Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to all students’ learning needs. All the students have the same learning goal. But the instruction varies based on students’ interests, preferences, strengths, and struggles.
Instead of teaching the whole group in one way (like a lecture), a teacher uses a bunch of different methods. This can include teaching students in small groups or in one-on-one sessions.
Students have “multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn,” says Carol Ann Tomlinson, an educator who has done innovative work in this area.
According to Tomlinson, there are four areas where teachers can differentiate instruction:
Content: Figuring out what a student needs to learn and which resources will help
Process: Activities that help students make sense of what they learn
Projects: Ways for students to “show what they know”
Learning environment: How the classroom “feels” and how the class works together
This approach works well with the response to intervention (RTI) process used in some schools. The goal of RTI is to address learning struggles early. Students get extra support before they fall behind their peers.
