Carol Tomlinson, Ph.D, a noted expert on differentiation and author of over 200 articles, book chapters, and books on education, writes on the Reading Rockets website that students show higher levels of success when they are taught based on their own readiness and levels of interest. According to Tomlinson, all teachers need to tailor their instruction to meet individual needs. Teachers may vary the content they teach, the process in which they teach it, the products they expect from their students or the learning environment. Teachers who use differentiated instruction need to implement ongoing assessment and flexible grouping in order to make them successful.
According to the website of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, content refers to the concepts, principles and skills you want your students to learn. One strategy is to teach all the students the same big idea, but vary the levels of complexity. The National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials published "Differentiated Instruction and Implications for UDL Implementation" online in which the authors advise focusing on the broad idea rather than minute details. For instance, if you are teaching a preschool lesson on metamorphosis, it is important to convey the big idea that a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Then, adjust the degree of complexity to suit diverse learners. For instance, some of the more advanced students may be able to understand the idea that there are stages to metamorphosis, or steps the caterpillar has to take to become a butterfly.
Process includes the activities your students do. It is extremely important to remain flexible with your groupings. One strategy is to group your students according to interests. Having all the students who like Spiderman reading a story on Spiderman and all the students who like Batman reading a story on Batman will foster interest and productivity. Another strategy is to group your students according to abilities. Many teachers will put more advanced students together and the slower learners together so that each group can work at their own pace. On the other hand, it may be beneficial to put two advanced students with two slower students so that there is peer interaction going on. The advanced students can help the lower level students while at the same time, the lower level students are helping reinforce the concepts to the advanced students who are teaching it.
Tomlinson also says another strategy is to differentiate the products that you expect from students. If your student likes to draw, ask him to draw you a picture of the story you just read. However, there may be a student who is not yet able to hold a crayon. You may ask that student to tell you about what happened in the story to assess his comprehension.
Differentiated instruction is based on the idea that one size does not fit all. Some students learn better by moving around and interacting. Other students are more reticent and shy. Make sure there are spaces in your classroom that are designated for quiet activities as well as interactive ones. Your learning environment should make all students feel safe and positive to get the most out of them.