Differentiation of Process
Differentiation is a way to teach smarter, not harder; to feel liberated, not burdened. When a teacher begins to examine differentiating the process of their instruction, they look at the different activities they utilize, and the pacing/structure of their lessons. As they begin their planning, the teacher must use frequent formative assessment to help guide what the differentiation process will look like. While you continue exploring differentiation, remember not to lose sight of the importance of a positive and encouraging classroom environment. Having strong relationships with your students will allow you to discover their needs as learners, and ultimately increase their achievement
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To be successful in any strategy we need to keep in mind that different students learn best in a variety of ways. To do this, many teachers seek to incorporate an “ebb and flow” of instruction - moving in and out of large group, small group, and independent work over the course of a unit of study. Access the Flexible Grouping Reflection Guide and Guidelines for Successful Groups handouts to help build a strong foundation for group work in your virtual classroom.
When you and your learners are ready to move onto more complex differentiation strategies, check out the ideas shared below. Remember to give yourself a few weeks to master any given technique and fine tune it so that it works for you and your learners. When you feel confident - come back for more!
Tiering |
Respectful Tasks |
Anchor Structure |
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Rather than a specific strategy, anchor structure is a way of planning your class time with students. At the center, you have a central activity that all students complete during the class, anchoring them in the topic of the day. While students independently work on their assignment, the teacher pulls smaller groups of students to work with them based upon their level of need. After the mini-lesson, the students return to the anchor activity and the teacher rotates to another small group of students.
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