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Eric Calvert

Differentiating Instruction For the Gifted - 0 views

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differentiation mixed ability Tomlinson

shared by Eric Calvert on 01 Mar 11 - Cached
  • If middle school students differ in readiness, interest, and learning profiles, and if a good middle school attempts to meet each student where he or she is and foster continual growth, a one-size-fits-all model of instruction makes little sense. Rather, differentiated instruction seems a better solution for meeting the academic diversity that typifies the middle school years.
  • In a differentiated class, the teacher uses (1) a variety of ways for students to explore curriculum content, (2) a variety of sense-making activities or processes through which students can come to understand and "own" information and ideas, and (3) a variety of options through which students can demonstrate or exhibit what they have learned.
  • A class is not differentiated when assignments are the same for all learners and the adjustments consist of varying the level of difficulty of questions for certain students, grading some students harder than others, or letting students who finish early play games for enrichment. It is not appropriate to have more advanced learners do extra math problems, extra book reports, or after completing their "regular" work be given extension assignments. Asking students to do more of what they already know is hollow. Asking them to do "the regular work, plus" inevitably seems punitive to them (Tomlinson, 1995a).
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  • Four characteristics shape teaching and learning in an effective differentiated classroom (Tomlinson, 1995a):
  • Instruction is concept focused and principle driven.
  • On-going assessment of student readiness and growth are built into the curriculum.
  • Flexible grouping is consistently used. In a differentiated class, students work in many patterns. Sometimes they work alone, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in groups. Sometimes tasks are readiness-based, sometimes interest-based, sometimes constructed to match learning style, and sometimes a combination of readiness, interest, and learning style.
  • Students are active explorers. Teachers guide the exploration.
  • Adjustments based on learning profile encourage students to understand their own learning preferences.
  • Readiness-based adjustments can be created by teachers offering students a range of learning tasks developed along one or more of the following continua:
  • Concrete to abstract.
  • Simple to complex.
  • Basic to transformational.
  • Fewer facets to multi-facets.
  • Smaller leaps to greater leaps
  • More structured to more open.
  • Less independence to greater independence.
  • Quicker to slower.
  • Among instructional strategies that can help teachers manage differentiation and help students find a good learning "fit" are the following: use of multiple texts and supplementary materials; use of computer programs; interest centers; learning contracts; compacting; tiered sense-making activities and tiered products; tasks and products designed with a multiple intelligence orientation; independent learning contracts; complex instruction; group investigation; product criteria negotiated jointly by student and teacher; graduated task- and product-rubrics.
  • Teachers moving toward differentiated instruction in an inclusive, integrated middle school classroom find greater success if they (1) have a clear rationale for differentiation, (2) prepare students and parents for a differentiated classroom, (3) attend to issues of classroom structure and management as they move toward more student-centered learning, (4) move toward differentiation at a pace comfortable to both teacher and learners, and (5) plan with team members and other colleagues interested in differentiation
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