Digests are short reports on topics of current interest in education. Digests are targeted to teachers, administrators, parents, policy makers, and other practitioners. They are designed to provide an overview of information on a given topic and references to items that provide more detailed information. Reviewed by subject experts who are content specialists in the field, the digests are funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) of the U.S. Department of Education.
All ERIC/EECE Digests are available free in original printed form directly from the clearinghouse. For additional information on this topic, please contact ERIC/EECE directly at [email protected] or 1-800-583-4135.
###
[Return to ERIC Digest Search Page]