Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that aims to maximize student growth and success by tailoring instruction to meet individual student needs. It recognizes that students have different backgrounds, readiness levels, interests and preferences for learning. Teachers differentiate content, process, product and the learning environment based on formative assessment of student needs. The goal is to challenge and support all students by matching instruction to where they are in order to help them learn effectively. Differentiation is not a single strategy but a philosophy of teaching through flexible use of multiple materials and strategies.

1. Differentiating
Instruction
(Adapted from Tomlinson, 1995,
1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996)

2. What is Differentiated Instruction?
• To differentiate instruction is to
recognize students varying
background knowledge, readiness,
language, preferences in learning,
interests, and to react responsively.

3. What is Differentiated Instruction?
• Differentiated instruction is a process
to approach teaching and learning for
students of differing abilities in the
same classroom.

4. What is Differentiated Instruction?
• The intent of differentiated instruction
is to maximize each student’s growth
and individual success by meeting
each students where they are, and
assisting them in the learning
process.

5. Learning
Environment
What is Differentiated Instruction?

6. 4 Elements to Differentiate
• Content – what the student needs to learn or
how the student will get access to the
information;
• Process – activities in which the student engages
in order to make sense of or master the content;
• Product – culminating projects that ask the
student to rehearse, apply, and extend what he or
she has learned in a unit; and
• Learning environment – the way the classroom
works and feels.

7. Content
Examples of differentiating content:
1. Using reading materials at varying readability
levels;
2. Putting text materials on tape;
3. Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness
levels of students;
4. Presenting ideas through both auditory and
visual means;
5. Using reading buddies; and
6. Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea
or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the
thinking or skills of advanced learners.

8. Process
Examples of differentiating process:
1. Using tiered activities;
2. Providing interest centers;
3. Developing personal agendas (task lists written by the
teacher and containing both in-common work for the
whole class and work that addresses individual needs of
learners);
4. Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports; and
5. Varying the length of time a student may take to
complete a task.

9. Product
Examples of differentiating product:
1. Giving students options of how to express
required learning;
2. Using rubrics that match and extend students'
varied skills levels;
3. Allowing students to work alone or in small
groups on their products; and
4. Encouraging students to create their own
product assignments as long as the assignments
contain required elements.

10. Learning Environment
Examples of differentiating learning environment:
1. Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and
without distraction, as well as places that invite student
collaboration;
2. Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home
settings;
3. Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches
individual needs;
4. Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers
are busy and cannot help them immediately; and
5. Helping students understand that some learners need to move
around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly

11. Full Range of Students
• Students with identified
special needs (IEP);
• Struggling readers;
• English learners;
• Speakers of non-standard
Englishes;
• Gifted students;
• Who else?

12. 12
What Differentiation Is Not
• Class centered
• Mainly for students with learning problems
• A tracking system by abilities
• A recipe for learning
• A different lesson plan for every student
• Whole-group drill and practice or any single
structure or activity
• Fact-based learning alone

13. 13
What Differentiation Is Not
• Unmanageable or undisciplined
• Modifying the instruction up or down
in difficulty
• A method you will need all new
materials for
• Cost free
• Just about learning styles
• A set of strategies and activities

14. 14
What Differentiation Is
• Student centered
• For all students
• For heterogeneous groups
• A change in philosophy about how learning should
take place
• Multiple approaches or options for content,
process, and product
• A mix of whole-class, group, and independent
learning
• More about quality than quantity

15. 15
What Differentiation Is
• Flexible and varied
• Proactive in the planning stage
• Rooted in assessment
• Based on continual reflection and
adjustment to help students learn well
• A belief system that says all learners
come to the classroom with potential
ready to be accessed

16. Differentiating for SWDs
• 504 Plans
• Individualized Education Plans
• Accommodations v. Modifications

17. Differentiating for ELs
• California English Language
Development Test (CELDT)
• Test Report
• Domain Performance Level Descriptors

18. Let’s Try It Out…
Learning
Environment
Content
Product
Process
Curriculum
Student