Content, Process and Product are interlinked and so it is very difficult to separate them and differentiate within these aspects. For example, when the child reads something (Content), the child also processes that information (Process) and what the child understands and explains (product) is how we know the child has understood. However, I will try to separate them and then differentiate within them.

Differentiating the Content – What they learn- Written Curriculum

a)      Concept based teaching– It is far more important for students to learn conceptually than to memorise the content to forget later. When students are exposed to the how, why of concepts and how do we use it and so what will happen, they tend to understand the same. If your curriculum is truly Concept based then you are planning using differentiation, because not all students will get the task to answer the same question in the same manner. Inquires may be on the same theme, however they can be different concepts being explored. For example, when students explore simple machines, one group can explore the types of simple machines (more direct question), while the other group can explore the types of simple machines we use in our daily lives and how do they impact our living, yet another group can explore the evolution of these simple machines to suit our needs.

b)     Curriculum compacting– In this method the teacher identifies students those who are above and beyond the class level and plans for them, and sometimes students themselves come forward. In this case the curriculum is compacted, as through assessment the teacher knows that the identified student/s already know whatever has been planned for the rest of the class. Compacting has three stages, Stage 1- Identifying the students, through assessments- formal (written) or informal (conversational). The teacher observes the student’s skills and understanding of the concept to be dealt with, and if the student already has a mastery of above 75% of the same, there is need for a more challenging work. Stage 2- During the compacting process the teacher also observes the skills and understanding the student hasn’t yet mastered and those need to be covered whilst the rest of the class does so. Stage 3- Student and teacher designs an investigation that will engage the student at a different level than the class. The task may engage the student into higher order thinking skills, critical analyses, etc. while the rest of the class is still exploring the how and what and why of the topic. Advanced learners tend to gain little by doing what they already know and often become distracted, in turn disturbing the entire class.

c)      Using varied text and resource materials– So often the text used is either to easy or too difficult for some of the students. It is a good idea to keep extra resources at hand, some more challenging texts or easier texts. Further different levels of books (text books and other reference books) can be kept in the class as well as resource. Further there are students who understand better using a range of resources, such as watching videos, using manipulative or alternate resource, plan keeping the same in mind. The key is to keep in mind the level of complexity of the resource used to the need of the student.

d)     Learning Contracts (Student driven)- Student takes responsibility of his/her learning. Plans an action for the week in collaboration with the teacher and using the time efficiently to implement the same. For example Student A, may put his action plan for the week to complete 3 digit division work along with two levels of spelling list which is above the class level. Thereafter student A may work on the character of the story and compare the same with himself, identifying the key characters, similarities and differences, etc. Student B may not be required to work on a spelling list as she is already using a great level of vocabulary, which she may use while doing a mirror character sketch of the protagonist in the story the class is studying. This may be planned using Blooms taxonomy or other method using HOTS. The key here is for the students to take responsibility of their learning, they may complete these tasks in school or at home and switch between classes to be part of the regular class where all students are engaged in a new concept or move aside and work on their tasks if they are already aware of the concept. While they learn at their levels the teacher facilitates their learning from time to time, through discussions with them after reviewing their work.

e)     Varied support systems- There can be a variety of support systems used for making learning more approachable for all students.

i) Study buddies- this can be a combination of study pairs of one higher level learner and one class level learner or of two higher level learners to take their learning to a different level

ii) Reading partners – Some of the older students can be reading partners for the younger ones, example a Grade 5 student may be a reading partner with a Grade 3 student.

iii) Peer and Adult mentors- Often students need that extra support, not just the weaker ones but also the ones who have been challenged in the class. The older students for example a grade 5 student can be a mentor to a grade 3 student and ofcouse an adult can be a mentor as well. Especially during the PYP Exhibition this kind of planning is used where teacher and parent mentors work with students on different topics.

Differentiating the Process- How they learn – Taught Curriculum

As you go through the various strategies used in differentiating the content you will realise these are also equally applicable for differentiating the process. Here we will look at real class examples to understand what we have said in the above stage.

Plan learning engagements that have:

·      Clear focus and purpose

·      Focus is on few key ideas

·      Understanding of the key ideas and the relationships among them

·      Use of varied modes- Visual, Kinaesthetic, Spatial, Musical, etc

·      Relate to new information- make connections with previous learning

·      Match their levels of learning

Some of the learning strategies may be using: learning logs, journals, graphic organisers, think-pair-share, mind-mapping, PMI, Debates, Role play, Model making, Experimenting, etc.

1.      Example -Cubing-

Use a Cube and on each face of the cube write different task on the ongoing unit. Use different colours to challenge advance learners, and the task on the different coloured cube will be more challenging using the higher levels of Blooms may be. Cubing allows each student to roll the dice/Cube and see where it lands and they take on that task to complete. Each student may roll the dice 2/3 times or even more.

Inquiry into different Landforms- Grade 2

Theme- Where we are in Place and time

Blue Cube-

•      Describe one of the landforms

•      Similarities between your landform and another one

•      List down the words that describe your landform

•      What are the important features of your landform

•      What is it that you like the most about your landform and why?

•      State what are the good and bad things about your landform

Green Cube-

•      Describe one of the landform using atleast 3 sentences and using 3 describing words in each sentence

•      Use a Venn diagram to compare one of the landforms to the landform you live in

•      Imagine your landform has moved to another planet, what will it look like on that planet

•      Visually project your landform, making each of the feature, giving their distinctive quality

•      What kind of possible professions can people have in the landform you have chosen, how does it differ from your landform

•      Write a song or a poem that tells you what is best and worst about living in this landform

Differentiating the Product – How do we know what they have learnt – Assessed Curriculum

If we have differentiated the Content and Product, then it is impossible to now not see the results – Product come out as differentiated. If the written and taught curriculum cater for differentiation then it is obvious that the assessed curriculum will be differentiated as well. How do we use the tools for assessing the differentiated work is the next question and honestly I couldn’t find anything better than to use this Assessment tools and strategies model from the PYP booklet ‘ Making the PYP Happen in classroom’.

Some examples of assessment strategies

•      An open-ended question that gets them writing/talking

•      Student reflections

•      Summarisation of the topic by students

•      Response cards ­­– Students show with different signs to express their understanding, example- thumbs up, etc

•      Quizzes

•      Four corners- eg. “I strongly agree,” “I strongly disagree,” “I agree somewhat,” and “I’m not sure.”

•      Think-pair-share

•      Socratic seminar- Students ask questions of one another about an essential question, topic, or selected text

•      Exit Tickets- Use different formats for the same

•      3-2-1 : 3) things they learned from your lesson; 2) things they want to know more about; and 1) questions they have.

•      Journal reflections

•      Formative pencil–paper assessment

•      Misconception check- Present students with common or predictable misconceptions about a concept- Ask if they agree or disagree and reasons

•      Analogy prompt- A certain concept occurs because……

•      Practice frequency

•      Use variety – Of individual and group task strategies

•      Make it useful- Do you need to stop and start over? Pull a few students aside for three minutes to re-teach? Or move on?

•      Peer instruction

•      “Separate what you do and don’t understand”- use of T- chart

Try using Bloom’s Taxonomy to ensure differentiation in the work.

•      Evaluation–make judgments based on criteria

•      Synthesis–compile information in a new way

•      Analysis–break down information into parts

•      Application–use information in a new situation

•      Comprehension–interpret information

•      Knowledge–recall information

To end this all, I must confess that I did extensive reading using a variety of sources and have arrived at my own understanding. This article is a product of my understanding of Differentiation, of what all the great educationists have said about it.

References:

Book- How to differentiate Instructions in Mixed- Ability classrooms by Carol Ann Tomlinson

Book- Making the PYP Happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education (Edition: 2009)

Article- REACH: A Framework for Differentiating Classroom Instruction by Marcia L. Rock, Madeleine Gregg, Edwin Ellis, and Robert A. Gable