10 tips for Turning DI Theory Into Practice

Vol. 4. No. 4

Year: 2009

Issue: Mar-May

Title: 10 tips for Turning DI Theory Into Practice 

Author Name: Melissa N. Ducey, Shirley Key 

Synopsis: 

At the core of differentiated instruction (DI) is the belief that because all children are different, their learning needs and abilities are different, and therefore must be approached differently. Differentiating instruction allows teachers to meet the students where they are academically and bring them forward. Although one continues to grow in the use of DI, things are learned along the way that help take the theory of DI into practice for the classroom teacher: 1) DI can extend learning beyond the standards, 2) use open-ended (divergent) questions/problems, 3) start with tiered instruction, 4) grade on learning and growth, not a knowledge checklist, 5) remember that DI can be used to help even the best and brightest, 6) be proactive, not reactive to student needs, 7) incorporate option charts and “menus,” 8) avoid the common pitfalls of microdifferentation, 9) maximize meaningful, but flexible, grouping, and 10) do not expect an overnight revolution. The goal in implementing DI was to increase student performance in physics. Through the use of DI, students were more receptive to working in groups, working at their own pace, working on application-based problems, and a noticed increase in students’ desire to learn.