Differentiation
What is differentiation?
Today's classrooms are diverse places and require teachers to tailor learning to suit the needs of the learner. Differentiation is a strategy for doing this but how is it done?
Studies by Van Tassel-Baska and Stamburgh, (2005) and West and West, (2016) show that often teachers are ill-equipped to differentiate or are overtaken by classroom organisational issues. Instead, many teachers when planning, aim their lessons at the 'middle group' and in doing so, differentiation is often seen as a support for weaker learners which does not challenge the more able.
Carol Ann Tomlinson said,
'The differentiation philosophy indicates that students become stronger learners when they can accept more responsibility for their own learning and when they become more proficient in understanding their goals, their status relative to those goals, and how to adjust their approach to learning in order to achieve the goals.'
These resources on this page have been put together to extend your professional expertise. However, they can be used to support staff development within your school.
If you wish to find out more about differentiation, please watch the videos below.
Five Key Aspects of Differentiation by Carol Tomlinson
Carol Tomlinson on Differentiation: Proactive Instruction
Tips and Strategies for Differentiation and Instruction
Effective Small Group Differentiated Instruction
These resources provide you with more information about differentiation and strategies which you might wish to use across the curriculum.
Why Differentiate pp v 2.pptx1.Why Differentiate?
This presentation is suitable for all teachers.
Objective:
to explore the key aspects of differentiation adapted from the work of Carol Tomlinson, 1999.
Differentiation by Challenge and Choice 2021.pptx2.Differentiation by Choice and Outcome
This presentation is suitable for all teachers. Whilst the examples are more literacy based, some of the strategies may be used across the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
Objectives:
to explore strategies which enable differentiation through learner choice
to explore strategies which enable differentiation by outcome
Differentiation Strategies for Learning 2021.pptx3.Differentiation Strategies
This presentation is suitable for all teachers.
Objectives:
to examine a range of differentiation strategies which can be used specifically in literacy
to examine a range of differentiation strategies which can be used in Communication based activities across the Northern Ireland Curriculum
What Is Cubing-converted.pptx4. What is Cubing?
This presentation is suitable for all teachers. It should be used after watching presentation 2, 'Differentiation by Choice and Outcome'. The strategy can be used with all year groups.
Objective:
to provide information about cubing including examples in both Literacy and Numeracy
The 7 Ts of Practical Differentiation (3).pdf5.The 7 Ts of Practical Differentiation
This document, adapted from work by Sue Cowley, provides a range of practical advice on differentiation.
Find below a series of resources which you may wish to use or adapt for your classroom practice.
The_What_If_Box pp.pptThe What If Box
This presentation provides a series of what if questions which you could use for creative thinking. They also enable differentiation by outcome.
Questions can be created suited to the subject or topic you are teaching.
(This resource is made by Mike Gershon – mikegershon@hotmail.com)
DifferentiatedDictionaryA-Z.pdfA-Z of Differentiated Instruction
This resource contains a list from A-Z of useful ideas to help with your classroom practice including those which assist with differentiation.
(From Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board.)
Differentiated instruction strategies kit.pdfDifferentiated Instruction Strategies
This resource contains a series of classroom strategies including Exit Cards, Graffiti Wall, Think-Tac-Toe and more.
(From Miss Taylor Brooke Stancil's Differentiated Instruction Strategies.)
DARTS_Information_booklet.pdfDARTS
Directed Activities Related to Texts
This resource provides you with a range of strategies when you are dealing with texts across the curriculum.
DARTS are activities that are designed to challenge pupils to engage with texts. They ask them to read closely and to interpret the information carefully. They can often go beyond the comprehension question, which can sometimes only ask pupils to move information, rather than to understand it. The advantages of DARTS activities are many but include the development of thinking skills and deeper learning.
Additional Resources:
Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stages 1 and 2.pdfActive Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stages 1 and 2
Active Learning and Teaching Methods for Key Stage 3.pdf