The Art of Differentiation in the Classroom
In my first week of teaching, I prioritized getting to know my students and building relationships. I was also eager to learn what they could do academically. I had my ninth grade English students complete a pre-assessment that would identify an appropriate Lexile level for each of them. If you aren’t familiar with Lexile levels, they measure reading ability as well as the complexity of a text, effectively helping to match students with the appropriate level of reading material.
Prior to the assessment, we read “Mother Tongue,” an autobiographical essay by Amy Tan. I thought it would be a great introduction to the way we use and experience language. I read the story aloud to the students, asking them to stop and answer personal reflection and critical thinking questions along the way. Afterward, I expected to have a rich discussion about language. Instead, I got silence and stares. As I collected papers, I noticed that most students left the answers blank. I was reflecting on why this lesson had not met my expectations when the Lexile levels came back.
The results showed a wide range of reading levels: 645L, 850L, 700L, 1160L, 575L, 990L, and more. It confirmed what I suspected from the “Mother Tongue” lesson. My students were reading anywhere from a 3rd grade level to a 10th grade level. And that explained why most of them hadn’t been able to respond to the questions.
I knew going into teaching that my students would have varied skill levels. But, now that I was faced with that reality, I didn’t know what to do about it.
I sought guidance from my mentor teacher. She reminded me that not all students learn in the same way. Students will not all find relevance and meaning in the same text, and they are not all at the same skill level. That means you can’t always expect them to read the same text. If they do read the same text, you might need to give one student more support and scaffolding than another. When it comes to learning, one size does not fit all. She was, ultimately, explaining differentiation.
She gave me concrete examples of how to plan for differentiation. I started small, by using Newsela to vary the reading level of the article I wanted to use with students in class. I learned that differentiation involves varying the content, the process, the product, and/or the learning environment. By changing the reading level of that article and offering several leveled options, I had varied the content so that all students could access it. I saw an instant uptick in engagement when students were presented with content they could access at their level.
This gave me the confidence to keep going with differentiation, and to try to apply it in more ways. I came to understand that differentiation is not a single strategy; rather, it’s an instructional practice. It’s planning varied approaches to what students learn, how they learn, and how they show mastery of learning. Not every lesson needs to be differentiated. What’s important is finding ways for students to apply their strengths, showcase their abilities, and dive into their interests, whenever they can. And by doing that, you’ll increase student engagement.
If you and your team are looking for an introduction to differentiation or just a refresher, try our Dare to Differentiate professional learning session. It will deepen your knowledge of what differentiation is and how it’s beneficial to students. The session also includes time to integrate differentiation into one of your upcoming lessons, so you’ll leave the session already using what you’ve learned. My favorite part is that you actually experience differentiation as you work through the session. And what better way to understand how to do something than to experience it yourself?
No matter how you decide to implement differentiation in your classroom, it’s worth the effort. And so much better than confused stares and blank papers.