1. Instructional Differentiation forInstructional Differentiation for
English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners
MA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeMA in TESOL Program, Hunter College
Dr. Laura BaecherDr. Laura Baecher
Instructional Differentiation forInstructional Differentiation for
English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners
MA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeMA in TESOL Program, Hunter College
Dr. Laura BaecherDr. Laura Baecher
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2. What does this picture have to do with
Differentiated Instruction?
What does this picture have to do with
Differentiated Instruction?
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3. What is Differentiated Instruction?What is Differentiated Instruction?
Differentiated Instruction IS:
Meeting students where they are.
Based on premise that the TEACHER
must adjust the learning to give access
to the curriculum
Done intentionally, in lesson planning
stage.
Thinking of higher level students first and
tiering downwards.
Modifying the same base activity.
Everyone should be able to share out at
closure.
Flexible grouping-sometimes
heterogeneous, sometimes
homogeneous. 3
Differentiated Instruction is NOT:
Treating all the students the same.
Based on premise that the student
must adjust to the learning.
Always done spur of the moment.
Starting with the lowest level
student and tiering upwards.
Giving everyone different activities.
Fixed grouping.

4. What does differentiated instruction provide?What does differentiated instruction provide?
Differentiated instruction provides MULTIPLE APPROACHES to
content, process, and product.
– Content – The teacher provides alternative materials,
modifying or adapting the input students will use to learn the
topic.
– Process – The teacher provides alternative structures for how
the learning activity will take place.
– Product – The teacher provides alternative options for how
students may demonstrate their learning.
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5. How do I Differentiate Instruction?How do I Differentiate Instruction?
1. Students don’t have to know you are
differentiating.
2. Maintain activity length constant.
3. Offer a choice of activities to let students do
the differentiating.
4. Use tools like Bloom’s Taxonomy to design
prompts, tasks and questions at different
cognitive complexity levels.
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6. Continuum of Task ComplexityContinuum of Task Complexity
Concrete---------------------------------------------Abstract
Simple-----------------------------------------------Complex
Fewer facets-----------------------------------Multi-Facets
Smaller leap----------------------------------Greater Leap
More structured-------------------------------More Open
Clearly Defined Problem-------------Fuzzy Problem
Less Independence-----------Greater Independence
Slower Pace----------------------------------Quicker Pace
Modified----------------------------------------Unmodified
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7. Developing a Tiered ActivityDeveloping a Tiered Activity
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1. Select the
activity-
concept, skill,
understanding
1. Select the
activity-
concept, skill,
understanding
2. Think about
your students’
language
proficiency-
reading,
writing,
listening &
speaking
(interests,
talents)
2. Think about
your students’
language
proficiency-
reading,
writing,
listening &
speaking
(interests,
talents)
3. Create an
activity that
is interesting,
causes
students to
use key skills
to understand
a key idea
3. Create an
activity that
is interesting,
causes
students to
use key skills
to understand
a key idea
4. Chart
the
complexity
of the
activity
4. Chart
the
complexity
of the
activity
5. Clone the activity
along the
continuum, as
needed to ensure
challenge and
success for your
students, in terms
of:
• materials-basic to
advanced
• form of
expression-
familiar to
unfamiliar
• from experience-
personal to
removed from
personal
5. Clone the activity
along the
continuum, as
needed to ensure
challenge and
success for your
students, in terms
of:
• materials-basic to
advanced
• form of
expression-
familiar to
unfamiliar
• from experience-
personal to
removed from
personal

8. Let’s Try Differentiating a Speaking ActivityLet’s Try Differentiating a Speaking Activity
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Language objective:
Use stress and intonation to
orally present a poem aloud
to class.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given poem of 2-3 stanzas
with a couple of different
stress patterns
Process Stress marks identified and
practiced independently
Product Ss orally present a 6-line
poem without notes

9. Examples of Differentiating a Speaking ActivityExamples of Differentiating a Speaking Activity
9
Language objective:
Use stress and intonation to
orally present a poem aloud
to class.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given short poem with
one main stress pattern
Ss given poem of 2-3 stanzas
with a couple of different
stress patterns
Process Stress marks identified
working in small group with
teacher
Stress marks identified and
practiced independently
Product Ss orally present a 3-line
poem and may refer to notes
Ss orally present a 6-line
poem without notes
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level
buddy, but higher-level buddy will present.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level
buddy, but higher-level buddy will present.

10. Let’s Try Differentiating a Listening ActivityLet’s Try Differentiating a Listening Activity
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Language objective:
Listen to a poem read aloud
and mark stress in
appropriate places.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content X
Process Ss have the complete text in
front of them while they
listen and mark stress.
Product Ss must mark at least 2
examples of stress in the
poem.

11. Examples of Differentiating a Listening ActivityExamples of Differentiating a Listening Activity
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Lesson objective:
Listen to a poem read
aloud and mark stress in
appropriate places.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content X X
Process Ss have the complete text in
front of them while they
listen and mark stress.
Ss have partial text (cloze) in
front of them while they
listen and mark stress.
Product Ss must mark at least 2
examples of stress in the
poem.
Ss must mark at least 5
examples of stress in the
poem.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will listen to the poem read aloud and
draw a picture. Higher-proficiency students will listen and determine what the tone
of poem is.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will listen to the poem read aloud and
draw a picture. Higher-proficiency students will listen and determine what the tone
of poem is.

12. Let’s Try Differentiating a Reading ActivityLet’s Try Differentiating a Reading Activity
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Language objective:
Read a poem with a clear
stress pattern and mark this
stress.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given “We Real Cool” by
Gwendolyn Brooks
Ss given “Windy Nights” by
Robert Louis Stevenson
Process
Product

13. Examples of Differentiating a Reading ActivityExamples of Differentiating a Reading Activity
13
Language objective:
Read a poem with a clear
stress pattern and mark this
stress.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given “We Real Cool” by
Gwendolyn Brooks
Ss given “Windy Nights” by
Robert Louis Stevenson
Process Ss work with ESL teacher in
small group and read poem
as a shared reading activity.
Ss work with a partner trying
to identify the stress pattern
and taking turns reading
aloud.
Product Ss asked to read poem aloud
and partner claps where they
see stress falling.
Ss asked to read poem aloud
and also clap where they see
stress falling.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will read for stress and higher-
proficiency students look for rhyme.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will read for stress and higher-
proficiency students look for rhyme.

14. Let’s Try Differentiating a Writing ActivityLet’s Try Differentiating a Writing Activity
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Language objective:
Write a poem with a clear
stress pattern.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content
Process
Product

15. Examples of Differentiating a Writing ActivityExamples of Differentiating a Writing Activity
15
Language objective:
Write a poem with a clear
stress pattern.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss are provided with some
sentence frames to build
their poem.
Ss are provided with key
vocabulary to incorporate
into their poem.
Process Ss work with ESL teacher in
small group and draft poem
as a shared writing activity.
Ss work independently to
draft their poems.
Product Ss asked to write a one-
stanza poem as they pattern
their poem from “We Real
Cool”
Ss asked to write a one-
stanza poem as they pattern
their poem from “Windy
Nights”
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level
buddy, but higher-level buddy will write.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level
buddy, but higher-level buddy will write.