TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM
Differentiation
The Silver Bullet?
Differentiation isn't about straws, lolly-pops, or even different coloured work sheets. We tried to find simple solutions to a complex question and, lets face it, those really work.
In its most effective (and purest) form differentiation comes down to:
- Knowing your class really well.
- Knowing your subject really well.
- Making links between the above two points to help students progress.
So, the strategies below will not in themselves differentiate for you. You'll need to do the legwork they might, however, be a starting point for you to launch from.
Once again thank you so much to the TL Team for their hard work during the most stressful time of the Year (SATS and GCSEs) The next meeting will be: Tuesday 9th June.
Self Differentiation
Phase 2 - Team 1
Challenging the Higher Ability
Liz Cooper
Promoting Independence
Charlotte Wright
Differentiation Through Display
Ben Davey
The sheets provided a good starting point particularly for the lower ability students with more high frequency vocab. This allowed students towards the lower levels to work more quickly and reach the required standard with support.. With higher ability students I expected them to work on researching their new language from dictionaries so in this respect it wasn't as effective - instead they stayed within what I had given them leading to staid and inconsiderate responses.
In the future I would provide the basic language or terminology as starting-point language and then allow students to be independent and research any extras they might need in more creative language.
Meaningful Stretch Activities
Claire Nichols and Tiffany Tovey
Phase 2 - Team 1/2
Final things to remember...
Here are some Golden Rules that you can consider when planning.
Keep reflecting on your planning for differentiation by task. Are all students doing the same task at the same time? This way we'll be supporting students who need a little more help and those who we need to stretch to the higher thinking skills..
Some techniques to consider:
- Different starting points
- Varied allocated time limits
- Tiered Scaffolding
- Various sources of information and how students can access them
- Independent research
- Various forms of presenting work (eg illustrated, bullet pointed, extended writing, visual IT, audio IT etc.)