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Differentiated Assessment Strategies One Tool Doesn't Fit All

• Carolyn Chapman - International Educational Consultant
• Rita King - Educational Consultant, Texas
• Description

Boost student achievement with easy-to-use formative assessment tools

In this second edition of the bestseller, the authors provide research-based and practical formative assessment tools, strategies, and activities that simplify the process of identifying students' strengths and needs. Updated features include a new chapter on exciting ways to engage learners in self-assessment; more tools for assessing before, during, and after learning; and approaches to help students take ownership of their own learning. Differentiated Assessment Strategies gives teachers:

• Formative assessment strategies for all grade levels and content areas
• Tools for interpreting ongoing assessment data for immediate intervention and planning
• Assessment strategies that provide immediate feedback to teachers and learners
• Methods for determining learner preferences, cognitive styles, and multiple intelligences
• Tips for establishing a positive environment for assessment

Included are surveys, checklists, questionnaires, assignments, graphic organizers, portfolio work samples, rubrics, and more. These user-friendly tools are valuable for assessing all students, informing instruction, and accommodating learners' individual needs. The final chapter pulls it all together and shows how to integrate formative assessment to improve student achievement.

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email [email protected] . Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html .

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"This is a book that should be in the hands of every educator. It is practical, easy to use and such a great collection of assessments that can be easily implemented in any subject area."

"This book includes practical, helpful strategies and processes for differentiating instruction and assessment. The models, strategies, and tools in this book will assist educators in helping students ultimately self-assess and find their own pathways to success."

• By best-selling author Carolyn Chapman
• By charismatic trainers Carolyn Chapman & Rita King
• Easy-to-use assessment strategies for before, during, and after instruction
• Appropriate for all K-12 learners, from special needs through gifted and talented
• Includes surveys, checklists, questionnaires, assignments, graphic organizers, portfolio work samples, rubrics, and more.

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Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, every student has an individual learning style. Chances are, not all of your students grasp a subject in the same way or share the same level of ability. So how can you better deliver your lessons to reach everyone in class? Consider differentiated instruction—a method you may have heard about but haven’t explored, which is why you’re here. In this article, learn exactly what it means, how it works, and the pros and cons.

Definition of differentiated instruction

Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Research on the effectiveness of differentiation shows this method benefits a wide range of students, from those with learning disabilities to those who are considered high ability.

Differentiating instruction may mean teaching the same material to all students using a variety of instructional strategies, or it may require the teacher to deliver lessons at varying levels of difficulty based on the ability of each student.

Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may:

• Design lessons based on students’ learning styles.
• Group students by shared interest, topic, or ability for assignments.
• Assess students’ learning using formative assessment.
• Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment.
• Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students’ needs.

History of differentiated instruction

The roots of differentiated instruction go all the way back to the days of the one-room schoolhouse, where one teacher had students of all ages in one classroom. As the educational system transitioned to grading schools, it was assumed that children of the same age learned similarly. However in 1912, achievement tests were introduced, and the scores revealed the gaps in student’s abilities within grade levels.

In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that children with disabilities had equal access to public education. To reach this student population, many educators used differentiated instruction strategies. Then came the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2000, which further encouraged differentiated and skill-based instruction—and that’s because it works. Research by educator Leslie Owen Wilson supports differentiating instruction within the classroom, finding that lecture is the least effective instructional strategy, with only 5 to 10 percent retention after 24 hours. Engaging in a discussion, practicing after exposure to content, and teaching others are much more effective ways to ensure learning retention.

Four ways to differentiate instruction

According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instruction through four ways: 1) content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment.

As you already know, fundamental lesson content should cover the standards of learning set by the school district or state educational standards. But some students in your class may be completely unfamiliar with the concepts in a lesson, some students may have partial mastery, and some students may already be familiar with the content before the lesson begins.

What you could do is differentiate the content by designing activities for groups of students that cover various levels of  Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of levels of intellectual behavior going from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills). The six levels are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Students who are unfamiliar with a lesson could be required to complete tasks on the lower levels: remembering and understanding. Students with some mastery could be asked to apply and analyze the content, and students who have high levels of mastery could be asked to complete tasks in the areas of evaluating and creating.

Examples of differentiating activities:

• Match vocabulary words to definitions.
• Read a passage of text and answer related questions.
• Think of a situation that happened to a character in the story and a different outcome.
• Differentiate fact from opinion in the story.
• Identify an author’s position and provide evidence to support this viewpoint.
• Create a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the lesson.

Each student has a preferred learning style, and successful differentiation includes delivering the material to each style: visual, auditory and kinesthetic, and through words. This process-related method also addresses the fact that not all students require the same amount of support from the teacher, and students could choose to work in pairs, small groups, or individually. And while some students may benefit from one-on-one interaction with you or the classroom aide, others may be able to progress by themselves. Teachers can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs.

Examples of differentiating the process:

• Provide textbooks for visual and word learners.
• Allow auditory learners to listen to audio books.
• Give kinesthetic learners the opportunity to complete an interactive assignment online.

The product is what the student creates at the end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of the content. This can be in the form of tests, projects, reports, or other activities. You could assign students to complete activities that show mastery of an educational concept in a way the student prefers, based on learning style.

Examples of differentiating the end product:

• Read and write learners write a book report.
• Visual learners create a graphic organizer of the story.
• Auditory learners give an oral report.
• Kinesthetic learners build a diorama illustrating the story.

4. Learning environment

The conditions for optimal learning include both physical and psychological elements. A flexible classroom layout is key, incorporating various types of furniture and arrangements to support both individual and group work. Psychologically speaking, teachers should use classroom management techniques that support a safe and supportive learning environment.

Examples of differentiating the environment:

• Break some students into reading groups to discuss the assignment.
• Allow students to read individually if preferred.
• Create quiet spaces where there are no distractions.

Pros and cons of differentiated instruction

The benefits of differentiation in the classroom are often accompanied by the drawback of an ever-increasing workload. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

• Research shows differentiated instruction is effective for high-ability students as well as students with mild to severe disabilities.
• When students are given more options on how they can learn material, they take on more responsibility for their own learning.
• Students appear to be more engaged in learning, and there are reportedly fewer discipline problems in classrooms where teachers provide differentiated lessons.
• Differentiated instruction requires more work during lesson planning, and many teachers struggle to find the extra time in their schedule.
• The learning curve can be steep and some schools lack professional development resources.
• Critics argue there isn’t enough research to support the benefits of differentiated instruction outweighing the added prep time.

Differentiated instruction strategies

What differentiated instructional strategies can you use in your classroom? There are a set of methods that can be tailored and used across the different subjects. According to Kathy Perez (2019) and the Access Center those strategies are tiered assignments, choice boards, compacting, interest centers/groups, flexible grouping, and learning contracts. Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but have the students create a different product to display their knowledge based on their comprehension skills. Choice boards allow students to choose what activity they would like to work on for a skill that the teacher chooses. On the board are usually options for the different learning styles; kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and tactile. Compacting allows the teacher to help students reach the next level in their learning when they have already mastered what is being taught to the class. To compact the teacher assesses the student’s level of knowledge, creates a plan for what they need to learn, excuses them from studying what they already know, and creates free time for them to practice an accelerated skill.

Interest centers or groups are a way to provide autonomy in student learning. Flexible grouping allows the groups to be more fluid based on the activity or topic.  Finally, learning contracts are made between a student and teacher, laying out the teacher’s expectations for the necessary skills to be demonstrated and the assignments required components with the student putting down the methods they would like to use to complete the assignment. These contracts can allow students to use their preferred learning style, work at an ideal pace and encourages independence and planning skills. The following are strategies for some of the core subject based on these methods.

Differentiated instruction strategies for math

• Provide students with a choice board. They could have the options to learn about probability by playing a game with a peer, watching a video, reading the textbook, or working out problems on a worksheet.
• Teach mini lessons to individuals or groups of students who didn’t grasp the concept you were teaching during the large group lesson. This also lends time for compacting activities for those who have mastered the subject.
• Use manipulatives, especially with students that have more difficulty grasping a concept.
• Have students that have already mastered the subject matter create notes for students that are still learning.
• For students that have mastered the lesson being taught, require them to give in-depth, step-by-step explanation of their solution process, while not being rigid about the process with students who are still learning the basics of a concept if they arrive at the correct answer.

Differentiated instruction strategies for science

• Emma McCrea (2019) suggests setting up “Help Stations,” where peers assist each other. Those that have more knowledge of the subject will be able to teach those that are struggling as an extension activity and those that are struggling will receive.
• Set up a “question and answer” session during which learners can ask the teacher or their peers questions, in order to fill in knowledge gaps before attempting the experiment.
• Create a visual word wall. Use pictures and corresponding labels to help students remember terms.
• Set up interest centers. When learning about dinosaurs you might have an “excavation” center, a reading center, a dinosaur art project that focuses on their anatomy, and a video center.
• Provide content learning in various formats such as showing a video about dinosaurs, handing out a worksheet with pictures of dinosaurs and labels, and providing a fill-in-the-blank work sheet with interesting dinosaur facts.

Differentiated instruction strategies for ELL

• ASCD (2012) writes that all teachers need to become language teachers so that the content they are teaching the classroom can be conveyed to the students whose first language is not English.
• Start by providing the information in the language that the student speaks then pairing it with a limited amount of the corresponding vocabulary in English.
•  Although ELL need a limited amount of new vocabulary to memorize, they need to be exposed to as much of the English language as possible. This means that when teaching, the teacher needs to focus on verbs and adjectives related to the topic as well.
• Group work is important. This way they are exposed to more of the language. They should, however, be grouped with other ELL if possible as well as given tasks within the group that are within their reach such as drawing or researching.

Differentiated instruction strategies for reading

• Tiered assignments can be used in reading to allow the students to show what they have learned at a level that suites them. One student might create a visual story board while another student might write a book report. 
• Reading groups can pick a book based on interest or be assigned based on reading level
• Erin Lynch (2020) suggest that teachers scaffold instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals. Verbally and visually explain the topic. Use anchor charts, drawings, diagrams, and reference guides to foster a clearer understanding. If applicable, provide a video clip for students to watch.
• Utilize flexible grouping. Students might be in one group for phonics based on their assessed level but choose to be in another group for reading because they are more interested in that book.

Differentiated instruction strategies for writing

• Hold writing conferences with your students either individually or in small groups. Talk with them throughout the writing process starting with their topic and moving through grammar, composition, and editing.
• Allow students to choose their writing topics. When the topic is of interest, they will likely put more effort into the assignment and therefore learn more.
• Keep track of and assess student’s writing progress continually throughout the year. You can do this using a journal or a checklist. This will allow you to give individualized instruction.
• Hand out graphic organizers to help students outline their writing. Try fill-in-the-blank notes that guide the students through each step of the writing process for those who need additional assistance.
• For primary grades give out lined paper instead of a journal. You can also give out differing amounts of lines based on ability level. For those who are excelling at writing give them more lines or pages to encourage them to write more. For those that are still in the beginning stages of writing, give them less lines so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Differentiated instruction strategies for special education

• Use a multi-sensory approach. Get all five senses involved in your lessons, including taste and smell!
• Use flexible grouping to create partnerships and teach students how to work collaboratively on tasks. Create partnerships where the students are of equal ability, partnerships where once the student will be challenged by their partner and another time they will be pushing and challenging their partner.
• Assistive technology is often an important component of differential instruction in special education. Provide the students that need them with screen readers, personal tablets for communication, and voice recognition software.
• The article Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers suggests teachers be flexible when giving assessments “Posters, models, performances, and drawings can show what they have learned in a way that reflects their personal strengths”. You can test for knowledge using rubrics instead of multiple-choice questions, or even build a portfolio of student work. You could also have them answer questions orally.
• Utilize explicit modeling. Whether its notetaking, problem solving in math, or making a sandwich in home living, special needs students often require a step-by-step guide to make connections.

References and resources

• https://www.thoughtco.com/differentiation-instruction-in-special-education-3111026
• https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/differentiation-techniques-for-special-education
• https://www.solutiontree.com/blog/differentiated-reading-instruction/
• https://www.readingrockets.org/article/differentiated-instruction-reading
• https://www.sadlier.com/school/ela-blog/13-ideas-for-differentiated-reading-instruction-in-the-elementary-classroom
• https://inservice.ascd.org/seven-strategies-for-differentiating-instruction-for-english-learners/
• https://www.cambridge.org/us/education/blog/2019/11/13/three-approaches-differentiation-primary-science/
• https://www.brevardschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6174&dataid=8255&FileName=Differentiated_Instruction_in_Secondary_Mathematics.pdf

Books & Videos about differentiated instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson and others

• The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition
• Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau
• The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, and Lane Narvaez
• Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe
• Differentiation in Practice Grades K-5: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
• Differentiation in Practice Grades 5–9: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
• Differentiation in Practice Grades 9–12: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland
• Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching – Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan
• How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Tonya R. Moon
• How To Differentiate Instruction In Mixed Ability Classrooms 2nd Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
• How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson 
• Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom Paperback – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Tonya R. Moon
• Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (Professional Development) 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
• The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning 1st Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, Lane Narvaez
• Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom  – David A. Sousa, Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Leading for Differentiation: Growing Teachers Who Grow Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Michael Murphy
• An Educator’s Guide to Differentiating Instruction. 10th Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, James M. Cooper
• A Differentiated Approach to the Common Core: How do I help a broad range of learners succeed with a challenging curriculum? – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
• Managing a Differentiated Classroom: A Practical Guide – Carol Tomlinson, Marcia Imbeau
• Differentiating Instruction for Mixed-Ability Classrooms: An ASCD Professional Inquiry Kit Pck Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Using Differentiated Classroom Assessment to Enhance Student Learning (Student Assessment for Educators) 1st Edition – Tonya R. Moon, Catherine M. Brighton, Carol A. Tomlinson
• The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson

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Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Curriculum and Instruction ,  Diversity ,  Engaging Activities ,  New Teacher ,  Pros and Cons

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The Foundational Guide to Differentiated Instruction

• Classroom Activities/Strategies/Guides

Most of us have experienced the frustration of one-size-fits-all clothing at some point. The concept or idea isn’t necessarily bad, but it just doesn’t work for everyone. The same can be said of education. Educators know that education does not work well as a one-size-fits-all approach. The more students in a classroom, the more diverse classrooms become. And with classrooms becoming increasingly diverse, the need for differentiated instruction becomes more critical.

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that recognizes the diverse needs and abilities of students. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach that forces students to fit into a predetermined box, instruction should  meet the individual, unique needs of the students. Differentiated instruction is extremely important because of its ability to foster equity and inclusion, create a more engaging and effective learning environment, and improve overall student achievement.

Ultimately, differentiated classrooms recognize students have diverse backgrounds, strengths, interests, and challenges, and a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction may not be effective for all learners. While differentiated instruction and its strategies may pose some challenges, the benefits of differentiation in the classroom are numerous and the challenges can be overcome.

Strategies for Implementing Differentiated Instruction

Simply put, differentiated strategies involve tailoring instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners. This tailoring can be something as easy as identifying the learning styles of students or can involve some intentional structuring of assignments. The goal isn’t to put more work on teachers and make them feel they need to edit or recreate every assignment. Instead, the goal is to give teachers the freedom to make adjustments to their ideas and curriculum that will lean into students’ strengths and therefore increase student achievement.

Identifying Learning Styles and Preferences

Identifying learning styles and preferences is an important early step in implementing differentiation of instruction. By identifying these aspects, teachers can better tailor their instruction to meet each student’s unique needs. Every classroom is likely to have a combination of visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners, which means visual aids, lectures and discussions, and physical movement should be used in instruction. Student preference or interest is also a form of differentiation. Finding a strong combination of student readiness plus their interests equals deeper engagement and application of the learning.

Teachers can identify these a number of ways. First, general observations can often reveal how a student learns best. However, if this is unclear, then teachers may choose to experiment with several different activities and styles to see how students react and perform. For older students, self-reflection or learning styles tests may allow students to verbalize an awareness of their own learning preferences. 

Curriculum Compacting

Curriculum compacting is a process where teachers can modify certain curriculum to meet the needs of high-ability students. It is a way of streamlining grade-level curriculum for students who may have already mastered certain skills or content. Once a teacher has assessed a student’s level of mastery, they may make changes to parts of the curriculum that allow students to move more quickly through content they already understand to focus on new or more challenging material.

This is an important teaching method for the higher-achieving end of the differentiation spectrum because it can help prevent students from becoming bored or disengaged with curriculum.

Tiered Assignments

Using tiered assignments is a classic strategy where teachers create multiple versions of an assignment that have varying levels of complexity, skill, or depth that correlate with the individual needs and abilities of students. Therefore, it is important to select a writing program that supports individualized instruction by offering different levels of complexity to match student skill level. 

For example, during writing instruction , students may be given a variety of prompts to respond to, or they may be assigned different length requirements to meet. Programs like Step Up to Writing ® offer differentiated instruction tiers for emergent, grade-level, and advanced writers starting as early as kindergarten through 12th grade. It is important to select a writing program that supports the individuality of each and every learner, regardless of age or preparation, as Step Up to Writing does. 

Interest-Based Learning

Along with identifying learning styles and preferences, learning the interests of individual students leads to an opportunity to implement interest-based learning in class. By designing learning experiences that tap into students’ interests, teachers can create a more student-centered and personalized learning environment. Students are more likely to engage in reading, writing, and researching when it involves something that interests them.

This may be done in the form of an ongoing evaluation throughout the school year, or even a final formative assessment where students can apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learned to something that truly interests them.

Benefits of Differentiated Instruction

In today’s diverse classrooms, one-size-fits-all instruction is no longer effective in meeting the unique needs of every student. Therefore, differentiating instruction can be one of the most beneficial instructional strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms.

Differentiation can take place at both the curriculum and instruction level—and mutually benefit the teachers as well as the students. A little bit of extra thought and organization during the lesson planning process can create a learning environment that meets the needs of diverse learners, personalizes learning, promotes student engagement, and fosters collaboration and community.

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

Meeting the unique needs of all students during instruction is essential for success. A differentiated teaching approach is one of the most effective instructional methods, which enables educators to tailor their teaching to the students’ diverse learning styles and abilities. 

Personalizing Learning

The more personalized the learning experience, the more meaningful and enduring the lessons become. Differentiated instruction allows teachers to personalize learning by tapping into learning styles and learning profiles in ways that make students feel seen and valued.

Promoting Student Engagement

Many teachers struggle with classroom management, in part because some students act out when disengaged. Yes, part of classroom management is set from policies and expectations given at the beginning of a school year, but classroom management is maintained through effective classroom instruction. Therefore, differentiated instruction can be an effective classroom management tool for teachers.

Fostering Collaboration and Community

One of the most beautiful things education can provide for students is a sense of community and belonging. When teachers are able to differentiate their instruction, they are doing just that—fostering collaboration and community by meeting students where they are and giving them new ways to relate to and learn from each other.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Action

It is not an unlikely scenario for a teacher to have a classroom that includes some students with learning disabilities (like dyslexia ), some who are reading two levels ahead, some English language learners, and all with varying levels of intelligence and interest. Simply printing off different variations of worksheets is not an effective way to reach a group like this. A variety of instructional strategies in each content area is more likely to reach each student.

Teachers have an ideal amount of curriculum they want to get through within a given time frame, but they shouldn’t feel so locked into that curriculum that they lose student engagement in the process. Differentiated instruction can be used in all classrooms—no matter the age, grade level, or content—to the students’ benefit. There are many differentiated instruction strategies and examples available, and for each subject level, teachers can find the perfect fit for their curriculum and classroom.

Differentiating Instruction in Mathematics

An example of a simple way to differentiate instruction in mathematics may involve the use of equations. When it comes to assessments, some students may be provided with the equations while others are not.

But differentiation in math goes much deeper than that. One of the best ways to differentiate instruction in math is to allow students to connect the lesson to personal interests and everyday scenarios. For example, a budget project in math class will allow students to explore numbers in relation to what they like to buy or spend money on.

Differentiating Instruction in English Language Arts

Differentiated instruction is one of the key components when it comes to reading comprehension and reading intervention. One of the key questions when determining effective reading intervention is asking if the program allows for differentiated instruction. Differentiating instruction in English language arts allows teachers to more confidently teach any given combination of readers and writers.

Challenges and Solutions

While differentiated instruction has many benefits, it also presents some challenges for teachers. Adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs of each student can be time-consuming, and managing different groups of students working on different tasks can also present a challenge. Teachers may feel overwhelmed with time constraints or feel the need for additional training to be successful.

Both of these things, however, are avoidable. While additional training can be beneficial, it is not a requirement and shouldn’t feel like a burden. The truth is that the majority of teachers already differentiate their instruction to some varying degree whether they realize it or not—some may need a little encouragement and validation that what they are doing is working and beneficial.

Time Management

Teachers constantly feel crunched for time. It is challenging to plan lessons, organize materials, instruct students, build relationships, and grade assessments each day. Including more student-centered activities and choice into instruction will not only free up some of the teacher’s time during the day, but it will also allow the students to take a more active role in their learning.

Classroom Management

Classroom management always finds itself on the list of challenges for teachers. Differentiated instruction is a huge contributing factor to managing a classroom, along with the policies and procedures put in place at the beginning of the school year. When it comes to classroom management, some of the best solutions are to keep it simple. Have a few rules that are comprehensive and can cover a lot of behavior.

For example, Children’s Literacy Initiative suggests the Power of Three, which includes, “Take care of ourselves, take care of others, and take care of the classroom.” The same can be said of differentiated instruction. Don’t try to do too much at once. Choose a few differentiation strategies to work with at a time rather than overwhelming yourself—and students—with too many.

Assessment and Grading

One way teachers can avoid getting bogged down by assessments and grading is by taking a more holistic approach. Rubrics can help with this as well. Rubrics can be as detailed or as holistic as needed. While they may take a bit more time on the front end to make, a good rubric will be easy to use and will speed up the assessment process. 

Professional Development and Support

Ultimately, teachers must remember they are not alone. Teachers can sometimes feel isolated when they are spending the majority of their days surrounded by children or young adults. Being the oldest person in the room and the main authority figure throughout the day can create a false sense of needing to figure things out on your own.

Taking time to step outside of your classroom and curriculum is important. While it can be frustrating at first to have to take time away from an already busy day to attend professional development, the long-term benefits of professional development far outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Seeking support from colleagues, administrators, and professional development can make the challenges a little less challenging.

In her book How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, Carol Ann Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development and one of the leading American educators on differentiated instruction, wrote: “Kids of the same age aren’t all alike when it comes to learning, any more than they are alike in terms of size, hobbies, personality, or likes and dislikes. Kids do have many things in common, because they are human beings and because they are all children, but they also have important differences.

“What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage. In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences become important elements in teaching and learning as well.” These words are a great reminder for teachers to lean in and embrace student differences and the opportunity to differentiate instruction as something special.

Voyager Sopris Learning ® offers additional support for educators looking for differentiated instruction and practice that is explicit, systematic, and research-based.

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Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction involves teaching in a way that meets the different needs and interests of students using varied course content, activities, and assessments.

Teaching differently to different students

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is fundamentally the attempt to teach differently to different students, rather than maintain a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction. Other frameworks, such as Universal Design for Learning , enjoin instructors to give students broad choice and agency to meet their diverse needs and interests. DI distinctively emphasizes instructional methods to promote learning for students entering a course with different readiness for, interest in, and ways of engaging with course learning based on their prior learning experiences ( Dosch and Zidon 2014). 

Successful implementation of DI requires ongoing training, assessment, and monitoring (van Geel et al. 2019) and has been shown to be effective in meeting students’ different needs, readiness levels, and interests (Turner et al. 2017). Below, you can find six categories of DI instructional practices that span course design and live teaching.

While some of the strategies are best used together, not all of them are meant to be used at once, as the flexibility inherent to these approaches means that some of them are diverging when used in combination (e.g., constructing homogenous student groups necessitates giving different types of activities and assessments; constructing heterogeneous student groups may pair well with peer tutoring) (Pozas et al. 2020). The learning environment the instructor creates with students has also been shown to be an important part of successful DI implementation (Shareefa et al. 2019). 

Differentiated Assessment

Differentiated assessment is an aspect of Differentiated Instruction that focuses on tailoring the ways in which students can demonstrate their progress to their varied strengths and ways of learning. Instead of testing recall of low-level information, instructors should focus on the use of knowledge and complex reasoning. Differentiation should inform not only the design of instructors’ assessments, but also how they interpret the results and use them to inform their DI practices. 

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Steps to consider

There are generally considered to be six categories of useful differentiated instruction and assessment practices (Pozas & Schneider 2019):

• Making assignments that have tasks and materials that are qualitatively and/or quantitatively varied (according to “challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, and/or resources”) (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) It’s helpful to assess student readiness and interest by collecting data at the beginning of the course, as well as to conduct periodic check-ins throughout the course (Moallemi 2023 & Pham 2011)
• Making student working groups that are intentionally chosen (that are either homogeneous or heterogeneous based on “performance, readiness, interests, etc.”) (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) Examples of how to make different student groups provided by Stanford CTL  (Google Doc)
• Making tutoring systems within the working group where students teach each other (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) For examples of how to support peer instruction, and the benefits of doing so, see for example Tullis & Goldstone 2020 and Peer Instruction for Active Learning (LSA Technology Services, University of Michigan)
• Making non-verbal learning aids that are staggered to provide support to students in helping them get to the next step in the learning process (only the minimal amount of information that is needed to help them get there is provided, and this step is repeated each time it’s needed) (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible) Non-verbal cue cards support students’ self-regulation, as they can monitor and control their progress as they work (Pozas & Schneider 2019)
• Making instructional practices that ensure all students meet at least the minimum standards and that more advanced students meet higher standards , which involves monitoring students’ learning process carefully (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible; IP Module 5: Giving Inclusive Assessments) This type of approach to student assessment can be related to specifications grading, where students determine the grade they want and complete the modules that correspond to that grade, offering additional motivation to and reduced stress for students and additional flexibility and time-saving practices to instructors (Hall 2018)
• Making options that support student autonomy in being responsible for their learning process and choosing material to work on (e.g., students can choose tasks, project-based learning, portfolios, and/or station work, etc.) (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible) This option, as well as the others, fits within a general Universal Design Learning framework , which is designed to improve learning for everyone using scientific insights about human learning

Hall, M (2018). “ What is Specifications Grading and Why Should You Consider Using It? ” The Innovator Instructor blog, John Hopkins University Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation.

Moallemi, R. (2023). “ The Relationship between Differentiated Instruction and Learner Levels of Engagement at University .” Journal of Research in Integrated Teaching and Learning (ahead of print).

Pham, H. (2011). “ Differentiated Instruction and the Need to Integrate Teaching and Practice .” Journal of College Teaching and Learning , 9(1), 13-20.

Pozas, M. & Schneider, C. (2019). " Shedding light into the convoluted terrain of differentiated instruction (DI): Proposal of a taxonomy of differentiated instruction in the heterogeneous classroom ." Open Education Studies , 1, 73–90.

Pozas, M., Letzel, V. and Schneider, C. (2020). " Teachers and differentiated instruction: exploring differentiation practices to address student diversity ." Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs , 20: 217-230.

Shareefa, M. et al. (2019). “ Differentiated Instruction: Definition and Challenging Factors Perceived by Teachers .” Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Special Education (ICSE 2019). 

Tullis, J.G. & Goldstone, R.L. (2020). “ Why does peer instruction benefit student learning? ”, Cognitive Research 5 .

Turner, W.D., Solis, O.J., and Kincade, D.H. (2017). “ Differentiating Instruction for Large Classes in Higher Education ”, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 29(3), 490-500.

van Geel, M., Keuning, T., Frèrejean, J., Dolmans, D., van Merriënboer, J., & Visscher A.J. (2019). “Capturing the complexity of differentiated instruction”, School Effectiveness and School Improvement , 30:1, 51-67, DOI: 10.1080/09243453.2018.1539013

• Our Mission

6 Strategies for Differentiated Instruction in Project-Based Learning

Reflecting on learning and student voice and choice are core elements of project-based learning, and they’re also key to differentiation.

Project-based learning (PBL) naturally lends itself to differentiated instruction. By design, it is student-centered and student-driven, and it gives space for teachers to meet the needs of students in a variety of ways. PBL can allow for effective differentiation in assessment as well as daily management and instruction.

PBL experts will tell you this, but I often hear teachers ask for real examples, specifics to help them contextualize what it looks like in the classroom. We all need to try out specific ideas and strategies to get our brains working in a different context. Here are some specific differentiation strategies to use during a PBL project.

1. Differentiate Through Teams

We all know that heterogeneous grouping works, but sometimes homogenous grouping can be an effective way to differentiate in a project. Sometimes in a novel- or literature-based PBL project, for example, it might be appropriate to differentiate by grouping students by reading level. That way, I can take groups that need intensive work and ensure they are getting the instruction they need.

Teaming should be intentional, and we need to know the why of how we structure teams. Are you differentiating for academic ability? Are you differentiating for collaboration skills? Are you differentiating for social-emotional purposes? Are you differentiating for passions? If you’re a designer or co-designer of a PBL project, teams can be an effective way to differentiate instruction.

2. Reflection and Goal Setting

Reflection is an essential component of PBL. Throughout the project, students should be reflecting on their work and setting goals for further learning. This is a great opportunity for them to set personalized learning goals and for you to target instruction specific to the goals they set.

At specific milestones in a project, one teacher that I observed had students reflect on what they’d learned so far in math and science, and then create goal statements for what they still wanted to learn. The teacher then designed activities to support students in learning not only what they wanted, but also what they needed to know.

3. Mini-Lessons, Centers, and Resources

This is probably one of my favorites. In addition to being a great management strategy to prevent time sucks in class, mini-lessons and centers are a great way to differentiate instruction. Perhaps you offer mini-lessons or center work to support your students’ learning, or maybe you show students a variety of resources from which to learn, including videos, games, and readings.

I know a teacher who has a well-oiled PBL machine of a classroom. Students move seamlessly from product work to learning stations, resources, and mini-lessons based on what they know. Students are so in tune with their learning that they are able to truly take ownership of it, and the teacher provides instruction without assumption. Not all students may need the mini-lesson, so you can offer or demand it for the students who will really benefit.

4. Voice and Choice in Products

Another essential component of PBL is student voice and choice, both in terms of what students produce and how they use their time. With the products, you can allow students to show what they know in a variety of ways. From written components to artistic or theatrical, you can differentiate the ways that students are summatively assessed. Their passions actively come into play here.

Again, it all depends on the standards that you’re assessing, but don’t let standards confine your thinking. Yes, you may have a written component if you’re assessing writing, but ask yourself, “How can I allow for voice and choice here?” Embrace possibilities for differentiated student summative products.

5. Differentiate Through Formative Assessments

Formative assessments can look the same for all students. They can also look different. We know that students can show what they’ve learned in different ways, as mentioned above in terms of products produced as summative assessment. In addition, as you check for understanding along the way, you can formatively assess in different ways when appropriate.

Perhaps you are targeting collaboration in the project. You can differentiate a formative assessment of this in a variety of ways. Perhaps it’s an oral conference. Perhaps it’s a series of written responses. Perhaps it’s a graphic organizer or collage. More importantly, these formative assessments allow you to differentiate the type of instruction needed as you feed forward in the project.

6. Balance Teamwork and Individual Work

Teamwork and collaboration occur regularly in a PBL project. We want to leverage collaboration as much as content. However, there are times when individual instruction and practice may be needed. You need to differentiate the learning environment because some students learn better on their own, and others learn better in a team. In fact, we all need time to process and think alone just as much as we need time to learn from our peers. Make sure to balance both so that you are supporting a collaborative environment while allowing time to meet students on an individual basis.

As you master the PBL process in your classroom, you will intuitively find ways to differentiate instruction for your students. You will design the project to scaffold content and skills in a variety of ways. You will create formative and summative assessments to allow for student passions and goals, and you will manage the process so that it allows you to meet students where they are and move them forward.

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Hands-on, Practical Guidance for Educators

From math, literacy, equity, multilingual learners, and SEL, to assessment, school counseling, and education leadership, our books are research-based and authored by experts on topics most relevant to what educators are facing today.

Differentiated Assessment Strategies

This revised version of a bestseller provides the ready-to-use assessment strategies foundational to differentiating instruction. Includes surveys, checklists, sample assignments, graphic organizers, and rubrics.

Full description

• Grade Level: PreK-12, Elementary, Secondary
• ISBN: 9781412996648
• Published By: Corwin
• Page Count: 216
• Publication date: October 18, 2012

Price: $41.95

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Description

Boost student achievement with easy-to-use formative assessment tools

In this second edition of the bestseller, the authors provide research-based and practical formative assessment tools, strategies, and activities that simplify the process of identifying students' strengths and needs. Updated features include a new chapter on exciting ways to engage learners in self-assessment; more tools for assessing before, during, and after learning; and approaches to help students take ownership of their own learning. Differentiated Assessment Strategies gives teachers:

• Formative assessment strategies for all grade levels and content areas
• Tools for interpreting ongoing assessment data for immediate intervention and planning
• Assessment strategies that provide immediate feedback to teachers and learners
• Methods for determining learner preferences, cognitive styles, and multiple intelligences
• Tips for establishing a positive environment for assessment

Included are surveys, checklists, questionnaires, assignments, graphic organizers, portfolio work samples, rubrics, and more. These user-friendly tools are valuable for assessing all students, informing instruction, and accommodating learners' individual needs. The final chapter pulls it all together and shows how to integrate formative assessment to improve student achievement.

Key features

• By best-selling author Carolyn Chapman
• By charismatic trainers Carolyn Chapman & Rita King
• Easy-to-use assessment strategies for before, during, and after instruction
• Appropriate for all K-12 learners, from special needs through gifted and talented
• Includes surveys, checklists, questionnaires, assignments, graphic organizers, portfolio work samples, rubrics, and more.

Carolyn Chapman

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

1. One Tool Doesn't Fit All: Introduction

What Is Differentiated Assessment?

Analyzing Your View of Differentiated Assessment

Building the Toolbox to "Zap the Gaps"

Assessment in the Age of Accountability

What Is the Teacher's Role in Differentiated Assessment?

Opening the Toolbox

2. Bringing Research and Best Practices to Differentiated Formative Assessment

Processing Information and Memory

Why Students Forget and Why They Remember

Assist the Brain in Memory Processing

Develop Intelligent Behaviors for Assessment

Authentic Assessment

Performance Feedback

3. Creating a Climate for Formative Assessment

The Affective Domain and Assessment

Emotional Intelligence

Self-Efficacy

Motivation for Assessment

The Physical Environment

Setting Climate Goals

4. Knowing the Learner

Information Gathering

Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory

Exploring Goleman and Sternberg

More Ways to View Learners

Through Animals' Eyes

Performance Level Titles for the Assessed Learner

5. Exploring Self-Assessment

What Is Self-Assessment?

What Is Self-Talk?

Self-Talk for Task Assessment

Teaching Self-Assessment

Why Is It Important to Teach Learners How to Self Assess?

Self-Checking Techniques for Assessment

Assess On-Task Behaviors

6. Formative Assessment Before the Learning

Personalize Instructional Planning

Engaging Students Before the Learning

7. Formative Assessment During the Learning

Formative Assessment Tools to Use During the Learning

8. Formative Assessment After the Learning

Assessment Tools: After the Learning

Bloom's Taxonomy for Comprehension Assessment

9. Differentiating Summative Assessments

How Can Standardized Assessments Be Differentiated?

Create a Positive Testing Environment

Give Effective Directions

Teach Test-Taking Skills

10. Assessment for Differentiated Instruction and Flexible Grouping

Using Technology for Assessment

Assessment Cubing

Choice Boards

Assessment Agendas

Station, Centers, and Learning Zones for Assessment

Assessment for Flexible Grouping

Evaluating Group Work

Group Discussion: Assessment

Troubleshooting Tools for Group Assessment

11. Differentiated Instructional Planning Models

Adjustable Assignment Model

Curriculum Compacting Model

Academic Contract Model

Project-Based Model

Problem-Based Model

12. Planning for Differentiated Assessment

Step Up to Formative Assessment Planning

Content, Process, Product, and Learning Disposition Assessment

Essential Questions for Planning

Assess the Assessment Tool

Teaching Assessment Strategies

Effective Differentiated Assessment Practices

Generate Change for Differentiated Formative Assessment

Bibliography

"This is a book that should be in the hands of every educator. It is practical, easy to use and such a great collection of assessments that can be easily implemented in any subject area."

"This book includes practical, helpful strategies and processes for differentiating instruction and assessment. The models, strategies, and tools in this book will assist educators in helping students ultimately self-assess and find their own pathways to success."

Other Titles in: Student Assessment | Teaching Methods & Learning Styles | Differentiation & Multiple Intelligences

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How Differentiated Instruction Can Help You Reach Every Student in Class

• July 24, 2020

It may seem like common sense that students perform better in class when they receive support that meets their needs. Research around differentiated instruction confirms this is true. If you can adapt your instruction to reflect your students’ needs and learning preferences, you can make class time more effective and help students become more engaged.

In this article, we’ll go over what differentiated instruction is and how using this learning strategy can provide your students with the resources they need to succeed. Then, we’ll provide a few ideas for differentiating your classroom instruction and show you how Waterford curriculum can help you provide personalized reading instruction.

What is Differentiated Instruction?

The idea behind differentiated learning theory is to make sure your curriculum reflects the diverse needs of your students.[9] Each student enters the classroom with unique experiences, preferences, and conditions that affect how they learn. Differentiated instruction provides students with different resources or options for understanding and mastering a concept, depending on their unique needs.[4] This can help move your classroom from heterogenous instruction toward individualized learning. [4,6]

Differentiated instruction doesn’t necessarily involve giving every student separate assignments—though you may adapt or modify assignments as specific needs arise. It’s more about providing students, individually or in a group, with different learning options or providing accommodations to help them learn more effectively.[11]

Sounds familiar? Differentiated instruction is often compared to the learning styles theory , which posits that all students respond best to one of four learning methods. While research into learning styles is mixed, there are clear and measurable benefits to adapting your teaching methods to your students’ needs.

Benefits of Differentiated Learning for Students

In a survey from the International Journal of Education, 97% of teachers reported never or seldom using a flexible curriculum for their students.[2] So why should you consider bringing differentiated learning into your classroom? The research is clear: students, especially those with diverse learning needs, learn more effectively when teachers respond to their needs.

A study published by Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences found that students’ learning outcomes significantly improve when teachers use differentiated content that responds to a student’s learning preferences.[5] Students are also more likely to focus and be engaged in the learning process when teachers differentiate their instructional strategies.[1,6] As you provide opportunities for students to explore content based on their strengths, they’re more likely to flourish in your class.

Differentiated instruction strategies are especially important for students with physical or learning disabilities.[4] These students often have strengths and weaknesses that are different from other students who don’t have the same disability. By differentiating your instruction, you can adapt lessons or assignments for these students to better accommodate their needs.[4]

How to Differentiate Instruction in Your Classroom

Now that we’ve gone over why differentiated learning matters in the classroom, let’s go over instructional strategies. Some teachers may feel discouraged because differentiated instruction can sound like an increased workload.[2] But differentiated instruction can make your teaching strategies more effective over time, which can help you make the most of both your students’ time and your own.

According to educational researcher and differentiated instruction expert Carol Ann Tomlinson, there are four key ways to differentiate classroom instruction:[8]

• Content : How the student will access the information
• Process : The method of the activities students use to understand the information
• Product : Projects or homework that ask the student to practice or apply the information
• Learning environment : The space where the student is learning the information

If a student might work more efficiently in a quieter learning environment, for example, you could allow them to complete a project in the school library. Or if you think a student would respond to a more visual approach with vocabulary words, you could adjust the content to include images with each word or adjust the product by assigning them to draw a picture that represents the words.

Additionally, don’t get overwhelmed by feeling that you have to make all of your assignments unique for each student. Some students may have specific needs that require you to adjust your assignments or teaching strategy. But in many cases, you can practice differentiated learning by either breaking students with similar needs into groups or offering all students several options for completing an assignment.[10]

Overall, the best way to practice differentiated instruction is by getting to know your students. As you work with them over the school year, you’ll be able to better understand their needs and what types of assignments they respond to.[9] And just as important, you’ll be able to help them recognize their own strengths and learning preferences—which can help them seek out the right learning strategies through their academic career.

Waterford’s Adaptive Curriculum Offers Differentiated Instruction

Waterford ensures that students learn to read through thousands of games, songs, and activities. Our programs assign these lessons based on a student’s placement assessment and their demonstrated mastery. That way, the focus is always on the skills where they need the most practice.

And for older students, you can adjust our book-based study guides to offer personalized lessons on books you’re reading as a class. Students can also select independent reading books from our online library. When students choose what to read based on their personal interests, it encourages focus and engagement.

To learn more , get in touch! We’d love to discuss how our PreK–6 reading programs can revolutionize the way you support your students as they move from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”

• Morgan, H. Maximizing Student Success with Differentiated Learning. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues, and Ideas, 2014, 87(1), pp. 34-38.
• Jager, T. Guidelines to assist the implementation of differentiated learning activities in South African secondary schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2013, 17(1), pp. 80-94.
• Mentis, M. Different Technologies for Differentiated Education: Social Networks, Identity and Diversity in e-Learning. International Journal of Diversity in Organizations: Annual Review, November 2007, 7(3), pp. 85-93.
• Landrum, T.J., and McDuffie, K.A. Learning Styles in the Age of Differentiated Instruction. Exceptionality: A Special Education Journal, 2010, 18(1), pp. 6-17.
• Tulbure, C. Do different learning styles require differentiated teaching strategies? Retrieved from sciencedirect.com: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042811000541
• Subban, P. Differentiated Instruction: A Research Basis. International Education Journal, 2006, 7(7), pp. 935-947.
• Tomlinson, C.A. Mapping a Route Toward Differentiated Instruction. Educational Leadership, September 1999, 57(1), pp. 12-16.
• Weselby, C. What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom. Retrieved from resilienteducator.com: https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/.
• NYUSteinhardt Staff. Culturally Responsive Differentiated Instructional Strategies. Retrieved from nyu.edu: https://research.steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/005/120/Culturally%20Responsive%20Differientiated%20Instruction.pdf.
• Tomlinson, C.A. Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. Retrieved from ericdigests.org: https://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.html.
• Tucker, G.C. Differentiated Instruction: What You Need to Know. Retrieved from understood.org: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/differentiated-instruction-what-you-need-to-know.

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20 Breakthrough Differentiation Strategies to Help Your Students Thrive

• Differentiation , Engagement , Strategies

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: differentiation is the key to unlocking every student’s unique potential. And, as I’ve mentioned before in my original differentiation blog post , differentiated instruction is more than just using a variety of instructional strategies to engage students; it’s about striking that perfect balance between effort and success for every single student in your classroom. That’s why researching and employing differentiation strategies is so important!

Of course, I know that finding the time to research differentiation strategies is much easier said than done. That’s why I’ve gone ahead and done all the research for you! In this blog post, we’ll explore not just a few, but twenty exceptional differentiation strategies that are not only backed by research, but are also brimming with creativity and are sure to engage.

Let’s take a look!

Differentiation Strategies: Content

1. content choice menus.

Picture this: a classrooms where students have a say in what they learn. It sounds exciting, but also a bit dangerous, don’t you think? What if students choose to learn about Minecraft all day long? That’s not going to help them lead a successful career later on in life!

The good news is that you can still provide students with content choice while still keeping them on track with your lesson plans. By using content choice menus , you can empower students to select topics and materials that pique their interest and still check all the boxes on your end! Whether it’s exploring ancient civilizations or diving into modern world conflicts, students take charge of their learning by selecting from pre-approved topics offered by you. Naturally, the benefits include personalized learning paths (one of the key differentiation strategies) and increased engagement.

2. Multilayered Texts

One of the most problematic areas for students in upper elementary classrooms is reading. There’s no way around it: in your diverse classrooms, it’s a given that your students are going to have varying reading abilities. Obviously, the solution is to differentiate, but which differentiation strategies are going to be most effective?

Enter multilayered texts . These texts offer a variety of different reading levels that all cover the same topic. This means that, within one classroom, students can access content that suits their reading proficiencies. No matter how advanced or behind a student is when it comes to reading, they should be allowed to learn about the same topics as their peers! With multilayered texts, students emerge with individualized reading experiences and improved comprehension to boot.

Differentiation Strategies: Processes

3. learning contracts.

Similar to content choice menus, learning contracts put students in the driver’s seat, granting your kiddos autonomy over their learning. However, the process is wholly different for these two differentiation strategies. With learning contracts, students set their own learning goals and chart their paths to success. This strategy promotes autonomy as well as accountability!

By taking ownership of their learning journeys, students will develop a sense of responsibility and self-motivation that will lead to success in their daily lives. Self-discipline is a much-needed skill in today’s society, and learning contracts are a great start. The result of this strategy is not just knowledge, but self-directed progress that encourages students to take pride in their academics.

4. Flipped Mastery Learning

No more one-size-fits-all timelines! As the name implies, the flipped mastery learning model flips the script on traditional classroom pacing. In this model, students master content at their own pace rather than within the stringent timelines placed on kiddos in the weeks leading up to exams. Students advance to the next topic only after mastering the previous one, which builds a steady foundation and confidence. The outcome? Mastery of concepts and reduced learning gaps.

Differentiation Strategies: Products

5. choice-based projects.

There seems to be a common theme within differentiation strategies: choice! This next entry is no different: choice-based projects are like a buffet of creativity. Students select the format for their final project, from posters to videos to research papers or whatever else they can come up with (so long as it’s approved by you, of course).

By providing students their choice of outlet, you tap into their strengths and interests, resulting in varied and personalized expressions of learning. Not only is it fun for the students to work on something that interests them, but it’s fun for you, too! You never know what exciting format your kiddos will come up with.

6. Peer-Teaching Exhibitions

Once students master something, they always seem to turn into little experts for the next few days. It’s cute to watch, but it also can be used for our differentiation strategies!

Peer-teaching exhibitions transform students into experts. Students should be given the opportunity to dive deep into a topic, then present their knowledge to their peers in creative ways. From the tried-and-true presentations to something more exciting, students should be allowed to come up with their own ways of communicating their knowledge to their peers for added creativity. This strategy promotes peer learning and offers multiple perspectives on a topic.

Differentiation Strategies: Assessments

7. performance-based assessments.

Both formal and informal assessments have their place in the modern classroom, performance-based assessments simply take learning to another level. As defined by the New York State Education Department , performance-based assessments are those that “require students to demonstrate or apply their knowledge, skills, and strategies by creating a response or product or doing a task.”

Basically, performance-based assessments require students to apply their knowledge in a way that applies to real-world scenarios. The benefits are obvious: not only knowledge, but real-world application skills as well as providing you with a wide range of assessment options.

8. Self-Assessment Portfolios

When I wrote about measuring student progress , it was for good reason! As an educator, I have no doubt that you understand exactly why it’s so important to measure student progress beginning at the start of the year. When it comes to differentiation strategies, measuring student progress is just as important, but we’re going to let the kiddos take charge this time with self-assessment portfolios .

Self-assessment portfolios are a window into student growth. Throughout the school year, students curate a portfolio showcasing their best work and projects that they’re proud of. They repeatedly self-assess their progress and point out their pride points as well as mistakes they may have made, which leads to improved self-awareness and goal-setting skills.

Differentiation Strategies: Learning Environment

9. flexible seating options.

It seems simple, but its value is severely understated: flexible seating options give students choice in their learning environment. Some may prefer the traditional five-desk-groups setup, while others will go for standing desks or cozy reading nooks. It can be difficult to let go of the control your traditional desk setup gives you, but for the sake of differentiation strategies, you’ve got to give it a shot!

By using flexible seating options, you accommodate various learning preferences and needs, which leads to increased comfort and engagement. If a student is comfortable, they’ll have a much easier time paying attention to lessons rather than shifting around in their hard, uncomfortable chair. There’s a reason our office chairs are made with soft, cushy padding!

10. Learning Stations with Varied Resources

By now, I’m sure you know all about active learning and its importance in your classroom. It’s no surprise that there are differentiation strategies centered around this concept as well, such as learning stations . Learning stations bring active learning to life!

Essentially, you’ll set up a variety of stations related to the topic you’re covering. At each station, there are different resources: hands-on experiments, videos, research materials, and so on. Students rotate through these stations, engaging in various learning modalities and paces. The differentiation here is clear, and it’s likely something you already do to some degree in your classroom. Still, it’s an excellent strategy worth mentioning!

Differentiation Strategies: Grouping

11. peer tutoring networks.

Similar to peer-teaching exhibitions, peer tutoring networks transform classrooms into hubs of collaboration. Students become both learners and teachers, enhancing their understanding. By encouraging students to work with their peers, this differentiation strategy fosters collaborative learning as well as peer support.

12. Group Contracts for Projects

Group projects can be a source of contention for many students. There are students who love group work for the social aspect, while other students would prefer to work alone if given the chance. Still, it’s no secret that classrooms should encourage group work in order to develop teamwork and collaboration skills.

That’s where group contracts come in. Group contracts for collaborative projects lay out expectations, roles, and individual accountability for each member of a group. This means that students will know exactly what their expectation is in the group, such as staying on-task and being polite to one another. These contracts ensure clear group dynamics and equitable contributions.

Differentiation Strategies: Assessment Feedback

13. audio feedback recordings.

We talk a lot about how important assessments are in the classroom, but providing feedback to your students in a concise, understandable manner is just as important to their growth. In fact, there are even differentiation strategies for feedback, such as using audio feedback recordings .

Audio feedback recordings add a personal touch to assessments. They provide personalized and auditory feedback that, if done right, reduces the chance of misunderstanding on the student’s end and allows for more detailed information than written feedback does. Audio feedback can be done in person or even online through forums such as Google Classroom .

14. Socratic Assessment Conferences

Despite how professional and grown-up it sounds, Socratic assessment conferences are a perfect differentiation strategy for every classroom. Socratic assessment conferences bring teachers and students into meaningful dialogues about assessments that promote reflection and self-assessment, leading to improved metacognition and deeper learning.

A good way to get students into the right frame of mind for Socratic assessment conferences is to utilize growth mindset, such as the bundle I created showcasing the concept in a way your students can understand. Check out the Growth Mindset Bundle here to help your students develop those skills.

In the real world, there are no graded assessments—at least, not as often and regularly as there are in the classroom. It’s imperative that individuals are able to reflect on their own work from time to time and assess themselves in order to course-correct if needed to achieve their goals.

Differentiation Strategies: Technology Integration

15. adaptive learning platforms.

I hope you aren’t technophobic , because the digital era is upon us! Thankfully, we can harness the power of technology in our differentiation strategies. For instance, using adaptive learning platforms in your classroom allows students to adapt content based on their individual progress. Students can embark on personalized learning pathways, mastering concepts at their own pace with the help of whichever platforms they’re most comfortable with.

16. Personalized Learning Dashboards

As mentioned several times by now, it’s incredibly important for students to be allowed insights to their personal growth. That’s where personalized learning dashboards come in, such as those found on Khan Academy ! Personalized learning dashboards put students in control of their learning by allowing them to track their own progress, set goals, and take charge of their education.

Differentiation Strategies: Assessment Timing

17. rolling assessment submissions.

Students who are late to turn in their work are quick to be branded as lazy, but that’s often not the case. Many students lead busy lives with diverse schedules, or may simply need extra thinking time on an assignment in order to put forth their best work. That’s why rolling assessment submissions are another excellent differentiation strategy.

Rolling assessment submissions allow students to choose when to submit their work (within a reasonable timeframe determined by you), accommodating cluttered schedules and work habits. Furthermore, if students are continuing to turn in work late beyond the timeframe, that’s an indication of a deeper issue that you can look into—maybe they need extra help with the concepts.

18. Cumulative Assessments with Revisions

Teaching should never be a one-and-done venture. Lifelong learners are those who continue to build upon their foundational knowledge, reviewing earlier concepts and growing from them. Similarly, students should be engaging with cumulative assessments in the classroom by reviewing previous content.

Cumulative assessments with revision opportunities promote ongoing learning and improvement. With this differentiation strategy, students continuously master content and grow metacognitively.

Differentiation Strategies: Resource Allocation

19. resource stations for diverse learners.

Chances are that you have a variety of resource stations in your classroom, but is there truly enough diversity? Resource stations for diverse learners should provide equitable access to all materials, tools, and support from you. They cater to diverse learning styles and preferences, ensuring that all students have what they need, from hands-on materials to varied texts.

20. Student-Designed Resource Kits

Students taking charge of their learning seems to be a common theme among these differentiation strategies, and this one is no different. Student-designed resource kits empower learners to create their own toolkits for learning, which fosters autonomy and resourcefulness. Besides, students should always be encouraged to learn more about their own personal learning styles so they can flourish.

No matter which of these twenty research-based and unique differentiation strategies you choose to employ, they each have the ability to transform your classroom into a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. Embrace innovation and cater to the diverse needs of your students in order to unlock their full potential. Teacher of the year? I think so!

As educators, our commitment to fostering student growth, engagement, and success drives us to continuously explore and implement innovative differentiation strategies. These strategies, grounded in research and creative thinking, are your tools to make a profound impact on the education journey of each student. Embrace them, adapt them, and watch your classroom flourish.

Which of these strategies do you already employ in your classroom? Which are you most excited to try next? Let me know below. Happy teaching!

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Differentiated Instruction and Assessment

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If teaching were as simple as using the one best way to teach everything, it would be considered more of a science. However, there isn't just one best way to teach everything and that's why teaching is an art. If teaching meant simply following a textbook and using the 'same size fits all' approach, then anyone could teach, right? That's what makes teachers and especially special educators unique and special. Long ago, teachers knew that individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses must drive instructional and assessment practice .

We've always known that children come in their own individual packages and that no two children learn the same way even though the curriculum may be the same. Instructional and assessment practice can (and should) be different to ensure that learning happens. This is where differentiated instruction and assessment comes in. Teachers need to create a variety of entry points to ensure that student differing abilities, strengths, and needs are all taken into consideration. Students then need varying opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge based on the teaching, hence differentiated assessment.

Here are the nuts and bolts of differentiated instruction and assessment:

• The choice is key to the process. Choice of learning activity as well as choice in the assessment (how the student will demonstrate understanding).
• The learning tasks always consider the students' strengths/weaknesses. Visual learners will have visual cues, auditory learners will have auditory cues etc.
• Groupings of students will vary, some will work better independently and others will work in various group settings.
• Multiple intelligence is taken into consideration as are the students' learning and thinking styles.
• Lessons are authentic to ensure that all students can make connections.
• Project and problem-based learning are also key in differentiated instruction and assessment.
• Lessons and assessments are adapted to meet the needs of all students.
• Opportunities for children to think for themselves is clearly evident.

Differentiated instruction and assessment is not new; great teachers have been implementing these strategies for a long time.

What does differentiated instruction and assessment look like?

First of all, identify the learning outcomes. For the purpose of this explanation, I'll use Natural Disasters.

Now we need to tap into our student's prior knowledge .

What do they know?

For this stage, you can do brainstorm with the whole group or small groups or individually. Or, you can do a KWL chart. Graphic organizers work well for tapping into prior knowledge. You may also consider using a who, what, when, where, why and how graphic organizers individually or in groups. The key to this task is ensuring that everyone can contribute.

Now that you've identified what the students know, it's time to move into what they need and wants to learn. You can post chart paper around the room dividing the topic into subtopics. For instance, for natural disasters, we would post chart paper with different headings (hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes etc.). Each group or individual comes to the chart paper and writes down what they know about any of the topics. From this point you can form discussion groups based on interest, each group signs up for the natural disaster they want to learn more about. The groups will need to identify the resources that will help them gain additional information.

Now it's time to determine how the students will demonstrate their new knowledge after their investigations/research which will include books, documentaries, internet research etc. For this, again, the choice is necessary as is taking into consideration their strengths/needs and learning styles. Here are some suggestions: create a talk show, write a news release, teach the class, create an informational brochure, create a PowerPoint to show everyone, make illustrations with descriptors, give a demonstration, role-play a newscast, create a puppet show, write an information song, poem, rap or cheer, create flow charts or show a step by step process, put on an informational commercial, create a jeopardy or who wants to be a millionaire game. The possibilities of any topic are endless. Through these processes, students can also keep journals in a variety of methods. They can jot down their new facts and ideas about the concepts followed by their thoughts and reflections. Or they can keep a log of what they know and what questions they still have.

A Word About Assessment

You can assess the following: completion of tasks, the ability to work with and listen to others, participation levels, respects self, and others, ability to discuss, explain, make connections, debate, support opinions, infer, reason, re-tell, describe, report, predict etc.

The assessment rubric should contain descriptors for both social skills and knowledge skills.

As you can see, you have probably already been differentiating your instruction and assessment in much of what you're already doing. You may be asking, when does direct instruction come into play? As you're watching your groups, there will always be some students who will need some additional support, recognize it as you see it and pull those individuals together to help move them along the learning continuum.

If you can answer the following questions, you're well on your way.

• How are you differentiating content? (variety of leveled materials, choice, varied presentation formats etc.)
• How are you differentiating assessment ? (students have many options to demonstrate their new knowledge)
• How are you differentiating the process? (choice and variety of tasks that consider learning styles , strengths, and needs, flexible groupings etc.)

Although differentiating can be challenging at times, stick with it, you will see results.

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Differentiated Instruction: Strategies and Examples for the Classroom

In today’s increasingly diverse classrooms, differentiated instruction has become a crucial component for ensuring all students receive the support and opportunities they need to succeed.

This article will provide K-12 educators, school administrators, and educational organizations with a comprehensive understanding of differentiated instruction strategies, their importance, and practical examples that can be easily applied in various classroom settings.

As we delve into the key principles, strategies, and real-life applications of differentiated instruction, you will gain valuable insights and tools to create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for every student.

Understanding Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is an educational approach that focuses on adapting teaching methods and materials to accommodate the diverse learning needs of students in a classroom.

The primary goal of differentiated instruction is to ensure that every student has an equal opportunity to learn, engage, and succeed, regardless of their abilities, background, or learning style.

This teaching philosophy recognizes that students come from various backgrounds and have unique strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, making it essential for educators to cater to their individual needs.

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Key Principles of Differentiated Instruction

This approach encourages active engagement and ownership of learning, helping students build on their existing knowledge and skills.

Flexible grouping is another fundamental principle of differentiated instruction. By organizing students into various groups based on skill level, learning style, or interest, educators can provide targeted instruction and support.

This allows for a dynamic learning environment where students can collaborate and learn from one another, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility in the classroom.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies

Differentiated instruction strategies can be categorized into three main areas: content, process, and product. These strategies help educators create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for all students.

Content differentiation focuses on the material being taught and how it is presented to students. Tiered assignments, for example, allow teachers to provide different levels of complexity within the same assignment, ensuring that each student is challenged according to their ability.

Learning centers are another content differentiation strategy, where educators create stations with activities tailored to various learning styles and abilities, enabling students to work at their own pace.

Process differentiation addresses how students engage with and make sense of the content. Flexible grouping is a key strategy in process differentiation, where educators form groups based on students’ readiness, interests, and learning profiles. This allows for more targeted instruction and collaboration among students with similar needs.

Differentiated questioning techniques are another process differentiation strategy, where teachers pose questions at varied levels of complexity to assess and challenge each student appropriately.

Product differentiation involves giving students choices in how they demonstrate their understanding of the content. Product options can range from alternative assignments and activities to different assessment types.

For example, students may be asked to write an essay or create a podcast as part of their final project.

Rubrics and assessment tools can also be used to differentiate products, providing clear expectations and criteria for success while accommodating diverse learning needs and abilities.

Real-Life Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Action

In an elementary school setting, differentiated instruction can be effectively implemented through reading workshops and math centers.

Reading workshops allow students to engage with texts at their individual reading levels while participating in guided reading sessions, independent reading, and comprehension activities. This approach not only fosters a love for reading but also addresses the varying abilities of students in the class.

Math centers provide opportunities for students to practice and apply mathematical concepts through hands-on activities, games, and problem-solving tasks, tailored to their individual skill levels.

At the middle school level, differentiated instruction strategies can be applied in a science lab setting or during a social studies project.

In the science lab , students can be grouped based on their prior knowledge and skills, allowing them to conduct experiments and analyze results at a pace and complexity suited to their abilities. This ensures that all students are challenged and engaged while also providing opportunities for peer learning and collaboration.

In social studies projects, students can be given a choice of topics or formats, allowing them to explore an area of interest and demonstrate their learning in a way that best suits their strengths and preferences.

Integrating Technology in Differentiated Instruction

As technology continues to advance, educators can leverage various tools and resources to support differentiated instruction in their classrooms.

Online resources and digital tools play a significant role in facilitating differentiation by providing students with personalized learning experiences and helping teachers manage diverse learning needs effectively.

There is an abundance of online resources designed to help teachers differentiate instruction. Websites and platforms like Khan Academy, Edmodo, and Google Classroom offer customizable learning materials, including videos, texts, quizzes, and interactive activities, which can be tailored to individual student’s needs and interests.

These resources enable teachers to provide targeted support and enrichment opportunities, ensuring every student receives an appropriate level of challenge and support.

In addition to online resources, classroom technologies can be utilized to promote differentiation. Interactive whiteboards, tablets, and document cameras enable teachers to present information in various formats, accommodating students’ diverse learning styles.

For example, visual learners may benefit from watching videos or interactive presentations, while auditory learners may prefer listening to podcasts or recorded lectures.

Moreover, adaptive learning platforms can be employed to track student progress and provide real-time feedback, allowing teachers to make data-driven decisions when adjusting instruction for different learners.

These platforms help identify areas of strength and areas that require extra support, ensuring all students are on the right path to achieving their academic goals.

Tips for Implementing Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom

Teachers can use surveys, interviews, and observations to gather information about their student’s learning preferences, strengths, and challenges. This information can also help in establishing a positive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported.

Planning and organizing for differentiation is another essential step in creating an inclusive and effective learning environment. Educators can start by reviewing their curriculum and identifying areas where differentiated strategies can be applied.

This may involve modifying lesson plans, creating tiered assignments, or incorporating learning centers.

Educators should plan for ongoing assessment and feedback to evaluate student understanding. This can be done through formative assessments such as observation notes or quick checks.

Strobel Education’s Role in Supporting Differentiated Instruction

Strobel Education is dedicated to empowering educators with the tools and strategies necessary to implement differentiated instruction effectively in their classrooms.

These programs provide educators with an in-depth understanding of differentiated instruction principles and practical applications, such as how to adjust lesson plans for learners at various readiness levels or incorporate technology into the classroom.

In addition to our professional development programs, Strobel Education also provides numerous resources and tools that educators can use to enhance their differentiated instruction strategies.

Differentiated instruction is an invaluable approach to teaching that ensures equitable access and opportunities for all students. At Strobel Education, we understand the importance of differentiated instruction and are committed to supporting educators in their journey to create more inclusive classrooms.

At Strobel Education , we understand the power and importance of differentiated instruction. It is essential for achieving success in our professional and personal lives. We offer the Engaging the 21st Century Learner professional development training in two formats.

• Our Engaging the 21st Century Learner through Differentiated Instruction On-site PD is great for learning how to provide differentiated instruction and gain strategies for engaging today’s learners.
• The Engaging the 21st Century Learner Online Course delivers the same information but in a self-paced course, which offers teachers more flexibility. Teachers also get access to the course for nine months should they wish to implement it in small doses.

We get high-quality professional development into teachers’ hands so they have everything they need for immediate implementation and support. Our professional development workshops, courses, keynotes, and coaching services provide practical tools, resources, and mindset shifts that will help you enhance your classroom instruction strategies. Join our community of passionate educators today and let us help you transform your teaching practice to better serve your students. Together, we can make a lasting impact on student success.

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Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Tiered Assignments

Janelle cox.

• September 23, 2014

Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies  as a way to reach all learners and accommodate each student’s learning style. One very helpful tactic to employ differentiated instruction is called tiered assignments—a technique often used within flexible groups.

Much like flexible grouping—or differentiated instruction as a whole, really—tiered assignments do not lock students into ability boxes. Instead, particular student clusters are assigned specific tasks within each group according to their readiness and comprehension without making them feel completely compartmentalized away from peers at different achievement levels.

There are six main ways to structure tiered assignments: challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, or resources. It is your job, based upon the specific learning tasks you’re focused on, to determine the best approach. Here we will take a brief look at these techniques.

Ways to Structure Tiered Assignments

Challenge level.

Tiering can be based on challenge level where student groups will tackle different assignments. Teachers can use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide to help them develop tasks of structure or questions at various levels. For example:

• Group 1:  Students who need content reinforcement or practice will complete one activity that helps  build  understanding.
• Group 2:  Students who have a firm understanding will complete another activity that  extends  what they already know.

When you tier assignments by complexity, you are addressing the needs of students who are at different levels using the same assignment. The trick here is to vary the focus of the assignment based upon whether each group is ready for more advanced work or simply trying to wrap their head around the concept for the first time. You can direct your students to create a poster on a specific issue—recycling and environmental care, for instance—but one group will focus on a singular perspective, while the other will consider several points of view and present an argument for or against each angle.

Tiering assignments by differentiated outcome is vaguely similar to complexity—all of your students will use the same materials, but depending on their readiness levels will actually have a different outcome. It may sound strange at first, but this strategy is quite beneficial to help advanced students work on more progressive applications of their student learning.

This differentiated instruction strategy is exactly what it sounds like—student groups will use different processes to achieve similar outcomes based upon readiness.

Tiered assignments can also be differentiated based on product. Teachers can use the Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences to form groups that will hone particular skills for particular learning styles . For example, one group would be bodily/kinesthetic, and their task is to create and act out a skit. Another group would be visual/spatial, and their task would be to illustrate.

Tiering resources means that you are matching project materials to student groups based on readiness or instructional need. One flexible group may use a magazine while another may use a traditional textbook. As a tip, you should assign resources based on knowledge and readiness, but also consider the group’s reading level and comprehension.

How to Make Tiering Invisible to Students

From time to time, students may question why they are working on different assignments, using varied materials, or coming to dissimilar outcomes altogether. This could be a blow to your classroom morale if you’re not tactful in making your tiers invisible.

Make it a point to tell students that each group is using different materials or completing different activities so they can share what they learned with the class. Be neutral when grouping students, use numbers or colors for group names, and be equally enthusiastic while explaining assignments to each cluster.

Also, it’s important to make each tiered assignment equally interesting, engaging, and fair in terms of student expectations. The more flexible groups and materials you use, the more students will accept that this is the norm.

Tiering assignments is a fair way to differentiate learning. It allows teachers to meet the needs of all students while using varying levels of tasks. It’s a concept that can be infused into homework assignments, small groups, or even learning centers. If done properly, it can be a very effective method to differentiate learning because it challenges all students.

• #DifferentiatedInstruction , #TieredAssignments

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Differentiation for ALL Learners: 7 Strategies to Differentiate Instruction and Assessment in the Classroom

Teachers are consistently challenged with meeting the needs of diverse learners within the classroom environment.  As every learner is an individual, so are their learning needs. So what does this look like in the classroom? If all of our learners are unique with a variety of learning needs, and interests, how do we create a learning environment that can reach each individual learner?  Enter differentiation!

What is differentiation?  

Differentiation is the art of varying the content, learning process or product in the classroom environment in order to meet the individual needs of all our students.  By offering choice in what students are going to learn (content), the activities in which they are going to learn and practice to solidify the learning through (process) and the results or evidence of learning used to determine if learning has taken place (product) we can achieve differentiation within our learning environments.  Differentiation is important for all subjects and all grade levels. 

Why differentiate?  

Differentiation is beneficial for all learners in the learning environment.  When allowing choice in the learning environment and using a variety of instructional strategies, activities, resources, we as teachers can impact and connect with more of our learners, building relationships and creating student-centered learning environments, supporting and encouraging all learners. By differentiating for our students, we are improving students’ access to learning, motivating them to learn and making learning more efficient. 

How do I differentiate?

As supported by “ Teachers’ Gateway to Special Education ” (n.d.) there are a variety of strategies a teacher can use in order to support differentiated instruction in the learning environment:

• Google Read & Write
• Slideshows, textbooks, videos, manipulatives etc
• E.g. Videos, Articles, Direct Instruction – giving students an opportunity to take in information in multiple ways
• Students as directors of their learning.
• Showing their understanding through verbal, written, or visual communication.
• Try using technology to facilitate this, like Flipgrid!
• Individually, students are able to use their strengths to showcase their personal understanding.
• Focus on big ideas of understandings through concepts. Concepts can be supported with individual case studies that include facts. 
• Increase relevance and meaning for students by allowing choice and connections to their own lives. 

References & Resources 

Teachers’ Gateway to Special Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.teachspeced.ca/    

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Differentiation strategies: a teacher's guide

February 9, 2022

What does differentiation in the classroom look like and how can we use this concept to make learning accessible and challenging for everyone?

Main, P (2022, February 09). Differentiation strategies: a teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/differentiation-strategies-a-teachers-guide

What is Differentiation in the classroom?

Differentiation is a way to modify instruction to meet students' individual needs . Teachers may differentiate process , content , resources , or the learning environment. A flexible grouping and ongoing assessment can make differentiation one of the most successful instructional strategies.

Differentiation is a teaching approach that modifies instruction to meet the individual needs of students . Teachers can differentiate in various ways, such as through the process of instruction, the content being taught, the resources used, or the learning environment.

By providing flexible grouping and ongoing assessment, teachers can make differentiation one of the most successful instructional strategies .

The goal of differentiation is to ensure that all students are challenged and engaged in their learning, regardless of their skill level or learning style*. With differentiation, teachers can tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students and help them achieve academic success.

Differentiation is all about creating a personalized learning experience for each student. By adapting instruction to meet individual needs, teachers can create a more engaging and effective learning experience for their students.

This can include activities that cater to different learning styles (*this theory has been heavily criticised as it has been taken out of context in many classrooms), such as visual aids for visual learners or hands-on activities for kinesthetic learners. Differentiation can also involve adjusting the level of difficulty of assignments or providing extra support for struggling students . Ultimately, the goal of differentiation is to create a positive and inclusive learning experience that helps each student reach their full potential.

One may consider differentiation, as a way to teach or even a philosophy that's designed to meet the needs of the whole class. It is not a package or collection of worksheets . It motivates teachers to understand their pupils so they can help each student to enhance learning .

As Carol Ann Tomlinson (1999) explains, differentiation means providing students with many options for gaining knowledge. Carol Ann Tomlinson believes that Differentiation is an instructional strategy to help educators teach while keeping students as well as content in mind. Differentiation ensures that learning and teaching work for every student, which really should be a teacher's main purpose of teaching. Differentiating teaching means that the teacher would observe and identify the similarities and differences among students and use this knowledge to teach students.

How can we differentiate instruction?

According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, there are four ways in which teachers may differentiate their instruction.

1. Content: There are six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of degrees of intellectual behaviour ranging from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills of advanced learners) i.e. remembering, conceptual understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Therefore, according to Carol Ann Tomlinson, the teachers must differentiate the content by creating activities for each group of students covering different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy .

2. Process: Every student has a preferred style of learning, and successful differentiation allows the delivery of instruction to different mediums of learning (we are not advocating for learning styles!): auditory learners, visual, verbal and kinesthetic learners. This process-related strategy also considers the fact that each student demands a different amount of support from the instructor, and they may choose to work individually, in groups or pairs. Carol Ann Tomlinson believes that teachers may improve learning by providing support based on the individual needs of each student. The universal thinking framework enables teachers to design different learning journeys that achieve the same goal. Instead of using generic strategies for everyone, teachers can move pupils from an introductory level to a more advanced understanding of the content using the learning actions. Advanced learners can be stretched and challenged using the red icons that indicate higher-order thinking.

3. Product: After completing a lesson, the students create a product to show content mastery. It may be in the form of reports, projects, tests or any other activity. For example, according to Carol Ann Tomlinson, the teachers may ask students to complete activities to show mastery of maths lessons as preferred by the students, depending upon their preferred learning style.

4. learning environment: The optimal learning conditions include both psychological and physical elements. A differentiated classroom layout is crucial, including a wide range of arrangements and classroom furniture to support both personal and group work. Carol Ann Tomlinson states that to support students' psychological wellbeing, teachers must use that classroom management and teaching strategies that promote a supportive and safe learning environment.

What are the most popular Differentiation Strategies used in a classroom?

There are several broad differentiation strategies that can be used across different subject areas. Differentiation begins from the students' essential understandings, prior knowledge assessment and skills and through individual learning objectives .

It is suggested that the success criteria and the respective learning objectives must be shared with the students. This fosters self-regulation, metacognition and empowers learners to control their learning progress . Following are some of the most effective differentiation strategies used in a differentiated classroom:

• Ongoing, formative assessment : Teachers need to continually assess and identify students’ areas of need and strengths so they can modify their teaching style and help students to move forward .
• Response to Intervention : This is a very effective focused differentiation strategy, which is normally implemented as a whole school implementation technique. This multi-layered approach to classroom learning allows teachers to identify individual learner abilities and help to provide additional instruction to the students who may take advantage of teaching in more targeted settings.
• Recognition of diverse students: Each student has a diverse level of expertise and experience with reading , writing, speaking, thinking and problem-solving. Ongoing assessments are the most common strategies that allow teachers to adjusting content and plan differentiated instruction strategies to fulfil every students’ needs.
• Explicit Teaching: In explicit teaching , the differentiation focus remains on offering students a strong conceptual understanding of new ideas and knowledge and opportunities for individual and group practice . The phases of this strategy, frequently simplified to "I do, we do, you do", offer numerous opportunities to differentiation. In the phase of "we do," teachers model the new knowledge application, they can evaluate the conceptual understanding level, give feedback to the students, design targeted interventions and offer further support to the entire class. In the phase of "you do," teachers may walk in the classroom and offer individual feedback , invite individual auditory learners for conferencing, and create small groups for differentiated instruction.
• Group Work: This is a student focused differentiation strategy in which learners collaborate in small groups and pairs and the members of the group may change as needed. Learning in groups is a focused strategy that allows learners to learn and observe from each other and to engage in meaningful conversations .
• Feedback : Feedback has a major role in differentiation. Actionable and timely feedback allows learners to identify the next stages needed to enhance their basic learning. Individualised feedback, alongside the clear success criteria and learning intentions may promote self-regulation. Here the differentiation focus remains on the advanced learners' feedback, which may also help regular students to show a deep understanding of the success criteria and what advanced learners may do to improve their essential understandings, level of competency and learning process.
• Problem Solving : The main focus of the lesson plan with differentiated instruction remains on the concepts and issues, rather than the chapter or “the book.” This motivates learners to explore big ideas and improve their knowledge of key concepts.
• Flipped Classroom: Within the flipped classroom, the learning phase of direct instruction occurs online or at students' homes. For example, students may access their  content (mostly in the form of videos composed by their maths teachers) anywhere and at any time. A flipped classroom experience offers great opportunities for differentiation as it allows teachers to spend more of their free time in the classroom with their students. Teachers may spend their free classroom time addressing a group or individual needs or providing feedback to the students. Students may also forge ahead, learn to self-regulate or spend time to improve their level of competency and revise the level of complexity of content that needs revision .
• Choice : Teachers may use 'Choice' as a focus strategy and leave it to students to decide what do they wish to read or write in the projects and tasks they complete. While engaging students in this student focused differentiation strategy, teachers may change different aspects of content leading to continuous improvement in students and create motivating assignments according to students' varied interests, level of competency and diverse needs.

Tips on Differentiating in the Classroom

Teachers spend hours every week preparing lessons and teaching students. This means they often don't have much time left for themselves.

So, here are our top tips for teachers to differentiate class instruction.

1. Use Technology to Help Students Learn

Technology has changed education forever. Teachers no longer have to rely solely on textbooks and lectures to teach students . Instead, technology allows teachers to deliver content in an engaging manner. For example, instead of using a textbook to teach reading comprehension , teachers can use interactive books such as iBooks 2. They can also use apps such as Duolingo to provide language learning opportunities. This helps students learn faster and retain information better. And these tools allow teachers to focus on delivering quality content rather than spending time on lesson preparation.

2. Create Lesson Plans That Work For Everyone

It's common for teachers to prepare one set of lesson plans for each subject. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that everyone learns the same way. Some students may benefit from visual aids , whereas others may learn better from listening to a lecture. Therefore, it makes sense to tailor lesson plans to individual student needs. To do this, teachers can ask students questions about their interests and preferences. Then, they can plan lessons accordingly. For example, if a student enjoys playing sports, he or she may learn better from watching videos of sporting events. If a student prefers to read, teachers can assign articles from online news sources.

By tailoring lesson plans to individual students' needs , teachers can ensure that all students receive the most effective form of learning .

3. Provide Feedback Throughout Class

Feedback is essential for improving performance. Therefore, providing feedback to students should be part of any teacher's daily routine. However, it takes time to give feedback . Therefore, teachers should schedule regular meetings with students to discuss progress and answer questions. These meetings can be scheduled once per week, once per month, or whenever needed. By scheduling regular meetings, teachers can address issues quickly and efficiently.

4. Encourage Student Collaboration

Collaborative learning is becoming increasingly popular among educators. Students working together to solve problems can improve their understanding of concepts. In addition, collaborative learning encourages students to share knowledge and resources. As a result, students become more confident in their abilities and develop stronger relationships with peers.

To encourage collaboration, teachers can hold group discussions , host guest speakers, and organize field trips. These activities can help students understand complex topics and foster friendships between classmates.

5. Make Learning Fun

Learning isn't supposed to be boring. Therefore, teachers should strive to make learning fun . They can do this by incorporating games into lessons, encouraging students to participate in debates, and offering rewards for academic achievement . Students enjoy learning when they feel engaged and excited about what they're doing. By creating a positive environment , teachers can motivate students to achieve higher grades.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to differentiate classroom instruction. With these five tips, you can help students learn effectively and enjoy school.

Differentiation in your classroom

The most effective teachers may use evidence of differentiation focus, knowledge about individual student learning profiles, students' ability levels , basic learning progress and their learning readiness, to make changes in different aspects of content such as level of complexity and lesson planning to ensure that each student must experience success, challenge and improved learning.

A student focused differentiation strategy allows teachers to tailor instruction to fulfil individual needs. In conjunction with focus strategies of process , content , learning environment or product , the teachers may use other approaches such as flexible grouping and ongoing assessment to make differentiation a successful instructional strategy.

If you are using an inquiry-based learning or project-based learning pedagogy , you might want to look at the block building methodology. This learning strategy helps students develop deep conceptual understanding within a playful environment. This innovative method is also a good example of a differentiated instruction strategy.

Advanced learners can take their knowledge in different directions whilst pupils working at introductory levels can move through the task at their own pace. This strategy is not just for kinaesthetic learners (we now understand so much more about learning styles ), the colour-coded nature of the strategy helps children to organise their thinking which produces rich dialogue .

Teachers need to be able to differentiate effectively because students learn differently. Differentiating instruction means tailoring lessons to each student's needs. This requires knowing your students' strengths and weaknesses, understanding their learning styles, and being aware of their interests and passions.

To help teachers differentiate effectively, I recommend creating lesson plans based on the following three principles:

1) Focus on skills rather than content . Students should master specific skills instead of memorizing facts and figures.

2) Use multiple strategies to teach the same skill. One strategy may work better for some students, while another works better for others.

3) Create a variety of activities to engage different types of learners.

These principles apply equally well to online courses. To create effective online courses , instructors must understand their students' learning preferences and design course materials accordingly.

When designing online courses, instructors should use these three principles to ensure that students receive the most efficient form of instruction possible.

Further Reading on Differentiation

These studies collectively highlight the importance of differentiated instruction in addressing the diverse needs of students , the challenges of implementing DI effectively, and the need for further research and development in DI strategies to enhance learning outcomes:

• Teachers and their implementation of differentiated instruction in the classroom by M. Suprayogi, M. Valcke, and Raymond Godwin (2017): This study explores the actual implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) by teachers and how it's linked to variables like DI self-efficacy, teaching beliefs, and classroom size. It finds that while DI implementation seems high, it still falls below a critical benchmark, with implementation significantly linked to DI self-efficacy beliefs, higher constructivist beliefs , and larger classroom sizes.
• Myth 7: Differentiation in the Regular Classroom Is Equivalent to Gifted Programs and Is Sufficient by Holly L. Hertberg-Davis (2009): This paper challenges the assumption that differentiated instruction within regular classrooms can substitute for specialized gifted programs. It highlights the need for differentiation to address the unique talents and needs of gifted students, beyond a one-size-fits-all curriculum, and discusses the limitations of relying solely on differentiation to meet the needs of gifted students .
• Differentiated instruction in small schools by Robbert Smit and Winfried Humpert (2012): The study investigates the practices of differentiated instruction in rural small schools and examines the school conditions that support the implementation of DI. It shows that team collaboration including pedagogical topics enhances teachers' use of DI, highlighting the difference in practices between teachers with more- and less-developed DI cultures.
• This Issue: Differentiated Instruction by C. Tomlinson (2005): This editorial introduces the topic of differentiated instruction , emphasizing the need to modify teaching in response to learner needs. It discusses the importance of differentiation in meeting the diverse needs of students and calls for more research and guidance on making classrooms more effective and efficient for all learners.
• Meeting the Needs of All Students through Differentiated Instruction: Helping Every Child Reach and Exceed Standards by Holli M. Levy (2008): This article discusses the practical examples of how to differentiate content , process, and product for students. It addresses grouping techniques , assessment strategies, and tiered lessons as means to meet the needs of all students and help them to meet and exceed established standards.

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50 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples for K-12 Classrooms

Personalize the content, process, product, or learning environment.

As a teacher, you already know that every student in your classroom is different. They have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes, and their own ways of learning best. That’s why differentiated instruction strategies are so important. They give every kid a chance to succeed by adapting the learning to fit their needs. Add these examples of differentiated instruction strategies to your teacher toolkit so you can pull them out and use them as needed.

What is differentiated instruction?

Differentiated instruction (DI) means tailoring your teaching so all students, regardless of their ability, can learn the classroom material. During the 1990s,  Carol Ann Tomlinson  introduced the concept of differentiation, and it quickly gained traction. She identified four elements (content, process, product, and learning environment) that teachers could customize in their classrooms. Her work opened the door to a wide array of differentiation approaches and techniques.

So, what does this mean for teachers? Are you expected to create an individualized lesson plan for every student in your classroom? Fortunately, that’s not necessary. What you do need to do is ensure your lesson plans include a variety of activities, and provide options when students need them. Tomlinson recommends teachers consider how they can customize their teaching in four different areas: content, process, product, and learning environment. The differentiated instruction strategies and examples below all fit into one or more of these categories.

Learn much more about the details of this concept here: What Is Differentiated Instruction?

General Differentiated Instruction Strategies

You can use these DI strategies in almost any classroom or learning environment. For each, we’ve indicated which differentiated instruction areas apply (content, process, product, or learning environment).

Stoplight system

An important part of using differentiated instruction strategies is knowing when they’re needed in the first place. Try an easy way to check for understanding by giving students a nonverbal way to show where they are. Green means they’re good to go, yellow means they’re struggling, and red means they’re stuck entirely. Try this with sticky notes, folded desk tents, colored cups, and more. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Stoplight System at the Ardent Teacher

Pre-teaching

Getting ready to tackle a really tough topic? Try pre-teaching a smaller group of students first. This gives you a chance to try out your lesson plan, plus it creates a built-in group of “experts” to help you out when the whole class is learning. Use this strategy regularly, but switch up the student experts. Teaching others helps kids learn too. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Pre-Teaching at 3-Star Learning Experiences

Cooperative learning structures

Cooperative learning describes a strategy where students work together in small groups under supervision to accomplish a goal. These groups are carefully constructed based on student needs, abilities, and learning styles. It means knowing your students well, but once you do, you can put these groups together quickly depending on your current activity. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Top 10 Cooperative Learning Structures at Continually Learning

Projects with choices

When you offer choices, students feel more comfortable with the assignment. Plus, they often get a sense of ownership—being allowed to pick and choose encourages kids to take responsibility for their choices. To make this work, determine what goals all students need to achieve. Then, let them come up with ways to demonstrate those goals, or give them a few options that appeal to different types of learners. (DI Area: Product)

Learn more: How I Use Choice Boards To Increase Student Engagement at We Are Teachers

Self-paced learning

One of the best things technology has given us is a better ability to use self-paced learning in and out of the classroom. When you use computer programs and games, kids can advance at the pace that makes sense to them. Of course, you’ll need to ensure students stay on task when they’re working independently. Also, remember that a computer program may only have the ability to explain things one way, so be ready to step in and give kids information in other ways when needed. (DI Area: Product)

Learn more: How To Create a Self-Paced Classroom at Cult of Pedagogy

Color coding

One of the best differentiated instruction strategies is color coding. It can work in all sorts of classroom applications, including organization and routines. But you can apply it to learning strategies too. Color helps kids see things more clearly, especially when the subject is complex. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Color-Coding in the Classroom

Small groups

Elementary teachers have been using small reading groups as a differentiated instruction strategy for years. Really, they work in any subject, offering teachers a chance to get more face time with their students. You can group students by skill level, but that’s not necessarily the best way to help learners. Consider grouping by learning styles instead, so you can tailor a lesson’s delivery specifically for those styles. (DI Area: Learning Environment)

Learn more: Small Group Instruction Strategies and Tips for Success

Student-led lessons

Assign students a topic or let them pick their own, then ask them each to become an expert and plan a lesson to share with the class. This goes beyond just giving a presentation. Encourage them to think of creative ways to share the information, planning interactive activities they themselves would like to do in the classroom. You’re bound to get a lot of new teaching strategies yourself! (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Student-Led Lessons Rather Than Student Presentations at Faculty Focus

Question wait time

This one is all about teacher patience. When you ask your class a question, don’t immediately call on the first person to raise their hand. Instead, wait a few more seconds, and call on someone whose hand came up a little later. This allows slower, more thorough thinkers a chance to get their ideas heard too. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Wait Time: Making Space for Authentic Learning at Kent State University

Classroom environment

When you’re reading a book, what’s your favorite position? Curled up on the couch with a pillow under your head? Stretched out on your stomach on your bed? Sitting upright at a table with a cup of tea? Can you handle background noise like music, or do you prefer it to be completely silent? Your students’ choices would be just as varied as your own. Whenever you can, allow them to sit, stand, or even stretch out. Help them control distractions with noise-cancelling headphones, or let them listen to music with earbuds if it helps them concentrate. (DI Area: Learning Environment)

Learn more: 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Include in Your Classroom

Anchor charts

Good news! Those anchor charts hanging all over your walls are a popular differentiation strategy. They help visual learners succeed, giving them strong images to relate to key skills and topics. You don’t need to be an artist to make great charts, but the more color, the better. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Anchor Charts 101

Co-teaching

Just as students have different learning styles, teachers have different instructional styles as well. Use this to your advantage! You don’t necessarily need to co-teach full-time. Work as a team with your fellow teachers to learn what their styles are like, and consider switching things up from time to time by trading duties for certain lessons or subjects. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: 8 Things Successful Co-Teachers Do

Peer buddy program

Pairing students of varying levels as buddies benefits all kids. Some schools pair those with disabilities with a buddy to help them as needed. Others pair older students with younger ones. Whatever you choose, plan your program carefully and monitor pairings to ensure they’re working out. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)

Learn more: A Win/Win for All Students: Expert Q&A on Peer Buddy Programs at Brookes Blog

Must-dos and may-dos

Not all students need extra time; in fact, some finish everything up too quickly! That’s where the ability to provide enrichment activities comes in handy. For any lesson, be prepared with “must-do” and “may-do” activities. This helps kids prioritize the most important items and gives fast finishers meaningful work to do too. (DI Areas: Content, Process)

Learn more: The Case for Must-Dos and May-Dos

Multiple intelligences

You don’t necessarily need to create multiple activities to cater to your students’ multiple intelligences. For example, if you’re reviewing a timeline of the American Civil War for an upcoming test, give each student an index card with a major event (e.g., Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, etc.), and while playing Civil War–era music, ask students to line up in front of the class to put the events in order. This single activity activates brain stimulation for six different learning styles:

• Visual-spatial learners use a mental image of the lineup as a mnemonic device.
• Kinesthetic learners get to move around and create a life-size timeline.
• Interpersonal learners communicate with one another to decide where to stand in line.
• Musical-rhythm learners benefit from the background music.
• Logical-mathematical learners thrive on creating a chronological line.
• Verbal-linguistic learners review notes and their textbooks during the activity.

Learn more: Understanding Multiple Intelligences for the Classroom at ASCD

Reading is a key skill, no doubt about it. But when a student struggles with it, it can often affect their learning in other areas too. Unless reading itself is key to the topic you’re presenting, consider letting students listen to an audiobook instead. This lets them focus on the content, rather than just the words and sentences. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: 10 Places Kids Can Listen to Free Audiobooks

Pre-assessments

Before you present a new topic, take a few minutes to find out what kids already know. Their responses might change how you decide to teach, especially if you find they’re lacking in prerequisite knowledge or already understand the new subject pretty well. Tip: Save time by checking out Kahoot! for pre-made quizzes on your topic. (DI Areas: Process, Product)

Learn more: 6 Benefits of Pre-Assessment at Minds in Bloom

Alternative assessments

Written tests aren’t the only way to check for learning, as teachers well know. Alternative assessments provide ways to differentiate in your classroom by giving students multiple ways to show what they know. For students who struggle with writing, consider a discussion instead (unless you’re specifically working on writing skills). Instead of a traditional book report, have students turn the story into their own graphic novel. Find ways to help students shine! (DI Areas: Process, Content)

Learn more: 25 Alternative Assessment Ideas

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL offers educators a way to reduce the need for differentiation strategies and scaffolding, by building curriculum and lessons that include multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Look for learning materials that use UDL to use in your classroom, or take the time to design your own lessons using the UDL principles. (DI Area: Multiple)

Learn more: What Is UDL and How Do Teachers Make It Work in the Classroom?

Accommodations

An outside-of-the-box way to find more differentiated instruction strategies is to explore lists of the classroom accommodations used to created IEPs and 504 plans. These include terrific ways to differentiate, even when students don’t have specific written plans. You don’t need to be diagnosed with dyscalculia to benefit from using graph paper to line up your math problems. Typing is easier than handwriting for lots of people. Reviewing an example list can spark ideas for all of your students. (DI Area: Multiple)

Learn more: 80+ IEP Accommodations Every Teacher Should Bookmark

English Language Arts Differentiated Instruction Examples

• Leveled Reading Materials: Leveled books have been around for a long time, but today teachers can also use leveled reading sites like Newsela . (DI Area: Content)
• High-Low Books: High-interest, low-readability level books keep readers engrossed page after page, without leaving them feeling frustrated or bored. Find a list of our favorites here. (DI Area: Content)
• Literacy Centers: Center work allows kids to go at their own pace and work privately, without feeling the need to keep up with others. Explore our big list of literacy center ideas here. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)
• Varied Spelling/Vocabulary Lists: Offer shorter or longer lists depending on aptitude, using more-advanced words to challenge kids who excel in this area. (DI Area: Content)
• Book Report Options: Give students a variety of ways to report back on the book they’ve read, including written papers, presentations, posters, skits, and more. Find 40+ book report ideas here. (DI Area: Process)
• Writing Tools: If handwriting is a challenge, explore options like special pencil grips or try one of these easy hacks . When handwriting isn’t the learning goal, offer kids options like oral responses or typing instead. (DI Areas: Process, Product)
• Reading Spaces: Provide spaces in your classroom where students can get comfortable while they read. Vary the lighting, seating, and noise levels to create areas for different styles. See some of our favorite reading nooks here. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
• Diverse Materials: Ensure your reading choices include diverse and multicultural characters, settings, and authors . (DI Area: Content)
• Flexible Groups: Instead of leaving students in the same-leveled reading groups at all times, mix up your groupings by interest, readiness, or learning styles. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
• Writing Conferences: Meet with students individually to identify strengths and challenges. Or try peer writing groups that partner stronger writers with those who need more help. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)

Math Differentiated Instruction Examples

• Manipulatives: These aren’t just for little kids! Make math manipulatives available to older students too, to help those who benefit from kinesthetic learning. (DI Area: Process)
• Evens or Odds: When giving homework assignments or practice worksheets, give students who need extra time the option to complete only the even or odd questions. This gives them effective practice but keeps them motivated. (DI Areas: Content, Process)
• Math Centers: Just like literacy centers, math centers let kids choose their pace and learning process. Try these 10 activities for secondary math centers. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Process)
• Small Groups: After teaching a concept, put kids in small groups to tackle practice problems together. Many times, students will show each other new ways of learning that teachers might not think of. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Process)
• Open-Ended Questions: Students think of math as having one cut-and-dried answer, but you can encourage more creative thinking with broader questions. Learn more from My Teaching Cupboard. (DI Areas: Process, Product)
• Math Books: We’re not talking about textbooks. Use storybooks with a math theme to engage reluctant learners. (DI Area: Process)
• Assessment Options: Give students different ways to demonstrate their knowledge, whether it’s answering flash cards out loud, writing an explanation of their solution methods, or drawing pictures to explain their thinking. (DI Areas: Product, Process)
• Real-Life Math: Whenever possible, use real examples to show kids why math matters. Money activities can be especially effective in engaging students. (DI Area: Process)
• Active Math Games: Many students learn best when their bodies are involved. Use active math games to engage students on a variety of levels. (DI Area: Process)
• Pre-Teach Vocabulary: This may be especially important for ESL speakers. Ensure they know specialized terms (e.g., shape names) before tackling math concepts. (DI Area: Process)

Science and Social Studies Differentiated Instruction Examples

• Graphic Organizers: This note-taking method encourages students to organize information visually. Kids might draw pictures or diagrams instead of writing words—whatever works for them. Learn about graphic organizers here. (DI Area: Process)
• Audiobooks and Videos: Reading is an important skill, but it can hold students back in other subjects. Give kids the option to use audiobooks or videos that cover the same content. This is also helpful for different learning styles. (DI Area: Process)
• Project Choices: Let students choose from different options to demonstrate their knowledge on a subject. They might write a paper, perform a skit, create a picture book, draw a poster, give a presentation, or more. (DI Area: Product, Process)
• Diverse Materials: Use videos with diverse presenters, read books or articles by diverse authors, and explore stories of many cultures. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Content)
• Pre-Teach Vocabulary and Concepts: Just as in math, it’s important to ensure all students are on the same basic page before you begin instruction. Pre-assessments can help you learn which vocabulary terms or foundational concepts some (or all) students need reinforced. (DI Area: Process)

Examples of Special Education Differentiated Instruction Strategies

Note: Special education students usually have Individualized Education Plans (IEP) , with a variety of required accommodations and modifications. Always be sure to follow a student’s IEP requirements and recommendations. Learn more about special education here.

• Time or Workload Modifications: Reduce the amount of work expected from a student, or increase the amount of time they have to complete it. The use of “evens and odds” for math worksheets is a good example of differentiated instruction for special ed students. (DI Areas: Product, Assessment)
• Scaffolding: Provide support for students by breaking down learning into manageable chunks. Find multiple ways to scaffold instruction here. (DI Area: Process)
• Tailored Learning Spaces: Some students need complete silence while they learn; others prefer background noise. Headphones can be a solution for both. Explore small environmental changes you can make to differentiate learning for all students. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
• Routines: Special education students often benefit from established routines. Keep their learning schedule the same each day, and use proven instruction methods that they know and are comfortable with. (DI Area: Process)
• Peer or Teacher Assistance: When possible, extra attention from a teacher, teacher’s aide, or peer can provide the support special ed students need. They might read questions aloud for students to respond to, explain things in a new way, or help them stay on task as they work. (DI Area: Process)

Resources for Differentiated Instruction Strategies

• Carol Anne Tomlinson: What Is Differentiated Instruction? (Video)
• Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not As Hard As You Think (Video)
• Differentiated for Student Learning (Video Series)
• How To Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms (Tomlinson, 2017)
• Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom (Sousa/Tomlinson, 2018)
• How To Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3 (Walpole/McKenna, 2017)
• Differentiation in the Elementary Grades (Doubet/Hocket, 2017)
• Differentiation in Middle and High School (Doubet/Hocket, 2015)

What are your go-to differentiated instruction strategies? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, read what is scaffolding in education.

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