This document provides an overview of differentiated instruction strategies used by a second year teacher, including technology, learning centers, flexible grouping, and inquiry-based learning. It describes each strategy and potential issues for diverse learners. Examples are given, such as using online games and tutorials with different ability levels in technology and setting up centers focused on skills, enrichment, or exploration. The document concludes with an example science lesson plan on rock types that incorporates videos, student activities, and a learning game to engage students.

1. Differentiating Instruction
April Goodlin, Cynthia Fikree, and Jason Fisher
MTE/533
July 28, 2014
Dr. Sylvia Hill

2. Introduction
 For those who do not know me, I am a second-year teacher at Coal Mountain
Elementary School.
 During my first year as a teacher, I focused on my students’ critical thinking and
comprehension skills.
 During my second year as a teacher, I have revised past lessons by using
differentiated instruction to engage my students more.
 Today, I am here to show you some of those instructional strategies I currently
use in my classroom when it comes to math and science.

3. What is Differentiated Instruction?
“Differentiated instruction is a way to reach students with
different learning styles, different abilities to absorb information
and different ways of expressing what they have learned”
(Scholastic Inc., 2014).

4. Technology
 Educational games online provide
different levels of learning based on
individual student’s abilities.
 Online tutorials provide additional
support for students.
 Assistive technology devices can
provide additional support for
students with special needs.
 Applicable for ALL content areas

5. Instructional Issues with Diverse Learners and Technology
 Require more time and effort to read information
 Require more time and effort to comprehend text
 Attention and memory problems, leading to struggles with technology
 May not be comfortable with technology
 May not have prior access to technology use

6. Learning Centers
 Provides a less intimidating environment for students
 Enhances student response
 Allows for more direct teaching
 Applicable for ALL content areas
(Ellison, n.d.)

7. Three Types of Learning Centers
Enrichment Centers Interest/Exploratory Centers
 Designed to capitalize on the
interest of students
 Provides students with
hands-on opportunities
 “Free choice” activity
Skill Centers
 Used after initial
teaching of a concept
or skill
 Students are assigned
specific topics.
 Helps reinforce the
information
presented
 Used after initial
teaching of a concept or
skill
 Provide students with
opportunities to
develop their
appreciation and
understanding of the
topics through
individual experiences
(TeacherVision, n.d.)

8. Instructional Issues with Diverse Learners and Learning
Centers
 Communication may be hindered in learning centers.
 Group work with students who are not English proficient may be a struggle in the
centers.
 Attention span of students can be hard to manage in centers.
 The teacher is not consistently at the center.

9. Flexible Grouping
 “Informally grouping and
regrouping students in a variety of
ways throughout the school day”
(Valentino, 2000) .
 Students can be grouped by specific
goals, activities, and individual
needs.
 Applicable for ALL content areas

10. Two Types of Flexible Groups
Teacher-Led Groups Student-Led Groups
 Students control the group dynamics
and maintain a voice in setting the
agenda for the group to follow
 Students take responsibility and learn
to work with others
 Types of Groups
 Collaborative
 Performance-Based
 Pairs
 Most common
configuration
 Communication is
between teacher and
student
 Types of Groups
 Whole Class
 Small Class
 Individual
(Valentino, 2000)

11. Instructional Issues with Flexible Grouping and Diverse
Learners
 Flexible grouping is the answer to differentiation.
 Monitors all students as individuals and groups
 Ideal to use in the classroom so all needs are met.
 Make sure students remain on-task
 Students have to get their needs met with the grouping selected.

12. Inquiry-Based Learning
 “In inquiry-based learning environments, students are engaged in activities that help
them actively pose questions, investigate, solve problems, and draw conclusions
about the world around them”.
 Students become researchers, writers, and activists. They become participants not
just listeners of textbook’s content.
 Applicable for ALL content areas
(eduScapes, n.d)

13. Four Types of Inquiry-Based Learning
Controlled
 Students have more flexible with resources and activities.
 Specific final product like a report.
Guided
 The teacher chooses the topic and the materials used by the students.
 Specific final product like a Venn Diagram
Modeled
 Students act like an apprentice to coach such as a teacher.
 The student has flexibility in terms of topic selection, process, and product
 The coach and student work side-by-side in meaningful work.
Free
 Students work independently.
 They explore meaningful questions, examine multiple perspectives, draw conclusions, and choose their own approach for
information dissemination.
(eduScapes, n.d)

14. Instructional Issues with Inquiry-Based Learning and Diverse
Learners
 Students must be motivated to lead their learning.
 Attention-span can cause issues with researching.
 Sufficient background information is required to properly research and formulate
research questions.
 Student-led research can cause problems with students that require structure.

15. 6th GRADE SCIENCE LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
Objectives:
 Students will be able to determine
different types of rocks based on
their physical characteristics.
 Students will also be able to
recognize ways to use these
materials for everyday use.
National Standards:
 Students should understand earth
materials are solid rocks and soils,
water, and the gases of the
atmosphere. The varied materials have
different physical and chemical
properties, which make them useful in
different ways, for example, as building
materials, as sources of fuel, or for
growing the plants we use as food.
Earth materials provide many of the
resources that humans use.
Types of Rocks

16. WEBSITES USED FOR THIS LESSON
Safari Montage
http://www.safarimontage.com/Default.aspx
 Students will watch videos of how
various rocks are formed, and the
different places that people settled
and the types of homes they built
based upon their locations.

17. WEBSITES USED FOR THIS LESSON
Types of Rocks
http://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/typesofrocks/preview.weml
 Students will be shown various
videos from various multi media
outlets to discuss different types of
rocks.

18. TEACHER/STUDENT LED ACTIVITIES
TEACHER  The teacher will begin the lesson by
showing students various rocks that were
collected by the students from different
areas around their home town.
 The teacher will then utilize the Safari
Montage website and show a video of the
different types of rocks and rock
formations.
 The teacher will inform students that
based upon the different types of
formation of the earth’s surface
determined where most people settled in
the U.S
STUDENT  Students will have to collect several rocks
from around their home town and bring
into class.
 Students will have rocks in trays at their
desks and will examine the rocks as the
teacher allows them to come up with
different characteristics of the rocks.
 After examining the rocks and viewing the
video, students will determine if the rock’s
characteristics matched those of the video.
 Students will discuss in small groups how
the formation of the earth’s surface
determined the type of homes that people
built.

19. LEARNING GAME
ROCK BINGO
 Teacher will use the smart board
along with the videos to help
identify certain rocks.
 Students will be given a card similar
to the one pictured and will place a
rock from their desk on the card.
 They can only place a rock once
they hear the rock being discussed.

20. References
Edelson, D.C., Gordin, D.N., & Pea, R.D. (n.d.). Addressing the challenges of inquiry-based learning through
technology and curriculum design. Retrieved from
http://www.worldwatcher.northwestern.edu/userdownloads/pdf/JLSEdelsonetal.pdf
eduScapes. (n.d). Inquiry-based learning. Retrieved from http://virtualinquiry.com/inquiry/inquiry7.htm
Ellison, S. (n.d.). The basics of centers. Retrieved from https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-methods-and-
management/curriculum-planning/4755.html?page=1
Hilberg, R.S., Chang, J., & Epaloose, G. (2003). Designing effective activity centers for diverse learners. Retrieved
from http://web41.its.hawaii.edu/manoa.hawaii.edu/coe/crede/wp-
content/uploads/Hilberg_et_al_20031.pdf
Opitz, M. (n.d.). Learning centers: the first week. Retrieved from
http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/backtoschool/learning_center.htm
Scholastic Inc.. (2014). What is differentiated instruction?. Retrieved from
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/what-differentiated-instruction
TeacherVision. (n.d.). Learning centers. Retrieved from https://www.teachervision.com/learning-center/new-
teacher/48462.html?page=1
Valentino, C. (2000). Flexible grouping. Retrieved from
http://www.eduplace.com/science/profdev/articles/valentino.html
Wissick, C.A., Schweder, W., & Emmett, J. (2004). Technology applications to support diverse learners. Retrieved
from http://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/sitepaper2004.pdf