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Overview of Differentiation

Page history last edited by Tarisha 11 years, 3 months ago

Differentiation: also known as individualization, is the process by which teachers tailor learning experiences to the skill level and modalities of the many different groups of students in a classroom.

 

 

 

 

"One study found that in core academic areas, high-ability students received no differentiated instruction in 84% of the classroom activities"

(Westberg, Archambault, Dobyns, & Salvin, 1993).

 

 

Why is it necessary?

 

In Reading:

  • “More than one-third of children in the United States lack fundamental reading skills” , and it is “even higher for children living in poverty” (Connor, Morrison, Fishman, Schatschneider and Underwood, 2007). 
  • “Many children fail to reach proficient levels in reading only because they do not receive the amount and type of instruction they need” (Connor, Morrison, Fishman, Schatschneider and Underwood, 2007).

 

 

 

In the Classroom

 

Common Examples:

  • Leveled reading groups
  • Learning centers, leveled by skill
  • Students moving at their own pace in the writing process
  • Allowing students who have mastered core class material to move ahead beyond that material while their on- or below-level classmates work on classroom or remedial work 

 

Pros

  • Every student is learning at their own level
  • Teachers who truly embrace differentiation will also tailor learning towards students' unique learning modalities which will not only motivate students to learn, but it will help them to learn more as well 
  • “Classroom differentiation is becoming more essential for general-education teachers at the elementary level”. (Latz, Speirs Neumeister, Adams & Pierce, 2009) 
  • “One strategy that may help teachers become more adept at differentiating content is mentoring or peer coaching” (Latz, Speirs Neumeister, Adams & Pierce, 2009) 
  • "Research indicates that many of the emotional or social difficulties gifted students experience disappear when their educational climates are adapted to their level and pace of learning" (Neihart, M., & National Association for Gifted Children (U.S.), 2002).

   

Cons 

  • Time consuming for teachers
  • Chaotic at times 
  • Teachers need to be extremely organized for this process to work well.  
  • Many teachers are opposed to implementing differentiation because: 
    •  “They do not receive administrative support” (Hertberg-Davis & Brighton, 2006)
    •  “They fear that straying from the mandated curriculum may result in lower standardized test scores” (VanTassel-Baska, 2006; VanTassel-Baska & Stambaugh, 2005) 
    • “They are resistant to long-term changes in teaching style” (Tieso, 2004)
    • “They do not have time to plan for differentiation” (Hertberg-Davis & Brighton 2004; Knopper & Fertig; Westberg et al)
    • “They fear that students’ parents may not agree with the practice” (Knopper & Fertig).

 

 

Effects of Differentiation

 

  • Instruction is based on student skill level and academic needs
  • Instruction meets students where they are academically in order to bridge achievement gaps
  • Instruction is tailored to students individual learning modalities so students are more motivated to learn
  • Students can have more fun and enjoy school
  • Instruction is more effective because it gets right to the needs of students
    • Students are no longer taught material that they already know 

 

 

Online Resources for Differentiation

 

 

Citations 

Connor, C., Morrison, F. J., Fishman, B. J., Schatschneider, C., & Underwood, P. (2007). Algorithm-Guided Individualized Reading Instruction. Science, 315(5811), 464-465. doi:10.1126/science.1134513

 

Hertberg-Davis, H. L., & Brighton, C. M. (2006). Support and sabotage: Principal’s influence on middle school teachers’ responses to differentiation. The Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17, 90–102. 

 

Knopper, D., & Fertig, C. (2005). Differentiation for gifted children: It’s all about trust. The Illinois Association for Gifted Children Journal, 6(1), 6–8.

 

Kstee9 (Poster). (2010, September 6). Differentiated Instruction [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IjHGqOZEng

 

Latz, A. O., Speirs Neumeister, K. L., Adams, C. M., & R. L., Pierce. (2009). Peer coaching to improve classroom differentiation: Perspectives from project CLUE. Roeper Review, 31, 27-39. doi: 10.1080/02783190802527356

 

Neihart, M., & National Association for Gifted Children (U.S.). (2002). The social and emotional development of gifted children: What do we know?. Waco, Tex: Prufrock Press.

 

Tieso, C. (2004). Through the looking glass: One school’s reflections on differentiation. Gifted Child Today, 27(4), 58–65.

 

VanTassel-Baska, J. (2006). A content analysis of evaluation findings across 20 gifted programs: A clarion call for enhanced gifted program development. Gifted Child Quarterly, 50, 199–210.

 

VanTassel-Baska, J., & Stambaugh, T. (2005). Challenges and possibilities for serving gifted learners in the regular classroom. Theory into Practice, 44, 211–217.

 

Westberg, K. L., Archambault, F. X., Dobyns, S. M., & Salvin, T. J. (1993). The classroom practices observation study. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 16, 120–146.

 

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