The document discusses differentiation in teaching, emphasizing the need to adapt teaching methods to accommodate the varying abilities of students. It outlines a series of steps for effective differentiation, including understanding class dynamics, establishing lesson objectives, planning group activities, and assessing student outcomes. Various grouping strategies are presented to facilitate learning and ensure students engage meaningfully with the material.

1. Differentiation
Logos International School
October 2012
Pam Sephton

2. Differentiation
Most classes in the world fall into a normal
distribution curve of ability
How about your class? What would the
curve look like?
Middle
Ability (MA)
Lower High Ability
Ability (LA) (HA)

3. Differentiation
So how can we teach them all ensuring
that they learn and make progress?
One way is through differentiation… so
what is it?
Write down what you think it means?
Talk to the person next to you and share
your ideas…
Share any ideas with us all…

4. Differentiation
Differentiation is an approach to teaching
that attempts to ensure that all students
learn well despite their many differences.
We can differentiate in 2 main ways through:
1. The process
2. The content

5. Differentiation
Teaching
method
and style
Activities /
Questions
choice
Resources Process Pacing
Support Language
Thinking
process

6. Differentiation
Ideas
Skills Concepts
Content
Organization Information
of information + Facts

7. Differentiation
Let’s focus on the process…
Step 1: know your class
think of the 3 main groups
who is in which group
First consider ability groups then you can
change the groupings for different content
or skill areas. They can include gender,
friendship, ability or a mix depending on the
activity.

8. Differentiation
Let’s focus on the process…
Step 2: be clear about the objective for the
lesson
 What do you want the children to
have learned by the end of the
lesson?
 What do they need to do to succeed –
success criteria
The objective may be the same but the
activity and outcome may be different for
different groups – remember to extend and
challenge the HA chn

9. Differentiation
Let’s focus on the process…
Step 3: decide what each group needs and make
a plan
 How will you differentiate the whole class
teacher input? (questioning, expectation,
compacting, support, paired talk)
 How will you differentiate the group
activities? (outcome, support, change content,
collaboration, other strategies)
Look at the various grouping strategies:
cascade, envoy, goldfish, carousel,
snowball, jigsaw, pair swapping

10. Differentiation
Grouping for learning / different expectations
Cascade: one or more children learn / develop a skill / knowledge or
understanding and then they are required to pass this learning on to one or more
children e.g. different ways of solving a mathematical problem, using interesting
connectives to create complex sentences
Goldfish: effective for tasks that can be divided up and that focus on
sequenced parts e.g. stages of a process in Science or Geography . Each group
is given a different part of the task to discuss or investigate, then the information
is passed to the next group e.g. orally by one person, as a diagram or mind map
and the new group discuss the new information

11. Differentiation
Grouping for learning / different expectations
Carousel: Equal numbers of children sit in an inner and outer circle (A
and B), facing each other. Each child in one circle speaks to his/her
partner, e.g. sharing new information, expressing ideas or rehearsing
arguments. At a signal, the children in the other circle take a turn at doing
the same while their partners listen.
Snowball: Children may work individually to start with. If so, at a
signal after a while they are paired together and compare notes, collate their
findings or negotiate on their task finding in some way. At another
signal, pairs join into fours and repeat the exercise. If desired, at another
signal, fours join to become eights and repeat. (Turn-taking and/or
negotiation techniques in the groups need to be modelled and practised so
that this works effectively).

12. Differentiation
Grouping for learning / different expectations
Jigsaw: Especially suited to 'body of knowledge' learning. Each child
within initial groups of 5 or 6 is given a number or a name. These re-form as
groups of children with the same number or name, i.e. as 'expert groups'.
Expert groups are allocated different pieces of research or investigations to
undertake (groups may usefully be split into pairs, then the pairs may collate
their findings with other pairs in the expert group.) After this, children return
to their initial ('home') groups as the experts in their field and are required to
report their findings to these groups. (They may need support in presenting
findings and/or taking turns within home groups.)
Pair swapping: Pairs work together on a task (this task may be the
same, or different pairs). On a signal from the teacher, one from each pair is
swapped with another, and required to report on what they have done or to
'add' their learning to that of their new partner in some way. This makes it
difficult for unmotivated underachievers to 'coast' through a whole session.
Pair work may also be less threatening than larger group work.

13. Differentiation
Different expectations + different outcomes
Give children options and choices about
presentation – the outcome
 Mind map or flow chart or diagram
 PowerPoint presentation
 Movie
 Speech / talk with props
 Artwork
 Essay
 Leaflet / pamphlet (written or word processed)
 Rap / musical presentation
 Role play
This links to multiple intelligences and learning styles

14. Differentiation
Different expectations + different outcomes
Give children criteria for success
 A rubric
 A checklist
 What a grade A, B or C would look like…if you have xyz you will
get C etc.
 Create the success criteria with the students – what do they think
should be included?
 Consider the grades for each level – do all LA children always
get C or can they get a higher grade by completing a task at their
level very well using some of their other strengths
 Set high challenges for the HA students
This links to multiple intelligences and learning styles

15. Differentiation
Let’s focus on the process…
Step 4: Assess how the groups did
 by looking at their presentation / outcome
 talking to the children – ask them if they think they
have achieved the objective
 Give them a specific task to complete that will show
their learning – see differentiating the plenary
It is important for children to learn to evaluate their
own learning and to be willing to evaluate others too
(peer assessment and marking / feedback)

16. Differentiation
Let’s focus on the process…
Step 5: Evaluate the lesson
 Make notes on your plan about how each group did
and what they need to do next
 Make notes about what worked well and what didn’t
 Consider tasks for consolidation or extension for
homework
This information will inform future planning as it gives
information about children’s prior learning and areas
for development or next steps

17. Differentiation
What have you learned today? (tell the person next to you)
Write down 2 things that you can put into practice
straightaway
Write questions on a post-it note
Same same but
different and equal 
Check out the booklet