Differentiation Strategies

Below are some ideas of basic strategies you could use for differentiation in the classroom (originally shared with us  by Paul Jenkins in one of last year's Professional Days). You can find the full document here. This blog post is also a very good exploration of the ideas and issues associated with differentiation.

DIFFERENTIATION TYPE	HOW?	WHEN?
BY TASK	different groups of students have different tasks to complete according to ability.	When you have lots of time to prepare the lessons, when you have the room, when you’ve got a class that can work quite independently.
BY FOCUS	All students are given the same task but groups of students are given different things to focus on to target particular skills/areas for improvement.	When a task is broad enough to occupy everyone but you can clearly identify elements to focus on (ie. by using NC level descriptions)
BY INTERVENTION	By talking to students or groups of students whilst the whole class is working independently on a task.	Lots of opportunities in most lessons, during groups work, individual work, rather than responding to hands up have a plan about who you are going to visit.
SELF-DIFFERENTIATION	A task is set up with levels of difficulty and students are asked to place themselves at an appropriate level. Half way through a promotion/relegation spot.	When you want to develop more self-aware learners. When you have taught a class a new skill and want to see how confident they are with it. When you don’t know the class very well.
BY GROUPING	Planned grouping, either the ABCD method which allows for different combinations or a lesson appropriate grouping.	Every time group work is done.
BY DISCLOSURE	Giving different pupils more information to help them access a task.	When you have the same task and you feel the challenge for some will be too much although with a ‘nudge’ they’ll be able to do it.
BY QUESTIONING	By planning in advance who to ask questions to, the simpler questions to the less able, the more challenging/extending questions to the most able.	When you are doing lots of Q&A, to make sure you don’t ‘catch out’ a weaker student who says ‘all my answers have been said’ and to ensure the best are not giving easy answers.