Differentiation Done Right

Differentiated instruction is an expectation in today's classrooms. Nearly all teachers understand the need to adjust their lessons to meet the needs of individual learners. What does differentiation look like in practice? And how does it differ from similar concepts like individualized learning or personalized learning? Let's take a closer look. Differentiation, Individualized Learning, or Personalized Learning: What's the Difference? Differentiated instruction, individualized learning, and personalized learning are often used interchangeably. Do they all mean the same thing? They're all related, but there are important differences in how they are defined. Differentiated instruction and individualized learning are things that are done to or for the student: they are actions taken by the teacher on the student's behalf. Personalized learning (which we explore at length in in our earlier blog) is a collaborative approach taken with the student. Drs. Dale Basye and Peggy Grant explore the differences between these terms in their book Personalized Learning: A Guide for Engaging Students with Technology.

• Differentiation is an instructional strategy that tailors instruction to the needs of individual students or groups of students. Academic goals remain the same, but teachers vary the content, the way the content is delivered, the learning environment, or the product the student is expected to produce.
• Individualized learning is about the pace at which learning takes place. As in differentiation, students all have the same learning goals. However, students progress through the material at their own pace according to their individual learning needs. Individualized learning is mastery based; students spend as long as they need to master the material, and don't waste time working on skills they have already mastered.
• Personalized learning is a more holistic approach. It may include tailoring content, process, product, pace, learning environment and even learning goals to the individual students abilities, interests and learning style. In a personalized learning environment, students are asked to take a greater share of ownership over their learning paths.

These approaches are not a hierarchy; all three have their place in the classroom. Most teachers will use a combination of the three approaches depending on the curriculum, learning goals, time and resources available, and student needs and abilities. A fully personalized approach may not be necessary or feasible for every standard or assignment. However, some form of differentiation should be part of every lesson plan. A differentiated classroom is:

• Student-centric
• Responsive to individual learning needs in the moment
• Flexible to accommodate differences in learning styles or ability levels
• Supportive of students with diverse backgrounds and interests
• Organized around helping all students achieve academic excellence

Content, Process, and Product: How We Differentiate Carol Ann Tomlinson defines differentiation as "a teacher's response to a learner's needs." She outlines strategies for differentiation in three categories: content, process, and product. Some educators add a fourth: learning environment.

• Content refers to the facts, concepts, or skills that a student needs to learn and the materials that the student will use to acquire them. This includes the core curriculum materials, teacher direct instruction, and any ancillary materials used to help students learn. Content can be differentiated by providing materials at different reading levels, using different kinds of media (text, video, podcast, manipulative) to meet different learning styles, providing supplementary background material or enrichment opportunities depending on student needs, and deliberately presenting concepts in more than one way when teaching.
• Process refers to the tasks or activities a student will engage in to make sense of or master the content. This could include worksheets, journals, computer programs, or other activities that allow students to explore new concepts, practice new skills, check their understanding, and move towards mastery (like Thinking Maps!). Process differentiation could involve providing tiered activities for students at different places in their pathway towards mastery, using computer programs that automatically adjust the difficulty level for each student, providing different levels of teacher support, or otherwise modifying an assignment to make it more accessible for students with learning differences.
• Products are the artifacts that students create to demonstrate mastery of a concept or skill. These can include reports, presentations, multimedia projects, or traditional classroom assessments. Teachers can differentiate products by providing students with options in how they choose to show mastery; for example, allowing students to choose between writing an essay, putting on a short play, or creating a comic book. They can also vary the amount of support students are given or use a tiered rubric to accommodate students with different ability levels.
• Learning environment includes the classroom's physical environment and routines. Differentiating the learning environment may include making sure that students have opportunities for both quiet work time and collaboration, providing accommodations for students with sensory issues (such as turning down lights or allowing them to wear headphones during independent work time), or giving students who need to move a designated place in the classroom where they can do so without disturbing others. It may also mean creating classroom routines that promote independence for students so teachers can work more effectively with small groups or individuals needing support.

Differentiation with Thinking Maps Thinking Maps can be considered both part of the learning process and a product that students create to demonstrate understanding. Thinking Maps provide a structure for thinking and learning that students can apply in a variety of ways. Within the framework provides by the eight Maps, students have a lot of flexibility in how they choose to present their ideas. For example, a science teacher may ask students to create a Tree Map to explore the characteristics of mammals. Some students may choose to use a lot of illustrations to represent key concepts while others may use words or complete sentences. Struggling students may only have a few ideas on their Map while more advanced students may have a dozen or more. Path to Proficiency explicitly teaches teachers how to differentiate the use of the Maps for English Language learners and other students with language-based learning differences. Cherry Creek School District in Colorado implemented Path to Proficiency to help their teachers better accommodate the needs of their growing ELL population. Meg Lucero, the ELA Program Coordinator, says, “It’s not just for ELLs. Teachers are using the differentiation strategies they have learned for Special Education students and even for Gifted and Talented.” Read their full story here. How are you differentiating in your classroom? We'd love to hear your stories! For Further Reading

• 18 Teacher-Tested Strategies for Differentiated Instruction
• The Ultimate List: 50 Strategies For Differentiated Instruction
• Understanding Differentiated Instruction: Building a Foundation for Leadership
• Personalized vs. Differentiated vs. Individualized Learning
• What Differentiated Instruction Is…And Is Not