Differentiating Content
What is included in content?
• Content =what students learn
Includes curriculum topics, concepts, or themes
Reflects state or national standards
Presents essential facts and skills
(On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction, Grades 4-12)
How Can We Begin to Differentiate Content?
We can differentiate by pre-assessing student skills and understandings, then matching learners with appropriate activities. We can provides students with choices in order to add depth to learning.
(On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction, Grades 4-12)
Pre-assessment is essential in determining where everyone in the classroom is and where to go from there in regards to content. Please think about the following question: Why is pre-assessment so essential while differentiating instruction?
After you have come up with some of your thoughts on the topic, watch the video below titled "The Power of Pre-Assessment: Differentiating the Content".
• Content =what students learn
Includes curriculum topics, concepts, or themes
Reflects state or national standards
Presents essential facts and skills
(On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction, Grades 4-12)
How Can We Begin to Differentiate Content?
We can differentiate by pre-assessing student skills and understandings, then matching learners with appropriate activities. We can provides students with choices in order to add depth to learning.
(On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction, Grades 4-12)
Pre-assessment is essential in determining where everyone in the classroom is and where to go from there in regards to content. Please think about the following question: Why is pre-assessment so essential while differentiating instruction?
After you have come up with some of your thoughts on the topic, watch the video below titled "The Power of Pre-Assessment: Differentiating the Content".
Can you think of an idea for a pre-assessment for something you previously taught? How would that have helped differentiate content for different students in your classroom?
Differentiating Content can include:
Modification of the rate of learning:
-The point at which students may begin their learning
-Rate at which they are allowed to learn
-Point where a student can leave an area of study
Opportunities for student choice
- Can give students the opportunity to choose an area of study
-Can give students the opportunity to choose which way they will learn the material while focusing on specific content to be learned
Below is a link to a video from the "teacher's Learning Channel". It is a great video showing how a teacher can provide a "menu" for students to choose from in order to have differentiated activities.
<script src='https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/differentiating-instruction-strategy/embed.js?width=480' 'text/javascript'></script>
On the side of the video, they have three important questions for us to think about:
1)Why is student choice an important part of differentiation?
2)How does the structure of an assignment (graphic organizer, website, brochure) help students summarize content?
3)How does the teacher assess student learning after each phase of the project?
THINK ABOUT IT! :)
The Modification of the Complexity in the Area of Study
-Students can learn the same topic but some can have more complex information to learn the topic (and more complex questions asked on the topic in order to learn) based on their abilities.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Learning
-Content can relate to another subject of interest to the student or real life example
What are some specific examples of ways a teacher might differentiate content? Here are some from "Leadership for differentiating Schools and Classrooms" by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan. Ask yourself for each one, what are they differentiating about the content?
-Using math manipulatives with some, but not all, learners to help students understand a new idea
-Using texts or novels at more than one reading level
-Presenting information through both whole-to-part and part-to-whole approaches
-Using a variety of reading-buddy arrangements to support and challenge students working with text materials.
-Reteaching students who need another demonstration, or exempting students who already demonstrate mastery from reading a chapter or from sitting through a reteaching session
-Using texts, computer games , tape recorders, and videos as a way of conveying key concepts to varied learners
Can your think of two of your own specific examples of how a teacher might differentiate content?
HERE is a video titled "Using technology to differentiate by Content"
HERE is another video titled "Differentiating in Math using Computer Games"
BOTH GREAT VIDEOS!
Please watch the two videos and answer the following questions:
1) How can we differentiate content through the use of technology?
2)Pick a topic to teach and imagine using technology to differentiate the instruction for the topic. How would it play out?
3)How often, in your opinion, should we use technology for differentiating instruction?
Big Ideas: Know, Understand, Do (KUD)
As the classroom teacher, it is important that you take steps to ensure your students will learn what is necessary to meet curriculum guidelines. That is why it is important to address exactly what you want your student to know, to understand, and to do. Using KUD helps you create content in the best way. It is a way to guarantee that your lessons are meaningful and meant to accomplish specific goals. Please read more about KUD on pages 6 and 7 in this packet, "On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction".
Other sites that provide information on differentiating content:
http://differentiation.asb-wiki.wikispaces.net/Differentiating+Content
http://www.rec4.com/filestore/REC4_DifferentiatingContent_080513.pdf
https://prezi.com/hapxauhduka9/differentiating-content/
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy
http://differentiation.asb-wiki.wikispaces.net/Differentiating+Content
http://www.rec4.com/filestore/REC4_DifferentiatingContent_080513.pdf
https://prezi.com/hapxauhduka9/differentiating-content/
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy