Tiered Assignments
relevant at all grades-examples are secondary
Why Tiered Assignments?
Make minor adjustments to one top-tier task to teach up with differentiation for levels of readiness while allowing all students to focus on the same learning goal with the same access to content and ideas
Directions
- Determine learning goals and give a pre-assessment or formative assessment of student progress toward the learning goals. Review assessments and determine what all students need to do to move forward.
- Look for patterns in assessment responses and make piles.
- Make general notes about the each pile.
- Make specific notes about what students will need to advance in their learning. (ex: a clarifying example, step-by-step directions, a chance to examine the concept in a new context)
- Generate ideas for tasks students at each readiness level can complete that will provide them with feedback, scaffolding or challenge they need to grow toward and beyond the goals.
- Develop the top task first to avoid the trap of simply giving more work to students who "get it" and to create a model to emulate when developing the additional tasks.
- Develop clear directions and materials for each group: these are your tiered tasks.
- Develop a closure step that will bring the class back together and prepare students to move forward.
What It's Good For:
Found in Differentiation in Middle and High School by Kristina Doubet and Jessica Hockett, pages 194-201.
Tips
- The number of tiers is determined by patterns that emerge from the formative assessment.
- If the assessment results show five or more needed tasks, the goals are too narrow or the pre-assessment prompts need revision or the "patterns" need to be broader.
- Often, Tiering involves minor adjustments to the top tier task instead of creating multiple tasks.
Click here for Tiering Template