Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Alexandria, Virginia USA

222 Pages·2005·1.5 MB·English

by  Cindy Stock

CommonSenseDI Title&Tabs 6/21/05 10:12 AM Page 1
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Alexandria, Virginia USA
About the Developers
This guide was developed by Carol Ann Tomlinson, professor of educational leadership,
foundations, and policy at Curry School of Education, University of Virginia; Jessica Hockett,
a doctoral student at Curry School of Education, University of Virginia; and Leslie J. Kiernan,
video producer and program manager, ASCD.
The video program was produced by ASCD.
We gratefully acknowledge the support and participation of Conway Elementary School,
LaDue School District, St. Louis, Missouri;Albert Leonard Middle School, Isaac E. Young
Middle School, and New Rochelle High School, City School District of New Rochelle, New
York; Crestview Middle School and Marquette High School, Rockwood School District,
Eureka, Missouri; and Riverside Elementary School and Walt Whitman Middle School, Fairfax
County Public Schools, Fairfax, Virginia.
ASCD Staff
Video Production
Leslie J. Kiernan,Producer
Ann Cunningham-Morris,Team Member
Deborah Perkins-Gough,Team Member
Perry Katz,Project Assistant
Manual Production
Gary Bloom,Director, Design and Production Services
Mary Beth Nielsen,Manager, Editorial Services
Kimberly Pifer,Copy Editor
Tracey A. Franklin,Production Manager
Dina Murray Seamon,Production Specialist
Georgia Park,Senior Graphic Designer
Cynthia Stock,Desktop Publisher
ASCD is a community of educators, advocating sound policies and sharing best practices to
achieve the success of each learner. Founded in 1943, ASCD is a nonpartisan education
association with headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
ASCD publications present a variety of viewpoints. The views expressed or implied in the
video program and manual should not be interpreted as official positions of the Association.
Copyright © 2005 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1703
North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714 USA. All rights reserved. Materials in
the Handouts and Overheads and the Readings and Resources sections of this manual are
intended for use in face-to-face workshops designed as part of this video staff development
program. For this purpose, materials in these sections of the guide may be reproduced. Any
other use of these materials is prohibited, unless written permission is granted by ASCD.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Telephone: [phone], or 1-703-578-9600
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.ascd.org
ASCD Stock Nos.: Entire Set—in videotape format (Programs 1–3 and Facilitator’s Guide),
405138; Entire Set—in DVD format (Programs 1–3), 605138; Facilitator’s Guide, 405138FG;
Individual programs in videotape format only: Program 1, 405139; Program 2, 405140;
Program 3, 405141
ISBN 1-4166-0213-5,The Common Sense of Differentiation: Meeting Specific Learner Needs
in the Regular Classroom Series—in videotape format (Programs 1–3 and Facilitator’s Guide);
ISBN 1-4166-0218-6,The Common Sense of Differentiation: Meeting Specific Learner Needs
in the Regular Classroom Series—in DVD format (Programs 1–3 and Facilitator’s Guide);
ISBN 1-4166-0214-3, Facilitator’s Guide; Individual program in videotape format only:
ISBN1-4166-0215-1, Program 1,Discovering Learner Needs; 1-4166-0216-X, Program 2,
Techniques for Adjusting Instruction; ISBN 1-4166-0217-8, Program 3,Classroom Routines
____________________________________________________________________________
12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Introduction THE COMMON
The Common Sense of Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 SENSE OF
Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
DIFFERENTIATION:
Purpose of the Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
About the Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MEETING SPECIFIC
Series Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
LEARNER NEEDS
Role of the Workshop Facilitator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
IN THE REGULAR
Workshops
CLASSROOM
Preface to Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
A Special Note About Differentiating the Workshops. . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Program 1:Discovering Learner Needs
Workshop 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Workshop 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Program 2:Techniques for Adjusting Instruction
Workshop 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Workshop 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Program 3:Classroom Routines
Workshop 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Workshop 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Handouts and Overheads
Handout 1 The Common Sense of Differentiation—Program 1 . . . . 51
Handout 2 Explaining Differentiation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Handout 3 The Common Sense of Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Handout 4 Video Reflection Sheet—Program 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Handout 5 Prerequisite Skills Assessment Station . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Handout 6 Pre-Assessment Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Handout 7 Ongoing Assessment Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Handout 8 Learning Profile Assessment Station . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Handout 9 Interest Assessment Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Handout 10 The Common Sense of Differentiation—Program 2 . . . . 93
Handout 11 Adjusting for Human Variability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Handout 12 Techniques for Adjusting Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Handout 13 Adjusting Instruction to Benefit Clusters of Learners . . . 101
Handout 14 Individualizing Rubrics Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Handout 15 Providing Organizational Scaffolding Station . . . . . . . 109
Handout 16 Adapting Graphic Organizers Station . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Handout 17 Modifying Tests Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Handout 18 The Common Sense of Differentiation—Program 3. . . . 133
Handout 19 The Nature of Routines and Differentiation . . . . . . . . 137
Handout 20 Video Reflection Sheet—Program 3 . . . . . . . . . . 139
Handout 21 My Classroom Routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Handout 22 Adjusting Classroom Routines . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Overhead 1 Objectives of Workshop 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Overhead 2 Some Uses of Assessment to Discover
Learner Needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Overhead 3 Reflecting on the Video—Program 1. . . . . . . . . . 147
Overhead 4 Objectives of Workshop 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Overhead 5a Two Definitions of Differentiation—Part 1. . . . . . . 149
Overhead 5b Two Definitions of Differentiation—Part 2. . . . . . . 150
Overhead 6 Explanations of Differentiation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Overhead 7 Commonsense Themes of Differentiation . . . . . . . 152
Overhead 8 The Common Sense of Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . 153
Overhead 9 The Logic of Assessing to Discover Learner Needs . . 154
Overhead 10 Reflecting on the Video—Program 1. . . . . . . . . . 155
Overhead 11 Insights and Puzzlements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Overhead 12 Objectives of Workshop 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Overhead 13 Some Techniques That Address Learner Needs . . . . 158
Overhead 14 Reflecting on the Video—Program 2. . . . . . . . . . 159
Overhead 15 Objectives of Workshop 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Overhead 16 A Commonsense Idea of Differentiation—
Respectful Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Overhead 17 Thinking About Human Variability in
Commonsense Ways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Overhead 18 Adapting to Student Variability in the Classroom . . . 164
Overhead 19 The Voices in My Head. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Overhead 20 Objectives of Workshop 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Overhead 21a Managing Routines in the Differentiated
Classroom—Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Overhead 21b Managing Routines in the Differentiated
Classroom—Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Overhead 22 Reflecting on the Video—Program 3. . . . . . . . . . 169
Overhead 23 Objectives of Workshop 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Overhead 24 Painting a Portrait of the Differentiated Classroom. . . 171
Overhead 25 Classroom Routines and Differentiation . . . . . . . . 172
Overhead 26 Characteristics of Classroom Routines
That Support Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Overhead 27 Reflecting on the Video—Program 3. . . . . . . . . . 174
Overhead 28 Components of a Routine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Overhead 29a Considerations in Adapting a Routine—Part 1. . . . . . 176
Overhead 29b Considerations in Adapting a Routine—Part 2. . . . . . 177
Overhead 30 More Examples of Routines That Support
Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Overhead 31 From There to Here. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Readings and Resources
Reading 1 “Deciding to Teach Them All” by C. A. Tomlinson . . . 183
Reading 2 “Celebrating Diverse Minds” by M. Levine . . . . . . . 187
Reading 3 “Beyond the Gifted Stereotype” by C. M. Callahan . . . 193
Reading 4 “Reading Supports for All” by J. Fitzgerald and
M. F. Graves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Reading 5 “Fragile Brains” by E. Jensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

CommonSenseDI Title&Tabs 6/21/05 10:16 AM Page 1

The Common
W
hen confronted with a contemporary classroom, teachers typically
face the challenge of structuring opportunities for learning in ways Sense of
that can meet students’wide range of needs. A single classroom likely
Differentiation
contains students with strong passions for particular subjects and high
skill levels in those subjects sitting beside students who lack the funda-
mental background knowledge and skills required for success in the
same subjects. Or students identified as having special learning needs
seated beside students with no particular identification but whose learn-
ing needs are nonetheless unique and profound. Students differ in gender,
culture, language, opportunity, personal interest, and mode of learning.
Their motivation to succeed in school will vary, as will their support
systems for doing so.
How can a professional educator approach this array of backgrounds,
readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles with some sense of
optimism and confidence? This basic question lies at the heart of the
approach to teaching and learning known as differentiation. This
video-based staff development series offers foundations and strategies
for teachers to enhance the understandings and skills necessary for devel-
oping classrooms effective in addressing a wide range of learner needs.
Differentiation is not a particular instructional strategy or formula but is
instead a way of thinking about and shaping teaching and learning. It
suggests that instructional planning should be shaped by who we teach as
well as what we teach. It suggests that crafting learning environments
that both affirm and challenge each student matters, just as planning
teacher presentations, student tasks, and assessments of student growth
matters. It suggests that flexible use of classroom elements—time, space,
materials, student groupings, and so on—serves more students more
effectively than does rigid use of those elements. It also reminds us that
both quality of curriculum and quality of instruction are important for
student success.
This video series is designed to encourage teachers to think of differenti-
ation not as something new or additional, but rather as the common sense
of quality teaching. At its core, differentiation is simply high-quality,
thoughtful teaching that builds on our best understanding of how stu-
dentslearnandwhatteacherscando tomaximizeeach student’s learning.
In other words, the series stresses the common sense of differentiation:
thinking about and applying the logic of understanding learning destina-
tions; checking to see where students are in relation to learning goals at
varied points along a learning journey; using what we learn about student
progress to adapt instructional plans to enhance learner success; and
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developing classroom routines that help both teacher and student maxi-
mize the capacity of each person in the classroom.
Assumptions
This series is based on the following assumptions:
1. Students differ as learners.Students of the same age are variously
shaped by background, particular strengths and weaknesses,
language, culture, gender, interests, dreams, ways of processing
ideas, and level of maturity, along with a host of other variables.
2. Student differences affect learning.All students come to the
classroom able to learn—but able to learn in different ways.
The factors that shape students, for better or worse, also shape
their learning.
3. The most effective teachers seek to know and understand their
students as learners.Teachers who persist in developing insights
about particular learners are better positioned to respond to learner
needs than those who do not.
4. It is critical for teachers to develop and maintain clarity about
essential learning goals.Essential learning goals are the roadmap
for the learning journey in the classroom. When the goals are
ambiguous, the learning destination more uncertain, learning will
likely diminish.
5. It is necessary to persistently assess where students are in regard
to essential learning goals.Awareness of a student’s position
relative to critical outcomes provides insight about the instructional
adjustments necessary to support that student’s continual progress
toward essential goals.
6. Students with varied exceptionalities often share common needs.
For example, many kinds, or categories, of learners need support in
becoming more competent readers.
7. Teachers who utilize powerful instructional techniques to benefit
one kind of student will likely find that other students benefit
from the same strategy.Students who are learning English need
support in developing critical vocabulary—but so do many students
with learning disabilities, students from economically disadvantaged
backgrounds,studentswithgeneralvocabularydifficulties,andsoon.
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