Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom : How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Grades 3-12

by Heacox, Diane

• ISBN13: 9781575421056
• ISBN10: 1575421054
• Edition: Anniv.
• Format: Paperback w/CD
• Copyright: 2001-12-01
• Publisher: Free Spirit Pub

Summary

Some children learn easily, while others struggle. How can teachers make sure that every child has opportunities to develop his or her talents? The answer is differentiation: changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction in response to learners' needs, styles, and/or interests. This guide presents strategies for any teacher faced with a spectrum of student needs and styles (differentiating discussions, creating tiered assignments, matrix plans for designing curriculum units, process skills, and evidence of learning). Chapters focus on evaluation in a differentiated classroom and how to manage both behavior and work tasks. Any curriculum can be differentiated-even a standard or mandated curriculum. Drawing on experts in the field and her own experience in the classroom, the author explains how to differentiate instruction in a wide variety of scenarios to provide variety and challenge in how teachers teach and in how students learn. Templates and forms simplify planning; examples illustrate differentiation in many content areas. Includes reproducible handout masters.

Table of Contents

List of Reproducible Pages	x
List of Figures	x
Introduction	1	(4)
Part 1 Getting Ready
What Is Differentiation?	5	(16)
Differentiated Instruction: One Size Doesn't Fit All	6	(1)
You May Be Differentiating Already	7	(1)
Our Diverse Classrooms	7	(3)
What Do We Differentiate?	10	(1)
What Is the Teacher's Role?	11	(2)
Questions and Answers About Differentiating Instruction	13	(5)
How Differentiated Is Your Classroom?	18	(1)
Resources	18	(3)
Who Are Your Students?	21	(32)
Discovering Your Students	21	(3)
Finding Out What Students Know	24	(2)
The Importance of Knowing Your Students	26	(1)
Resources	26	(27)
What Do You Teach?	53	(14)
Essential Questions	53	(2)
Unit Questions	55	(1)
Using Essential and Unit Questions to Differentiate Instruction	56	(1)
Choosing a Unit of Your Own	56	(1)
Mapping Your Curriculum	57	(5)
Resources	62	(5)
Part 2 Differentiation in Action
How Do You Teach? Planning for Challenge and Variety	67	(18)
Challenge: Bloom's Levels of Thinking	67	(3)
Variety: Gardner's Eight Ways of Thinking and Learning	70	(1)
How Differentiated Is Your Current Unit?	70	(4)
The Matrix Plan	74	(1)
A Sample Matrix Plan	74	(2)
Differentiating Your Unit Using a Matrix Plan	76	(1)
The Integration Matrix	76	(8)
Many Uses for Your Matrix	84	(1)
Resources	84	(1)
What Do Students Need? Flexible Instructional Grouping	85	(6)
Personalizing Learning with Flexible Grouping	85	(1)
Flexible Grouping at Exit Points	85	(1)
Flexible Grouping Compared with Other Grouping Strategies	86	(2)
Questions and Answers About Flexible Grouping	88	(1)
Tips on Managing Flexible Groups	89	(1)
Student Independence and Flexible Groups	90	(1)
Resources	90	(1)
What Do Students Need? Tiered Assignments	91	(10)
Six Ways to Structure Tiered Assignments	91	(4)
Deciding When and How to Tier an Assignment	95	(1)
Guidelines for Designing Tiered Assignments	95	(1)
How to Organize Groups and Give Directions	96	(2)
Making Tiering Invisible	98	(2)
Resources	100	(1)
What Do Students Need? Choices	101	(18)
Pathways Plans	101	(4)
Project Menus	105	(2)
Challenge Centers	107	(2)
Spin-offs	109	(2)
Resources	111	(8)
What About Grading?	119	(6)
Establishing Quality Criteria for Differentiated Activities	119	(1)
Grades Are Cumulative	120	(1)
Don't Grade Everything	120	(1)
Grades = Rigor	120	(3)
Totally 10	123	(1)
Resources	124	(1)
How Do You Manage Differentiation?	125	(6)
Preparing to Differentiate	125	(1)
Preparing Your Students and Classroom	125	(1)
Managing Student Work	126	(3)
Resources	129	(2)
How Do You Differentiate for Special Populations?	131	(14)
Differentiated Instruction and Special Needs Students	131	(2)
An Idea from Your Special Education Colleagues	133	(1)
Other Differentiation Strategies for Special Needs Students	133	(1)
Differentiated Instruction for Gifted and Talented Students	134	(3)
Curriculum Compacting	137	(3)
Individual Planning	140	(1)
The Importance of Mentors	140	(1)
Resources	141	(4)
Final Thoughts: Teaching as a Creative Activity	145	(1)
Appendix A: Letter to Families	146	(1)
Appendix B: Differentiating Classroom Discussions	147	(8)
Using Classroom Questions to Differentiate Learning	147	(1)
Brainstorming	148	(1)
Learning Dialogues	149	(6)
Appendix C: Content Catalysts, Processes, and Products (CCPP) Toolkit	155	(2)
Bibliography	157	(1)
Index	158	(6)
About the Author	164