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Differentiated Instruction

7 Strategies for Differentiated Math Instruction

Math classrooms are mosaics of strengths and experiences. When we have students with diverse backgrounds—with various languages, achievements, and interests—in the same space, everyone learns from each other and broadens their world.

On the flip side, though, teaching math to a broad array of students can be challenging. Do you struggle to reach all of your students? Are you a newer teacher who is looking to improve your practice? The strategies for differentiated instruction provided here might help you out.

What Is Differentiated Math Instruction?

Differentiated math instruction refers to the collection of techniques, strategies, and adaptations you can use to reach your diverse group of learners and make mathematics accessible to every single one. Dr. Timothy Kanold , former president of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM)—and HMH author— clarifies that differentiation in a math lesson is “differentiation on the entry points into the task for support or the exit point to advance student thinking.”

By applying various tools and strategies, such as incorporating technology, assigning hands-on projects, and teaching in math small-group formats, you can help every student meet expectations. We know that there are different schools of thought regarding what differentiation means. When we use the term, we are talking about providing student choice, voice, and agency. Differentiating instruction isn’t meant to add more work to your day. Quite the opposite, in fact; it’s meant as a teaching approach that will help you to reach more students in terms of accessibility and equity, making your job both easier and more effective in the long run.

Why Is Differentiating Math Instruction Important?

Some people think that math, more than any other subject, is the best fit for differentiation. Even though a 2018 survey by Texas Instruments found that 46% of kids said they really liked math, there are hundreds of books, websites, and memes discussing the difficulty of the subject. From the anxiety caused by there being only one correct answer to the cultural buy-in to the myth of being—or not being—a “math person” to the fear of solving a word problem, many students struggle with math. In addition, many students and educators alike find it hard to make the connection between math and the real world, which only increases disillusionment with the subject. That’s why it’s especially important to be open to new ways of providing instruction .

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) promotes differentiating math instruction for differences in learning as well as differences in achievement, interest, and confidence. NCTM advises that the need is greater in middle and high school, as higher-level math relies on more complex reasoning. When you differentiate your math instruction, you support all learners by targeting and addressing specific needs of groups and individual students.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Math

Do you need ideas for how to differentiate your teaching to be sure your math students are progressing? Below are seven differentiation strategies for math instruction, along with ways that you can use them in your math classroom. They serve as examples of differentiated instruction in math and may work better for some classrooms and math topics than others. Customize these ideas however you need to serve you and your students.

Strategy 1: Math Centers

For this, you’ll need to come up with a few activities your students can rotate through (be sure to browse our library of free activities and resources !), such as watching a video, reading an article, or solving a word problem. We spoke with Kristy McFarlane, an instructional supervisor at Sandshore Elementary School in New Jersey, about differentiation. She says math teachers at her school spend about 10 minutes on a mini-lesson for the whole class and then students spend about 15 minutes at various math centers. “They might meet with the teacher in a small group for extra help, use math software, do a game or project at the hands-on station, or do seat work based on the day’s mini-lesson,” she says.

Math centers are a powerful way to facilitate independent and small group learning within your classroom. Our Go Math! program, for example, is known for embedding resources and instructional time to math centers. If a select group of your students are all struggling to, say, add fractions, they may benefit from an activity that has them practice finding least common denominators. Think about ways to customize the groupings and centers so they’re perfect for your students’ strengths, misconceptions, and interests, and make use of tools that strategically group students and recommend activities for you.

Strategy 2: Activity Cards

Choice is an important part of differentiation, and letting students decide how they want to spend their time is a great way to appeal to various learning preferences. You’ll need to come up with math problems, tasks, or questions. As much as possible, use or create cards that span several lessons and offer options to work independently, with a partner, or in a small group. Ask for feedback so you can adjust future learning accordingly. Many of HMH’s math programs , including Into Math , Go Math! , and Into AGA include inquiry-based task and project cards that help teachers differentiate.

Strategy 3: Choice Boards

As we just mentioned, giving students the ability to make decisions about their learning is an important part of differentiation. A choice board is a graphic organizer that gives students activities to choose from. There are different types of choice boards, but they need to focus on specific learning needs, interests, and skills. Choice boards increase student ownership; students pace themselves and get to decide how to engage with information, along with how to demonstrate their learning. Some teachers create different versions of the same choice board; others will color-code options to signify topic, activity type, or expected level of challenge. Check out the choice board we developed for remote learning. This board covers all subjects but also includes a free template to get you started on a math-only version.

Strategy 4: Math Journals

Having students write about math is a great way for them to reflect on what they’ve learned and incorporate ELA instruction into the math classroom. Encourage your kids to summarize key points, answer open-ended questions, tie math into everyday experiences, or write about the most interesting or challenging math lesson. It’s also a way to provide an entry point for all students, including multilingual learners , as they can write a little or a lot in English or in their native language. Those who need extra support might be given sentence starters. Students might also be given the choice to illustrate their ideas instead of writing them. Similar to activity cards, math journals are included in many of HMH’s math programs, including Into Math and Into AGA .

Strategy 5: Learning Contracts

If metacognition is the ability to think about thinking—including about how you learn—we owe it to students to help them develop and expand their metacognitive skills. One way to do this is to work on learning contracts. Throughout the year, ask students to reflect on important lessons and set learning goals, including skills to learn or improve as well as new areas to explore. Use these learning contracts to help students learn to organize their thoughts. “One of our district’s goals is to have personalized learning opportunities for all students,” says McFarlane. “Each student creates a personalized success plan at the beginning of the year and does regular check-ins.” More broadly, metacognition is an idea that can be taught and practiced in the classroom and applies broadly to any subject.

Strategy 6: Math Games

Games are fun, motivational, and can help students deepen their mathematical reasoning. Some games encourage students to develop strategic and problem-solving skills or improve computational fluency. Seek out games where the math learning objective matches the game objective as a way for students to find joy in learning. Go Math! was designed to include both ready-made games for math centers and recommended games for differentiation within the teacher’s edition.

You can also use non-math games to provide a short mental break or a context for having math discussions. Look for ways to turn the game into mathematical discourse. How could you have scored more points? How much time did it take? What strategies did you use?

Strategy 7: Digital Math Practice

There are also lots of math apps and online tools that are designed to reinforce foundational understanding by allowing students to practice arithmetic and other math standards. In particular, seek out apps that are not simply timed drills with fun graphics, which are likely to make math anxiety worse for students who are not yet fluent in math facts. For digital math practice that extends far beyond just practicing arithmetic, our newest Go Math! for Grades K–6 has adaptive and personalized practice that aligns to our supplemental practice program, Waggle .

to you, consider giving your students problem-solving tasks with open-ended solutions. A single math problem can reveal different ways that students think about mathematics, which might be a less time-consuming way to assess student progress and determine an effective way to differentiate.

When you think critically about how to transform math instruction into differentiated math instruction, students will be more engaged because the content will be more relevant. They will achieve more success because they’ll be experiencing different types of activities, using various modalities, and contributing to the best of their abilities as they continue to grow.

HMH offers a variety of math classroom solutions to help you reach every student. Just looking for more articles and resources to help you differentiate math instructions? Try one of these to keep reading!

This blog post, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2022.

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October 26, 2021

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Problem Solving Activities: 7 Strategies

• Critical Thinking

Problem solving can be a daunting aspect of effective mathematics teaching, but it does not have to be! In this post, I share seven strategic ways to integrate problem solving into your everyday math program.

In the middle of our problem solving lesson, my district math coordinator stopped by for a surprise walkthrough. 

I was so excited!

We were in the middle of what I thought was the most brilliant math lesson– teaching my students how to solve problem solving tasks using specific problem solving strategies. 

It was a proud moment for me!

Each week, I presented a new problem solving strategy and the students completed problems that emphasized the strategy. 

Genius right? 

After observing my class, my district coordinator pulled me aside to chat. I was excited to talk to her about my brilliant plan, but she told me I should provide the tasks and let my students come up with ways to solve the problems. Then, as students shared their work, I could revoice the student’s strategies and give them an official name. 

What a crushing blow! Just when I thought I did something special, I find out I did it all wrong. 

I took some time to consider her advice. Once I acknowledged she was right, I was able to make BIG changes to the way I taught problem solving in the classroom. 

When I Finally Saw the Light

To give my students an opportunity to engage in more authentic problem solving which would lead them to use a larger variety of problem solving strategies, I decided to vary the activities and the way I approached problem solving with my students. 

Problem Solving Activities

Here are seven ways to strategically reinforce problem solving skills in your classroom. 

Seasonal Problem Solving

Many teachers use word problems as problem solving tasks. Instead, try engaging your students with non-routine tasks that look like word problems but require more than the use of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to complete. Seasonal problem solving tasks and daily challenges are a perfect way to celebrate the season and have a little fun too!

Cooperative Problem Solving Tasks

Go cooperative! If you’ve got a few extra minutes, have students work on problem solving tasks in small groups. After working through the task, students create a poster to help explain their solution process and then post their poster around the classroom. Students then complete a gallery walk of the posters in the classroom and provide feedback via sticky notes or during a math talk session.

Notice and Wonder

Before beginning a problem solving task, such as a seasonal problem solving task, conduct a Notice and Wonder session. To do this, ask students what they notice about the problem. Then, ask them what they wonder about the problem. This will give students an opportunity to highlight the unique characteristics and conditions of the problem as they try to make sense of it. 

Want a better experience? Remove the stimulus, or question, and allow students to wonder about the problem. Try it! You’ll gain some great insight into how your students think about a problem.

Math Starters

Start your math block with a math starter, critical thinking activities designed to get your students thinking about math and provide opportunities to “sneak” in grade-level content and skills in a fun and engaging way. These tasks are quick, designed to take no more than five minutes, and provide a great way to turn-on your students’ brains. Read more about math starters here ! 

Create your own puzzle box! The puzzle box is a set of puzzles and math challenges I use as fast finisher tasks for my students when they finish an assignment or need an extra challenge. The box can be a file box, file crate, or even a wall chart. It includes a variety of activities so all students can find a challenge that suits their interests and ability level.

Calculators

Use calculators! For some reason, this tool is not one many students get to use frequently; however, it’s important students have a chance to practice using it in the classroom. After all, almost everyone has access to a calculator on their cell phones. There are also some standardized tests that allow students to use them, so it’s important for us to practice using calculators in the classroom. Plus, calculators can be fun learning tools all by themselves!

Three-Act Math Tasks

Use a three-act math task to engage students with a content-focused, real-world problem! These math tasks were created with math modeling in mind– students are presented with a scenario and then given clues and hints to help them solve the problem. There are several sites where you can find these awesome math tasks, including Dan Meyer’s Three-Act Math Tasks and Graham Fletcher’s 3-Acts Lessons . 

Getting the Most from Each of the Problem Solving Activities

When students participate in problem solving activities, it is important to ask guiding, not leading, questions. This provides students with the support necessary to move forward in their thinking and it provides teachers with a more in-depth understanding of student thinking. Selecting an initial question and then analyzing a student’s response tells teachers where to go next. 

Ready to jump in? Grab a free set of problem solving challenges like the ones pictured using the form below. 

Which of the problem solving activities will you try first? Respond in the comments below.

Shametria Routt Banks

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2 Responses

This is a very cool site. I hope it takes off and is well received by teachers. I work in mathematical problem solving and help prepare pre-service teachers in mathematics.

Thank you, Scott! Best wishes to you and your pre-service teachers this year!

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20 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples [+ Downloadable List]

Written by Marcus Guido

Reviewed by Allison Sinclair, M.T.

Engage and motivate your students with our adaptive, game-based learning platform!

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• Teaching Strategies

1. Create Learning Stations

2. use task cards, 3. interview students, 4. target different senses within lessons, 5. share your own strengths and weaknesses, 6. use the think-pair-share strategy, 7. make time for journaling, 8. implement reflection and goal-setting exercises, 9. run literature circles, 10. offer different types of free study time, 11. group students with similar learning styles, 12. give different sets of reading comprehension activities, 13. assign open-ended projects, 14. encourage students to propose ideas for their projects, 15. analyze your differentiated instruction strategy on a regular basis, 16. “teach up”, 17. use math edtech that adjusts itself to each student, 18. relate math to personal interests and everyday examples, 19. play a math-focused version of tic-tac-toe, 20. create learning stations, without mandatory rotations.

As students with diverse learning styles fill the classroom, many teachers don’t always have the time, or spend additional hours to plan lessons that use differentiated instruction (DI) to suit students’ unique aptitudes.

Educator Carol Ann Tomlinson puts it beautifully in her book How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms :

Kids of the same age aren't all alike when it comes to learning, any more than they are alike in terms of size, hobbies, personality, or likes and dislikes. Kids do have many things in common because they are human beings and because they are all children, but they also have important differences. What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage. In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences become important elements in teaching and learning as well.

This can involve adjusting:

• Content — The media and methods teachers use to impart and instruct skills, ideas and information
• Processes — The exercises and practices students perform to better understand content
• Products — The materials, such as tests and projects, students complete to demonstrate understanding

To help create lessons that engage and resonate with a diverse classroom, below are 20 differentiated instruction strategies and examples. Available in a condensed and printable list for your desk, you can use 16 in most classes and the last four for math lessons.

Try the ones that best apply to you, depending on factors such as student age.

Provide different types of content by setting up learning stations — divided sections of your classroom through which groups of students rotate. You can facilitate this with a flexible seating plan .

Each station should use a unique method of teaching a skill or concept related to your lesson.

To compliment your math lessons, for example, many teachers use Prodigy to simplify differentiation .  You’ll deliver specific in-game problems to each student — or distinct student groups — in three quick steps!

Students can rotate between stations that involve:

• Watching a video
• Creating artwork
• Reading an article
• Completing puzzles
• Listening to you teach

To help students process the content after they've been through the stations, you can hold a class discussion or assign questions to answer.

Like learning stations, task cards allow you to give students a range of content. Answering task cards can also be a small-group activity , adding variety to classes that normally focus on solo or large-group learning.

First, make or identify tasks and questions that you’d typically find on worksheets or in textbooks.

Second, print and laminate cards that each contain a single task or question. Or, use Teachers Pay Teachers to buy pre-made cards . (Check out Prodigy Education's Teachers Pay Teachers page for free resources!)

Finally, set up stations around your classroom and pair students together to rotate through them.

You can individualize instruction by monitoring the pairs, addressing knowledge gaps when needed.

Asking questions about learning and studying styles can help you pinpoint the kinds of content that will meet your class’s needs.

While running learning stations or a large-group activity , pull each student aside for a few minutes. Ask about:

• Their favourite types of lessons
• Their favourite in-class activities
• Which projects they’re most proud of
• Which kinds of exercises help them remember key lesson points

Track your results to identify themes and students with uncommon preferences, helping you determine which methods of instruction suit their abilities.

A lesson should resonate with more students if it targets visual, tactile, auditory and kinesthetic senses, instead of only one.

When applicable, appeal to a range of learning styles by:

• Playing videos
• Using infographics
• Providing audiobooks
• Getting students to act out a scene
• Incorporating charts and illustrations within texts
• Giving both spoken and written directions to tasks
• Using relevant physical objects, such as money when teaching math skills
• Allotting time for students to create artistic reflections and interpretations of lessons

Not only will these tactics help more students grasp the core concepts of lessons, but make class more engaging.

Prodigy Math Game , for example, is an engaging way to gamify math class in a way that worksheets simply cannot. 👇

To familiarize students with the idea of differentiated learning, you may find it beneficial to explain that not everyone builds skills and processes information the same way.

Talking about your own strengths and weaknesses is one way of doing this.

Explain -- on a personal level — how you study and review lessons. Share tactics that do and don’t work for you, encouraging students to try them.

Not only should this help them understand that people naturally learn differently, but give them insight into improving how they process information.

The think-pair-share strategy exposes students to three lesson-processing experiences within one activity. It’s also easy to monitor and support students as they complete each step.

As the strategy’s name implies, start by asking students to individually think about a given topic or answer a specific question.

Next, pair students together to discuss their results and findings.

Finally, have each pair share their ideas with the rest of the class, and open the floor for further discussion.

Because the differentiated instruction strategy allows students to process your lesson content individually, in a small group and in a large group, it caters to your classroom’s range of learning and personality types.

A journal can be a tool for students to reflect on the lessons you’ve taught and activities you’ve run, helping them process new information .

When possible at the end of class, give students a chance to make a journal entry by:

• Summarizing key points they’ve learned
• Attempting to answer or make sense of lingering questions
• Explaining how they can use the lessons in real-life scenarios
• Illustrating new concepts, which can be especially helpful for data-focused math lessons

As they continue to make entries, they should figure out which ones effectively allow them to process fresh content.

But if you're struggling to see the value of journaling in a subject like math, for example, you can make time specifically for math journaling. While you connect journaling to your own math objectives, students can make cross-curricular connections.

If you want to learn more, check out K-5 Math Teaching Resources for a detailed overview . Angela Watson at The Cornerstone for Teachers also has great math journal resources you can use in your own class!

An extension of journaling, have students reflect on important lessons and set goals for further learning at pre-determined points of the year.

During these points, ask students to write about their favourite topics, as well as the most interesting concepts and information they’ve learned.

They should also identify skills to improve and topics to explore.

Based on the results, you can target lessons to help meet these goals . For example, if the bulk of students discuss a certain aspect of the science curriculum, you can design more activities around it.

Organizing students into literature circles not only encourages students to shape and inform each other’s understanding of readings, but helps auditory and participatory learners retain more information.

This also gives you an opportunity to listen to each circle’s discussion, asking questions and filling in gaps in understanding.

As a bonus, some students may develop leadership skills by running the discussion.

This activity makes written content — which, at times, may only be accessible to individual learners with strong reading retention -- easier to process for more students.

Free study time will generally benefit students who prefer to learn individually, but can be slightly altered to also help their classmates process your lessons.

This can be done by dividing your class into clearly-sectioned solo and team activities.

Consider the following free study exercises to also meet the preferences of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners:

• Provide audiobooks, which play material relevant to your lessons
• Create a station for challenging group games that teach skills involved in the curriculum
• Maintain a designated quiet space for students to take notes and complete work
• Allow students to work in groups while taking notes and completing work, away from the quiet space

By running these sorts of activities, free study time will begin to benefit diverse learners — not just students who easily process information through quiet, individual work.

Heterogenous grouping is a common practice, but grouping students based on similar learning style can encourage collaboration through common work and thinking practices.

This is not to be confused with grouping students based on similar level of ability or understanding.

In some cases, doing so conflicts with the “Teach Up” principle , which is discussed below.

Rather, this tactic allows like-minded students to support each other’s learning while giving you to time to spend with each group. You can then offer the optimal kind of instruction to suit each group’s common needs and preferences.

Instead of focusing on written products, consider evaluating reading comprehension through questions and activities that test different aptitudes.

Although written answers may still appeal to many students, others may thrive and best challenge themselves during artistic or kinesthetic tasks.

For example, allow students to choose between some of the following activities before, during and after an important reading :

• Participating in more literature circles
• Delivering a presentation
• Writing a traditional report
• Creating visual art to illustrate key events
• Creating and performing a monologue as a main character or figure

Offering structured options can help students demonstrate their understanding of content as effectively as possible, giving you more insight into their abilities.

Similar to evaluating reading comprehension, give students a list of projects to find one that lets them effectively demonstrate their knowledge.

Include a clear rubric for each type of project, which clearly defines expectations. In fact, some teachers have their students co-create the rubric with them so they have autonomy in the work they'll be completing and being assessed on. Doing so will keep it challenging and help students meet specific criteria.

By both enticing and challenging students, this approach encourages them to:

• Work and learn at their own paces
• Engage actively with content they must understand
• Demonstrate their knowledge as effectively as possible

As well as benefiting students, this differentiated instruction strategy will clearly showcase distinct work and learning styles.

As well as offering set options, encourage students to take their projects from concept to completion by pitching you ideas.

A student must show how the product will meet academic standards, and be open to your revisions. If the pitch doesn’t meet your standards, tell the student to refine the idea until it does. If it doesn’t by a predetermined date, assign one of your set options.

You may be pleasantly surprised by some pitches.  

After all, students themselves are the focus of differentiated instruction — they likely have somewhat of a grasp on their learning styles and abilities.

Even if you’re confident in your overall approach, Carol Ann Tomlinson — one of the most reputable topic thought-leaders — recommends analyzing your differentiated instruction strategies:

Frequently reflect on the match between your classroom and the philosophy of teaching and learning you want to practice. Look for matches and mismatches, and use both to guide you.

Analyze your strategy by reflecting on:

• Content — Are you using diverse materials and teaching methods in class?
• Processes — Are you providing solo, small-group and large-group activities that best allow different learners to absorb your content?
• Products — Are you letting and helping students demonstrate their understanding of content in a variety of ways on tests, projects and assignments?

In doing so, you’ll refine your approach to appropriately accommodate the multiple intelligences of students . It's important to note, however, that recent studies have upended the theory of multiple intelligences. Regardless of where you stand on the multiple intelligences spectrum, the differentiated instruction strategy above remains valuable!

Teaching at a level that’s too easily accessible to each student can harm your differentiated instruction efforts, according to Tomlinson .

Instead, she recommends “teaching up.” This eliminates the pitfall of being stuck on low-level ideas, seldom reaching advanced concepts:

We do much better if we start with what we consider to be high-end curriculum and expectations -- and then differentiate to provide scaffolding, to lift the kids up .

The usual tendency is to start with what we perceive to be grade-level material and then dumb it down for some and raise it up for others. But we don’t usually raise it up very much from that starting point, and dumbing down just sets lower expectations for some kids.

Keeping this concept in mind should focus your differentiated teaching strategy, helping you bring each student up to “high-end curriculum and expectations.”

It has also grown particularly popular in the 2020s as educators have focused more on accelerated learning by "teaching up", as opposed to filling learning gaps.

As Elizabeth S. LeBlanc, Co-Founder of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, writes for EdSurge : "Accelerated learning approaches give a lower priority to repetition or 'skill-and-drill' uses of instructional technology. In other words, it’s not about memorizing everything you should have learned, it’s about moving you forward so you pick things up along the way. "

Differentiated Math Instruction Strategies and Examples

Some EdTech tools — such as certain educational math video games — can deliver differentiated content, while providing unique ways to process it.

For example, Prodigy adjusts questions to tackle student trouble spots and offers math problems that use words, charts and pictures, as well as numbers.

To the benefit of teachers, the game is free and curriculum-aligned for grades 1 to 8. You can adjust the focus of questions to supplement lessons and homework, running reports to examine each student’s progress.

Join over 90 million students and teachers using Prodigy's differentiating power today. 👇

Clearly linking math to personal interests and real-world examples can help some learners understand key concepts.

Working with 41 grade 7 students throughout an academic year, a 2015 study published by the Canadian Center of Science and Education used contextual learning strategies to teach integers and increase test scores by more than 44%.

Striving for similar benefits may be ambitious, but you can start by surveying students. Ask about their interests and how they use math outside of school.

Using your findings, you should find that contextualization helps some students grasp new or unfamiliar math concepts.

There are many math-related games and activities to find inspiration to implement this tactic.

Help students practice different math skills by playing a game that’s a take on tic-tac-toe.

Prepare by dividing a sheet into squares — three vertical by three horizontal. Don’t leave them blank. Instead, fill the boxes with questions that test different abilities.

For example:

• “Complete question X in page Y of your textbook”
• “Draw a picture to show how to add fraction X and fraction Y”
• “Describe a real-life situation in which you would use cross-multiplication, providing an example and solution”

You can hand out sheets to students for solo practice, or divide them into pairs and encourage friendly competition . The first one to link three Xs or Os — by correctly completing questions —  wins. 

So, depending on your preferences, this game will challenge diverse learners through either individual or small-group practice.

Provide differentiated math learning opportunities for your students by setting up unique learning stations across your classrooms, but forgoing mandatory rotations.

The idea comes from a grade 9 teacher in Ontario, who recommends creating three stations to solve similar mathematical problems using either:

• Data — Provide spreadsheets, requiring students to manipulate data through trial and error
• People — Group students into pairs or triads to tackle a range of problems together, supporting each other’s learning
• Things — Offer a hands-on option by giving each student objects to use when solving questions

Only allow students to switch stations if they feel the need. If they do, consult them about their decision. In each case, you and the student will likely learn more about his or her learning style.

Supplemented by your circulation between stations to address gaps in prior knowledge, this activity exposes students to exercises that appeal to diverse abilities.

Downloadable List of Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples

Click here to download and print a simplified list of the 20 differentiated instruction strategies and examples to keep at your desk.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Infographic

Here’s an infographic with 16 ideas from this article, provided by  Educational Technology and Mobile Learning  — an online resource for teaching tools and ideas.

Wrapping Up

With help from the downloadable list, use these differentiated instruction strategies and examples to suit the diverse needs and learning styles of your students.

As well as adding variety to your content, these methods will help students process your lessons and demonstrate their understanding of them.

The strategies should prove to be increasingly useful as you identify the distinct learning styles in — and learn to manage — your classroom .

Interested in other teaching strategies to deploy in your classroom?

Differentiated instruction strategies overlap in important ways with a number of other pedagogical approaches. Consider reviewing these supplementary strategies to find more ideas, combine different elements of each strategy, and enrich your pedagogical toolkit!

• Active learning strategies   put your students at the center of the learning process, enriching the classroom experience and boosting engagement.
• As opposed to traditional learning activities,  experiential learning activities  build knowledge and skills through direct experience.
• Project-based learning   uses an open-ended approach in which students work alone or collectively to produce an engaging, intricate curriculum-related questions or challenges.
• Inquiry-based learning   is subdivided into four categories, all of which promote the importance of your students' development of questions, ideas and analyses.
• Adaptive learning  focuses on changing — or "adapting" — learning content for students on an individual basis, particularly with the help of technology.

👉 Create or log into your teacher account on Prodigy — a game-based learning platform that delivers differentiated instruction, automatically adjusting questions to accommodate player trouble spots and learning speeds. Aligned with curricula across the English-speaking world, it’s used by more than 90 million students and teachers.

• Try for free

Math Differentiation Strategies and Activities for Elementary Grades

Close learning gaps this Fall with differentiated math instruction

This resource provides 5 strategies and 2 editable tools and activities for how to plan differentiated math instruction and implement it for your entire class. With a focus on meeting students "where they are" and designing math instruction to close pandemic-related learning gaps and meet individual student needs, this practical and ready-to-use packet of strategies and tools will help you quickly and easily support students at all levels across the elementary grades.

• 5 strategies with tips on how to put them into practice
• An editable planning template for math station rotation activities
• An editable math facts goal-setting and tracking sheet for students

Some of the strategies featured include:

Number talks, set goals for mastering math facts.

Featured 5th Grade Resources

Related Resources

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53 EASY Differentiation Strategies for Your Classroom

by Katrina | Nov 10, 2021 | Teacher Tips & Hacks | 13 comments

Just after I started in my first teaching position, I remember sitting in a whole school staff meeting on differentiation strategies and feeling sooooo overwhelmed. How on earth was I meant to adjust all the different activities to meet all the different needs of my students? Did that mean I had to create 30 different lesson plans? How was I meant to do that as well as keep on top of my marking and assessment task writing and… you get the drift. I completely freaked out. 

It wasn’t until later in my career that I really started to understand what differentiating actually is and how it can be manageable on a daily basis if you have the right differentiation strategies. 

That’s where this post comes in! I’ve created a list of 53 low prep differentiation strategies that are easy to implement on a daily basis and don’t require multiple lesson plans! If you’re a teacher leader who is looking for ways to differentiate professional development for teachers then see my blog post  here .

So grab a coffee and sit back and relax while I give you a list of differentiation strategies in the classroom to make your job easier!

list of differentiation strategies in the classroom

Disclaimer: This blog post, ’53 easy differentiation strategies for your classroom’, may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something from these links I may get a small commission to help support this blog (with no extra cost to you).  Read full disclaimer here . 

What are differentiation strategies?

Carol Ann Tomlinson defines differentiation strategies as the practices of proactive planning and inclusivity to ensure the learning experiences are accessible to all learners to meet their individual learning needs.

I love this definition as it really encompasses the main point – that differentiation strategies are used to meet the learning needs of students. 

Differentiation is an understanding of student learning needs and how to meet them. It requires successful incorporation of multiple strategies in order to meet the individual needs of those in your classroom. It  is not individualised learning and  does not require multiple lesson plans from you.

list of differentiation strategies

What areas can you use differentiation strategies for in the classroom?

According to Tomlinson (2000), there are 4 ways you can incorporate differentiation strategies in the classroom to foster learning opportunities.

1. Differentiate the Content

Differentiating the content means ensuring each student starts where they need to. Some students may need to start at an introductory level, while others can jump in at the extension questions. 

This also includes how students receive the content. For instance, whether they receive the content via the teacher, a video, visual resources, etc. 

2. Differentiate the Product

Differentiation strategies relating to the product can refer to either the end product students produce to demonstrate their learning, or the standard of that product. 

3. Differentiate the Process

The process or method used is how students engage with the content. An example might be that you explicitly teach one group while having another do some research, or watch a video or do some hands-on modelling.

This also includes differentiation strategies that make the learning accessible or achievable. An example may include providing more processing time for individual students. Another could be providing scaffolding that breaks down the concepts into manageable chunks.

4. Differentiate the Environment

The environment shapes how or where the activity is completed – this includes whether students complete the activity in groups or individually, and where they might complete that work in the classroom.

Now, let’s get onto the good stuff!

The ultimate list of differentiation strategies 

53 easy differentiation strategies in the classroom, list of differentiation strategies: content, 1. provide various entry levels.

Some students might need instruction from the foundations of the topic. Others might need to explore the concept on a deeper level. 

Here are some easy, low prep ways to do this practically:

• Divide your questions for a topic into sections so they gradually increase in difficulty. You can either let students choose which section they begin in or allocate those sections.
• Allow students to choose whether they listen to explicit instruction. After doing some pretesting it may become obvious that some students already have a good knowledge of the topic you are about to teach. 
• Provide the opportunity for peer teaching. If you have some students who already understand the concept then allow them to teach some of their peers. 
• In a textbook or worksheet with multiple questions, students have to get 3 answers correct in a row in each section before moving on to the next. This means those who have understood the content and are ready to move forward will be able to and it immediately differentiates the work for the entire class. 

2. Incorporate videos

Videos are a great resource to use for differentiation if teaching a mixed ability class. 

Instead of having the class watch the video together, allow students to watch it individually with headphones. This allows those who need to rewind and rewatch certain parts to do this. 

Often I pair my videos with questions. My higher ability students are able to watch the whole video and then answer the questions. For my students needing more support, I give less questions and allow them to complete while watching the video and pausing when they understand the answer. Those needing even more support are provided with the approximate time in the video that the question is answered. list of differentiation strategies list of differentiation strategies

3. Jigsaw activities

Jigsaw is a way of grouping students. First, students are split into groups where, as a group, they are to research / investigate / learn about a specific part of the topic. 

For example, for studying renewable and non renewable resources in science, one group might study solar energy, another wind energy, another fossil fuels etc. Once they have become ‘experts’ at their given topic they then get split into mixed groups where each student is considered the ‘expert’ of their own topic. In this group each student takes a turn to teach the group about their area. 

This can be done with random assignments of groups, or you can sort students into groups and provide the expert topic based on their learning needs. For example, solar energy may be easier for students to research than fossil fuels.

4. Incorporate student interests

Being able to know your students well enough to incorporate their interests can sometimes be overwhelming – particularly at the beginning of the school year. 

However, there are differentiation strategies you can use to do this without knowing all their individual likes, hobbies and sports. 

For example, in teaching physics I like to have students choose one of Newton’s laws and write about how it applies in a sport or hobby of their choice.

5. Changing the context or application

The context or application of the learning can be differentiated. For example, one group of students may apply their learning to an everyday example, while another may apply it to an industrial example. 

6. Scaffolded notes

Scaffolded notes give students freedom to express their understanding while also being able to ‘doodle’ with diagrams, colouring or sketches. I like to use these super simple note-taking templates for topic summaries or while watching a video.

Click here to get them for FREE!

I actually find that my extension students often need this type of scaffolding to help become more concise in their notes. 

7. Encourage cross-curricular application

Some students might be ready to apply their knowledge across subject areas. By incorporating this type of learning, your extension or gifted students will be able to engage in critical thinking and higher order thinking skills. 

8. Less ‘drills’ and more problem solving 

If your pretesting shows that students already have a good knowledge base, allow them to skip the drills and launch straight into the application and problem solving questions. 

9. Have students write their own questions

Another way to extend students would be to ask them to write their own questions. This works well if you can pair up some of your extension students to work together. That way they can each write a question, have their peer complete it, then swap back again to mark their peer’s answer. The level of understanding and critical thinking required to write an appropriate question is far superior to that needed just to answer a question. However, all students can still engage at their own level.

Any differentiation strategies that include students doing more of the work than you is a win! 

10. Graphic organisers / visual representation

Graphic organisers allow for the visual processing of concepts and ideas, and more specifically how they connect to other concepts and ideas. A way to differentiate using these is providing students who need extra support with a graphic organiser or a scaffolded graphic organiser, while those who need extension could create a graphic organiser. 

11. Task cards

Task cards are an easy activity to provide to the whole class. Why have I included it in my favourite differentiation strategies list?

Because they provide options of student choice. Choice in the order they complete the task cards and choice in how many they complete. 

12. Add personification

Personification is my favourite of all differentiation strategies for engaging higher order thinking skills for students. This can be so easily added to any worksheet, activity, or task and super easy to add into a lesson if some students finish their work early. 

So what is it?

Personification is attributing human characteristics or personality to something that isn’t human.

Therefore, to incorporate personification into learning ask students to answer questions like these examples below:

• English: What would a fictional book say to a non fictional book?
• Science: What would a conical flask say to a beaker?
• Shapes: What would a square say to a triangle?
• Chemistry: What hydrogen bond say to a dispersion force?
• English: What would a synonym say to a metaphor?
• Pythagoras: What would a hypotenuse say to a right angle?

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List of differentiation strategies: Product

13. offer choice for the type of activity or type of product.

I used to think this was so much work as I didn’t want to have to make 4 different lessons for students to choose. 

But you don’t have to do this! 

For example, research tasks are easy to differentiate in this way as students could choose how their final product will look. Will it be a brochure? A poster? Video? Slideshow? You can still provide the same success criteria and have students research the same key points, but give them choice in how they would like to present it.

For activities, rather than having students go through all stations set up around a room, give them a number to complete. If you set up 5 stations then ask students to choose three to complete. This also allows those who may finish sooner to have the opportunity to complete an extra station. It also means that for those students who need extra time you could easily differentiate and ask them to only choose two to complete.

14. Engage with their cultural background

Providing opportunity for students to engage with their cultural background can not only engage them but allows for differentiation in your classroom. This may be as simple as allowing them to research or apply the relevance of the topic to their cultural practices or traditions. 

15. Incorporate technology 

Technology provides a lot of options for choice for students to learn and demonstrate their learning. Students could choose whether the end product may be a short video, powtoon, infographic and so on. 

16. Differentiate the success criteria

While you might be providing students the same activity to complete, differentiation could come in with the success criteria you provide for students. Students who need some extension could have different levels of success criteria to meet. These could vary in terms of depth or breadth of understanding shown, or the quality of product produced.

17. Provide sophisticated language prompts

An example of this is providing sophisticated language examples to include in answers. For example, when explaining ask students to use words such as ‘consequently’ or ‘thereby’, rather than the words ‘and’ or ‘but’. 

18. Change the verb

Differentiating the verb used can prompt students to deliver various products. E.g. design, create, evaluate, assess, compare etc. Blooms taxonomy can be a helpful reference for this.

19. Allow for the expression of creativity

Allow students to be creative with the end product. This could be done by offering choice for presenting information via a model, diorama, painting, sculpture, drama, song etc. This is also one of the low prep differentiation strategies for you as it leans on student agency rather than your creation of new material.

20. Interview students

I’ve often come across student’s who struggle to express their level of understanding on paper, but can very clearly express it verbally. This is a great option for informal assessment and can be done during a regular class lesson. Differentiation strategies within interviewing could include the types of questions asked, the phrasing of the questions, the format you want them to answer in, the length of time given for an answer.

differentiation is the difference between busy work and learning #education #edchat #differentiation — The Animated Teacher (@katrina_harte) November 2, 2021

List of differentiation strategies: Process

21. use technology.

There are lots of different programs that allow for easy differentiation by offering students choice. For example, Quizlet allows students to choose how to learn the content. Choices include flashcards, multiple-choice questions, typing an answer, practicing spelling, matching the correct term to definition, or playing a game. 

Differentiation using technology could also be offering choice in the type of technology used. Students could choose whether to use a tablet, computer, phone or alternative.

22. Offer choice for the order they complete tasks

While there is often a need to have students complete tasks in a particular order, be aware of opportunities to change up that order. Allowing students to choose their own adventure allows students to learn the material in the order that makes sense for them. 

23. Use stations 

Stations allow for students to move around the room and often choose who they are working with and how long to spend on each activity. I will often use normal classroom activities, task cards or even just worksheets, and place them around the room and call them ‘stations’. Students have a choice of where to start, who to work with, and how to stand / sit / group around the station.

24. Cut and paste activities 

Allowing for students to physically manipulate something can be so powerful for those needing adjustments. It helps their brain to process the information in a new way. This can be easily done in class with simple worksheets. For example, if you are wanting students to match the term with the glossary definition then provide students with a printable version they could cut and paste. This offers another opportunity to provide choice as students could choose to cut and paste, or use colour coding, or write the term in the box with the definition. Three different options for one activity and no extra prep from you!

25. Use virtual or augmented reality

As a science teacher, I find the hardest areas to support my students in are those concepts that are theoretical concepts or those which we cannot see physically. For example, teaching atoms and molecules. Virtual or augmented reality programs allow students to visualise things that usually wouldn’t be possible. My favourites to use in science are the Google AR periodic table and this 3D periodic table .

26. Hands-on learning

Providing students with the opportunity to explore learning in a hands-on way provides immediate differentiation as students will engage in a way that makes sense to them. To differentiate you could provide multiple types of materials for students to choose from. For example, to learn about ratios in maths I provided both cordial and paint for students to explore. 

27. Modelling

Modelling can be done in many different ways. It could involve going through step by step showing students exactly how you want them to go about solving a problem. This could be done while sending your extension students off to investigate the topic. Modelling a process could also be done by providing a scaffolded worksheet for students who need it.

28. Inquiry-based learning and project-based learning

Inquiry-based learning is about students discovering the answer to a problem while project-based learning is about exploring the ‘why’ of an answer. Both of these options allow for varying levels of exploration by students and allow for choice in how they go about investigating. 

29. Incorporating STEM or STEAM projects

Using STEM or STEAM in the classroom has the benefits of cross-curricular activities and project-based learning while also fostering student development in critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. Often differentiation strategies for these kinds of activities happen organically as students are drawn towards their own interests and inquiry. list of differentiation strategies

30. Cloze passages 

Cloze passages are easy to differentiate quickly by choosing what level of support you want to give your students. Here are some examples of varying levels of support you could provide:

• No word bank. This also provides students with the opportunity to use their choice of synonyms when filling in the blanks.
• Providing the first letter of each word with no word bank.
• Full word bank.
• Providing the first letter of each word with a full word bank.

31. Provide written or printed instructions broken down into steps

This is one of those differentiation strategies that you can do for the whole class rather than just a few students. It won’t hinder the rest of the class to have instructions broken down into steps. It is also important for students to have these visually represented to them so they can refer back as often as needed, whether it be printed or upon the board.

32. Change the reading level

It is important that students are given the opportunity to engage in learning by being provided with resources that are at an appropriate reading level. Use programs such as Choosito to find passages and activities at appropriate reading levels. Learning A-Z provide high quality differentiated learning materials that include various reading levels for multiple subject areas.

33. Try a self-paced classroom

I recently had a year 11 Earth & Environmental Science class in which I had students at both ends of the spectrum and everything in between. So I decided to try what I call a self-paced classroom.

I set up the learning for each week and students were to go to their assigned document and complete each activity at their own pace. If they came to a part that needed explicit instruction or an experiment then they would let me know and we would do it together. This allowed for more differentiation strategies to be used in class as I was able to tailor my instruction and be more hands-on during class.

While this initially took more planning at the beginning of each week, it absolutely made this class more manageable as each student could engage at their own pace and level. 

34. Provide sentence starters

For a lot of students needing extra support, they get overwhelmed by a task because they don’t know where to start. 

Therefore, providing sentence starters gets them moving and helps their brain start a train of thought. 

35. Provide extra processing time

This could be as simple as giving students fewer questions to complete in the same amount of time. 

36. Provide class discussion questions before discussion time

This allows students who need extra processing time to have the opportunity to still be a part of a class discussion. These could be a homework task or as simple as handing out the questions before marking the roll so the students have time to read the questions in advance. For some students, this could be the difference between being able to contribute to a class discussion, or not. 

37. Give warning before being called upon in class

Following on from the previous point, students may freeze or shut down when being called upon in class if they haven’t had a chance to consider and process the question. 

So, if the activity is to answer a few questions and then go through them as a class, you could go and quietly say to the student that you are going to ask their opinion about question #3. This gives them time to process it, time to ask you questions if they don’t understand, and time to make it an answer they are proud of.  

We need to keep students engaged, not busy. — Brian Aspinall (@mraspinall) October 11, 2021

38. Provide a list of websites 

Providing a list of reputable websites for students when asking them to do any type of research can be really helpful for steering them in the right direction. This is another time you could utilise Choosito to ensure students are able to access information at the appropriate reading level.

39. Scaffolding

Scaffolding is one of my favourite differentiation strategies and is useful in most topics to provide a model or structure to follow in order to solve a problem.

This could be as simple as providing boxes to write different thoughts in, or as intricate as providing step by step working out for solving complex mathematical problems.

Again this is something you could provide the whole class, and if extension students don’t feel they need it they can complete the same questions without the scaffold. 

40. Use programs that allow instructions to be read to them

For some students, something as simple as having instructions read out loud to them can allow them to be able to access the learning. Depending on what device they may be using there are different apps or plugins students could install for this purpose. 

41. Colour coding

Colour coding is a simple and effective strategy to implement in almost any class setting and provides a visual representation for the students who need it. This could be just highlighting keywords in green or adjectives in orange. I love to do this when teaching students how to ‘explain’ using colours to highlight the cause, effect and linking phrase in different colours. It could be using two different colours for showing opposites or grouping of information. 

42. Larger text fonts

Of all the differentiation strategies this one has to be the most simple and easiest to implement. But so often I see worksheets with tiny text or a font that is too hard to read.

Therefore, keep the creativity to the clip art images and ensure you are only using really easy fonts to read such as Arial or Georgia. 

43. More white space

Cramming as much as you can onto an A4 sheet for printing can be overwhelming for students trying to learn. 

So simplify your handouts by allowing more white space. 

44. Online programs 

There are many different programs out there for different subjects that provide high-quality learning activities for students. These can provide accessibility to students by allowing personalisation of the interface. This includes enlarging reading text and having instructions read aloud. Often these programs include built in differentiation strategies in the content.

List of differentiation strategies: Environment

45. group work.

Using multiple forms of grouping for students in a class provides differentiation as students take on different roles within their groups depending on who they are with. Some examples for grouping could be:

• Grouping students who need some extra support together. This will also allow you to provide this group with more explicit instruction as you move around the room.
• Grouping students of mixed ability together. This allows those who need extension to take on a leadership role within the group and have the opportunity to share their understanding with their peers.
• Groups based on choice. This could be student choice for who is in their group, or students could be grouped by their choice of activity. Both of these options allow for differentiated instruction and learning. 

46. Offer choice for how they work

Offering student choice leads to increased engagement as students feel they have ownership over their learning. Allowing students to choose how they work, whether it is individually, with a partner, as a small group, etc is an easy way to incorporate differentiation strategies into your classroom without loads of preparation. 

47. Where they complete the work

Allow students to choose whether to stand, use different chairs, sit on the floor, work outside etc. Taking a class outside for a lesson on the lawn is fantastic for this. Since there are no chairs, students can choose whether to sit, stand, lie on their stomachs, sit on a rock, choose to sit in the sun or the shade. So much choice!

48. Brain breaks

Brain breaks are so important for retaining high levels of student concentration when learning new concepts. Providing choice in how they have breaks enhances your differentiated classroom. 

49. Pair students of varied abilities

Pairing a student who may need extra support with a student who needs a challenge can be a great learning experience for both of them. 

50. Allow to complete work in a small group

Allowing some students to work in a small group as opposed to completing a task individually can be a good differentiation option. This provides the support of their peers and together they may be able to accomplish something that individually they wouldn’t have been able to.

51. Change the environment 

Changing the environment for students can be very powerful. This can include allowing for some students to sit in a more quiet space, while others can work in pairs. This could also include where the students’ desks are facing. One student may learn more effectively with their desk at the front of the room facing the board, while another can work opposite a peer.

52. Allow students to remove themselves from distraction

Similarly to above, this refers to allowing choice for students. For example, wearing noise-cancelling headphones or the freedom to move around the class if needed.  Allowing this freedom can allow students to take ownership over their learning and concentration by being able to change their environment if needed.

53. Allow gifted students to work together or with students from higher grade levels 

This isn’t always the easiest to organise but if there is an opportunity it can be an invaluable experience for students in both grades.

For instance, I once had a student in year 10 who was super passionate about biology and DNA. We organised for him to go and teach a lesson to the year 12 biology students. Needless to say, he was so chuffed and worked so hard to prepare for the lesson. The year 12 students were definitely taken aback by his depth of knowledge and understanding and it inspired them to take their learning beyond the curriculum too.

Differentiating your instruction does not have to be onerous. Use a combination of the above differentiation strategies to help plan your lessons. Remember that differentiation is about meeting the learning needs of your students. Give yourself some time to try a few different differentiation strategies to find what works for your students.

Enter your email below and I’ll send you a printable version of this list of differentiation strategies you can keep in your teacher planner!

Teacher leaders check out my blog post ‘ how to differentiate professional development for teachers ‘.

Share the love!

Don’t keep this list of differentiation strategies to yourself! Share with your teaching friends!

Did you find this helpful? Got some of your own awesome differentiation strategies?

Please comment below!

• Tomlinson, C. A., 2000. Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades . ERIC Digest . ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.  

Written by Katrina

13 comments.

Great ideas mam…. Thank you

This is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Short but very accurate information… Appreciate your sharing this one. A must read post!

Very nice design and style and fantastic subject matter, very little else we want 😀

This article is an appealing wealth of informative data that is interesting and well-written. I commend your hard work on this and thank you for this information. You’ve got what it takes to get attention.

Great website! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am bookmarking your feeds also

You ought to be a part of a contest for one of the greatest blogs on the internet. I’m going to recommend this blog!

Great ideas that are so practical to implement!

Thank you so much!

So incredibly helpful! Thanks for giving teachers so many ideas to help differentiate for students. I’m sure we all do some of these without even thinking about it. Loved reading your blog!

You’re most welcome! I am so glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful. You’re so right! We absolutely do many of these naturally. I think seeing it in black and white can help differentiation seem less intimidating for that exact reason.

What an amazing list of things any teacher can try to use. You have really helped me think about other strategies that I can use in class, Katrina. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you so much Liam. I am so glad you found it helpful!

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Creating a Differentiated Mathematics Classroom

What Is Mathematical Learning Style?

The style-strategy connection, fair and thoughtful tests, constructing a differentiated mathematics classroom.

Version 1: Classroom Strategies That Work Approach.

As a result of this unit, I will be able to

Use what I have learned about division to make calculations quickly and accurately.

Explain how and why I solve division problems the way I do.

Understand key terms: divide, divisor, dividend, quotient, remainder, fraction, decimal.

Use problem-solving strategies to solve challenging word problems about division.

Recognize when division is a useful strategy and apply it to everyday situations.

Personal goals during this unit: I will...

(Adapted from Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001)

Version 2: Differentiated Instruction Approach

During our study of division, we want to provide opportunities for you to learn about the topic in ways that work best for you. Number your choices from 1 to 6 (1 = easiest, 6 = most difficult).

__using manipulatives

__observing demonstrations

__sketching out the math situation

__comparing your work with a partner

__solving complex problems in a team

What do you already know about division?

What does “division” mean?

How would you explain doing division to someone in a younger grade?

What are some examples of division that you know how to do?

Where do people use division? And why?

(Adapted from Tomlinson, 2001)

Version 3: Combined Approach

In this unit, you will learn

How to use division to calculate quickly and accurately.

How to connect and apply division to everyday situations.

How to develop good explanations about how and why division works.

How to use problem-solving strategies, especially diagrams, to solve challenging word problems.

What's your interest?

We will be investigating a number of situations in which division is applied to situations in the real world. Rank these in order of interest, from 1 (most) to 4 (least):

___ sharing food fairly;

___ figuring out how fast a car is going;

___ making money;

___ spending money.

What does division mean?

Can you give an example of divisor, dividend, quotient, and remainder?

What is division for? Why do we need it?

What makes division difficult?

• Do different students possess different styles of mathematical learning?
• What is the relationship between the research on effective strategies and student styles of mathematical learning?
• What constitutes a fair and thoughtful assessment of student progress in mathematics, given students' personal differences when it comes to learning mathematics?
• The Mastery style: People in this category tend to work step-by-step.
• The Understanding style: People in this category tend to search for patterns, categories, and reasons.
• The Interpersonal style: People in this category tend to learn through conversation and personal relationship and association.
• The Self-Expressive style: People in this category tend to visualize and create images and pursue multiple strategies.

In interviews we conducted with more than 200 students over the past seven years, we consistently found these patterns of thinking. For instance, we presented students with the following problem:Nineteen campers are hiking through Acadia National Park when they come to a river. The river moves too rapidly for the campers to swim across it. The campers have one canoe, which holds three people. On each trip across the river, one of the three canoe riders must be an adult. There is only one adult among the 19 campers. How many trips across the river are necessary to get all the children to the other side?

• Students favoring the Mastery style learn most easily from teaching approaches that emphasize step-by-step demonstrations and repetitive practice. Students in this group struggle with abstractions, explanations, and non-routine problem solving. They define mathematics as proficiency in calculation and computation.
• Students favoring the Understanding style learn most easily from teaching approaches that emphasize concepts and the reasoning behind mathematical operations. These students struggle with work that emphasizes collaboration, application, and routine drill and practice. They define mathematics primarily in terms of explanations, reasons, and proofs.
• Students favoring the Interpersonal style learn most easily from teaching approaches that emphasize cooperative learning, real-life contexts, and connections to everyday life. Students in this group struggle with independent seatwork, abstraction, and out-of-context, nonroutine problem solving. They define mathematics primarily in terms of applications to everyday life.
• Students favoring the Self-Expressive style learn most easily from teaching approaches that emphasize visualization and exploration. These students struggle with step-by-step computation and routine drill and practice. They define mathematics primarily in terms of nonroutine problem solving.

Barb Heinzman, a 5th grade teacher, describes the connection between style-based differentiation and curriculum design for mathematics in this way:What I saw right away was that not only did different students approach mathematics using different learning styles, but real mathematical power required using all four styles. Think about it: If you can't compute accurately, explain your ideas, discover solutions, and apply math in the real world—you don't know math. Miss even one of these and you miss the boat. The problem with most math programs is they emphasize just one of these and leave out the rest. By building every unit so it includes all four styles of learning, I support all my students, and I stretch them into areas where they wouldn't naturally go. (cited in Strong, Silver, & Perini, 2001)

• Rotate strategies: Identify learning goals, then deliberately use multiple strategies over the course of a unit to guarantee that all students believe that the variety of strategies both validates their dominant style and challenges them to work in less preferred styles.
• Use flexible grouping: Identify a common purpose, such as developing accurate explanations in a unit on time, rate, and distance problems, and then divide students into different style groups that use alternate strategies. Style groups can validate or challenge students' dominant styles, depending on whether groups are style-alike or style-diverse.
• Personalize learning: When students struggle or need an extra challenge, shift the strategy to individualize their instruction. For example, a middle school math student with a penchant for creativity and imaginative exercises was having trouble internalizing the steps in the operation-solving process. His teacher then used a Self-Expressive strategy to challenge him to create a metaphor—he chose digestion—for the operation-solving process.
• Include all four dimensions of mathematical learning—computation, explanation, application, and problem solving—in every unit we teach;
• Help students recognize their own mathematical learning styles—Mastery, Understanding, Interpersonal, or Self-Expressive—along with their strengths, their weaknesses, and where they need to grow;
• Use a variety of teaching strategies to explore mathematical topics; and
• Create or revise our assessments to reflect all four dimensions of mathematical learning and all four learning styles that students use to approach those dimensions.

Briggs, K. C., & Myers, I. B. (1962/1998). Myers-Briggs type indicator, form M . Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

Hanson, J. R., & Silver, H. F. (1991). The learning preference inventory . Woodbridge, NJ: Thoughtful Education Press.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works . Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Silver, H. E., & Strong, R. W. (2003). Learning style inventory . Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: Thoughtful Education Press.

Strong, R. W., Silver, H. E., & Perini, M. (2001). Teaching what matters most . Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tang, E. P., & Ginsburg, H. P. (1999). Young children's mathematical reasoning: A psychological view. In L. V. Stiff & F. R. Curcio (Eds.), Developing mathematical reasoning in grades K-12 (pp. 45–61). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Thomas, E. (2003a). Styles and strategies for teaching high school mathematics (2nd ed.). Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: Thoughtful Education Press.

Thomas, E. (2003b). Styles and strategies for teaching middle school mathematics (2nd ed.). Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: Thoughtful Education Press.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms . Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2003). Differentiated instruction: The complex issue of academically diverse classrooms [Compact Disc]. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Matt Perini is senior director of publishing for Silver Strong & Associates and cofounder of Thoughtful Education Press where he oversees all aspects of content development, including publishing, training designs, customized curriculum development, and content-based marketing, providing educators with tools and strategies they can put to use immediately.

Perini has authored more than 20 books, curriculum guides, articles, and research studies covering a range of educational topics, including learning styles, multiple intelligences, reading instruction, and effective teaching practices. He is coauthor of ASCD’s bestselling The Core Six and The Strategic Teacher as well as series editor and contributing author for the award-winning Tools for Today’s Educators series.

Harvey Silver is president of Silver Strong & Associates and Thoughtful Education Press. An experienced educator, presenter, and coach, Silver has conducted thousands of workshops for schools, districts, and state education organizations throughout the United States.

Silver is the author of several articles and books on instructional tools and strategies, including some ASCD bestsellers:  The Core Six ,  The Strategic Teacher ,   So Each May Learn , and  Teaching What Matters Most .

With the late Richard Strong, Silver developed The Thoughtful Classroom—a renowned professional development initiative dedicated to "making students as important as standards” and collaborated with Matthew J. Perini to develop the Thoughtful Classroom Teacher Effectiveness Framework.

Richard Strong has been a contributor to Educational Leadership.

ASCD is a community dedicated to educators' professional growth and well-being.

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Differentiated Math Activities for 1st & 2nd Grade

Differentiated Math Activities With Math Sidekick

What is Math Sidekick? The Math Sidekick is your planning partner – that’s ME! Each month, members of Math Sidekick get access to differentiated math activities, centers, printables, and games!

Who is it for? – Math Sidekick was made for busy first and second-grade teachers that need a huge vault of differentiated math activities at their disposal!

So what’s so great about it? 52% of teachers say that the most difficult part of teaching math is differentiation! Therefore, finding activities that come in multiple levels can be SO time-consuming, so we’re here to help! Let us lighten your workload by providing math resources that come in multiple levels so you can differentiate so much easier!

What’s included in Math Sidekick? Each month, teachers in the Math Sidekick receive instant access to: 

• Math centers: Download hands-on activities, puzzles, task cards, and games! Each math center comes in two levels.
• Print & play activities: These partner games are a hit with students and require zero prep for the teacher! Every activity comes in two levels.
• Print & go worksheets: Assign independent practice activities easily with these differentiated worksheets. Every page comes in three levels!
• Exit tickets: Assessing students is easy with these quick, leveled exit tickets. Choose from three levels for every exit ticket!
• Video Tutorials: Join us each month for recorded tutorials and Facebook Live trainings filled with tips, tricks, and ideas to help support you.
• Facebook Community: Join other first and second grade teachers in our private Facebook community to ask questions and share advice with like-minded teachers!
• Access to the Membership Vault: Access over $100 worth of differentiated math centers, printables, assessments, and more!

With Math Sidekick you’ll be able to easily meet your student’s needs without taking up more planning time!

Join to Hear More!

Ready to be in the know for when the doors are open to join Math Sidekick so you can make planning a breeze? Just leave your information below and you’ll be the first to hear when the time comes!

Now, you’re one step closer to more free time with easily differentiated math lessons! Get more support and updates inside the Simply Creative Teachers Facebook Group here .

• Read more about: differentiation , Math

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5 Fun Ways to Teach Word Problems & Engage Students

Problem-solving is vital for math success, which we can all foster in our students. For many, word problems seem intimidating. They cringe at the mere mention of story problems, feeling daunted by the challenge. But who says tackling word problems has to be mundane?

Today, I'm eager to introduce fun ways to teach word problems that will invigorate your math sessions. With these lively methods, you might turn some problem-solving skeptics into enthusiasts!

5+ Fun Ways to Teach Word Problems Your Students Will LOVE

These fun ways to teach word problems will transform the daunting realm of story problems into an engaging and delightful journey. Whether through a word problem scavenger hunt or by tapping into students' unique interests, these techniques ensure your learners grasp and excel in solving math problems.

You can easily adapt each activity to cater to the individual needs of your students, ensuring differentiation and personalization. For instance, if students grapple with a specific type of story problem, craft a game or activity that zooms in on that challenge. For those who lean towards visual learning, provide a set of illustrations for them to decipher.

1. Make a game out of it! Make word problem activities interactive.

Many students find problem-solving boring and tedious. Adding a gaming element to the mix can bring some excitement back for learners, and the great news is there are so many options for HOW you do this.

Here are two options that my students have loved:

Math Problem Solving Task Card Scavenger Hunt

Turn word problem task cards into a classroom scavenger hunt by posting them in secret locations around the room.

Add 3-4 answer choices on separate index cards under each task card. On the back of the card with the correct answer, give a clue to find the next task card.

If you're looking for a ready-made set of task cards to start with, here's a great option: Word Problem Task Cards

Word Problem Escape Challenge

It can be hard to find word problem activities that cater to differentiation. However, this is a great way to scaffold story problems for struggling learners in a way that feels FUN.

Take your problems and break down the skills students will need to have. Each of these will become one step of the escape room, leading to the final step, where they'll be asked to solve a multi-step word problem to “escape.”

For example, pull all the computations students will eventually do for your problems. Use these to create a secret coded message. Students must solve the message to get to the next step. However, they won't know they've already practiced the math needed for the word problems!

Continue this progression by giving parts of problems and having them work up to problem-solving to escape.

2. Use unique manipulatives to help students visualize the story problem.

It's easy to get stuck in rote practice of the same problems. Instead, think outside the box! Use visuals and fun manipulatives that are not only engaging for students but also help them better understand the problem.

For example, when working on money problems, you can have students use money to model transactions or create a store to buy items and calculate change. However, this is just one option. I've found mini-erasers come in so many different shapes that I can often find examples to help my students better understand the problem. I recently used food-shaped mini-erasers to model a problem to find how many items could be purchased within a given budget. These manipulatives were much more fun and engaging, making it easy for my learner to see available alternatives. You can also find great holiday-themed miniatures at craft stores, like the cute mini gingerbread men you see below.

3. Bring on the drama! Role-play math word problems.

Drama in the classroom may sound like a bad thing. Yet, in this case, it can be a great way to get students excited about math problem solving. Get creative and have students act out word problems by creating characters, setting a scene, and having them act out the problem.

Role-playing has many benefits for learners, including boosting engagement, motivation, and helping students see themselves as problem solvers.

For example, have them create a store scenario where they role-play, asking for change or using coupons. This can help students better visualize the problem. It also makes story problems easier for learners who need to see a story unfold before them.

4. Utilize cooperative learning strategies during word problem activities.

Working with a partner can make math problem-solving much more enjoyable for students. This is especially true if you use cooperative learning strategies to engage learners meaningfully. A few ideas include having students take turns solving parts of the problem, having them check each other's work and offer feedback, or having students create their word problems to present to the class.

Using cooperative learning strategies allows students to practice problem-solving in a way that is more engaging and encourages collaboration. It also helps develop higher-order thinking skills, such as analyzing and critiquing, that are important for success in problem-solving.

5. Make word problems relevant to real-life.

Students often struggle with word problems because they can't connect with the scenarios. To make word problems more relevant and exciting to students, try incorporating your students' names, seasonal topics, or holidays into the problem. It will help them connect and tie the math to something real in their everyday lives.

Taking the time to craft word problems around what is happening in their lives makes mathematical mastery easier, more exciting, and enjoyable for everyone involved. It can also make them more willing to engage in the productive struggle required to become master problem solvers.

My Problem of the Day: Daily Problem Solving resources are designed with this engagement strategy in mind! Each month's problems incorporate seasonal themes and holidays, and weekly problems center around a fun fact and single theme to engage learners.

Available for grades 2-8, click your grade level below to grab a free week to try it out with your learners and learn more.

Problem Solving doesn't have to be boring!

Math problem solving is a critical skill for students to acquire. Incorporating fun and interactive strategies such as making a game out of it, using manipulatives, role-playing, cooperative learning, and making it relevant to real life can make all the difference in ensuring your students are confident problem solvers and further developing their love of math.

By applying these fun ways to teach word problems, you can make math problem-solving practice more enjoyable for your students. Not only will they be engaged in the word problem activities, but it will also help them develop a deeper understanding of the concepts. Give it a try and see how your students respond! Good luck!

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Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, every student has an individual learning style. Chances are, not all of your students grasp a subject in the same way or share the same level of ability. So how can you better deliver your lessons to reach everyone in class? Consider differentiated instruction—a method you may have heard about but haven’t explored, which is why you’re here. In this article, learn exactly what it means, how it works, and the pros and cons.

Definition of differentiated instruction

Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Research on the effectiveness of differentiation shows this method benefits a wide range of students, from those with learning disabilities to those who are considered high ability.

Differentiating instruction may mean teaching the same material to all students using a variety of instructional strategies, or it may require the teacher to deliver lessons at varying levels of difficulty based on the ability of each student.

Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may:

• Design lessons based on students’ learning styles.
• Group students by shared interest, topic, or ability for assignments.
• Assess students’ learning using formative assessment.
• Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment.
• Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students’ needs.

History of differentiated instruction

The roots of differentiated instruction go all the way back to the days of the one-room schoolhouse, where one teacher had students of all ages in one classroom. As the educational system transitioned to grading schools, it was assumed that children of the same age learned similarly. However in 1912, achievement tests were introduced, and the scores revealed the gaps in student’s abilities within grade levels.

In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that children with disabilities had equal access to public education. To reach this student population, many educators used differentiated instruction strategies. Then came the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2000, which further encouraged differentiated and skill-based instruction—and that’s because it works. Research by educator Leslie Owen Wilson supports differentiating instruction within the classroom, finding that lecture is the least effective instructional strategy, with only 5 to 10 percent retention after 24 hours. Engaging in a discussion, practicing after exposure to content, and teaching others are much more effective ways to ensure learning retention.

Four ways to differentiate instruction

According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instruction through four ways: 1) content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment.

As you already know, fundamental lesson content should cover the standards of learning set by the school district or state educational standards. But some students in your class may be completely unfamiliar with the concepts in a lesson, some students may have partial mastery, and some students may already be familiar with the content before the lesson begins.

What you could do is differentiate the content by designing activities for groups of students that cover various levels of  Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of levels of intellectual behavior going from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills). The six levels are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Students who are unfamiliar with a lesson could be required to complete tasks on the lower levels: remembering and understanding. Students with some mastery could be asked to apply and analyze the content, and students who have high levels of mastery could be asked to complete tasks in the areas of evaluating and creating.

Examples of differentiating activities:

• Match vocabulary words to definitions.
• Read a passage of text and answer related questions.
• Think of a situation that happened to a character in the story and a different outcome.
• Differentiate fact from opinion in the story.
• Identify an author’s position and provide evidence to support this viewpoint.
• Create a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the lesson.

Each student has a preferred learning style, and successful differentiation includes delivering the material to each style: visual, auditory and kinesthetic, and through words. This process-related method also addresses the fact that not all students require the same amount of support from the teacher, and students could choose to work in pairs, small groups, or individually. And while some students may benefit from one-on-one interaction with you or the classroom aide, others may be able to progress by themselves. Teachers can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs.

Examples of differentiating the process:

• Provide textbooks for visual and word learners.
• Allow auditory learners to listen to audio books.
• Give kinesthetic learners the opportunity to complete an interactive assignment online.

The product is what the student creates at the end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of the content. This can be in the form of tests, projects, reports, or other activities. You could assign students to complete activities that show mastery of an educational concept in a way the student prefers, based on learning style.

Examples of differentiating the end product:

• Read and write learners write a book report.
• Visual learners create a graphic organizer of the story.
• Auditory learners give an oral report.
• Kinesthetic learners build a diorama illustrating the story.

4. Learning environment

The conditions for optimal learning include both physical and psychological elements. A flexible classroom layout is key, incorporating various types of furniture and arrangements to support both individual and group work. Psychologically speaking, teachers should use classroom management techniques that support a safe and supportive learning environment.

Examples of differentiating the environment:

• Break some students into reading groups to discuss the assignment.
• Allow students to read individually if preferred.
• Create quiet spaces where there are no distractions.

Pros and cons of differentiated instruction

The benefits of differentiation in the classroom are often accompanied by the drawback of an ever-increasing workload. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

• Research shows differentiated instruction is effective for high-ability students as well as students with mild to severe disabilities.
• When students are given more options on how they can learn material, they take on more responsibility for their own learning.
• Students appear to be more engaged in learning, and there are reportedly fewer discipline problems in classrooms where teachers provide differentiated lessons.
• Differentiated instruction requires more work during lesson planning, and many teachers struggle to find the extra time in their schedule.
• The learning curve can be steep and some schools lack professional development resources.
• Critics argue there isn’t enough research to support the benefits of differentiated instruction outweighing the added prep time.

Differentiated instruction strategies

What differentiated instructional strategies can you use in your classroom? There are a set of methods that can be tailored and used across the different subjects. According to Kathy Perez (2019) and the Access Center those strategies are tiered assignments, choice boards, compacting, interest centers/groups, flexible grouping, and learning contracts. Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but have the students create a different product to display their knowledge based on their comprehension skills. Choice boards allow students to choose what activity they would like to work on for a skill that the teacher chooses. On the board are usually options for the different learning styles; kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and tactile. Compacting allows the teacher to help students reach the next level in their learning when they have already mastered what is being taught to the class. To compact the teacher assesses the student’s level of knowledge, creates a plan for what they need to learn, excuses them from studying what they already know, and creates free time for them to practice an accelerated skill.

Interest centers or groups are a way to provide autonomy in student learning. Flexible grouping allows the groups to be more fluid based on the activity or topic.  Finally, learning contracts are made between a student and teacher, laying out the teacher’s expectations for the necessary skills to be demonstrated and the assignments required components with the student putting down the methods they would like to use to complete the assignment. These contracts can allow students to use their preferred learning style, work at an ideal pace and encourages independence and planning skills. The following are strategies for some of the core subject based on these methods.

Differentiated instruction strategies for math

• Provide students with a choice board. They could have the options to learn about probability by playing a game with a peer, watching a video, reading the textbook, or working out problems on a worksheet.
• Teach mini lessons to individuals or groups of students who didn’t grasp the concept you were teaching during the large group lesson. This also lends time for compacting activities for those who have mastered the subject.
• Use manipulatives, especially with students that have more difficulty grasping a concept.
• Have students that have already mastered the subject matter create notes for students that are still learning.
• For students that have mastered the lesson being taught, require them to give in-depth, step-by-step explanation of their solution process, while not being rigid about the process with students who are still learning the basics of a concept if they arrive at the correct answer.

Differentiated instruction strategies for science

• Emma McCrea (2019) suggests setting up “Help Stations,” where peers assist each other. Those that have more knowledge of the subject will be able to teach those that are struggling as an extension activity and those that are struggling will receive.
• Set up a “question and answer” session during which learners can ask the teacher or their peers questions, in order to fill in knowledge gaps before attempting the experiment.
• Create a visual word wall. Use pictures and corresponding labels to help students remember terms.
• Set up interest centers. When learning about dinosaurs you might have an “excavation” center, a reading center, a dinosaur art project that focuses on their anatomy, and a video center.
• Provide content learning in various formats such as showing a video about dinosaurs, handing out a worksheet with pictures of dinosaurs and labels, and providing a fill-in-the-blank work sheet with interesting dinosaur facts.

Differentiated instruction strategies for ELL

• ASCD (2012) writes that all teachers need to become language teachers so that the content they are teaching the classroom can be conveyed to the students whose first language is not English.
• Start by providing the information in the language that the student speaks then pairing it with a limited amount of the corresponding vocabulary in English.
•  Although ELL need a limited amount of new vocabulary to memorize, they need to be exposed to as much of the English language as possible. This means that when teaching, the teacher needs to focus on verbs and adjectives related to the topic as well.
• Group work is important. This way they are exposed to more of the language. They should, however, be grouped with other ELL if possible as well as given tasks within the group that are within their reach such as drawing or researching.

Differentiated instruction strategies for reading

• Tiered assignments can be used in reading to allow the students to show what they have learned at a level that suites them. One student might create a visual story board while another student might write a book report. 
• Reading groups can pick a book based on interest or be assigned based on reading level
• Erin Lynch (2020) suggest that teachers scaffold instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals. Verbally and visually explain the topic. Use anchor charts, drawings, diagrams, and reference guides to foster a clearer understanding. If applicable, provide a video clip for students to watch.
• Utilize flexible grouping. Students might be in one group for phonics based on their assessed level but choose to be in another group for reading because they are more interested in that book.

Differentiated instruction strategies for writing

• Hold writing conferences with your students either individually or in small groups. Talk with them throughout the writing process starting with their topic and moving through grammar, composition, and editing.
• Allow students to choose their writing topics. When the topic is of interest, they will likely put more effort into the assignment and therefore learn more.
• Keep track of and assess student’s writing progress continually throughout the year. You can do this using a journal or a checklist. This will allow you to give individualized instruction.
• Hand out graphic organizers to help students outline their writing. Try fill-in-the-blank notes that guide the students through each step of the writing process for those who need additional assistance.
• For primary grades give out lined paper instead of a journal. You can also give out differing amounts of lines based on ability level. For those who are excelling at writing give them more lines or pages to encourage them to write more. For those that are still in the beginning stages of writing, give them less lines so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Differentiated instruction strategies for special education

• Use a multi-sensory approach. Get all five senses involved in your lessons, including taste and smell!
• Use flexible grouping to create partnerships and teach students how to work collaboratively on tasks. Create partnerships where the students are of equal ability, partnerships where once the student will be challenged by their partner and another time they will be pushing and challenging their partner.
• Assistive technology is often an important component of differential instruction in special education. Provide the students that need them with screen readers, personal tablets for communication, and voice recognition software.
• The article Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers suggests teachers be flexible when giving assessments “Posters, models, performances, and drawings can show what they have learned in a way that reflects their personal strengths”. You can test for knowledge using rubrics instead of multiple-choice questions, or even build a portfolio of student work. You could also have them answer questions orally.
• Utilize explicit modeling. Whether its notetaking, problem solving in math, or making a sandwich in home living, special needs students often require a step-by-step guide to make connections.

References and resources

• https://www.thoughtco.com/differentiation-instruction-in-special-education-3111026
• https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/differentiation-techniques-for-special-education
• https://www.solutiontree.com/blog/differentiated-reading-instruction/
• https://www.readingrockets.org/article/differentiated-instruction-reading
• https://www.sadlier.com/school/ela-blog/13-ideas-for-differentiated-reading-instruction-in-the-elementary-classroom
• https://inservice.ascd.org/seven-strategies-for-differentiating-instruction-for-english-learners/
• https://www.cambridge.org/us/education/blog/2019/11/13/three-approaches-differentiation-primary-science/
• https://www.brevardschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6174&dataid=8255&FileName=Differentiated_Instruction_in_Secondary_Mathematics.pdf

Books & Videos about differentiated instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson and others

• The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition
• Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau
• The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, and Lane Narvaez
• Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe
• Differentiation in Practice Grades K-5: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
• Differentiation in Practice Grades 5–9: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
• Differentiation in Practice Grades 9–12: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland
• Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching – Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan
• How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Tonya R. Moon
• How To Differentiate Instruction In Mixed Ability Classrooms 2nd Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
• How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson 
• Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom Paperback – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Tonya R. Moon
• Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (Professional Development) 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
• The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning 1st Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, Lane Narvaez
• Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom  – David A. Sousa, Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Leading for Differentiation: Growing Teachers Who Grow Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Michael Murphy
• An Educator’s Guide to Differentiating Instruction. 10th Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, James M. Cooper
• A Differentiated Approach to the Common Core: How do I help a broad range of learners succeed with a challenging curriculum? – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
• Managing a Differentiated Classroom: A Practical Guide – Carol Tomlinson, Marcia Imbeau
• Differentiating Instruction for Mixed-Ability Classrooms: An ASCD Professional Inquiry Kit Pck Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
• Using Differentiated Classroom Assessment to Enhance Student Learning (Student Assessment for Educators) 1st Edition – Tonya R. Moon, Catherine M. Brighton, Carol A. Tomlinson
• The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson

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3 non-negotiables for differentiation in the math classroom

I was in one of those “top” classes, but despite my aptitude in ELA and social studies, I never failed to feel the cold chill of dread once our math notebooks hit our desks. My friends seated to the left and right of me (you may remember me mentioning that we were seated by last name ) easily transitioned from one subject to the next. Yet there I was, stuck in the middle with math.

Many years later, we’ve seen the negative, limiting qualities of tracking . And while students are still occasionally grouped by similarities in ability, groups are now meant to be temporary and they’re just one of a variety of ways teachers can tailor instruction to provide all kids the optimal chance to be successful. That’s differentiated instruction in a nutshell .

Most of us tend to prefer subjects we’re good at. So when a student walks in your door and declares “I am not a math person,” what they’re really telling you is that no one has managed to find a way for them to feel successful in math—yet. I’m confident you can help them with differentiation.

My NWEA colleagues have heard me refer to my differentiation non-negotiables at length: 1. know your students, 2. become a content expert, and 3. embrace student assessment data. This is the triad of commitments I believe a teacher must make to reach the fullest expression of differentiation. Let’s dig into these together. I encourage you to set your sights on small shifts you can make in your practice and then work your way toward fully incorporating all three differentiation non-negotiables.

1. Know your students

The first step to highly effective differentiation in the math classroom is to know your students. This includes knowing basic facts about them, of course, like their name and how they’re doing in your class. But that isn’t enough. You need to also know their interests, preferences, areas of strength and focus, needs, and personalities. At NWEA, we refer to this as learner context—the “who” a student is, beyond surface information and numbers.

For many teachers, understanding their students well can be a real hurdle, despite the social nature of education. That can be partly because we fear what lies on the other side of our carefully implemented classroom management. Beyond our rational, intentional seating chart, bell-to-bell instruction, and choreographed conversations lies a world that may feel too chaotic for us to let in.

When we are able to take an interest in who our students are, we can begin to build trust, conversation, and collaboration, and I find that these things can create the opposite of chaos; they can create harmony. Knowing a student cares for a younger sibling, for example, or that they play a sport or an instrument and have a preferred learning style can help you color in the complete picture of who they are as a person, not just who they are as a student.

Toward the end of my time in the classroom, I had one student who was particularly challenging. She was readily defensive, pushed the limits of our school’s policies, and shrugged off poor grades with a projected indifference. Instead of fighting fire with fire, I decided to chat with her one day over pizza. She told me her parents were going through a divorce and that she was mad all the time. She didn’t care what was happening in school because, to her, everything was meaningless chaos. I sat and listened and realized that there was potential buried deep beneath all of her hurt. From that moment on, I built upon that interaction to create an environment where she felt more trust, understanding, and collaboration so she could bring her best self to my math classroom.

I believe one of the largest problems math teachers in particular face is not necessarily the complexity of the content but the negative dispositions to learning that create barriers to success. Building a meaningful relationship with that troubled student really helped me support her in feeling more positive about learning. Getting to know your students could help you have similar successes, and it could also create opportunities for you to work what you know about them into your differentiation techniques. Incorporate as many opportunities as possible for your students to bring their interests to discussions. Let your more creative students shine via artistic interpretations of word problems. Encourage your linguistically talented students to feel empowered by connecting algebra language to sentence structure. Get those athletes involved through dynamic station rotations or timed team activities.

2. Become a content expert

The next step—after you’ve peeled back the layers, broken the fourth wall, embraced the mess, and created trust—is to become an expert in your content area. Easier said than done.

If you’re an elementary teacher, I can hear your collective sigh, as this means you need to be an expert in most subjects, which is a tremendous lift. To clarify: When I say “expert,” I’m not saying I expect you to crack the Enigma code or write the next great American novel (but heck, yeah, if you want to!). What I mean is that you have to possess a fullness of understanding of your content to be able to anticipate next steps, understand what the trajectory of success looks like for that subject, and pivot within every lesson with confidence.

To maximize differentiation, you should be fluent in the scope and sequence of your content, both its depth and breadth. Knowing what precedes and succeeds your topic, unit, and standard allows you to scaffold for access to grade-level content or for challenge extension as needed. I’m a former middle school math teacher, and while I didn’t teach all grades at once, I had an awareness of the evolution of the standards from one grade to the next. This helped me when creating scaffolded supports (like tiered worksheets), creating intentional student groups to foster robust discussion, and having additional support at the ready to infuse into a discussion as needed.

When you are confident in your content area, students are also more inclined to follow you on a learning journey because they trust you know the way. Tasks, lessons, and discussions have more meaning when there is a sense of intentionality behind them. Confidence in your content area can help you feel a greater sense of pride in your work, too.

3. Embrace student assessment data

Student assessment data is one of the sharpest tools in any teacher planning and differentiation toolkit.

A lot of the power of assessment can lie beyond the test. Sometimes we fall into the habit of labeling assessment as either “formative” or “summative,” and while there’s value in knowing its purpose, I encourage you to go beyond that. You’re constantly absorbing information related to an assessment that can be used to make decisions. Consider a student with several responses left blank during independent practice or a student who is quiet during a paired activity. That’s observational data, and your observations matter, especially when you pair what you see with numerical data to inform instruction.

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics encourages us—and our students—to reflect on learning. I encourage you to regularly consult assessment data and your observations of students because doing so can better help you offer them targeted support. The data should sit alongside your scope and sequence or unit plan as you are creating your lessons. Consider assessment data from tests like MAP® Growth™ and also the data that comes from exit tickets, timed entrance tasks, conference notes, observations during whole group independent work, midterm exams, pop-quizzes, and more when making decisions about resources, groupings, and lesson objectives.

Differentiation in the math classroom should be a habit

Whether you’re a beginner exploring differentiation for the first time or a multitasking expert eager to explore new ideas, differentiation is a lifelong skill worth working on. It’s not unlike moderate exercise, eating healthy, and mindfulness: any negative side effects are usually negligible and the benefits far outweigh them.

I find that the more teachers embrace differentiation, the more confident they will feel and the more inspired their lessons will be. Eventually, it will all become a habitual best practice and manifest seamlessly and instinctually in your planning, instead of feeling like an overwhelming must-do.

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Code Breakers - Differentiated Problem Solving Activity

Subject: Mathematics

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

23 August 2018

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A fun problem solving activity in which children use their understanding of number to solve the codes to padlocks.

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How to differentiate a Maths — No Problem! Lesson

How do we keep the class together as we move through the learning while at the same time meeting the needs of all 30 children? If only there was a simple solution.

At the same time every year — probably about week 3 of the new school year, I seem to have at least one conversation with a member of staff about how to differentiate a Maths — No Problem! lesson. How do we keep the class together as we move through the learning, while at the same time meeting the needs of all 30 children? If only there was a simple solution.

Let’s begin with differentiation itself. The book How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms by Carole Ann Tomlinson describes how we should aim high for all pupils — they can all do it, but some may take a little longer than others. She shares her five principles of differentiation:

She then goes on to describe the ways in which teachers can differentiate through:

• Environment

How to differentiate to meet the needs of individual pupils

As part of our continuing professional learning at Sandringham , part of our recent INSET training was to think about these principles and practices and consider how each part of the Maths — No Problem! lesson could be differentiated to meet the needs of individuals within the class. We split the lesson into five parts:

• Guided practice
• Independent practice

We then considered how we could keep the class together as we moved through the lesson while still providing support for all learners.

The lesson we focused on was Year 3: Simple Adding, Lesson 5.

The table below shows our thoughts and suggestions for supporting all learners during each part of the lesson.

Usually during Continuous Professional Learning sessions, our staff sit in year groups — we are a large, four-form entry school — however the decision was made to sit our staff according to experience. This was done to offer support to our early career teachers.

There were rich learning conversations to be heard between members of staff who wouldn’t normally be working together and outcomes from the session have been positive with teachers feeling more equipped to differentiate the Maths — No Problem! lessons.

Ask Dufour’s four critical questions

The final thing we looked at during the INSET training was some of the work of Richard Dufour . He shared four questions that should be considered by the teacher when planning a unit of learning — or, in fact, an individual lesson.

The questions help the teacher to focus their thinking towards individuals within the class and focus on the critical mathematical learning of the lesson and how best to support this.

At Sandringham, we have added these questions to the top of our planning formats to support the planning process and keep in mind how we are meeting the needs of all our learners.

References Tomlinson, Carol Ann (2017), ASCD, How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms

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Solar Eclipse Math Word Problems, Solar Eclipse 2024 Math Activities Printables.

Description

This engaging collection of math word problems is designed to challenge students' problem-solving abilities while immersing them in real-life scenarios related to solar eclipses.

Aligned with grade-level math standards, this product features 10 thoughtfully crafted word problems covering a range of mathematical operations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, length, time, and more. Each problem incorporates elements of solar eclipses, making math learning both relevant and exciting for students.

With clear step-by-step solutions provided for each problem, teachers can easily guide students through the problem-solving process, fostering a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts in the context of real-world phenomena.

• Engages students in real-life scenarios related to solar eclipses.
• Improves problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities in a meaningful context.
• Helps students practice various math operations while learning about astronomy.
• Step-by-step solutions provided for better understanding and confidence building.

Instructions :

• This set of math word problems related to solar eclipses can be implemented by printing out the worksheets and distributing them to students for individual or group work.
• Facilitate discussions around the solutions to reinforce key math concepts and techniques.
• Use the completed worksheets as formative assessments to gauge student understanding.

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