Differentiated instruction is an educational approach that tailors teaching to meet the needs of individual learners. This document discusses trends in differentiating instruction for math and science, including cooperative learning groups, educational technology, and tiered instruction. It also addresses potential issues with these approaches, such as some students struggling in groups or becoming dependent on technology. The document provides examples of strategies like establishing digital citizenship guidelines and designing tiered lesson plans. Overall, the document discusses differentiated instruction methods and challenges of implementing them in the classroom.

1. Differentiating Instruction
Team B
MTE 533
April 1, 2019
Dr. Sylvia Hill

2. What is Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction is the
teacher's ability to tailor
educational experiences to the
unique needs of individual
learners (Tomlinson, 2000).

3. Trends in Differentiating Instruction for Math and Science
Math
Cooperative Learning Groups
Educational Software & Technology
Tiered Instruction
Learning Styles
Science
Cooperative Learning Groups
Educational Software & Technology
Tiered Instruction
Learning Styles

4. Instructional Issues
Cooperative Learning Groups
● Some diverse learners struggle to engage in group
activities. This lack of involvement can lead to
reduced learning for these students ("Potential
Challenges With Cooperative Learning", 2013).
● Many diverse learners struggle with interacting
with their peers and may feel a reduced sense of
safety in the classroom when they are required to
actively engage in group activities ("Potential
Challenges With Cooperative Learning", 2013).
● Cooperative learning requires students not only to
engage with, but review their peers, which can
make some learners uncomfortable ("Potential
Challenges With Cooperative Learning", 2013).
Educational Software & Technology
● A frequent problem that many students can experience is a dependence
on technology (Porter, 2013).
● This can lead to situations where a student does not know how to solve
the problem without the use of technology, which can minimize
independence in some situations.
● Some technologies have the potential of becoming a distraction to the
student, which can minimize learning rather than increasing it (Porter,
2013).

5. Instructional Issues
Tiered Instruction
● Some students may have difficulty with a
lesson if it is inappropriately tiered to meet a
level that is above or below their own
(Pappano, 2011).
● The student may tune out if he or she feels
that they have already mastered the concept
being taught.
● Students may become frustrated with the
concept if they continue to struggle with it.
● Diverse learners may have problems
understanding what is expected of them,
because of the varying requirements of
individual students within the classroom.
They may become confused as to why the
expectation is different for them than for
another student (Pappano, 2011).
Learning Styles
● Due to the varying styles that exist in the classroom
it is very difficult for a teacher to cater to each
individual style (Kazu, 2009).
● Diverse learners may have difficulty if their
learning preferences are in opposition to other
students (Kazu, 2009).

6. Strategies for Prior Knowledge

7. Promoting Digital Citizenship
Establishing Digital Citizenship
1) Use google applications
2) Set a positive example
3) Set specific times for technology use in class
Establishing Digital Guidelines
1) Facilitate discussion the positives and
negatives of technology
2) Provide examples how how to communicate
and use digital information ethically and
unethically
3) Create and sign a “contract” on ethics
4) Monitor students internet usage.
Home / Digital Classroom Appplication. (n.d.). Retrieved March
31, 2019, from https://www.banderaisd.net/Page/4024

8. Lesson Plan Example
Student Collaboration
1) Group Size
2) Grouped by reading level.
a) Assessments for groups should be given
frequently.
3) Group differentiation
a) Each group as the same learning
objectives however the expansion on
these objectives is differentiated to
challenge each group.
Winkler, L. (n.d.). DI Tiered Activity 5th Grade Science
Parallel and Series Circuits [PDF]. Educational Impact.

9. Resources
Dahley, A.M. (1994). Cooperative Learning Classroom Research. Retrieved from
http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~andyd/mindset/design/clc_rsch.html
Kazu, I.Y. (2009). The Effect of Learning Styles on Education and the Teaching Process. Journal of Social Science, 5(2), 85-94.
Pappano, L. (2011, May/June). Differentiated Instruction Reexamined. Harvard Education Letter, 27(3), . Retrieved from
http://hepg.org/hel/article/499
Porter, A. (2013, January 28). The problem with technology in schools. The Washington Post. Retrieved from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-problem-with-technology-in-schools/2013/01/28/cf13dc6c-6963-11e2-ada3-
d86a4806d5ee_blog.html
Potential challenges with cooperative learning. (2013). Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/cooperative/challen.html
Tomlinson, C.A. (2000). What Is Differentiated Instruction? Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/263
Winkler, L. (n.d.). DI Tiered Activity 5th Grade Science Parallel and Series Circuits [PDF]. Educational Impact.Retrieved from University of
Phoenix