Learning Style Differentiation

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Learning Style Differentiation

• Slides used with permission of Carol Ann
  Tomlinson and/or Sandra Page

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Differentiated Instruction Defined

• Differentiated instruction is a teaching
  philosophy based on the premise that teachers
  should adapt instruction to student differences.
  Rather than marching students through the
  curriculum lockstep, teachers should modify their
  instruction to meet students varying readiness
  levels, learning preferences, and interests.
  Therefore, the teacher proactively plans a
  variety of ways to get at and express
  learning.
• Carol Ann Tomlinson

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Differentiated Instruction is a teachers
response to learners needs
guided by general principles of
differentiation, such as
appropriate degree of challenge
ongoing assessment and adjustment
clear learning goals
respectful tasks
flexible grouping
Teachers can differentiate
Content
Process
Product
Affect
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
Carol A Tomlinson
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GROWTH If tasks are a close match for their
skills MOTIVATION If tasks ignite curiosity or
passion EFFICIENCY If the assignment encourages
students to work in a preferred manner
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
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Learning Style Differentiation

• How do I find out about students preferences?
• How do I keep an accessible record of this in
  order to USE the information in instruction?
• How do I group students in either think-alike or
  think-differently tasks?
• What are some possible strategies?
• Sternberg multiple intelligence lessons
• Learning modality preferences in lessons
• RAFTs (writing across the curriculum,
  differentiated by learning preference)
• Anchoring go to activity
• Learning contracts (differentiated by learning
  preference)

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Thinking About the Sternberg Intelligences
ANALYTICAL
Linear Schoolhouse Smart - Sequential
Show the parts of _________ and how they
work. Explain why _______ works the way it
does. Diagram how __________ affects
__________________. Identify the key parts of
_____________________. Present a step-by-step
approach to _________________.
Streetsmart Contextual Focus on Use
PRACTICAL
Demonstrate how someone uses ________ in their
life or work. Show how we could apply _____ to
solve this real life problem ____. Based on your
own experience, explain how _____ can be
used. Heres a problem at school, ________. Using
your knowledge of ______________, develop a plan
to address the problem.
CREATIVE
Innovator Outside the Box What If - Improver
Find a new way to show _____________. Use unusual
materials to explain ________________. Use humor
to show ____________________. Explain (show) a
new and better way to ____________. Make
connections between _____ and _____ to help us
understand ____________. Become a ____ and use
your new perspectives to help us think about
____________.
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Learning Style Social Studies Lesson on Landforms
based on Sternbergs Intelligence Preference

• Know Geographical terms (isthmus, delta,
  peninsula, river, island)
• Understand Landforms and bodies of water effect
  human movement and influence the development of
  cities.
• Do Locate and label specific landforms
• Analyze how landforms produce economic
  advantages that establish settlements.
• After students have read and taken notes on the
  chapter, the teacher reviews with the whole class
  the basic information on landforms. Then,
  students are given a choice of three assignments
  to be done individually or in groups of two or
  three.

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• Practical Using these 8 given cities, (or you
  may choose other cities after approval by
  teacher), demonstrate how landforms and bodies of
  water contributed to the development and movement
  of people to this site over a period of time. You
  may use overlay transparencies or models to show
  the areas and growth.
• Creative Develop a map of a new world that has
  at least 8 different types of landforms and/or
  bodies of water. Using labels, etc., determine
  how these sites would grow due to economic
  possibilities of these geographical features, and
  predict population growth over a period of time.
• Analytical Create clues or a set of directions
  to help us identify and locate at least 8
  landforms on the map (given in the textbook, or a
  map provided by the teacher). Clues/directions
  should also be based on population and economic
  growth and changes.

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Partial List of Learning Modality Tasks/Skills
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Social Studies Chapter Review Differentiation by
Learning Modality Students are asked to read a
textbook chapter, using a graphic organizer for
note-taking. They then prepare a review/response
using learning modality preferences. They may
work in learning style alike partnerships to
prepare the response. In class, they will debrief
in groups of 4 with each modality represented in
each group.
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Differentiation by Learning Modality
PreferenceSewing Project Choices in Consumer
Education ClassStudents will all create a
small, original product using skills of sewing,
design layout, fabric selection, color choice,
embellishment choices
Sandra Page, 2006
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Know Different Forms of TransportationUndersta
nd Transportation/vehicles helps us move from
here to there.Do Students will describe a
vehicle using the vocabulary and knowledge
learned on what makes things move and
go.Vocabulary wings, wheels, pedal, sail,
pull, push, float, sink air, water, land,
space fast, slow
Transportation Pre-K/Kindergarten using Learning
Modality Preferences
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Primary Transportation by learning modality
continued
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Examples of RAFTs that differentiate by Learning
Style

• Learning style and interest choices appear in
  the Format column
• Other RAFTs can be differentiated by readiness

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Consumer Education Class RAFT In this RAFT, all
students will have a Topic that focus on food
safety practices. The Formats are meant to appeal
to different learning styles.
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Business Education RAFT Students are reviewing
elements from Insert Drop Down Menu This RAFT
uses the columns of Role and Audience to review
basic elements and vocabulary of this unit.
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Weather Topics RAFT choicesThese RAFTs focus on
weather related vocabulary and instruments. No
student would receive all these choices. Some of
these choices may be made by teacher to tier
because the vocabulary is beyond the grade level
essentials.
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Our Community RAFT (Primary grade)Know
responsibility, role, respect, behaviorDo
Discuss, reflect, respond Understand Our
classroom community depends on us working
together.
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Technology Lab Safety
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Possible Role or Audience Ideas for a RAFTChoose
ideas that advance the learning goals.
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Possible Formats to use with RAFTs
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RAFT Planning Sheet
Know (facts, vocab) Use these in Role or
Audience? Understand (statement) Use this in
topic? Do (verb) This might be the guide for
the format?