1. INSTRUCTION FOR DIVERSE
LEARNERS
Bartholomew, University of New England

2. “Eighty percent of differentiation is mind-set; the rest
is craft”
(Wormeli, 2007)

3. A mistake we often make in education is to plan
the curriculum materials very carefully, arrange
all the instructional materials wall to wall, open
the doors of the school, and then find to our
dismay that they’ve sent us the wrong kids.

4. Characteristics of good instruction
 How do we get students to achieve the objectives?
 Explicit
 Research-based
 Engaging
 Informed
 Ready for the “what ifs”

5. Explicit Instruction
 Also known as direct instruction
 “I do, we do, you do”
 Lesson Plan structure:
 Modeling
 Guided practice
 Independent practice

6. Strategy Instruction
 A type of explicit instruction
 Provides students with a strategy to completing
academic tasks
 Reading
 Writing
 Math
 Studying
 Test
taking
 Working together

7. Strategy Instruction
 Strategy is typically made up of stages of instruction.
 Students are taught a strategy to completing tasks
 Usually has a mnemonic
 Example:
 Example: Self-regulated, Strategy Development (SRSD) for
writing
 Set writing goals Students are taught
this through a
 Self-instruct mnemonic
 Self-monitor
 Self-reinforce

8. Strategy Instruction
SRSD for Writing
 POW + WWW
 Pickmy idea
 Organize my notes
 Write and say more
 Who
 When
 Where

9. Strategy Instruction
Inference Strategy
1. Interact with the questions and the passage
2. Note what you know
3. Find the clues
4. Explore any supporting details
5. Return to the question

10. Model
 Always model new activities
 What is a good example of an activity that failed in
this classroom because of lack of modeling?
 Think out loud as you go through the process.
 First, I do this…
 I think this is next…
 I wonder what would happen if I did this…
 I know to do this next because…
 I need to check my work…
 I did it!

11. Engaging
 How do we deliver engaging instruction?
 Go back to your pre-assessments: learning preferences,
interests
 Show enthusiasm for the topic
 Activate prior knowledge
 Hook
 Use technology
 Multiple intelligences

12. Informed
 Why? Assessment!!
-informal
 Keeps students engaged -formative
 Quick and dirty assessment
 What?
1. Response cards and choral responding
 Gives students time to answer
 Refocuses off-task students
 Helps when there are “blurters”

13. Active student responding: when to
use…
 Choral responding
 Short and same answers
 Facts
 Repetition
 Response cards
 Short and different or same kind of answer
 Opinions OR facts
 Different modes
 Color cards
 Fingers
 Head nods

14. What about small groups?
 Cooperative learning
 Stations/centers
 Independent work
 Review activities
 Practicing new skills (after guided practice)
 Flashcards
 Games
 Computer
 Students may not always be working with you but
you will always be working with students

15. What ifs?
 Always be prepared for the idea that a student
might not “get it” at first.
 What prompting can you provide?
 How can you help them get there while still maintaining
the class?
 How can you anticipate these issues and provide some
universally-designed instruction to avoid them?

16. Review
 To sum up…
 Your lessons should:
 Be explicit-teach students what they need to do the activity.
Don’t make it a puzzle!
 Be engaging-use active student responding, BE FUN!
 Be informed-use formative assessment techniques, check for
understanding
 Be ready for what if? How can you help the student who
just doesn’t get it?