What Does Differentiated Instruction And Assessment Look Like

1
What Does Differentiated Instruction And
Assessment Look Like?
Source Differentiated Instruction and Assessment
by Sue Watson http//specialed.about.com/od/teache
rstrategies/a/differentiated.htm
2
What Do They Know?

• First of all, identify the learning
  outcomes. For this example we
  will use
• Natural Disasters
• Now we need to tap into our student's prior
  knowledge.
• For this stage you can do a brainstorm with the
  whole group or small groups or individually. Or,
  you can do a KWL chart. Graphic organizers work
  well for tapping into prior knowledge.
• You may also consider using a who, what, when,
  where, why and how graphic organizers
  individually or in groups.
• Key to this task is ensuring that everyone can
  contribute.

3
What They Need/Want To Learn

• Now that you've identified what the students
  know, it's time to move into what they need and
  want to learn. You can post chart paper around
  the room dividing the topic into sub topics.
• For instance, for natural disasters you could
  post chart paper with different headings
  (hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes
  etc.).
• Each group or individual comes to the chart paper
  and writes down what they know about any of the
  topics. From this point you can form discussion
  groups based on interest, each group signs up for
  the natural disaster they want to learn more
  about.
• The groups will need to identify the resources
  that will help them gain additional
  information.

4
Demonstrating New Knowledge

• Now it's time to determine how the students will
  demonstrate their new knowledge after their
  investigations/research which will include books,
  documentaries, internet research etc. For this,
  again, choice is necessary as is taking into
  consideration their strengths/needs and learning
  styles.
• Here are some suggestions
• create a talk show, write a news release,
• teach the class, create an informational
  brochure,
• create a PowerPoint to show everyone,
• make illustrations with descriptors, give a
  demonstration,
• role play a newscast, create a puppet show,
• write an information song, poem, rap or cheer,
• create flow charts or show a step by step
  process,
• put on an informational commercial,
• create a jeopardy or who wants to be a
  millionaire game.
• The possibilities with any topic are endless.

5

• Through these processes, students can also keep
  journals in a variety of methods. They can jot
  down their new facts and ideas about the concepts
  followed by their thoughts and reflections.
• Or they can keep a log of what they know and what
  questions they still have.

6

• Teachers need to create a variety of entry points
  to ensure that student differing abilities,
  strengths, and needs are all taken into
  consideration. Students then need varying
  opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge
  based on the teaching, hence differentiated
  assessment.

7
Assessment

• You can assess the following
• completion of tasks, ability to work with and
  listen to others, participation levels, respects
  self and others, ability to discuss, explain,
  make connections, debate, support opinions,
  infer, reason, re-tell, describe, report, predict
  etc.
• The assessment rubric should contain descriptors
  for both social skills and knowledge skills.

8

• As you can see, you have probably already been
  differentiating your instruction and assessment
  in much of what you're already doing.
• You may be asking, when does direct instruction
  come into play?
• As you're watching your groups, there will always
  be some students who will need some additional
  support, recognize it as you see it and pull
  those individuals together to help move them
  along the learning continuum.

9
If you can answer the following questions, you're
well on your way.

• How are you differentiating content? (variety of
  leveled materials, choice, varied presentation
  formats etc.)
• How are you differentiating assessment? (students
  have many options to demonstrate their new
  knowledge)
• How are you differentiating the process? (choice
  and variety of tasks that consider learning
  styles, strengths and needs, flexible groupings
  etc.)
• Although differentiating can be challenging at
  times, stick with it, you will see results.