The biggest issue many educators face is how to get started on differentiating their classroom instruction. The first solution would be to gather as much information about your students as possible. If test scores are available, use them as a basis to analyze your students' strengths and weaknesses. Also, administer surveys or learning style inventories to find out more about your students; this knowledge will assist in planning activities.
After getting started, a teacher may wonder what type of modifications/accommodations are acceptable for the students, especially for those who do not have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or any other special service. It is a good idea to create an action plan for the common activity for the whole class and tailor it to meet individual student needs. This includes but is not limited to having children use manipulatives or allowing for extra time on certain activities.
Another misconception regarding differentiated instruction is that every single student in the classroom must receive an individualized lesson. With class sizes growing, planning individual lessons for up to 30 students may seem a bit overwhelming or, more to the point, downright impossible. However, it is not expected that each and every student has a different activity. The outcome is the same, as is the activity. The only difference is that certain students might need accommodations/modifications, but the entire group most likely does not.
The issue of fairness will always come into play when it comes to differentiated instruction. Many feel that it is simply unfair to make an assignment "easier" for one student than it is for the rest of the class. The student receiving special instruction should be challenged to achieve just like the rest of the class. However, what many forget is that tasks that may seem easy to some are actually a great challenge to others, especially for those with learning disabilities. In that case, they are not actually receiving an easier assignment; the assignment is simply adjusted to the student's own learning style or abilities in order to make sure that learning does occur.