Differentiation One Size DOES NOT Fit All Introduction

Differentiation: One Size DOES NOT Fit All Introduction to Differentiated Instruction St Francis High School May 2010

“If students don't learn the way we teach them, we must teach them the way they learn. ” - Marcia Tate, Developing Minds Inc. , Conyers, GA

Outcomes l Increased understanding of what differentiation IS and ISN’T l Add strategies to our instructional toolbox

Personalized License Plate

Who Are Today’s Students? l Silent ¡ Born before 1946 l Baby ¡ Generation Boomers Born 1946 -1959 l Generation ¡ Born 1960 -1989 l Generation ¡ X Y Born since 1990

Essential Questions l Who are the students in our classrooms? l What “diversity” impacts and influences curriculum and instruction? Teams complete Star Diagram

Differentiation IS NOT. . . l l l The same as an IEP for every student Just another way to group kids Expecting less of struggling learners than of typical learners A substitute for specialized services Chaotic New

Good Differentiation IS. . . l l l Varied avenues to content, process, product Respectful of all learners Proactive Student-centered A blend of whole class, small group, and individual instruction Based on students’ readiness, interests, and/or learning profile

Begin With the Brain

Dots on Grids A B C D

Give the Brain What It LOVES l Processing l Music l Movement l Humor l Novelty l Enrichment l Connections l Threat-free l Pattern l Feedback environment

Simple Learning Styles l Auditory ¡ Learns best from listening l Visual ¡ Learns best from seeing ¡ Over 85% of Generation Y l Kinesthetic/Tactile ¡ Learns best from doing

Why Visual Literacy? l Average 18 year old today ¡ 22, 000 hours watching TV l By age 14 has seen 12, 000 murders on network TV programming!!!! ¡ 12, 500 hours in school l Average vocabulary of 14 -year-olds is shrinking ¡ In 1950 – 25, 000 words ¡ In 1999 – 10, 000 words

Visual Learner l Images go directly to long-term memory in brain l Humans process visuals 60, 000 times faster than text ¡ Words l processed sequentially Keyboard ¡ Images l processed simultaneously Camera

Vision & Learning l “ 25% of students in grades k-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning. ” (American Public Health Association) l “It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem. ” (Vision Council of America)

20/20 does not mean that vision is perfect! l The 20/20 test does not test how well you see at reading distance. In fact, the 20/20 test fails to evaluate many other important aspects of normal vision such as: ¡ Eye focusing ¡ Eye coordination ¡ Eye teaming (binocular vision) ¡ Eye movement ¡ Visual perceptual skills ¡ Color vision

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water? DONALD: H I J K L M N O. TEACHER: What are you talking about? DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

Show ‘n Tell l Teachers use graphic organizers ¡ Help learners visualize information ¡ Critical for visual learners!! l Students use graphic organizers ¡ Great way for kinesthetic & visual students to process understanding l Add another aspect ¡ Large size for group work ¡ Manipulate the pieces for the kinesthetic

Graphic Organizer Examples

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Logical/Mathematical l Visual/Spatial l Musical/Rhythmic l Bodily/Kinesthetic l Naturalist l Interpersonal l Intrapersonal l Verbal/Linguistic l l It’s not “how smart you are” – it’s “how you are smart”! - Howard Gardner l http: //www. edutopia. org/multiple-intelligenceslearning-styles-quiz

A Few Fun Strategies

Involve ALL of the Senses. . . l See l Hear l Taste l Smell l Touch

Learning On Their Feet l Movement ¡ Use stimulates the brain frequently at all ages levels Demonstration l Participatory modeling l Role-play l Simulation l Manipulatives l ¡ Minds l in Motion http: //doe. sd. gov/oess/schoolhealth/mindsinmotion/

Smells Trigger Memory Smells stimulate memory – both positive & negative. l l l Fresh air Peppermint Cinnamon Lemon Lavender (relaxing) Caution – check for smell sensitivity & allergies

The Role of Music l Stimulates ¡ the brain Activates thinking parts of the brain l Creates a sound curtain to isolate groups l Increases attentiveness l Effects emotions, heart rate, mood, mental images of listener l Embeds learning faster ¡ Alphabet song ¡ http: //www. school-house-rock. com/Prea. html

COLOR Increases Understanding l Using color for key concepts can increase memory retention up to 25%

Experiment

Memorize the Pattern 30 seconds Orange Red Yellow Purple Pink Orange Yellow Blue Black Red Blue Green

Memorize the Pattern 30 seconds Orange Blue Purple Yellow Purple Red Orange Green Purple Pink Red Blue Green

Memorize the Colors Used 30 seconds Purple Orange Yellow Red Orange Yellow Blue Purple Blue Green Orange

Differentiation. .

More Than One Way to Get There

3 Keys to Differentiated Instruction l Content ¡ ¡ l Process ¡ ¡ l What we teach students Materials and methods used Activities Calls on students to use key skills Product ¡ ¡ How students show what they have learned Should also allow students to extend what they learned

Key #1 – Adapt Content l Refers to both materials & methods l Accommodate students’ different starting points ¡ Some students ready for more complex or abstract levels ¡ Some students ready for independent work

Content Differentiation Examples l Multiple versions of texts l Variety of texts to support concept l Interest centers l Learning contracts l Support systems ¡ Audiotapes ¡ Mentors ¡ Study partners

Key #2 – Adapt Process l Common ¡ Vary focus student activities l Students use key skills ¡ Bloom’s Taxonomy ¡ Multiple Intelligence Theories l Teacher uses a variety of methods

Process Differentiation Examples l Tiered Assignments ¡ Layered Curriculum (Nunley) l Learning Centers l Jig Saw Assignments l Learning Logs l Graphic Organizers l Modify their environment ¡ Fidgets ¡ Time flexibility

Key #3 – Adapt Product l Culminating learning experience that occurs after many days or weeks of study l Demonstration and extension of what they know, understand, and are able to do

Product Differentiation Examples l Variety of assessment types l Tiered Assignments l Independent Study l Enrichment vs remediation

Variables to Consider l Readiness – in reading, math, & beyond l Complexity & Challenge of both process & product l Pace of learning and production l Grouping practices l Use of assessment results to inform teaching and learning

Guidelines for the Classroom l Focus on essentials l Attend to student differences ¡ NO strategy works on ALL students l Assess often and use it to make adjustments/modifications l Mutual respect ¡ DI l Be is a proactive strategy flexible l Doesn’t happen 100% of the time!!!!

Building Blocks. . . l Choice l Encouraging higher level thinking l Accountability

Simple Ways to Start l Add an interdisciplinary element to a favorite unit ¡ Collaborate l Provide with other teachers choices ¡ Offer students a variety of process and/or presentation options l Apply Multiple Intelligence thinking to group/individual projects

Exit Card – 3 2 1 l On an index card, please write ¡ 3 strategies from today l ¡ 2 strategies from today l ¡ 1 you think you can do in your classroom next year that you are not comfortable with doing strategy from today l you will need help to implement l you want more information for