Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction (DI) is teaching in a way that advocates active planning for the different ways your students learn. DI does not mean all students are doing different things all the time. In this course, we help you find a happy medium to instruct your students who work and read at different paces and levels as they learn in the same environment. You’ll be introduced to DI strategies and see real-life demonstrations of how to use those strategies in your classroom. When you finish this course, you’ll have the necessary tools to ensure that all of your students are working at their appropriate level of challenge.

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Course Details

Learning Objectives

  • Adjusting your mindset to use differentiated instruction to reach diverse students successfully
  • Planning for differentiation
  • Managing a differentiated classroom
  • Equipping you to begin implementing differentiated instruction effectively

Specs

Intended Audience K-12 Staff
Languages English (US)
Accessibility Audio, Video, Interactive Transcript, Closed Captions
Course Features Interactive Modules, Knowledge-Checks, Assessment

Nicole Barrion M.Ed.

Author

Nicole Barrion has served in the educational field for over 24 years, supporting children, teachers and administrators through engaging and differentiated techniques. As a specialist in inclusive practices for the past 13 years, Nicole has helped develop and employ strategic plans to propel schools in creating effective inclusive environments. She has presented at national conferences to share strategies and tools that support inclusive practices, including co-presenting with the leading international consultant on co-teaching, Dr. Marilyn Friend. Nicole has also authored various online courses for educators, as well as consulted with schools to foster co-teaching. She is the founder of Teach All, Reach All LLC, a company that provides consulting services and training on best practices in co-teaching, specially designed instruction, and developing well-written IEPs. Nicole’s background as a general education teacher in a co-taught environment allows her to connect with both general education and special education teachers. In addition to co-teaching, she specializes in building the literacy instructional toolkit of special educators. She is passionate about working alongside educators and administrators as an instructional coach, ensuring effective implementation of best practices for students with and without disabilities.

Allison MacMahon

Author

Allison has been a special education teacher for over sixteen years and has worked with students with emotional and learning disabilities. For the last six years she has supported students and teachers as an instructional specialist in Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). As a part of the ACPS Instructional Team, she has provided tailored professional learning for teachers regarding best practices in the field of special education. She has been a presenter twice at the annual conference of CEC. She believes in strong collaboration among educators to provide students with disabilities specially designed instruction to support their success in life.

Key Questions

What is differentiated instruction?

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that advocates active planning for student differences in classrooms.

Why are routines crucial in the classroom?

Routines are crucial in the classroom because they establish clear expectations and procedures, helping students take responsibility for their behavior and learning. In a differentiated classroom, routines ensure smooth transitions between individual and group work, maximizing instructional time and allowing teachers to focus on facilitating learning.

How should I begin differentiating instruction in my classroom?

Start slowly by focusing on one class or subject area. Choose the class you feel needs the most support or the subject you’re most comfortable teaching to begin differentiating.

Why is self-assessment important in differentiated instruction?

Student self-assessment helps learners reflect on their work and effort. Rubrics or scales allow students to assess themselves, enabling more effective grouping for support.

Sample Video Transcript

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that advocates active planning for student differences in classrooms. However, DI is not a set of instructional strategies; all children are doing the same thing all the time, all children are doing different things all the time, and students in the classroom are doing the same activities at their own pace.

This course aims to introduce you to the practice of differentiated instruction and how you can use DI to successfully reach diverse students as they learn in the same environment. We’ll do this by exploring – adjusting your mindset, planning for differentiation, managing a differentiated classroom, and tips for getting started.

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