Differentiating Instruction: Put It Into Practice

Differentiate Instruction of Curriculum

In this activity, you will identify the grade-level themes, topics, or concepts in your basic curriculum areas, and plan instruction to meet the needs of all of your students.

Most school districts have required curriculum topics and themes to be taught at each grade level. While children should have equal access to the grade-level curriculum, they may require different levels of instruction and support in order to be successfully engaged. Teachers must first determine what materials support the curriculum topics and then sort the materials into levels of difficulty. They must also identify which instructional practices will support the literacy development for all their students.

In order to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of your students:

1. Review your grade-level curriculum and identify the different curriculum topic in language arts, social studies, or science. Determine the specific learning goals and expectations for each topic.
2. Explore reading materials that will support each topic. Consider Big Books, multiple copies of fiction and nonfiction, picture books, chapter books, poetry, and other print materials. Then classify each text as easy, challenging, or just right for your students.
3. List instructional strategies that will support your lowest performers and challenge your highest performers when reading these materials. Relate these strategies to your goals and the text (e.g., rereadings for understanding and fluency, choral readings, retellings, note-taking skills, personal word lists, etc.).
4. Create different groups to enhance learning of each curricular theme. Make a list of students in each group based on:
   • similar literacy needs
   • similar interests
   • work habits
   • background knowledge of topic
   • partner support
5. List instructional practices that will support your lowest performers and challenge your highest performers for each curriculum topic. For example, reading aloud, rereading of texts, partner reading, note-taking strategies, graphic organizers, etc.

	Submit the differentiated instruction for one curriculum area.

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