Differentiation - tools, tips and resources Differentiation is an important aspect of education. Students learn differently, have different needs, different backgrounds, different skills, different ability levels, different interests and more. As educators, we try to create engaging lesson activities that provide a variety of learning experiences and allow students to demonstrate their learning in different ways. Differentiation should occur in both how students learn and gain knowledge and skills, and in how they demonstrate and are assessed on what they have learned. “In the practice of education, differentiation is defined as working to address the abilities, interests, and needs (both perceived and real) of individuals. Here are some resources, tips, and tools on differentiation: Digital Differentiation - ideas and tools for differentiating with digital resources Tools for Differentiation - helping teachers meet the needs of all learners Differentiating with Web 2.0 Technologies
Integrating the 16 Habits of Mind In outcomes-based learning environments, we generally see three elements in play: 1) learning objectives or targets are created from given standards; 2) instruction of some kind is given; and then 3) learning results are assessed. These assessments offer data to inform the revision of further planned instruction. Rinse and repeat. But lost in this clinical sequence are the Habits of Mind that (often predictably) lead to success or failure in the mastery of given standards. Below are all 16 Habits of Mind, each with a tip, strategy or resource to understand and begin implementation in your classroom. The habits themselves aren't new at all, and significant work has already been done in the areas of these "thinking habits." And a renewed urgency for their integration. The Habits of Mind by Art Costa and Bena Kallick don't simply represent fragments of practice to "add on" to what you already do, but rather new ways to think about how people learn. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.
Digital Differentiation Technology is a tool that can be used to help teachers facilitate learning experiences that address the diverse learning needs of all students and help them develop 21st Century Skills. At it's most basic level, digital tools can be used to help students find, understand and use information. When combined with student-driven learning experiences fueled by Essential Questions offering flexible learning paths, it can be the ticket to success. Here is a closer look at three components of effectively using technology as a tool for digital differentiation. Note: The interactive graphics you see below have been updated. They can be found in a newer post on this blog. The goal is to design student-driven learning experiences that are fueled by standards-based Essential Questions and facilitated by digital tools to provide students with flexible learning paths. Essential Questions: Student-driven learning experiences should be driven by standards-based Essential Questions.
letsgetengaged - home Using Digital Tools for Differentiation Direct Address to this Page: Anyone who has worked in education for any length of time knows just how important it is for teachers to create differentiated classrooms. If schools are truly working to ensure success for every student, learning experiences need to be customized and aligned to student interests, needs, and unique learning styles. The challenge, however, rests in making differentiation manageable. While few teachers doubt the importance of differentiating, many struggle to make customized learning spaces a reality. In this February 2012 Alaska Staff Development Network webinar, sixth grade classroom teacher, blogger and educational technology author Bill Ferriter will introduce participants to a range of digital tools that can be used to (1). provide structure for differentiated classrooms and (2). differentiate learning experiences by student interest. Today's Slides Today's Shared Reflection Document Differentiating YOUR Learning She writes: #nice Ms.
Assignments - MrRoughton.com Rubric Cover Sheets How To Instructions Below you will find links to and descriptions of all the assignments we use for Choose Your Own Adventure. Click on the individual assignment links to get the full instructions and printable worksheets. The assignments are divided into three categories based on what skills you will use to complete them. History assignments for just about any topic! 5 Point Assignments20-30 Minutes to complete 10 Point Assignments45 minutes to complete 20 Point Assignments90 minutes to complete40 Point AssignmentsAll 40 point assignments require significant work outside of class and take up to 4 hours to complete.
The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction My colleague Katie Hull-Sypnieski is leading a February 1st Education Week Webinar on differentiating instruction, and I would strongly encourage people to participate. Katie’s the best teacher I’ve ever seen…. In addition, Katie and I have co-authored a piece for Education Week Teacher on the topic that will be appearing there soon (it’s appeared: The Five By Five Approach To Differentiation Success), and an upcoming post in my blog there will be talking about it, too (that two part series has also appeared). I also did a second two-part series in Ed Week on differentiation. Also, check out The Best “Fair Isn’t Equal” Visualizations. Given all that, a “The Best…” post was inevitable, and here it is. Here are my choices for The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction: The Best Places To Get The “Same” Text Written For Different “Levels” Busting Myths about Differentiated Instruction is by Rick Wormeli. Reconcilable Differences? Deciding to Teach Them All is by Carol Ann Tomlinson.
Skills in Collaboration and Teamwork Create a positive atmosphere in which people work together collaboratively “A new science is about to be born—the new marketing—in which we learn that the brand of an organization is not its external reputation or advertising, but the relationships it nurtures and enjoys inside.” -Lance Secretan, Inspire! What Great leaders Do People in organizations are highly interdependent. Most of what we accomplish is through working with others. The new workplace—with its virtual teams, diversity, multiple generations, web of technological and organizational complexity, complicated structures, and rapidly changing internal and external environments—requires the ability of people to communicate and collaborate as never before. Skills for High Performance Teamwork was created to help people achieve new levels of collaboration, communication and teamwork. Discover the Benefits of Collaboration Participants Will Learn: Format Target Audience Audience: Teams throughout the organizationAll employees Delivery:
Ten Takeaway Tips for Teaching Critical Thinking Suggestions from educators at KIPP King Collegiate High School on how to help develop and assess critical-thinking skills in your students. Ideally, teaching kids how to think critically becomes an integral part of your approach, no matter what subject you teach. But if you're just getting started, here are some concrete ways you can begin leveraging your students' critical-thinking skills in the classroom and beyond. 1. Questions, questions, questions. Questioning is at the heart of critical thinking, so you want to create an environment where intellectual curiosity is fostered and questions are encouraged. In the beginning stages, you may be doing most of the asking to show your students the types of questions that will lead to higher-level thinking and understanding. 2. Pose a provocative question to build an argument around and help your students break it down. 3. 4. 5. Lively discussions usually involve some degree of differing perspectives. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Imagine Learning: Students with Disabilities Five Key Components of Reading No more roadblocks to reading. Students with disabilities often struggle to acquire basic reading skills. Research indicates that these students benefit from instruction that is explicit and sequenced, ensuring that key prerequisite skills are met before more complex tasks are required. Explicit instruction in phonological awareness phonics fluency vocabulary comprehension Vocabulary Development A better way to learn the lingo. Vocabulary knowledge directly influences comprehension, so students with disabilities who struggle with comprehension need all the extra vocabulary instruction they can get. Contextualized instruction in basic vocabulary academic vocabulary content-specific vocabulary Listening Comprehension Help students develop an ear for understanding. Many students with disabilities experience difficulty in processing language. Students learn through selective listening verbal and non-verbal cues specific words and phrases A real conversation starter.
Six Thinking Hats® Six Hats® ... A Critical and Creative Thinking Process that improves listening, speaking, reading and writing and is fun for ALL! Penn Hills PAGE Presentation " A special thank you to Franny for introducing me to the thinking hats and opening me up to becoming a better teacher by teaching my students to think about thinking." Improve academic performance in reading and writing with SIX THINKING HATS®. think using six strategies problem solve make clear decisions design quality questions self assess collaborate more effectively The Research -- "Develop Critical and Creative Thinking Skills: Put on Six Thinking Hats®," PA Educational Leadership During the workshop the teachers will collaborate to learn the Six Hats® process and apply it to their content areas and standards. Six Thinking Hats® Cards: Key Words, Applications, Standards, and Examples How to Differentiate Instruction Using Six Hats® and 6 Product Choices- PowerPoint Getting Started: How to Teach Six Hats® to Your Students
Tools for defining the creative problem Creative tools > Tools for defining the problem Defining the problem is the first step of solving a creative problem. This is a very important stage, as changing the problem definition will change the solution. These tools help you to look at the problem in different ways and hence consider alternatives for the problem definition. Breakdown: Decomposing to find the area of optimal focus.