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Technology In Support of Differentiated Instruction Willa Spicer Jennifer Hunsinger Definition “Differentiating instruction is not an instructional strategy or a teaching model. It’s a way of thinking about teaching and learning that advocates beginning where individuals are rather than with a prescribed plan of action, which ignores student readiness, interest, and learning profile.” - Tomlinson Differentiated Instruction Teacher’s Response to Learner’s Needs Assumptions Guided By General Principles Learning Environment Respectful Tasks Flexible Groups Ongoing Assessment Teacher Can Differentiate: Content Process Product According to Student’s Readiness Interests Learning Profile Through A Range of Instructional Strategies -Tomlinson Assumptions • The information can be useful for your purposes. • Students and teachers have access to the Internet. • Teacher knows the 21st Century Skills and wants to teach them. – Search strategies – Ability to evaluate information on the basis of what you want to know – Ability to recognize bias, falsehoods, propaganda The Learning Environment The Teacher Click here to view “How People Learn” The Student The Content BALANCED ASSESSMENT Summative Learning Formative Content Facts, Principles, Concepts, Generalizations, Skills Which are Relevant, authentic, usable, essential * Content doesn’t often change because we differentiate!! Learning Styles Lens on the Learners • Multiple Intelligences • Jung - Myers-Briggs • 4MAT • Gender • Cultural Readiness •Prior Knowledge and/or skill set •Speed of Learning NCREL’s Critical Issue: Promoting Children's Readiness to Learn Respectful Tasks Guiding Principles • • • • Classroom is flexible Instruction stems from ongoing assessment Flexible grouping All learners have tasks that are interesting, engaging and moderately challenging. • Students and teachers are collaborators in learning Process: Activities Product: Demonstrating Learning • • • • Tests Interviews Survey Performance and Exhibition • Portfolio • PowerPoint Presentations • Newsletters, Publications • Podcasts • Blogs, Wikis • Movies (YouTube) • Inspiration Maps Instructional Strategies • • • • • • • • Anchoring Activities Jigsaw Literature Circles Tiered Lessons Learning Contracts Cooperative Learning Independent Learning Orbital Studies • • • • • • Questioning Strategies Interest Groups Varied Homework Compacting Group Investigation Varied Supplementary Materials • Varied texts Task • Find a strategy that relates to the needs of your students. • Write one or two sentences on that relationship. News Sources • • • • • • • • • • • • • CBC Kids - from Canada CBBC - from the UK for kids Channel One Discover Earth & Sky Radio Show Environmental News Network Kid's Castle from Smithsonian KidsNewsroom LA Youth - by youth for youth Newz Crew from PBS National Geographic Kids National Geographic News National Geographic Today great list of stories; leads to other stories • • • • • • • • • • • • Nature.com News Hour Extra from PBS NOAA.com NY Times Student Connections Scholastic News Zone - listen to scholastic radio Student News Net Time for Kids Washington Post for Kids registration required Weekly Reader - subscription based Why Files World Wildlife Federation Newsroom Yahooligans News Your Task Find what interests you the most within the context of the technology shared in this presentation. Write one or two sentences that explain why you found this topic most interesting. What Differentiation is Not • A set of strategies, but a way of thinking about teaching and learning. • Individualization of learning • More work at the same level • All the time differentiation, whole group activities continue to have role • Group work without accountability • Limited to acceleration Differentiation into Practice Thank you Willa Spicer at [email protected] Jennifer Hunsinger at [email protected] Materials available on www.njelite.org