Differentiation

Content presentation and learning activities in Elementary

● English Language Learners

English language learners have a much bigger learning curve than many of their
classmates. Not only are they learning content standards for their grade, but
they are learning it in a foreign language! Students are expected to learn
English at the same time as they learning content for their grade level. This
makes it very challenging for them to comprehend some of the material as
quickly as their native English speaking classmates. It is up to us teachers to
differentiate the lessons so that our English Language learners have just as
much of a chance to succeed as the other students.
ELL’s and language arts -content
presentation

For a language arts lesson on reading and ● Provide some books that are written in
writing, here are five ways to differentiate the English on the left side, with the same
content: content written in Spanish on the right
side.
● Choose texts with lots of pictures to help ● Provide student with a word bank to keep
with comprehension. on their desk during lesson presentations
● Have ELL students sit up close so that with a compilation of translated words to
they can read your lips and face while you help with memorization and
speak. understanding.
● Speak slower when reading aloud to ELL
students and use lots of facial
expressions and gestures.
ELL’s and language arts -learning activity
● Provide leveled text of same book.
When it is time to have students practice ○ Leveled texts are books that are written at
reading and writing on their own, here are five three different levels so that students can
ways to differentiate the activity: all independently read the same book but
at different difficulties. ELL’s can start at
level 1 with basic text and work toward the
● Have student read to you one-on-one
higher levels.
rather than in front of the whole class.
● Allow students to use an English-Spanish
● During a silent reading activity, provide
dictionary when reading to help translate
audio books of the text so that students
difficult words.
can hear the words while they read,
● When writing, provide students with a
engaging in multiple senses.
writing template where they fill in the
blanks rather than writing whole
sentences.
 “Students with learning disabilities may be less
engaged in the learning task, are unable to cope
with multiple instructions, and are poorly organized
in their thinking and work habits” (Differentiated
Instruction, 2018). It is up to us teachers to
Students with differentiate the content we are presenting so that
students are engaged, they understand what is
special needs expected of them, and they are all given the tools to
be successful.
 ● Anticipatory sets that grab students attention.
○ By creating an engaging anticipatory set, students get
excited to learn and are ready to receive the lesson
● Write the whole day’s agenda on the board.
Students with ○ Students who have trouble staying focused will feel
special needs and much more relaxed if they know what to expect for the
day.
language arts- ● Sit students close to the front, next to role-model students.
○ This provides students with special needs an
presenting content additional resource to help them when they don’t
understand instructions or expectations because they
can look at their neighbor for help.
For a language arts ● Provide multiple visual aids
○ This helps to better explain the content when students
lesson on reading and have something they can visually see while listening
writing, here are five ways and learning.
● Check for individual understanding.
to differentiate the ○ After teaching new information, check for
content: understanding by asking students to repeat an
instruction or to explain something in their own words.
 ● Step by step instructions that are written down in
chronological order
○ Writing them on the board, or giving students a
physical piece of paper with a checklist will help
Students with students stay focused and organized during the
special needs and ●
activity
Provide students with graphic organizers
language arts- ○ This will help keep students focused and organized
when writing
presenting content ● Allow students to be assessed in a preferred learning style
○ If a student has trouble reading out loud, maybe
he/she can read privately to the teacher
For a language arts ● Student grouping
lesson on reading and ○ Pair students with strong readers during reading
circles so that students can hear multiple ways of
writing, here are five ways reading aloud.
to differentiate ● Provide students with sticky notes for annotations
○ After reading each page or chapter, instruct students
subsequent learning
to summarize and write important details on a sticky
activities: note to refer back to.
 “Gifted students need time for in-depth
exploration, they manipulate ideas and
draw generalizations about seemingly
unconnected concepts, and they ask
provocative questions” (Berger, 1991).
Advanced or In other words, in order for advanced
and gifted students to stay engaged in
gifted learners the classroom, we must make sure we
provide plenty of opportunities for them
to dig and think deeper.
 ● Allow opportunities to read out loud
○ Often times, advanced students exhibit
leadership characteristics. Allowing
them to read out loud during class lets
them take on that leadership role in a

Advanced or
productive environment
● Ask thought-provoking questions after a
lesson

gifted learners
○ When asking comprehensive
questions after a reading, ask gifted
students questions that revolve around
themes and other abstract ideas
● Present content in a way that can be
For a language arts lesson on reading connected to other content areas
○ This provides students with an
and writing, here are five ways to opportunity to connect content and
differentiate the content: think constructively during the lesson
● Provide more challenging reading materials
● Use topics of interest to the students
○ For example: How the world works and
how things are done or made.
 ● Flexible grouping of students.
○ Some students prefer to work alone
and some students like to claim their
leadership role in groups.
● Offer leveled activities to choose from.

Advanced or
○ For assessments and other activities,
provide some choices that are more
complex and challenging.

gifted learners
● For writing assignments, ask students to
answer more challenging and thought-
provoking questions that extend beyond
simple comprehension.
● Allow for multiple means of completing a
For a language arts lesson on reading project.
○ Give students a choice to complete
and writing, here are five ways to activities in a learning style that is
differentiate the subsequent learning preferred, including a hands-on project,
a step-by-step tutorial, a well thought-
activities: out essay, etc.
● Include students in the evaluation and
grading process.
 Berger, S. (1991). Differentiating Curriculum for Gifted Students.
Retrieved from http://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-
Database/entry/A10342
References Differentiated Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities.
(2018). Retrieved from
https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-
binaries/6797_bender_ch_1.pdf