- Skip to content
- Skip to search
- Staff portal (Inside the department)
- Student portal
- Key links for students

Other users
- Forgot password
Notifications
{{item.title}}, my essentials, ask for help, contact edconnect, directory a to z, how to guides, teacher standards and accreditation, differentiating learning.
Differentiation refers to the responses that teachers make to learners’ needs. Effective differentiation functions on the premise that every student can do remarkable things with the appropriate guidance and support.

Teachers are ‘differentiating’ when they:
- provide several learning options or different paths to learning, to help students take in information and make sense of concepts and skills
- provide appropriate levels of challenge for all students including those who are behind, those in the middle and those who are advanced.
Effective differentiation doesn't provide excuses or easy ways out, for example, teachers are not differentiating when they ‘water down’ the curriculum for students.
Teachers can differentiate through a range of instructional and management strategies. This includes classroom elements (content, process, product and learning environment) in relation to student needs (readiness, interest and learning profile).

In its truest sense, teaching is not finished until learning occurs – for each learner. Teaching without learning is an oxymoron. Tomlinson, 2006
Key principles
There are a number of guiding principles that reflect effective practice in a differentiated classroom, including flexibility, respect and collaboration..
The key principles are:
- modes of teaching
- ways of grouping students
- ways of expressing learning
- ways of assessing learning.
- Assessment and instruction are inseparable: the teacher views everything that a student says or does as useful information to understand the learner and craft their effective instruction for that learner (differentiation of instruction stems from effective and ongoing assessment of learner needs).
- All students participate in ‘respectful’ work: each student needs to be involved in challenging tasks that are equally interesting and engaging, to offer equal access to essential understanding and skills.
- Students and teachers are collaborators in learning: the teacher studies their students to ascertain what works and what doesn’t work for them and continually involves students in decision-making about the classroom (as a result students become more independent learners).
- The teacher uses flexible grouping options: they plan student working arrangements that vary widely and purposefully often over relatively short periods of time, for example, whole-class, small group and one-on-one arrangements are used (the flexible grouping of students helps ensure access to a wide variety of learning opportunities and working arrangements).
- The teacher focuses on the essentials: they provide clarity about what is essential for students to know, understand and do.
- The teacher modifies content, process and products: they find key opportunities to meet learners where they are ‘at’ in order to propel them forward in knowledge, understanding and skill.
Note: it is not necessary to differentiate everything all of the time.
A flexible classroom
Flexibility is at the heart of differentiation and the teacher is continually looking for ways to modify classroom elements to make learning as effective as possible for the greatest number of students..
Those elements may include time, space, groupings, materials, modes of presentation, modes of investigation, resources and instructional strategies.
Flexibility involves the teacher searching for solutions to the inevitable problems and tensions that arise when teaching complex content to a variety of students.
Assessment and instruction are inseperable
Student differences are expected, appreciated and studied as a basis for instructional planning..
- The teacher knows what to do next when they recognise where students are in relation to the learning intentions/goals.
- The teacher is primed to teach more effectively if they are aware of the students’ needs and interests.
- Pre-assessment informs the teacher of the student status (knowledge and skill) in relation to upcoming learning intentions/goals, student interests and the students’ preferred ways of learning.
- On-going assessment (assessment for and as learning) throughout the lesson sequence/unit sharpens the teacher’s sense of what is working and what is not yet working for all the students in the class. It enables the teacher to continue working with students in ways that target their particular strengths and needs in light of important learning intentions/goals.
- Summative assessment (assessment of learning) should be designed to maximise student opportunity to demonstrate what they have come to know, understand and be able to do as a result of the lesson sequence/unit. It can also ‘feed forward’ to the next lesson sequence/unit so that the teacher is continuously gathering data on student growth and refining instructional plans based on the data.
All students participate in respectful work
The teacher's goal.
The teacher’s goal is that each student finds their work challenging and interesting, and grapples squarely with the knowledge and skills which give them the power to understand, apply and progress to the next learning stage, most of the time.
Differentiation does not presume different tasks for each student, but rather just enough flexibility in task complexity, working arrangements and modes of learning expression that varied students find learning a good fit much of the time.
Students and teachers are collaborators in learning
Students need guidance in becoming self-guided learners..
Classrooms are more effective and inviting when responsibility for their operation is shared by all members of the learning community.
Students hold pivotal information about their likes and preferred ways of learning.
Students can learn to make choices that enhance both their learning and their status as a learner.
Flexible student grouping options
Various student groupings are possible, and sometimes students:.
- work in similar readiness groups with peers who manifest similar academic needs at a given time
- of mixed readiness work together in settings that draw upon the strengths of each student
- work with classmates who have like interests
- of varied interests cooperate towards completing a task that calls on all their interests
- work with those who have similar learning patterns (a group of auditory learners listening to a taped explanation)
- work with students with varied learning patterns (an analytic student and a practical student) to complete a task
- work with whoever is sitting beside them
- count off into groups
- draw a partner’s name
- choose who they work with.
The teacher defines essentials
The teacher is clear about what matters in the subject matter, and:.
- provides a compass for a curriculum that both engages their students and promotes understanding
- develops work that focuses on what matters most
- provides a basis for extending the work of students who are advanced and scaffolding the work of students who require extra support.
The teacher modifies content
The teacher modifies content, process and products in response to student readiness, interest and learning profile..
This is done by providing opportunities so students can work with content and products in sense-making learning experiences that are responsive to the students' readiness, needs, interests and best modes of learning.
In doing this, teachers maximise the opportunities for success for each learner.
- Tomlinson, C. (2006). An Educator's Guide to Differentiating instruction. USA: Cengage Learning.
- Tomlinson, C. A., & Allan, S. D. (2000) Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Visit the department's Beginning Teacher information hub
Join the department's beginning teacher support network on yammer.
Differentiated Learning: The 21st Century Pedagogical Strategy Teachers Should Adopt

Many parents and teachers fall into the temptation to compare a child’s academic performance or experience with another child without understanding how children differ in their emotional, physical, and psychological development.

What Is Differentiated Learning?
Differentiated learning is an instructional technique in which teachers employ a variety of teaching methods to individually meet the needs of each student according to their needs.
Before introducing a course to a class, it is important to note that some students may have a level of knowledge on the subject, while others may have a general understanding of the subject. Conversely, some students may be completely new to the topic.
Finally, in differentiated learning, the learning objectives are the same for the entire class, however, instructional materials, assessments, and delivery methods vary based on the needs of each student.
Methods Of Differentiated Learning
Visual learners easily acquire knowledge through visual representations of topics. On the other hand, auditory learners understand topics better when listening to audiobooks or teachers.
In order to determine the appropriate teaching process or curriculum for each child, teachers must understand students’ interests, abilities, and knowledge levels.
3. Products
For example, a good way to test kinesthetic learners is through practical assessments, whereas auditory learners will do well through verbal assessments.
4. Learning Environment
Finally, environmental factors such as lighting, classroom atmosphere, class size, board settings, etc. all contribute to the level of student performance.
Advantages Of Differentiated Learning
1. equal growth for all students, 2. better academic performance, 3. fun and immersive learning.
When teachers adopt a series of instructional strategies that align with students of any type, they would find learning easy and fun.
4. Personalized Learning
More so, the content and instructional materials include audio format, videos, and practicals in a bid to ensure personalized learning for every student.
Disadvantages Of Differentiated Learning
1. time factor, 2. high pressure, 3. high cost.
Additionally, they must provide materials for each topic. Clearly, this will require ongoing financial support that many schools may not be able to meet.
Examples Of Differentiated Learning
1. differentiated learning strategies for math, 2. differentiated instruction strategies for reading, 3. differentiated learning strategies for writing, how to enhance differentiated learning, 1. conduct pre-assessments and ongoing assessments.
On the other hand, continuous or ongoing assessment helps teachers to understand the progress of students after each stage of learning.
2. Hire teaching assistants
3. encourage parents to participate in their child’s learning process.
Therefore, sharing their perspectives with teachers can go a long way in helping teachers understand these children so they can develop the right strategies to improve their performance.
Is differentiated learning effective?
Is differentiated learning the same as differentiated instruction, what are examples of differentiated learning.
Examples of differentiated learning include using a tiered assignment approach where a group of students writes a report on what they read while some give a visual story highlight of what they understand from a passage.
You may also like:
Best time to study: pros & cons for studying during the day or at night, what is your profession: meaning, benefits, considerations, & exploring professions, why do librarians need a master’s degree reasons, program choice, & job prospects, prospective student: meaning, challenges & tips to prepare for college, what is a letterhead: definition, purpose & how to make one, recommendation letter signature: boost your chance of getting employed.
Differentiated PDF
Uploaded by, document information, original title, available formats, share this document, share or embed document, sharing options.
- Share on Facebook, opens a new window Facebook
- Share on Twitter, opens a new window Twitter
- Share on LinkedIn, opens a new window LinkedIn
- Share with Email, opens mail client Email
- Copy Link Copy Link
Did you find this document useful?
Is this content inappropriate, original title:, reward your curiosity.

- Share on Facebook, opens a new window
- Share on Twitter, opens a new window
- Share on LinkedIn, opens a new window
- Share with Email, opens mail client

IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
In the video Creating Multiple Paths for Learning (1997), Carol Ann Tomlinson, noted differentiation expert, says that differentiating instruction means that the teacher anticipates the differences in students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles and, as a result, creates different learning paths so that students have the opportunity to
Teachers can differentiate content, process, product and the learning environment according to the student characteristics of readiness, interests and learning profile. In its truest sense, teaching is not finished until learning occurs - for each learner. Teaching without learning is an oxymoron. Tomlinson, 2006 Key principles
All these require differentiation of the curriculum in effect. For all the learners who have learning difficulties, differentiation is seen as their instructors' responsibility (Vellutino, F.R., Scanclon, D. M., Small, S., & Fanuele, D.P., 2006). There is abundant information on differentiated instruction which instructors may access
The goal of learning profile differentiation is to teach in the ways students learn best— and to extend ways in which they can learn effectively. Many experts in a variety of fields caution against using learning styles surveys to assess students‟ preferred modes of learning and against assigning students to a particular learning styles
what differentiated instruction is, why it is essential for all learners, how to begin to plan for it, and how to become comfortable enough with student differences to make school comfortable for each and every student.
Differentiation of content refers to a change in the material being learned by the student. For example, if the classroom objective is for all students to write persuasive paragraphs, some of the students may be learning to use a topic sentence and supporting details, while others may be learning to use outside sources to defend their viewpoint.
differentiating learning tasks and expectations, differentiating materials and resources, and organizing and managing the classroom for differentiation. Differentiating Learning Tasks and Expectations Due to the wide range of learners in the multilevel classroom, learning tasks are generally open-ended and have a continuum of expectations.
Teachers who use differentiated instruction to design lessons must consider the learning style and readiness level of each student, ways to deliver the same material to each student while...
ways to differentiate: Content Process Product according to students' Readiness Interests Learning Profile Differentiation of Instruction "The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners," by Carol Ann Tomlinson, 1999, p. 15
Differentiated learning is an instructional technique in which teachers employ a variety of teaching methods to individually meet the needs of each student according to their needs. These needs may be existing knowledge, learning style, interest, and understanding of the subject.
Differentiated instruction: A research basis Pearl Subban Monash University [email protected] With contemporary classrooms becoming increasingly diverse, educational authorities, teachers and school administrators are looking to teaching and learning strategies that cater for a variety of learning profiles. A paradigm that is gaining
Differentiated instruction has been a ―buzz phrase‖ in American education for many years. Much of what has been written in support of the practice was created in the 1990's. Bearne (1996) defines differentiation as an approach to teaching in which teachers proactively modify curricula, teaching methods, resources, learning activities,
Differentiated Instruction (DI) is a teaching strategy teachers adopt to attend to student diversity in inclusive classrooms. The aim of this paper is to explore teachers' definition of DI while...
Differentiated teaching occurs when a teacher plans a lesson that adjusts either the content being discussed, the process used to learn or the product expected from students to ensure that learners at different starting points can receive the instruction they need to grow and succeed.
ASCD
learning profile or interests) and ability-based groups to best support learning. Students grouped well with appropriate materials and scaffolds, can learn from each other. Small group instruction is an excellent teaching strategy to advance student learning. Differentiation and student agency Students can become agents in their own learning when
differentiated learning plan-r - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. ... PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. differentiated learning plan-r. Uploaded by api-351409040. 0 ratings 0% found this ...
of differentiated instruction & the multicultural learning environment Use smaller teams that consist of diverse members, i.e. one female, one minority, an older or younger learner, maybe a disabled learner with able learners, etc. Small group instruction that incorporates sharing previous experience and discussion amongst learners
familiar with the concept of differentiated instruction because of the highly diverse learning characteristics displayed by the students in general education classrooms today (Bender, 2008; Bender & Waller, 2011b). Since Tomlinson wrote the initial book on differentiated instruction in 1999, teachers across the
fThe core of differentiated instruction is flexibility in content, process, and product based. on students strengths, needs, and learning styles. Content is what students are to master or learn. from the instruction; process is how the students must complete the learning content; and product.