Differentiated Assessments

In a differentiated classroom, student assessment is an ongoing process.  Its goal is to provide teachers with day-to-day data on their students' readiness for particular ideas, skills, interests, and learning profiles.  According to Carol Ann Tomlinson (2002), differentiated assessment for individual students is crucial in helping both teachers and students progress towards academic success.

Teachers who use differentiated assessment do not perceive assessments as advancement tests that come at the end of each unit.  Instead, they view assessments as a means along the way of understanding on how to modify the next day's instruction to fit the needs of every student.  Carol Ann Tomlinson (1999) states, "Different assessments yield an emerging picture of who understands key ideas, who can perform at targeted levels, who can perform at certain levels of proficiency, and with what degree of interest" (p. 10).  Assessment in this context always has more to do with proactively helping students grow than with finding their mistakes.  For this reason, it is important that teachers choose varied means of assessment so that all students can fully display their skills and understanding at any particular point along their path of development.

Differentiated Instruction and Assessment

Resources

Tomlinson, C.A. (1999).  The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners.  Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C.A. (2002).  Different learners, different lessons [Electronic version].  Instructor, 112(2), 21, 24-26.

Flexible Grouping

Educators group students based on readiness, interest, learning styles, and design lessons to match their attributes.  Sylvia Lewis and Kelly Batts (2005) state, "Depending on the purpose of the lesson, flexible grouping provides students with opportunities to work with others with similar readiness and interest, or with dissimilar students" (p. 28).  Flexible grouping can be used in a single classroom, within the the grade level, or across grade levels.  Without calling attention to which students are working together, educators group their students based on performance levels and learning preferences.

In agreement with Lewis and Batts, Regina Kapusnick, and Christine Haulsein (2001) state, "Flexible-grouping assignments ensure that all students have the opportunity to work with students that have both similar and different abilities and levels" (p.158).  Teachers can implement flexible grouping several different ways.  Educators can group students by task, outcome, interest level, background knowledge, or social readiness.  Through the use of flexible grouping, educators create instructional groups and prescribe specific activities that respond to the students' learning needs.

Flexible Grouping

Differentiated Instruction - Flexible Grouping

Resources

Kapusnick, R. & Hauslein, C. (2001).  The silver cup of differentiated instruction [Electronic version]. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 37(4), 156-159.

Lewis, S. & Batts, K. (2005).  How to implement differentiated instruction [Electronic version].  National Staff Development Council, 26(4), 26-31.

Learning Readiness

Learning readiness can be defined as a student's entry point relative to a particular understanding or skill (Tomlinson, 1999).  As an educator prepares to introduce new concepts or skills, they must recognize that students are at varying learning readiness levels.  Some students are ready for what is about to be taught. Other students may lack the fundamental skills to progress. Meanwhile, other students may already know the material.  The educator's responsibility is to find ways to build upon and extend the learning of the students who express understanding of concepts, while, at the same time, provide instruction or practice for students who are struggling with the concepts (Heacox, 2002).

Differentiation According to Readiness, Interest and Learning Preference

Differentiating Instruction: Rethinking Traditional Practices

Resources

Heacox, D. (2002).  Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom: How to reach and teach all learners, grades 3-12. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Tomlinson, C.A. (1999).  Mapping a route toward differentiated instruction. [Electronic version].  Educational Leadership, 57(1), 12-16.

Cooperative Learning

According to Debbie Silver (2005), the business world of the twenty-first century has repeatedly told educators that the two most important skills they want in employees are the ability to creatively solve problems and the ability to work together in order to achieve a common goal.  Often school mission statements reference the students need to be caring members of the community.  Having students participate in heterogeneous groups is one way to enable the students to speak with one another in a positive environment.

Silver (2005) states "Purposeful cooperative learning activities help students develop interpersonal communication skills they will need later for marriage, job, families, friendships, and other social interactions" (p.132).  Intentional socialization components intertwined with learning activities will also help build a sense of community and common purpose for students.

In addition to Silver, Nancy Schniedewind and Ellen Davidson (2000) state that there are several benefits to cooperative learning.  By experiencing cooperative groups, students learn to value diversity by understanding the intelligences and perspectives of others.  The students learn to appreciate that each individual should and can make a meaningful contribution toward a common goal.  They also come to respect the value of each contributor.  The combination of personal challenge and collective responsibility fosters educated, caring, human beings, and personalizes education on all learning levels.

By incorporating a cooperative learning activity in many lessons, students will be able to develop skills for self-control, group participation, social awareness, and problem solving.  Teaching these social skills during each lesson will provide students with tools for everyday social, academic, familial, and vocational success.

Cooperative Learning 

 Instructional Strategies Online

Teachnology

References

Schneidewind, N., Davidson, E. (2000).  Differentiating cooperative learning [Electronic version]. Educational Leadership, 58(1), 24-27.

Silver, D. (2005). Drumming to the beat of different marchers.  Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications.

Universal Design for Learning

Research shows that motivated students experience greater satisfaction with school experiences, which may in turn lead to student success and greater school completion (Voke, 2002).  As Deborah Stipek (1996) indicates, engaged students are more likely to approach tasks eagerly and persist in the face of difficulty.  According to Don Tapscott (2009), in order to motivate students and unlock their enthusiasm for learning in today's digital age, students require the following: collaboration, entertainment, speed, innovation, freedom, customization, scrutiny and integrity.  Universal Design for Learning is an approach to teaching and learning that addresses these norms of the Net Generation and provides a greater school experience for today's students.

The Universal Design for Learning teaching model seeks to transform classroom learning by embracing the diverse needs of each student.  Universal Design for Learning suggests three areas that teachers need to look at in order to modify their instruction: representation, expression, and engagement.   Digital media are supportive of this model of teaching and can easily be implemented into the three areas. Listed below are different articles and videos that describe Universal Design for Learning and suggest ways to implement it into today's classroom.

National Center on Universal Design for Learning 

Universal Design for Learning Task Force 

Panhandle Area Educational Consortium 

References

Voke, H. (2002, February).  Motivating students to learn [Electronic version].  Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development - Infobrief, 28, 1-11.

Stipek, D. (1996).  Motivation and Instruction. In D.C. Berliner & R.C. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (pp.85-113). New York: Simon & Schuster/Macmillan.

Tapscott, D. (2009). Grown up digital. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Differentiated Instruction

Today's classrooms are like airport hubs; students arrive from many different backgrounds and are headed for various destinations.  Their particular takeoffs into adulthood will demand different flight plans and require several ways in which to instruct and assess each plan (Heacox, 2002).

It is important to differentiate instruction and meet each students needs.  By meeting each student's learning readiness level, learning style, and interest, through differentiation, the students will be able to succeed to their maximum capacity and strive for success.  A smooth take-off is a good beginning.

Differentiated Instruction: Videos

 

Differentiated Instruction: Articles

Differentiating Instruction: Meeting Students Where They Are 

Advocates Say Differentiated Instruction Can Raise the Bar for All Learners 

Reference 

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom: How to reach and teach all learners, grades 3 - 12.  Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.