This document contains information about differentiated instruction for a language arts course. It includes: 1) A request for students to provide feedback on digital learning resources and criteria for effective resources. 2) An assignment for students to create a learning object to address an inquiry focus and accompanying teacher guide. 3) Descriptions of differentiated instruction as adapting to student needs, interests and abilities through various instructional strategies and assessment accommodations.

1. EDBE 8P43
Differentiated Instruction I
Class 6
2017-2018

2. Invitation to be part of my research …

3. Questionnaire: Looking back on Year 1
• Please think back to last year in your EDBE 8P24 Language Arts
course. You critiqued 4 digital resources for classroom teachers,
shared them in your Professional Conversation groups, and later
developed a series of blog posts.
• Based on your experience as a “curator of resources,” please list the
features of effective digital learning resources for use in
Junior/Intermediate classrooms. Rank them in the order of Most
Important (1) to Less Important (but still beneficial).

4. Learning Object Assignment
• Task:
• Independently create a Learning Object that can be used in the
classroom to address an inquiry focus.
• Success Criteria:
• Design and create a digital Learning Object related to the inquiry
focus
• Describe and display the Learning Object during group presentation
• Create a Teacher’s Guide to accompany the Learning Object
• Upload Learning Object to Sakai Forum

5. Differentiated Instruction
….is a cyclical process of finding out about the learner and responding
by differentiating.
…..as we continue to learn more about the learner, we respond by
differentiating instruction with increased precision and effectiveness

6. Differentiated Instruction...
... is adapting instruction and assessment in response to differing
student interests, learning preferences, and readiness in order to
promote growth in learning.
… is not individualized instruction; it is responding to varying student
strengths and needs by providing a balance of modelled, shared,
guided, and independent instructional strategies.

7. • Students are taught how to make choices (e.g.; assignment, learning
centre task, resources) based on their readiness to learn, interests
and learning preferences
• Learning goals reflect student learning needs and support student
achievement of the Language/English expectations
• Students whose culture/first language/language of instruction are
intentionally supported in order to be able to access the intended
learning

14. Accommodation
• How might the school accommodate the needs of these two
children? Think particularly in the area of Language Arts.
• A: Lindsay
• B: Casey

15. 3 Types of Accommodations
1. Instructional: changes in teaching strategies
including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia
e.g.; the use of graphic organizers, photocopied notes, or assistive software
2. Environmental: changes that the student may require in the
classroom and/or school environment
such as preferential seating or special lighting
3. Assessment: changes in assessment procedures that enable the
student to demonstrate his or her learning
such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments or permitting oral responses to
test questions (see page 29 of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004 for more examples).

16. Environmental Differentiation
• Mrs. Meeussen’s portable. Grade 3
• Refer to the sheet at your table: “Creating an Environment to support
Differentiated Instruction” How many of these features are present in
Mrs. Meeussen’s classroom?

22. Differentiating Instructional Approaches
1. Adjusting the method or pace of instruction
2. Using different types of resources
3. Allowing a wider choice of topics
4. Adjusting the learning environment, if appropriate, to suit
the way their students learn and how they are best able to
demonstrate their learning

24. Nelson Literacy 4
Guided Reading cards
• Select an envelope. The theme is listed on the front. In each envelope
are 3 Guided Reading cards.
• Read and examine the 3 cards and sort them in order of text
complexity. Do not just deal with the difficulty of the content.
• Check with the Answer Key to see how Nelson levelled these texts.
• Begin a list of factors teachers need to consider when providing text
for their specific students. Record your findings on the sheet
provided.

25. Differentiated Instruction:
• Using Analogies to Deepen Understanding
• http://www.middleweb.com/32318/analogies-plus-tech-can-deepen-
understanding/
• Think of an analogy you could use to explain one of these Language
Arts concepts:
• Fake News . Blog post
• Writing a report . Television sitcom
• Giving an oral presentation . Structure of a short story
• Writing a complete sentence

26. Differentiated Instruction
• Go to the website: rewordify.com (on Sakai for Class 6)
• Enter a sentence or two from the resource provided. Try to find a
passage that less able readers might struggle with
• Does the simplified version still convey the original meaning?

27. Differentiated Instruction
• Go to the website: thekidshouldseethis.com (on Sakai page for class
6)
• Find a video that you think teaches an important concept in an
engaging way. Share it with your table

28. Independent Work Time
• Learning Objects
• Be sure to consult the Independent Learning Object Checklist as you work on
your project