Why Differentiate?
Teaching grade-level content to all students in the classroom, while identifying and supporting striving students, is one of the greatest challenges educators face (Lynch & Hill, 2020). All teachers share this goal, but how can they really make it happen in large classrooms with very limited time?
Be Intentional
It’s critical for every teacher to have a solid curriculum plan and pacing guide. There should be great intention about what students need to learn when, in order to keep the class moving forward toward mastery of grade level content. This focus on intentional curriculum supports mastery. “We know that the longer a student is engaged with content and the more deeply they are invited to think about it, the more likely they will be to retain it for future use” (Boudreau, 2020).
Actionable Formative Assessment
As the year progresses, educators can continue to gather data through a formative assessment process, which identifies students’ strengths and areas in need of improvement. It’s critical for assessment data to be actionable. This means that it is linked to resources and practices that can help students with gaps. Teachers can accelerate learning of essential skills and knowledge, while still moving forward with grade-level material.
Who has time for all of this?
Most educators have large classes with students across a wide range of skill levels. They simply do not have the time to create and score assessments and to find resources for differentiation. It’s critical to identify the best tools for this purpose that are:
Building on Success
Once students close gaps in essential skills and knowledge, they can engage more fully in grade-level instruction. They gain confidence and grow with each success. The whole class can move more efficiently through grade-level content as students become proficient.