{"id":21864,"date":"2024-03-05T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/?p=21864"},"modified":"2024-08-26T13:53:17","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T20:53:17","slug":"4-research-backed-ways-to-differentiate-instruction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2024\/4-research-backed-ways-to-differentiate-instruction\/","title":{"rendered":"4 research-backed ways to differentiate instruction\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When I think about what it takes for kids to master grade-level content in school and<\/em> get the support they need to reach their potential, I recall my son\u2019s experience. He\u2019s in his late twenties now, but his early outcomes in language arts were mixed. His ability to read informational text was way above grade level, but his patience for literature was practically nil\u2014and it showed in his reading scores. It\u2019s easy for students like this to feel overlooked and fall behind in certain areas. The fortunate ones have teachers who know how to differentiate instruction so that every student has the right mix of support and opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how exactly do you go about differentiating in a way that plays to students\u2019 strengths while also challenging them to improve where they need it? It\u2019s easy enough to say that all students deserve instruction that recognizes and meets their individual needs. But we can\u2019t just snap our fingers and \u201cmake it so\u201d at a time of stubbornly low rates of academic growth, increasing inequities, and the lingering effects of the pandemic<\/a>. And it\u2019s not just students who need dedicated support\u2014our busy teachers need it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why NWEA\u2014committed to making sure teachers have the resources they need to succeed\u2014launched the High Growth for All<\/a> project, featuring a suite of actionable tactics called the Transformative Ten<\/a>. High Growth for All started with a deep dive into MAP\u00ae Growth\u2122<\/a> assessment data from 700,000 students in 24,500 public schools. Combing through this data, NWEA researchers identified four highly effective teachers at two high-growth schools, conducted extensive interviews and additional data collection, and documented the best practices that have proven to be effective in these schools. These best practices informed what we are now calling the Transformative Ten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You may sometimes feel alone in your classroom, but so many of your peers are grappling with the same issues.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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One of these tactics, differentiating tasks within a unit<\/a>, seeks to help teachers navigate the tricky task of giving each student the personalized instruction and learning opportunities they need to thrive, while continuing to provide all students with access to grade-level content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you put this tactic into practice, I\u2019d like to share four straightforward and impactful tips drawn from my experience working with superintendents, principals, and professional learning communities. I\u2019ve gotten a firsthand look at the obstacles teachers face in meeting the instructional challenges of our time\u2014and I\u2019ve also seen the brilliant and inspired work teachers are doing in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Start with the evidence of \u201cwho\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It may sound obvious, but determining exactly which students need which types of support is a crucial first step before you begin to differentiate instruction. And while there\u2019s a lot to be said for teachers\u2019 intuition\u2014they do, after all, know their students better than just about anyone\u2014doing this correctly involves more than simply making a judgment call. We all have our blind spots and biases. Like my son, there are an awful lot of students out there who don\u2019t fit neatly into a \u201clow\u201d or \u201chigh\u201d performing group, depending on the subject, and it does them a disservice to label or tag them as such. That\u2019s why, before assigning students into differentiated learning groups<\/a>, you need clarity on their preparedness for specific tasks within a larger subject area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And how exactly do you gain this kind of clarity? My best advice is simply this: Look to the data. There\u2019s so much valuable evidence to be gleaned from instruments like pretests, summative assessments, and interim assessments like MAP Growth, to name a few. The point isn\u2019t to rely entirely on numbers, but rather to combine this quantitative information with your own intimate knowledge of the kids sitting at the desks in front of you. When you figure out how to bring quantitative and qualitative data together, you take a big leap in your ability to sort your students into the learning groups that are best tailored to their needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no question that data can be a powerful and helpful asset\u2014if we can only learn to trust it. As my colleague Lindsay Prendergast and I write in our forthcoming book, Habits of Resilient Educators: Strategies for Thriving During Times of Anxiety, Doubt, and Constant Change<\/em><\/a>: \u201cWhen paired with the quantity of decisions teachers find themselves facing on a daily, even hourly, basis, data can empower teachers to become masters of highly effective instruction and extraordinarily efficient users of a most precious resource: time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Create small groups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you noticed that students often feel more relaxed and confident working in small groups? And have you noticed that small-group work gives you an informal way to watch students more closely and see how the instruction they\u2019re getting may or may not meet their needs? There\u2019s so much a teacher can learn in these moments, simply by observing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It takes time\u2014valuable time\u2014to form and manage small groups. But it\u2019s worth it!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Nevertheless, there\u2019s a persistent myth that tier-one instruction\u2014the curriculum, instruction, and assessments given to all students at a given grade level\u2014is somehow incompatible with small-group learning. Even though we can see the benefits of small-group learning with our own eyes, I\u2019ve noticed a widespread assumption that when it comes to tier-one instruction, only the traditional \u201call eyes on teacher\u201d model is appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d like to push back against this assumption. In fact, I\u2019d argue that for all instructional groups\u2014including tier one\u2014the smaller, the better. I encourage you to keep this in mind at the start of each instructional unit. You can do some really great teaching in small groups. Your students can all be working on the same project within the same rubric, and you can deliver targeted support where it\u2019s needed as they engage in this work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I see small groups in the classroom, I see more kids who are on task, more teachers with greater insight into how each kid is doing, and more overall growth. The challenge, of course, is that it takes time\u2014valuable time\u2014to form and manage small groups<\/a>. But it\u2019s worth it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Know your standards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many, if not most, of the teachers I know are multitasking geniuses. They manage busy classrooms, extensive to-do lists, and various priorities and directives handed down from the school or district level. It\u2019s a juggling act they perform with great skill. But in my observations, there\u2019s a common downside to multitasking: a lack of clarity and focus around the academic standards for which teachers are responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how Lindsay Prendergast and I put it in our book: \u201cIt is common for teachers to know instructional groups of standards generally but not all of them masterfully. The powerful move of collectively and collaboratively unpacking and investigating standards allows all teachers to gain pedagogical tools and a deeper understanding of the appropriate level of rigor when instructing students. This practice of collectively analyzing standards allows teachers to fix their eyes on the goal of supporting growth and achievement for all students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s bring this to life with an example. Say you have a literature standard that pertains to identifying the character and setting of a book. This is a simple enough task, but you\u2019re excited about the material and your mind is racing ahead not only to other standards, but also to your own ideas for what you\u2019d like your students to know. You may be tempted to launch into the lesson with a discussion of other elements\u2014the front and back cover, the title page, the author, the illustrator\u2014before getting to the standard. All these things can and should be covered, but you need a game plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To home in on standards and make them second nature, I recommend two powerful tools that you already have in your toolkit: conversation and collaboration. By getting together with your peers and sharing what you know while remaining open to their insights, you can all benefit from collective teacher efficacy<\/a>, a concept that\u2019s been studied and affirmed by numerous educators and researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you have a knack for informational standards and you\u2019ve become skilled at differentiating instruction of these standards in your classroom. Bring what you know to a professional learning community, and you will probably find that others have brought different but equally valuable perspectives, tips, and tricks to the table. You can use these collaborative environments to drill down into the substance of what you\u2019re teaching this year. Try breaking down clusters of standards in particular units with graphical tools like T-charts (yes, T-charts can be for teachers, too), for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One final note on getting the upper hand on standards: Make it a daily practice. Start each day in the classroom by getting as clear as possible about your learning intentions for the day, and know when your strengths\u2014e.g., multitasking skill, adaptability\u2014could also inadvertently cause you to lose focus. Identify which standard, or which part of a standard, has the potential to deliver the most impact for the day, and be sure to hit that one first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Get support\u2014and get vulnerable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I know the tactics to differentiate instruction I\u2019ve described so far aren\u2019t just minor adjustments or quick fixes. It might sound like a lot of work. That\u2019s why the last tactic I\u2019d like to share is one that will make the other three possible. To put yourself and your students on the strongest footing possible, I encourage you to seek out, use, and trust the resources available to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Start each day in the classroom by getting as clear as possible about your learning intentions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s understandable when teachers, who usually (and for good reason) feel they know their students best, strike out on their own with their own materials. But they\u2014and their students\u2014may miss out on readily available, evidence-based instructional resources that are getting better all the time. Our mission of partnering to help all kids learn reflects the importance of getting these resources into teachers\u2019 hands and fostering the equal opportunities that kids deserve. However, to be frank, there is currently a gap between the availability of superb resources and teachers\u2019 willingness to use them. I encourage you to be open in this regard. You may be pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, resources are best thought of as a menu, not a script you have to follow. Order from the menu as you see fit. You can find resources to help guide you through all phases of instruction, from whole-group to independent to small-group learning. If you find yourself thinking that every step you take to seek out resources or support has an associated cost in terms of your time, you\u2019re right. There\u2019s no denying that. But just as your second year of teaching was probably a bit easier than your first, the investment you make in reaching out for support will pay dividends over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, remember that no teacher is an island. You may sometimes feel alone in your classroom, but so many of your peers are grappling with the same issues. Be vulnerable and give yourself permission to seek out support. Tell your principal what your goals are and what you need. Your administrative leadership may already have prioritized getting more curriculum-based resources into teachers\u2019 hands and will do what they can to facilitate this for you or offer incentives to stretch yourself in this way. Find other teachers in your building who seem to have figured some of this out already. And, of course, as you learn from others, you can share your own expertise, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting it all together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you ponder the ideas I\u2019ve shared above and how you might be able to put them to work in your classroom, there are a few additional pitfalls and key principles to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n