Step by Step Guide to Differentiating Responding to

Step by Step Guide to Differentiating Responding to students’ educational needs, learning styles, personality profiles, and interests Heather J. Pinedo-Burns, Ed. D. Teachers College, Columbia University

To Review… There is an Ebb & a Flow to Differentiated Instruction

Differentiation is a Cycle Of: Planning Assessment Enactment Reflection

Beginning with the Public Policy Analyst Which facet most needs differentiation? Where do your students’ need support? What is the problem? Where is the evidence? What are the causes? What is the existing policy? What policies can you create to correct the problem? What is the best policy to correct the problem?

What will you differentiate? Content What do you want your students to learn? Process How do you want your students to learn? Product How will your students demonstrate their knowledge?

Often Differentiation is in response to Student’s academic needs: reading level content skill level pacing

We can differentiate in response to student: Readiness Reading Level Content Skill level Learning Profile Interests Personality Pacing & more

Begin with ONE Lesson First, what is the OBJECTIVE of the lesson? Begin with one tier or group before creating the tasks for the other students? How do you support your students’ learning? How will you fashion the lesson for your talent pool students? Then, consider the possible ways to approach differentiating the content/process/product for the other groups?

In Creating Your Plans – Consider… What is the Objective/Goal/Purpose of the lesson? What will you have the students do? What steps are necessary? Is there a sequence of steps? Are the all of the tasks respectful? How will you assess the students’ learning? What might the final ‘products’ look like?

Talent Pool Focus How are you challenging your students, specifically, your Talent Pool group? Do each of your activities push or challenge your students comfortably?