Differentiated Instruction

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Differentiated Instruction

• Derry Area High School
• 2007-2008

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What is differentiated instruction?

• Differentiated instruction is a teaching
  philosophy based on the premise that teachers
  should adapt instruction to student
  differencesthe teacher proactively plans a
  variety of ways to get at and express
  learning.
• Carol Ann Tomlinson

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Thats Nothing New

• Blooms Taxonomy
• Multiple Intelligences
• Abstract Concrete
• Random Sequential
• Sternbergs Intelligences
• Creative
• Practical Analytical

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High School Culture

• Content Driven
• Preparation for real life
• Quality matters
• Students expect equity
• Parents expect reward for achievement
• Honor Roll
• QPA
• Class rank
• Credits counted
• Test accountable

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Postulates of Differentiated Instruction

• People do not all learn at the same rate, or in
  the same way.
• To learn to the best of their ability, a person
  must
• Feel safe
• Feel challenged (not overwhelmed)
• Be intrigued / interested

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Differentiated Instruction
is NOT
Individualized Instruction
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And, we are not going to re-invent the wheel
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What is and isnt Differentiation?

• IS
• -A technique used to create a learning
  environment
• -Focuses on change within the context of a lesson
  or unit that maximums the learning for students

• ISNT
• -Creating a different lesson for each student
• -Ensuring each student has an IEP

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Differentiating
Curriculum can be differentiated in three
areas 1. Content Level of abstraction / depth
to which students are held accountable (core for
all) 2. Process Multiple options for making
sense of the ideas 3. Product Multiple options
for expressing what they know
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Many strategies we use in the classroom are
elements of differentiated instruction.

• Adjusted Questions
• Front load vocabulary
• Varied homework assignments
• Students given input into the class
• Shall we check the homework or look at the test
  overview first?
• Explain the big picture first
• Apply content to real life / students interests
• Offer individual / small group instruction
  (tutoring)

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Go Derry!

• To our credit DAHS offers inclusion classes for
  learning support students in core subject areas.
• The learning support teachers provide their
  expert advise to provide the differentiation
  mandated for those students.
• What about the other students in non-supported
  classes who have difficulty catching on?

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So what are we in for?

• Over the next few sessions we will look at some
  elements of differentiated instruction that can
  be implemented within the demands and the culture
  of the high school environment.
• The elements were chosen on the basis of their
  ability to be most equitable to the student, and
  most easily managed by the teacher.

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The following preview has been approved for all
audiences.

• Dec. Low prep ways to differentiate
• Jan. May I see a menu?
• Feb. Bookends Beginning and ending a lesson
• Mar. MDF DJE
• Apr. Tiers not Tears

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Gee, I cant wait!

• If you want more information before our next
  session, google this search
• differentiated instruction high school