Differentiation is trying to make the classroom a "good fit" for a broad range of students to maximize learning. After considering students' readiness, interests, and learning profile, educators can differentiate the following elements: content ("the what"), process ("the how"), and product ("the evidence").These are all key elements in lesson design.
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Content
Content includes the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students need to learn based on the curriculum. Differentiating content includes using various delivery formats such as video, readings, lectures, or audio. Content may be chunked, shared through graphic organizers, addressed through jigsaw groups, or used to provide different techniques for solving equations. Students may have opportunities to choose their content focus based on interests. Strategies include: (Note: Click the word jigsaw above to learn more about jigsaw groups!)
Content includes the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students need to learn based on the curriculum. Differentiating content includes using various delivery formats such as video, readings, lectures, or audio. Content may be chunked, shared through graphic organizers, addressed through jigsaw groups, or used to provide different techniques for solving equations. Students may have opportunities to choose their content focus based on interests. Strategies include: (Note: Click the word jigsaw above to learn more about jigsaw groups!)
- Audio/ Visual
- Notes
- Mini-lessons
- Varying Texts
- Vocabulary Lists
Process
Process is how students make sense of the content. This is time to reflect and digest the learning activities before moving on to the next segment of a lesson. Processing helps students assess what they do and don't understand. It's also a formative assessment opportunity for teachers to monitor students' progress.
Importantly, having one or two processing experiences for every 30 minutes of instruction alleviates feelings of content saturation. Some strategies include:
(Note: Click the words with a star to learn more about these strategies!)
Process is how students make sense of the content. This is time to reflect and digest the learning activities before moving on to the next segment of a lesson. Processing helps students assess what they do and don't understand. It's also a formative assessment opportunity for teachers to monitor students' progress.
Importantly, having one or two processing experiences for every 30 minutes of instruction alleviates feelings of content saturation. Some strategies include:
(Note: Click the words with a star to learn more about these strategies!)
- Think-Pair-Share *
- Journaling
- Partner talk
- Save the Last Word *
- Literature Circles (which also supports content differentiation) *
Product
Product is the evidence of learning. The product can be used as a means of evaluating learner's understanding. Generally, assignments are a better way to assess learning than tests, because the stress is reduced and motivation can be higher due to a sense of "ownership" with a project. Assignments require students to meet prescribed learning outcomes, but should fit student readiness, interest and learning profiles. In addition, the product should synthesize ideas found in the unit of study. The following are types of products to use with differentiation in mind:
(Note: Click the words with a star to learn more about these strategies!)
Product is the evidence of learning. The product can be used as a means of evaluating learner's understanding. Generally, assignments are a better way to assess learning than tests, because the stress is reduced and motivation can be higher due to a sense of "ownership" with a project. Assignments require students to meet prescribed learning outcomes, but should fit student readiness, interest and learning profiles. In addition, the product should synthesize ideas found in the unit of study. The following are types of products to use with differentiation in mind:
(Note: Click the words with a star to learn more about these strategies!)
- Build a Powerpoint or webpage
- Conduct an experiment
- Create a game
- Creating a model
- Draw a cartoon
- Give a speech
- Make a brochure
- Make a photo collage *
- Make a poster
- Write a newspaper story *
- Write an essay
- Write journal entries
- Write a song or poem