Instructional strategies and how to use them
Instructional strategies can be used to deliver content, process and product in the classroom. There may be a strategy that is better suited to achieve one goal over another. Take time to peruse the following strategy examples. These are not all of the strategies, but a handful to get you thinking about your own students and how you may want to incorporate some of these strategies in your own classroom. Carol Ann Tomlinson has written several books that can help you with differentiation in your classroom. The following titles are someof her books: Differentiation in Practice, Grades K-5: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum, Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom, The Differentiated Classroom.
Stations
Stations can be used for any age group and in all subjects. You may use them a once a week or more frequently as part of the students' learning process. Stations can be a formal and informal part of the class. You may want to distinguish the stations with signs, symbols, or colors, or the teacher may ask groups of students to meet him or her in a certain area of the classroom. Stations allow for flexible grouping, since not all students need to rotate through all of the stations. Also all students do not need to spend the same amount of time at each station. You may want to have a rotation chart showing students which station(s) they need to complete on a particular day.
Barriers to Implementation: Not defining the task that is required for student’s to complete. Having students see the task for the first time in the learning center with no prior knowledge of how to complete the assigned activity.
Barriers to Implementation: Not defining the task that is required for student’s to complete. Having students see the task for the first time in the learning center with no prior knowledge of how to complete the assigned activity.
Personal Agendas
These are teacher created with individual students in mind. An agenda usually lasts a student two to three weeks, and students can complete the tasks in which ever order they desire. Students work on their agenda work during a specific time of the day. While students are working on their agendas, teachers may choose to pull some groups of students who need extra help to complete particular concepts.
Barriers to Implementation: Not allowing time for agenda work during class time. Overlooking student’s readiness by giving them an agenda instead of providing them with more direct instruction or group work.
Barriers to Implementation: Not allowing time for agenda work during class time. Overlooking student’s readiness by giving them an agenda instead of providing them with more direct instruction or group work.
Orbital Studies
Are easily adapted for all learning styles. Orbital studies usually last for three to six weeks. Students select their own topic for orbitals, and they work with the guidance of their teacher to develop more expertise both on the topic and on becoming an independent investigator.
Barriers to Implementation: Younger students will need help researching their topic since they haven’t developed or know how to conduct research on their own. Older students will need to know a few skills before undertaking an orbital study. For example; locate resource material, take notes, structure organized paragraphs, and create notes from texts. Teachers will still need to help students even if they are capable of the above skills. Without the above skills students might have difficulty completing an orbital study on their own.
Barriers to Implementation: Younger students will need help researching their topic since they haven’t developed or know how to conduct research on their own. Older students will need to know a few skills before undertaking an orbital study. For example; locate resource material, take notes, structure organized paragraphs, and create notes from texts. Teachers will still need to help students even if they are capable of the above skills. Without the above skills students might have difficulty completing an orbital study on their own.
Learning Contracts
There are many ways to use learning contracts in your classroom. Learning contracts give students the opportunity to work somewhat independently on material that is largely teacher-directed. A learning contract gives students some freedom in acquiring skills and understanding that a teacher deems important at a certain time. Learning contracts also provide some choice regarding what is to be learned, working conditions, and how information will be applied or expressed.
Barriers to Implementation: If the teacher doesn’t sit down with the students to explain the consequences whether they are positive or negative, the student won’t know exactly what is expected of them. Teachers not recognizing student’s efforts when they have completed a contract. Not holding the students accountable and not wanting to give student’s full responsibility for completing their contract.
Barriers to Implementation: If the teacher doesn’t sit down with the students to explain the consequences whether they are positive or negative, the student won’t know exactly what is expected of them. Teachers not recognizing student’s efforts when they have completed a contract. Not holding the students accountable and not wanting to give student’s full responsibility for completing their contract.
Compacting
Compacting encourages teachers to assess students before beginning a unit of study or development of a skill. Students who do well on the preassessment (getting as much as three-quarters correct) should not have to complete the work they already know. Compacting begins with a focus on student readiness and ends with an emphasis on student interest.
Barriers to Implementation: If the teacher doesn't sit down with the students to explain the consequences whether they are positive or negative, the student won’t know exactly what is expected of them. Teachers not recognizing student’s efforts when they have completed a contract. Not holding the students accountable and not wanting to give student’s full responsibility for completing their contract.
Barriers to Implementation: If the teacher doesn't sit down with the students to explain the consequences whether they are positive or negative, the student won’t know exactly what is expected of them. Teachers not recognizing student’s efforts when they have completed a contract. Not holding the students accountable and not wanting to give student’s full responsibility for completing their contract.
Portfolios
Portfolios are an excellent way for helping students set appropriate learning goals and evaluate their growth. They are also a powerful way to help teachers and parents reflect on students' growth over time. Portfolios can be used with any age and in a variety of ways. They also focus on readiness, interest, and learning profile. Portfolios are very motivational because of the heavy emphasis on student choice. I have incorporated my students portfolios into a class website. Parents have been given access to the website and are encouraged to post comments and read students entries. The students do have some choice to what they put on their individual website/blog, but I also assign items to be placed on their website/blog. Click on the button below to see an example of one of my students website/blog.
Barriers to Implementation: If the teachers doesn't tell students what needs to be included in their portfolios. Not allowing students to have some choice of articles for their portfolio. Teachers not recognizing student's efforts in creating their portfolio, as well as not holding them accountable for deadlines set by the teacher.
Barriers to Implementation: If the teachers doesn't tell students what needs to be included in their portfolios. Not allowing students to have some choice of articles for their portfolio. Teachers not recognizing student's efforts in creating their portfolio, as well as not holding them accountable for deadlines set by the teacher.
Tiered Activities
All students focus on essential understandings and skills, but at different levels of complexity. Encourages students to begin learning from where they are based on their readiness. Students are appropriately challenged. Tiered activities avoid boredom or anxiety, and are motivating to students.
Barriers to implementation: If you can’t identify the understandings, the kinds of analytical thinking, and the skills you want all students to learn from tiered activities this may not be an effective strategy to use in your classroom. You also don’t want to overlook proficient students by giving them more work and making them frustrated just because they are capable to accomplish the work.
Barriers to implementation: If you can’t identify the understandings, the kinds of analytical thinking, and the skills you want all students to learn from tiered activities this may not be an effective strategy to use in your classroom. You also don’t want to overlook proficient students by giving them more work and making them frustrated just because they are capable to accomplish the work.
Ongoing, Formative Assessment
Teachers continually assess student’s to identify their strengths and areas of need, so that we can help them move forward. Ongoing assessment is used to provide teachers with day-to-day data on student’s readiness. Ongoing assessment should be used throughout the unit and not just at the end of units.
Barriers to Implementation: Not seeing this as a long term responsibility and quitting the ongoing assessment before you as a teacher are able to get enough data on student’s strengths and weaknesses. Not applying the collected data to student’s instruction needs.
Barriers to Implementation: Not seeing this as a long term responsibility and quitting the ongoing assessment before you as a teacher are able to get enough data on student’s strengths and weaknesses. Not applying the collected data to student’s instruction needs.
You may be asking yourselves, how do I make this all work? Click on the button below to find out how and when to apply differentiation in your own classroom.
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
