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Differentiating Instruction For the Gifted
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Differentiating Instruction For Advanced Learners In the Mixed-Ability Middle School Classroom
By Carol Ann Tomlinson ERIC EC Digest #E536, October 1995
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ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
Contents
Why Differentiate Instruction?
What Differentiation Is--And Isn't
Characteristics of a Differentiated Class
How to Think About Differentiating Instruction
Strategies for Managing a Differentiated Classroom
Final Thoughts
References
Forums
Gifted Children
Related Articles
Differentiating Curriculum for Gifted Students
Developing Learner Outcomes for Gifted Students
A particular challenge for middle school teachers is being able to
differentiate or adapt instruction to respond to the diverse student
needs found in inclusive, mixed-ability classrooms. This digest
provides an overview of some key principles for differentiating
instruction, with an emphasis on the learning needs of academically
advanced learners.
Why Differentiate Instruction?
A single seventh grade heterogeneous language arts class
is likely to include students who can read and comprehend
as well as most college learners; students
who can barely decode words, comprehend meaning, or apply basic
information; and students who fall somewhere between these extremes.
There are students whose primary interests lie in science, sports,
music, or a dozen other fields. There are students who learn best by
working alone and those who are most successful working in groups.
Further, the learning profiles of young adolescents often change
rapidly as they develop. There simply is no single learning template
for the general middle school class. If middle school students differ
in readiness, interest, and learning profiles, and if a good middle
school attempts to meet each student where he or she is and foster
continual growth, a one-size-fits-all model of instruction makes
little sense. Rather, differentiated instruction seems a better
solution for meeting the academic diversity that typifies the middle
school years.
Back to the Table of Contents
What Differentiation Is--And Is Not
A differentiated classroom offers a variety of learning options
designed to tap into different readiness levels, interests, and
learning profiles. In a differentiated class, the teacher uses (1) a
variety of ways for students to explore curriculum content, (2) a
variety of sense-making activities or processes through which
students can come to understand and "own" information and ideas, and
(3) a variety of options through which students can demonstrate or
exhibit what they have learned.
A class is not differentiated when assignments are the same for all
learners and the adjustments consist of varying the level of
difficulty of questions for certain students, grading some students
harder than others, or letting students who finish early play games
for enrichment. It is not appropriate to have more advanced learners
do extra math problems, extra book reports, or after completing their
"regular" work be given extension assignments. Asking students to do
more of what they already know is hollow. Asking them to do "the
regular work, plus" inevitably seems punitive to them (Tomlinson,
1995a).
Back to the Table of Contents
Characteristics of a Differentiated Class
Four characteristics shape teaching and learning in an effective
differentiated classroom (Tomlinson, 1995a):
Instruction is concept focused and principle driven. All students
have the opportunity to explore and apply the key concepts of the
subject being studied. All students come to understand the key
principles on which the study is based. Such instruction enables
struggling learners to grasp and use powerful ideas and, at the same
time, encourages advanced learners to expand their understanding and
application of the key concepts and principles. Such instruction
stresses understanding or sense-making rather than retention and
regurgitation of fragmented bits of information. Concept-based and
principle-driven instruction invites teachers to provide varied
learning options. A "coverage-based" curriculum may cause a teacher
to feel compelled to see that all students do the same work. In the
former, all students have the opportunity to explore meaningful ideas
through a variety of avenues and approaches.
On-going assessment of student readiness and growth are built
into the curriculum. Teachers do not assume that all students need a
given task or segment of study, but continuously assess student
readiness and interest, providing support when students need
additional instruction and guidance, and extending student
exploration when indications are that a student or group of students
is ready to move ahead.
Flexible grouping is consistently used. In a differentiated class,
students work in many patterns. Sometimes they work alone, sometimes
in pairs, sometimes in groups. Sometimes tasks are readiness-based,
sometimes interest-based, sometimes constructed to match learning
style, and sometimes a combination of readiness, interest, and
learning style. In a differentiated classroom, whole-group
instruction may also be used for introducing new ideas, when
planning, and for sharing learning outcomes.
Students are active explorers. Teachers guide the exploration.
Because varied activities often occur simultaneously in a
differentiated classroom, the teacher works more as a guide or
facilitator of learning than as a dispenser of information. As in a
large family, students must learn to be responsible for their own
work. Not only does such student-centeredness give students more
ownership of their learning, but it also facilitates the important
adolescent learning goal of growing independence in thought,
planning, and evaluation. Implicit in such instruction is (1)
goal-setting shared by teacher and student based on student
readiness, interest, and learning profile, and (2) assessment
predicated on student growth and goal attainment.
Back to the Table of Contents
How to Think About Differentiating Instruction
There are many ways to shake up the classroom to create a better fit
for more learners-including those who are advanced. In general,
interest-based adjustments allow students to have a voice in deciding
whether they will apply key principles being studied to
math-oriented, literature-based, hobby-related, science-oriented, or
history-associated areas. For example, in studying the American
Revolution, one student might opt to write a short story about the
life of a teenager during the Revolutionary period. Another might
elect to apply key ideas about the American Revolution to an
investigation of heroes then and now. Yet another might prefer to
study ways in which the Revolution affected the development of
science.
Adjustments based on learning profile encourage
students to understand their own learning preferences. For example,
some students need a longer period to reflect on ideas before
beginning to apply them, while others prefer quick action. Some
students need to talk with others as they learn, while others need a
quiet work space. Some students learn best as they tell stories about
ideas being explored, others as they create mind maps, and still
others as they construct three-dimensional representations. Some
students may learn best through a practical application of ideas,
others through a more analytical approach.
Readiness-based adjustments can be created by teachers
offering students a range of learning tasks developed along one or
more of the following continua:
Concrete to abstract. Learners advanced in a subject often
benefit from tasks that involve more abstract materials,
representations, ideas, or applications than less advanced peers.
Simple to complex. Learners advanced in a subject often
benefit from tasks that are more complex in resources, research,
issues, problems, skills, or goals than less advanced peers.
Basic to transformational. Learners advanced in a subject
often benefit from tasks that require greater transformation or
manipulation of information, ideas, materials, or applications than
less advanced peers.
Fewer facets to multi-facets. Learners advanced in a subject
often benefit from tasks that have more facets or parts in their
directions, connections within or across subjects, or planning and
execution than less advanced peers.
Smaller leaps to greater leaps. Learners advanced in a
subject often benefit from tasks that require greater mental leaps in
insight, application, or transfer than less advanced peers.
More structured to more open. Learners advanced in a subject
often benefit from tasks that are more open in regard to solutions,
decisions, and approaches than less advanced peers.
Less independence to greater independence. Learners advanced
in a subject often benefit from greater independence in planning,
designing, and self-monitoring than less advanced peers.
Quicker to slower. Learners advanced in a subject will
sometimes benefit from rapid movement through prescribed materials
and tasks. At other times, they may require a greater amount of time
with a given study than less advanced peers so that they may explore
the topic in greater depth and/or breadth.
Back to the Table of Contents
Strategies for Managing a Differentiated Classroom
Among instructional strategies that can help teachers manage
differentiation and help students find a good learning "fit" are the
following:
use of multiple texts and supplementary materials;
use of computer programs;
interest centers;
learning contracts;
compacting;
tiered sense-making activities and tiered products;
tasks and products designed with a multiple
intelligence orientation;
independent learning contracts;
complex instruction;
group investigation;
product criteria negotiated jointly by student and
teacher;
graduated task- and product-rubrics.
Back to the Table of Contents
Final Thoughts
Teachers moving toward differentiated instruction in an inclusive,
integrated middle school classroom find greater success if they (1)
have a clear rationale for differentiation, (2) prepare students and
parents for a differentiated classroom, (3) attend to issues of
classroom structure and management as they move toward more
student-centered learning, (4) move toward differentiation at a pace
comfortable to both teacher and learners, and (5) plan with team
members and other colleagues interested in differentiation
(Tomlinson, 1995b).
Back to the Table of Contents
References
Tomlinson, C. (1995a). How to differentiate instruction in
mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, C. (1995b). Deciding to differentiate instruction in
middle school: One school's journey. Gifted Child Quarterly, 39,
77-87.
A companion digest, Gifted Learners and the Middle School: Problem or
Promise (E535) is available.
Carol Ann Tomlinson is Assistant Professor, Curry School of Education,
the University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
Back to the Table of Contents
Credits
The ERIC Clearinghouse On Disabilities and Gifted Education
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22190
Toll-free: 1-800-328-0272
Internet: ericec@inet.ed.gov
ERIC Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced and
disseminated. This publication was prepared with funding from the
Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of
Education, under contract no. RR93002005. The opinions expressed in
this report do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of
OERI, or the Department of Education.
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