1. Four Current Trends in
Differentiated Instruction
by Learning Team A
Sara Sladecek, Charles DeCesari, and Janice Howard
University of Phoenix, MTE/532
Andrea Tracy
January 6, 2013

2. Outline
• Differentiation
• Four Current Trends
– Technology
– Inquiry-Based Instruction
– Flexible Grouping
– Center-Based Learning
• Lesson Plan Description
• References

3. Differentiation is a process that allows students to
learn at a pace that is most beneficial to the student.
The process utilizes a variety of instructional strategies designed to
engage students in a way that stimulates each individual.

4. Every student benefits from differentiated
instruction. However, significant advantages are
seen in students that differ from the norm or
middle performance area.
Differentiation in the Classroom, 2012

5. Philosophy of Differentiation
• Different ways to gain and show knowledge.
• Different times for completion of task.
• Different approaches to delivering
information.
• Different levels of ability among students.
• Different assignments for different students
within the same class.
Differentiation in the Classroom, 2012

6. Four Current
Differentiation Trends

7. Differentiated instruction in the classroom can
be achieved through the use of:
Technology

8. Technology Provides
• Access to online tutorials that engage several
learning styles.
• Support for students with physical limitations
that cannot manipulate physical manipulatives.
• Additional support for language learners.
Interactive programs guide students while
supporting critical thinking skills.
• Applicable and beneficial in all content areas

9. Technology Instructional Issues
• Limits personal interaction with peers.
• May limit social development gained through
interaction, such as sharing, manners, and
cooperative skills.
• Economically challenging.
• May not directly support content and/or
standards.
• Teachers not properly trained to implement or
utilize the technology.

10. http://www.edutopia.org/tech-to-learn-differentiated-instruction-interactive-
games-video
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Click the link above for additional
information.

11. Differentiated instruction in the classroom can
be achieved through the use of:
Inquiry-Based
Instruction

12. Inquiry-Based Instruction
"Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember,
involve me and I understand." This is the essence
of inquiry-based learning, according to Joe Exline
(Inquiry-based Learning, 2012).
Inquiry promotes involvement that leads to
understanding. Such involvement in learning
supports possessing skills and attitudes that
require students to seek resolutions to questions
and issues while constructing new knowledge.
Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation, 2012

13. Beneficial in Math & Science
Inquiry-based instruction allows students to
construct their own understanding of
information.
Rote memorization is replaced by thought
provoking questions that stimulate long-term
understanding.
Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation, 2012

14. Outcomes of Inquiry-Based Learning
Students should gain useful information and
skills that are directly related to real world task.
Through the process of inquiry, students are
discovering important information to support
conceptual context needed for learning.

15. Inquiry –based learning is one the most popular
differentiation strategies in math and science
because of the sub-categories associated with
this strategy:
• Problem-based Learning
• Project-based Learning
• Journals that utilize prompts
• Cooperative Learning Groups

16. Inquiry-Based Instruction
Instructional Issues
• Lesson plans and preparation are time
consuming.
• Is less time efficient for some concepts
(addition, subtraction, definitions) that are
better taught through direct instruction.
• Teachers can impede the process by failing to
facilitate properly.
• Students can end up with the wrong solution.
Whitt, The Impact of Inquiry-Based Learning on the
Academic Achievement of Middle School Students 2010

17. http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=155631
Inquiry-Based Instruction in Action
Click link above for additional
information.

18. Differentiated instruction in the classroom can
be achieved through the use of:
Flexible Grouping

19. Flexible Grouping
Flexible grouping is the foundation of American
education. First utilized in the one-room
schoolhouse were students of every age were
taught in the same location. Increased
populations resulted in the need for larger
classes which ultimately led to grouping
students by age. This change ushered the
movement for whole-class instruction.
Valentino, 2000

20. Types of Flexible Grouping:
Teacher-Led
Teacher-led groups are the most common and traditionally
used form of instruction in classrooms. Teacher-led groups are
best used to introduce material, summarize information, and
provide direct individual instruction and/or attention.
• Whole-Class Instruction - most common practice until
recently. Typically used as an introduction or review of
information. Full class involvement.
• Small-Group Instruction - teacher led instruction directed at
to a small group. Typically homogenous learning group to
support specific needs.
• One to One Instruction - direct instruction from the teacher
to an individual. Great for informal assessment or
additional support for special circumstances.
Valentino, 2000

21. Student Led
Student-led groups afford students the opportunity to take
responsibility for personal learning. These groups tend to
model “real world” situations requiring team work. Working
with a diverse group of peers enhances social skills as well as
provides students with new ideas and a different way of
solving problems.
• Collaborative Groups-requires students to collaborate on
ideas to solve problems or complete a task. Typically a
small group.
• Circle Sharing-a whole class grouping allowing the class to
contribute to an idea or project. Students sit in a circle and
record responses. Great class brainstorming activity.
• Four Corners-requires students to accomplish a small
portion of a project. Each station or work center is
responsible for their portion which will be added to a final
product. Valentino, 2000

22. Performance-Based Groups
Performance based groups are short term
arrangements to complete a task. These groups are
successful at proving additional support in
understanding of specified concepts or skills.
• Group Study – best when used after whole-group
instruction. Small groups work better but must be
closely monitored for accuracy.
• Interview for Options - best when used after
individual work. Group members interview each
other to gain an understanding of how peers
solved a problem or completed a task.
Valentino, 2000

23. Flexible Grouping
Instructional Issues
• Developing lesson plans that are meaningful and
meet the standards requires forward planning.
• Teacher-led groups may not support all learning
styles; visual, kinesthetic, etc.
• Grouping promotes peer review of information
which could reinforce incorrect concepts or skills.
• Student-led groups could result in inaccurate
information.
• Homogenous groups could limit lower level
learners from benefiting from higher level
thinking skills presented in heterogeneous
groups.
Valentino, 2000

24. Differentiated instruction in the classroom can
be achieved through the use of:
Center-based
Learning

25. Center-based Learning
• Learning centers are specified locations in the classroom
where students engage in pre-determined learning
activities (TeacherVision, 2012).
• Three types of center based learning (TeacherVision, 2012) .
– Enrichment Centers
– Skill Centers
– Interest and Exploratory Centers
• Center-based learning enables students to learn
independently through hands-on activities (Rateliff-Barr, 2012).
• Students can actively move through centers to interact with
lessons and peers (Rateliff-Barr, 2012).
• All content areas can use center-based learning to include
mathematics and science.

26. Center-based Learning Advantages
• Teachers can tier or scaffold lessons for
different learning levels or styles
• Encourages independent learning and permits
construction of personal meaning
• Offers flexibility and choice
• Social interaction with fewer disciplinary
issues
• More efficient use of student learning time

27. Center-based Learning Issues
• Increased planning time
• Difficult to procure materials
• Viewed as informal or unstructured
• Teacher needs to consistently demonstrate
withitness
• Off task behavior can become common
• Hard to assess student performance

28. Learning Centers in Action
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94cmgLBE
dSE
Click the link for additional information.

29. Lesson Plan Description
Project-Based
Graphing Project
This lesson would be used as a culminating
project or an assessment. Student will have
completed lessons to gather data, classify data,
create a graph, and interpret information on a
graph.

30. Project Based Lesson Plan
This is a project to be completed at home with
parental or guardian support.
Students will:
• Pick a topic
• Survey a minimal of 10 people
• Create a graph to represent data
Graph must be properly labeled and include a
key.

31. Project Based Lesson Plan
• A letter to parents and a sample will be
provided for reference.
• The letter and sample will be introduced to
the students as the closing activity of the final
lesson for the unit.
• The class will complete the project as a group,
creating the sample which will be taken home
and used as a guide.

32. Summary
• Differentiation
• Four Current Trends
– Technology
– Inquiry-Based Instruction
– Flexible Grouping
– Center-Based Learning
• Lesson Plan Description
• References

33. References
A Different Place. (2009). A differentiated classroom. Retrieved from
http://www.adifferentplace.org/classroom.htm
Barr, K. R. (2013). What is center-based learning? Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/info_7755167_centerbased-learning.html
Borovoy, A. E. (2012). Tech2Learn series: Differentiating instruction through interactive
games. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/tech-to-learn-differentiated-
instruction-interactive-games-video
Differentiation in the Classroom (2012, December). What is
differentiation/differentiated instruction? Retrieved from
http://www.differentiationintheclassroom.com/p/what-is-
differentiationdifferentiated.html
Ohio Department of Education. (2012). Using effective instructional strategies:
Grouping and differentiated instruction. Retrieved from
http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ode/ims/rrt/research/Content/grouping_what_we_kn
ow.asp
TeacherTube (n.d.) 5th grade science lesson. Retrieved from
http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=155631

34. References
Teacher Vision. (n.d.). Learning centers. Retrieved from
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/learning-center/new-teacher/48462.html
Thirteen Ed Online (2004). What is inquiry-based learning? Retrieved from
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html
Utah Education Network. (2012). Learning centers: Providing a wide variety of learning
activities. Retrieved from http://www.uen.org/k-
2educator/learning_centers.shtml
Valentino, C. (2000). Flexible grouping. Retrieved from
http://www.eduplace.com/science/profdev/articles/valentino.html
Witt, C. (2010). The impact of inquiry-based learning on the academic achievement of
middle school students. Retrieved from
http://www.academia.edu/724764/The_Impact_of_Inquiry-
Based_Learning_on_the_Academic_Achievement_of_Middle_School_Students
YouTube. (2008, July). Learning centers. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94cmgLBEdSE