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20 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples [+ Downloadable List]

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Written by Marcus Guido

Reviewed by Allison Sinclair, M.T.

Engage and motivate your students with our adaptive, game-based learning platform!

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  • Teaching Strategies

1. Create Learning Stations

2. use task cards, 3. interview students, 4. target different senses within lessons, 5. share your own strengths and weaknesses, 6. use the think-pair-share strategy, 7. make time for journaling, 8. implement reflection and goal-setting exercises, 9. run literature circles, 10. offer different types of free study time, 11. group students with similar learning styles, 12. give different sets of reading comprehension activities, 13. assign open-ended projects, 14. encourage students to propose ideas for their projects, 15. analyze your differentiated instruction strategy on a regular basis, 16. “teach up”, 17. use math edtech that adjusts itself to each student, 18. relate math to personal interests and everyday examples, 19. play a math-focused version of tic-tac-toe, 20. create learning stations, without mandatory rotations.

As students with diverse learning styles fill the classroom, many teachers don’t always have the time, or spend additional hours to plan lessons that use differentiated instruction (DI) to suit students’ unique aptitudes.

Educator Carol Ann Tomlinson puts it beautifully in her book How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms :

Kids of the same age aren't all alike when it comes to learning, any more than they are alike in terms of size, hobbies, personality, or likes and dislikes. Kids do have many things in common because they are human beings and because they are all children, but they also have important differences. What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage. In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences become important elements in teaching and learning as well.

This can involve adjusting:

  • Content — The media and methods teachers use to impart and instruct skills, ideas and information
  • Processes — The exercises and practices students perform to better understand content
  • Products — The materials, such as tests and projects, students complete to demonstrate understanding

To help create lessons that engage and resonate with a diverse classroom, below are 20 differentiated instruction strategies and examples. Available in a condensed and printable list for your desk, you can use 16 in most classes and the last four for math lessons.

Try the ones that best apply to you, depending on factors such as student age.

Provide different types of content by setting up learning stations — divided sections of your classroom through which groups of students rotate. You can facilitate this with a flexible seating plan .

Each station should use a unique method of teaching a skill or concept related to your lesson.

To compliment your math lessons, for example, many teachers use Prodigy to simplify differentiation .  You’ll deliver specific in-game problems to each student — or distinct student groups — in three quick steps!

Students can rotate between stations that involve:

  • Watching a video
  • Creating artwork
  • Reading an article
  • Completing puzzles
  • Listening to you teach

To help students process the content after they've been through the stations, you can hold a class discussion or assign questions to answer.

Like learning stations, task cards allow you to give students a range of content. Answering task cards can also be a small-group activity , adding variety to classes that normally focus on solo or large-group learning.

First, make or identify tasks and questions that you’d typically find on worksheets or in textbooks.

Second, print and laminate cards that each contain a single task or question. Or, use Teachers Pay Teachers to buy pre-made cards . (Check out Prodigy Education's Teachers Pay Teachers page for free resources!)

Finally, set up stations around your classroom and pair students together to rotate through them.

You can individualize instruction by monitoring the pairs, addressing knowledge gaps when needed.

Asking questions about learning and studying styles can help you pinpoint the kinds of content that will meet your class’s needs.

While running learning stations or a large-group activity , pull each student aside for a few minutes. Ask about:

  • Their favourite types of lessons
  • Their favourite in-class activities
  • Which projects they’re most proud of
  • Which kinds of exercises help them remember key lesson points

Track your results to identify themes and students with uncommon preferences, helping you determine which methods of instruction suit their abilities.

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A lesson should resonate with more students if it targets visual, tactile, auditory and kinesthetic senses, instead of only one.

When applicable, appeal to a range of learning styles by:

  • Playing videos
  • Using infographics
  • Providing audiobooks
  • Getting students to act out a scene
  • Incorporating charts and illustrations within texts
  • Giving both spoken and written directions to tasks
  • Using relevant physical objects, such as money when teaching math skills
  • Allotting time for students to create artistic reflections and interpretations of lessons

Not only will these tactics help more students grasp the core concepts of lessons, but make class more engaging.

Prodigy Math Game , for example, is an engaging way to gamify math class in a way that worksheets simply cannot. 👇

To familiarize students with the idea of differentiated learning, you may find it beneficial to explain that not everyone builds skills and processes information the same way.

Talking about your own strengths and weaknesses is one way of doing this.

Explain -- on a personal level — how you study and review lessons. Share tactics that do and don’t work for you, encouraging students to try them.

Not only should this help them understand that people naturally learn differently, but give them insight into improving how they process information.

The think-pair-share strategy exposes students to three lesson-processing experiences within one activity. It’s also easy to monitor and support students as they complete each step.

As the strategy’s name implies, start by asking students to individually think about a given topic or answer a specific question.

Next, pair students together to discuss their results and findings.

Finally, have each pair share their ideas with the rest of the class, and open the floor for further discussion.

Because the differentiated instruction strategy allows students to process your lesson content individually, in a small group and in a large group, it caters to your classroom’s range of learning and personality types.

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A journal can be a tool for students to reflect on the lessons you’ve taught and activities you’ve run, helping them process new information .

When possible at the end of class, give students a chance to make a journal entry by:

  • Summarizing key points they’ve learned
  • Attempting to answer or make sense of lingering questions
  • Explaining how they can use the lessons in real-life scenarios
  • Illustrating new concepts, which can be especially helpful for data-focused math lessons

As they continue to make entries, they should figure out which ones effectively allow them to process fresh content.

But if you're struggling to see the value of journaling in a subject like math, for example, you can make time specifically for math journaling. While you connect journaling to your own math objectives, students can make cross-curricular connections.

If you want to learn more, check out K-5 Math Teaching Resources for a detailed overview . Angela Watson at The Cornerstone for Teachers also has great math journal resources you can use in your own class!

An extension of journaling, have students reflect on important lessons and set goals for further learning at pre-determined points of the year.

During these points, ask students to write about their favourite topics, as well as the most interesting concepts and information they’ve learned.

They should also identify skills to improve and topics to explore.

Based on the results, you can target lessons to help meet these goals . For example, if the bulk of students discuss a certain aspect of the science curriculum, you can design more activities around it.

Organizing students into literature circles not only encourages students to shape and inform each other’s understanding of readings, but helps auditory and participatory learners retain more information.

This also gives you an opportunity to listen to each circle’s discussion, asking questions and filling in gaps in understanding.

As a bonus, some students may develop leadership skills by running the discussion.

This activity makes written content — which, at times, may only be accessible to individual learners with strong reading retention -- easier to process for more students.

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Free study time will generally benefit students who prefer to learn individually, but can be slightly altered to also help their classmates process your lessons.

This can be done by dividing your class into clearly-sectioned solo and team activities.

Consider the following free study exercises to also meet the preferences of visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners:

  • Provide audiobooks, which play material relevant to your lessons
  • Create a station for challenging group games that teach skills involved in the curriculum
  • Maintain a designated quiet space for students to take notes and complete work
  • Allow students to work in groups while taking notes and completing work, away from the quiet space

By running these sorts of activities, free study time will begin to benefit diverse learners — not just students who easily process information through quiet, individual work.

Heterogenous grouping is a common practice, but grouping students based on similar learning style can encourage collaboration through common work and thinking practices.

This is not to be confused with grouping students based on similar level of ability or understanding.

In some cases, doing so conflicts with the “Teach Up” principle , which is discussed below.

Rather, this tactic allows like-minded students to support each other’s learning while giving you to time to spend with each group. You can then offer the optimal kind of instruction to suit each group’s common needs and preferences.

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Instead of focusing on written products, consider evaluating reading comprehension through questions and activities that test different aptitudes.

Although written answers may still appeal to many students, others may thrive and best challenge themselves during artistic or kinesthetic tasks.

For example, allow students to choose between some of the following activities before, during and after an important reading :

  • Participating in more literature circles
  • Delivering a presentation
  • Writing a traditional report
  • Creating visual art to illustrate key events
  • Creating and performing a monologue as a main character or figure

Offering structured options can help students demonstrate their understanding of content as effectively as possible, giving you more insight into their abilities.

Similar to evaluating reading comprehension, give students a list of projects to find one that lets them effectively demonstrate their knowledge.

Include a clear rubric for each type of project, which clearly defines expectations. In fact, some teachers have their students co-create the rubric with them so they have autonomy in the work they'll be completing and being assessed on. Doing so will keep it challenging and help students meet specific criteria.

By both enticing and challenging students, this approach encourages them to:

  • Work and learn at their own paces
  • Engage actively with content they must understand
  • Demonstrate their knowledge as effectively as possible

As well as benefiting students, this differentiated instruction strategy will clearly showcase distinct work and learning styles.

As well as offering set options, encourage students to take their projects from concept to completion by pitching you ideas.

A student must show how the product will meet academic standards, and be open to your revisions. If the pitch doesn’t meet your standards, tell the student to refine the idea until it does. If it doesn’t by a predetermined date, assign one of your set options.

You may be pleasantly surprised by some pitches.  

After all, students themselves are the focus of differentiated instruction — they likely have somewhat of a grasp on their learning styles and abilities.

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Even if you’re confident in your overall approach, Carol Ann Tomlinson — one of the most reputable topic thought-leaders — recommends analyzing your differentiated instruction strategies:

Frequently reflect on the match between your classroom and the philosophy of teaching and learning you want to practice. Look for matches and mismatches, and use both to guide you.

Analyze your strategy by reflecting on:

  • Content — Are you using diverse materials and teaching methods in class?
  • Processes — Are you providing solo, small-group and large-group activities that best allow different learners to absorb your content?
  • Products — Are you letting and helping students demonstrate their understanding of content in a variety of ways on tests, projects and assignments?

In doing so, you’ll refine your approach to appropriately accommodate the multiple intelligences of students . It's important to note, however, that recent studies have upended the theory of multiple intelligences. Regardless of where you stand on the multiple intelligences spectrum, the differentiated instruction strategy above remains valuable!

Teaching at a level that’s too easily accessible to each student can harm your differentiated instruction efforts, according to Tomlinson .

Instead, she recommends “teaching up.” This eliminates the pitfall of being stuck on low-level ideas, seldom reaching advanced concepts:

We do much better if we start with what we consider to be high-end curriculum and expectations -- and then differentiate to provide scaffolding, to lift the kids up .

The usual tendency is to start with what we perceive to be grade-level material and then dumb it down for some and raise it up for others. But we don’t usually raise it up very much from that starting point, and dumbing down just sets lower expectations for some kids.

Keeping this concept in mind should focus your differentiated teaching strategy, helping you bring each student up to “high-end curriculum and expectations.”

It has also grown particularly popular in the 2020s as educators have focused more on accelerated learning by "teaching up", as opposed to filling learning gaps.

As Elizabeth S. LeBlanc, Co-Founder of the Institute for Teaching and Learning, writes for EdSurge : "Accelerated learning approaches give a lower priority to repetition or 'skill-and-drill' uses of instructional technology. In other words, it’s not about memorizing everything you should have learned, it’s about moving you forward so you pick things up along the way. "

Differentiated Math Instruction Strategies and Examples

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Some EdTech tools — such as certain educational math video games — can deliver differentiated content, while providing unique ways to process it.

For example, Prodigy adjusts questions to tackle student trouble spots and offers math problems that use words, charts and pictures, as well as numbers.

To the benefit of teachers, the game is free and curriculum-aligned for grades 1 to 8. You can adjust the focus of questions to supplement lessons and homework, running reports to examine each student’s progress.

Join over 90 million students and teachers using Prodigy's differentiating power today. 👇

Clearly linking math to personal interests and real-world examples can help some learners understand key concepts.

Working with 41 grade 7 students throughout an academic year, a 2015 study published by the Canadian Center of Science and Education used contextual learning strategies to teach integers and increase test scores by more than 44%.

Striving for similar benefits may be ambitious, but you can start by surveying students. Ask about their interests and how they use math outside of school.

Using your findings, you should find that contextualization helps some students grasp new or unfamiliar math concepts.

There are many math-related games and activities to find inspiration to implement this tactic.

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Help students practice different math skills by playing a game that’s a take on tic-tac-toe.

Prepare by dividing a sheet into squares — three vertical by three horizontal. Don’t leave them blank. Instead, fill the boxes with questions that test different abilities.

For example:

  • “Complete question X in page Y of your textbook”
  • “Draw a picture to show how to add fraction X and fraction Y”
  • “Describe a real-life situation in which you would use cross-multiplication, providing an example and solution”

You can hand out sheets to students for solo practice, or divide them into pairs and encourage friendly competition . The first one to link three Xs or Os — by correctly completing questions —  wins. 

So, depending on your preferences, this game will challenge diverse learners through either individual or small-group practice.

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Provide differentiated math learning opportunities for your students by setting up unique learning stations across your classrooms, but forgoing mandatory rotations.

The idea comes from a grade 9 teacher in Ontario, who recommends creating three stations to solve similar mathematical problems using either:

  • Data — Provide spreadsheets, requiring students to manipulate data through trial and error
  • People — Group students into pairs or triads to tackle a range of problems together, supporting each other’s learning
  • Things — Offer a hands-on option by giving each student objects to use when solving questions

Only allow students to switch stations if they feel the need. If they do, consult them about their decision. In each case, you and the student will likely learn more about his or her learning style.

Supplemented by your circulation between stations to address gaps in prior knowledge, this activity exposes students to exercises that appeal to diverse abilities.

Downloadable List of Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples

Click here to download and print a simplified list of the 20 differentiated instruction strategies and examples to keep at your desk.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Infographic

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Here’s an infographic with 16 ideas from this article, provided by  Educational Technology and Mobile Learning  — an online resource for teaching tools and ideas.

Wrapping Up

With help from the downloadable list, use these differentiated instruction strategies and examples to suit the diverse needs and learning styles of your students.

As well as adding variety to your content, these methods will help students process your lessons and demonstrate their understanding of them.

The strategies should prove to be increasingly useful as you identify the distinct learning styles in — and learn to manage — your classroom .

Interested in other teaching strategies to deploy in your classroom?

Differentiated instruction strategies overlap in important ways with a number of other pedagogical approaches. Consider reviewing these supplementary strategies to find more ideas, combine different elements of each strategy, and enrich your pedagogical toolkit!

  • Active learning strategies   put your students at the center of the learning process, enriching the classroom experience and boosting engagement.
  • As opposed to traditional learning activities,  experiential learning activities  build knowledge and skills through direct experience.
  • Project-based learning   uses an open-ended approach in which students work alone or collectively to produce an engaging, intricate curriculum-related questions or challenges.
  • Inquiry-based learning   is subdivided into four categories, all of which promote the importance of your students' development of questions, ideas and analyses.
  • Adaptive learning  focuses on changing — or "adapting" — learning content for students on an individual basis, particularly with the help of technology.

👉 Create or log into your teacher account on Prodigy — a game-based learning platform that delivers differentiated instruction, automatically adjusting questions to accommodate player trouble spots and learning speeds. Aligned with curricula across the English-speaking world, it’s used by more than 90 million students and teachers.

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Differentiated Instruction

7 Strategies for Differentiated Math Instruction

Ellen ullman author photo WF1470000

Math classrooms are mosaics of strengths and experiences. When we have students with diverse backgrounds—with various languages, achievements, and interests—in the same space, everyone learns from each other and broadens their world.

On the flip side, though, teaching math to a broad array of students can be challenging. Do you struggle to reach all of your students? Are you a newer teacher who is looking to improve your practice? The strategies for differentiated instruction provided here might help you out.

What Is Differentiated Math Instruction?

Differentiated math instruction refers to the collection of techniques, strategies, and adaptations you can use to reach your diverse group of learners and make mathematics accessible to every single one. Dr. Timothy Kanold , former president of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM)—and HMH author— clarifies that differentiation in a math lesson is “differentiation on the entry points into the task for support or the exit point to advance student thinking.”

By applying various tools and strategies, such as incorporating technology, assigning hands-on projects, and teaching in math small-group formats, you can help every student meet expectations. We know that there are different schools of thought regarding what differentiation means. When we use the term, we are talking about providing student choice, voice, and agency. Differentiating instruction isn’t meant to add more work to your day. Quite the opposite, in fact; it’s meant as a teaching approach that will help you to reach more students in terms of accessibility and equity, making your job both easier and more effective in the long run.

Why Is Differentiating Math Instruction Important?

Some people think that math, more than any other subject, is the best fit for differentiation. Even though a 2018 survey by Texas Instruments found that 46% of kids said they really liked math, there are hundreds of books, websites, and memes discussing the difficulty of the subject. From the anxiety caused by there being only one correct answer to the cultural buy-in to the myth of being—or not being—a “math person” to the fear of solving a word problem, many students struggle with math. In addition, many students and educators alike find it hard to make the connection between math and the real world, which only increases disillusionment with the subject. That’s why it’s especially important to be open to new ways of providing instruction .

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) promotes differentiating math instruction for differences in learning as well as differences in achievement, interest, and confidence. NCTM advises that the need is greater in middle and high school, as higher-level math relies on more complex reasoning. When you differentiate your math instruction, you support all learners by targeting and addressing specific needs of groups and individual students.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Math

Do you need ideas for how to differentiate your teaching to be sure your math students are progressing? Below are seven differentiation strategies for math instruction, along with ways that you can use them in your math classroom. They serve as examples of differentiated instruction in math and may work better for some classrooms and math topics than others. Customize these ideas however you need to serve you and your students.

Strategy 1: Math Centers

For this, you’ll need to come up with a few activities your students can rotate through (be sure to browse our library of free activities and resources !), such as watching a video, reading an article, or solving a word problem. We spoke with Kristy McFarlane, an instructional supervisor at Sandshore Elementary School in New Jersey, about differentiation. She says math teachers at her school spend about 10 minutes on a mini-lesson for the whole class and then students spend about 15 minutes at various math centers. “They might meet with the teacher in a small group for extra help, use math software, do a game or project at the hands-on station, or do seat work based on the day’s mini-lesson,” she says.

Math centers are a powerful way to facilitate independent and small group learning within your classroom. Our Go Math! program, for example, is known for embedding resources and instructional time to math centers. If a select group of your students are all struggling to, say, add fractions, they may benefit from an activity that has them practice finding least common denominators. Think about ways to customize the groupings and centers so they’re perfect for your students’ strengths, misconceptions, and interests, and make use of tools that strategically group students and recommend activities for you.

Strategy 2: Activity Cards

Choice is an important part of differentiation, and letting students decide how they want to spend their time is a great way to appeal to various learning preferences. You’ll need to come up with math problems, tasks, or questions. As much as possible, use or create cards that span several lessons and offer options to work independently, with a partner, or in a small group. Ask for feedback so you can adjust future learning accordingly. Many of HMH’s math programs , including Into Math , Go Math! , and Into AGA include inquiry-based task and project cards that help teachers differentiate.

Strategy 3: Choice Boards

As we just mentioned, giving students the ability to make decisions about their learning is an important part of differentiation. A choice board is a graphic organizer that gives students activities to choose from. There are different types of choice boards, but they need to focus on specific learning needs, interests, and skills. Choice boards increase student ownership; students pace themselves and get to decide how to engage with information, along with how to demonstrate their learning. Some teachers create different versions of the same choice board; others will color-code options to signify topic, activity type, or expected level of challenge. Check out the choice board we developed for remote learning. This board covers all subjects but also includes a free template to get you started on a math-only version.

differentiated activities for math

Strategy 4: Math Journals

Having students write about math is a great way for them to reflect on what they’ve learned and incorporate ELA instruction into the math classroom. Encourage your kids to summarize key points, answer open-ended questions, tie math into everyday experiences, or write about the most interesting or challenging math lesson. It’s also a way to provide an entry point for all students, including multilingual learners , as they can write a little or a lot in English or in their native language. Those who need extra support might be given sentence starters. Students might also be given the choice to illustrate their ideas instead of writing them. Similar to activity cards, math journals are included in many of HMH’s math programs, including Into Math and Into AGA .

Strategy 5: Learning Contracts

If metacognition is the ability to think about thinking—including about how you learn—we owe it to students to help them develop and expand their metacognitive skills. One way to do this is to work on learning contracts. Throughout the year, ask students to reflect on important lessons and set learning goals, including skills to learn or improve as well as new areas to explore. Use these learning contracts to help students learn to organize their thoughts. “One of our district’s goals is to have personalized learning opportunities for all students,” says McFarlane. “Each student creates a personalized success plan at the beginning of the year and does regular check-ins.” More broadly, metacognition is an idea that can be taught and practiced in the classroom and applies broadly to any subject.

Strategies math differentiation girl thinking metacognition inline

Strategy 6: Math Games

Games are fun, motivational, and can help students deepen their mathematical reasoning. Some games encourage students to develop strategic and problem-solving skills or improve computational fluency. Seek out games where the math learning objective matches the game objective as a way for students to find joy in learning. Go Math! was designed to include both ready-made games for math centers and recommended games for differentiation within the teacher’s edition.

You can also use non-math games to provide a short mental break or a context for having math discussions. Look for ways to turn the game into mathematical discourse. How could you have scored more points? How much time did it take? What strategies did you use?

Strategy 7: Digital Math Practice

There are also lots of math apps and online tools that are designed to reinforce foundational understanding by allowing students to practice arithmetic and other math standards. In particular, seek out apps that are not simply timed drills with fun graphics, which are likely to make math anxiety worse for students who are not yet fluent in math facts. For digital math practice that extends far beyond just practicing arithmetic, our newest Go Math! for Grades K–6 has adaptive and personalized practice that aligns to our supplemental practice program, Waggle .

to you, consider giving your students problem-solving tasks with open-ended solutions. A single math problem can reveal different ways that students think about mathematics, which might be a less time-consuming way to assess student progress and determine an effective way to differentiate.

When you think critically about how to transform math instruction into differentiated math instruction, students will be more engaged because the content will be more relevant. They will achieve more success because they’ll be experiencing different types of activities, using various modalities, and contributing to the best of their abilities as they continue to grow.

HMH offers a variety of math classroom solutions to help you reach every student. Just looking for more articles and resources to help you differentiate math instructions? Try one of these to keep reading!

This blog post, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2022.

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9 Easy Strategies for Differentiation

These differentiation strategies in the classroom are perfect for middle school and high school students. I use these ideas in secondary math, but they would even work in elementary.

What Differentiation IS and IS NOT

  • dynamic and proactive
  • a bland of different types of instruction (whole group lecture, individual tutoring, small group, etc.)
  • tailoring lessons to meet the needs of all students
  • individualized instruction
  • giving students more work or letting students skip assignments
  • only for students with learning challenges

These differentiation strategies in the classroom are perfect for middle school and high school students. I use these ideas in secondary math, but they would even work in elementary.

Easy Differentiation Strategies

These differentiation strategies in the classroom are perfect for middle school and high school students. I use these ideas in secondary math, but they would even work in elementary.

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What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom

Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, every student has an individual learning style. Chances are, not all of your students grasp a subject in the same way or share the same level of ability. So how can you better deliver your lessons to reach everyone in class? Consider differentiated instruction—a method you may have heard about but haven’t explored, which is why you’re here. In this article, learn exactly what it means, how it works, and the pros and cons.

Infographic: What is differentiated instruction? Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Four ways to differentiate instruction: Content, product, process, and learning environment. Pros and cons of differentiated instruction.

Definition of differentiated instruction

Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Research on the effectiveness of differentiation shows this method benefits a wide range of students, from those with learning disabilities to those who are considered high ability.

Differentiating instruction may mean teaching the same material to all students using a variety of instructional strategies, or it may require the teacher to deliver lessons at varying levels of difficulty based on the ability of each student.

Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may:

  • Design lessons based on students’ learning styles.
  • Group students by shared interest, topic, or ability for assignments.
  • Assess students’ learning using formative assessment.
  • Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment.
  • Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students’ needs.

History of differentiated instruction

The roots of differentiated instruction go all the way back to the days of the one-room schoolhouse, where one teacher had students of all ages in one classroom. As the educational system transitioned to grading schools, it was assumed that children of the same age learned similarly. However in 1912, achievement tests were introduced, and the scores revealed the gaps in student’s abilities within grade levels.

In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that children with disabilities had equal access to public education. To reach this student population, many educators used differentiated instruction strategies. Then came the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2000, which further encouraged differentiated and skill-based instruction—and that’s because it works. Research by educator Leslie Owen Wilson supports differentiating instruction within the classroom, finding that lecture is the least effective instructional strategy, with only 5 to 10 percent retention after 24 hours. Engaging in a discussion, practicing after exposure to content, and teaching others are much more effective ways to ensure learning retention.

Four ways to differentiate instruction

According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instruction through four ways: 1) content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment.

As you already know, fundamental lesson content should cover the standards of learning set by the school district or state educational standards. But some students in your class may be completely unfamiliar with the concepts in a lesson, some students may have partial mastery, and some students may already be familiar with the content before the lesson begins.

What you could do is differentiate the content by designing activities for groups of students that cover various levels of  Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of levels of intellectual behavior going from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills). The six levels are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Students who are unfamiliar with a lesson could be required to complete tasks on the lower levels: remembering and understanding. Students with some mastery could be asked to apply and analyze the content, and students who have high levels of mastery could be asked to complete tasks in the areas of evaluating and creating.

Examples of differentiating activities:

  • Match vocabulary words to definitions.
  • Read a passage of text and answer related questions.
  • Think of a situation that happened to a character in the story and a different outcome.
  • Differentiate fact from opinion in the story.
  • Identify an author’s position and provide evidence to support this viewpoint.
  • Create a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the lesson.

Each student has a preferred learning style, and successful differentiation includes delivering the material to each style: visual, auditory and kinesthetic, and through words. This process-related method also addresses the fact that not all students require the same amount of support from the teacher, and students could choose to work in pairs, small groups, or individually. And while some students may benefit from one-on-one interaction with you or the classroom aide, others may be able to progress by themselves. Teachers can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs.

Examples of differentiating the process:

  • Provide textbooks for visual and word learners.
  • Allow auditory learners to listen to audio books.
  • Give kinesthetic learners the opportunity to complete an interactive assignment online.

The product is what the student creates at the end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of the content. This can be in the form of tests, projects, reports, or other activities. You could assign students to complete activities that show mastery of an educational concept in a way the student prefers, based on learning style.

Examples of differentiating the end product:

  • Read and write learners write a book report.
  • Visual learners create a graphic organizer of the story.
  • Auditory learners give an oral report.
  • Kinesthetic learners build a diorama illustrating the story.

4. Learning environment

The conditions for optimal learning include both physical and psychological elements. A flexible classroom layout is key, incorporating various types of furniture and arrangements to support both individual and group work. Psychologically speaking, teachers should use classroom management techniques that support a safe and supportive learning environment.

Examples of differentiating the environment:

  • Break some students into reading groups to discuss the assignment.
  • Allow students to read individually if preferred.
  • Create quiet spaces where there are no distractions.

Pros and cons of differentiated instruction

The benefits of differentiation in the classroom are often accompanied by the drawback of an ever-increasing workload. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

  • Research shows differentiated instruction is effective for high-ability students as well as students with mild to severe disabilities.
  • When students are given more options on how they can learn material, they take on more responsibility for their own learning.
  • Students appear to be more engaged in learning, and there are reportedly fewer discipline problems in classrooms where teachers provide differentiated lessons.
  • Differentiated instruction requires more work during lesson planning, and many teachers struggle to find the extra time in their schedule.
  • The learning curve can be steep and some schools lack professional development resources.
  • Critics argue there isn’t enough research to support the benefits of differentiated instruction outweighing the added prep time.

Differentiated instruction strategies

What differentiated instructional strategies can you use in your classroom? There are a set of methods that can be tailored and used across the different subjects. According to Kathy Perez (2019) and the Access Center those strategies are tiered assignments, choice boards, compacting, interest centers/groups, flexible grouping, and learning contracts. Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but have the students create a different product to display their knowledge based on their comprehension skills. Choice boards allow students to choose what activity they would like to work on for a skill that the teacher chooses. On the board are usually options for the different learning styles; kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and tactile. Compacting allows the teacher to help students reach the next level in their learning when they have already mastered what is being taught to the class. To compact the teacher assesses the student’s level of knowledge, creates a plan for what they need to learn, excuses them from studying what they already know, and creates free time for them to practice an accelerated skill.

Interest centers or groups are a way to provide autonomy in student learning. Flexible grouping allows the groups to be more fluid based on the activity or topic.  Finally, learning contracts are made between a student and teacher, laying out the teacher’s expectations for the necessary skills to be demonstrated and the assignments required components with the student putting down the methods they would like to use to complete the assignment. These contracts can allow students to use their preferred learning style, work at an ideal pace and encourages independence and planning skills. The following are strategies for some of the core subject based on these methods.

Differentiated instruction strategies for math

  • Provide students with a choice board. They could have the options to learn about probability by playing a game with a peer, watching a video, reading the textbook, or working out problems on a worksheet.
  • Teach mini lessons to individuals or groups of students who didn’t grasp the concept you were teaching during the large group lesson. This also lends time for compacting activities for those who have mastered the subject.
  • Use manipulatives, especially with students that have more difficulty grasping a concept.
  • Have students that have already mastered the subject matter create notes for students that are still learning.
  • For students that have mastered the lesson being taught, require them to give in-depth, step-by-step explanation of their solution process, while not being rigid about the process with students who are still learning the basics of a concept if they arrive at the correct answer.

Differentiated instruction strategies for science

  • Emma McCrea (2019) suggests setting up “Help Stations,” where peers assist each other. Those that have more knowledge of the subject will be able to teach those that are struggling as an extension activity and those that are struggling will receive.
  • Set up a “question and answer” session during which learners can ask the teacher or their peers questions, in order to fill in knowledge gaps before attempting the experiment.
  • Create a visual word wall. Use pictures and corresponding labels to help students remember terms.
  • Set up interest centers. When learning about dinosaurs you might have an “excavation” center, a reading center, a dinosaur art project that focuses on their anatomy, and a video center.
  • Provide content learning in various formats such as showing a video about dinosaurs, handing out a worksheet with pictures of dinosaurs and labels, and providing a fill-in-the-blank work sheet with interesting dinosaur facts.

Differentiated instruction strategies for ELL

  • ASCD (2012) writes that all teachers need to become language teachers so that the content they are teaching the classroom can be conveyed to the students whose first language is not English.
  • Start by providing the information in the language that the student speaks then pairing it with a limited amount of the corresponding vocabulary in English.
  •  Although ELL need a limited amount of new vocabulary to memorize, they need to be exposed to as much of the English language as possible. This means that when teaching, the teacher needs to focus on verbs and adjectives related to the topic as well.
  • Group work is important. This way they are exposed to more of the language. They should, however, be grouped with other ELL if possible as well as given tasks within the group that are within their reach such as drawing or researching.

Differentiated instruction strategies for reading

  • Tiered assignments can be used in reading to allow the students to show what they have learned at a level that suites them. One student might create a visual story board while another student might write a book report. 
  • Reading groups can pick a book based on interest or be assigned based on reading level
  • Erin Lynch (2020) suggest that teachers scaffold instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals. Verbally and visually explain the topic. Use anchor charts, drawings, diagrams, and reference guides to foster a clearer understanding. If applicable, provide a video clip for students to watch.
  • Utilize flexible grouping. Students might be in one group for phonics based on their assessed level but choose to be in another group for reading because they are more interested in that book.

Differentiated instruction strategies for writing

  • Hold writing conferences with your students either individually or in small groups. Talk with them throughout the writing process starting with their topic and moving through grammar, composition, and editing.
  • Allow students to choose their writing topics. When the topic is of interest, they will likely put more effort into the assignment and therefore learn more.
  • Keep track of and assess student’s writing progress continually throughout the year. You can do this using a journal or a checklist. This will allow you to give individualized instruction.
  • Hand out graphic organizers to help students outline their writing. Try fill-in-the-blank notes that guide the students through each step of the writing process for those who need additional assistance.
  • For primary grades give out lined paper instead of a journal. You can also give out differing amounts of lines based on ability level. For those who are excelling at writing give them more lines or pages to encourage them to write more. For those that are still in the beginning stages of writing, give them less lines so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Differentiated instruction strategies for special education

  • Use a multi-sensory approach. Get all five senses involved in your lessons, including taste and smell!
  • Use flexible grouping to create partnerships and teach students how to work collaboratively on tasks. Create partnerships where the students are of equal ability, partnerships where once the student will be challenged by their partner and another time they will be pushing and challenging their partner.
  • Assistive technology is often an important component of differential instruction in special education. Provide the students that need them with screen readers, personal tablets for communication, and voice recognition software.
  • The article Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers suggests teachers be flexible when giving assessments “Posters, models, performances, and drawings can show what they have learned in a way that reflects their personal strengths”. You can test for knowledge using rubrics instead of multiple-choice questions, or even build a portfolio of student work. You could also have them answer questions orally.
  • Utilize explicit modeling. Whether its notetaking, problem solving in math, or making a sandwich in home living, special needs students often require a step-by-step guide to make connections.

References and resources

  • https://www.thoughtco.com/differentiation-instruction-in-special-education-3111026
  • https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/differentiation-techniques-for-special-education
  • https://www.solutiontree.com/blog/differentiated-reading-instruction/
  • https://www.readingrockets.org/article/differentiated-instruction-reading
  • https://www.sadlier.com/school/ela-blog/13-ideas-for-differentiated-reading-instruction-in-the-elementary-classroom
  • https://inservice.ascd.org/seven-strategies-for-differentiating-instruction-for-english-learners/
  • https://www.cambridge.org/us/education/blog/2019/11/13/three-approaches-differentiation-primary-science/
  • https://www.brevardschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6174&dataid=8255&FileName=Differentiated_Instruction_in_Secondary_Mathematics.pdf

Books & Videos about differentiated instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson and others

  • The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition
  • Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau
  • The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, and Lane Narvaez
  • Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades K-5: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades 5–9: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades 9–12: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland
  • Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan
  • How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Tonya R. Moon
  • How To Differentiate Instruction In Mixed Ability Classrooms 2nd Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson 
  • Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom Paperback – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Tonya R. Moon
  • Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (Professional Development) 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
  • The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning 1st Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, Lane Narvaez
  • Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom  – David A. Sousa, Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Leading for Differentiation: Growing Teachers Who Grow Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Michael Murphy
  • An Educator’s Guide to Differentiating Instruction. 10th Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, James M. Cooper
  • A Differentiated Approach to the Common Core: How do I help a broad range of learners succeed with a challenging curriculum? – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
  • Managing a Differentiated Classroom: A Practical Guide – Carol Tomlinson, Marcia Imbeau
  • Differentiating Instruction for Mixed-Ability Classrooms: An ASCD Professional Inquiry Kit Pck Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Using Differentiated Classroom Assessment to Enhance Student Learning (Student Assessment for Educators) 1st Edition – Tonya R. Moon, Catherine M. Brighton, Carol A. Tomlinson
  • The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson

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  • How Teachers Use Student Data to Improve Instruction
  • Advice on Positive Classroom Management that Works
  • Five Skills Online Teachers Need for Classroom Instruction
  • 3 Examples of Effective Classroom Management
  • Advice on Improving your Elementary Math Instruction

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Curriculum and Instruction ,  Diversity ,  Engaging Activities ,  New Teacher ,  Pros and Cons

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How To Give Differentiated Math Fact Instruction In A Way That’s Easy

by | | Math Fact Fluency , Uncategorized | 2 comments

differentiated activities for math

When it comes to differentiated math instruction, it means that students are getting lessons and activities that are on their level. Each student gets what they need. Some students need more support and some need extension activities.

how to give differentiated math fact instruction in a way that works

In this blog post I’ll be sharing different ways you can differentiate instruction for math facts so that your students can actually see progression in their math fact fluency.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty teacher talk, if you need more help getting your students to learn math facts in a way that sticks, I’ve got just the thing! You can learn my 7 secrets to getting students to the fast route to math fact mastery in my free workbook for 1st and 2nd grade teachers. Download the free workbook here: The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency.

Differentiated Instruction For Math Facts

When it comes to differentiated instruction for math facts, it’s important to know the different kinds of math facts. I like to split these into two different groups, easy facts and hard facts. Easy facts are easy for students to commit to memory. These are the facts where students add 0 and add 1. It also includes doubles facts and facts with the sum 0-10.

These facts lay the foundation for hard facts. Hard facts are those who have a sum 10-20. Students use known easy facts to find hard facts. So it’s important that students master easy facts first.

You can test students to see their progress on what facts they are working on. Then you can give them math fact activities that are differentiated to their needs. 

You can also look at differentiated math instruction for math facts in another way. There are different stages to math fact mastery. First students start off with using counting strategies. They use blocks or their fingers to figure out the answer to a math fact. They may also use the counting on strategy or the counting back strategy. But we want students to move on to using reasoning strategies.

task cards and pens that show a way of differentiated math instruction

When it comes to differentiated math instruction, you can either see how students use math fact strategies or test them on easy facts and hard faces.

This is where students use facts they have committed to memory, to find facts they have not committed to memory yet. Once students get quick at using those reasoning strategies, they have reached math fact mastery. To learn more about the stages of math fact mastery, read this blog post here: The Three Stages of Math Fact Mastery

When you are watching students solve math facts, you can see what stage they are in. You can use this to differentiate math fact instruction. Let me give you some examples.

Differentiated Math Instruction Examples

As you are watching students solve math facts, take note of students who are using counting strategies and those who are using reasoning strategies.

differentiated instruction for math

If you want to know what students need with math facts, you need to look how students solve math facts. Then you can give differentiated math fact instruction on the strategies they use and what they need to work on.

Split these students into groups. For the students who are working on counting strategies with blocks or fingers help them by teaching the counting on strategy. Learn more about this strategy in this blog post here. You can even get them lots of practice with the counting on strategy with these task cards here. They are great as a center activity!

When students are doing well with the counting on strategy and counting back strategy, teach them more of the reasoning strategies such as the make ten strategy. Read more about teaching this strategy here in this blog post: How to Teach the Make Ten Strategy. Get students the practice they need with the strategy with these Make Ten Task Cards. Find them here.

With students that are doing well with reasoning strategies, we want them to get faster at using them. Have them play different math fact games. While they are playing have them share their reasoning on how they get to the answer of each math fact. As they are sharing their reasoning, they are making connections and will be able to get there faster the next time they come across that fact. For a one page guide on all the math fact strategies, download my free workbook, The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Fluency.

But remember how I talked about easy facts and hard facts before? How do you differentiated math fact instruction for those? Well, I do that with differentiated activities for math facts.

Differentiated Activities for Math

With all of my math fact games, I always have a version with facts 1-10 and facts 1-20. That way I can put students into groups for those working on easy facts and those working on hard facts. I like these differentiated activities for math to be games because I like making it fun for students. Students even ask to play these games during inside recess.

So you may be wondering, “what are these differentiated activities for math?” Well, let me share some of my students’ favorites games.

differentiated math fact games

Give students a variety of differentiated activities for math fact practice. They never get bored and love playing the games.

A favorite math fact game in my classroom is Math Fact Old Maid. Students really get into this game! Each match in the Old Maid game has an equation. As students find matches, they have to figure out the math fact and say it. I also have students record the matches on a piece of paper so I know they are playing the game correctly and practicing their math facts with it.  This game is so popular in my classroom that I set out both an addition and subtraction version for students to play. Find my Math Facts Old Maid game here.

Another math fact card game I have in my classroom is Math Facts Go Fish .  Students are again looking for matches by asking another player for an answer to a math fact. Cards have equal equations. Students have to sort through their cards to find the match, doing math facts in their head as they do so.  I love how much practice they get with math facts in this game! I also set out a set of Math Facts Go Fish with ten frames.  Students have to find the ten frames that match the equation as they play Go Fish.  I also have a recording page with this game to keep students accountable as they are having fun! Find this Go Fish here.

For a full list of differentiated math games I use in my classroom, read this blog post here: The Best 9 Games for Math Fact Practice.

To save money on my differentiated math fact games, check out this bundle here.

If you want your students to get better at math facts, they need differentiated instruction for math facts. It comes by knowing where your students are at with math facts and then giving them differentiated activities for math facts that meet their needs. As they practice math facts they individually need, they will make progress towards math fact mastery. For an in depth guide to getting your students to math fact mastery, download my free workbook here: The 7 Steps to Ensure Math Fact Mastery

differentiated activities for math

Great tips!

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Thanks, Betsy! So glad you find them helpful.

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Differentiated Teaching

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Teaching Math strategies struggling learners

Teaching math to struggling learners can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Help your students develop their mathematical thinking skills through meaningful mathematics activities, teaching resources and materials designed to build number sense, computational fluency, and problem solving math strategies. Learn ways to differentiate and assess to ensure all students are on-track to master essential mathematics standards. You'll find math teaching resources and materials to help you develop research-based strategies for building skills and confidence with struggling and reluctant learners. 

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Do you have students who need a quick win? Check out these ready-to-implement ideas for teaching math to struggling learners. These strategies and resources are designed to be used immediately for building mathematical skills. 

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Differentiating math instruction 101, by: allie johnston.

differentiating-math-instruction-for-all-learners

The Importance of Differentiation in Math

Differentiation is a process that teachers use to tailor and deliver instruction to students so that it meets their individual needs. When differentiating instruction, teachers acknowledge that students within a classroom learn at different paces and in different ways and maybe at very different levels when it comes to understanding skills and concepts. The goal of differentiation is to have all students be successful at acquiring skills, meeting standards, and developing deep mathematical concepts.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Math

Teachers can use a variety of strategies to differentiate instruction for students who are below-level, above-level, and learning English within the same classroom. Teachers need to ensure that students’ instructional and conceptual needs are being met while exposing them to skills and content at grade-level. A variety of tools and resources can be helpful in providing choices to teachers and students to make sure the various needs of all learners are being met within a classroom, whether students are below-level, on-level, or above level. Examples for each are provided in the sections below.

Differentiating for Below-Level Students

When below-level students receive undifferentiated grade-level instruction, they can experience frustration. But receiving lower-level instruction at a slower pace may prevent students from accessing the grade-level skills they need to succeed on-level and develop across the grades, continually setting them back in their academic careers! To meet these students’ needs, teachers can differentiate instruction and modify expectations of learning outcomes during whole-class instruction while providing targeted instruction to address deficits during small group instruction or intervention. Small group time can be used for more intensive targeted instruction for those students who need additional support or have skill gaps. During guided and independent practice time, support below-level students with a variety of representations of the concept being taught. Visual representation is important as well as classroom discourse and partner work. Be sure to fill the learning gaps with reteaching pre-request skills first if needed. Modeling with manipulatives is an excellent tool for all students to grasp a new concept.

How can you determine below-level students’ skill needs and modify instruction accordingly? Strong assessments are tools that will help you figure out where below-level students need support. After assessing, revisit prior lessons (sometimes going back within the previous grade level) to determine an instructional starting point and adjust pacing depending on whether students show competence with the skills. In Sadlier Math , learning progression charts provide background knowledge of the development of the critical skills across the years to support teachers with differentiating instruction.

Download a tip sheet with five strategies to support students who are struggling in math.

To meet below-level students’ needs, teachers can differentiate instruction and modify expectations of learning outcomes during whole-class instruction while providing targeted instruction to address deficits during small group instruction or intervention.

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Differentiating for Above-Level Students

Students who are above level require acceleration and enrichment activities in mathematics. These activities can be used during whole group direct instruction to differentiate the instruction and practice, or during small group lessons. Add challenging activities throughout instruction for students who need above-level supports or who are early finishers of classroom tasks and exercises. Small group time or guided and independent practice time can be used to support those students who have already mastered skills and to provide the opportunity to progress in their learning through acceleration. These students may also benefit from homework to practice more complex skills. Assessments will support you in moving above-level students ahead in the scope and sequence of your program considering learning progressions to provide instruction on more complex skills.

Students who are above level require acceleration and enrichment activities in mathematics... Add challenging activities throughout instruction for students who need above-level support or who are early finishers of classroom tasks and exercises.

Differentiating for English Language Learners

English language learners may benefit from some of the interventions for below-level students, but they also need specific support. Students whose primary language is not English may need modifications or additional instructional support in breaking down skills, contexts, or text and may need extra help with vocabulary. When possible, provide additional auditory support for English learners and/or additional context for vocabulary words and word problems.

Assessment and Differentiation in Math

Assessing is a critical tool to help teachers differentiate for students, allowing them to gather information about students’ learning progress and set the direction for future learning. Diagnostic assessments and customizable online assessments will help with goal setting for very targeted instruction and identify each students’ strengths and weaknesses, allowing teachers to formulate specific instructional plans. Utilize a combination of formative and summative assessments to continually gauge progress and differentiate and rely on the measures included in your mathematics programs to help you!

Differentiating instruction is essential to support students in developing the skills they need to be successful mathematicians and problem solvers. Rely on assessment and these suggestions to differentiate instruction successfully for all the learners in your math classroom, whether below-level, above-level, or those learning English.

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The 2007 edition of Everyday Mathematics provides additional support to teachers for diverse ranges of student ability:

  • Every lesson summary includes a list of Key Concepts and Skills addressed in the lesson. This list highlights the range of mathematics in each lesson so that teachers can better use the materials to meet students' needs. The Key Concepts and Skills are linked to the Grade-Level Goals and Program Goals and thus clarify how lesson activities connect to and support Everyday Mathematics long-range goals.
  • Each lesson provides point-of-use ways to modify activities. These suggestions are called "Adjusting the Activity." If children are having difficulty with a certain activity or need to be challenged a bit more, teachers might find one of these modification suggestions helpful.
  • At the beginning of each unit a "Multiage Classroom" chart can be found. Companion lessons from previous and future grade levels are given. If students have not had previous experience with Everyday Mathematics , teachers might find this information especially useful.
  • At the beginning of Volume 1 of the Teacher's Lesson Guide a "Games Correlation Chart" can be found. (1-3 or 4-6 page xxxii) This chart is another source for enrichment and extra practice opportunities. Variations of games already played at a specific grade or games from other grade levels can be incorporated for each unit.
  • Extra Practice, and
  • English Language Learner Support.
  • Readiness activities are typical of Everyday Mathematics ' approach to differentiation: rather than attempting to "fix" students after a lesson has not gone well, Readiness activities are designed to avoid problems before they arise by preparing students to overcome predictable difficulties.

Finally, while the curriculum can provide general suggestions for modification, teachers must use their own professional judgment to adjust the curriculum to meet individual needs.

Additional Resources

Advice from Teachers about Meeting Individual Learning Needs Differentiation Bibliography Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence LD online National Association for Gifted Children Center for Mathematics Education at EDC

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Differentiated Instruction: 9 Differentiated Curriculum And Instruction Strategies For Teachers 

Samantha cleaver.

To help teachers meet the needs of each student, they need to differentiate instruction. Doing so helps to provide lessons and activities that align with student’s knowledge, interests, and skills. 

But in a classroom with 20 or more students, it is unlikely that every student will have the same skills, interests, or preferences.

In this article, we will explore in-depth what differentiated instruction is, its benefits and challenges and 9 strategies to help you implement differentiated curriculum and instruction in your classroom today. 

What is differentiated instruction?

How can teachers differentiate instruction , how to differentiate instruction for individual students, how is differentiated instruction different from special education, benefits of differentiated instruction, drawbacks of differentiated instruction, 9 strategies for delivering differentiated instruction , making differentiated instruction work.

Differentiated instruction involves using a range of teaching strategies that provide students with instruction and tasks appropriate to their working level. 

When teachers differentiate work, they prepare information, modeling, and tasks for each student, individually or in groups, according to their ability. 

In terms of Vygotsky’s zones of proximal development, this means that each student is working right where they are ready to learn, not too high and not too low.

Researcher and professor at the University of Virginia, Carol Ann Tomlinson, describes differentiated instruction as how teachers take students’ levels of readiness and learning styles into account while they plan and deliver instruction. This means that teachers:

  • Design lessons based on student preferences
  • Group students by shared abilities or interests
  • Use formative assessment to continually adjust instruction

Carol Ann Tomlinson identified four ways to differentiate instruction within the classroom: 

  • Learning environment

Differentiated instruction strategies

Teachers can differentiate content according to student readiness, or when students have different levels of knowledge or understanding about a topic. 

For example, some students may be familiar with how to calculate area and perimeter, while others have never been taught the skill. To accommodate student readiness, the teacher will differentiate the instuction and content of the lesson. 

This does not mean teaching every student something different. It means acknowledging what students know and can do with a topic, and providing different mini-lessons and tasks so that each student is challenged. 

Teachers can use Bloom’s Taxonomy to plan activities that reach students at their level. A teacher may provide an explicit instruction to students who have not learned how to calculate area and perimeter, while students familiar with the concept apply that skill to designing a house floor plan. 

Bloom's taxonomy for differentiated instruction

All students have preferences for how they learn best. Some enjoy listening to lectures, while others are more visual learners and some engage most in discussion. Differentiated instruction means providing various instruction strategies to help all students access and learn new information. 

Students also have preferences for showing they have mastered content. Some may prefer to draw, create models, or write. Teachers can differentiate tasks for students so they can demonstrate their understanding in a way suited to their preferences.  

For example, a student may draw the process they used to complete a word problem while another may explain their answer in a paragraph. Both strategies can convey whether or not a student has mastered the content.

Learning Environment

Creating student groups is an important part of differentiating — it can help with classroom management. 

Classroom seating should be open and flexible to accommodate small groups, individual students, and the whole class across the day. One small group of students may need tailoring instruction for math and another group for science. Flexible seating allows students to move based on their needs. This also helps teachers manage the differentiated classroom in a controlled manner with similar ability students grouped closely for instruction. 

Of course, mixed-ability classrooms can also accommodate differentiated instruction. Teachers may create a seating plan where students can benefit from other students’ strengths in certain subjects. 

Differentiated classrooms should be diverse classrooms and include spaces that are quiet for students to work without distraction or causing cognitive overload.

Read more: Metacognition in the Classroom.

Math Intervention Packs

Use these Number and Operation in Base Ten intervention packs with small groups or individuals who need differentiated instruction

Differentiation addresses student needs. According to Tomlinson, this is driven by a teacher’s knowledge of students’ readiness, interest, and learning profile. 

Readiness 

A student’s readiness to learn a skill is not the same as their ability. Everyone is a beginner at some point and students differ in their readiness levels. 

The goal of differentiating for readiness is to provide students with the right amount of challenge so that they feel they are stretched, but not that the work is so difficult they are overwhelmed.

Interest 

Students’ interests naturally engage them. When students are working on tasks that interest them, they are naturally motivated. 

Teachers should not ask themselves “How do I motivate students?” but “What interests students? And how can I use that to engage them?” 

When teachers are aware of student interests they can design lessons and activities that help students connect their interests to new learning. For example, if a student is interested in baking, design a measurement lesson around baking. 

Learning Profile 

A student’s learning profile comes from a variety of factors, including: 

  • Culture : how students perceive time or what they focus on in a classroom
  • Preference : how they work, set up their workspace, the environment
  • Intelligence preference : how they prefer to learn

According to Gardner people have multiple intelligences broken down into 8 categories:  

  • Verbal-linguistic
  • Logical-mathematical
  • Bodily-kinesthetic
  • Musical-rhythmic
  • Interpersonal 
  • Intrapersonal 

Every student will have strengths in different intelligences. 

Gardners's multiple intelligences

Planning should be proactive, not reactive. Teachers learn about students and ask questions that will help them plan activities to meet students where they are, rather than planning a whole group activity and then tailoring parts of it to meet student needs. 

Teachers should consider: 

  • Grouping Plan for flexible grouping with a focus on creating groups that allow each student to learn best. Research supports using smaller groupings to address student needs. 
  • Materials Varying materials could mean providing each group with completely different materials. For example, one group may need manipulatives to demonstrate equal groups while another may use pencils and grid paper to solve multiplication problems. It could mean providing math problems according to reading levels. 
  • Pacing Pacing expectations should not be the same for all groups. Not all students learn or complete work at the same pace, or end at the same level. 
  • Knowledge Use student assessment to identify misconceptions and gaps in knowledge to help you design lessons that advance students to the next level. Ongoing assessment tools such as exit tickets can be beneficial when planning differentiated instruction. 

Third Space Learning provides one-on-one personalized math tutoring for students who need differentiated instruction.

Highly trained math specialist tutors use ongoing assessment to identify and focus on the topics students need help with most. 

Because lessons are one-on-one, students receive individualized instruction to help accelerate math progress and achievement at a faster rate than they would with group instruction. 

6th grade multiplication lesson

All students benefit from differentiated instruction. But students in special education may require specific accommodations or modifications to learn due to individual needs or a disability. 

For example, a student who has dyslexia may be ready to learn how to compare decimals, but they may require the use of a slant board and text that is blocked to include just the relevant text. Or they may require the teacher to read the text to them as they work through each problem. 

These accommodations are one way that students with disabilities receive additional differentiated instruction. 

High-quality differentiated instruction provides enormous benefits to students’ education. Here are some of the ways it can accelerate student achievement:

It works with all students

Planning instruction so that student’s learning needs are met, allows all students to make progress within learning objectives and keep pace with grade-level curriculum.

Helps students learn how to learn 

When students are given multiple strategies for learning, they learn how they work best and engage in learning. They may, for example, figure out how to take notes in a way that works for them.

Increases student engagement 

Curriculum content and instruction will engage students when it is  delivered at the appropriate level. It means they can access the learning independently and as a result, reduces behavor problems in class. 

Connects teachers and students

Creating a differentiated classroom requires teachers to learn about their students. In turn, this builds rapport and relationships, improving the classroom culture. 

While the benefits of differentiated instruction accelerate student progress, there are some drawbacks for school staff. 

Requires additional work

Differentiation requires work at the beginning to identify what students know, and plan experiences that meet the needs of all learners.

In a class of 20 or more, each student may have differing needs and require work to be differentiated uniquely. This can add hours to teachers’ lesson planning time. 

One way to overcome this extra workload is collaborative lesson planning . Team up with the same subject or same grade-level teachers to plan together and differentiate based on your students. 

May be difficult to do in small spaces

At times, differentiation requires space to move and possibly rearrange furniture. A smaller classroom may not be conducive to changing groupings frequently. 

Sometimes, it’s easier to take small groups out of the classroom for differentiated instruction — this is not always available in smaller school settings. 

Still needs to be researched

While there is research out there, additional research is needed to determine the best and most efficient ways to differentiate instruction.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to differentiation. Teachers will be best placed to understand the strategies that work for their students. But here are 9 tried and tested differentiation strategies to use in the classroom that work:  

Tiered Assignments

Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but will have different outcomes based on a student’s starting point. 

For example, some students work with manipulatives to represent number amounts while others are given a number and challenged to represent it in different ways.

Flexible grouping

Set up groups for students to move through that allow them to learn the new concept, apply previously learned concepts, and revisit not mastered skills. 

Groups can be set for some parts of the lesson, and mixed-ability for other parts. 

Interest Centers

Provide centers for students with different activities that reinforce the same skill. 

For example, when exploring shapes, a teacher can provide a tangram center, a measurement center, and a video center. Students choose how they move through the centers.

For students who have already mastered what is taught in class, compacting involves creating a plan for what each student needs to learn. 

Excusing students from studying known material and allowing them to spend time practicing an accelerated skill.

Learning contracts

Develop a contract with the student that lays out the expectation for how a student will demonstrate mastery of a skill. Students write the ways they would prefer to complete the assignment. 

Contracts allow students to work at their own pace and practice independence and responsibility.

Portfolios of work demonstrating what students can do are a way to differentiate student assessments. 

Students compile collections of work showing what they have learned, rather than completing a standard assessment.  

Mini-lessons

Instead of teaching the whole class, teach mini-lessons to small groups of students who need to master the skill.

Split starts can be useful here. Students who know what they are doing can carry on with tasks from a previous lesson while teachers instruct smaller groups. 

Once they grasp the concept and begin independent work, the teacher can loop back the group that started with independent activity and provide instruction to accelerate learning. 

Question and answer desk

While students work, sit at a question and answer desk where students can ask questions about content. 

Prompt specific students to ask questions if you know they need support. This can be a useful tool for formative assessment. 

Choice boards

Students choose from a list or board of options for how they learn about something. For example, students have the choice to learn about fractions by playing a game with a peer, watching a video, reading the textbook, or working through problems. 

A choice board provides options for presenting student learning, including writing, modeling, drawing, creating a video, and more. 

Learning is individual for every student, teachers need to plan lessons that aren’t one-size-fits-all. 

Consider what students already know and incorporate variety around content, procedure, process, and learning environment to create a differentiated classroom where all students can thrive. 

Read more: What Makes A Good Elementary Teacher?

Differentiated Instruction FAQs

The four aspects, as outlined by researcher Carol Ann Tomlinson, are content, process, product, and learning environment.

In a lesson plan, teaching methods, and assessments are adjusted to meet the needs of students. Lesson plans may have space to provide flexible grouping of students based on factors like student level or interest. The plan may incorporate differentiated instruction strategies for English language learners, gifted students, students who are receiving RTI intervention or those with disabilities.

Differentiating is not homogeneous grouping or teaching all students the same content at the same time. It is also not “streamlining” classes or “leveling classes.” Within the classroom, it is not giving students who have mastered content more free time, no homework, or having them teach students who need additional support.

One idea that teachers have incorporated into differentiation is the idea of learning styles or the idea that every child has a preferred way to learn (for example, that there are kinesthetic learners, auditory learners, etc). This idea has not been supported through research, though it is a popular idea in education. 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a way to plan learning experiences so all students can be successful. It is similar to differentiated instruction in that both focus on all students being able to access learning and succeed in the education environment. And, both are built on the idea that the environment should change to fit the learner, not the other way around. However, the core focus of UDL is that learning goals are the same for all students, and students are provided with different ways to reach those goals through multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. 

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Math Differentiation Strategies and Activities for Middle School

Math Differentiation Strategies and Activities for Middle School

Close learning gaps this Fall with differentiated math instruction

This resource provides 5 strategies and 3 editable tools and activities for how to plan differentiated math instruction and implement it for your entire class. With a focus on meeting students "where they are" and designing math instruction to close pandemic-related learning gaps and meet individual student needs, this practical and ready-to-use packet of strategies and tools will help you quickly and easily support students at all levels across the middle school grades.

What's Included

  • 5 strategies with tips on how to put them into practice
  • An editable academic math vocabulary worksheet
  • An annotation checklist
  • A list of manipulatives and modeling tools
  • Printable fraction strips and algebra tiles to use with the manipulatives list

Some of the strategies featured include:

Frontload academic math vocabulary.

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50 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples for K-12 Classrooms

Personalize the content, process, product, or learning environment.

Collage of differentiated instruction strategies, including the stoplight system and color coding

As a teacher, you already know that every student in your classroom is different. They have their own personalities, their own likes and dislikes, and their own ways of learning best. That’s why differentiated instruction strategies are so important. They give every kid a chance to succeed by adapting the learning to fit their needs. Add these examples of differentiated instruction strategies to your teacher toolkit so you can pull them out and use them as needed.

What is differentiated instruction?

Differentiated instruction (DI) means tailoring your teaching so all students, regardless of their ability, can learn the classroom material. During the 1990s,  Carol Ann Tomlinson  introduced the concept of differentiation, and it quickly gained traction. She identified four elements (content, process, product, and learning environment) that teachers could customize in their classrooms. Her work opened the door to a wide array of differentiation approaches and techniques.

So, what does this mean for teachers? Are you expected to create an individualized lesson plan for every student in your classroom? Fortunately, that’s not necessary. What you do need to do is ensure your lesson plans include a variety of activities, and provide options when students need them. Tomlinson recommends teachers consider how they can customize their teaching in four different areas: content, process, product, and learning environment. The differentiated instruction strategies and examples below all fit into one or more of these categories.

Learn much more about the details of this concept here: What Is Differentiated Instruction?

General Differentiated Instruction Strategies

You can use these DI strategies in almost any classroom or learning environment. For each, we’ve indicated which differentiated instruction areas apply (content, process, product, or learning environment).

Stoplight system

Three stacks of colored cups: red, yellow, and green

An important part of using differentiated instruction strategies is knowing when they’re needed in the first place. Try an easy way to check for understanding by giving students a nonverbal way to show where they are. Green means they’re good to go, yellow means they’re struggling, and red means they’re stuck entirely. Try this with sticky notes, folded desk tents, colored cups, and more. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Stoplight System at the Ardent Teacher

Pre-teaching

Getting ready to tackle a really tough topic? Try pre-teaching a smaller group of students first. This gives you a chance to try out your lesson plan, plus it creates a built-in group of “experts” to help you out when the whole class is learning. Use this strategy regularly, but switch up the student experts. Teaching others helps kids learn too. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Pre-Teaching at 3-Star Learning Experiences

Cooperative learning structures

Cooperative learning describes a strategy where students work together in small groups under supervision to accomplish a goal. These groups are carefully constructed based on student needs, abilities, and learning styles. It means knowing your students well, but once you do, you can put these groups together quickly depending on your current activity. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Top 10 Cooperative Learning Structures at Continually Learning

Projects with choices

When you offer choices, students feel more comfortable with the assignment. Plus, they often get a sense of ownership—being allowed to pick and choose encourages kids to take responsibility for their choices. To make this work, determine what goals all students need to achieve. Then, let them come up with ways to demonstrate those goals, or give them a few options that appeal to different types of learners. (DI Area: Product)

Learn more: How I Use Choice Boards To Increase Student Engagement at We Are Teachers

Self-paced learning

One of the best things technology has given us is a better ability to use self-paced learning in and out of the classroom. When you use computer programs and games, kids can advance at the pace that makes sense to them. Of course, you’ll need to ensure students stay on task when they’re working independently. Also, remember that a computer program may only have the ability to explain things one way, so be ready to step in and give kids information in other ways when needed. (DI Area: Product)

Learn more: How To Create a Self-Paced Classroom at Cult of Pedagogy

Color coding

Writing worksheet with different parts highlighted in different colors (Differentiated Instruction Strategies)

One of the best differentiated instruction strategies is color coding. It can work in all sorts of classroom applications, including organization and routines. But you can apply it to learning strategies too. Color helps kids see things more clearly, especially when the subject is complex. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Color-Coding in the Classroom

Small groups

Elementary teachers have been using small reading groups as a differentiated instruction strategy for years. Really, they work in any subject, offering teachers a chance to get more face time with their students. You can group students by skill level, but that’s not necessarily the best way to help learners. Consider grouping by learning styles instead, so you can tailor a lesson’s delivery specifically for those styles. (DI Area: Learning Environment)

Learn more: Small Group Instruction Strategies and Tips for Success

Student-led lessons

Assign students a topic or let them pick their own, then ask them each to become an expert and plan a lesson to share with the class. This goes beyond just giving a presentation. Encourage them to think of creative ways to share the information, planning interactive activities they themselves would like to do in the classroom. You’re bound to get a lot of new teaching strategies yourself! (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Student-Led Lessons Rather Than Student Presentations at Faculty Focus

Question wait time

This one is all about teacher patience. When you ask your class a question, don’t immediately call on the first person to raise their hand. Instead, wait a few more seconds, and call on someone whose hand came up a little later. This allows slower, more thorough thinkers a chance to get their ideas heard too. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Wait Time: Making Space for Authentic Learning at Kent State University

Classroom environment

When you’re reading a book, what’s your favorite position? Curled up on the couch with a pillow under your head? Stretched out on your stomach on your bed? Sitting upright at a table with a cup of tea? Can you handle background noise like music, or do you prefer it to be completely silent? Your students’ choices would be just as varied as your own. Whenever you can, allow them to sit, stand, or even stretch out. Help them control distractions with noise-cancelling headphones, or let them listen to music with earbuds if it helps them concentrate. (DI Area: Learning Environment)

Learn more: 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Include in Your Classroom

Anchor charts

Collage of anchor charts (Differentiated Instruction Strategies)

Good news! Those anchor charts hanging all over your walls are a popular differentiation strategy. They help visual learners succeed, giving them strong images to relate to key skills and topics. You don’t need to be an artist to make great charts, but the more color, the better. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: Anchor Charts 101

Co-teaching

Just as students have different learning styles, teachers have different instructional styles as well. Use this to your advantage! You don’t necessarily need to co-teach full-time. Work as a team with your fellow teachers to learn what their styles are like, and consider switching things up from time to time by trading duties for certain lessons or subjects. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: 8 Things Successful Co-Teachers Do

Peer buddy program

Pairing students of varying levels as buddies benefits all kids. Some schools pair those with disabilities with a buddy to help them as needed. Others pair older students with younger ones. Whatever you choose, plan your program carefully and monitor pairings to ensure they’re working out. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)

Learn more: A Win/Win for All Students: Expert Q&A on Peer Buddy Programs at Brookes Blog

Must-dos and may-dos

Not all students need extra time; in fact, some finish everything up too quickly! That’s where the ability to provide enrichment activities comes in handy. For any lesson, be prepared with “must-do” and “may-do” activities. This helps kids prioritize the most important items and gives fast finishers meaningful work to do too. (DI Areas: Content, Process)

Learn more: The Case for Must-Dos and May-Dos

Multiple intelligences

You don’t necessarily need to create multiple activities to cater to your students’ multiple intelligences. For example, if you’re reviewing a timeline of the American Civil War for an upcoming test, give each student an index card with a major event (e.g., Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, etc.), and while playing Civil War–era music, ask students to line up in front of the class to put the events in order. This single activity activates brain stimulation for six different learning styles:

  • Visual-spatial learners use a mental image of the lineup as a mnemonic device.
  • Kinesthetic learners get to move around and create a life-size timeline.
  • Interpersonal learners communicate with one another to decide where to stand in line.
  • Musical-rhythm learners benefit from the background music.
  • Logical-mathematical learners thrive on creating a chronological line.
  • Verbal-linguistic learners review notes and their textbooks during the activity.

Learn more: Understanding Multiple Intelligences for the Classroom at ASCD

Reading is a key skill, no doubt about it. But when a student struggles with it, it can often affect their learning in other areas too. Unless reading itself is key to the topic you’re presenting, consider letting students listen to an audiobook instead. This lets them focus on the content, rather than just the words and sentences. (DI Area: Process)

Learn more: 10 Places Kids Can Listen to Free Audiobooks

Pre-assessments

Before you present a new topic, take a few minutes to find out what kids already know. Their responses might change how you decide to teach, especially if you find they’re lacking in prerequisite knowledge or already understand the new subject pretty well. Tip: Save time by checking out Kahoot! for pre-made quizzes on your topic. (DI Areas: Process, Product)

Learn more: 6 Benefits of Pre-Assessment at Minds in Bloom

Alternative assessments

Written tests aren’t the only way to check for learning, as teachers well know. Alternative assessments provide ways to differentiate in your classroom by giving students multiple ways to show what they know. For students who struggle with writing, consider a discussion instead (unless you’re specifically working on writing skills). Instead of a traditional book report, have students turn the story into their own graphic novel. Find ways to help students shine! (DI Areas: Process, Content)

Learn more: 25 Alternative Assessment Ideas

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL offers educators a way to reduce the need for differentiation strategies and scaffolding, by building curriculum and lessons that include multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Look for learning materials that use UDL to use in your classroom, or take the time to design your own lessons using the UDL principles. (DI Area: Multiple)

Learn more: What Is UDL and How Do Teachers Make It Work in the Classroom?

Accommodations

An outside-of-the-box way to find more differentiated instruction strategies is to explore lists of the classroom accommodations used to created IEPs and 504 plans. These include terrific ways to differentiate, even when students don’t have specific written plans. You don’t need to be diagnosed with dyscalculia to benefit from using graph paper to line up your math problems. Typing is easier than handwriting for lots of people. Reviewing an example list can spark ideas for all of your students. (DI Area: Multiple)

Learn more: 80+ IEP Accommodations Every Teacher Should Bookmark

English Language Arts Differentiated Instruction Examples

Screen shot of Newsela showing ability to change reading level (Differentiated Instruction Strategies)

  • Leveled Reading Materials: Leveled books have been around for a long time, but today teachers can also use leveled reading sites like Newsela . (DI Area: Content)
  • High-Low Books: High-interest, low-readability level books keep readers engrossed page after page, without leaving them feeling frustrated or bored. Find a list of our favorites here. (DI Area: Content)
  • Literacy Centers: Center work allows kids to go at their own pace and work privately, without feeling the need to keep up with others. Explore our big list of literacy center ideas here. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)
  • Varied Spelling/Vocabulary Lists: Offer shorter or longer lists depending on aptitude, using more-advanced words to challenge kids who excel in this area. (DI Area: Content)
  • Book Report Options: Give students a variety of ways to report back on the book they’ve read, including written papers, presentations, posters, skits, and more. Find 40+ book report ideas here. (DI Area: Process)
  • Writing Tools: If handwriting is a challenge, explore options like special pencil grips or try one of these easy hacks . When handwriting isn’t the learning goal, offer kids options like oral responses or typing instead. (DI Areas: Process, Product)
  • Reading Spaces: Provide spaces in your classroom where students can get comfortable while they read. Vary the lighting, seating, and noise levels to create areas for different styles. See some of our favorite reading nooks here. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
  • Diverse Materials: Ensure your reading choices include diverse and multicultural characters, settings, and authors . (DI Area: Content)
  • Flexible Groups: Instead of leaving students in the same-leveled reading groups at all times, mix up your groupings by interest, readiness, or learning styles. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
  • Writing Conferences: Meet with students individually to identify strengths and challenges. Or try peer writing groups that partner stronger writers with those who need more help. (DI Areas: Process, Learning Environment)

Math Differentiated Instruction Examples

Child writing a dollar amount next to a pile of coin math manipulatives

  • Manipulatives: These aren’t just for little kids! Make math manipulatives available to older students too, to help those who benefit from kinesthetic learning. (DI Area: Process)
  • Evens or Odds: When giving homework assignments or practice worksheets, give students who need extra time the option to complete only the even or odd questions. This gives them effective practice but keeps them motivated. (DI Areas: Content, Process)
  • Math Centers: Just like literacy centers, math centers let kids choose their pace and learning process. Try these 10 activities for secondary math centers. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Process)
  • Small Groups: After teaching a concept, put kids in small groups to tackle practice problems together. Many times, students will show each other new ways of learning that teachers might not think of. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Process)
  • Open-Ended Questions: Students think of math as having one cut-and-dried answer, but you can encourage more creative thinking with broader questions. Learn more from My Teaching Cupboard. (DI Areas: Process, Product)
  • Math Books: We’re not talking about textbooks. Use storybooks with a math theme to engage reluctant learners. (DI Area: Process)
  • Assessment Options: Give students different ways to demonstrate their knowledge, whether it’s answering flash cards out loud, writing an explanation of their solution methods, or drawing pictures to explain their thinking. (DI Areas: Product, Process)
  • Real-Life Math: Whenever possible, use real examples to show kids why math matters. Money activities can be especially effective in engaging students. (DI Area: Process)
  • Active Math Games: Many students learn best when their bodies are involved. Use active math games to engage students on a variety of levels. (DI Area: Process)
  • Pre-Teach Vocabulary: This may be especially important for ESL speakers. Ensure they know specialized terms (e.g., shape names) before tackling math concepts. (DI Area: Process)

Science and Social Studies Differentiated Instruction Examples

A variety of graphic organizers with pens and a clipboard

  • Graphic Organizers: This note-taking method encourages students to organize information visually. Kids might draw pictures or diagrams instead of writing words—whatever works for them. Learn about graphic organizers here. (DI Area: Process)
  • Audiobooks and Videos: Reading is an important skill, but it can hold students back in other subjects. Give kids the option to use audiobooks or videos that cover the same content. This is also helpful for different learning styles. (DI Area: Process)
  • Project Choices: Let students choose from different options to demonstrate their knowledge on a subject. They might write a paper, perform a skit, create a picture book, draw a poster, give a presentation, or more. (DI Area: Product, Process)
  • Diverse Materials: Use videos with diverse presenters, read books or articles by diverse authors, and explore stories of many cultures. (DI Areas: Learning Environment, Content)
  • Pre-Teach Vocabulary and Concepts: Just as in math, it’s important to ensure all students are on the same basic page before you begin instruction. Pre-assessments can help you learn which vocabulary terms or foundational concepts some (or all) students need reinforced. (DI Area: Process)

Examples of Special Education Differentiated Instruction Strategies

Note: Special education students usually have Individualized Education Plans (IEP) , with a variety of required accommodations and modifications. Always be sure to follow a student’s IEP requirements and recommendations. Learn more about special education here.

  • Time or Workload Modifications: Reduce the amount of work expected from a student, or increase the amount of time they have to complete it. The use of “evens and odds” for math worksheets is a good example of differentiated instruction for special ed students. (DI Areas: Product, Assessment)
  • Scaffolding: Provide support for students by breaking down learning into manageable chunks. Find multiple ways to scaffold instruction here. (DI Area: Process)
  • Tailored Learning Spaces: Some students need complete silence while they learn; others prefer background noise. Headphones can be a solution for both. Explore small environmental changes you can make to differentiate learning for all students. (DI Area: Learning Environment)
  • Routines: Special education students often benefit from established routines. Keep their learning schedule the same each day, and use proven instruction methods that they know and are comfortable with. (DI Area: Process)
  • Peer or Teacher Assistance: When possible, extra attention from a teacher, teacher’s aide, or peer can provide the support special ed students need. They might read questions aloud for students to respond to, explain things in a new way, or help them stay on task as they work. (DI Area: Process)

Resources for Differentiated Instruction Strategies

  • Carol Anne Tomlinson: What Is Differentiated Instruction? (Video)
  • Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not As Hard As You Think (Video)
  • Differentiated for Student Learning (Video Series)
  • How To Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms (Tomlinson, 2017)
  • Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom (Sousa/Tomlinson, 2018)
  • How To Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3 (Walpole/McKenna, 2017)
  • Differentiation in the Elementary Grades (Doubet/Hocket, 2017)
  • Differentiation in Middle and High School (Doubet/Hocket, 2015)

What are your go-to differentiated instruction strategies? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, read what is scaffolding in education.

Use these examples of differentiated instruction strategies in your classroom to ensure every student has a chance to succeed each day.

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Math and Measuring: Differentiating Activities for All Learners

by Jessica Sheridan, M.Ed.

When participating in a game or activity with my two young children I am continuously modifying directions and steps for each of my learners.  Often times I refer back to my days as a Special Education Teacher, and the strategies I used to best help my students succeed.

Of course, as parents, caregivers and educators we are all constantly changing and implementing the directions we give and the way in which we interact with each of our “students”.  I usually do not give my four-year-old the same task as my six-year-old because they are at different ability levels, both cognitively and physically.  This is not to say that they are not able to do the same activity or task simultaneously, it just takes a bit more planning to make the activity enjoyable and inclusive for all .  Not to mention, skills and abilities are dynamic, so what my kids can do is constantly changing and evolving – so I have to be on my toes!

Now that I have my own children, the importance of meeting learners at their level, creating a space where they feel confident in their abilities, and giving them opportunities to flourish is a part of my every day life.  When a child does not feel that they can succeed at a certain task, they can become easily discouraged, which can have dire consequences on learning.  We have all been there.  Irritation, anger, and shame are all common feelings to experience when we just can’t get the hang of a skill or task. In fact, most of us experience it every now and then.  After all, making mistakes is all part of growing!  However, there should always be an element of fun to learning anything new.  It should never be exasperating, wearisome, and infuriating all of the time .  When a young child constantly feels that he/she cannot achieve success, even in the smallest of tasks and skills, this can greatly affect how they approach learning anything new in the first place.  For children who have learning challenges, this can be a daily struggle.  Over time, this can have a serious impact on their self-esteem.

Fostering confidence, independence and self-reliance is of paramount importance to educators.  Meeting each child at their level allows them to acquire skills and knowledge, which in turn, supports growth and development and gives them assurance that we (their parents/ educators/caregivers) have faith in them.  This is what occurs when adults allow children to explore and discover and learn in their own ways, and this is at the heart of differentiated learning.

In short, differentiation describes the process of utilizing multiple strategies to teach a skill or concept to a heterogeneous group of learners.  As a 2014 Early Math Counts blog pointed out, differentiation does not necessarily mean you are providing every single individual learner with a modified set of instructions.  It simply specifies that educators implement modifications, when necessary and needed, based on the needs of learners.

For example, if I am baking with my children I may give them a similar task, but differentiate the instruction based on ability level. The directive for both could be “measure out one cup”.  Now, I know that they both can accomplish this task; therefore, I must modify my assistance and facilitation with each to create an environment of success.  By giving instructions that are too complicated right away, I run the risk of one or both children beginning our fun activity with a sense of failure, which is never a good way to start.  I find it is best to start small and work your way up.  Build upon skills and utilize the learner’s abilities to best help them acquire the development of new concepts.  This way, children feel confident and more likely to try something new, which is a win-win for all!

differentiated activities for math

Teaching is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, and this is why creating a differentiated learning environment is so important.  Whether there is one child or thirty, utilizing various strategies to support each learner does not have to be cumbersome, can be done in any type of setting, and will help all types of learners gain confidence in their abilities while having fun learning math skills!

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5 Replies to “Math and Measuring: Differentiating Activities for All Learners”

I appreciate the reminder that children develop so quickly I need to keep a step ahead when planning. I liked the examples of how to differentiate a cooking lesson.

I believe it is important to know the children and their abilities to best differentiate activities especially when it comes to measuring.

Nice way to use an everyday activity for discussions around measurement. Also introducing the idea of fractions in a very concrete way.

I think it is good to let young children help in kitchen with the cooking that is a good souces of learning mesurement and quantity.

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Differentiation in math: the key to meeting students’ needs in 2024.

Differentiation is important across disciplines, but this blog post will focus specifically on differentiation in math. 

In addition to implementing math accommodations and modifications to support students with IEPs or 504 plans, we must also provide differentiated instruction to our whole class. There are tons of great differentiation strategies to assist us with this. As educators, we know that differentiated instruction in the classroom is an essential component of best practice teaching. 

teacher differentiating math for her elementary students

But here’s the thing: differentiation in math, in particular, can be challenging for teachers. This is due to limited resources and time to dig into the vertical alignment of each math concept and skill. Luckily, a Guided Math Workshop framework accompanied by my Elementary Math Resource Collection makes it possible!

This blog post will answer the following questions about teaching elementary math :

  • What does differentiation mean?
  • What is differentiation in math?
  • Why is differentiation important in the classroom?
  • What does differentiation look like?
  • Can you share some tips for how to differentiate a math lesson?

a differentiated math lesson using base 10 blocks

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation is the concept of tailoring instruction to meet students’ individual needs. Educators can differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment. Teachers use data from formative assessments to inform their instruction in order to deliver appropriate lessons and activities.

What is Differentiation in Math?

Differentiation in math is the idea of providing individualized math instruction to students. This instruction is based on math exit tickets , math benchmark assessments , other formative assessments , and teacher observations during whole group and small group instruction.

Why is Differentiation Important?

Differentiation is important because it helps all students within a classroom reach their highest potential. This is done by way of engaging and appropriate learning experiences. These experiences challenge and support them on their path to developing a deep understanding of the content. It is especially important to differentiate instruction in math.

teacher differentiating guided math lessons in 1st grade

What Does Differentiation Look Like in the Classroom?

As I mentioned earlier, there are 4 ways to provide differentiated instruction: content, process, products, and environment. Differentiated instruction in math can look like a:

  • couple of students paired together where one peer reads aloud math word problems to their partner
  • group of students working on a version of a word problem worksheet that has simple sentence structure
  • group of students working on a word problem task that is accompanied by visuals
  • small group of students meeting with the teacher to be retaught a math skill
  • small group of students meeting with the teacher to participate in an extension math activity
  • variety of different colored folders at a math center that each have a different activity based on students’ needs
  • variety of different project based learning tasks being offered based on students’ interests.
  • student having an individual math tool kit they have access to as needed
  • student having extra time to complete a math project
  • class being able to choose how they want to show that they have mastered a math skill
  • class of students choosing whether they work independently or with a partner
  • student working on the floor with a clipboard.
  • student standing while working
  • class of students sitting on the rug next to a learning partner

teacher doing differentiated guided math lessons

5 Strategies for How to Differentiate Math Instruction

Differentiation in math is important, but it can be intimidating at first. How can we meet the needs of all of the mathematicians in our classroom? Here are 5 suggestions to help you get started with implementing differentiation in math:

  • Utilize the Math Workshop with Guided Math framework for your math block . This structure provides lots of opportunities to offer differentiation in math. Learn how to implement this framework in my Guided Math Workshop course (coming soon!).
  • Meet with small guided math groups chosen based on students’ performance on formative assessments . This is a great time during your math block to offer differentiated instruction.
  • Strategically partner students within math groups so they get the support and modeling they need.
  • Offer math manipulatives when students are problem solving.
  • Utilize technology to help you offer personalized education opportunities. For example, Xtra Math is a good math fact fluency tool. It individualizes what students are working on based on their performance each day.

Math Resources for 1st-5th Grade Teachers

If you need printable and digital math resources for your classroom, then check out my collections below!

Try a Collection of our Math Resources for Free!

In closing, we hope this information about differentiation in math is helpful! Next, we would love for you to try these math resources with your students. They offer elementary students opportunities to practice grade level concepts and skills in fun and engaging ways. They will also support you with math differentiation. Download worksheets (along with other math freebies) in our free printable math activities for elementary teachers .

Check out these other math resources!

  • 1st Grade Math Resources
  • 2nd Grade Math Resources
  • 3rd Grade Math Resources
  • 4th Grade Math Resources
  • 5th Grade Math Resources

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Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

This article is about differentiation. Due to the broad range of academic needs among students, teachers find themselves in a dilemma. The Burris Laboratory School outlines how teachers can reach all the students in their classrooms when they are academically diverse, have special needs, are ESL learners or have some combination of any or all of these factors.

Author: Adams, C. & Pierce, R. Publications: Gifted Child Today Publisher: Prufrock Press Volume: Vol. 27, Issue 2, pp. 50-65 Year: 2004

The movement toward inclusion has impacted classrooms by requiring teachers to respond to a broader range of academic needs. How can we possibly reach all the students in our classrooms when they are academically diverse, have special needs, are ESL learners, or have some combination of any or all of these factors? An answer to this question lies in differentiating instruction. Working in the Burris Laboratory School, an inclusion school using a resource consultation model to serve the needs of all its students, we have found that using tiered lessons is a viable method for differentiating instruction.

What is Differentiation?

Although differentiated instruction is not a new idea, the differentiation movement has recently taken center stage as a means of meeting the needs of all students in the classroom. It is an organized, yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet students where they are and help all students achieve maximum growth as learners (Tomlinson, 1999). Instruction may be differentiated in content/input, process/sense-making, or product/output according to the students’ readiness, interest, or learning style. By  content , we mean the material that is being presented.  Process  activities help students practice or make sense out of the content, while  product  refers to the outcome of the lesson or unit, such as a test, project, or paper.  Readiness  refers to prior knowledge and a student’s current skill and proficiency with the material presented in the lesson. A student’s interest may be assessed with an interest inventory for the particular topic being studied or by an individual conversation with the student. Many teachers use the theory of multiple intelligences to characterize learning styles (Armstrong, 1994; Gardner, 1993; Martin, 1996).

Essential elements for successful differentiation include specific classroom management techniques addressing the special needs of a differentiated classroom, planned use of anchoring activities, and flexible use of time, space, and student groups. In a differentiated classroom, the management plan must include rules for working in a variety of configurations. You can only work with one group or individual at a time. Therefore, we have developed two critical rules that thwart chaos and preserve sanity. The first is “Use six-inch voices,” meaning that students should modulate their speaking level so that their voices can only be heard six inches away. The second rule is “Ask three before me.” If students need assistance completing a task or come to a stumbling block in a lesson and you are not available, they should find three other students to ask before they may interrupt you. If their three peers cannot answer the question, the student has permission to interrupt you. Adding the caveat that the student should also bring along the three students who were asked will nearly eliminate the chance that you will be interrupted except in extreme cases. Anchoring or “sponge” activities are provided for students to use when they are waiting for you to assist them before they can go any further or at the beginning of the class period to get them ready to work. A wide variety of materials and resources can serve as anchoring activities (see our  website  for a listing of books that have great activities for anchoring). Flexible grouping arrangements such as pairs, triads, or quads, as well as whole-group and small-group instruction, create opportunities to meet individual needs. A flexible use of time allows lessons to proceed to their natural conclusion, rather than being carried out in set blocks of time. The desks or tables should be arranged in such a way as to facilitate group work, as well as wholeclass groupings that encourage sharing of ideas.

A variety of instructional strategies, including compacting, learning contracts, cubing, and tiered lessons, can be used to differentiate instruction (for a discussion of these and other strategies, see Gregory & Chapman, 2002; Heacox, 2002; Smutney, Walker, & Meckstroth, 1997; Tomlinson, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992). It makes sense to alert your administration and the parents that you will be trying some new strategies in the classroom in case there are questions.

The tenets of differentiated instruction support both the Equity Principle and the Teaching Principle of the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000). These principles direct us to select and adapt content and curricula to meet the interests, abilities, and learning styles of our students; to recognize our students’ diversity; and to encourage them to reach their full potential in mathematics.

differentiated activities for math

What is a Tiered Lesson?

Tomlinson (1999) described tiered lessons as “the meat and potatoes of differentiated instruction.” A tiered lesson is a differentiation strategy that addresses a particular standard, key concept, and generalization, but allows several pathways for students to arrive at an understanding of these components based on their interests, readiness, or learning profiles. A lesson tiered by readiness level implies that the teacher has a good understanding of the students’ ability levels with respect to the lesson and has designed the tiers to meet those needs. Think of a wedding cake with tiers of varying sizes. Many examples of lessons tiered in readiness have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. There is no rule that states there may only be three tiers, however. The number of tiers we use will depend on the range of ability levels in your own classroom since you are forming tiers based on your assessment of your students’ abilities to handle the material particular to this lesson. Students are regrouped the next time you use tiering as a strategy. Hence, the idea of flexible, rather than static, groups is essential.

No matter how you choose to differentiate the lesson—readiness, interest, or learning profile—the number of groups per tier will vary, as will the number of students per tier. You are not looking to form groups of equal size. When you form groups based on the readiness needs of individual students, Tier I may have two groups of three students, Tier II five groups of four students, and Tier III may have one group of two students. When the lesson is tiered by interest or learning profile, the same guidelines apply for forming groups: Different tiers may have varying numbers of students. Even when students are already homogeneously grouped in classes by ability, there is still variance in their ability levels that must be addressed.

To take a closer look at the anatomy of a tiered lesson, we have included a mathematics lesson (see Figure 1) that was developed as part of the Javits Grant, Project GATE, a federally funded partnership between the Indianapolis Public Schools and Ball State University, both in Indiana. When developing a tiered lesson, we have found the eight steps described below useful.

  • First, identify the grade level and subject for which you will write the lesson.  In this case, the grade level is first and the subject is mathematics.
  • Second, identify the standard (national, state, district, etc.) you are targeting.  A common mistake for those just beginning to tier is to develop three great activities and then try to force-fit them into a tiered lesson. Start with the standard first. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know if you get there? The author of this lesson has selected the Content Standard “Number and Operations” of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (2000)  Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (pp. 78–88).
  • Third, identify the key concept and generalization.  The key concept follows from the standard. Ask yourself, “What big idea am I targeting?” In this example, it is to understand and represent commonly used fractions. While there are many concepts that could be covered under the standard chosen, this lesson addresses only one. The generalization follows from the concept chosen. Ask, “What do I want the students to know at the end of the lesson, regardless of their placement in the tiers?” In this lesson, all students will develop their understanding of fractions as representing parts of a whole.
  • Fourth, be sure students have the background necessary to be successful in the lesson.  What scaffolding is necessary? What must you have already covered or what must the student have already learned? Are there other skills that must be taught first? Before engaging in this lesson, students have been exposed to halves and thirds. Fractions (halves/ thirds) have been introduced to the students, and they have illustrated them with pictures. There are several literature books that illustrate fractional parts using food that could be used to introduce the lesson.
  • Fifth, determine in which part of the lesson (content, process, product) you will tier.  You may choose to tier the content (what you want the students to learn), the process (the way students make sense out of the content), or the product (the outcome at the end of a lesson, lesson set, or unit—often a project). When beginning to tier, we suggest that you only tier one of these three. Once you are comfortable with tiering, you might try to tier more than one part in the same lesson. This lesson is tiered in content.
  • Sixth, determine the type of tiering you will do: readiness, interest, or learning profile.  Readiness is based on the ability levels of the students. Giving a pretest is a good way to assess readiness. Students’ interest in a topic is generally gauged through an interest survey, while the learning profile may be determined through various learning style inventories. In this lesson, the author chose readiness.
  • Seventh, based on your choices above, determine how many tiers you will need and develop the lesson.  When tiering according to readiness, you may have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. If you choose to tier in interest or learning profile, you may control the number of tiers by limiting choices or using only a few different learning styles. For example, tiering on all eight of Gardner’s multiple intelligences in one lesson may not be a good place to start, so choose only a few, such as logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, and linguistic intelligence. (For further information on multiple intelligences in an easy-tounderstand format, see Wahl, 1997). For this lesson, students are placed in one of three tiers based on their ability to work with halves and thirds as assessed by the teacher through observation.Differentiation means doing something different—qualitatively different. Make sure you keep this in mind when tiering the lessons. Second, be sure that students are doing challenging, respectful, and developmentally appropriate work within each tier. In other words, no group should be given “busywork.” We don’t want one group doing blackline practice sheets and another doing a fabulous experiment.Notice in this lesson that all three tiers are working on fractions. Students in each tier use paper shapes to divide. However, the activities for each tier in the sample lesson, beginning in Tier I and moving through Tier III, differ from concrete to abstract and from simple to complex, to use Tomlinson’s Equalizer word pairs (Tomlinson, 1999).
  • Finally, develop the assessment component to the lesson.  The assessment can be formative, summative, or a combination of both. You may use some means of recording observations of the various groups, such as flip cards or sticky notes. You could develop a rubric for each tier based on the particular product that is created. You may give a formal paperand- pencil test. Whatever it is, choose your assessment based on your needs and your lesson design.In this lesson, the teacher observes the students as they share their answers and jots down notes for a formative assessment of each student. For example, which child is struggling with the concept? Which child is moving rapidly and accurately through the material? Whose answers show more thought and insight? Answers to these and other questions will assist you in determining who needs reteaching and who is ready to go beyond the material presented. A formal assessment is not used here since the standards emphasize that students should have “informal experiences [with fractions] at this age to help develop a foundation for deeper learning in the higher grades” (NCTM, 2000, p. 83).

When this lesson was taught, the students were engaged during the entire lesson. The lesson was introduced by reading the book  Eating Fractions  (McMillan, 1991). Students were placed in groups based on their level of readiness to interact with the content. Four students did not have a clear understanding of halves and fourths. These students needed a more concrete activity and were placed in Tier I. Another 12 students could recognize halves and thirds and were ready to complete the Tier II activity. They were placed in four triads. Two students had in-depth knowledge of halves and thirds and were placed in Tier III. This pair worked at a more abstract level, and the questions they were asked required them to use different critical thinking skills than the other two groups. Tier I and Tier II students were provided with activities from the book  Fractions  (Watt, 2001) to use as anchoring activities if they finished early or were waiting for the teacher’s assistance. The anchor for Tier III students was  Apple Fractions  (Pallotta, 2002), which introduced fifths through tenths.

The second sample lesson (see Figure 2) is tiered in process according to learning style. In this case, students are grouped heterogeneously based on one of two learning preferences: kinesthetic or visual. The same eight steps for tiering a lesson apply in this case. In the second lesson, notice that the activities are at relatively the same level of complexity. This would be the “layer cake” model as opposed to the “wedding cake” model used when tiering according to readiness.

Final Thoughts

Time, energy, and patience are required to learn to differentiate instruction effectively in an academically diverse classroom. In addition, you need administrative and peer support, as well as professional development over extended periods of time; therefore, don’t expect to have a differentiated classroom by Monday morning. Start small: Choose a favorite lesson in your next unit and differentiate it according to the needs of your students. Seek the expertise of specialists such as special and gifted education coordinators, media specialists, and others with whom you can collaborate to improve instruction in the academically diverse classroom.

For more information on tiering, contact the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development, Ball State University (BSU)  https://www.bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/giftedstudies .

Author Note

Research for this article was supported under the Javits Act Program (Grant R206A980067) as administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Grantees undertaking such projects are encouraged to express freely their professional judgment. This article, therefore, does not necessarily represent positions or policies of the government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

differentiated activities for math

Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple intelligences in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory and practice. New York: BasicBooks.

Gregory, G. H., & Chapman, C. (2002). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn’t fit all. Thousand Oakes, CA: Corwin Press.

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Martin, H. (1996). Multiple intelligences in the mathematics classroom. Palatine, IL: IRI/SkyLight.

McMillan, B. (1991). Eating fractions. New York: Scholastic. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.

Pallotta, J. (2002). Apple fractions. New York: Scholastic.

Smutney, J., Walker, S., & Meckstroth, E. (1997). Teaching young gifted children in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wahl, M. (1997). Math for humans.

Langley, WA: LivnLern Press.

Watt, F. ( 2001). Fractions. New York: Scholastic.

Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Disclaimer : The appearance of any information in the Davidson Institute’s Resource Library does not imply an endorsement by, or any affiliation with, the Davidson Institute. All information presented is for informational and archival purposes only. The Davidson Institute bears no responsibility for the content of republished material. Please note the date, author, and publisher information available if you wish to make further inquiries about any republished materials in our Resource Library.

Permission Statement

This article is reprinted with permission of  Prufrock Press, Inc.

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit  www.DavidsonGifted.org .

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Teach Think Elementary

Content, not just cute., how to differentiate math games.

One of the reasons I love using math games in my classroom is that there are so many ways to differentiate math games to meet the needs of the students.  Often, kids can be playing the same game, and with some minor variations, they can be playing it at different levels.  I love that because it makes classroom management so much easier!

Here are some ideas for differentiating the math games you use in your classroom:

Change the Numbers .  Bigger numbers = more challenging (or smaller numbers, if you’re playing with decimals!).  For example, if you are playing a basic multiplication game with dice (roll the dice, first one to say the product wins), give the strugglers 6-sided dice, on-grade-level students 10-sided dice, and give 12- (or more) sided dice to those who need a challenge.  If you’re playing an addition game, some students can work with single digits, others with double digits 0-4 (so, no regrouping), and stronger students can work with double- or even triple-digit numbers.  But everyone is playing the same game.

Differentiate for Interest.  Once students become familiar with math game routines and you have a variety of math games in your classroom, you can allow students to choose (or choose from a select set) which game to play during math game time.  This allows for differentiation by student interest and makes sure that students will always be engaged in their math game, because they picked it!

Differentiate by thinking style.   Remember what you learned in teacher school?  About kinesthetic/ physical, visual/ spatial, logical/ mathematic, verbal/ linguistic, aural/ auditory, and social/ interpersonal types of learning styles?  Math games are a great way to put that research to good use in your classroom!  Add in some games that are more kinesthetic (like a game where you have to make a geometric shape with your arms), some that are visual (like a “memory” style game), some that are logical (like “24”), some that are verbal (such as a math vocabulary game), and some that are aural (maybe where one partner gives oral clues about attributes and the other tries to guess the geometric shape).   Math games are, by nature, social, but don’t forget to differentiate for students who prefer solitary learning by allowing them the option of playing games by themselves. 

Change what gets recorded.   Another way to differentiate that works for just about any math game is to change what gets recorded.  This is an especially good technique for differentiating for special education students.  Some students might not be able to handle recording any of their game time.  Others might just record their moves/ turns.  For some students, you can have them record both their moves and their partner’s moves/ turns.  To challenge students, you can have them both record the game and write a reflection or written responses to questions at the end of the game.  Pushing students to record the game and their thinking will help them develop metacognition skills as well as the skills the math game is teaching.

Adjust the partners/ groups.    Teachers already do this without even thinking about it!  Sometimes, you’ll want all of the struggling students together so they can work on a particular skill.  Sometimes, you’ll want to pair someone with a student who is slightly stronger at a particular skill, to help pull him or her up.  Some students learn better in pairs, some do better in groups.  Some students will try to “hide” in a group and putting them in a partnership will give them the opportunity to be more verbal.   Depending on the learning goals in your classroom, and those for each student, you can adjust the partners/ groups for math games to help students meet those goals.  

Limit the number of variables/ choices .  Sometimes the number of choices can be overwhelming to students.  We can differentiate math games by limiting or expanding the number of options within that game.  In my class, we have a fraction game where you draw a card and then cover that fraction of a hexagon.  For students who are struggling, the rules are that you can only take that exact fraction.  If you have a card that says “half,” then you have to take a red trapezoid.  As the students get better at the game, the rules change to allow for more decision making (and, consequently, more strategy!).  Now, if you have a card that says “half,” you can choose the red hexagon, or three green triangles (each one sixth), or a blue rhombus (one third) and a green triangle (one sixth).  And, you can split them up among the hexagons you have left to cover.  As more options are added, the game becomes more strategic and more difficult.

Adapt the support materials .   For students who are struggling with a concept, give them a math game and concrete materials to play it with.  For example, for students who are working on understanding the base ten system, they might play a place value game that uses base ten blocks.   As students begin to understand the concept better, they will gradually stop using the blocks and switch to drawing them instead.  As they master the concept, they can keep playing the same game, but on the abstract level- using only numbers instead of drawings or concrete materials.   This is a great strategy to use when you want the whole class to play the same game.  Start everyone out with the concrete materials and teach your students to switch to pictures and then numbers as they get more comfortable.  Of course, they can always draw it or use the blocks again if they get stuck!

Happy (Differentiated) Teaching!! Christine Cadalzo

differentiated activities for math

IMAGES

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  5. Using Color To Help You Tier Differentiated Activities

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  6. 2nd Grade Differentiated Math Worksheets Bundle by Bite-Size Teaching

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COMMENTS

  1. 20 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples

    1. Create Learning Stations Provide different types of content by setting up learning stations — divided sections of your classroom through which groups of students rotate. You can facilitate this with a flexible seating plan. Each station should use a unique method of teaching a skill or concept related to your lesson.

  2. Strategies for Differentiated Math Instruction

    Differentiated math instruction refers to the collection of techniques, strategies, and adaptations you can use to reach your diverse group of learners and make mathematics accessible to every single one. Dr. Timothy Kanold, former president of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM)—and HMH author— clarifies that differentiati...

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    What Is Differentiation in Math and Why Is It Important for Student Learning? 16 Ideas to Differentiate Math Instruction 1. Incorporate Hands-on Activities and Manipulatives 2. Allow Students to Work On Math problems in Pairs or Small Groups 3. Utilize Different Grouping Structures 4. Use Math Learning Centers 5. Use Tiered Assignments 6.

  4. 9 Easy Strategies for Differentiation

    Read: 7 Task Card Ideas ; 5 More Task Card Ideas Offer Choices - Give students choices about how they will review or demonstrate their learning. When reviewing, students could play games, make flash cards, work on a test review, or create their own test questions. Use Learning Stations - Some lessons lend themselves to stations.

  5. Differentiated Instruction: Examples & Classroom Strategies

    According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instruction through four ways: 1) content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment. 1. Content As you already know, fundamental lesson content should cover the standards of learning set by the school district or state educational standards.

  6. How To Give Differentiated Math Fact Instruction In A Way That's Easy

    When it comes to differentiated instruction for math facts, it's important to know the different kinds of math facts. I like to split these into two different groups, easy facts and hard facts. Easy facts are easy for students to commit to memory. These are the facts where students add 0 and add 1. It also includes doubles facts and facts ...

  7. How to Plan Differentiated Math Instruction for ...

    This resource provides 5 strategies and 2 editable tools and activities for how to plan differentiated math instruction and implement it for your entire class. With a focus on meeting students "where they are" and designing math instruction to close pandemic-related learning gaps and meet individual student needs, this practical and ready-to ...

  8. Math

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  9. PDF Differentiating Instruction in your Classroom

    Diferentiation is an organized yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet students where they are and help them achieve maximum growth as learners. » Tomlinson, 1999 Using flexible student groupings

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    Differentiation. The 2007 edition of Everyday Mathematics provides additional support to teachers for diverse ranges of student ability:. In Grades 1-6, a new grade-level-specific component, the Differentiation Handbook, explains the Everyday Mathematics approach to differentiation and provides a variety of resources.; The Teacher's Lesson Guide now includes many notes and suggestions that ...

  12. Differentiated Instruction in Math

    When differentiating instruction, teachers need to plan how they will manage students working on different activities at different times. One strategy teachers can use are anchor activities.

  13. 9 Differentiated Curriculum And Instruction Strategies For Teachers

    Discover 9 easy-to-implement differentiation and instruction strategies to start using in your math classroom today. Math Tutoring for Schools. High Impact Tutoring Programs ... teachers meet the needs of each student, they need to differentiate instruction. Doing so helps to provide lessons and activities that align with student's knowledge ...

  14. Math Differentiation Strategies and Activities for Middle School

    This resource provides 5 strategies and 3 editable tools and activities for how to plan differentiated math instruction and implement it for your entire class. With a focus on meeting students "where they are" and designing math instruction to close pandemic-related learning gaps and meet individual student needs, this practical and ready-to ...

  15. 50 Differentiated Instruction Strategies Every Teacher Can Use

    Differentiated instruction (DI) means tailoring your teaching so all students, regardless of their ability, can learn the classroom material. During the 1990s, Carol Ann Tomlinson introduced the concept of differentiation, and it quickly gained traction.

  16. Differentiated Math Activities for 1st & 2nd Grade

    Differentiated Math Activities With Math Sidekick What is Math Sidekick? The Math Sidekick is your planning partner - that's ME! Each month, members of Math Sidekick get access to differentiated math activities, centers, printables, and games! Who is it for?

  17. Math and Measuring: Differentiating Activities for All Learners

    In short, differentiation describes the process of utilizing multiple strategies to teach a skill or concept to a heterogeneous group of learners. As a 2014 Early Math Counts blog pointed out, differentiation does not necessarily mean you are providing every single individual learner with a modified set of instructions.

  18. Differentiation in Math: The Key to Meeting Students' Needs in 2024

    As I mentioned earlier, there are 4 ways to provide differentiated instruction: content, process, products, and environment. Differentiated instruction in math can look like a: couple of students paired together where one peer reads aloud math word problems to their partner

  19. Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

    Gifted Research This article is about differentiation. Due to the broad range of academic needs among students, teachers find themselves in a dilemma.

  20. PDF Differentiated Instruction to Teach Mathematics: Through the Lens of

    Differentiated Instruction to Teach Mathematics: Through the Lens of Responsive Teaching Leah Herner-Patnode The Ohio State University at Lima Hea-Jin Lee The Ohio State University at Lima Received: 5th February, 2021/ Accepted: 16th April, 2021 Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Inc.

  21. How to Differentiate Math Games

    Limit the number of variables/ choices . Sometimes the number of choices can be overwhelming to students. We can differentiate math games by limiting or expanding the number of options within that game. In my class, we have a fraction game where you draw a card and then cover that fraction of a hexagon.

  22. 8 Examples Of Differentiated Instruction In Math

    Differentiated instruction in mathematics is a teaching approach that takes into consideration the diverse needs and abilities of each student in the classroom. It seeks to provide a personalized learning experience by modifying instruction, assessment, and activities based on each student's unique strengths, interests, and needs.

  23. 5 Math Differentiation Activities Students Will Enjoy & Benefit From In

    Here are the 5 fun and engaging activities that can help you in math differentiation. The Multiplication Activity Multiplication Christmas Games are fun and students will be engaged as they practice their multiplication fact fluency from 2 to 10 with these math activities for Christmas!

  24. Differentiating Math Activities

    math journal. The Scholarly term and lesson made definition will at that point be replicated down onto a sentence strip and included to the classroom Word Wall for students to utilize. Resources, Materials, Equipment, and Technology: Paper Pencil Chromebook Math Journal Graphic Organizer Glue Boddle Smartboard YouTube