The session agenda covered differentiating instruction by student interest. Teachers were asked to consider why they should care about student interests, and how discovering interests can help engage students in learning. Various tools for learning student interests were presented, including surveys, pie charts, and ranking activities. The discussion explained how to incorporate student interests into lessons through entry points and RAFT strategies. Teachers then practiced applying RAFT to sample lessons to better engage students based on their interests.

1. Session Agenda
1) Something about you
2) Differentiating instruction by interest
3) Time with your PLC to apply a DI strategy

2. What is your subject area?
1. Math/Science 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12%
2. Applied Arts
3. Physical Welfare
4. Global Studies
5. Fine Arts
6. Special Education
7. Language Arts
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3. Aside from teaching, which other
occupation would you most prefer?
1. Artist 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12%
2. Engineer
3. Lawyer
4. Performing artist
5. Writer
6. Builder
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4. Based on your experience with differentiation, how
would you describe your current comfort level?
25% 25% 25% 25%
1. I should be running this
workshop!
2. I have had some recent success
in the classroom with
differentiation.
3. I have some ideas but have not
implemented them in the class.
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4. I still have not taken the first step
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as it is A LOT to consider.
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5. Differentiating Instruction by Interest
Why should teachers care what
students are interested in?
Students who are interested in
the learning process likely learn
more and faster.

6. Explain Purpose of DI by Interest
People learn best when what they learn
is personally meaningful to them and
they can learn in their own way, have
choices and feel in control.
“Powerful Learning” –Ron Brandt

7. Remember the KUD from this morning?
KNOW UNDERSTAND DO
-Instructional Understand that Create a lesson or
activity based on students who are reinvent an
student interest. interested in the existing lesson
-Different tools learning process that incorporates
to obtain student likely learn more student interests.
interest and faster. Apply the RAFT
information teaching strategy.

8. We differentiate for INTEREST when we:
• Provide materials to encourage further
exploration of topics of interest.
• Use student questions and topics to guide
lectures, materials selection, examples,
illustrations
• Encourage students to design and participate
in the design of some tasks
• Vary the topics and activities we use related
to unit content

9. When Should I Differentiate for
Student Interest?
• Differentiate for interest when it makes sense
to do so. Not all aspects of the curriculum are
suited to differentiation for interest.
–Beginning of year
–Beginning of a unit

10. Evaluate: When to use DI for Interest?
• Is this a good point in the unit to differentiate
based on student interest?
• Which student information would be relevant
or helpful? (general interest or content?)
• How am I going to collect this information?
• How will the interest information be
incorporated into the differentiated lesson?

11. How do I discover their interests?
Individual Interest vs. Content Interest
Tools
Survey
Pie Chart
Ranking

12. Pre-assessment for interest sample
Questions for a general interest survey
1. My favorite subject last year was… 11. In the summer, I …
2. I think that this year, my favorite subject 12. Where I would most like to go on
will be… vacation…
3. Of all the topics we studied last year in all 13. What I want to be when I grow up…
my subjects, my absolute favorite was… 14. What I want to do after high school…
4. Last year, I really did NOT like learning 15. What I would study at college…
about… 16. The last book I read was…
5. My favorite time of year is…, because… 17. When I have quiet time, I like to think
6. My favorite animal is… about…
7. This is what I usually do after school….. 18. The last movie I saw was…
8. I would like to get better at… 19. When I am with my friends, I like to…
9. I am pretty good at… 20. Instruments I play…
10. I could help you teach about…

13. Collecting individual interests
• Softball, running, guitar, football,
Individual Interests wars, music, video games,
• Collect formal/informal data wrestling, basketball, soccer,
traveling, reading, learning about
on students other languages/cultures, lacrosse,
passions, hobbies, activities archery, volunteering, writing,
cooking, organizing, college
• Use an interest survey football, violin, juggling, unicycling,
• http://www.gifted.uconn.ed (hands on), horses, softball,
swimming, fishing, hunting, choir,
u/siegle/CurriculumCompac grammar, photography, piano,
ting/SEC-IMAG/ialsecon.pdf ukulele, board games, technology,
theater, radio, MMA, boxing,
tennis, movies, scrapbooking,
getting people to laugh, hiking,
cheerleading, programming,
frisbee, baseball, golf, snowball,
pole vaulting, drawing, flute,
gymnastics, baking

14. Fill in the pie chart to represent you as a
person.

15. How do I discover their interests?
Individual Interest vs. Content Interest
Tools
Survey
Pie Chart
Ranking

16. Differentiating for interest within a
unit of study.
What Do You Want To Learn About Rome?
These are the topics we will be studying in our unit on Ancient
Rome. We want to know what you want to learn about. Number
your choices from 1-7. Make sure that 1 is your favorite and 7 is
your least favorite.
_____geography
_____government (laws)
_____agriculture (foods they grew)
_____architecture (buildings)
_____music and art
_____religion and sports
_____roles of men, women, and children

18. Now that I know their interest
what do I do with it?
1) Entry points - to introduce a lesson/ unit.
2) RAFT – to build into a unit.

19. The Five Entry Points of Howard Gardner
In order to make a students early
experiences with a topic more engaging
and motivating, students are offered a
variety of ways to “enter into” the study.

20. Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences
• Aesthetic – learners respond to work of art with
senses.
• Narrative – read or tell a story behind the topic
which may include sequential details.
• Logical – provide data, statistics, cause & effect
or use deductive reasoning.
• Foundational – learners respond to broader
philosophical concepts or big life questions.
• Experimental – a hands on approach through
which learners respond.

21. These entry points respond
primarily to learning profile
and interest.
Logical or
Quantitative
Aesthetic
Narrative
Topic Of Study
Foundational Experimental

22. Example - Poverty
Know Understand Do
80% of the world lives in The developing world lacks Compare and contrast your
the developing world. basic necessities that are life in the developed world
necessary for an with that of someone in
acceptable standard of the developing world.
living.

23. Raft Example
(to build into a unit)

24. RAFT = is a creative, fun
strategy that encourages
students to
1) assume a role
2) consider their audience,
3) work in a particular format
4) examine a topic from their
chosen perspective
Motivating because it gives
students choice, appeals to their
interests and learning profiles, and
can be adapted to student
readiness levels.

25. RAFT Example – Bangladesh Textile Industry
Know Understand Do
Perspective of the Understand the story Role play a scenario
workers, Bangladeshi behind the clothing featuring some of the
government and labels first examined in main groups involved in
garment multinationals class. this garment export
industry.

26. Role Audience Format Topic Criteria
-Reflect the garment
1) Lawyer Client(s) Interviewing the Working conditions workers concerns
specializing in (garment garment workers at the factories with status quo.
labor issues workers) for possible trial -Brainstorm options
for a possible course
of action.
-Reflect the mindset
2) Reporter Worker family Interview in Why we moved from of a villager who
family one roomed the village to the opts to move near
lodging for a export zone slum the factory.
documentary. - Present questions
that a younger child
might have for the
parent.
-Reflect the PM’s
3) Bangladeshi Multinational Business meeting Why Bangladesh is priorities
Prime Minister Garment the place to locate -Demonstrate the
Corporations their manufacturing possible positions
CEO’s operations held by the
multinationals.
-Review layout of
4) Engineer Bangladeshi Phone Call Safety inspection export zone.
Prime Minister concerns -Reflect the
Bangladeshi PM’s
priorities.

27. Possible RAFT Formats
Role Audience Format Topic Criteria
Artist Matches up Advertisement Ties into
Engineer with the role Advice column the KUD
Writer Application and the
Actor Cartoon role.
Forest Commercial
Ranger Editorial Essay
Botanist Eulogy
Builder Interview
Editor Resume
Poet Review Skit
Slogan
Yearbook
Debate
Will
Telegram
Pamphlet
News Story
Invitation
Facebook
Tweet

28. Aside from teaching, which other
occupation would you most prefer?
1. Artist 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12% 12%
2. Engineer
3. Lawyer
4. Performing artist
5. Writer
6. Builder
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29. On your own- RAFT application
1) Meet with your subject area
2) Pick a current or upcoming lesson
you will be teaching
3) Use the provided RAFT template to
fill in the KUD first
4) Fill in the Role, Audience, Format,
and Topic sections
5) Share and debrief with the group

30. What is your comfort level with DI by interest?
1. Very comfortable 25% 25% 25% 25%
2. Comfortable
3. I have some questions
4. I have only just begun
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31. END