DIFFERENTIATION
IN THE
CLASSROOM
Presented by Katelynn Moriguchi
WHAT IS DIFFERENTIATED
INSTRUCTION?
The process of tailoring lessons to meet each
student’s individual interests, needs, and
strengths.
The goal of differentiation is to ensure that
all students are challenged and engaged in
their learning, regardless of their skill level or
learning style.
TYPES OF
DIFFERENTIATION
1 2
Content Process
3 4
Product Learning
Enviroment
CONTENT DIFFERENTIATION
Content is what students need to know,
understand, and do something with.
First, identify the specific skills and concepts
that students must achieve. This is what gets
measured and analyzed through a variety of
assessments.
Second, collect data on what the students
bring to the focused content.
Accomplishing these two steps helps to ensure
that educators feel well prepared and ensures
that they are fully aware of what students bring
to the content in terms of opportunities and
areas of challenge.
EXAMPLES
1 Using reading materials at varying readability levels.
2 Using reading buddies.
3 students.
Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of
4 Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means.
Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for
5 struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of
advanced learners.
PROCESS DIFFERENTIATION
Process is about the different ways that students
make sense of the content.
Differentiation through processes is applied in one
or more of these activities that make up the
lesson.
This process-related method also addresses the
fact that not all students require the same
amount of support from the teacher.
EXAMPLES
1 Students could choose to work in pairs, small groups, or
individually.
2 aide.
Offer one-on-one interaction with you or the classroom
3 explore subsets of the topic of particular interest to them.
Providing interest centers that encourage students to
4 Developing personal agendas.
Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports for
5 students who need them.
Varying the length of time a student may take to complete
6 a task.
PRODUCT
DIFFERENTIATION
The product is what the student creates at the
end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of
the content.
This can be in the form of tests, projects, reports,
or other activities.
You could assign students to complete activities
that show mastery of an educational concept in a
way the student prefers, based on learning style.
EXAMPLES
Giving students options of how to express required learning
1 (e.g., create a puppet show, write a letter, or develop a
mural with labels).
Using rubrics that match and extend students’ varied skills
2 levels.
Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their
3 products.
Encouraging students to create their own product
4 assignments as long as the assignments contain required
elements.
LEARNING ENVIROMENT
DIFFERENTIATION
The conditions for optimal learning include both
physical and psychological elements.
A flexible classroom layout is key, incorporating
various types of furniture and arrangements to
support both individual and group work.
Psychologically speaking, teachers should use
classroom management techniques that support
a safe and supportive learning environment.
EXAMPLES
Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly
1 and without distraction, as well as places that invite
student collaboration.
Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and
2 home settings.
Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that
3 matches individual needs.
Developing routines that allow students to get help when
4 teachers are busy with other students and cannot help
them immediately
Helping students understand that some learners need to
5 move around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly.
PROS
Research shows When students are
differentiated given more options
1 instruction is
effective for high-
ability students as
2 on how they can
learn material, they
take on more
well as students responsibility for
with mild to severe their own learning.
disabilities.
Students appear to be more engaged in learning,
3 and there are reportedly fewer discipline
problems in classrooms where teachers provide
differentiated lessons.
CONS
Differentiated The learning curve
instruction requires can be steep and
1 more work during
lesson planning, and
many teachers
2 some schools lack
professional
development
struggle to find the resources.
extra time in their
schedule.
Critics argue there isn’t enough research to
3 support the benefits of differentiated
instruction outweighing the added prep time.
RESOURCES
https://www.edutopia.org/article/practical-guide-
planning-intentional-differentiation/
https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-
resources/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/
https://www.structural-
learning.com/post/differentiation-strategies-a-
teachers-guide
https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/differentiate
d-instruction/articles/what-differentiated-
instruction
ANY
QUESTIONS?
THANK
YOU
