Last time we looked at some differentiation strategies that you may already be using in your classroom. This wasn't intended to be an exhaustive list, but a way for you to look at what you're already doing and to stimulate you to continue looking for additional ways to make sure students are learning.
We know students have different needs. Your current class may be significantly different from your class last year. If you teach multiple sections of the same class, it's a pretty safe bet that the mix of students in each group differs significantly. Differentiation isn’t about finding one thing that works for all students, but being flexible in your instructional support so you can easily adapt to fit the groups you teach.
So, how do we determine next steps? The most important thing is to know your students. Know their abilities. Know their needs. Know their interests.
Here are a few strategies to try. Use them, talk to your colleagues, share them at a PLC meeting, and then refine your practice. If you don't get the information you need the first time you try a strategy, don’t let that stop you. Try again! There are lots of ways to do quick assessments. Find the ones that work best in your classroom with your students.
For most of the following examples it's important to explicitly teach your students what to expect and how to participate.
We know students have different needs. Your current class may be significantly different from your class last year. If you teach multiple sections of the same class, it's a pretty safe bet that the mix of students in each group differs significantly. Differentiation isn’t about finding one thing that works for all students, but being flexible in your instructional support so you can easily adapt to fit the groups you teach.
So, how do we determine next steps? The most important thing is to know your students. Know their abilities. Know their needs. Know their interests.
Here are a few strategies to try. Use them, talk to your colleagues, share them at a PLC meeting, and then refine your practice. If you don't get the information you need the first time you try a strategy, don’t let that stop you. Try again! There are lots of ways to do quick assessments. Find the ones that work best in your classroom with your students.
For most of the following examples it's important to explicitly teach your students what to expect and how to participate.
White Boards / Laminated Answer Sheets
Students write a quick individual response to a prompt or question. On your cue, students hold up their responses all at the same time, and you can quickly see what they're thinking. Is everyone on target? Do some students need additional support—a different example, a different approach?
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Click here for more info.
Exit Tickets
Students respond to a question, a math problem, or prompt on an index card. You can quickly review these between classes. Did they get it, and they're ready to move on? Do they have any misconceptions that need to be addressed? Armed with this specific information, you're now ready to plan appropriate tasks and grouping for the next class.
Click here for more info.
Click here for more info.
Listening
Listen in on student discussions. What are they talking about? What questions are they asking? What insights can you get into their understanding? For this to be most effective, everyone in the group must have an opportunity to talk. If you're interested in learning more about how to use group discussions, investigate cooperative learning strategies.
Questioning
In our last post, questioning was mentioned as a differentiation strategy. This same purposeful use of questioning can also give you insight into student understanding. When students respond to a question, help them extend their response to give it more meat. You learn so much about their depth of understanding this way.
● Tell me why ___ .
● Give me more details to support ____ .
● What led you to that answer?
Make it a classroom expectation that students listen to each other so they're ready to add their thoughts.
● Do you agree with that answer? Why, why not?
● Can someone add more details to support ____?
● Can someone give an example of ____?
Look back at Rigor, a multi-part series. Part 3: Planning and Using Rigorous Questions.
for more examples of questions that encourage greater depth of understanding.
● Tell me why ___ .
● Give me more details to support ____ .
● What led you to that answer?
Make it a classroom expectation that students listen to each other so they're ready to add their thoughts.
● Do you agree with that answer? Why, why not?
● Can someone add more details to support ____?
● Can someone give an example of ____?
Look back at Rigor, a multi-part series. Part 3: Planning and Using Rigorous Questions.
for more examples of questions that encourage greater depth of understanding.
Using Manipulatives
Manipulatives can be anything students use to show a response to a prompt (card sorts, cubes, etc.). Students may work with these individually, in pairs, or in small groups. As they problem solve, walk around the room and you will quickly see who is getting the concepts and who needs more support.
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Click here and here for more info!
It's important to use quick assessments like these regularly. Students can sometimes have an “aha” in their understanding and you want to support their new need for challenge rather than assuming they are still at the same readiness level.
In addition, the assessment you select should also align with the objective of the lesson. This means you need a variety of strategies at your fingertips. This sounds like common sense, but it can be easy to rely on a certain type of assessment frequently because you and the students all know how to do it well. Giving students opportunities to master learning in different ways encourages flexible thinking and gives you AND your students more information about what and how they're learning.
In addition, the assessment you select should also align with the objective of the lesson. This means you need a variety of strategies at your fingertips. This sounds like common sense, but it can be easy to rely on a certain type of assessment frequently because you and the students all know how to do it well. Giving students opportunities to master learning in different ways encourages flexible thinking and gives you AND your students more information about what and how they're learning.
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