Classrooms-2nd-Edition-By-Carol-Ann-Tomlinson

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms the way a differentiated classroom “looks” that’s dren to do the same, and are eager for a class- different from what parents may expect. You room that challenges and invigorates their stu- can help them develop a clear, positive under- dents. Many of these parents have come to dis- standing of differentiated instruction and how it trust school because their children have spent benefits their children. Let them know that: so many years in school waiting for others to learn what they already knew. There are several •The goal of differentiated instruction is to important points to consider when working make certain that everyone grows in all key with parents of highly able students (many skills and knowledge areas, moving on from apply to most parents). their starting points. •Listen to them and learn from them. •In a differentiated classroom, the teacher They have a story to tell and want someone to closely assesses and monitors skills, knowledge hear it and to be invested in the growth of their levels, interests, and effective ways of learning child. All parents ought to get that kind of for all students, and then plans lessons and reception in school. tasks with those levels in mind. •Rebuild their trust that school is a good •A differentiated lesson assigned by a fit for their child. As they see your investment teacher reflects the teacher’s current best under- in tapping into and extending their child’s standing of what a child needs to grow in understandings, skills, talents, and interests, understanding and skill. That understanding is you are likely to see skepticism replaced by evolutionary and will change as the year goes gratitude. on, as the child grows, and as parents con- tribute to the understanding. •Understand the paradox of parenting a bright child. Most parents of highly able stu- •The teacher will be glad to have parents dents want their child challenged. They know come to school and talk about their children that a good piano teacher recognizes musical tal- because both have important perspectives to ent and mentors the student in developing that share. A teacher sees a student more broadly in talent. Most of them recognize that a coach rec- regard to agemates and developmental bench- ognizes athletic talent and pushes the young per- marks. A parent sees a student more deeply in son to extend that capacity. On the one hand, regard to interests, feelings, and change over parents of bright learners want that sort of chal- time. When the wide-angle lens and close-up lenge in their child’s classrooms. On the other lens both add images of the child, the picture hand, however, they, like their children, may becomes fuller for everyone. have become addicted to success. •A goal in your classroom is to help each Further, they are parents and don’t like to see student become a more independent learner. their child struggle. So, while they want a chal- lenge for their child, they may also want you to A Note About Differentiation guarantee that the challenge will involve no risk, and Parents of Advanced no stumbling, no failure. Those two desires are Learners incompatible. Risk-free talent development, painless challenge, and growth without tension Parents of advanced learners often get labeled as are anomalies, if they exist at all. pushy. No doubt some of them are (as are some parents of any group of learners). For the most part, however, they want the right things for the children. They value learning, want their chil- 42

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `P`re`pa`rin`g S`tu`de`nt`s a`nd` P`ar`ent`s `for`a`Di`ffe`ren`ti`ate`d`Cl`ass`ro`om` You may have to help some parents realize kids have to learn to do battle with it, too, if that. Then, your message ought to be, “I see the they are to become what they can be. potential in your child. I am excited about being a part of developing that potential. I can’t do that The noted children’s author Katherine and promise that everything will be easy for him. Paterson keeps a reminder above the desk I can’t promise that As will remain automatic. I where she writes, “Before the gates of excel- can promise you, however, that I am aware of lence, the high gods have placed sweat” (1981, the struggle and will do everything I can to be a p. 3). Much as we might wish otherwise, we partner with your child in learning to struggle, have no reason to believe she’s wrong. overcoming obstacles, and ultimately discovering that he has a far greater capacity than he thought A Note About Parents Who Push he did. My goal is not to punish him or to cause Students Too Hard him to fail in the long term. To the contrary, I know I will be an effective teacher if I can help Probably less common than the parent of bright him learn to rise to a challenge, to find satisfac- students who want challenge and ease simulta- tion in effort. Will you help me with that?” neously are the parents who push their child to do work that is far too taxing. Here, too, it •Think through the “Why is her work helps for a teacher to have reflected on that sce- harder” question. If you establish the sort of nario. There is the possibility, of course, that the understanding with parents described in the parent sees capability in the student that is previous suggestion, you will eliminate many a there, but hidden from view in school. For that tense discussion that occurs when a parent is reason, it’s not a bad idea to let a student try afraid of challenge for their child (even as they something you believe may be too demanding. seek it). Nonetheless, a parent may ask you why the work their child is doing is “harder” than In the life of every teacher some of the most that of another child in the class. compelling stories are of students who bloomed when the teacher had no expectation of it. On In a differentiated classroom, a readiness- the other hand, there is a difference between based assignment needs to be just a little too expecting much of a child and expecting too hard for a student’s current proficiency level. much. If the task does appear to be too great The goal of the teacher is to ensure, as often as for the child, if it causes the child tension and possible, that each student has to work a little frustration, and if it leads to confusion and self- too hard, and to find a support system that doubt rather than clarity and self-confidence— leads to success and growth. it’s important to then help the parent under- stand that learning is impaired when students The only answer for a parent who asks, feel overtaxed, afraid, and out of control. A con- “Why does my child have to do harder work versation something like the one described than someone else?” is that, relative to her skills before between Mr. Wade and parents of his and understanding, the work is no harder for students might be helpful. her than the work of any other child relative to that child’s skills and understanding. Much of It is also useful if you can help the student the discussion must go back to the reality that find a voice to express his tension and unhappi- talent development takes struggle—for all ness. The message may be clearer from a stu- humans, even very bright ones. Most students dent than from a teacher. Also, in a setting encounter struggle regularly in school. Bright where parents are unduly controlling, a young person often feels mute. Regaining a voice and 43

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms becoming a self-advocate can be important in They need to hear the success stories of their helping the student have a sense of power of his children. They need to receive concrete sugges- or her own world. tions of things they can do to be partners in their children’s learning. A Note About Parents Who Stay Away from School We also need to hear from them. We need to understand better the child’s culture and lan- There are many reasons why parents stay away guage and history and dreams. We need to from school. In some cases, parental absence know the stories that get brought home from may not create a problem. In some cases, how- school, and the parent’s perspective on what ever, the parents who stay away are ones we will work best in helping their children learn. It need most to invite into the child’s world at is easy for us to assume that everyone’s view of school. Some of these parents stay away because the world is like the one we grew up with. That school was alienating for them and returning is is not the case. Reaching out to every parent in too difficult. Some stay away because they do effective ways helps us expand our worldview— not speak the language spoken in parent confer- and become more effective teachers. ences. Some stay away because their lives are too burdened to add one more thing. We err as Successful partnering between teacher and teachers in assuming that these parents don’t parents is based on proactive communication. care about their children’s education. That is Send home information bulletins or newsletters rare indeed. from time to time, telling about goals for spe- cific projects, how various procedures are work- Most parents, including those who keep ing in class, and so on. Ask for parents’ their distance from us, care deeply about their reactions and suggestions related to differentia- children’s schooling and see it as a way to tion. Build partnerships with parents, just as achieve a good life. It is critical that schools and you do with your students, to create a class- teachers build bridges to these parents, commu- room in which individuals are honored and nicating with them in whatever ways we can much is expected from every student. find—including, but not limited to, making school a more inviting place for them. They The next chapter begins our detailed “how need to hear our messages—and see concrete to's”—this time, by focusing on students' readi- evidence—that we believe in their children. ness levels. 44

88` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` THE How To’s OF Planning Lessons Differentiated by Readiness Three characteristics “playing by ear” when they differentiate instruc- of students guide dif- tion in their classrooms based on the readiness ferentiation: readi- levels of their students. That is, they simply do ness, interest, and what seems right for their students. Generally, learning profile. We intuition begins the process, and over time know that students learn better if tasks are a teachers learn from their successes and failures, close match for their skills and understanding refining what they do as they go along. Thus of a topic (readiness), if tasks ignite curiosity or when we ask teachers how they plan a differen- passion in a student (interest), and if the assign- tiated lesson in response to student readiness, ment encourages students to work in a pre- their answers are often a bit vague: “I just try to ferred manner (learning profile). In this chapter match the tasks to the students’ readiness level,” and the next two, we’ll take a look at the basics or “I put them in groups I think will work.” of differentiating instruction in response to Clarity about differentiation by readiness can those three student traits. This chapter focuses hone and refine good instincts, giving the on readiness differentiation. A task that’s a good teacher a greater sense of comfort with readi- match for student readiness extends that stu- ness differentiation and providing students dent’s knowledge, understanding, and skills a more appropriate learning experiences. bit beyond what the student can do independ- ently. A good readiness match pushes the stu- Thinking About Differentiation dent a little beyond his or her comfort zone and by Readiness then provides support in bridging the gap between the known and unknown. To differentiate instruction according to student Expert teachers often do the equivalent of readiness successfully, it helps to have a 45

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms comprehensive guide for planning and monitor- in environment would likely affect the body cov- ing the effectiveness of differentiated curricu- ering of several animals. In a math class, one lum. One way to get specific guidance about young learner may be ready for a basic applica- what teachers do when they create differentiated tion of the concept of fractions by cutting fruit lessons is to study those lessons and discover and placing it to reflect a given fraction. An what makes them differentiated. We can also appropriate challenge for another student may learn much by asking “What supports the be the more transformational task of writing instinct to differentiate instruction?” Figure 8.1 measures of music that represent certain frac- is an answer to that question, derived from tions. looking at many examples of differentiation. The tool in this figure is called “the equalizer.” • Concrete to Abstract. Students usually need to become familiar with the key informa- Designing differentiated instruction is similar tion or material about an area of study before to using the equalizer buttons on a stereo or CD they can successfully look at its implications, player. You can slide the buttons across several meanings, or interrelationships. However, once different continuums to get the best combina- they have grasped the information in a concrete tion of sounds for each musical piece. In a dif- way, it’s important that they move on to mean- ferentiated classroom, adjusting the “buttons” ings and implications. Working with concrete appropriately for various students’ needs equal- information should open a door for meaningful izes their chances of being appropriately chal- abstraction later on. For example, grasping the lenged by the materials, activities, and products idea of plot (more concrete) typically has to pre- in your classroom, as follows: cede investigations of theme (more abstract). But ultimately, all students need to delve into • Foundational to Transformational. When the meanings of stories, not just the events. The an idea is new to some students, or if it’s not in issue here is readiness or timing. one of their stronger areas, they often need sup- porting information about the idea that is clear • Simple to Complex. Sometimes students and plainly worded. Then they usually need time need to see only the big picture of a topic or to practice applying the idea in a straightforward area of study, just its “skeleton,” without many way. In these instances, the materials they use details. Even adults often find it helpful to read and the tasks they do should be foundational— a children’s book on black holes, for example, that is, basic and presented in ways that help before they tackle the work of Stephen them build a solid foundation of understanding. Hawking. When the big picture is needed, your At other times, when something is already clear students need resources, research, issues, prob- to them or is in a strength area, they need to lems, skills, and goals that help them achieve a move along quickly. They need information that framework of understanding with clarity. On shows them intricacies about the idea. They the other hand, when the “skeleton” is clear to need to stretch and bend the idea and see how it them, they’ll find it more stimulating to add interacts with other ideas to create a new “muscle, bone, and nerves,” moving from sim- thought. Such conditions require materials and ple to complex. Some students may need to tasks that are more transformational. work more simply with one abstraction at a time; others may be able to handle the com- For example, one child may benefit from a plexity of multiple abstractions. more basic task of classifying animals by body covering, while another may need the more transformational task of predicting how changes 46

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow` T`o’s`o`f P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s `Dif`fe`ren`tia`te`d `by`Re`ad`in`es`s Figure 8.1 The Equalizer: A Tool for Planning Differentiated Lessons 47

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms For example, some students may be ready to • Structured to Open-Ended. Sometimes work with the theme in a story (a single students need to complete tasks that are fairly abstraction), while other students look at inter- well laid out for them, where they don’t have relationships between themes and symbols too many decisions to make. Novice drivers (multiple abstractions, or complexity). begin by managing the car on prescribed driv- ing ranges or delineated routes. Being new to a • Single Facet to Multiple Facets. computer or word processor often requires Sometimes students are at peak performance completing programmed and closed lessons that when working on problems, projects, or dilem- involve “right” answers to become knowledge- mas that involve only a few steps or solutions to able—and comfortable—with basic operation complete. It may be all that some students can and keyboarding before moving on to more handle to make a connection between what advanced and open-ended tasks such as select- they studied in science today and what they ing varied uses of graphics to illustrate ideas in studied last week. Those with greater under- a formal presentation. Following a predeter- standing and facility in an area of study are mined format for a writing assignment or a ready for and more challenged by following chemistry lab often makes more sense than complicated directions. They are more chal- improvisation. lenged by solving problems that are multifac- eted or require great flexibility of approach, or At other times, however, students are ready by being asked to make connections between to explore the computer, craft their own essays subjects that scarcely seemed related before. designed to address a communication need, or create a chemistry lab that demonstrates princi- • Small Leap to Great Leap. Note that this ples of their choosing. Modeling helps most of continuum does not provide the option of “no us become confident enough to eventually leap.” Students should always have to run ideas “wing it.” But when modeling has served its through their minds and figure out how to use purpose, it’s time to branch out and get creative. them. Activities that call only for absorption and regurgitation are generally of little long-term • Dependent to Independent. A goal for all use. learners is independent study, thought, and pro- duction. But just as some students gain height But for some students, learning about how to more quickly than others, some will be ready measure area and then applying that learning by for greater independence earlier than others. estimating and verifying the area of the hamster Their needs in developing independence gener- house compared to the teacher’s desk may be ally fall into one of these four stages: enough of a leap of application and transfer—at least in the beginning. Other students may be 1. Skill building, when students need to able to move from estimating and verifying area develop the ability to make simple choices, fol- to estimating materials needed for a building low through with short-term tasks, and use project and proportional cost implications of directions appropriately. increasing the building area. In both cases, stu- dents make mental leaps from reading informa- 2. Structured independence, when students tion on a page to using that information. The make choices from teacher-generated options, latter task calls for relatively greater leaps of follow prescribed time lines, and engage in self- application, insight, and transfer. evaluation according to preset criteria to com- plete longer-term and more complex tasks. 48

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow` T`o’s`o`f P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s `Dif`fe`ren`tia`te`d `by`Re`ad`in`es`s 3. Shared independence, when students gen- Equalizer Troubleshooting Tips erate problems to be solved, design tasks, set time lines, and establish criteria for evaluation. When using the heuristic guide in Figure 8.1 to The teacher helps “tighten” or focus the plans modify lessons for a differentiated classroom, and monitors the production process. keep in mind three essential caveats: 4. Self-guided independence, when students 1. All students need lessons that are coherent, plan, execute, and evaluate their own tasks, and relevant, powerful, transferable, authentic, and seek help or feedback only when needed meaningful. We should not consign some stu- (Tomlinson, 1993). dents to drill and practice as the staple of their school diets and save the rich and engaging les- By guiding students across this continuum at sons for others. individually appropriate speeds, you and your students are less likely to become frustrated by 2. A curriculum that is good for students pushes tasks that require greater independence. them a bit beyond what they find easy or comfort- able. Our best teaching happens when we give • Slow to Fast. Of all the continuums, this students a genuine challenge and then help one is the most likely to require some “jumping them successfully meet it. Differentiated instruc- around.” There are times when students with tion is so powerful because it offers various lev- great ability in a subject need to move quickly els of genuine challenge. Your students’ sense of through familiar or minimally challenging self-efficacy comes from recognizing their power material. after accomplishing something they first thought was just “too big” for them. Design But at other times, some of those same stu- your lessons to stretch all students beyond their dents will need more time than others to study comfort zones in knowledge, insight, thinking, a topic in depth. You can adjust the speed of basic skills, production and presentation skills, learning experiences for students who are strug- and affective awareness. gling with key ideas by allowing them to work more slowly at first, but then letting them move 3. Plan to encourage your students to “work quickly through tangential areas of study, thus up”—that is, be ready to match students to tasks freeing up some time for further work with the that will stretch them. A good task for a given key ideas. Matching pacing to your students’ student is one that is just a bit too hard and needs is a critical differentiation strategy. through which the teacher ensures the presence of support required for success. We err most Like the equalizer buttons on audio equipment, often as teachers by planning a single task that it’s possible for the teacher to design lessons by is easy enough for most students to complete. “moving the buttons” on this guide to different That has the effect of establishing both “mid- positions for the needs of varied students. dling” or low expectations for many learners and expectations still out of the reach of others. For example, some students may be able to A task is challenging for a given student when it handle a complex, abstract, multifaceted project causes that student to stand on “mental tiptoes” (buttons over to the right on Figure 8.1) if you and reach high to complete it well. keep the “independence” button toward the left; that is, require more “check-in” dates of them This guide for differentiating instruction gets at than you require of more self-guided students the heart of what many teachers do when they working on that same project. adapt instruction for varied learner needs— 49

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms Figure 8.2 A Few Routes to READINESS Differentiation Varied Texts by Reading Level Varied Supplementary Materials by Reading Level Varied Scaffolding • reading • writing • research • technology Tiered Tasks Tiered Flexible Products Time Flexible Time Use Use Small-Group Instruction Homework Options Tiered or Scaffolded Assessment Compacting Mentorships Negotiated Criteria for Quality Varied Graphic Organizers 50

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow` T`o’s`o`f P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s `Dif`fe`ren`tia`te`d `by`Re`ad`in`es`s albeit automatically. Use this guide when differ- first time. Students more proficient with French entiating content (what you teach and what stu- translation read a magazine written for French- dents learn), process (how students think about speaking adolescents. The two magazines gener- or make sense of ideas and information), and ally contained many articles on the same topics, product (how students show what they know). but the magazine written for French-speaking Add other continuums and descriptors to this adolescents required more complex skills of guide as your students teach you more about translation. how to differentiate instruction. A math teacher often differentiated process It is also helpful to think about particular or activities for her students based on their strategies for differentiating instruction in readiness levels by assigning or offering home- response to student readiness levels. Figure 8.2 work assignments on the same topic at varying suggests a few such strategies. degrees of difficulty. She helped students deter- mine which assignment would be most likely to In using any of the strategies to match stu- both clarify their thinking and challenge them dent readiness, you are likely to be using mate- appropriately. rials, tasks, or scaffolding that corresponds to one or more continuums on the equalizer. For A middle school teaching team differentiated example, if you bookmark various Web sites for product assignments based on student readiness students to use in research, then try to match in a number of ways. One way was using vary- the difficulty level of the various sites to the ing portions of rubrics, or quality indicators, skills and understanding levels of various stu- with different students. Each student would dents, you may find that some sites are more receive two or three columns of a five-column concrete and some more abstract, or that some rubric. Each student would work with the are simpler in writing or ideas while others are teacher to designate their goals for the product more complex. assignment. It was the aim of the teacher to provide a student with rubric columns that You might also have all students use the seemed at or above the student’s proficiency same sites, building a support system to allow level and then guide the student in “working success for less-skilled readers (greater depend- up” through self-selected goals in each category ence), while encouraging skilled readers to represented on the rubric. work more independently. Try the combination of strategies and equalizer continuums in your When teachers use readiness level as a focus own classroom. for differentiating content, process, and prod- uct, their aim is to push students just a bit Using Readiness to Differentiate beyond their particular “comfort zones” so that student work is a little too hard. They then sup- Content, Process, and Product port students in stretching to achieve a next level of competency with important skills and Teachers can differentiate any or all of the three ideas. key components of curriculum (content, process, and product) in response to student The next chapter focuses on students’ interests: readiness. A French teacher differentiated con- how to engage students in your lessons. tent for her learners by subscribing to two French language current events magazines. Students who were having more difficulty with reading and translating French used a magazine written for U.S. students learning French for the 51

99` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` THE How To’s OF Planning Lessons Differentiated BY Interest A wise teacher knows standings and skills on which all his students that a key feature of will focus, he has learned that the required artful teaching is hav- skills and principles are more engaging to his ing a plan to engage students when what they read and write about or “hook” students on is of genuine interest to them. When the unit the topic at hand. Engagement is a nonnego- begins, he guides students in selecting reading tiable of teaching and learning. Two powerful materials and topics they care about. He then and related motivators for engagement are stu- builds the unit around their selections. dent interest and student choice (Bess, 1997; Brandt, 1998). If a student has a spark (or bet- Ms. Bella likes to use Jigsaw, a cooperative ter still, a fire) of curiosity about a topic, learn- learning strategy, as one way of differentiating ing is more likely for that student. Similarly, a process in response to student interest. As she sense of choice about what or how we learn is and her students explore a broad topic, she asks also empowering, and thus an enhancement to each student to select a facet of the topic that is learning. The trouble is, of course, that not all intriguing to him or her. At some point or students in a class have the same interests, thus points in the unit, Mrs. Bella creates Jigsaw the need for differentiation again. teams that ask students to specialize on the Content, process, and product can be differ- facet they selected with other students who entiated according to student interest. One time selected the same interest area. They then share in the year when Mr. Elkins differentiates con- what they learn with students in another group tent in response to student interest occurs dur- comprised of representatives of each of the ing a standards-based unit on reading and facets explored. writing nonfiction. While there are key under- Mrs. Gomez finds products an ideal way to tap into student interests. She does that some- 52

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow`T`o’s`of`P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s D`if`fer`en`tia`te`d b`y`In`ter`es`t times by offering students varied ways of During the unit, she will be emphasizing con- expressing what they learn through their prod- cepts of culture, conflict, interdependence, and uct. Sometimes she gives students elements of change—concepts that guide much of the year’s understanding and skill that their products study. As part of the unit, students will read and must contain and then guides the students in discuss the textbook, as well as supplementary developing their own product assignments. and primary source materials. They will visit a Often she encourages students to add their own battlefield, have speakers visit their class, and product goals to ones she has developed for the see videos on the time period. Mrs. Janes asked whole class. She finds that products allow her her students to list things they like to think and many ways to give her students choice and learn about in their own lives. Among topics voice. they generated were music, sports/recreation, people, families, reading, transportation, There are two ways for a teacher to think heroes/villains, medicine, food, travel, humor, about student interest. First, of course, teachers clothing, books, unsolved mysteries, cartoons, who care about their students as individuals and teens. accept the difficult task of trying to identify the interests students bring to the classroom with The teacher suggested to her 7th graders them. Second, dynamic teachers try to create that they could learn a great deal about the time new interests in their students. When a teacher period by exploring it through their own inter- is passionate about a topic and shares the pas- ests, as those interests were manifest during the sion with his classes, similar interests are likely Civil War period. She helped them set up “side- to emerge in many of the learners as well. bar” investigations that would go on throughout the unit. Their job was to see what their topic Drawing on Existing Student showed them about life during the Civil War in Interests general, and about culture, conflict, change, and interdependence during that time. Students Among goals of interest-based instruction are could work alone or with a partner on their (1) helping students realize that there is a match sidebar study. between school and their own desires to learn, (2) demonstrating the connectedness between To support student success, Mrs. Janes all learning, (3) using skills or ideas familiar to helped students develop planning calendars, set students as a bridge to ideas or skills less famil- goals for their work, and establish criteria for iar to them, and (4) enhancing student motiva- quality. She set check-in dates to monitor stu- tion to learn. When a teacher encourages a stu- dent progress along the way, and occasionally dent to look at a topic of study through the lens conducted minilessons on research for students of that student’s own interest, all four goals are who wanted help with information finding. likely to be achieved. Sometimes students had class time to work on their sidebar investigations. When they finished There are many strategies for drawing on daily work, they could always work with the student interests and linking them to the cur- sidebar study. Sometimes it was homework. riculum. Here are three approaches. Mrs. Janes found that class discussions “Sidebar” Studies throughout the unit were punctuated with insights the students were developing through Mrs. Janes and her students are about to begin a their sidebar investigations. Students had stories study on the Civil War in 7th grade history. to tell that made the time period come alive for 53

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms everyone. Motivation was high and learning was language exploration if she allows them to look connected both to past units and to students’ for effective and varied examples of description own lives. in the kinds of writing they most like to read. Students will form specialty teams to look at Interest Centers or Interest Groups effective description in several kinds of writing: short stories, novels, fantasy, science fiction, In Mr. Nickens’s primary classroom, there are nature writing, poetry, lyrics, and action comics. always times when students can meet in interest Teams will consist of three to four students with groups. For whatever his students are studying, a common interest in a particular kind of writ- Mr. Nickens creates an interest center to allow ing. Task guidelines will focus students on look- his young learners to find out more about what ing for elements central in powerful description they are curious about. For example, while stu- (use of figures of speech, role of verbs and dents studied animal habitats, there were inter- adjectives, use of slang or regional language, est centers on habitats of varied animals such as wordplay, words created by authors, originality, badgers, beavers, and polar bears. In those cen- and so on). Students will need to be ready to ters, students could learn about particular habi- use what they learn in their specialty teams in a tats as a way of expanding the unit’s under- class discussion. Each group will also decide on standings. Ultimately, students who wanted to passages to nominate for the Descriptive Hall of do so could form an interest group with one or Fame, present those passages to the class, and more peers to create an interest center on the defend their choices. In the end, the teacher’s habitat of another animal for their peers, as well goal of analyzing powerful description should as students next year. In interest groups, stu- be more dynamic and memorable by virtue of dents sometimes read together, sometimes had tapping student interest than if everyone read book discussions, sometimes shared what they the same materials. were finding out from their own research, planned the interest center they would design, In each of these instances, the teacher has and did the work necessary to create the inter- helped students use existing interests as a vehi- est center. cle for learning more about and becoming more invested in important ideas delineated by the The habitat study for the whole class contin- curriculum. In no instance did the interest- ued at the same time. For some students whose based approach detract from essential under- interests in the topic were enduring, the interest standings and skills, but rather made them groups continued to meet on the animal and more accessible, relevant, and memorable to habitat they were studying well after the unit on students with varying interests. habitats ended. The combination of interest centers and interest groups encouraged students Expanding Student Interests to both develop and expand interests. One of the great pleasures of teaching is the Specialty Teams chance to introduce students to a world full of ideas and opportunities they’ve not yet discov- In a literature unit, Ms. Bollinger wants her 4th ered. Interest-based instruction can not only graders to explore ways authors use descriptive draw on and expand already existing student language to help readers “see” what they are interests, but can help them discover new inter- writing about. Ms. Bollinger believes, however, ests as well. Once again, there are many routes that students will be more interested in the 54

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow`T`o’s`of`P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s D`if`fer`en`tia`te`d b`y`In`ter`es`t to helping students discover new interests. Here New Forms of Expression are two examples. Mrs. Landis was tired of seeing the same four or Real-Life Applications of Ideas and Skills five formats for history projects. Her students, she decided, were “stuck” on posters, dioramas, Ms. Paige is eager for her students to discover papers, and time lines as a way of showing what links between math and the adult world of they learned. She invited six adults to visit the work. Her 6th graders know little about what class to show students ways they expressed most adults do in their daily work—including, ideas. One man presented a captivating per- she has discovered, what their parents’ jobs are formance as a traveling medicine man. Another like. She has asked each of her students to demonstrated the art of story telling. A third interview someone whose job seems interesting visitor talked about photojournalism and ways to them to find out how that person uses frac- in which students could take or use pictures to tions and decimals in their occupation. Students reflect insights about history. A fourth visitor will ask some preliminary questions to deter- combined drama, mime, and music to present mine whether a potential interviewee does, in ideas. A fifth visitor talked about her use of fact, use fractions and decimals in important symposium format to communicate. A final vis- ways. If not, a student will continue the search itor demonstrated effective use of Web sites as a for someone whose job is of interest to the stu- vehicle for sharing ideas. Each presenter left the dent and who does use fractions and decimals students with descriptors for a quality presenta- as an occupational tool. Students observe or tion in his particular mode of expression. shadow their interviewee, if possible. Mrs. Landis challenged her students to avoid Ms. Paige wants students to see that math is the “favorite four” ways of expressing their central to many kinds of work. She also knows learning. Instead, she challenged them to use that this exploration will help students develop some of the new formats, or to propose options an increased awareness of and interest in ways of their own—with their own proposals for people earn a living and make a contribution to appropriate quality in whatever they proposed. society. She and the students develop interview Her goal, she told them, was not so much to questions and develop a range of ways in which have the students try something in which they students can show what they learn. Some already knew they were good, but rather to take requirements are common to all students, a chance on forms of expression that would including specifications for showing precisely help them see both themselves and history in a how the person uses fractions and decimals. new light. Last year, students found out about the use- A Few Guidelines for Interest- fulness of fractions and decimals in jobs such as Based Differentiation anesthesiology, auto repair, media specialist, sec- retary, pilot, pharmacist, composer, and busi- Interests are, in a way, windows on the world. A ness owner. Ms. Paige finds that math becomes developed interest in one area is almost “new” and exciting as students connect it with inevitably a route to learning about many other new and exciting insights about the world things. It’s helpful to think about some interest of work. areas that students may have or might be able to develop. It’s also a good idea to extend our 55

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms Figure 9.1 Focus on Interest Interest Areas Mathematics History Fine Arts Social Sciences • Photography Journalism • Painting Politics/Government • Sculpture Business Music Literature • Poetry • Song • Prose • Dance • Fiction • Composition • Nonfiction • Performance Theater/Film/TV Technology Travel/Culture Athletics People Sciences • Heroes • Villains • Life • Young People • Physical Sports/Recreation Crafts Mode of Expression Artistic • Graphics Oral • Painting • Speech • Photography • Seminar • Illustration • Drama • Symposium Abstract • Ideas Written • Plans • Creative • Theories • Expository Service in Designed/Built Community • Display • Model 50 mm 1.4 56

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow`T`o’s`of`P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s D`if`fer`en`tia`te`d b`y`In`ter`es`t own awareness of other ways in which people setting goals, rubrics, time lines, checkpoints, express their ideas, feelings, and skills. Figure peer critiques of drafts, miniworkshops on con- 9.1 provides a beginning framework for a ducting research, or other structures you can teacher to consider options she might present to develop to ensure that your students work students for interest-based learning. There’s smarter in their interest-based work. much more that could be added to the figure, however. Feel free to expand it as you go. • Develop efficient ways of sharing inter- est-based findings. It’s often not the best use of There’s no single recipe for tapping or time for each student in a class of 30 to present expanding student interests, but here are a few their work to every other student. That’s partic- pointers to consider. They should make inter- ularly true if we’ve not invested time in teaching est-based differentiation more effective. students how to be compelling presenters. Sharing quads, in which each student presents • Link interest-based exploration with to three others, may be more effective than key components of the curriculum. There’s whole class sharing. The quads are sometimes nothing wrong with an opportunity for students most effective when all students in the quad to meander about in an area of interest. In gen- share a common interest. At other times, how- eral, however, it’s wise for the teacher to provide ever, students learn more by sharing with stu- a bit of focus for the interest-based study. It’s dents who explored different interests. You may likely the curriculum specifies certain concepts, want to think about having students share inter- categories, understandings, and skills that stu- est-based products with adults who have a simi- dents should acquire. If the teacher can help lar interest. (In that case, have the student find students see how those essential curricular ele- her own audience as part of the product ments are revealed through learning about an requirements.) Students can create exhibits for interest area, then both the student’s goals and perusal by others rather than oral presentation. the goals of the curriculum can be served simultaneously. Further, common class discus- • Create an open invitation for student sions are much easier if all students explored interests. One way to contribute to an open common understandings and used common and inviting classroom environment is to let skills—even though the interest-based explo- students know that you welcome their ideas rations differ. and want them to let you know what they are interested in. When students know they can • Provide structure likely to lead to stu- propose ideas for tasks and projects and believe dent success. There’s often an element of stu- you’ll help them find a way to expand their dent independence required for interest-based own interests, there is a much greater sense of differentiation. That’s the case because different shared ownership of learning. Fortunate stu- students will be pursuing different interests, as dents hear teachers say, “Here’s an idea I had. opposed to everyone in the class moving lock- How can we make it better?” Or, “Here’s some- step through the curriculum. Some students are thing important to learn about. How would you highly independent, even at an early age. like to come at it?” Or, “What would make this Others need much more guidance to succeed. interesting for you?” In every case, it’s the job of the teacher to pro- vide the sort of scaffolding that helps a student • Keep an open eye and an open mind for grow in independence—even those who are the student with a serious passion. From more independent than agemates. Think about elements such as posing questions for inquiry, 57

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms time to time, there’s a student who is on fire to I-Search. This process encourages students learn about something that’s just not part of the to be an inquirer on a topic of personal interest curriculum. You may well be the best teacher based on their experience. The I-Search format for that student if you can find a way to let him helps students learn to uncover their own pursue that passion—even if it means giving up curiosity, find and use sources (including inter- some of what you had in mind. For some stu- views) helpful in answering their questions, dents, the greatest gift a teacher can give is per- write what they find, and judge the rigor of mission to explore a topic, time to do it, and an their own work (Joyce & Tallman, 1997; interested ear. Macrorie, 1988). Chances are that such a student won’t Orbitals. This strategy encourages students become an academic wreck because she missed to raise questions of interest to them individu- one class project or a week of homework or ally, figure out how to find answers to their some class discussions. Your affirmation that the questions, and devise ways to share their find- student’s hunger to learn is worthy of nurturing ings with peers. The questions may vary in and trust may count for much more in the long complexity. The duration of the finding-out run than a carefully prescribed and rigid cur- process will also vary. Thus students with quite riculum. Besides, you can often embed your different levels of academic or research sophisti- agenda in the student’s agenda if necessary. cation can develop interests with this approach (Stevenson, 1992). • Remember that interest-based differen- tiation can be combined with other types of Design-A-Day. Students decide what to differentiation. It’s often possible to have a task work on for a class period or several class peri- or product that combines common elements for ods. They specify goals, set time lines, work a whole class, some readiness-based compo- toward their goals, and assess their own nents, some interest-based components, and progress. This strategy is useful when students some learning profile options. Although it’s con- have a particular interest to pursue or when venient to think about differentiation according they’d like to do something they’ve seen a class- to the categories of readiness, interest, and mate do during a differentiated class. The strat- learning profile, it’s not necessary to separate the egy is also a good early step in preparing categories in planning or in instruction. students to succeed with longer and more demanding formats such as learning contracts. A Glimpse at Strategies That Support Interest Differentiation Group Investigation. This cooperative learning strategy is excellent for helping stu- There are many instructional strategies that are dents decide on a topic of personal interest, find ready made to support interest-based differenti- out about the topic in defensible ways, work ation. Figure 9.2 lists a number of them. While collaboratively, and present findings with confi- this book does not afford the opportunity to dence. The strategy details the role of the explore each of the strategies, information is teacher and students in each phase of the inves- available in educational resources on all of tigation (Sharan & Sharan, 1992). them. Here is a brief overview of a few of the strategies. WebQuests. The WebQuest is a teacher- designed Internet lesson developed with specific 58

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` T`he`H`ow`T`o’s`of`P`lan`ni`ng`Le`ss`on`s D`if`fer`en`tia`te`d b`y`In`ter`es`t Figure 9.2 Jigsaw. In this cooperative strategy, students Strategies That Support work with peers who study one facet of a topic. Interest-Based Differentiation They then return to a “home-base” group for sharing what they have learned. The home-base Exploratory studies group is composed of a student specializing in Studying concepts and principles through each facet of the topic. Students in the home- base group are responsible for reporting to the the lens of interest group on their specialty topic and for learning Student choice of tasks what other students report (Clarke, 1994). Independent study Orbitals Literature Circles. This student-led discus- Design-A-Day sion format provides excellence guidance that I-Searches allows students to read on topics of interest and Mentorships/Apprenticeships share readings with others who read the same Group Investigation material. It allows teachers to break away com- Interest groups fortably from the sense that all students must Jigsaw read the same materials in order to have mean- Literature circles ingful discussions (Daniels, 1994). WebQuests Negotiated criteria for tasks and products Negotiated Criteria. In this format, a Student-selected audiences teacher may specify some whole-class require- ments for product or task success. The student learning goals in mind, some specified and rele- also contributes some criteria of personal inter- vant Internet links, and guidelines that support est to her. Finally, the teacher may specify one students in the research or finding out process. or more criteria for an individual student. The teacher designs a WebQuest to give indi- viduals or small groups of learners the opportu- There’s lots of talk in educational circles nity to use research, problem solving, and basic about creating lifelong learners. It’s easy to argue skills—as they move through a process of find- for schools as places where students come to ing out, drawing conclusions about, and devel- believe that learning is fulfilling, consuming, oping a product on a topic or question. and deeply satisfying. It’s more difficult to real- WebQuests can easily be differentiated by readi- ize the goal. Our chances of doing so are greatly ness, but are also very well suited to differentia- enhanced if, as teachers, we cultivate and affirm tion according to student interest (Kelly, 2000). student interests. WebQuest:http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/web quest/html. The next “how to” chapter goes beyond student interests to encompass learning profiles—styles and intelligences. 59

1100` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` THE How To’s OF Planning Lessons Differentiated BY Learning Profile Learning profile refers some overlap in the categories, but each has to ways in which we been well researched and found to be important learn best as individu- for the learning process. A student’s learning als. Each of us knows style, intelligence preference, gender, and cul- some ways of learning ture can influence learning profile. Figure 10.1 that are quite effective for us, and others that suggests some ways of thinking about learning slow us down or make learning feel awkward. profiles in students—and ourselves as educa- Common sense, experience, and research sug- tors, as well. gest to us that when teachers can tap into routes that promote efficient and effective learning for Learning-Style Preferences students, results are better. The goals of learn- ing-profile differentiation are to help individual Learning style refers to environmental or per- learners understand modes of learning that sonal factors. Some students may learn best work best for them, and to offer those options when they can move around, others need to sit so that each learner finds a good learning fit in still. Some students enjoy a room with lots to the classroom. look at, color, things to touch and try out. Other students function best when the environ- The Categories of Learning- ment is more “spare” because they find a “busy” Profile Factors classroom distracting. Some students need a great deal of light in a room in order to feel There are four categories of learning-profile fac- comfortable. Other students prefer a darker tors, and teachers can use them to plan curricu- room. Some students will learn best through lum and instruction that fit learners. There is oral modes, others through visual channels, still 60

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Th`e`Ho`w`To`’s`of`Pl`ann`in`g`Le`sso`ns`D`iff`ere`nt`ia`ted`b`y L`ea`rn`ing` P`ro`fil`e Figure 10.1 Focus on Learning Profile Learning Profile Factors ABCDE FGH Group Orientation Learning Environment independent/self-orientation quiet/noise group/peer orientation warm/cool adult orientation still/mobile combination flexible/fixed “busy”/“spare” Cognitive Style creative/conforming Intelligence Preference essence/facts analytic whole-to-part/part-to-whole practical expressive/controlled creative nonlinear/linear verbal/linguistic inductive/deductive logical/mathematical people-oriented/task or object-oriented spatial/visual concrete/abstract bodily/kinesthetic collaboration/competition musical/rhythmic interpersonal/introspective interpersonal easily distracted/long attention span intrapersonal group achievement/personal achievement naturalist oral/visual/kinesthetic existential reflective/action-oriented 61

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms others through touch or movement. Although a work with a group or individually, whether we teacher cannot manipulate all these elements, most value creativity or conformity, whether we and other learning style components, all the are more reflective or more impulsive—and time, it is possible for a teacher to give students many other preferences that can greatly affect some learning choices. It’s also possible for a learning. Also some learning patterns may differ teacher to create a room with different “looks” from one culture to another; there is huge in different portions of the room, or with differ- learning variance within every culture. ing working arrangements. The goal of the teacher is, therefore, not to Intelligence Preferences suggest that individuals from a particular cul- ture ought to learn in a particular way, but Intelligence preference refers to the sorts of rather to come to understand the great range of brain-based predispositions we all have for learning preferences that will exist in any group learning. Two theorist/researchers have proposed of people and to create a classroom flexible ways of thinking about intelligence preferences. enough to invite individuals to work in ways Howard Gardner (1993) suggests that we each they find most productive. have varying strengths in combinations of intel- ligences he calls verbal linguistic, logical mathe- Gender-Based Preferences matical, visual spatial, musical rhythmic, bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and Gender also influences how we learn. As is the naturalistic—and perhaps existential. Robert case with culture, there are learning patterns in Sternberg (1985) suggests that we all have vary- each gender—but great variance, as well. ing strengths in combinations of intelligences he Whereas more males than females may prefer refers to as analytic (schoolhouse intelligence, competitive learning, for example, some males preference for learning in linear ways often typi- will prefer collaborative learning and some cal of school), practical (contextual intelligence, females will prefer competition. Some of the preference for seeing how and why things work same elements that are influenced by culture in the world as people actually use them), and can also be influenced by gender (for example, creative (problem-solving intelligence, prefer- expressiveness versus reserve, group versus ence for making new connections, innovation). individual orientation, analytic versus creative Indications are that when students approach or practical thinking, and so on). learning in ways that address their intelligence preferences, results are quite positive. Combined Preferences Culture-Influenced Preferences Combinations of culture and gender will create unique constellations of learning preferences in Culture affects how we learn, as well. It can individuals. Patterns of learning preference are influence whether we see time as fixed and rigid certainly complex when we look at an individ- or flexible and fluid, whether we are more effu- ual’s learning style; intelligence; culture-influ- sive or reserved in expressing emotions, enced, gender-influenced preferences. A sensi- whether we learn best in a whole-to-part or a tive teacher understands that her students may part-to-whole approach, whether we prefer to have learning preferences much like or much learn material that’s contextual and personal or different than that of the teacher and tries to discrete and impersonal, whether we prefer to create options and choices that make everyone comfortable much of the time. 62

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Th`e`Ho`w`To`’s`of`Pl`ann`in`g`Le`sso`ns`D`iff`ere`nt`ia`ted`b`y L`ea`rn`ing` P`ro`fil`e Some Guidelines for Learning- teacher to think about using several intelli- Profile Differentiation gences as ways for students to explore or express ideas. Often, only the teacher can Though there is no single way of ensuring that ensure flexible use of time or combination of students get to learn in ways that work best for presentation modes. Even when a teacher does them, some guidelines are broadly useful in not have time to structure or craft several learn- establishing classrooms responsive to a wide ing-profile options for a lesson, much can be range of learning preferences. accomplished by asking students to make their own choices. Students can select modes of • Remember that some, but not all, of expression and decide whether to work alone or your students share your learning prefer- with a peer, to sit in a desk or curl up on the ences. For example, if you are a highly auditory floor with a book, to accept inevitable class- learner, you may be prone to be an auditory room sounds or screen them out by using teacher, as well. That’s great for kids who learn earplugs or headphones, and so on. When stu- like you do, but not great for kids with visual or dents are partners with teachers in making the kinesthetic learning preferences. If you were learning environment a good fit, more is accom- successful in school, you may find analytic and plished with less strain on the teacher. part-to-whole learning a breeze. Some students in your class will like those approaches as well, • Select a few learning-profile categories but students who need more creative, contex- for emphasis as you begin. We know a great tual, and whole-to-part approaches may feel like deal about learning preferences—so much, in they are working in a fog unless you stretch fact, that it can seem overwhelming. As you your own comfort zone and teaching repertoire. begin to differentiate your instruction in response to a range of learning-profile needs, • Help your students reflect on their own select a few categories to emphasize in your preferences. Give your students a vocabulary of planning. You may, for example, work with learning-profile options. Let them know you’re Sternberg’s (1985) three intelligences as you cre- offering creative, practical, and analytic learning ate tasks; using both contextual and factual choices today—or that you’ve intentionally cre- illustrations for your students, you may employ ated both competitive and collaborative study both visual and auditory approaches to sharing formats—or that you’re making a connection information with your students. That’s enough between whole-to-part (global, big idea) and to begin. Then, whenever possible, offer your part-to-whole (detail) portions of today’s lab. students learning decisions that they can make Then invite students to talk about which to further craft the classroom to match their approaches make learning most natural and learning needs. effective for them. That’s also a good opportu- nity to help students realize that not everyone • Be a student of your students. It’s very in the class learns the same way, and that a hard to “get inside someone else’s skin.” It’s dev- good teacher works hard to honor many routes ilishly difficult to see life as someone who expe- to learning, rather than only one. riences the world differently than you do. We particularly fail many students whose cultural • Use both teacher-structured and stu- background is different from our own. It’s dent-choice avenues to learning-profile dif- essential to watch individuals in your class for ferentiation. Sometimes it’s really effective for a learning clues, to talk with them about what 63

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms works and doesn’t work for them, and to invite information, (2) understanding of key ideas, (3) them to make suggestions or pose alternatives personal involvement, or (4) creating something that seem more promising. It’s also useful to ask new related to a topic. A teacher using 4-MAT parents to provide insights into what works, or plans lesson sequences on a given topic in doesn’t, when their students learn. If we can which each of the four preferences is stressed. expand our vision beyond the parameters of This ensures that every student experiences the our own private universe, we become more topic through a preferred approach and also has welcoming and effective teachers of children opportunities to strengthen learning in less pre- who inevitably inhabit private universes differ- ferred modes (McCarthy, 1996). ent from our own. Varied Approaches to Organizing Ideas. A Glimpse at Strategies That It’s important that students organize their think- Support Learning-Profile ing so they can make sense of ideas, communi- Differentiation cate clearly, and retain and retrieve information. Often it’s less important which approach to There are numerous instructional strategies that organization a student uses than that they have help us focus on students’ learning-profile an organizational approach that works for them. needs. Figure 10.2 lists a number of them. Here When there’s no compelling reason why all stu- are brief explanations of a few strategies helpful dents must use the same organizational in differentiating instruction in response to stu- approach, encourage students to select from dents’ learning profiles. strategies such as summarizing, mind-mapping, concept mapping, storyboarding, or outlining. Complex Instruction. This powerful strat- Of course, you’ll have to ensure that all students egy emphasizes teachers studying their students understand the various options; but once that’s to determine which intellectual strengths each accomplished, you’ll quickly see some students student brings to the classroom. The teacher gravitate to one approach while other students then designs high-level, complex learning tasks make different decisions. It’s likely to be a learn- that draw on the intellectual strengths of each ing-profile issue. student in a collaborative group (Cohen, 1994). Using Learning Profile to Entry Points. It is possible to encourage Differentiate Content, Process, students to enter a topic or explore it through a and Product learning preference (Gardner, 1993), thus mak- ing early experiences a good fit. Entry point As is true for readiness and interest, attending explorations can be narrational (telling a story), to learning profile provides teachers with a way quantitative (scientific approaches), founda- to differentiate content, process, and product. tional (looking at beliefs or frameworks of Here are some examples. meaning at the core of the topic), aesthetic (sen- sory, arts-based approaches), or experiential Ms. Lide sometimes differentiates content in (hands-on, personal opportunities to become ways likely to tap in to student-learning profile. involved). She tape-records key materials (or has others do the recording) so that auditory learners can lis- 4-MAT. This approach to planning suggests that varied learners would prefer (1) mastery of 64

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Th`e`Ho`w`To`’s`of`Pl`ann`in`g`Le`sso`ns`D`iff`ere`nt`ia`ted`b`y L`ea`rn`ing` P`ro`fil`e Figure 10.2 Strategies That Support Learning-Profile Differentiation Vary Teacher Presentation auditory visual kinesthetic whole-to-part part-to-whole Vary Student Mode of Expression Gardner’s 8 or 9 intelligences Sternberg’s 3 intelligences Working Choice Arrangements 4-Mat Flexible Environment Complex Instruction Multiple Modes of Assessment Organizers Varied Approaches to Organizing Ideas and Information Entry Points ten rather than being solely dependent on visual to explore a math concept today. One approach contact with materials. She also sometimes uses might ask students to use words and pictures to role-play just after the students have completed create directions for how to solve the kind of reading, asking students to volunteer to act out problem that’s the focus of the unit. A second what they have read. She finds that kinesthetic approach might provide multiple versions of the learners like this more physical approach to problem to practice, with the opportunity to comprehension. When introducing ideas to her check answers for accuracy as they go along. A students, she makes sure to use graphic organ- third option might entail students investigating izers to show them how parts of their study fit how the kind of math problem could be used to the big picture of meaning. She also makes cer- solve a real-life dilemma. A fourth approach tain that she uses an overhead projector or flip might ask students to use manipulatives and chart as she talks so that students can hear and words to demonstrate how the problem type see ideas. works. Whatever the student’s selection, they then decide whether they work more effectively In differentiating process or activities, Mr. alone or with a peer. Mr. Larsen talks with stu- Larsen uses what he calls Menus for Success. dents about learning to make wise selections He might, for example, offer students four ways from the Menu for Success to support healthy learning, just as they would from a restaurant menu to support healthy living. 65

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms In differentiating products in response to are looking broadly or narrowly at addressing student learning profile, Ms. Michaels uses sev- students’ learning needs. eral approaches. Because she believes her goal is to assess student growth in ways that let each In the end, however, the goal is to have a student show how much they know, under- flow of differentiation so that much of what we stand, and can do, she often uses more than do is a fit for each student much of the time (see one kind of end-of-unit assessment. She may figures 10.3 and 10.4). That means our goal is to combine tests and portfolios of student work. bring together the elements we can differentiate This lets her work with students on effective and ways we can go about differentiating them test taking, but also enables students for whom so that there is wholeness to what we do. test taking is difficult or uninspiring to show how much they’ve learned in a more comfort- A teacher whose skills of differentiation are able format. When she creates product assign- fluid continually asks, “Would students benefit ments for students, she nearly always provides from flexibility in approaching today’s learning at least two or three choices of how students goals?” When the answer is yes, the teacher can express what they have learned—for exam- seeks alternative avenues to learning for her stu- ple, through a museum exhibit that includes dents, and invites them to join her in that quest. models and narratives, through an essay or dia- (see figure 10.5 for sample diagnostic question- logue, or through an annotated and illustrated naires). Here’s a brief example of an elementary time line. She also tries to vary research materi- teacher's classroom in which differentiation is als to include artifacts, visuals, print materials, pervasive. interviews, and technology. She varies working arrangements so students sometimes work Mrs. Chen and her students are studying alone, sometimes with peers, and sometimes in explorers and exploration. As she selects reading whichever format they prefer. material for them, she makes sure to find selec- tions with a wide range of readability. Sometimes There are many ways to accommodate stu- she and the class will read a piece in common. dents’ preferred ways of learning. Looking for a Sometimes she will assign materials to particular good learning fit for students means, at least in students. Sometimes they will select what to part, trying to understand how individuals learn read. In this way, she hopes to take into account and responding appropriately. common needs of the whole class as well as both reading readiness and interests of individuals. Bringing the Elements Together As she plans activities, Mrs. Chen envisions In the early stages of differentiation, it’s helpful both similar readiness groups for some tasks and to think about using student readiness, interest, mixed readiness groups for others. For example, and learning profile to differentiate content, when students are honing their writing skills, process, and product. Breaking down the task they may work with students who have similar into elements not only lets us focus on smaller goals at a given time. On the other hand, when and more manageable pieces of teaching, but they write scenarios to depict the challenges can also help us assess the degree to which we faced by explorers, she will form groups that include students who have good ideas, students with a flair for the dramatic, students who write well, and students who are leaders. 66

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Th`e`Ho`w`To`’s`of`Pl`ann`in`g`Le`sso`ns`D`iff`ere`nt`ia`ted`b`y L`ea`rn`ing` P`ro`fil`eFigure 10.3 Before and After: The Flow of Instruction (A Secondary Example) 67 1 The teacher 2 Students read BEFORE 4 Students work 5 Students practice introduces the assigned material on an activity at home unit/topic 3 Teacher 7 Teacher gives gives notes 9 Students watch 10 Class 6 Class discussion notes a video discussion 8 Students work 11 Students 12 Students take on activity complete a project a test 13 Class moves to next topic After 1 The teacher 2 Teacher introduces 3 Students read 4 Teacher and 5 Teacher pre-assesses lesson with student material at varied student knowledge, knowledge and reading levels or students debrief gives notes skills, and interests interest in mind with support, as appropriate reading for key with a guided lecture knowledge, concept, format accompanied and principles. by a demonstration. 6 Teacher assesses 7 Students do an 8 Students complete 9 Teacher gives 10 Students do paired student understanding one of two homework noteswith digest, journal writing with with exit cards assigned tiered choices they feel will as appropriate teacher-choice help them most partner and student- activity matched to choice entry current understanding 11 Students work 12 Teacher assigns 13 Teacher offers 14 Class discussion 15 Students take a on a Jigsaw on product with review session with questions at quiz with common the topic, based on common elements and mini- varied levels of and differentiated their interests and student options workshop on difficulty elements product skills

HOW TOFigure 10.4 Before and After: The Flow of Instruction (A Math Example) Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `BEFORE Classrooms 681 The teacher 2 Students 3 Students and 4 Teacher reviews 5 Students practice teaches the practice the teacher the skill the skill skill skill check work for accuracy 6 Students do 7 Students and 8 Teacher 9 Students do 10 Students check assigned teacher check explains/ assigned homework homework homework homework at demonstrates/ (word problems) in pairs on the skill board and seat reviews (computation) 11 Teacher goes over sample 12 Students 13Students 14 Teacher teaches word problems at board with do homework take test next skill students' work as example review 4 Students complete After homework geared to mastery level 1 Teacher pre-assesses 2 Teacher provides 3 (a) (b) to understand current Students with mastery: Students without mastery: skill level and gaps Think-Pair-Share Students work with Teacher models/ complex word reteaches material problem with questions problems in pairs generated by students (a) (b) (c) 8 some students 5 Students check 6 Teacher meets with 7 Teacher assesses some students some students homework using students in 2 groups begin an “homework while other group 11 Other students application begin word continue with checkers” groups completes a tiered task begin with product application problems fundamental 9 Students do 10 Teacher meets contracts or products homework based with 3 groups in practice on class tasks rotation to teach, model, assess, 12 Teacher meets 13 Teacher assesses extend with students in with tiered test groups and products

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Th`e`Ho`w`To`’s`of`Pl`ann`in`g`Le`sso`ns`D`iff`ere`nt`ia`ted`b`y L`ea`rn`ing` P`ro`fil`e Figure 10.5 Diagnosing Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profile Interest Questionnaire: What Do You Want to Learn About Rome? These are some of the topics we will be studying in our unit on Ancient Rome. We want to know what you want to learn about. Number your choices from 1 to 8. Make sure that 1 is your favorite and 8 is your least favorite. ____ geography ____ government (laws) ____ agriculture (foods they grew) ____ architecture (buildings) ____ music and art ____ religion and sports ____ roles of men, women, and children ____ other (please tell us more) Readiness Questionnaire: What Can You Tell Us About Rome? —continued 1. What country is Rome in? 2. What does “civilization” mean? 3. Give some examples of different civilizations. 4. Name any famous Roman people. 5. Many things in our country and culture came from the Romans. What can you think of? Source: Developed by Denise Murphy and Beth Ann Potter. 69

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms Figure 10.5 (CONTINUED) Diagnosing Student Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile Learning Profile Qeustionnaire: How Do You Like to Learn? 1. I study best when it is quiet. yes no 2. I am able to ignore the noise of other people yes no talking while I am working. no no 3. I like to work at a table or desk. yes no no 4. I like to work on the floor. yes no 5. I work hard for myself. yes no 6. I work hard for my parents or teacher. yes no 7. I will work on an assignment until it yes is completed no matter what. no no 8. Sometimes I get frustrated with yes no my work and do not finish it. no 9. When my teacher gives an assignment, yes I like to have exact steps on how to complete it. no no 10. When my teacher gives an assignment, I like to yes no create my own steps on how to complete it. yes 11. I like to work by myself. 12. I like to work in pairs or in groups. yes 13. I like to have an unlimited amount of yes itime to work on an assignment. 14. I like to have a certain amount yes of time to work on an assignment. 15. I like to learn by moving and doing. yes 16. I like to learn while sitting at my desk. yes Source: Developed by Denise Murphy and Beth Ann Potter. 70

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Th`e`Ho`w`To`’s`of`Pl`ann`in`g`Le`sso`ns`D`iff`ere`nt`ia`ted`b`y L`ea`rn`ing` P`ro`fil`e As the unit ends, students will demonstrate Diagnosing Student Interest, their learning in part through “exchanges” Readiness, and Learning Profile between past explorers and contemporary explorers. All students are responsible for Although there are many published tools to demonstrating designated knowledge, under- help teachers determine student readiness, standings, and skills. The teacher will assign interest, and learning profile, sometimes it’s each student a past explorer based on the quan- most economical to begin with common sense tity and availability of research material that is and a little teacher ingenuity. Figure 10.5 pro- available in the school on the various explorers. vides one such example. Students will select their own contemporary explorer from a teacher-provided list to which Two beginning teachers understood their students can add names. Here students will need to match what they were about to teach to make selections based on personal interests, such students whom they did not yet know well. As as science, sports, writing, technology, television, they began an elementary unit on Ancient and so on. Students may work alone on their Rome, the teachers developed a three-part tasks, with one partner, or with a group of three assessment based on students’ prior knowledge to four students. Individuals and groups then about what they were going to teach (readiness) select the format for their explorer exchange. and questions the teachers felt comfortable Among choices are a live symposium or dialogue addressing related to interest and learning pro- format, a pair of Web pages, a videotaped con- file. You’ll see that the format of the assessment versation, a set of letters exchanged between the is simple and straightforward. It’s also clear that two, and so on. the knowledge about students that the teachers gleaned from this multipart assessment gave There’s certainly whole-class instruction in them lots to work with as they began to plan Mrs. Chen’s room, but chances are that whole- their unit to ensure its match for their learners. class instruction will be followed by opportuni- ties for students to come to grips with ideas and Remember that everything students do is a skills on their own terms. Chances are also potential source of information about their cur- good that there is flexibility built in to much of rent understanding and skills, what they like to what goes on so that each student feels the learn about, and how they learn best. Consider classroom “belongs” to him. the possibility that you can learn a great deal about students by using simple teacher-made Figures 10.3 and 10.4 provide two more tools and by observing and reflecting on data examples of the flow in a differentiated class- that are around you every day. room where all the elements come together. In both instances events in the classroom are first In the next chapter, we shift our focus from presented as they might occur in a one-size-fits- students to the content of the curriculum (but all version, then are re-presented as they might keep in mind all we have learned from our look in a classroom where the teacher honors students). and plans for individual learning needs. 71

1111` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Differentiating Content It is difficult and grade, while others are working hard to master somewhat unnatural division, I have differentiated what the students to carve apart the cur- are learning. Similarly, I may elect to assign stu- ricular elements of dents to spelling based on their current spelling content, process, and skills rather than having all students work with product, because students process ideas as they a 4th grade spelling program when some of the read content, think while they create products, learners spell at a 1st grade level and some at a and conjure ideas for products while they high school level. On the other hand, I keep encounter ideas in the materials they use. what students learn relatively the same and Nonetheless, thinking about how to differenti- change how I give them access to it if I encour- ate instruction is more manageable by examin- age advanced students to read a novel rapidly ing one element at a time. Just proceed with the and with independence while I find additional awareness that these elements are more inter- time for struggling readers to read the same connected than they may sound here. novel, and use peer partners to support their Content is the “input” of teaching and learn- reading as well. ing. It’s what we teach or what we want stu- dents to learn. In general, there is benefit to holding what Differentiating content can be thought of in students learn relatively steady, while changing two ways. First, in differentiating content, we how we give access to the content to match stu- can adapt what we teach. Second, we can adapt dent needs. Sometimes, however, it seems to or modify how we give students access to what we make better sense to change what we teach as want them to learn. For example, if I ask some well. The latter is especially sensible when we students to begin work with fractions in 3rd are teaching a linear progression of skills, such as spelling or math computation. 72

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` D`if`fer`en`tia`tin`g`Co`nt`en`t Differentiating Content for dents need silence when they read. Reading the Student Need science text may be just the ticket to help one student understand the concept of “work,” Content can be differentiated in response to a while another student may grasp the idea better student’s readiness level, interests, or learning by watching a demonstration that uses exem- profile. It can also be differentiated in response plars of “work” and “not work.” to any combination of readiness, interest, and learning profile. By way of example, students in a middle school science class are beginning work on the charac- • Readiness differentiation of content has teristics of mammals. Today, the teacher has as its goal matching the material or information planned several approaches for introducing her students are asked to learn to a student’s capacity students to key concepts, terms, and ideas about to read and understand it. For example, it is a mammals. First, students selected which of five poor use of time to ask a 5th grade student who vertebrates they’d rather investigate (differentia- reads independently at a 9th grade-level to do tion of content based on student interest). Then most of her work in a grade-level reading series. the teacher gave each investigation team several It is equally inappropriate to ask a student who ways to learn about the mammal selected by speaks and reads little English to read independ- group members. For each mammal, there is a ently from a grade-level U.S. History book. One small box of books at varied reading levels (dif- way of thinking about readiness differentiation of ferentiation by readiness). In addition, there are content is to use “The Equalizer” (Figure 8.1, either audio or video tapes about each mammal, page 47) as a guide, asking yourself if materials and bookmarked Web sites as well (differentia- are at an appropriately challenging level of com- tion according to student-learning profile). plexity, independence, pacing, and so on. Further, students can take “freelance” notes • Interest differentiation of content on their reading, or use a teacher-provided involves including in the curriculum ideas and matrix to guide note taking (differentiation in materials that build on current student interests response to student readiness). This is an exam- or extend student interests. For example, an ple of a teacher who is differentiating content in English teacher encourages a budding young several ways. Here, she is holding steady the comedienne to read selections that involve key concepts, ideas, and skills (what she wants humor. A history teacher helps a student find her students to learn), and modifying how she Web sites that feed his curiosity about the role ensures effective access to the “input” she has of Native Americans in the Civil War. defined as essential. • Learning profile differentiation of con- Strategies for Differentiating tent implies ensuring that a student has a way Content of “coming at” materials and ideas that match his preferred way of learning. For instance, Here are some strategies for differentiating con- some students may handle a lecture best if the tent. Some of them are useful in differentiating teacher uses overhead transparencies as well as what we need students to learn. Many are use- talk—linking visual and auditory learning. ful in differentiating how we ensure appropriate Some students will comprehend reading far bet- access to what we need students to learn. Most ter if they can read aloud—whereas other stu- can be used to differentiate content by readi- ness, interest, and learning profile. 73

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms Concept-Based Teaching class explores two key principles: (1) extinction can come about because of natural changes in In many classrooms, students “cover” lots of the environment, and (2) extinction can come facts, vocabulary words, names, dates, and about because of human-made changes in the rules. Unfortunately, they also forget much of environment. One group uses dinosaurs as an what they “learn” as they leave that information example of extinction and investigates changes behind and move on to another topic or lesson. that may have caused their extinction. Another Much of this “memory loss” occurs because group compares the dinosaurs’ extinction to they never really understood or saw the pur- today’s rain forests, looking for similarities and pose of what they learned. Rather than slogging differences in extinction patterns. Both groups through a swamp of facts, you can help your encounter powerful scientific principles, specific students better understand and see utility in an examples, and a need to hypothesize and draw area of study by emphasizing its key concepts conclusions. But one group studies this content and principles. Concepts are the building in a more foundational, concrete, single-faceted blocks of meaning. way, while the other group conducts an explo- ration that is more transformational, abstract, Instead of spending a month memorizing and multifaceted. The teacher proactively categories of animals or studying penguins, stu- matches the “equalizer buttons” of the tasks and dents can use that same time to study patterns materials to each group’s current learning needs. in the animal kingdom, talk about traits, use traits to identify and classify animals, and learn Being sure of key concepts and principles in how to predict traits from habitats or vice versa. what you teach is a great way to begin thinking “Patterns” is a concept that undergirds how sci- about differentiation. It also makes your teach- entists look at and classify things. Having stu- ing more relevant and potent in general. dents become adept at determining and predicting patterns and using those patterns to Curriculum Compacting think about various forms of life helps them (1) understand rather than memorize, (2) retain This strategy was developed by Joe Renzulli at ideas and facts longer because they are more the University of Connecticut and is specifically meaningful, (3) make connections between sub- designed to help advanced learners maximize jects and facets of a single subject, (4) relate their use of time for learning (Rezis & Renzulli, ideas to their own lives, and (5) build networks 1992). Compacting is a three-stage process. of meaning for effectively dealing with future knowledge. In Stage 1, the teacher identifies students who are candidates for compacting and assesses Differentiated instruction is so powerful what they know and do not know about a par- because it focuses on concepts and principles ticular topic or chapter. Students may request instead of predominantly on facts. Teachers compacting or the teacher may decide to “com- who differentiate instruction offer minimal drill pact” a student. and practice of facts (as these practices tend to create little meaning or power for future learn- Initial assessment occurs either prior to or ing); they focus instead on essential and mean- early in the study. Assessment may be formal, ingful understandings to create transferable such as a written post-test; or informal, such as learning power. the teacher and student having a focused con- versation about the subject being studied. One elementary teacher uses a differentiated Following this assessment, the teacher notes unit to study the concept of extinction. Her which skills and understandings each student 74

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` D`if`fer`en`tia`tin`g`Co`nt`en`t has reasonably mastered (i.e., knowing 70–75 engage in challenging and productive learning percent or more of the content). Students who in school. Compacting helps eliminate the for- are compacting are exempt from whole-class mer and facilitate the latter. instruction and activities in content areas they have already mastered, thus “buying time” for Using Varied Text and Resource learning more challenging and interesting Materials material. Grade-level texts are often far too simple for In Stage 2, the teacher notes any skills or some students in a given class, and yet too com- understandings covered in the study in which plex for others. Using multiple texts and com- the student did not demonstrate mastery, and bining them with a wide variety of other supple- then lays out a plan to make certain the student mentary materials increases your chances for learns those things. The plan may require the reaching all your students with content that is student to join other classmates for particular meaningful to them as individuals. You can portions of the study, do homework that pro- develop valuable differentiation resources by vides practice on missing skills, or demonstrate building a classroom library from discarded mastery of those skills in a product that is cre- texts of various levels (or requesting that text- ated in the third and final stage of the compact- book money be used to buy three classroom sets ing process. of different books rather than one copy of a sin- gle text for everyone), and by collecting maga- At the beginning of Stage 3, the teacher and zines, newsletters, brochures, and other print student design an investigation or study for the materials. student to engage in while others are working with the general lessons. The teacher and stu- The rich array of materials available through dent together agree on the project’s parameters, the Internet makes it far easier than once was goals, time lines, procedures for completing the the case for a teacher to differentiate materials tasks, criteria for evaluation, and any other nec- based on student need. Other things being essary elements. The student does not have to equal, advanced learners will usually use reinvest freed-up time in the same subject from advanced resources, but may occasionally find it which he was compacted. One student who helpful, when beginning a complex study, to compacts out of math, for example, may elect find out about a topic in the more straightfor- to spend his time working on a project in a spe- ward presentation found in a less-challenging cial interest area such as science fiction. Or, if source. Likewise, struggling learners may from he especially likes math, he might want to time to time grasp an idea better by looking at develop a plan for using advanced mathematics diagrams or pictures in a more advanced source. software available in class. As students’ task needs vary, so should their Keeping records when using compacting has use of resources. Many computer programs three benefits: (1) teachers demonstrate present increasing levels of challenge and com- accountability for student learning, (2) parents plexity. In math or science, some students may understand why it is advantageous for their need to use manipulatives to understand a con- children to work with an alternate task, and (3) cept, while others can move directly from an students develop awareness of their specific explanation or reading to abstract use of that learning profiles. concept without working with manipulatives. Some videos present key ideas with clarity, oth- Advanced learners gain little by continuing ers extend explorations with greater breadth to relearn the known, but they gain much from the expectation that they will continually 75

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms and depth than may be desirable for students ulary strategy because she spells several years less advanced with that topic. For students above grade level. Jenny will use the computer learning English while they learn other curricu- program to practice division by three digits. She lum, it would be of major assistance to read will also select a novel that she likes, analyze ideas first in their native language, then in the main character, and create an opposite or English. The key is to match the levels of com- mirror image character by applying traits of plexity, abstractness, depth, breadth, and so characterization. forth of the resource materials with the student’s learning needs. Don’t forget that text and other Both students get to map out their plan of materials can also be used in response to a stu- action for the week, decide which tasks will be dent’s interests as well as in response to current done in school and which at home, and learner readiness or learning profile. progress at a rate and depth of content chal- lenging for them. Both are accountable for their Learning Contracts time and self-management, and understand that their teacher will assign them work if they vio- Learning contracts between teachers and stu- late their contract obligations. Jake and Jenny dents come in several varieties. One allows stu- share a table with two friends whose contracts dents some freedom in their use of class time in differ somewhat from theirs. exchange for doing responsible and effective work. Contracts can contain both “skills” and Contracts combine a sense of shared goals “content” components, and are helpful in man- with individual appropriateness and an inde- aging differentiated classrooms because the pendent work format. They also give the components of a contract can vary with a stu- teacher time for conferences and small-group or dent’s needs. individual work sessions based on progress and needs. For example, students in a 4th grade class are all using contracts. Jake’s specifies that dur- Minilessons ing contract time in the week ahead he must complete his next two spelling lists, master two When a teacher introduces a concept to the levels on the computer program on division by whole class, chances are that some students will one digit, and work with the characterization grasp it instantly (or could have skipped the les- project from a novel of his choosing. Jake’s son because they already have mastered the spelling lists are a bit above grade level, reflect- idea, skill, or information). On the other hand, ing his comfort as a speller. Because his math some students will be foggy or lost in relation to work is below grade level, extra time with the the “input” the teacher had given them. In such computer may help him move along more con- cases, minilessons can be a valuable way to dif- fidently. The novel Jake selects can be based on ferentiate content. his interests, and his task with it—thinking and writing about himself in comparison to the Based on assessment of student understand- main character—has been designed to help him ing, the teacher may reteach a part of her stu- think through the key strategies a writer uses to dents, find another way of teaching a group of build characters. students, or meet with yet another group to extend their understanding and skill. Jenny has also made a contract that includes Minilessons can be quite effective in targeting spelling, computer work, and a novel. Rather content to students’ readiness, interests, or than a spelling list, she uses an advanced vocab- learning profile. 76

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` D`if`fer`en`tia`tin`g`Co`nt`en`t Varied Support Systems Highlighted Print Materials. A teacher can highlight critical passages in text or supplemen- You can make content of varying complexity tary materials, keeping several copies of the levels more accessible to your students by using highlighted materials in the teacher’s desk. a variety of support systems, such as study When a student has difficulty managing an buddies, reading partners, audio and video entire chapter or article, the teacher can easily recorders, and peer and adult mentors. These provide that student with a highlighted version. strategies can help many students stretch their From the outside, the material looks like every- capacities as learners. one else’s, but because of the highlighting, the student can expend energy on reading and Reading Partners and Audio/Video understanding essential portions of the chapter Recorders. A 5th grader can be great at audio- rather than becoming discouraged with what taping books for 2nd graders who need assis- seems like an insurmountable amount of print. tance with their reading. A 3rd grader who records a grade-level book can help create Digests of Key Ideas. Most effective teach- enriching materials for a classmate who has ers could, with minimal expenditure of time, trouble decoding or reading long passages. High create a one- or two-page capsule of ideas in a school students can create tapes summarizing unit. Such a digest can be of great assistance to journal articles on a particular topic to give students who struggle with print materials, lec- advanced 6th graders access to materials tures, or even organization of information. The beyond the scope of their classroom or school digest could be in the form of sentences and library. Some of those 6th graders can help 4th paragraphs, a flow chart or concept map of the graders learn how to make a speech by making unit or topic, or a combination. It might also a video on the subject. An advanced 4th grader spotlight key vocabulary and provide essential can make a video on the types of buildings in questions the unit is designed to address. Such the community, which could then be used in a digests also help teachers clarify their own kindergarten learning center. thinking about the core of a unit or topic. Note-Taking Organizers. Some students, Peer and Adult Mentors. Adults often vol- even of older ages, find it very difficult to read unteer to help youngsters who are behind with text or listen to a lecture and come away with a their work and in need of additional guidance. coherent sense of what it was all about. For All learners—not just those who are strug- such students, it can be quite useful to work gling—benefit from time with adults who can with a visual organizer that follows the flow of answer questions about shared interests, ideas from the text or lecture. Not only might sharpen their thinking, or give them access to such organizers help them focus on key ideas advanced research skills. A bright 5th grader and information, but they may also help some can also be a great mentor for an advanced 3rd learners see how a teacher or author develops a grader who shares similar interests. You can cre- line of thought. Remember, however, that stu- ate extensive support systems by using the peo- dents who read independently may find it ple and technologies in your classroom, school, restrictive to have to use such organizers. The and community, thus giving everyone a chance point is always to provide individual learners to reach higher, learn more, and contribute to with a support system that helps the student one another’s learning. grow—not one that feels like an impediment. 77

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms No doubt you have other ways to match content to learner readiness, interest, and learn- ing profile that work well for you and your stu- dents. The goal when differentiating content is to offer approaches to “input” (information, ideas, and skills) that meet students individually where they are and vigorously support their for- ward progress. The next chapter provides ideas for using varied processes in instruction. 78

1122` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Differentiating Process Process means sense- Students who already understand how to making or, just as it convert fractions into decimals don’t need to do sounds, opportunity an activity designed to help them make sense of for learners to process the underlying principles; they have already the content or ideas processed and made sense of those ideas. and skills to which they have been introduced. Students who are foggy about fractions aren’t When students encounter new ideas, informa- ready to benefit from a sense-making activity on tion, or skills, they need time to run the input converting fractions into decimals; they need an through their own filters of meaning. As they try activity that helps them further clarify the con- to analyze, apply, question, or solve a problem ceptual notion of whole and part that is the using the material, they have to make sense of it underpinning of fractions. before it becomes “theirs.” This processing or sense-making is an essential component of Any effective activity is essentially a sense- instruction because, without it, students either making process, designed to help a student lose the ideas or confuse them. progress from a current point of understanding to In the language of school, process is often a more complex level of understanding. Students spoken of as an activity. It’s probably wisest to use process and make sense of ideas and information the term “sense-making activity” to remind our- most easily when their classroom activities selves that an activity achieves maximum power as a vehicle for learning only when it is squarely • are interesting to the students, focused on a portion of something essential that • call on the students to think at a high students need to know, understand, and be able level, and to do as a result of a particular study. • cause the students to use a key skill(s) to understand a key idea(s). 79

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms Good differentiated activities are first good activ- ing students to make sense of an idea in a pre- ities—those that have the characteristics noted ferred way of learning—for example, exploring above. What makes them differentiated is that or expressing what they learn kinesthetically, or the teacher offers more than one way to make spatially, or verbally, or creatively; or deciding to sense of what’s important. In fact, one way of work alone versus with a partner; or sitting on thinking about the relationship between a good the floor to do work versus sitting in a straight activity and a good differentiated activity is this: chair. A GOOD ACTIVITY is something students Other chapters in the book more fully will make or do explore differentiation according to readiness, interest, and learning profile. • using an essential skill(s) and essential information Strategies That Support Differentiated Processing • in order to understand an essential idea/principle or answer an essential ques- Many instructional strategies (see Figure 12.1) tion. invite teachers to have students work in small groups or independently. Using those strategies A GOOD DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITY is makes it easier for a teacher to reach out to something students will make or do individuals and to match activities or process to needs of individuals. Whole-class instruction • in a range of modes at varied degrees of does not issue such an invitation. Though it’s sophistication in varying time spans both fun and useful for a teacher to become comfortable with a wide range of instructional • with varied amounts of teacher or peer strategies that invite flexible teaching, it’s crucial support (scaffolding) to remember that it’s the quality and focus of what students do that is most important. • using an essential skill(s) and essential information The following are among the scores of strategies educators have developed that invite • to understand an essential idea/princi- more flexible and responsive sense-making: ple or answer an essential question. learning logs, journals, graphic organizers, cre- ative problem solving, cubing, learning centers, As is the case with content, process or sense- interest centers or interest groups, learning con- making can be differentiated in response to stu- tracts, Literature Circles, role playing, coopera- dent readiness, interest, and learning profile: tive controversy (in which students argue both sides of an issue), choice boards, Jigsaw, think- • Differentiating process according to stu- pair-share, mind-mapping, PMI (listing pluses, dent readiness means matching the complexity minuses, and interesting points about a topic of a task to a student’s current level of under- under consideration), model making, and labs. standing and skill. Tiered assignments or parallel tasks at varied • Differentiating process according to stu- levels of difficulty are also powerful vehicles for dent interest involves giving students choices differentiating process. Each strategy engages about facets of a topic in which to specialize or your students in a different thinking or process- helping them link a personal interest to a sense- ing response. Sense-making activities are most making goal. effective for students when that response • Differentiating process according to stu- dent learning profile generally means encourag- 80

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Dif`fe`ren`tia`ti`ng`Pr`oc`es`s Figure 12.1 Instructional Strategies: Buckets for Delivering “The Stuff” Multiple Interest Groups Varied Graphic Intelligences Organizers Complex Concept Independent Instruction Attainment Study But it’s still the quality of “the stuff” that predominately affects student understanding! matches their learning needs, as well as speci- are like and unlike human communities. Last fied learning goals. week, students viewed a video about ants. Yesterday, they read about bees and individually These instructional strategies are ideal for selected one other animal to learn about from a offering differentiated sense-making or process- list Mr. Jackson provided. Today, as they proceed ing options for students in mixed-ability class- with their study, Mr. Jackson makes sure his stu- rooms. The following two scenarios show how dents understand the elements of a community teachers use some of these strategies to help and how they might apply to animals. To help their students process and “own” key ideas in his students think about and make sense of ways that work best for them. these ideas, he uses cubing. Each six-sided cube carries these instructions for students: describe, Mr. Jackson and Cubing compare, tell your feelings about, tell the parts of, use, and tell the good and bad things about. Students in Mr. Jackson’s 2nd grade class are studying communities. Right now, they are Mr. Jackson assigned each student either a examining ways in which animal communities blue or green cube. Students using blue cubes are performing at or below grade level in read- ing and writing. Blue cube tasks are to 81

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms 1. Describe an ant community in pictures or work on their own task, students can also help words. one another. When their tasks are complete, Mr. Jackson rearranges the seating so that groups of 2. Compare an ant community to your com- four to five students who did a same-colored munity in pictures or words. cube task can share with each other their varied ideas and approaches on a similar topic. 3. List words that describe your feelings about watching an ant community. Blue cube tasks help learners think in a vari- ety of ways about how key elements of commu- 4. Tell the parts of an ant community and nity apply to a single animal community. Green what goes on in each part by using words or cube tasks help learners make such connections pictures or by building it. among several animal communities. Compared to the blue cube tasks, green cube tasks are 5. Tell a way that an ant community helps more transformational, complex, multifaceted, you understand living and working together in and require greater leaps of insight and transfer. a community. Later in the unit, students who completed blue cube tasks will complete some of the green 6. Tell the good and bad things about an ant cube tasks either in small groups or by working community. directly with Mr. Jackson. Thus, all students engage in idea and information processing Students using green cubes are performing above activities that not only match their learning pro- or well above grade level in reading and writ- files and current needs but also coax them for- ing. Green cube tasks are to ward on many learning continuums. 1. Describe an ant community using at least Mrs. Miller and Interactive three sentences with at least three describing Journals words in each sentence. Mrs. Miller’s 6th graders are all reading the 2. Use a Venn diagram to compare an ant novel Tuck Everlasting. She knows that the book community with the community of the animal is difficult for some of her students and doesn’t you selected. much stretch some others, but she likes to have the class read some books together, just as she 3. Pretend that ants think like people. Write sometimes finds it useful to have several differ- and cartoon what you think an ant feels like as ent novels read by her students simultaneously. it goes through a day in its community. Do the Because the current novel is not a “best fit” for same thing with another kind of animal from a all learners in her class, she is making a special different sort of community. effort to ensure that she uses a differentiated process strategy that she does vary according to 4. Make a diagram of an animal community the student’s readiness and interest. with parts labeled and tell what each part is for. By using differentiated interactive journals 5. Write a rule for living together in a com- throughout this novel, Mrs. Miller provides her munity and tell how it would be useful in two students with writing prompts that, for exam- different communities. ple, may encourage them to interact with the 6. Write a song or draw a picture that tells what you think is best and worst about being part of a community. Students begin cubing by sitting at a table with other students using cubes of the same color. Students take turns rolling their cube. If the first roll turns up a task the student doesn’t want to do, a second roll is allowed. As they 82

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `Dif`fe`ren`tia`ti`ng`Pr`oc`es`s book as they predict what will occur next, 1. Hypothesize what a book called Tuck reflect on something that has just taken place, Everlasting might be about and explain how apply understandings about elements of litera- they came to their hypothesis. ture such as conflict or figurative language, relate to a character or situation, or grapple 2. Present and defend their choices of what with meanings central to the authors’ purposes sorts of things would be included as everlasting in writing the book. in a book written about everlasting things in their own lifetimes. In the past, Mrs. Miller has given all stu- dents the same interactive journal prompts. 3. Present and defend their choices of what This year, in trying to craft a differentiated class- sorts of things would be included as everlasting room, some days she gives varied journal in a book written about life 200 years ago. prompts to her students based on their interests and needs. On other days, all students will have 4. Present and defend their choices of what the same prompt because it is essential for all of sorts of things would be included as everlasting them to think about a common idea. in a book written about life 200 years into the future. On the day prior to beginning the novel, she asks students to jot down what they think the Finally, a small group of students with advanced word “everlasting” means. Based on those skills of vocabulary, writing, and abstraction responses, as well as her cumulative knowledge work together as a group to do the following: about the students, she gives three different journal prompts on the next day as class begins. 1. Place on a continuum of “less enduring” Students who seem unfamiliar with the word to “more enduring” a list of items such as gold, work in pairs to do the following: coal, love, friendship, energy, time, fear, happi- ness, and additional items of their choosing. 1. Guess what “everlasting” means and write their “best guess” explanation. 2. Write a poem or paragraph that expresses their reasoning in placing the items on the 2. Find definitions of the word in two dic- continuum. tionaries and use what they learn from the dic- tionary to write a good 6th grade definition of 3. Hypothesize what a book called Tuck the word. Everlasting might be about and be ready to defend their hypothesis. 3. Write a definition of “everlasting” that would be crystal clear to a 1st grader. All students in the class use interactive journals and have a task that causes them to make leaps 4. Illustrate at least five things that they of thought and insight and to deal with a power- believe are everlasting, including defending why ful and central concept in the book they are they think so. about to begin reading together. These three interactive journal assignments themselves, how- 5. Hypothesize what they think a book ever, are increasingly transformational, abstract, called Tuck Everlasting might be about. open-ended, and require increasingly greater leaps of thought for successful completion. A larger group of students who seemed to understand the word in the brief pre-assessment When class starts on the day they begin the activity but whose general vocabulary and com- novel, Mrs. Miller accommodates her students’ prehension are generally within the expected varied pacing needs by distributing their journal range for 6th graders work either alone or with assignment sheets, giving the instruction to read a partner on these tasks: at least the first 25 pages of the novel, and then 83

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms letting them be free to work as long as neces- Sense-making strategies help students sary in class on the journal prompt and com- process and “own” ideas and information in plete the rest at home that night. This attention ways that work best for them. The next chapter to pacing allows each student to work at a com- on differentiating products describes strategies fortable pace; ensures that all students have that allow students to demonstrate—again, in adequate, purposeful work to do during the ways that work best for them—the results of all class period; and offers enough time so that all that processing. should be prepared for a short, whole-class discussion at the beginning of class on day two of the novel unit. 84

1133` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Differentiating Products Unlike a sense-mak- ated classroom, teachers may replace some tests ing activity, which is with rich product assignments, or combine tests typically short and and product options so the broadest range of focuses on one, or students has maximum opportunity to think just a few, key under- about, apply, and demonstrate what they have standings and skills, a product is a long-term learned. endeavor. Product assignments should help stu- dents—individually or in groups—rethink, use, Creating High-Quality Product and extend what they have learned over a long Assignments period of time—a unit, a semester, or even a year. Products are important not only because A teacher crafts a top-rate product assignment they represent your students’ extensive under- with thought and care. A good product is not standings and applications, but also because just something students do for enjoyment at the they are the element of curriculum students can end of a unit. It must cause students to think most directly “own.” For that reason, well- about, apply, and even expand on all the key designed product assignments can be highly understandings and skills of the learning span it motivating because they will bear their creator’s represents. thumbprint. High-quality product assignments are also Once a teacher is clear on the knowledge, excellent ways of assessing student knowledge, understandings, and skills the product must understanding, and skill. Many students can incorporate, it’s time to decide on what format show what they know far better in a product the product will take. Sometimes the format is a than on a written test. Therefore, in a differenti- given because of requirements of a curriculum (e.g., writing an essay, designing an experiment, 85

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms and so on). Often, however, the teacher can use pate what is necessary to lift the student’s sights a product as a way to lure students into applica- and build bridges to attaining lofty goals. tion of ideas and skills (e.g., using photography as a way to hook young adolescents on poetry). Finally, it’s time for the teacher to present the Sometimes a teacher can use a product assign- product assignment (in writing, orally, on tape, ment as a way to help students explore modes with icons, through models, or with some com- of expression unfamiliar to them (e.g., learning bination of these). The assignment should make to create a museum exhibit, conduct a sympo- clear to students what knowledge, understand- sium, or develop a journal article as ways of ing, and skills they must include in their work; helping students see how scientists communi- the stages, processes, and work habits they cate what they know). The very best product should demonstrate as they work; the option(s) formats may be those with which students have for expressing their learning; and what quality a love affair at a given time (e.g., a 3rd grader, will look like. Within this structure, there who was talented in music, wrote a musical to should still be maximum room for individual share information and understandings about the interests, modes of working, personal quality westward movement in the United States). goals, and so on. The trick is to balance the structure needed to focus and guide students, Then it’s important for the teacher to deter- and the freedom necessary to support innova- mine core expectations for quality students to tion and thought. pursue in regard to the content in their prod- ucts, how they should work on their products, Only at this point does it become time to and the nature of the final product itself. differentiate the product assignment. Teachers Students can add to and help the teacher mod- and students can make adaptations of the core ify the core requirements to address individual product according to student readiness, interest, readiness, interests, and learning needs, but it is and learning profile. Some teachers also like to the teacher’s job to know and communicate have a “let’s make a deal” product choice indicators of quality. Students seldom know through which students can propose alterna- how to extend their vision in pursuit of quality tives to the teacher’s design, as long as the alter- without help from adults or more expert-like native leads students to grapple with key peers. information, understandings, and skills that are at the essence of the assignment’s purpose. Because the product assignment should stretch students in application of understanding It’s really helpful for a teacher to coach for and skill as well as in pursuit of quality, a quality throughout the product span. Invite stu- teacher needs to determine ways in which she dents to talk about their ideas, progress, can assist the student in reaching a new level of glitches, ways of solving problems, and so on. possibility as the product assignment pro- Share your own excitement about their ideas. gresses. This sort of scaffolding allows students Clarify what quality means. Talk about how to find success at the end of hard work rather successful people work. Build a sense of per- than overdoses of confusion and ambiguity. sonal ownership of work as well as group Teachers may arrange times for brainstorming appreciation of the varied approaches and ideas ideas to launch the product, for workshops on of members of the group. conducting research or synthesizing findings, for setting and assessing personal product goals, Figure 13.1 (see next page) summarizes for peer consultation and editing, for actual components of effective product design, includ- product design, and so on. The goal is to antici- ing the differentiation component. It’s always important to remember that good differentiated curriculum and instruction—whether content, 86

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `D`iff`ere`nt`iat`in`g P`ro`du`ct`sFigure 13.1 Creating a Powerful Product Assignment 87 1 2 3 4 1. Identify the essentials of the unit/study: 4. Decide on scaffolding you may need to build in order to 5 What students must promote success: • know (facts) 6 • understand (concepts, generalizations) • brainstorming for ideas 7 • be able to do (skills) • developing rubrics/criteria for success 8 as a result of the unit/study. • time lines • planning/goal setting 9 • storyboarding 10 • critiquing 11 • revising/editing 12 13 14 15 2. Identify one or more formats or “packaging options” 5. Develop a product assignment that clearly says for the product: to the student: • required (e.g., poetry, an experiment, • You should show you understand and can do graphing, charting) these things • hook • Proceeding through these steps/stages • exploratory • In this format • talent/passion driven • At this level of quality. 3. Determine expectations for quality in: 6. Differentiate or modify versions of the 1 • content (information, ideas, concepts, materials) assignment based on: 2 3 • process (planning, goal-setting, defense of view- • student readiness 4 point, research, editing) • student interest 5 • student learning profile 1 • product (size, construction, durability, expert-level 6 2 expectations, parts) 7 3 8 4 9 5 10 11 6 12 7 13 8 14 15 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 7. Coach for success. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 It is the teacher’s job to make explicit whatever you thought was implicit.

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms process, or product—first have to be good cur- out of the poster-report-mobile rut of products. riculum and instruction. Figure 13.2 lists just some of the possibilities. Other Guidelines for Successful 10. Use formative (during the project) and Product Assignments summative (after the project) peer and self-eval- uation based on the agreed-upon criteria for Here are a few additional guidelines to maxi- content and production. mize the power of product assignments and to build for student success: 11. Whenever possible, arrange for student products to be viewed by someone other than 1. Use products as one way to help your just you. students see the ideas and skills they study in school being used in the world by real people 12. In sharing products, remember that hav- to address real issues or problems. ing every student share with the whole class may be unduly time-consuming—and even 2. Talk with your students often about the uninspiring, unless you’ve taught students how need for both critical and creative thinking. to be high-quality presenters. Using exhibits, Help them build a passion for ideas being sharing groups of four, individual presentations pursued. to key adults who serve as mentors or audi- ences, and so on can be great alternatives to 3. Require that your students use and syn- whole-class presentations. thesize or blend multiple sources of information in developing their products. A Differentiated Kindergarten Product 4. Stress planning and use check-in dates as needed to match students’ levels of independ- Mrs. Appleton’s kindergartners have been study- ence. Zap procrastination. ing neighborhoods and communities. As a final product, they are going to research, design, and 5. Ensure that students actually use the build a portion of their town, showing its entire block of time allotted to the project neighborhoods and communities. The whole (rather than waiting three weeks and five days class is working as a group to create and share of a monthlong product span before beginning the final model, which will be quite large. The to work on the product). class will make some decisions and do some tasks as a whole, such as deciding the basic 6. Support your students’ use of varied contents of the model and making “blank build- modes of expression, materials, and ings” that will be turned into representations of technologies. actual buildings later. 7. Be sure to help your students learn Students will select other facets of the work required production skills, not just necessary based on their interests: Everyone selects one content. Don’t ask them, for example, to do a community member to interview as a way of debate or teach a class without giving them gathering data, some students have selected to clear guidance on what quality would look like make signs for buildings, and each student in each of those formats. selects a neighborhood to work on in the model. 8. Communicate with parents regarding time lines, requirements, rationale for the prod- uct, how they can help, and what they should avoid doing during creation of the product. 9. Remember that there are many ways peo- ple can express themselves. Help students get 88

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `D`iff`ere`nt`iat`in`g P`ro`du`ct`sFigure 13.2 Product Possibilities 89 1 2 3 4 5 6 Design a Web page Design political cartoons Develop an exhibit 7 Develop a solution to a community Formulate & defend a theory Conduct an ethnography 8 Conduct a training session Write a biography problem Design & teach a class Present a photo-essay 9 Create a public service Do a demonstration Hold a press conference 10 Present a news report Develop & use a questionnaire 11 announcement Write a new law & plan for Conduct a debate 12 Write a book Make a video documentary 13 Design a game its passage Create a series of illustrations 14 Generate & circulate a petition Make learning centers Write poems 15 Write a series of letters Create authentic recipes Develop tools Present a mime Choreograph dances Design or create musical Design & create needlework Present a mock trial 1 Lead a symposium Make a plan Instruments 2 Build a planetarium Compile & annotate a set of Develop an advertising campaign 3 Conduct a series of interviews Compile a booklet or brochure 4 Develop a collection Internet resources Draw a set of blueprints 5 Submit writings to a journal, Design a new product Present a radio program 1 Write a series of songs Do a puppet show 6 2 magazine, or newspaper Create a subject dictionary Create a series of wall hangings 7 3 Interpret through multimedia Make and carry out a plan Go on an archeological dig 8 Design a structure Design a simulation Design & make costumes 4 Design & conduct an experiment Write a musical Present an interior monologue 9 5 Collect & analyze samples Develop a museum exhibit Generate charts or diagrams to 10 Plan a journey or an odyssey Be a mentor 11 6 Make an etching or a woodcut Write or produce a play explain ideas 12 7 Write letters to the editor Compile a newspaper 13 8 14 15 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

HOW TO Differentiate Instruction IN Mixed-Ability` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` Classrooms Mrs. Appleton will assign some tasks, how- students, Spanish is their first language. Mr. ever, to draw on and extend each student’s Garcia wants these three students to work with strengths. Students more skilled with measuring the same concepts as the other students in the will measure and draw building dimensions. class—but to stretch their thinking, he will dif- Students with strong fine motor skills will cut ferentiate their assignment and ask them to do some of the complex pieces, and others not so cross-cultural comparisons. They will examine skilled in that area will assemble some of the elements of language and culture across at least larger pieces of the model. Mrs. Appleton will three language groups other than Spanish, none ask students who are already reading to look up of which can be a modern Romance language. information and help make signs. These students will examine languages such as Swahili, Farsi, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, and She carefully designed this project to ensure Russian, as well as the cultures from which that all students do both self-selected and those languages arise. These advanced students teacher-selected (readiness-based) tasks. Mrs. have a bit more freedom in designing their final Appleton also makes sure that some tasks products and the processes for reaching their require students to work collegially, while other final destinations. And like the other students in tasks require independent work. the class, they can also select whether to work alone or with peers and the form through Differentiated Secondary which they will express their learning. Products Students in Mr. Garcia’s Spanish II class are Differentiating Products for working on language and culture projects. A Struggling Learners goal for all his students is to understand more fully how elements of a given culture interrelate We often expect far too little of struggling learn- and form a distinct personality of a people. ers. Product assignments are a great place to Many students will explore the culture of Spain stretch our sights for students and to help them by writing travel guides, making videos, filming develop confidence as learners and producers. documentaries, or presenting dramas. They will Here are some suggestions for ensuring that stu- investigate history, religion, economics, celebra- dents who have difficulty with school tasks tions, geography, education, climate, literature, have both challenging products to create and art, language structure, and how those elements support systems leading to success. are interrelated. 1. Be sure product assignments for all learn- Although students have a number of prod- ers require them to apply and extend essential uct requirements laid out for them, they will understandings and skills for the unit or other add some of their own criteria for success. They product span. (Integrate skills and other goals also can choose whether to work alone or in a from individualized educational plans [IEPs] small group, which mode of expression they into rich product formats.) will use, which cultural elements they will focus on, and which research resources they will use. 2. Use product formats that allow students to express themselves in ways other than writ- Three students in the class are quite ten language alone. advanced in their grasp of Spanish because lan- guage is a high talent area for them; and for two 90

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `D`iff`ere`nt`iat`in`g P`ro`du`ct`s 3. Give product assignments in smaller the product, language skills to think about the increments, allowing students to complete one elements, and concrete illustrations of what portion of a product before introducing another. good work looks like. 5. Think about putting directions on audio 14. When students do not have resources or video tape so students can revisit explana- and support for product completion outside of tions as needed. school, provide time, materials, and partnership at school. This may take place before or after 6. Prepare, or help students prepare, time school, during class, during released time from lines for product work so that tasks seem man- class, at lunch, or even on weekends. It’s impor- ageable and comfortably structured. tant for every student to have an adult support system that speaks of belief in the student and 7. Use miniworkshops on particular product investment in making sure the belief becomes skills such as taking notes in research, conduct- reality. ing interviews, drawing conclusions, editing, and so on. Many students will benefit from 15. When students speak a primary lan- options to attend such miniworkshops, includ- guage other than English, be sure the student ing some students who struggle academically. has access to information in his first language, or a strong support system for translating. Also, 8. Support students in finding appropriate think about including a stage in the time line to resources by setting up interviews, bookmark- allow students initially to express ideas in their ing Internet sites, creating special book boxes or first language and then to translate them (with shelves of readable sources on related topics, appropriate assistance) into English. tape-recording summaries of key ideas and information, enlisting media specialists to work Differentiating Product with students at established times, and so on. Assignments for Advanced Learners 9. Provide templates or organizers that guide students through each step of doing research. As is the case with content and process, the idea with product design for advanced learners is to 10. From time to time be sure to review the ensure that learners actually have to stretch big picture of the product with the students— their information base, understanding, thought asking them to reflect on why it’s important, processes, planning and production skills, and what they are learning, how parts of the prod- self-awareness. Product assignments that are uct fit together to make a big picture of mean- quite challenging in these ways for many stu- ing, how the product relates to what’s going on dents often fall short of a genuine challenge for in class, and so on. students highly able in a given subject. Moving the “equalizer buttons” (see Figure 8.1, page 47) 11. Where students find tasks daunting over toward the right as you modify product think about joining (or having specialists join) assignments for these learners is your goal. Here individuals or groups in an ad hoc, advisory are a few principles useful for adapting product capacity—meeting at pre-established times for assignments for advanced learners. consultation, coaching, and guidance. 1. Be sure to structure product assignments 12. Work with students to target portions of for advanced learners so that they’re being rubrics that reflect their individual needs, focus- stretched forward on a number of the learning ing both yourself and students on goals that seem challenging and worthwhile for particular emphasis. 13. Help students analyze models of effec- tive products from prior years so that they develop awareness of important components of 91