How do you plan and deliver differentiated instruction with other teachers and specialists?

1 Identify your goals and standards

Before you design your differentiated instruction, you need to have a clear idea of what you want your students to learn and how you will measure their progress. You can use the curriculum standards, learning objectives, and assessment criteria as your guide. You should also consult with other teachers and specialists who work with your students, such as special education teachers, English language teachers, counselors, or librarians. They can help you align your goals and standards across different subjects and domains, and provide you with valuable insights and resources.

2 Assess your students' readiness and interests

Differentiated instruction is based on the premise that students learn best when they are challenged at their appropriate level and motivated by their interests. To plan your instruction accordingly, you need to assess your students' readiness and interests. You can use formal and informal methods, such as pre-tests, surveys, interviews, portfolios, or observations. You should also collaborate with other teachers and specialists who can share their data and feedback on your students' strengths, needs, and preferences. They can help you identify the gaps and opportunities for differentiation in your instruction.

3 Choose your differentiation strategies

Once you have a clear picture of your goals and standards, and your students' readiness and interests, you can choose your differentiation strategies. There are many ways to differentiate your instruction, but they can be grouped into three main categories: content, process, and product. Content refers to what you teach, process refers to how you teach, and product refers to how you assess. You can differentiate your content by using different texts, materials, or resources. You can differentiate your process by using different methods, activities, or scaffolds. You can differentiate your product by using different tasks, formats, or criteria. You should also collaborate with other teachers and specialists who can help you implement your strategies, such as co-planning, co-teaching, co-assessing, or co-reflecting.

4 Monitor and adjust your instruction

Differentiated instruction is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. You need to monitor and adjust your instruction based on your students' responses and outcomes. You can use formative and summative assessments, such as quizzes, projects, rubrics, or self-assessments. You should also collaborate with other teachers and specialists who can help you analyze your data and feedback, and make necessary changes to your instruction. They can help you celebrate your successes and address your challenges.

5 Communicate and involve your students

Differentiated instruction is not only about what you do as a teacher, but also about what your students do as learners. You need to communicate and involve your students in your instruction. You can use strategies such as explaining the purpose and benefits of differentiation, setting clear expectations and guidelines, providing choices and options, encouraging self-regulation and reflection, and fostering a positive and respectful learning environment. You should also collaborate with other teachers and specialists who can help you support your students' social and emotional needs, such as building relationships, addressing conflicts, or promoting diversity.

6 Engage in professional learning

Differentiated instruction is not a fixed or final approach, but a dynamic and evolving one. You need to engage in professional learning to improve your practice and knowledge. You can use opportunities such as attending workshops, reading articles, joining online communities, or conducting action research. You should also collaborate with other teachers and specialists who can help you learn from their experiences and perspectives, such as sharing ideas, resources, or feedback, or mentoring or coaching each other.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?