Simplifying Differentiated Instruction
Making Differentiated Instruction Accessible and Achievable
By Stephanie Clagnaz, Ed.D. | LEDbetter.org
Credit: Catherine McQueen | Getty ImagesMore than ever, classrooms are filled with students who have different needs. Students differ in experience, readiness, interest, intelligences, language, culture, gender, preferred modes of learning and more. As educators strive to meet these various needs, many view differentiating instruction as a lot more work added to an already overwhelming to-do list. Truthfully, many strategies to differentiate instruction can be implemented without further burdening teachers.
Here are some strategies that can make a big difference and take little to no time to put into practice:
Is writing an essay a daunting task for English language learners? Consider using a word bank to help them access the vocabulary they may need. By scaffolding their language skills in this way, we empower them to have the tools they need to be more successful writers.
Are some students struggling to complete tasks? Create a simple check-list to help with executive functions, such as organization. The check-list will keep them on task and will help to ensure that each step of the instructional process is achieved.
Are some students challenged by written quizzes or tests? Give students a choice board to increase their agency as they select their preferred way to “show what they know”. And once you create the choice board, you can use it over and over again.
Do struggling readers have difficulty with longer texts? Provide them with a graphic organizer that has a few simple boxes that correspond to the number of paragraphs in the text. Empower students to ‘chunk’ the text: read one paragraph at a time and write one sentence or phrase in the corresponding box in the graphic organizer that summarizes the paragraph. It is much easier for a struggling reader to comprehend ten summary statements at the end of the text rather than trying to understand the entire piece.
While reading and writing may be a preferred learning preference for certain children, do others shine with a more artistic approach? Provide opportunities for different learning modalities to be used. Allowing a student to draw in the boxes of a storyboard or to create a slide deck to summarize what they have learned may be a better way to assess student learning for certain kinds of students.
Adding these simple differentiation strategies to your teaching practice will benefit many different kinds of learners and they are not more work for the teacher. Remember: the point of differentiation is not to create a different lesson for each student in your class, but rather to modify curriculum, instruction, or assessment to better meet the needs of the children you teach. And differentiating instruction does NOT have to be an additional burden to any teacher!
LEDbetter helps educators implement differentiation that works, ensuring all students have access to equitable, engaging, and personalized learning experiences. We offer tailored professional development and resources to make differentiation manageable and impactful for all educators.
Our Differentiation-Focused Services:
Customized Training & Coaching: Practical strategies like scaffolding, graphic organizers, and choice boards help teachers support diverse learners, including ELLs and students with disabilities, without adding extra work.
ENL Consortium: Specialized professional development for teachers of English Language Learners, focusing on differentiation techniques that meet Title III requirements.
empowerED Membership: Affordable, on-demand courses offering differentiation strategies to address diverse student needs while earning CTLE credit.
Holding Space: Support teachers through guided sessions that share differentiation best practices while reducing burnout.
Take the first step and schedule a free consultation to explore how LEDbetter can support your team in mastering differentiated instruction. To learn more about how we can support you, please email excelerator@led-better.org, or schedule a call with us.
Additional Resources:
The initial four strategies focus on supporting older readers who struggle with proficiency
Reading Interventions for Older Students May Be Missing a Key Component
Older struggling readers can benefit from explicit decoding instruction
What Happens When Every Teacher in a School Has the Tools to Improve Reading?
Supporting Middle School English Language Learners Through Morphology Instruction
Giving students voice and choice: Raising up student leaders to transform teaching and learning
