Differentiated Instruction 

Resource Guide   
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Damaris Martinez 
 Table of Contents 
 
Description of Task Cards & Connections to Standards  2   
Application of Task Cards to Sprenger    3   
Methods of Differentiation 4   
Application of Task Cards to Formative Assessment 5   
Tiering of Task Cards 5 
Template for Task Cards 6 
Tiering Planning Page 7 
Sample Task Cards 8 
   
 
Description of Surveys & Connections to Standards 9     
Application of Surveys to Sprenger 10   
Methods of Differentiation  11 
Application of Surveys to Formative Assessment 12 
Surveys Planning Page 13 
Sample Survey 14 
Rubric for Evaluation of Learning Style Section of Survey 17 

 
   

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 Task Cards 
Description​:  
Task Cards are cards that the teacher creates with a specific task that students will 
complete. ​These cards can be made to target specific learning objective or be used as 
scaffolds. The teacher can create cards for students who are on, below, and above 
the learning target and have students work on them independently or in a group. 
When the student had completed their task card the teacher can either give them 
another within their level of readiness or have them complete a card that will 
challenge the student and push them towards the next readiness level. Task cards 
can be used as an alternative to worksheets. The teacher may breakdown lengthy 
learning segments into smaller chunks. Students like them because they only have 
to focus on one task and they have a sense of accomplishment when they are 
complete. 
 
UDL Principle and Checkpoint: 
UDL Principle 8:​ Sustaining Effort and Persistence 
UDL Checkpoint 8.2:​ ​Vary demands and resources to optimize challenge 
This UDL principle and checkpoints supports providing students variations 
according to their skills and readiness level in order to challenge them and motivate 
them to engage within the learning segment. Task Cards aligns with this principle 
and checkpoint because it offers ways to tailor activities based on the student’s level 
of readiness. This strategy enables the teacher to differentiate learning segments 
and provide students with learning supports based on their individual needs.These 
task cards also facilitate the “Teach Up” method. Once students understand and are 
able to complete the demands of a task card, the teacher supplies the student with 
another task card that will continue to challenge and push the students towards 
mastery. 
 
Marzano’s Instructional Strategies: 
Category:​ ​Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers 
Marzano’s research supports enhancing students ability to retrieve, use, and 
organize their knowledge. Task cards aligned with Marzano's research because they 
provide students with directions for learning based on the readiness level. By using 
task cards it enables the teacher to create activities that are tailored to the 
student’s needs and offer them appropriate learning supports. Task cards break up 
tasks into small chunks that are more manageable and enhances the students 
understanding the relationship between effort and achievement.  
 
NYS Teaching Standard/Element/Indicator: 
Standard I: ​ Knowledge of Student Learning  
Element I.3:​ ​Teachers demonstrate knowledge of and are responsive to diverse 
learning needs, strengths, interests, and experiences of all students.  
Performance Indicator:​ ​(a) Teachers vary and modify instruction to meet the diverse 
learning needs of each student.  

2
 
Task cards are a great way to differentiate learning activities for students. This 
strategy aligns with the NYS Teaching standards, element, and indications because 
the teacher can create task cards that are individualized for certain student’s needs 
and strengths By supplying students with different task cards based on the criteria 
mentioned before. The teacher can give all students the opportunity to complete 
activities that will engage them cognitively while pushing them towards the 
learning objective. The teacher can use results from pre-assessments or the 
student’s performance prior to the learning objective, that is within the same 
learning segment, to determine their readiness level and supply appropriate 
scaffolds.  
  
​Sprenger’s 7 Steps to Remembering 
 
1.Reach and Teach 
The teacher can use task cards to open up a learning segment with group 
discussions. The teacher could create different discussion questions and place them 
on different task cards. These discussion questions are aimed to arouse an 
emotional reaction to the content that will be presented. The teacher will create 
different discussion questions that will be scaffolded based on the groups need for 
prompts to drive discussion or interest.  
 
2.Reflect 
After students have completed the task card the teacher can have the students 
reflect. The teacher can ask questions like, was this task challenging enough, what 
are some strategies that you used in order to complete this task? Students will 
create “Be sure too” statements that will help reflect and guide them in the 
completion of the task.  
 
3.Recode 
After the initial presentation of the learning segment, the teacher can use task 
cards to help students formulate what they have learned so far in their own words. 
The teacher can create task cards that will provide students with prompts, word 
banks, sentence starters, themes. The types of learning supports will vary based on 
their learning needs.  
 
4.Reinforce 
Teachers can create formative assessments in the form of task cards. The teacher 
can create a formative assessment that has various scaffolds based on the student's 
needs. The teacher will give students a few task cards that will directly assess the 
desired learning targets. Each card will be color coded in order to identify the 
specific learning supports that were included in the task card. The teacher will have 
students complete as many task cards within a certain amount of time. The teacher 
will then evaluate the student's work and provide the student with narrative 
feedback and probing questions that will help drive the students learning.   

3
 
5.Rehearsal 
The teacher can use the various task cards that the student has already completed 
and create a quiz show type activity that will help students review the skills and 
knowledge learned in the learning segment. The teacher will group student and 
create teams. The teacher will use a jeopardy template and assign different point 
values to each question. The students will take turns pick a question and answering 
it. If the team answers the questions correctly they will earn the points indicated on 
the card. If they answer incorrectly the other team will gain the opportunity to gain 
those points  
 
6.Review 
The teacher can use all the task cards that students completed in order to facilitate 
students in the creation of a concept map. The students can use easel paper in order 
to classify and map out how all the task card activities are connected and related to 
each other. The students will then be able to share the concept maps and discuss 
the connection that the others made. 
 
7.Retrieve 
The teacher can use the task cards used previously during the learning segments, to 
assess the student's achievement summatively. If the teacher does not want to 
reuse the exact same task cards they can always change the prompts slightly and 
use that to assess students.  
 
Method of Differentiation Based on Process and Product 
Task cards can be differentiated based on the process. Students receive a task card 
that will give them an activity to complete. The task cards will all drive students to 
the same end goal, but the path to get there may look different from student to 
student. Each task card has been created with the student’s needs in mind. These 
have been implemented in the form of appropriate scaffolded learning supports. 
Because the scaffolds may vary, based on the student’s need, the end product may 
also vary. The evidence of student learning and the student’s work may differ from 
student to student but the learning objective must remain the same. The end 
product that the students create may not all look the same but they will all satisfy 
the learning objectives.  
 
Method of Differentiation Based on Readiness 
This instructional strategy is differentiated based on student’s readiness level. The 
teacher can use results from pre-assessments or the student’s performance prior to 
the learning objective, that is within the same learning segment, to determine their 
readiness level and supply appropriate scaffolds. These learning supports are 
tailored to the student’s strengths and needs. For below target students, 
appropriate learning supports can include, but are not limited to sentence starters, 
word banks, diagrams, and general categories in addition to the activity and their 
directions. For on target students, appropriate learning supports can include, but 

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are not limited to diagrams, word banks, and general categories in addition to the 
activity and their directions. For above target student scaffold by not be needed and 
task cards may only include the activity and their directions 
 
Collecting Formative Data 
A teacher can use task cards to formatively assess students and their readiness 
level in accordance with the learning objectives. The teacher will give the students 3 
task cards, they all will assess the same objective but will have different scaffolds in 
place based on their learning needs. Each task card is a different color so the 
teacher will be able to identify the task card the student chooses. The student is 
directed to choose a task card that they will be able to complete. The teacher will 
take note of the card that the student chooses. After the student completes the task 
card, the teacher will evaluate the students work. If the student was able to 
complete that task card with ease they will be given the task card that is the next 
readiness level from the one they chose. If the student was unable to complete the 
task card or their works indicates misconceptions, the teacher will continue working 
with that student and provide them with any additional resources or learning 
supports as appropriate. The data from this assessment will be able to reveal the 
students level of readiness, help identify any underlying misconceptions, and 
pinpoint any learning supports that the student will need.   
 
Tiered Plan 
This strategy can be modified to offer learning supports based on the student's 
readiness level. For students that are below target, in addition to the task and their 
directions, the teacher can include categories, word banks, sentence starters, and 
diagrams on the task cards. For students that are on target, in addition to the task 
and their directions, the teacher can include prompts and diagrams on the task 
cards. For students that are above target the teacher could only include the task 
and their directions. 
 
   

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Template of Task Card 
 
Front of Task Card 
  
 
 
Insert  
Discrete Task Card Label  
Here 
 

 
The front of the task card will have a discrete characteristic that will help the 
teacher identify the readiness level the task card was created for. Possible labels 
can include but are not limited to the color of the card, shape or number printed on 
this side of the card.  
 
Back of Card 
  
 
 
Insert  
Task Cards Activity and Their Directions  
Here  
 

 
 
The back of the task card will have the activity that the teacher want the students 
to engage in. The task card will also have appropriate scaffolds in accordance with 
students target readiness level.  
 
 
   

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Tiering Planning Page 
 
Measurable Objective: Students will be able to _________________________________ 
 
On Target Task Card  Below Target Task Cards   Above Target Task Card  

Task:  Task:  Task: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Evidence:  Evidence:  Evidence: 

 
 
   

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Sample Task Card: Gradual Release 
Measurable Objective: ​Pre-service teachers will be able to describe the steps of 
gradual release.  

  Label the Diagram  

 
 
   
   
Blue Task Card   
 
 
Explain what happens during each step 
 
I do:  
We do: 
You do: 
 

  Write the steps for gradual release 

  and explain what happens during 
  each step. 
   
Purple Task Card 

   
   
   
  Create a diagram, label each step of 
Pink Task Card  gradual release and explain what 
happens during each step​. 
 
 
 

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 “Getting to Know You” 
Creating Learner Profiles through Surveys 
 
Description: 
The teacher creates specific questions in mind in order to learn about each student’s 
interests, learning styles, the motivation for taking your class, grouping preference, 
extra-curricular activities, etc. The teacher compiles these questions into a survey 
that is later than given to the student. This strategy helps the teacher get to know 
the diverse demographic that is represented within each classroom. The teacher will 
find it useful to give students this survey at the beginning of the school year. The 
teacher can then use this information to tailor lesson plans to student’s interests, 
learning styles, and personal background. It also helps in establishing rapport with 
the students.  
 
UDL Principle and Checkpoint: 
UDL Principle 7:​ Recruiting Interest.  
UDL Checkpoint 7.2: ​ Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity 
UDL guidelines support recruiting the student's interest by optimizing the 
relevance, values, and authenticity of learning segments to their lives. This strategy 
aligns with this principle and checkpoint because with the use of surveys, the 
teacher can become aware of the student’s interest, motivation, and cultural 
background. The teacher can then use this new found knowledge to create learning 
segments that are relevant to the student’s interests, needs, and cultural. Student 
response the best in an environment that embraces, respects and celebrates the 
student's cultural backgrounds. Having learning segments and experiences that 
students can relate to will produce students that are genuinely interested and 
invested in their learning.  
 
Marzano’s Instructional Strategies: 
Category:​ ​Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition 
Marzano supports enhancing students' understanding of the relationship between 
effort and achievement. This strategy aligns to Marzano’s research because the 
teacher can use survey questions to understand and addressing our student's 
attitudes and beliefs about learning. The teacher can create survey questions that 
will assess the student’s personal relationship with learning. The teacher will then 
use the student’s response to understand what motivates and inspires them.   
  
NYS Teaching Standard/Element/Indicator: 
Standard III:​ Instructional Practices 
Element III.4:​ ​Teachers explore and use a variety of instructional approaches, 
resources, and technologies to meet diverse learning needs, engage students, and 
promote achievement.  
Performance Indicator:​ ​(a) Teachers use an understanding of students’ diverse 
backgrounds to individualize interactions and differentiate instruction. 

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Surveys are a great strategy that enables the teacher to get to know their students’ 
interests, backgrounds, preferred learning style, motivation, prior knowledge, etc. 
This strategy aligns with the NYS Teaching standards, element, and indications 
because the teacher can then take the data collected from the survey’s and use it to 
tailor lesson plans and learning segments in order to supply student with 
appropriate learning supports and resources. By implementing data and taking it 
into consideration while in the planning process, not only will the teacher’s lesson 
plans be tailored to the student's needs, but they will also be tailored to their 
interests which will entice students to be actively engaged. Teachers can use 
surveys and tailor them for the student’s parents/legal guardian in order to get to 
know the student’s home life and consider how it can affect their performance at 
school.  
 
Sprenger’s 7 Steps to Remembering 
 
1.Reach and Teach 
Oftentimes students feel as if teachers do not know or do not care enough to get to 
know them not only as a student but as an individual. A teacher could create a 
survey that specifically asks students about their hobbies, interests, 
extra-curricular activities, and then use the information to create hooks will 
captivate and engage students.  
 
2.Reflect 
Teachers can use survey questions to probe students on the connections that they 
have made during the learning segment. The teacher can create and ask specific 
questions to pose to students on an exit slip. This will help the teacher pinpoint and 
address student misconceptions while having students reflect on their progress 
within the learning objective or learning segment.  
 
3.Recode 
The teacher could create a survey question that would have the student restate 
what they have learned during the learning segment. This could be done by asking 
students to infer, summarize, or make predictions based on their new knowledge. 
This would give the students the opportunity to recode what they have learned so 
far. 
 
4.Reinforce 
The teacher could create survey questions that will enable students to self-reflect on 
their performance in accordance to the learning targets. The teacher will then 
respond to the students by provide narrative feedback. The teacher should praise 
students for any improvement that was noted in order to enhance the students 
understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement. The teacher 
should also provide the students with probing question as “food for thought”. This 
will encourage student to continue to think about the learning segment and possible 
applications to their own lives.   

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5.Rehearsal 
The teacher could create survey questions that will directly ask students about 
their comfort level in each of the learning objectives within the learning segment. 
The teacher can then create activities that will help the student practice the 
learning objectives that they are uncomfortable with. This will help the teacher 
directly address the students needs and offer appropriate learning supports.  
 
6.Review 
The teacher could create survey questions that ask students about anticipated 
problems they may face when taking the summative assessment for the learning 
segment. The teacher can then use this data to help students create “Be sure to…” 
statements that will be used as a personal reminder when taking the any 
assessment.  
 
7.Retrieve 
The teacher can use survey questions to ask students about their feeling when 
taking assessments. The teacher can pinpoint the students that have test anxiety 
and help them identify what triggers it. The teacher can then teach students 
strategies that can help them reduce their anxiety levels during assessments.  
 
Method of Differentiation Based on Process and Product 
This instructional strategy is differentiated based on process and product. When 
creating survey questions, the teacher must consider how they will implement the 
data the collected from the surveys. This is why I chose to include a section, within 
the survey, that will help assess the student’s preferred learning modality. This 
knowledge can help the teacher create activities and tailor their lesson plans based 
on the learning modality that the students learn best in. Because the teacher is 
differentiating how the students engage with the learning objectives, not only is the 
process or path to learning different, the student evidence of learning may also 
differ. Students who learn better through kinetic activities may choose to build 
something to present their learning. Students who learn better through auditory 
activities may choose to create a poem or song to present their learning.. Students 
who learn better through visual activities may choose to create an image or graph to 
present their learning. Giving students the opportunity to engage in activities that 
are adapted to the way that students learn best, making that learning segment 
more meaningful.  
 
Method of Differentiation Based Learning Style 
This instructional strategy is differentiated based on student’s determined learning 
style. One of the sections, that is included within the survey, is designed to help the 
teacher evaluate the student's preferred learning modality. The survey gives 
students selected response questions and has them select the option that best 
resembles themselves. The teacher can then evaluate the students response and use 
the attached evaluation criteria to assess the student preferred learning modality. 
The teacher could always refer back to this information when considering grouping 

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students based on learning style. This information is also valuable when creating 
lesson activities. The teacher can tailor them to the students specific preferred 
learning modality.  
 
Collecting Formative Data 
The teacher can use surveys to assess the students comfort level based on a specific 
learning objective. By including questions that have them reflect on their current 
achievement, the teacher will be able to use this data to readjust the rest of the 
lessons in the learning segments accordingly. The teacher could also use the survey 
as a way for students to reflect on their achievement and personal dispositions. The 
results of the surveys will help inform the teacher's instructional decisions. The 
results of the data would reveal the learning objectives that need to be retaught and 
reviewed. The data will also reveal if the teacher had to change the pace in which 
they are presenting new material. The use of surveys enables the teacher to open a 
path to dialogue with the student and include them as an active part of the 
planning and the learning experience. 
   

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Survey Planning Page  
My overall purpose of this survey is … 
_____________________________________________________________________________________ 
 

Question   Purpose of including this  How will I use the data I 

question in the survey is...  collect from this question? 

     

     

     

     

     

     

Is the length of my survey appropriate? If yes explain why. If not what will you do to change 

this? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

 
 

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Sample Survey: Getting to Know You Survey  
 
What is your name?  
__________________________________________________________________________ 
 
What is your favorite class in school? (its okay if it is not physics, no hard feelings)  
_____________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Why did you decide to take this course/class? 
____________________________________________________________________________ 
 
What are you planning to do after you graduate high school? (College/Major, Vocational 
School, join the workforce)?  
___________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Tell me about you 
 
Tell us one “Fun Fact” about you. (Examples: Do you speak a different language, 
play an instrument, like to draw, or have a secret talent? )  
______________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Do you have any hobbies? What are they?  
_____________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Are you involved in any extracurricular activities? (Clubs, sport teams,other 
activities? ) 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
 
Learning Style 
How do you learn best? Answer these questions to find out. 
 
1) I enjoy doodling. My notes have lots of pictures and arrows in them.  
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
2) I remember something better if I write it down. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  

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3) If I am taking a test, I can "see" the notebook page where the answer is located. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
4) It helps me to look at the person while listening; it keeps me focused. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
5) Using flashcards helps me to review for tests. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
6) It helps to use my finger as a pointer when reading to keep my place 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
7) I understand how to do something if someone tells me, rather than having to read the 
same thing to myself. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
8)I remember things that I hear, rather than things that I see or read. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
9) If I had the choice to learn new information through a lecture or textbook, I would choose 
to hear it rather than read it.  
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
10) It's hard for me to read other people's handwriting 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
11) I don’t like to read directions; I’d rather just start doing. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
12) I learn best when I am shown how to do something, and I have the opportunity to do  
it. 

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 a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
13) Before I follow directions, it helps me to see someone else do it first. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
14) I find myself needing frequent breaks while studying. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
15) I do not become easily lost, even in strange surroundings. 
a) Never applies to me  
b) Sometimes applies to me  
c) Often applies to me  
 
   

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Rubric to Evaluate Learning Style Section 
 
Use the following checklist to determine the student’s preferred learning style. 
 
Section 1 (Questions 1-5):Questions about Visual Learning  
Section 2 (Questions 6-10): Questions about Auditory Learning  
Section 3 (Questions 11-15):Questions about Kinesthetic Learning  
 
Use the guide below to assign points each of the students response. 
 
Never Applies to me = 1 point 
Sometimes Applies to me = 2 points 
Often applies to me =3 points 
 
Add up all the points in each section and write it next to the corresponding section  
 
Section 1 Score :___________ 
Section 2 Score :___________ 
Section 3 Score :__________ 
 
Highest overall section score indicated the preferred learning modality Some 
students may be a cominiation of the three types of learning modality. 
 
Type of Learner: ______________________________   

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