What is Differentiated Instruction?

In today’s world, teachers are tasked with engaging and educating students with a wide range of abilities and needs. The one-size-fits-all approach does not meet the needs of the majority of students and can cause learners to be actively disengaged from the content and the learning process. An alternative approach is to use differentiated instruction that allows educators to adapt their lessons and instruction to reach each student.  

This article covers the basics of differentiated instruction, what it looks like in practice, and why it’s important for educators to understand. 

What Does Differentiated Instruction Mean?

Differentiated instruction is a teaching method that adjusts instruction to fit the needs of all students. While the learning goal remains the same for everyone, this approach allows teachers to vary instruction depending on a student’s strengths as well as their struggles. It also can take into consideration a student’s interests and preferences. 

This is the opposite of a more traditional, whole group instruction method, such as lecturing, class read-alouds, or everyone working on the same worksheet or assignment. With differentiated instruction, students have options for how to take in, process, and retain information. 

Educator and differentiated instruction researcher Carol Ann Tomlinson maintains that “differentiation is not just an instructional strategy, nor is it a recipe for teaching, rather it is an innovative way of thinking about teaching and learning.”

How Can Teachers Differentiate Instruction 

In practice, teachers are able to differentiate instruction across four areas: content, process, project, and environment. 

Content

Differentiation with content refers to adapting what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access to the information. First, teachers need to consider the learning objective of the lesson before tailoring options for students to interact with the content in order to meet those objectives. 

A few examples of content-differentiated instruction include:

• Offering reading materials at various reading levels 
• Allowing for student choice in a text
• Using reading buddies 

Process

When teachers differentiate the process of learning, they are differentiating how students learn. These are the activities that can help students make sense of what they learn. Sometimes this involves strategic grouping of students. Other times, process differentiation involves teaching the concepts in a variety of ways, including visual, auditory, or kinesthetic lessons. 

Some examples of process differentiation include: 

• Offering an interactive assignment alternative
• Providing opportunities for students to explore a subset of topics through interest centers 
• Using scaffolding, which offers different levels of support, difficulty, or complexity to learners as they work with diverse skills and abilities 

Project

Project differentiation allows students flexibility when it comes to showing what they know. For some students, it might make the most sense for them to verbally explain a concept, while others would do better using a written report. This also applies to the types of assessments teachers give students at the end of a lesson or unit. 

Some examples of project differentiation include:

• Using rubrics that match and extend the varied skills of students
• Offering the option of working alone or in small groups
• Giving options for students to express required learning depending on their skills and interests (a written report, a visual representation, or an interactive presentation)

Environment

The learning environment is how the classroom feels for students and how everyone works together. These factors also have an impact on learning and offer teachers an opportunity to differentiate the environment and ensure students are successful. Environment differentiation can be as simple as changing how desks are arranged to more intentional changes, such as examining routines or class habits. 

Some examples of environment differentiation include:

• Offering alternative seating options such as bean bag chairs 
• Providing materials that reflect the cultural diversity of the students in class
• Setting guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs and allows students to be successful while the teacher is working with others 

Why Is Differentiated Instruction Important?

Every person is different, which means everyone has a way they learn best. Just like teachers have their own processes for developing curriculum and lesson plans, students have their own unique learning processes. Educators who tailor instruction allow all students the opportunity to succeed in the classroom, regardless of their background, preferences, or abilities.

By giving students a choice and voice, teachers can improve educational outcomes and increase student engagement. They can also promote inclusivity within the classroom as differentiation allows students to feel included and respected in the learning process. 

Develop a deeper understanding of differentiated instruction with an online Master of Curriculum and Instruction degree from Wake Forest University’s School of Professional Studies. Request more information today.