How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms

Differentiated instruction is a way of teaching that recognizes variations in learning styles among students. In the same classroom, you are likely to have students of different competencies who will thrive under different academic conditions. Vary the content, process, and products that you plan for in your curriculum. Improve your classroom environment by establishing “anchor activities” for your students, preparing them to seek help from different sources, and encouraging their feedback. Try tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, and specific interest groups as differentiated instruction teaching methods.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Deciding How to Differentiate

1
Create varied lesson plans. Look up state and national requirements for the curriculum you are teaching and identify the skills that your students should master. Keeping student assessment levels in mind, assign projects that use different skills and mediums (e.g. research papers, oral reports, slideshow presentations) to keep kids with different learning styles interested and engaged. Give students the option to add content and resources to their studies to enhance their learning.
- For instance, identify some current pop culture narratives that reflect one of the main themes in your course (e.g. Twitter and other social media with regards to the study of rhetoric) and encourage students to observe them mindfully to add context to their lessons.
2
Play with the process. To differentiate learning with regard to procedure, try alternating the process of how students learn. Learning styles and preference vary greatly, and a fresh take on old course material can reinvigorate a student's desire and aptitude to learn. For instance, cover one chapter of a textbook by lecturing on the topic, then cover the next chapter by initiating a group discussion about the assigned reading.
- As another example, if you are teaching 20th century history, lecture one day, then have students visit online archives to look for relevant pictures and documents the next day. To further engage creative students, have them write a fictional story about the historical period covered in that week's lesson using accurate historical information.
3
Vary assessments to encourage multiple skill sets. In a classroom setting, assessments refer to the tangible results of a student’s understanding of course material. Vary the assessments that students put together by giving them choices that will let them work with their unique competencies and interests.
- Structure the assessments so that various skill sets, abilities, and talents can be displayed. Aim to find out the students’ talents early in the year so you can design projects and other assignments that play to their strengths.
- Some examples of assessments are tests, written reports, oral presentations, and performances (e.g., skits).
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Streamlining the Classroom Environment

1
Establish “anchor activities.” In a mixed ability classroom, it is inevitable that more advanced students will sometimes complete their assignments earlier than their peers. As a classroom rule, establish acceptable activities for students to work on after completing their assigned tasks. These “anchor activities" could include:
- Reading
- Practicing academic skills (e.g. vocabulary or timetables)
- Journal writing
2
Prepare students to help themselves. Provide various options to your class for alternative ways to get help with assignments when you are indisposed or unable to assist. Encourage peer-to-peer consultations, whereby classmates can provide instruction, help to problem-solve, or proofread work for a fellow student who is struggling.
- In addition, suggest “thinking on paper”- a strategy whereby students brainstorm ideas and work through problems on paper to try to get their minds “unstuck.”
3
Encourage feedback and discussion. Encourage “metacognition” in your classroom– i.e., get students to think about and discuss their learning process. Initiate classroom discussions with your students about how they think they learn best, what types of projects they feel most confident doing, and what they find most challenging in their school lives.
- Have students brainstorm solutions for different learning issues (e.g., making speeches or oral presentations more comfortable by sitting or standing in a circle and using visual aids).
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Giving Out Tiered Assignments

1
Give content reinforcement assignments. Have students who are struggling to grasp course material do a project that helps build their fundamental knowledge of a topic. The scope of the assignment should not extend beyond the lesson or build on it. Instead, the work should reinforce the basic tenets of a subject and boost a student's confidence in their own understanding.^{[1]XResearch source}
- For instance, if a grade school student is struggling with fractions, give them recipes to divide or multiply the quantities for. This assignment will not introduce new material, but it will allow the student to think about fractions in a practical, real-world way.
2
Assign a more complex project for advanced students. Students who have grasped the course material can express their knowledge with more intricate projects and presentations than their other classmates. This will allow them to expand their knowledge of the curriculum into broader themes and contexts. Material can expand beyond the basic outline of what students should learn about a subject.^{[2]XResearch source}
- For instance, while other students complete a basic report about the novel “Anna Karenina”, an advanced student can write a report comparing the book to Tolstoy’s first work, “War and Peace”.
Tiered assignments can hurt student morale if the materials, expectations, and objectives are too disparate. Offset this by telling students that you're aiming to have a variety of unique projects for students to share with each other. Be sure to outline assignments that are equally interesting, and convey equal levels of enthusiasm and excitement about them.^{[3]XResearch source}
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using Curriculum Compacting

Assess a student’s level of understanding of a given subject by evaluating the level of competency that they demonstrate over several situations. Methods of determining comprehension include one-on-one instruction, pop quizzes, participation in class discussions, and written or oral reports. Based on these results, gauge and record what content a student still needs to master.
2
Plan a lesson for knowledge that is lacking. Based on your understanding of what a student has absorbed from the material taught, plan a specific, personalized learning plan with the goal of providing the knowledge that they are lacking. This plan should exclude the content that the student has already mastered, and be tailored specifically to their weaknesses. Write out this plan and share it with the student so that they clearly understand their learning goals.^{[4]XResearch source}
- For example, if a student shows an overall improvement in math but still struggles consistently with assignments and test questions dealing with the Pythagorean Theorem, make a lesson plan focusing on that concept.
3
Plan for advanced learning during free time. Knowing what a child has already learned and anticipating free time, make a specific plan for accelerated studies of the subject at hand. This plan should be established beforehand to minimize distractions for other students.
- For instance, if a student has mastered a theory and lab experiment in chemistry class, have them move on to a second experiment to expand on the theory.
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Assembling Interest Groups

1
Establishing group choices. Allowing students to work within an interest group gives them the advantage of building and furthering knowledge within the scope of their preferred focus. Hold a brainstorming discussion in class where students can propose ideas, and where you can gauge the range of common interests in the peer group. Following the discussion, used the ideas gathered to form specific group for students to join.^{[5]XTrustworthy SourceAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum DevelopmentNonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievementGo to source}
- For instance, if a history class is focusing on the 1960s, have students discuss historical developments of the period that interest them the most and form groups for the suggestions that resonated with multiple students (e.g., the Vietnam war, civil rights movements, women’s rights movements, the moon landing).
2
Offer flexibility and choice of resources. In the spirit of collaboration and investigative learning, provide students with enough flexibility to use a wide range of resources for their group projects.
- For instance, let students use traditional library research or internet sources, but encourage creative ideas like interviewing sources and searching for historical records or documents.
- For instance, a project on the subway system could include traditional research as well as an interview with a conductor.
3
Look for mentors for shared interests. Having specific focus groups will allow you to give special attention to certain areas of course content and provide advanced instruction. Finding a mentor for students working on a particular theme can enrich their study of the material and provide them with additional perspective about it.^{[6]XTrustworthy SourceAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum DevelopmentNonprofit organization providing innovative, effective educational resources for educators designed to support student achievementGo to source}
- For instance, invite a former student who also took a special interest in a topic to speak to an interest group working on a similar project.
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Tips

Avoid separating students into groups based on their abilities on a regular basis. It may be necessary on occasion, but aim to let students work with others of various abilities most of the time.
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