Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom

What we don't want to happen in our classrooms.

^{To prevent the above from happening in our classrooms, we have to differentiate our instruction.}

^{What is Differentiated Instruction?}

^{Differentiated instruction involves providing students with different avenues to acquiring content; to processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and to developing teaching materials so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability. (Wikipedia)}

^{Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom}

^{Content "the what"}

^{Using a variety of materials and support mechanisms (a variety of texts, genres, levels)} 

^{Process "the how"}

^{Using a variety of teaching activities that are based on student interest and learning style (a variety of read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading activities)}

^{Product "the end result"}

^{Allows for a wide range of product alternative based on individual readiness, learning needs and interests (a variety of presentation and assessment techniques)}

Differentiated Instruction: Reading All our Students http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/asit/standards/btstart/BTDiff.pdf

What is Differentiated Instruction? http://www.readingrockets.org/article/263

What is Differentiated Instruction? http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3750750

Boys and Literacy

We need to address the literary needs of boys in our classrooms. Boys and girls have different attitudes and classroom achievements towards reading and writing. Me Read? No Way! states that:

• boys take longer to learn to read than girls
• boys read less than girls
• girls understand narrative texts and expository texts best and boys are better at information retrieval and work-related literacy tasks
• boys value reading as an activity less than girls
• boys have less interest in leisure reading than girls
• more boys label themselves to be non-readers than girls
• boys express less enthusiasm for reading than girls

How Can We Help our Boys?

not in any particular order

1. We need to select texts for boys that they actually want to read

- boys like to choose what they read

- fiction focused on action more than emotion

- books that make them laugh

- books in series (ex. Harry Potter)

- science fiction or fantasy

- newspapers, magazines, comic books, baseball cards, and instruction manuals

2. Make reading and writing in the classroom a habit

- mix up the reading and writing activities (differentiate instruction)

- boys, and girls, need many opportunities to achieve success

3. Make reading engaging and exciting

- ex. read alouds using technology (voice threads), read texts and genres the students like, use texts across the curriculum (drama activities, art, etc...)

4. Boys benefit from highly structured and well focused lessons

- provide a similar structure for most lessons - no big surprises

- clearly break lessons down into a variety of activities or steps

- make lessons and activities relevant to their lives,  and their learning and success

- clearly define your expectations

- provide feedback and support

5. Explicitly teach strategies and skills

6. Literacy circles

- let students talk about what they've read

Me Read? No Way! http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/meread/meread.pdf

Me Read? And How! http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/meRead_andHow.pdf

ELL and Reading

Imagine stepping into a classroom in a country where they speak a language you don't know at all and you are asked to give a presentation, read a book, or write a test. Think about how you would feel and how you would succeed, or, not succeed. This is what it is like for the ELL students in our classrooms. We have an important role and need to create a comfortable and safe classroom environment for these students.

Help ELL students in your classroom...

- be mindful in your teaching - lots of visuals, write down instructions as well as verbal instructions, student seating, assign appropriate leveled work and activities, have support meetings, provide feedback

- keep it simple to start - try to promote and encourage English speaking as much as possible. Have lots of student and classroom discussions, teach simple sentences - my name is, i don't understand/speak english, where is the bathroom?...

- have a variety of materials - label things in the classroom (board, desks, chalk), use everyday objects, use pictures, anchor charts, word walls

- study the ELL students culture and/or language - celebrate diversity in the classroom!

- dual-language approach - allow ELL students to approach activities in more than one language (ex. filling in a graphic organizer or brainstorming in their native language)

- find out what interests individual ELL students and adapt your lessons and activities to their interests - differentiate your instruction!

Supporting English Language Learners http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/esleldprograms/guide.pdf

English Language Learners ESL and ELD Programs and Services http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/esleldprograms/esleldprograms.pdf

Many Roots, Many Voices http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/manyroots/manyroots.pdf

Diverse Literacy Resources

Check out the amazing resources below to help teach diversity in your classroom!

Hands Around the World: 365 Creative Ways to Build Cultural Awareness  & Global Respect, Susan Milord

Kidsbooks: General Multicultural Books http://www.kidsbooks.ca/Department.aspx?DeptID=3683&PriceCat=1&Lang=EN-US&SID=baf991d7-4072-410a-911b-3ae24c36f8bb

Multicultural Book List http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/booklists/multicultural-books.htm

Multicultural Literature for Children http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493