We've looked at differentiated instruction from so many angles on the Shaped blog—from how to write a differentiated instruction lesson plan to strategies that benefit special education students and multilingual learners. Now let's look at the differentiated curriculum, a modified way of teaching students based on their diverse needs and interests.
Using a differentiated curriculum, students can move on after mastering a unit. Meanwhile, the rest of the class works toward understanding through a traditional learning approach. It doesn’t take any more time for teachers, and each student will have ample one-on-one instruction to master areas in which they need extra support. Keep reading to learn more about this method of using differentiated instruction and how it can benefit both you and your students.
What is a differentiated curriculum?
A differentiated curriculum is made up of units and lessons that are designed to meet the needs of a range of learners in any given classroom. Student choice and scaffolding are built in, so teachers can easily vary the lessons based on a student’s strengths, challenges, or interests. In this approach, differentiation of content can be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, in a persuasive writing lesson, teachers can allow students to research issues that interest them. And they don’t all have to show mastery in the same way. Some students might debate an issue, while others write a persuasive argument. In this way, teachers guide all learners toward meeting the same learning objectives, even while their individual paths toward meeting the goals may be different.
How to get started with a differentiated curriculum
The best way to determine which students will benefit from this setup at any given time is to assign a practice test. The typical rule of thumb is that any child who scores above 85% on the test can use teaching time as a free period to focus on independent work. However, if you’d like to require a higher score for the cutoff, you can certainly modify these requirements.
Offer students who score below the minimum extra support to be successful. They can be grouped with students of similar aptitude so they can all learn at their own pace. This ensures organization and structure during class time. It also helps teachers to target specific goal areas identified through testing.
Typically, each student will have strengths in at least one area of coursework. Let’s suppose one of your students excels in the lesson of the day, multiplying fractions, but is more challenged by summarizing the main idea in a reading passage. You could permit them to pursue their own path of study during the math lesson but instruct them at a regular pace in reading. The system gives everyone a chance to participate in independent study, ensuring that no one feels left out.
Who benefits from a differentiated curriculum?
When a differentiated curriculum is implemented correctly in a classroom, everyone benefits. It allows educators to identify and assist students who need more help in certain areas. You will be able to spend your time more wisely, giving support to students who need it the most. This isn’t to say that more skilled students won’t receive your attention. Rather, you won’t need to check on them as frequently.
Differentiated curriculum for students with support needs
Students with support needs can do well in classrooms with a differentiated curriculum. If you have a student who needs more face-to-face time, this approach is a wonderful way to fulfill this need.
Additionally, differentiation of the curriculum gives students with special needs a chance to shine in their strongest areas. They can have extra time to focus on things that interest them and that they perform well in. This will boost morale and self-confidence, which will encourage your students to come to class motivated to participate and learn.
Here’s an example: Say you have a student who is challenged by reading and writing and performs significantly below grade level. Instead of requiring everyone to write a research paper, allow students (including this one) the option of creating a visual or other representation of their learning. When you embrace their strengths, students feel much more confident about their personal abilities.
How to implement a differentiated curriculum in the classroom
When a student has successfully passed the requirements to pursue independent study, there must still be structure in their school day. A good way to ensure that students understand your expectations is to draw up a contract. The contract should state that students who score above a certain percentage on the unit test can work independently during the teaching period. The activity they choose isn’t of much significance, but they must commit to being productive.
For example, when teaching a math unit, you can allow students who already exhibited mastery of the section to work on more difficult problems, or they can play math games. A student might also choose to work on a completely different subject entirely. Whether or not you should allow this in your classroom depends on your comfort.
Similarly, if you usually assign writing prompts on Wednesdays, use the Thursday or Friday before to give a similar test to the whole class. You can exempt students that show mastery of the week’s literature skill for the week. They might use their free time in class to work on more difficult concepts, or they can choose to tutor another student using their knowledge.
Not only will this ensure that students get the most out of their learning experience, but it will also create a team environment in your classroom. Each student will feel supported academically, as they will have endless resources at their disposal when they need extra help.
The concept of “do-overs”
In a standard classroom environment, teachers hand out assignments or tests, students get graded, then case closed. In a class that works according to a differentiated curriculum, the rules are a little different.
The primary goal of this method is to make sure each student masters the concepts at their own pace using a variety of teaching methods. Some students will turn in an excellent product on their first try. Others may need a few revisions to get there, but they will eventually rise to the same level as their peers with a little extra instruction. The idea is to suggest changes that propel your students to reach the desired level of mastery.
Consider each new assignment a rough draft. Those who score well can move on to study areas of their choice. The group that needs more help in an area can work together to determine what went wrong and how to fix it. You can even start a conversation about what extra support students need.
Tips for organization
Keep in mind that the time students have earned by showing mastery in one area shouldn’t remediate another. They must have time to work on whatever they wish. The basic premise of a differentiated curriculum is to encourage students to succeed and reward them for it. Forcing students to work on a subject they are not strong in or that they don’t enjoy is likely to have a negative effect.
Keep a “Work in Progress” folder for each student in this class. You should utilize this folder to store independent study projects while not in use. This way, you and your students can keep tabs on all the work completed. If needed, you can hold a student accountable for breaking their contract.
Curriculum differentiation and continuous learning
Curriculum differentiation recognizes that both teachers and students are constantly learning. You should always be on the lookout for new opportunities and ideas to bring into your classroom to help your students succeed.
As you make these changes, you may find things that work and others that don’t. Flexibility will go a long way in this case. If something doesn’t work for your class, move on and find something new to do in the future.
If you find that an idea or activity worked well in the past but now seems stagnant, there is no shame in switching things up! The classroom is an ever-changing environment. You must be willing to keep things updated and organized.
Another thing to keep in mind is that one test cannot determine a student’s capabilities forever. As you progress and each child begins to get a better grasp on coursework, they may move to the group that exemplifies mastery. This is why it is so important to test students on their skills often. It may surprise you to see how students who are given the opportunity to study subjects they’re interested in will become motivated to succeed in other areas!
This article was adapted from a blog post initially developed by the education technology company Classcraft, which was acquired by HMH in 2023. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.
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