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Keep in
mind the
social and
emotional
needs of
these kids
as well.

Punnett Square
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what it isn’t extra info

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Nobody
asks
bakers
why they
made
cakes in
tiers.

What’s the difference between
tiering and compacting?
TIER:
same
curriculum,
but different
place,
materials,
and/or
complexity
COMPACT:
different
curriculum,
replacing
already-
learned
material

6 Steps to tiered
instruction

Select the activity, the
concept, or the skill
Step 1

Decide what you will
differentiate for
(readiness? interest level?)
Step 2

Determine the
complexity of the activity
(use Tomlinson chart)
Step 3

Design the lesson with
the most highly able
student in mind
Step 4

Clone the activity along
the ladder no more
than twice
(use possibilities chart)
Step 5

Match the student to the
right rung of the ladder
(they may move to
different rungs for
different lessons)
Step 6

There are 8
options for
differentiating
the tiers.

1. What’s the group size?
alone
pairs
small groups
whole group

2. Teacher support?
independent
teacher-assisted
teacher-directed

3. complexity?
abstract
concrete

4. Quantity of resources?
very few,
chosen
multiple, self-
discovered

5. Resource complexity?
tech
above
grade level
at grade level

6. Is the process complex?
quick pacing & lots of steps
over a long period of time
typical pacing,
but lots of steps
typical
pacing
few steps, but
quick pacing
few
steps

7. Thinking level?
synthesis or
evaluation
analysis or
application
knowledge or
comprehension

8. The product?needs
advanced
skills
open-ended,
but on-level
simple,
straightforward, on
level

You don’t
need to tier
all of these things.
They’re options.

Questions?

compacting

Why do it?
Because when I posted this…

Students posted things like this

And the data backs her up.

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
1. Determine
the learning
objectives

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
2. Figure out
how to pretest
one or more of
those objectives

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
3. Decide who
to pretest (it
can be
everyone)

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
4. Conduct the
pretest

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
5. Eliminate the
redundancies
for students
who have
mastered it

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
6. Streamline
instruction for
those who
haven’t
mastered but
move quickly

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
7. Enrich or
accelerate the
students in
steps 5 & 6

8 Simple Rules for Compacting
8. Keep really
good records of
what you did
and why

But how do you do step 7?

Be guided by
INTERESTS,
not just abilities

Decide what to do
about grades
Keep the record a
record of their work at
their actual grade level.
Make sure it’s a lure,
not a shove. Don’t
force; invite.
Share your
rationale with all
students.
Explain the how’s
and why’s to
parents.

Document
objective/
content/
assignment
procedure
for pre-
assessment
acceleration
or
enrichment

byrdseed.com/differentiator/

There are no
shortcuts to
anywhere worth
going.

Adapted from Willa A. Foster

Adapted from Willa A. Foster

Dear Dirk…

Project
Palooza!

You made it.
Congratulations.
Now go forth &
differentiate!