Differentiating Process
Process=How students learn
It is how students make sense or understand the information, ideas, and skills being studied
It reflects student learning styles and preferences
The process of learning varies, depending on how students learn
(On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction, Grades 4-12)
How Can We Begin to Differentiate the Process?
Remember what we said about pre-assessment on the "Differentiating Content" page?
Here is the gist of it again:
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)
During your initial pre-assessment where you determine what content to differentiate, you also assess HOW the student will learn the content.
About assessment and determining the learning process:
It is how students make sense or understand the information, ideas, and skills being studied
It reflects student learning styles and preferences
The process of learning varies, depending on how students learn
(On Target: Strategies That Differentiate Instruction, Grades 4-12)
How Can We Begin to Differentiate the Process?
Remember what we said about pre-assessment on the "Differentiating Content" page?
Here is the gist of it again:
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)
During your initial pre-assessment where you determine what content to differentiate, you also assess HOW the student will learn the content.
About assessment and determining the learning process:
By assessing your students, you also find out how they learn and what engages them. You then offer multiple ways for the students to interact with the content – e.g., digital texts, books on CD, PowerPoint presentations, films, individual work, small group work, etc. – all chosen because they will help the students in the particular class you’re teaching. (http://marylandlearninglinks.org/2015)
What does differentiating the process include?
-Learning and using reasoning/thinking skills
(creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving)
-Student applies abstract thinking skills
-Appropriate activity for the student that results in products that are at an appropriate (sophistication) level for the individual student
-Basic skills as well as abstract thinking skills are integrated in the activity
What are some Examples of Processes?
1)Anchor Activities
Tier
-Learning and using reasoning/thinking skills
(creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving)
-Student applies abstract thinking skills
-Appropriate activity for the student that results in products that are at an appropriate (sophistication) level for the individual student
-Basic skills as well as abstract thinking skills are integrated in the activity
What are some Examples of Processes?
1)Anchor Activities
Tier
image taken from: http://2differentiate.pbworks.com/w/page/860027/Anchor%20Activities (click on the link to read their entire page)
Watch the following video:
Watch the following video:
Follow-up questions:
1)What is the purpose of an anchor activity?
2)Write down three scenarios in which you can imagine an anchor activity working.
3)Come up with an example of something that can be an anchor activity for the subject you teach.
4)Do you think you will implement the concept of anchor activities into your classroom? Why or why not?
1)What is the purpose of an anchor activity?
2)Write down three scenarios in which you can imagine an anchor activity working.
3)Come up with an example of something that can be an anchor activity for the subject you teach.
4)Do you think you will implement the concept of anchor activities into your classroom? Why or why not?
2)Tiered Activities
Image taken from: http://www.slideshare.net/DawnNachtigall/tiered-instruction-8321685
Please go through the entire slide show at this link! It explains tier activities very well.
Please go through the entire slide show at this link! It explains tier activities very well.
After reading through the slideshow, answer these follow-up questions:
1)How can you decide what to tier in a classroom, and how would you go about doing so?
2)How can tiered activities improve classroom learning?
3)Create your own tiered activity to try out in your classroom. After the activity, evaluate how the learning process went. Did giving tiered activities change how the students reacted to the information?
3)Stations
1)How can you decide what to tier in a classroom, and how would you go about doing so?
2)How can tiered activities improve classroom learning?
3)Create your own tiered activity to try out in your classroom. After the activity, evaluate how the learning process went. Did giving tiered activities change how the students reacted to the information?
3)Stations
What is a classroom learning station?
"Stations refer to spots where students work on different tasks simultaneous in a classroom and then rotate through them to learn content/skills related to a topic. Students might skip stations if they know the material or some stations might have tasks designed for advanced students only...Strategy is based on the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson." (http://2differentiate.pbworks.com/w/page/860074/Learning%20Stations) Click on the above link to learn more! |
Table taken from: http://www.iamse.org/artman/publish/article_457.shtml
4)Centers
What is the difference between stations and centers?
Carol Ann Tomlinson differentiates between centers and stations: Centers are areas in the classroom where students refine a skill or extend a concept. Stations are different places in the classroom where students work on tasks simultaneously, and whose activities are linked. Here is a link that talks about Stations Vs. Centers: https://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/centers_stations.pdf Click on this link to learn more about learning centers: https://www.teachervision.com/learning-center/new-teacher/48462.html?page=1&detoured=1 Questions: 1)Will you use learning centers and learning stations in your own classroom? Why or why not? 2)Think of 3 theoretical learning centers for high school level classroom. 3)Think of 4 theoretical stations for an elementary classroom. |
5)Student Agendas
Taken From http://www.isacs.org/misc_files/Annual_Chapman_Differentiated%20Instruction%20Tools%20at%20Work.pdf: "What are student agendas? A certain assignment made for a student to work independently. The activities are designed for the working level and needs of the learner. A. Agendas allow a student: • to work at appropriate pace • to order work to their liking • to develop independence • to manage personal time • to work at their level of readiness B. Agenda Sample Student________ Date _______ ‰ Read pages _____ and take notes. ‰ Make a collage from the magazine pictures about what you learned. ‰ Complete the computer program ____. ‰ Choose two activities to complete from the choice board. Due _______ " Practice: Come up with your own sample student agenda and make another one for a different student! |
6)Cooperative Learning
What is cooperative learning?
Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy in which students of different abilities are put into small teams and use various learning activities to improve their understanding of the subject. Each team member is responsible to not only learn what is taught, but to help his/her classmates learn as well. This creates an environment that promotes achievement.
Click on this link to find out more about cooperative learning:
https://www.teachervision.com/pro-dev/cooperative-learning/48531.html
Follow up questions:
1)How can we make our small group learning successful?
2)How can we create the best group dynamics for students?
3)Why is collaboration important?
Watch this YouTube video:
What is cooperative learning?
Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy in which students of different abilities are put into small teams and use various learning activities to improve their understanding of the subject. Each team member is responsible to not only learn what is taught, but to help his/her classmates learn as well. This creates an environment that promotes achievement.
Click on this link to find out more about cooperative learning:
https://www.teachervision.com/pro-dev/cooperative-learning/48531.html
Follow up questions:
1)How can we make our small group learning successful?
2)How can we create the best group dynamics for students?
3)Why is collaboration important?
Watch this YouTube video:
Follow up question: What are the benefits of collaborative learning? Name 5 that you saw in the video.
Next: Differentiating the Product
Next: Differentiating the Product