Differentiated Instruction in Secondary Mathematics

Differentiated Instruction in Secondary Mathematics
Differentiation means tailoring instruction to create an optimal learning environment for all students and
their needs. Differentiated Instruction is a teacher’s response to a learner’s needs guided by the non-
negotiables of differentiation which are: respectful tasks, clear learning goals, flexible grouping, ongoing
assessment and adjustment, and responsive learning environment. Teachers can differentiate content,
process, and product based on students’ readiness, interest, and learning profile. Students vary in culture,
socioeconomic status, language, gender, motivation, ability/disability, personal interests and more, and
teachers need to be aware of these varieties as they are planning their curriculum. Teachers use the
information learned through Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profiles to provide differentiated learning
experiences in terms of flexible grouping, ongoing assessment and creating a responsive learning
environment. This provides feedback for both the teacher and the student with the ultimate goal of
improving student learning.
 Content – what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access to the information
 Process – varied activities students participate in to process, make sense, and “own” the
knowledge, understanding, and skills essential to a topic
 Products – varied ways for students to show what they understand, know and are able to do
 Learning environment – the way the classroom works and feels
 Readiness – the current knowledge, understanding, and skill level a student has related to a
particular sequence of learning
 Interest – what a student enjoys learning about, thinking about, and doing that evoke curiosity and
passion
 Learning profile – a student’s preferred mode of learning, how students learn best
Examples of Differentiating Content:

 Audio/Video – Provide taped passages of text or videos showing examples to enable students with
encoding difficulties to hear or understand rather than read material that would otherwise be
inaccessible. For struggling learners, textbooks can be loaded onto an MP3 player and listened to.
Those who have difficulty writing can record their projects as an adaptation.
 Cornell Notes – Providing a graphic organizer such as Cornell Notes can assist those students who
find note taking difficult. It is also beneficial to visual learners. This is the system used by our
AVID program, so please seek out a team member from Cocoa, Eau Gallie, Palm Bay, or
Rockledge.
 Curriculum Compacting – After pre-assessing student knowledge, content can be "compacted" for
those who have mastery of the material. The time can be used to do enrichment activities such as
independent study to expand their knowledge base.
 Highlighted Material – Providing material with highlighting on the main points can reduce the
stress on a struggling learner and allow them to focus on the main points of the content. It can
make a large chapter less overwhelming.
 Mini-lessons – Re-teaching parts of a lesson to those students who struggled with the content will
target those with holes in their learning.
 Varying/Supplementary Texts – Using various texts or supplemental texts, that are written at
different grade levels or languages that can convey the same meaning as the standard textbook.
Materials in a student’s native language helps assist him/her understand the English material. The
internet is also a valuable source of information as long as students are given search parameters to
keep them on track.
 Visuals/Graphic Organizers – Use these while lecturing, thus engaging both visual and auditory
learning modes.
 Vocabulary Lists – Struggling students can be overwhelmed by new vocabulary. Providing a list
or a fill in the blank allows the student to focus on the words.
Examples of Differentiating Process:

 Group Work – Talking and interacting with peers allows information to be processed and can tap
into higher learning as the discussion progresses
 Tiered Activities – All learners work with the same important understandings and skills, but
proceed with different levels of support, challenge, or complexity
 Manipulatives – Hands-on supports for students who need them
 Varying the length of time – The time a student may take to complete a task in order to provide
additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an advanced learner to pursue a topic in
greater depth
 Strategies – A list of strategies to focus on processing in the classroom
Creative problem solving Cubing Graphic Organizers
Interest Groups Jigsaw Journals
Learning Logs Labs Making Models
Philosophical Chairs Role Play Think-Pair-Share
Examples of Differentiating Product:

 Options – Giving students options of how to express required learning and ability to show what
he/she has learned throughout a unit
PowerPoint or webpage Conduct an experiment Create a game
Creating a model Draw a cartoon Give a speech/lecture
Make a brochure Make a photo collage Make a poster
Write an essay Write journal entries Write a poem/song/skit
 Rubrics – A guide to match and extend students' varied skills levels
 Alone or Groups – Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their products
 Student Created Product – Encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long
as the assignments contain required elements
Examples of Differentiating the Learning Environment:

 Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction, as well as places
that invite student collaboration
 Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings
 Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs
 Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with other students and
cannot help them immediately
 Helping students understand that some learners need to move around to learn, while others do
better sitting quietly (Tomlinson, 1995, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996).
References:
Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. ERIC Digest. ERIC
Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.
Tomlinson, Carol Ann. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Differentiation Strategies for Various Learners
Strategies for English Strategies for Below Grade- Strategies for Gifted or
Language Learners Level Students Above Grade-Level Students
 Always do vocabulary  Allow for kinesthetic  Offer accelerated
development component activities where they activities or projects that
and allow extra practice to organize the step-by-step extend their critical
apply and use the processes on flash cards thinking, analysis,
vocabulary with the before they actually use the inquiry, and problem
concepts information to solve solving skills.
problems
 Allow more time to  Shorten the number of  Require step-by-step
simultaneously process the practice problems in a explanations of the
language and the content. single work session. solution process.
 Start with concrete  Allow partner work for  Shorten the number of
examples and use oral rehearsal of solutions practice problems.
manipulatives.
 Use visual displays,  Model often, showing them  Assign only the moderate
illustrations, and step-by-step how to solve and difficult problems.
kinesthetic activities. problems.
 Offer notes that are  Allow use of manipulatives  Have the students create
partially filled in so that with meaningful, relevant notes and procedural
students can focus on application activities and steps to guide the rest of
necessary information. discussions. the class.
 Reduce the total number of  Use activities centered on  Have students create
problems. students’ interests. games for practicing
concepts and skills.
 Evaluate the use of word  Have easy to follow notes  Request oral
problems. Read them of the most important presentations of the
aloud and emphasize or procedural information concepts, which will
underline key words that already made up for these benefit all students in the
indicate procedural action. students to add to. classroom.
 Plan for oral rehearsal with  Offer notes that are  Allow for these students
partners of the academic partially filled in so that to skip practice activities
language behind the students can focus on that they have already
mathematical concepts. necessary information. mastered.
 Allow for partner work.  Let them assist other
students in class.
Reference:
Frei, S. (2008). Teaching mathematics today. Shell Education.

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Examples of Differentiating Content:

Examples of Differentiating Process:

Examples of Differentiating Product:

Examples of Differentiating the Learning Environment:

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