Instruction for Academically Diverse Classrooms

Instruction for Academically Diverse Classrooms Module 1
Understanding Differentiated Classrooms
Kids of the same age aren't alike when it comes to learning. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage. In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences also become important elements in teaching and learning.  

• What Differentiated Instruction Is—and Isn't
• The Rationale for Differentiating Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms
• The Needs of Students in a Differentiated Classroom Topic
• Addressing the Needs of Advanced Learners
• The Needs of Struggling Learners

Instruction for Academically Diverse Classrooms Module 2
The Teacher Role and the Learning Environment
Differentiated instruction in academically diverse classrooms is beneficial not only to students but teachers as well.  For many teachers, though, before they can offer differentiated instruction, they must first make a paradigm shift. When teachers differentiate instruction, they begin seeing themselves as collaborators with students and organizers of learning opportunities.

• The Teacher's Role in a Differentiated Classroom
• Characteristics of an Effective Learning Community
• Inside Some Differentiated Classrooms
• Variety of Instructional Strategies

Instruction for Academically Diverse Classrooms Module 3 
Lesson Planning
In a differentiated classroom, some of the traditional ways of doing things will change. Your students and their guardians may need your help to understand and feel comfortable with the new classroom. We will also look at the three dimensions of student variance guide planning for differentiation: readiness, interest, and learning profile. We will look at the basics of differentiating instruction in response to those three student traits.

• Preparing Students and Parents for a Differentiated Classroom
• Introducing Students to Differentiated Instruction
• Helping Parents Learn About Differentiated Instruction
• Planning Lessons Differentiated by Readiness

Instruction for Academically Diverse Classrooms Module 4
Differentiated Content, Processes, and Products
This module will focus on how students process ideas thinking about how to differentiate instruction is more manageable when you examine one element at a time. We will look at how content can be differentiated in response to a student's readiness level, interests, or learning profile. It can also be differentiated in response to any combination of readiness, interest, and learning profile.

• Strategies for Differentiating Content
• Differentiating Products
• Creating High-Quality Product Assignments
• Grading in a Differentiated Classroom