Teaching and Learning Strategies

1. Teaching and Learning Strategies
for Differentiated Instruction
Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Dr. Summer Whitmore

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4. People First
Language
Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved
August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf
“People First Language puts the person before the disability and
describes what a person has, not who a person is.”

5. • Gain knowledge of the essential elements
of differentiated instruction.
• Gain knowledge related to tiered
assignments, role-audience-format-topic,
and think-tac-toe.
5

6. What do you already know?
In an effort to better understand
participant knowledge level,
please take a moment to answer
these pre-questions that will
appear on your screen:

7. Differentiated Instruction
• Differentiated instruction is based on the
assumptions that students differ in their
learning styles, needs, strengths, and abilities,
and that classroom activities should be
adapted to meet these differences.

8. Differentiated Instruction Is…….
• effective instruction that is responsive to the
learning preferences, interests and readiness of
the learner
• an organized framework for teaching and learning
• responds to the need of the student by providing
a balance of shared, guided, and independent
instructional strategies

10. DI means…….. DI does not mean……….
Flexible, short term groupings that allow
students to work with a variety of peers
with the same or different strengths and
interest.
Labelling students or grouping by ability
Engaging and interesting tasks for all
learning preferences, interest and levels of
readiness
Confining some students to low level,
repetitive or rote tasks while others
engage in higher-order thinking
A reasonable number of well constructed
choices that address identified
needs/strenghts of students
Different students working on different
expectations with varying success criteria
(e.g., different rubrics)
Students learning about themselves to
help them make effective and informed
choices
Teachers assuming responsibility for
making all decision regarding student
choice
Routines, procedures, and classroom
agreements are in place
A chaotic or unstructured classroom
environment

11. Differentiation-How does it Work?
• Teachers can differentiate at least four
classroom elements based on student
readiness, interest, or learning profile:
• Content
• Process
• Product
• Learning environment

12. Content
What the student
needs to learn or
how the student will
get access to the
information?
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13. Content Examples
• Reading materials at varying readability levels
• Text materials on tape
• Spelling/vocabulary lists at readiness levels
• Ideas through both auditory and visual means
• Reading buddies
• Small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling
learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of
advanced learners
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14. Process
Activities in which the
student engages in
order to make sense of
or master the content.
14

15. Process Examples
• Tiered activities at different levels of support,
challenge, or complexity.
• Centers that encourage students to explore subsets
of the class topic of particular interest to them.
• Manipulatives for students who need them.
• Varying the length of time a student may take to
complete a task- for a struggling learner or an
advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.
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16. Product
Culminating projects
that ask the student
to rehearse, apply,
and extend what he or
she has learned in a
unit.
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17. Product Examples
• Giving students options of how to express required
learning (e.g., create a puppet show, write a letter, or
develop a mural with labels).
• Using rubrics that match and extend students’ varied
skill levels.
• Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on
their products.
• Encouraging students to create their own product
assignments as long as the assignments contain required
elements.
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18. Learning Environment
The way the classroom works and feels. In
addition, it’s the way the classroom and/or
school, creates a sense of community
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19. Learning Environment Examples
• Places in the classroom to work quietly without
distraction, as well as places that invite student
collaboration
• Materials that reflect a variety of cultures
• Guidelines for independent work that matches
individual needs
• Routines that allow students to get help when
teachers are busy with other students

20. Strategies for Differentiation
Higher Prep
• Tiered Lessons
• RAFT
• Think-Tac-Toe
• Multiple Intelligence
• Options
• Graphic Organizers
• Response/Exit Cards
• Multiple Texts
• Flexible Grouping
Lower Prep
• Reading & Study
Buddies
• Anchor Activities
• Think-Pair-Share
• Choices of books
• Interest Surveys
• Multiple Levels of
Questioning

21. Three Differentiation Strategies
Tiered
Instruction
RAFT
Role-Audience-
Format-Topic
Think-Tac-Toe

22. TIERED INSTRUCTION

23. What is Tiered Instruction?
Provides teachers with a means of assigning
different tasks to students within the same
lesson or unit.
• The tasks will vary according to the students’:
• Readiness
• Interest
• Learning Profile

24. Tiered Instruction & Common Core
• All students focus on the skills of common
core but at different levels of complexity.
• Keeping the focus of the activity the same, but
providing routes of access at varying degrees
of difficulty will maximize each student being
challenged.

25. Tiered Instruction Example
Students are to understand the effect of global
warming.
Tier 1
Students write a
public service
announcement using
jingles, slogans, or art
to convey why global
warming is a problem
and what people can
do to prevent it.
Tier 2
Students conduct a
survey of peer
awareness and
understanding of
global warming.
They design
questions and report
their results using
charts and news
format.
Tier 3
Students debate
the issue about
global warming,
each side
expressing a
different viewpoint
with credible
evidence to
support the
argument.

26. What Can be Tiered?
• Assignments
• Activities
• Homework
• Centers
• Experiments
• Materials
• Assessments
• Writing Prompts

27. When Tiering Adjust…
• Level of Complexity
• Amount of Structure
• Materials
• Time/Pace
• Number of Steps
• Form of Expression
• Level of Dependence

28. Tiered Assignments Video
http://youtu.be/1ob4eGz04G4
Or
http://youtu.be/nPb4owVY-M0

29. RAFT
ROLE-AUDIENCE-FORMAT-TOPIC

30. What is RAFT?
• Have any of you heard of and/or used Raft in
your classroom?

31. RAFT is…
• an engaging, high level strategy that
encourages writing across the curriculum
• a way to encourage students to…
– assume a role
– consider their audience
– write in a particular format
– examine a topic from a relevant perspective

32. The RAFT Strategy…
• forces students to process information
• allows for more creative responses to learning
the materials
• gives students choice, appealing to their
interests and learning profiles

33. Choice Variations

34. RAFT
• RAFT Writing Strategy (JHAT, Jr.)
http://youtu.be/OLJ_32y6lR0

35. Common Core and RAFT Example
• American Revolution-students in 8th grade
must analyze the events leading up to the
revolution. Students must be able to
determine the causes and effects.

36. RAFT Topic- What’s Worth Fighting For?
ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC
Patriot Town Folks Speech “Get on my
side!”
Loyalist English Relative Post Card What is
happening in
the colonies
G. Washington Patriot Soldier News Letter Why join the
fight
Soldier Wife, Martha Letter or Poem What a great
leader GW is
King George His Subjects Political
Cartoon
Making fun of
the AR

37. 37
RAFT-Sample Roles & Audience
• Ad agencies
• Athletes
• Cartoonist
• Editors
• Pen Pals
• Animals
• Historical figures
• TV Characters
• Doctors
• Lawyers
• Politicians
• Poets
• Plants
• Parents
• Historical events
• Literary
characters
• Body parts
• Binoculars
• Rear-view
mirrors
• Musicians
• Artists
• Branches of the
Government
• Presidents
• Military figures
• Husbands/wives
• Famous cooks
• Political activists
• Freedom fighters
• Authors
• Heroes
• Villains
• Frontiersmen

38. 38
RAFT-Format
• Advertisement
• Anecdote
• Application
• Blurb
• Board game
• Brochure
• Critique
• Dear Abby letter
• Debate
• Dialogue
• Directions
• Editorial
• E-mail
• Epitaph
• Free verse poem
• Graffiti
• Greeting card
• Instructions
• Interview
• Journal entry
• Lecture
• Letter
• List
• Map
• Math problem
• Motto
• News article
• Picture
• Post card
• Poster
• Puzzle
• Screen play
• Ship’s log
• Skit
• Song
• Speech
• Telegram
• Wanted poster

39. THINK-TAC-TOE

40. What is Think-Tac-Toe
• A simple way to give students
alternative ways of exploring key
ideas
• Designed to help students think
about a topic from different
angles
• Game-like—motivates children
• A grid consisting of 9 or more
boxes

41. Think-Tac-Toe Setup
• It does not matter the choices students make,
they must work with key ideas and use the key
skills central to the topic.

42. Knowledge
list, define, tell, describe,
identify, show, label, collect,
examine, quote, name, who,
when, where
Comprehension
summarize, describe,
interpret, contrast, predict,
associate, distinguish,
estimate, discuss, extend
Application
apply, demonstrate, calculate,
complete, illustrate, show,
solve, examine, modify, relate,
change, classify, experiment,
Analysis
analyze, separate, order,
explain, connect, classify,
arrange, divide, compare,
select, explain, infer
Synthesis
combine, integrate, modify,
rearrange, substitute, plan,
create, design, invent, what
if?, compose, formulate,
prepare, generalize, rewrite
Evaluation
assess, decide, rank, grade,
test, measure, recommend,
convince, select, judge,
explain, discriminate, support,
conclude, compare
Comprehension or Evaluation Application or Evaluation Knowledge or Analysis
Think-Tac-Toe & Common Core

43. Algebra Think-Tac-Toe Board
Summarize the most
important information
about linear functions and
put it to a beat.
Draw the sequence of
events to graph a linear
equation on a timeline.
Create a way to
remember how to graph
linear equations given in
standard form.
Reflect on the application
of linear functions to
something in your life in
your journal.
WILD CARD !!!
Your choice after getting
approval.
Create a series of at least
six cartoon frames to
capture the most
important information
about linear functions.
Condense the information
about linear functions and
create an advertisement,
banner, or slogan.
Act a short skit that
conveys the life of a
linear function.
Write a poem that
conveys the main ideas
about linear functions.

44. Implementing Differentiated
Instruction
• Develop Instructional Routines
– Identify your own learning preferences and your
students using inventories and observations
– Deliberately plan part of a lesson so that it appeals
to a learning preference that you do not usually
address

45. Implementing Differentiated
Instruction
• Expand Routines and Skills
– Determine ways of learning that motivate your
students the most
– Over several days provide the class with learning
experiences that introduce them to different ways
of learning and allow you to observe which
opportunities work for which students

46. Implementing Differentiated
Instruction
• Sustain a Differentiated Instruction Culture in
the Classroom
– Challenge students to experiment with other ways
of learning
– Reflect on what helps to engage students and
respond by refining your instructional approaches.

47. Additional DI Webinars
www.laspdg.org
–Inclusive Practices Webinar
– 2012-2013 Webinars
Titles
– Flexible Grouping
– Cubing & Think Dots
– Choice Boards
– Learning Materials

48. Building Capacity
• When you leave today, what will you do with this
information?
• How will you share it with others in your district?
• When will you share it? (Timeline)
Note: If you are on the district leadership team, this
information will be useful in completing your district’s LASPDG
5 Year Plan
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49. Let’s Take a Poll!
Please take a moment to answer
these post-questions regarding
your knowledge:

50. Questions?
Please use your chat pod if you have
questions related to this presentation
• You may email any questions to
Summer Whitmore swhitm1@lsu.edu

51. The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of
Education, #H323A110003. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US
Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
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