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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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• Creative Academic Instruction: Music Resources for the Classroom
• How Teachers Use Student Data to Improve Instruction
• Advice on Positive Classroom Management that Works
• Five Skills Online Teachers Need for Classroom Instruction
• 3 Examples of Effective Classroom Management
• Advice on Improving your Elementary Math Instruction

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Curriculum and Instruction ,  Diversity ,  Engaging Activities ,  New Teacher ,  Pros and Cons

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The secret to classroom seating arrangements – How to decide what’s right for you.

Deciding on a seating chart in your classroom can be a challenge. Who should sit together? Who MUST sit apart? However, before you can begin assigning seats in class, you must make the challenging decision about how to arrange the desks or tables. While it seems simple, there are so many different classroom seating arrangements to choose from and each has its own pros and cons. You've also got to take into account any flexible seating options you might have. So how do you decide the best seating arrangement for your classroom?

The reality is there is no single correct answer to the age-old question of how to best arrange your desks. Even when you try to find the research, it is difficult to find empirical evidence to support putting desks in rows, pairs, or table teams. So what's a teacher to do?

What you'll find on this page:

How does your seating arrangement affect learning for students?

You probably aren't surprised to read that the seating arrangement has an impact on student learning. Studies have shown that students who are in the front rows are typically more attentive than those in the back. They are more likely to ask questions and actively participate.

However, few elementary classrooms offer open seating, where students self-select their desk. Instead, we select students that need close proximity to maintain attention or get adequate support to sit in the front rows. Our goal is to improve those students' time on task and learning through our consistent interaction.

While you probably already knew that front row seats encourage engagement, did you know that your seating arrangement has also been shown to impact how you communicate with your class and how they communicate with peers? This makes it critical that we create seating arrangements that align with our instructional goals and activities so we can maximize student learning.

The Pros & Cons of Common Classroom Layouts

As you begin to consider your seating chart for this year, check out the pros and cons of several popular classroom seating arrangements. Hopefully, this will help you decide what is right for you, your students, and your classroom.

Rows/ Traditional Seating

This arrangement likely needs little explanation. It was designed for a lecture, where students sit facing the instructor with their backs to one another.

Students in the front rows have the highest rates of engagement while back rows tend to be less engaged.

This style of seating can also be done on an angle, often called stadium seating. In this layout, the desks are in angled rows and may or may not touch.

Pros of Rows:

Rows work well if you have lots of space and there is little expectation for group or partner work at desks.

This set up also encourages less talking during instruction. With all students facing you, they are easily able to see the board.

Cons of Rows:

Most classrooms are not spacious, meaning that you'll most likely need to do a modified version of this (like stadium seating) or choose a different seating arrangement.

Rows are not conducive to cooperative learning or group work, and they can be challenging when it comes to classroom management unless you have a small class. Once you have three or more rows, it can be challenging to see and keep all students on task.

These cons were a reason my classroom was very seldom in traditional rows outside of state testing. Occasionally, we would do modified rows or stadium seating if the group was having difficulties staying on task and listening. However, cooperative learning and discussion is a huge part of my teaching so the cons of this format majorly outweighed any benefits for me.

The pair arrangement can be done with desks or tables, and allows the teacher to move around the room between pairs.

Two students can sit at a single trapezoid table, if your classroom has tables instead of desks.

Alternatively, two desks can be pushed together to create a pair.

Pros of Paired Seating:

This is a great classroom seating arrangement for controlled conversations and partner work. Since you've selected the pairs, you can purposefully partner students who may work well together.

I loved using this arrangement later in the year, once I got to know my students and their personalities a little better because it allowed me to purposefully partner students in a way that allowed both partners to shine and lift one another up, academically. The partnerships often led to very rich discussions, which could then be shared in the larger class discussion.

This arrangement typically uses slightly less floor space than traditional rows, and it creates an environment where partnership and cooperative learning is expected.

Cons of Paired Seating:

Sitting in pairs also has some downsides. Since students are in partners, it can be more difficult to stop talking or off-task behavior. You may find that 1-2 students need to be “islands” and sit separated from a partner to do their best learning and maintain focus. Depending on how you present this, it can be stigmatizing for a student to have to sit alone.

I found that it was really important to explain why the student was becoming an island when I made this move. I also made sure to explain what he or she needed to do to become part of a pair again.

Depending on the parent, I also communicated this adjustment to parents to let them know why their child had been placed away from peers, making sure to discuss the benefits for their child and his or her learning rather than the idea of this being a punishment.

The arrangement also tends to still take up quite a bit of classroom space, so it can be difficult to pull off with large classes or in small rooms. You may also need to make a trio if you have an odd number of students.

Semi-circle or U-shape

This is a modification of a round-table format, where students and teachers share one large table area (or desk area) for discussion.

The traditional round-table arrangement is uncommon in classrooms due to the number of students and space needed to accommodate the arrangement. Therefore, it is not included in the layouts discussed.

For the semi-circle or u-shape arrangement, participants face each other, but the teacher has space to move around the room.

This arrangement has also been referred to as a horseshoe, and there is a modified version called the double horseshoe that involves an inner and outer semi-circle.

Pros of U-shape seating:

This layout is great for classrooms that want to encourage discussion between the students and teacher. Students can still see anything projected onto the board, which makes it great for classroom conversations.

The double horseshoe layout, which has the inner and outer semi-circles, offers a slightly more restricted format for conversation. This can be a good alternative if you need some additional control of student interaction or in cases where you have a large number of desks in a small space.

I loved the double horseshoe those years that I had a rambunxious group where several students were able to set off peers because I could still make sure the students were seated in a way that reduced their likelihood of interactions. I could also have the kiddos who needed extra support closer to the front without the distractions from the entire class.

Cons of U-shape seating:

There are several major cons to this arrangement, but there are also a few fixes that I will share. This was an arrangement I used in my room regularly, but I had to find some adjustments.

The U-shape format requires lots of room, which means most classrooms will need to use a double horseshoe layout to make this work. One negative of the double horseshoe is that students often turn around and get chatty with peers behind them.

One of the biggest cons of this arrangement, however, is that kids move! When they move their desks tend to move with them.

Since my students sat on yoga balls, this was likely a bigger issue in my class than I would've seen with traditional desks and chairs, but we were constantly having to push desks back into their U-shaped format. I occasionally debated about using zip-ties to keep the desks together, but never actually went that far.

Another con was the fact that it was harder to get to the students in the outer U when I did the double horseshoe format. I solved this by leaving a space in the center of each so I could quickly and easily access all of my students if they needed help or had questions during work times. Here's what the layout looked like with that modification:

Table Groups

Finally, table groups are a common arrangement in many classrooms. Depending on how many students you have and whether you use desks or have tables in your room, you can create groups of 4-5 students.

Since this is one of the most common classroom layouts, I won't spend too much time digging into what it looks like. Instead, let's talk about the pros and cons of this classroom seating arrangement.

P ros of Table Groups:

This type of classroom seating arrangement is amazing for group work and cooperative learning.

This was typically how I started my school year because I wanted to encourage students to get to know one another.

This arrangement is great for large classes or small classrooms because it saves space.

By purposefully planning your groups, you can build upon student strengths and use the format as a part of your behavior management plan. Table points were a great way to build some friendly competition in my classroom, and they were great for encouraging on-task behavior.

Cons of Table Groups:

Remember how I mentioned that I liked to start the year in table groups? Well, we never stayed there for long. Here's why –

This classroom seating arrangement is great for cooperative learning, but it is TERRIBLE for keeping talking to a minimum.

After the first few weeks, I typically had to move my students out of this arrangement because it was becoming a barrier to their learning.

Facing peers promotes off-task behavior for many students, and with groups, it can be challenging to separate behavior issues or chatty friends from one another. There are just too few places to keep them apart.

This is why I typically moved my students' desks into a double horseshoe layout for the middle chunk of the year. As they matured we were able to transition back into groups or table teams (like below) to finish up the year.

The table teams were the closest I could come to a round-table format, and they really encouraged some interesting discussion. However, they were definitely much harder to manage.

How can I improve my classroom arrangement?

As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to a classroom seating arrangement. You've got to take into account a number of factors to find what is best for you.

There are so many variables to consider, and you don't need to feel like a failure of groups don't work for you. (This was a feeling I often struggled with when I reached the point that I needed to move my desks from the table groups they began the year in.)

Instead, consider your classroom layout as a piece of your classroom management system. You use different classroom seating arrangements to serve different purposes and to keep your classroom on-task and learning.

If you are like me, you see grouping as the ideal seating arrangement and feel like you’ve somehow failed when you’re not able to keep your students in groups and still keep everyone on task.  I’m giving you permission to let yourself off the hook.  Being a great teacher does NOT mean a one size fits all seating plan. Every year is different, and it’s okay for the seating plan to change as well.

That being said, here are some ways you can improve your classroom seating arrangement.

Align your classroom seating arrangement to the activities you use most often.

When you plan your classroom seating arrangement, consider the goals of your instruction and the activities you commonly use.

If you're working through a unit that will have lots of whole group discussion, you may want to use a horseshoe or double horseshoe arrangement.

Working on some cooperative projects, table groups might be perfect!

There is no hard-and-fast rule about how often you should re-arrange your seating assignments, so you can make these adjustments as needed throughout the year. If your class is really on top of it, you can even practice transitioning between 2 different seating arrangements so your students can make a quick change to better meet the needs of the learning experience.

Take the classroom flow into account.

No matter how badly you might want to do a certain arrangement, if it impedes the flow of your classroom, it just isn't going to work.

Make sure that you've got adequate space for any arrangement you decide to try. This means that desks aren't too close to your small group space or classroom library.

It also means making sure you're easily able to reach all students to address questions or needs.

Don't be afraid to go your own way.

Consider a combination configuration if your classroom or students need it. By mixing and matching the arrangements described above you can find a way to meet the needs of all students.

There is no rule that says you can't create your own layout, so don't be afraid to play with your seating arrangement until you find a format that works for you. For example, the layout below is great if you have some students who are able to focus in groups, but others that need to fewer distractions or can only handle being partnered during instruction.

The reality of choosing a classroom seating arrangement

Your seating arrangement may seem like a small thing, but it is an important part of creating an effective classroom . Deciding on a good seating arrangement isn't easy, and you might discover the great ideas you thought you had are a total mess. There are also so many factors that come into play with your decision.

For example, I once worked with a principal that dictated classroom set-up, right down to the seating arrangement.

While I strongly believe that your seating arrangement should be determined by the individual teacher based on personality, teaching style, and the needs of the current class, there was only so much I could do in that situation so we spent a lot of time out of our desks.

Seating arrangements can certainly be changed throughout the year as students become more independent, more comfortable with each other, or as the needs in your room change.

Some years my team had a running joke that if you wanted to find me, listen for the movement of desks because I strongly believe we should all play around with seating arrangements until we find the one that works best for our class. 

This might look different every few weeks as student friendships and maturity grow and change or we move into different units with new activities and goals. That's okay!

I've rarely had students care about the fact that the seating arrangement is changing because I do my best to be upfront about the reasons for the change. Sometimes it is to increase focus or separate chatty friends. Other times I make moves to help students work with someone new.

Quite honestly, my more introverted students are relieved when they can have their own space to work in peace and quiet so many of my moves work out better for everyone in the end.

Don't be afraid to get creative when it comes to classroom seating arrangements.

If you enjoyed this article, here are others you'll love, too!

• Flexible Seating for Beginners – How to get started
• How to Identify the Perfect Classroom Seating Plan
• 20 Questions to Get Kids Talking & Build Classroom Community

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Pros and Cons of Differentiated Teaching

Using Multiple Teaching Styles to Meet the Needs of Diverse Students

Differentiation is the educational practice of modifying or adapting instruction, school materials, subject content, class projects, and assessment methods to better meet the needs of diverse learners.  

In a differentiated classroom, teachers recognize that all students are different and require varied teaching methods to be successful. These include students with ​ learning disabilities who might otherwise fall behind in a traditional classroom setting.

The Traditional Teaching Approach

JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Traditional teaching methods were based on a model in which the teacher delivers instruction, typically through lecture, and then models the skill on a blackboard or overhead projector. When the teacher is finished, he or she will give the student practice work, usually from standardized textbooks or handouts.

The teacher would then proceed to review the students' work and evaluate his or her knowledge with a pencil and paper test. Afterward, the teacher would provide feedback, usually in the form of a grade.

While generations of Americans have received instruction in a traditional way, modern educators recognize that the style fails to meet the needs of diverse learners, including those with learning disabilities such as ​ dyslexia , dyscalculia ,​ and auditory processing disorder (APD).  

Pros and Cons of Traditional Teaching

The traditional method of teaching isn't entirely without value. It can be helpful to evaluate the pros and cons of the time-worn practice.

School evaluation by school boards and departments of education are more easily performed

Subjects and skills are taught in a specific, cohesive order.

Teacher assessments are more straightforward

Teaching is uniform and consistent

Based on a false assumption that children are all on a level playing field and that some are "meant" to fail.

Curriculum and teacher role are inflexible

Instruction focuses on memorization rather than higher-level thinking skills, placing students who struggle with memorization at a disadvantage

Systems are less able to keep up with student needs

The needs of students with diverse backgrounds and disabilities are rarely met

The Differentiated Teaching Approach

From the perspective of the individual student, few can argue that differentiated teaching doesn't have distinct advantages over traditional teaching.

The aim of differentiation is to employ a variety of teaching styles to ensure that students can approach learning in different ways but with the same or similar outcomes.

Differentiation is meant to stimulate creativity by helping students make stronger connections, understand relationships, and grasp concepts in a more intuitive way.

Differentiated instruction can be used in any number of subject areas. It may involve:

• Providing auditory learners with audiobooks
• Providing kinesthetic learners interactive assignment online
• Providing tactile learners with multi-sensory teaching materials
• Providing textbooks for visual and word learners

Similarly, class assignments would be based on how the individual student approaches learning. Some might complete an assignment on paper or in pictures, while others may choose to give an oral report or create a three-dimensional diorama.

Differentiation can also alter how the classroom itself is organized. Students may be broken up into groups based on their approach to learning, or they may be provided with quiet spaces to study alone if they choose.

While support for differentiated teaching is growing, it is not without its shortcomings and benefits.

Children take on more of the responsibility for learning

Differentiation effective for both high-ability students and those with a disability

Engagement in learning tends to be stronger because it addresses the children as equal individuals

May require more resources for a school or school district to implement

Many schools lack the ​professional development resources to properly train faculty

Requires much more lesson-planning time for teachers

Smale-Jacobse AE, Meijer A, Helms-Lorenz M, Maulana R. Differentiated Instruction in Secondary Education: A Systematic Review of Research Evidence . Front Psychol . 2019;10:2366. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02366

Bishara S, Wubbena Z.  Active and traditional teaching, self-image, and motivation in learning math among pupils with learning disabilities . Cogent Educ . 2019;5(1). doi:10.1080/2331186X.2018.1436123

van Geel M, Keuning T, Frèrejean J, Dolmans D, van Merriënboer J, Visscher AJ.  Capturing the complexity of differentiated instruction . J Sch Eff Sch Improv . 2019;30(1):51-67. doi:10.1080/09243453.2018.1539013

By Ann Logsdon Ann Logsdon is a school psychologist specializing in helping parents and teachers support students with a range of educational and developmental disabilities. 

A simple guide to differentiated teaching

Sarah-Eleni Zaferis

Teacher and School Enablement Leader at Atomi

Differentiated teaching is more than just a buzzword—it’s a high impact teaching strategy (HITS) that packs a real punch when it comes to delivering learning outcomes.

While all teachers would be familiar with the term, there is so much information out there about how, where and when to differentiate that even educational research is sometimes confused (Gibbs & Mckay, 2021).

In this article, we break down what differentiated teaching is and how you can easily and consistently implement this pedagogical approach in your everyday practice.

What is differentiated teaching?

Put simply, differentiation is about tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. It aims to improve both the skills and understanding of every student, despite their initial understanding (Victorian Government, 2022). That means helping students at every point on the learning spectrum—from high achievers to those who need some extra encouragement. This way, all students grow.

Of course, creating individualised curriculums for each of your students isn’t viable (or necessarily beneficial). Instead, differentiation focuses on adapting different classroom elements to create a more personalised learning experience. To do this, teachers can adjust the content, process, product and learning environment.

This approach is based on Carol Ann Tomlinson’s framework of differentiated teaching, who is an internationally acknowledged whiz on the subject (Tomlinson, 1999; Gibbs & Mckay, 2021).

Four elements of differentiated teaching

Content refers to the knowledge and skills students are required to learn. This includes the learning goals that you establish for learners, as well as any resources used to access that content (Mavidou & Kakana, 2019).

How to differentiate by content

Simple ways to differentiate content include offering students a variety of question and task types based on Bloom's Taxonomy , something we typically do in most lessons.

More complex and individualised methods include teaching different content to different students. This could look like making careful explanations to small groups of students who may be struggling, but allowing more able students to continue ahead of their peers, or changing the content entirely based on their interest and ability.

Digital tools like Atomi allow you to quickly and easily assign revision material to students who need more development before moving on. Alternatively, you can choose to assign more difficult content to students who are finding the work easier.

My personal favourite for doing this is to allow students to choose passion projects. These projects can be worked on once students have completed set work and are specific to students' interests and abilities.

Some examples include writing a persuasive essay as to why school uniforms should be banned or completing a scientific investigation.

Simply put, the process can be related to the learning experiences students engage with to digest and use the content (NSW Government, 2021).

Here, the same content is used but the methods that encourage students to understand the content can be varied based on readiness, interest and students' learning profiles (Mavidou & Kakana, 2019).

How to differentiate by process

This can be achieved by providing students with different learning material, such as textbooks, online research, or Atomi videos, and allowing them the choice to work independently or in small groups.

If teachers have more time,  the inclusion of choice grids or tiered activities can also be used. This encourages students to select activities based on their ability and interests, while still achieving the same learning outcome.

Products are an opportunity for students to show off what they have learnt. By allowing students to choose how they want to demonstrate their knowledge educators can receive a far more accurate understanding of their ability, while also increasing their engagement (Mavidou & Kakana, 2019).

How to differentiate by product

To easily differentiate products, allow students the choice of how they present their understanding, such as paragraphs, diagrams, presentations or by simply verbalising it to you. In addition, allow learners to choose how they work, either on their own, in groups or with your support.

Learning environment

The learning environment is a powerful tool as it can support, or hinder student learning and all teachers aim to make their classroom a respectful and empowering place. Differentiating the learning environment encompasses everything from class rules to furniture arrangements (NSW Government, 2021).

How to differentiate the learning environment

To differentiate the learning environment, educators could create space in the classroom for quiet independent work with headphones to cancel noise, as well as collaborative spaces students can move in and out of. In addition, setting up clear routines and expectations for students can help implement different types of differentiation strategies with ease.

Final thoughts

To get the best outcomes from differentiated instruction, it should be considered consistently throughout the school year. To do this, educators should start small and look for opportunities to make significant change, without too much added administrative work. Implementing some of these tips is a great place to start, and find what works for you and your students.

Keen to implement high impact strategies in your classroom? But not sure where to start?

Discover the ultimate guide to HITS—an exploration of ten high impact teaching strategies, condensed into short chapters and paired with practical tips, tricks and templates to embed into your teaching instruction.

Download your copy now.

Sarah-Eleni Zaferis (Bachelor of Education and Science) writes on all things pedagogy, teaching strategies, student and teacher wellbeing. As a high-school educator herself, she is passionate about exploring the ways that educators can put time back in their day while boosting student engagement, motivation, and academic achievement. ‍

• Department of Education, 2021, What to differentiate , NSW Government
• Gibbs, K & McKay, L, 2021, Differentiated teaching practices of Australian mainstream classroom teachers: A systematic review and thematic analysis , Griffith University
• Mavidou & Kakana, 2019, Differentiated Instruction in Practice: Curriculum Adjustments in Kindergarten , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• The Department of Education and Training, 2022, High impact teaching strategies (HITS) , Victorian Government Tomlinson, C. A, 1999, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners , Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Published on

May 11, 2022

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Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction involves teaching in a way that meets the different needs and interests of students using varied course content, activities, and assessments.

Teaching differently to different students

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is fundamentally the attempt to teach differently to different students, rather than maintain a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction. Other frameworks, such as Universal Design for Learning , enjoin instructors to give students broad choice and agency to meet their diverse needs and interests. DI distinctively emphasizes instructional methods to promote learning for students entering a course with different readiness for, interest in, and ways of engaging with course learning based on their prior learning experiences ( Dosch and Zidon 2014). 

Successful implementation of DI requires ongoing training, assessment, and monitoring (van Geel et al. 2019) and has been shown to be effective in meeting students’ different needs, readiness levels, and interests (Turner et al. 2017). Below, you can find six categories of DI instructional practices that span course design and live teaching.

While some of the strategies are best used together, not all of them are meant to be used at once, as the flexibility inherent to these approaches means that some of them are diverging when used in combination (e.g., constructing homogenous student groups necessitates giving different types of activities and assessments; constructing heterogeneous student groups may pair well with peer tutoring) (Pozas et al. 2020). The learning environment the instructor creates with students has also been shown to be an important part of successful DI implementation (Shareefa et al. 2019). 

Differentiated Assessment

Differentiated assessment is an aspect of Differentiated Instruction that focuses on tailoring the ways in which students can demonstrate their progress to their varied strengths and ways of learning. Instead of testing recall of low-level information, instructors should focus on the use of knowledge and complex reasoning. Differentiation should inform not only the design of instructors’ assessments, but also how they interpret the results and use them to inform their DI practices. 

More Team Project Ideas

Steps to consider

There are generally considered to be six categories of useful differentiated instruction and assessment practices (Pozas & Schneider 2019):

• Making assignments that have tasks and materials that are qualitatively and/or quantitatively varied (according to “challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, and/or resources”) (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) It’s helpful to assess student readiness and interest by collecting data at the beginning of the course, as well as to conduct periodic check-ins throughout the course (Moallemi 2023 & Pham 2011)
• Making student working groups that are intentionally chosen (that are either homogeneous or heterogeneous based on “performance, readiness, interests, etc.”) (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) Examples of how to make different student groups provided by Stanford CTL  (Google Doc)
• Making tutoring systems within the working group where students teach each other (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) For examples of how to support peer instruction, and the benefits of doing so, see for example Tullis & Goldstone 2020 and Peer Instruction for Active Learning (LSA Technology Services, University of Michigan)
• Making non-verbal learning aids that are staggered to provide support to students in helping them get to the next step in the learning process (only the minimal amount of information that is needed to help them get there is provided, and this step is repeated each time it’s needed) (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible) Non-verbal cue cards support students’ self-regulation, as they can monitor and control their progress as they work (Pozas & Schneider 2019)
• Making instructional practices that ensure all students meet at least the minimum standards and that more advanced students meet higher standards , which involves monitoring students’ learning process carefully (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible; IP Module 5: Giving Inclusive Assessments) This type of approach to student assessment can be related to specifications grading, where students determine the grade they want and complete the modules that correspond to that grade, offering additional motivation to and reduced stress for students and additional flexibility and time-saving practices to instructors (Hall 2018)
• Making options that support student autonomy in being responsible for their learning process and choosing material to work on (e.g., students can choose tasks, project-based learning, portfolios, and/or station work, etc.) (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible) This option, as well as the others, fits within a general Universal Design Learning framework , which is designed to improve learning for everyone using scientific insights about human learning

Hall, M (2018). “ What is Specifications Grading and Why Should You Consider Using It? ” The Innovator Instructor blog, John Hopkins University Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation.

Moallemi, R. (2023). “ The Relationship between Differentiated Instruction and Learner Levels of Engagement at University .” Journal of Research in Integrated Teaching and Learning (ahead of print).

Pham, H. (2011). “ Differentiated Instruction and the Need to Integrate Teaching and Practice .” Journal of College Teaching and Learning , 9(1), 13-20.

Pozas, M. & Schneider, C. (2019). " Shedding light into the convoluted terrain of differentiated instruction (DI): Proposal of a taxonomy of differentiated instruction in the heterogeneous classroom ." Open Education Studies , 1, 73–90.

Pozas, M., Letzel, V. and Schneider, C. (2020). " Teachers and differentiated instruction: exploring differentiation practices to address student diversity ." Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs , 20: 217-230.

Shareefa, M. et al. (2019). “ Differentiated Instruction: Definition and Challenging Factors Perceived by Teachers .” Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Special Education (ICSE 2019). 

Tullis, J.G. & Goldstone, R.L. (2020). “ Why does peer instruction benefit student learning? ”, Cognitive Research 5 .

Turner, W.D., Solis, O.J., and Kincade, D.H. (2017). “ Differentiating Instruction for Large Classes in Higher Education ”, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 29(3), 490-500.

van Geel, M., Keuning, T., Frèrejean, J., Dolmans, D., van Merriënboer, J., & Visscher A.J. (2019). “Capturing the complexity of differentiated instruction”, School Effectiveness and School Improvement , 30:1, 51-67, DOI: 10.1080/09243453.2018.1539013

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

Instruction is tailored to meet all students' needs, interests and strengths.

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The most challenging task for differentiated learning is the execution in the classroom.

No two students are alike, including when it comes to their academic strengths and how exactly they learn best.

That's why many educators have sought to adopt more inclusive teaching practices, one being differentiated instruction – a broad term that usually refers to a teaching approach where instruction is tailored to meet all students' needs, interests and strengths.

"When you have a one-size-fits-all approach, it connects to your high and some of your middle learners. But it doesn't connect to some of your lower learners. So this way, we are able to grab all levels of learners," says Dave Steckler, principal at Red Trail Elementary School in North Dakota and president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. "Differentiated instruction gives our students success, which promotes that love to learn."

How Differentiated Instruction Works

Differentiated instruction may look different in every classroom, grade, school or district. But according to experts, teachers can differentiate instruction in four areas: content, process, product and learning environment.

Content differentiation is when teachers provide learning activities based on where the student is academically, while process occurs when teachers differentiate the mode of learning, says Becky Pringle, a middle school science teacher for 30 years and now president of the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union.

For students with dyslexia , for instance, it may be difficult to simultaneously listen and take notes. A differentiated instruction approach might adjust the process by passing out a copy of the class notes for students to follow along with, says David Arencibia, principal at Colleyville Middle School in Texas.

Product differentiation refers to ways students can demonstrate what they know, whether that's through varying assignments , projects or exams. For example, students may be given several options to show that they understood a book read in class , such as a writing an essay, drawing or creating a poem.

The physical space and feeling of a classroom can also impact learning. A differentiated classroom may have flexible seating. Students in an English class, for instance, may get the option to go to other learning areas, such as the library, to read in a more comfortable area if they so choose, Arencibia says.

"Think of yourself as a reader," he says. "Do you want to be sitting in a hard desk with a specific type of lighting where it's kind of uncomfortable or would you rather be sitting on the couch with special lighting? We differentiate even our learning environments to really be conducive to really get the most out of our learning for our students."

Differentiated Instruction vs. Other Approaches

More "traditional" approaches to learning often entail a teacher lecturing at the front of the classroom with an accompanying PowerPoint presentation, where students are asked to listen and take notes.

Children in a differentiated classroom are also all working toward the same learning goals, says Carol A. Tomlinson, professor emeritus at the University of Virginia’ s School of Education. But "they won't all be doing the same work in the same way over the same time period with the same support."

Teachers might use rotating work stations to divide students based on skill level, so students complete assignments that correlate with their academic level and needs. This can be done in a confidential way, such as through color-coding, in order to ensure students can't tell apart their levels, Arencibia says.

How to Know if Differentiated Instruction Is Being Done Well

Though many experts say differentiated instruction is beneficial, it can be challenging to execute in the classroom – in part because teachers have to really know the ins and outs of each student.

"That should be something that all instructors should be doing anyway, but sometimes it becomes automated and you are just there to teach and get out and go home," says Joseph Lathan, professor of practice and director of online programs in the department of learning and teaching at the University of San Diego in California. "You have to spend the time to know your students to be able to best help them."

There's also immense pressure for teachers around standardized tests, Tomlinson says. "They feel like all they can do is go into the classroom, start covering the material, cover it as fast as they can and at the end of the year say, 'I did it, I made it through.' We don't have any reason to believe that's effective teaching or learning."

Experts says parents should be feel good about differentiation going on if their child can explain their learning goals, shows enthusiasm about learning and talks about working in a variety of groups and having a choice of assignments.

"It's not intended to be in your face all the time. It's intended to be subtle and smooth," Tomlinson says.

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50 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples for K-12 Classrooms

Personalize the content, process, product, or learning environment.

As a teacher, you already know that every student in your classroom is different. They have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes, and their own ways of learning best. That’s why differentiated instruction strategies are so important. They give every kid a chance to succeed by adapting the learning to fit their needs. Add these examples of differentiated instruction strategies to your teacher toolkit so you can pull them out and use them as needed.

What is differentiated instruction?

Differentiated instruction (DI) means tailoring your teaching so all students, regardless of their ability, can learn the classroom material. During the 1990s,  Carol Ann Tomlinson  introduced the concept of differentiation, and it quickly gained traction. She identified four elements (content, process, product, and learning environment) that teachers could customize in their classrooms. Her work opened the door to a wide array of differentiation approaches and techniques.

So, what does this mean for teachers? Are you expected to create an individualized lesson plan for every student in your classroom? Fortunately, that’s not necessary. What you do need to do is ensure your lesson plans include a variety of activities, and provide options when students need them. Tomlinson recommends teachers consider how they can customize their teaching in four different areas: content, process, product, and learning environment. The differentiated instruction strategies and examples below all fit into one or more of these categories.

Learn much more about the details of this concept here: What Is Differentiated Instruction?

General Differentiated Instruction Strategies

You can use these DI strategies in almost any classroom or learning environment. For each, we’ve indicated which differentiated instruction areas apply (content, process, product, or learning environment).

Stoplight system

An important part of using differentiated instruction strategies is knowing when they’re needed in the first place. Try an easy way to check for understanding by giving students a nonverbal way to show where they are. Green means they’re good to go, yellow means they’re struggling, and red means they’re stuck entirely. Try this with sticky notes, folded desk tents, colored cups, and more. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Stoplight System at the Ardent Teacher

Pre-teaching

Getting ready to tackle a really tough topic? Try pre-teaching a smaller group of students first. This gives you a chance to try out your lesson plan, plus it creates a built-in group of “experts” to help you out when the whole class is learning. Use this strategy regularly, but switch up the student experts. Teaching others helps kids learn too. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Pre-Teaching at 3-Star Learning Experiences

Cooperative learning structures

Cooperative learning describes a strategy where students work together in small groups under supervision to accomplish a goal. These groups are carefully constructed based on student needs, abilities, and learning styles. It means knowing your students well, but once you do, you can put these groups together quickly depending on your current activity. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Top 10 Cooperative Learning Structures at Continually Learning

Projects with choices

When you offer choices, students feel more comfortable with the assignment. Plus, they often get a sense of ownership—being allowed to pick and choose encourages kids to take responsibility for their choices. To make this work, determine what goals all students need to achieve. Then, let them come up with ways to demonstrate those goals, or give them a few options that appeal to different types of learners. (DI Area: Product)

Learn more: How I Use Choice Boards To Increase Student Engagement at We Are Teachers

Self-paced learning

One of the best things technology has given us is a better ability to use self-paced learning in and out of the classroom. When you use computer programs and games, kids can advance at the pace that makes sense to them. Of course, you’ll need to ensure students stay on task when they’re working independently. Also, remember that a computer program may only have the ability to explain things one way, so be ready to step in and give kids information in other ways when needed. (DI Area: Product)

Learn more: How To Create a Self-Paced Classroom at Cult of Pedagogy

Color coding

One of the best differentiated instruction strategies is color coding. It can work in all sorts of classroom applications, including organization and routines. But you can apply it to learning strategies too. Color helps kids see things more clearly, especially when the subject is complex. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Color-Coding in the Classroom

Small groups

Elementary teachers have been using small reading groups as a differentiated instruction strategy for years. Really, they work in any subject, offering teachers a chance to get more face time with their students. You can group students by skill level, but that’s not necessarily the best way to help learners. Consider grouping by learning styles instead, so you can tailor a lesson’s delivery specifically for those styles. (DI Area: Learning Environment)

Learn more: Small Group Instruction Strategies and Tips for Success

Student-led lessons

Assign students a topic or let them pick their own, then ask them each to become an expert and plan a lesson to share with the class. This goes beyond just giving a presentation. Encourage them to think of creative ways to share the information, planning interactive activities they themselves would like to do in the classroom. You’re bound to get a lot of new teaching strategies yourself! (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Student-Led Lessons Rather Than Student Presentations at Faculty Focus

Question wait time

This one is all about teacher patience. When you ask your class a question, don’t immediately call on the first person to raise their hand. Instead, wait a few more seconds, and call on someone whose hand came up a little later. This allows slower, more thorough thinkers a chance to get their ideas heard too. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Wait Time: Making Space for Authentic Learning at Kent State University

Classroom environment

When you’re reading a book, what’s your favorite position? Curled up on the couch with a pillow under your head? Stretched out on your stomach on your bed? Sitting upright at a table with a cup of tea? Can you handle background noise like music, or do you prefer it to be completely silent? Your students’ choices would be just as varied as your own. Whenever you can, allow them to sit, stand, or even stretch out. Help them control distractions with noise-cancelling headphones, or let them listen to music with earbuds if it helps them concentrate. (DI Area: Learning Environment)

Learn more: 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Include in Your Classroom

Anchor charts

Good news! Those anchor charts hanging all over your walls are a popular differentiation strategy. They help visual learners succeed, giving them strong images to relate to key skills and topics. You don’t need to be an artist to make great charts, but the more color, the better. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Anchor Charts 101

Co-teaching

Just as students have different learning styles, teachers have different instructional styles as well. Use this to your advantage! You don’t necessarily need to co-teach full-time. Work as a team with your fellow teachers to learn what their styles are like, and consider switching things up from time to time by trading duties for certain lessons or subjects. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: 8 Things Successful Co-Teachers Do

Peer buddy program

Pairing students of varying levels as buddies benefits all kids. Some schools pair those with disabilities with a buddy to help them as needed. Others pair older students with younger ones. Whatever you choose, plan your program carefully and monitor pairings to ensure they’re working out. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)

Learn more: A Win/Win for All Students: Expert Q&A on Peer Buddy Programs at Brookes Blog

Must-dos and may-dos

Not all students need extra time; in fact, some finish everything up too quickly! That’s where the ability to provide enrichment activities comes in handy. For any lesson, be prepared with “must-do” and “may-do” activities. This helps kids prioritize the most important items and gives fast finishers meaningful work to do too. (DI Areas: Content, Process)

Learn more: The Case for Must-Dos and May-Dos

Multiple intelligences

You don’t necessarily need to create multiple activities to cater to your students’ multiple intelligences. For example, if you’re reviewing a timeline of the American Civil War for an upcoming test, give each student an index card with a major event (e.g., Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, etc.), and while playing Civil War–era music, ask students to line up in front of the class to put the events in order. This single activity activates brain stimulation for six different learning styles:

• Visual-spatial learners use a mental image of the lineup as a mnemonic device.
• Kinesthetic learners get to move around and create a life-size timeline.
• Interpersonal learners communicate with one another to decide where to stand in line.
• Musical-rhythm learners benefit from the background music.
• Logical-mathematical learners thrive on creating a chronological line.
• Verbal-linguistic learners review notes and their textbooks during the activity.

Learn more: Understanding Multiple Intelligences for the Classroom at ASCD

Reading is a key skill, no doubt about it. But when a student struggles with it, it can often affect their learning in other areas too. Unless reading itself is key to the topic you’re presenting, consider letting students listen to an audiobook instead. This lets them focus on the content, rather than just the words and sentences. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: 10 Places Kids Can Listen to Free Audiobooks

Pre-assessments

Before you present a new topic, take a few minutes to find out what kids already know. Their responses might change how you decide to teach, especially if you find they’re lacking in prerequisite knowledge or already understand the new subject pretty well. Tip: Save time by checking out Kahoot! for pre-made quizzes on your topic. (DI Areas: Process, Product)

Learn more: 6 Benefits of Pre-Assessment at Minds in Bloom

Alternative assessments

Written tests aren’t the only way to check for learning, as teachers well know. Alternative assessments provide ways to differentiate in your classroom by giving students multiple ways to show what they know. For students who struggle with writing, consider a discussion instead (unless you’re specifically working on writing skills). Instead of a traditional book report, have students turn the story into their own graphic novel. Find ways to help students shine! (DI Areas: Process, Content)

Learn more: 25 Alternative Assessment Ideas

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL offers educators a way to reduce the need for differentiation strategies and scaffolding, by building curriculum and lessons that include multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Look for learning materials that use UDL to use in your classroom, or take the time to design your own lessons using the UDL principles. (DI Area: Multiple)

Learn more: What Is UDL and How Do Teachers Make It Work in the Classroom?

Accommodations

An outside-of-the-box way to find more differentiated instruction strategies is to explore lists of the classroom accommodations used to created IEPs and 504 plans. These include terrific ways to differentiate, even when students don’t have specific written plans. You don’t need to be diagnosed with dyscalculia to benefit from using graph paper to line up your math problems. Typing is easier than handwriting for lots of people. Reviewing an example list can spark ideas for all of your students. (DI Area: Multiple)

Learn more: 80+ IEP Accommodations Every Teacher Should Bookmark

English Language Arts Differentiated Instruction Examples

• Leveled Reading Materials: Leveled books have been around for a long time, but today teachers can also use leveled reading sites like Newsela . (DI Area: Content)
• High-Low Books: High-interest, low-readability level books keep readers engrossed page after page, without leaving them feeling frustrated or bored. Find a list of our favorites here. (DI Area: Content)
• Literacy Centers: Center work allows kids to go at their own pace and work privately, without feeling the need to keep up with others. Explore our big list of literacy center ideas here. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)
• Varied Spelling/Vocabulary Lists: Offer shorter or longer lists depending on aptitude, using more-advanced words to challenge kids who excel in this area. (DI Area: Content)
• Book Report Options: Give students a variety of ways to report back on the book they’ve read, including written papers, presentations, posters, skits, and more. Find 40+ book report ideas here. (DI Area: Process)
• Writing Tools: If handwriting is a challenge, explore options like special pencil grips or try one of these easy hacks . When handwriting isn’t the learning goal, offer kids options like oral responses or typing instead. (DI Areas: Process, Product)
• Reading Spaces: Provide spaces in your classroom where students can get comfortable while they read. Vary the lighting, seating, and noise levels to create areas for different styles. See some of our favorite reading nooks here. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
• Diverse Materials: Ensure your reading choices include diverse and multicultural characters, settings, and authors . (DI Area: Content)
• Flexible Groups: Instead of leaving students in the same-leveled reading groups at all times, mix up your groupings by interest, readiness, or learning styles. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
• Writing Conferences: Meet with students individually to identify strengths and challenges. Or try peer writing groups that partner stronger writers with those who need more help. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)

Math Differentiated Instruction Examples

• Manipulatives: These aren’t just for little kids! Make math manipulatives available to older students too, to help those who benefit from kinesthetic learning. (DI Area: Process)
• Evens or Odds: When giving homework assignments or practice worksheets, give students who need extra time the option to complete only the even or odd questions. This gives them effective practice but keeps them motivated. (DI Areas: Content, Process)
• Math Centers: Just like literacy centers, math centers let kids choose their pace and learning process. Try these 10 activities for secondary math centers. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Process)
• Small Groups: After teaching a concept, put kids in small groups to tackle practice problems together. Many times, students will show each other new ways of learning that teachers might not think of. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Process)
• Open-Ended Questions: Students think of math as having one cut-and-dried answer, but you can encourage more creative thinking with broader questions. Learn more from My Teaching Cupboard. (DI Areas: Process, Product)
• Math Books: We’re not talking about textbooks. Use storybooks with a math theme to engage reluctant learners. (DI Area: Process)
• Assessment Options: Give students different ways to demonstrate their knowledge, whether it’s answering flash cards out loud, writing an explanation of their solution methods, or drawing pictures to explain their thinking. (DI Areas: Product, Process)
• Real-Life Math: Whenever possible, use real examples to show kids why math matters. Money activities can be especially effective in engaging students. (DI Area: Process)
• Active Math Games: Many students learn best when their bodies are involved. Use active math games to engage students on a variety of levels. (DI Area: Process)
• Pre-Teach Vocabulary: This may be especially important for ESL speakers. Ensure they know specialized terms (e.g., shape names) before tackling math concepts. (DI Area: Process)

Science and Social Studies Differentiated Instruction Examples

• Graphic Organizers: This note-taking method encourages students to organize information visually. Kids might draw pictures or diagrams instead of writing words—whatever works for them. Learn about graphic organizers here. (DI Area: Process)
• Audiobooks and Videos: Reading is an important skill, but it can hold students back in other subjects. Give kids the option to use audiobooks or videos that cover the same content. This is also helpful for different learning styles. (DI Area: Process)
• Project Choices: Let students choose from different options to demonstrate their knowledge on a subject. They might write a paper, perform a skit, create a picture book, draw a poster, give a presentation, or more. (DI Area: Product, Process)
• Diverse Materials: Use videos with diverse presenters, read books or articles by diverse authors, and explore stories of many cultures. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Content)
• Pre-Teach Vocabulary and Concepts: Just as in math, it’s important to ensure all students are on the same basic page before you begin instruction. Pre-assessments can help you learn which vocabulary terms or foundational concepts some (or all) students need reinforced. (DI Area: Process)

Examples of Special Education Differentiated Instruction Strategies

Note: Special education students usually have Individualized Education Plans (IEP) , with a variety of required accommodations and modifications. Always be sure to follow a student’s IEP requirements and recommendations. Learn more about special education here.

• Time or Workload Modifications: Reduce the amount of work expected from a student, or increase the amount of time they have to complete it. The use of “evens and odds” for math worksheets is a good example of differentiated instruction for special ed students. (DI Areas: Product, Assessment)
• Scaffolding: Provide support for students by breaking down learning into manageable chunks. Find multiple ways to scaffold instruction here. (DI Area: Process)
• Tailored Learning Spaces: Some students need complete silence while they learn; others prefer background noise. Headphones can be a solution for both. Explore small environmental changes you can make to differentiate learning for all students. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
• Routines: Special education students often benefit from established routines. Keep their learning schedule the same each day, and use proven instruction methods that they know and are comfortable with. (DI Area: Process)
• Peer or Teacher Assistance: When possible, extra attention from a teacher, teacher’s aide, or peer can provide the support special ed students need. They might read questions aloud for students to respond to, explain things in a new way, or help them stay on task as they work. (DI Area: Process)

Resources for Differentiated Instruction Strategies

• Carol Anne Tomlinson: What Is Differentiated Instruction? (Video)
• Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not As Hard As You Think (Video)
• Differentiated for Student Learning (Video Series)
• How To Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms (Tomlinson, 2017)
• Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom (Sousa/Tomlinson, 2018)
• How To Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3 (Walpole/McKenna, 2017)
• Differentiation in the Elementary Grades (Doubet/Hocket, 2017)
• Differentiation in Middle and High School (Doubet/Hocket, 2015)

What are your go-to differentiated instruction strategies? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, read what is scaffolding in education.

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What Is Differentiated Instruction and What Does It Look Like in the Classroom?

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Differentiation strategies: a teacher's guide

February 9, 2022

What does differentiation in the classroom look like and how can we use this concept to make learning accessible and challenging for everyone?

Main, P (2022, February 09). Differentiation strategies: a teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/differentiation-strategies-a-teachers-guide

What is Differentiation in the classroom?

Differentiation is a way to modify instruction to meet students' individual needs . Teachers may differentiate process , content , resources , or the learning environment. A flexible grouping and ongoing assessment can make differentiation one of the most successful instructional strategies.

Differentiation is a teaching approach that modifies instruction to meet the individual needs of students . Teachers can differentiate in various ways, such as through the process of instruction, the content being taught, the resources used, or the learning environment.

By providing flexible grouping and ongoing assessment, teachers can make differentiation one of the most successful instructional strategies .

The goal of differentiation is to ensure that all students are challenged and engaged in their learning, regardless of their skill level or learning style*. With differentiation, teachers can tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students and help them achieve academic success.

Differentiation is all about creating a personalized learning experience for each student. By adapting instruction to meet individual needs, teachers can create a more engaging and effective learning experience for their students.

This can include activities that cater to different learning styles (*this theory has been heavily criticised as it has been taken out of context in many classrooms), such as visual aids for visual learners or hands-on activities for kinesthetic learners. Differentiation can also involve adjusting the level of difficulty of assignments or providing extra support for struggling students . Ultimately, the goal of differentiation is to create a positive and inclusive learning experience that helps each student reach their full potential.

One may consider differentiation, as a way to teach or even a philosophy that's designed to meet the needs of the whole class. It is not a package or collection of worksheets . It motivates teachers to understand their pupils so they can help each student to enhance learning .

As Carol Ann Tomlinson (1999) explains, differentiation means providing students with many options for gaining knowledge. Carol Ann Tomlinson believes that Differentiation is an instructional strategy to help educators teach while keeping students as well as content in mind. Differentiation ensures that learning and teaching work for every student, which really should be a teacher's main purpose of teaching. Differentiating teaching means that the teacher would observe and identify the similarities and differences among students and use this knowledge to teach students.

How can we differentiate instruction?

According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, there are four ways in which teachers may differentiate their instruction.

1. Content: There are six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of degrees of intellectual behaviour ranging from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills of advanced learners) i.e. remembering, conceptual understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Therefore, according to Carol Ann Tomlinson, the teachers must differentiate the content by creating activities for each group of students covering different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy .

2. Process: Every student has a preferred style of learning, and successful differentiation allows the delivery of instruction to different mediums of learning (we are not advocating for learning styles!): auditory learners, visual, verbal and kinesthetic learners. This process-related strategy also considers the fact that each student demands a different amount of support from the instructor, and they may choose to work individually, in groups or pairs. Carol Ann Tomlinson believes that teachers may improve learning by providing support based on the individual needs of each student. The universal thinking framework enables teachers to design different learning journeys that achieve the same goal. Instead of using generic strategies for everyone, teachers can move pupils from an introductory level to a more advanced understanding of the content using the learning actions. Advanced learners can be stretched and challenged using the red icons that indicate higher-order thinking.

3. Product: After completing a lesson, the students create a product to show content mastery. It may be in the form of reports, projects, tests or any other activity. For example, according to Carol Ann Tomlinson, the teachers may ask students to complete activities to show mastery of maths lessons as preferred by the students, depending upon their preferred learning style.

4. learning environment: The optimal learning conditions include both psychological and physical elements. A differentiated classroom layout is crucial, including a wide range of arrangements and classroom furniture to support both personal and group work. Carol Ann Tomlinson states that to support students' psychological wellbeing, teachers must use that classroom management and teaching strategies that promote a supportive and safe learning environment.

What are the most popular Differentiation Strategies used in a classroom?

There are several broad differentiation strategies that can be used across different subject areas. Differentiation begins from the students' essential understandings, prior knowledge assessment and skills and through individual learning objectives .

It is suggested that the success criteria and the respective learning objectives must be shared with the students. This fosters self-regulation, metacognition and empowers learners to control their learning progress . Following are some of the most effective differentiation strategies used in a differentiated classroom:

• Ongoing, formative assessment : Teachers need to continually assess and identify students’ areas of need and strengths so they can modify their teaching style and help students to move forward .
• Response to Intervention : This is a very effective focused differentiation strategy, which is normally implemented as a whole school implementation technique. This multi-layered approach to classroom learning allows teachers to identify individual learner abilities and help to provide additional instruction to the students who may take advantage of teaching in more targeted settings.
• Recognition of diverse students: Each student has a diverse level of expertise and experience with reading , writing, speaking, thinking and problem-solving. Ongoing assessments are the most common strategies that allow teachers to adjusting content and plan differentiated instruction strategies to fulfil every students’ needs.
• Explicit Teaching: In explicit teaching , the differentiation focus remains on offering students a strong conceptual understanding of new ideas and knowledge and opportunities for individual and group practice . The phases of this strategy, frequently simplified to "I do, we do, you do", offer numerous opportunities to differentiation. In the phase of "we do," teachers model the new knowledge application, they can evaluate the conceptual understanding level, give feedback to the students, design targeted interventions and offer further support to the entire class. In the phase of "you do," teachers may walk in the classroom and offer individual feedback , invite individual auditory learners for conferencing, and create small groups for differentiated instruction.
• Group Work: This is a student focused differentiation strategy in which learners collaborate in small groups and pairs and the members of the group may change as needed. Learning in groups is a focused strategy that allows learners to learn and observe from each other and to engage in meaningful conversations .
• Feedback : Feedback has a major role in differentiation. Actionable and timely feedback allows learners to identify the next stages needed to enhance their basic learning. Individualised feedback, alongside the clear success criteria and learning intentions may promote self-regulation. Here the differentiation focus remains on the advanced learners' feedback, which may also help regular students to show a deep understanding of the success criteria and what advanced learners may do to improve their essential understandings, level of competency and learning process.
• Problem Solving : The main focus of the lesson plan with differentiated instruction remains on the concepts and issues, rather than the chapter or “the book.” This motivates learners to explore big ideas and improve their knowledge of key concepts.
• Flipped Classroom: Within the flipped classroom, the learning phase of direct instruction occurs online or at students' homes. For example, students may access their  content (mostly in the form of videos composed by their maths teachers) anywhere and at any time. A flipped classroom experience offers great opportunities for differentiation as it allows teachers to spend more of their free time in the classroom with their students. Teachers may spend their free classroom time addressing a group or individual needs or providing feedback to the students. Students may also forge ahead, learn to self-regulate or spend time to improve their level of competency and revise the level of complexity of content that needs revision .
• Choice : Teachers may use 'Choice' as a focus strategy and leave it to students to decide what do they wish to read or write in the projects and tasks they complete. While engaging students in this student focused differentiation strategy, teachers may change different aspects of content leading to continuous improvement in students and create motivating assignments according to students' varied interests, level of competency and diverse needs.

Tips on Differentiating in the Classroom

Teachers spend hours every week preparing lessons and teaching students. This means they often don't have much time left for themselves.

So, here are our top tips for teachers to differentiate class instruction.

1. Use Technology to Help Students Learn

Technology has changed education forever. Teachers no longer have to rely solely on textbooks and lectures to teach students . Instead, technology allows teachers to deliver content in an engaging manner. For example, instead of using a textbook to teach reading comprehension , teachers can use interactive books such as iBooks 2. They can also use apps such as Duolingo to provide language learning opportunities. This helps students learn faster and retain information better. And these tools allow teachers to focus on delivering quality content rather than spending time on lesson preparation.

2. Create Lesson Plans That Work For Everyone

It's common for teachers to prepare one set of lesson plans for each subject. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that everyone learns the same way. Some students may benefit from visual aids , whereas others may learn better from listening to a lecture. Therefore, it makes sense to tailor lesson plans to individual student needs. To do this, teachers can ask students questions about their interests and preferences. Then, they can plan lessons accordingly. For example, if a student enjoys playing sports, he or she may learn better from watching videos of sporting events. If a student prefers to read, teachers can assign articles from online news sources.

By tailoring lesson plans to individual students' needs , teachers can ensure that all students receive the most effective form of learning .

3. Provide Feedback Throughout Class

Feedback is essential for improving performance. Therefore, providing feedback to students should be part of any teacher's daily routine. However, it takes time to give feedback . Therefore, teachers should schedule regular meetings with students to discuss progress and answer questions. These meetings can be scheduled once per week, once per month, or whenever needed. By scheduling regular meetings, teachers can address issues quickly and efficiently.

4. Encourage Student Collaboration

Collaborative learning is becoming increasingly popular among educators. Students working together to solve problems can improve their understanding of concepts. In addition, collaborative learning encourages students to share knowledge and resources. As a result, students become more confident in their abilities and develop stronger relationships with peers.

To encourage collaboration, teachers can hold group discussions , host guest speakers, and organize field trips. These activities can help students understand complex topics and foster friendships between classmates.

5. Make Learning Fun

Learning isn't supposed to be boring. Therefore, teachers should strive to make learning fun . They can do this by incorporating games into lessons, encouraging students to participate in debates, and offering rewards for academic achievement . Students enjoy learning when they feel engaged and excited about what they're doing. By creating a positive environment , teachers can motivate students to achieve higher grades.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to differentiate classroom instruction. With these five tips, you can help students learn effectively and enjoy school.

Differentiation in your classroom

The most effective teachers may use evidence of differentiation focus, knowledge about individual student learning profiles, students' ability levels , basic learning progress and their learning readiness, to make changes in different aspects of content such as level of complexity and lesson planning to ensure that each student must experience success, challenge and improved learning.

A student focused differentiation strategy allows teachers to tailor instruction to fulfil individual needs. In conjunction with focus strategies of process , content , learning environment or product , the teachers may use other approaches such as flexible grouping and ongoing assessment to make differentiation a successful instructional strategy.

If you are using an inquiry-based learning or project-based learning pedagogy , you might want to look at the block building methodology. This learning strategy helps students develop deep conceptual understanding within a playful environment. This innovative method is also a good example of a differentiated instruction strategy.

Advanced learners can take their knowledge in different directions whilst pupils working at introductory levels can move through the task at their own pace. This strategy is not just for kinaesthetic learners (we now understand so much more about learning styles ), the colour-coded nature of the strategy helps children to organise their thinking which produces rich dialogue .

Teachers need to be able to differentiate effectively because students learn differently. Differentiating instruction means tailoring lessons to each student's needs. This requires knowing your students' strengths and weaknesses, understanding their learning styles, and being aware of their interests and passions.

To help teachers differentiate effectively, I recommend creating lesson plans based on the following three principles:

1) Focus on skills rather than content . Students should master specific skills instead of memorizing facts and figures.

2) Use multiple strategies to teach the same skill. One strategy may work better for some students, while another works better for others.

3) Create a variety of activities to engage different types of learners.

These principles apply equally well to online courses. To create effective online courses , instructors must understand their students' learning preferences and design course materials accordingly.

When designing online courses, instructors should use these three principles to ensure that students receive the most efficient form of instruction possible.

Further Reading on Differentiation

These studies collectively highlight the importance of differentiated instruction in addressing the diverse needs of students , the challenges of implementing DI effectively, and the need for further research and development in DI strategies to enhance learning outcomes:

• Teachers and their implementation of differentiated instruction in the classroom by M. Suprayogi, M. Valcke, and Raymond Godwin (2017): This study explores the actual implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) by teachers and how it's linked to variables like DI self-efficacy, teaching beliefs, and classroom size. It finds that while DI implementation seems high, it still falls below a critical benchmark, with implementation significantly linked to DI self-efficacy beliefs, higher constructivist beliefs , and larger classroom sizes.
• Myth 7: Differentiation in the Regular Classroom Is Equivalent to Gifted Programs and Is Sufficient by Holly L. Hertberg-Davis (2009): This paper challenges the assumption that differentiated instruction within regular classrooms can substitute for specialized gifted programs. It highlights the need for differentiation to address the unique talents and needs of gifted students, beyond a one-size-fits-all curriculum, and discusses the limitations of relying solely on differentiation to meet the needs of gifted students .
• Differentiated instruction in small schools by Robbert Smit and Winfried Humpert (2012): The study investigates the practices of differentiated instruction in rural small schools and examines the school conditions that support the implementation of DI. It shows that team collaboration including pedagogical topics enhances teachers' use of DI, highlighting the difference in practices between teachers with more- and less-developed DI cultures.
• This Issue: Differentiated Instruction by C. Tomlinson (2005): This editorial introduces the topic of differentiated instruction , emphasizing the need to modify teaching in response to learner needs. It discusses the importance of differentiation in meeting the diverse needs of students and calls for more research and guidance on making classrooms more effective and efficient for all learners.
• Meeting the Needs of All Students through Differentiated Instruction: Helping Every Child Reach and Exceed Standards by Holli M. Levy (2008): This article discusses the practical examples of how to differentiate content , process, and product for students. It addresses grouping techniques , assessment strategies, and tiered lessons as means to meet the needs of all students and help them to meet and exceed established standards.

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