Three Sides Of A Three-Sided Coin: Differentiation (Part 1)

This is the starting fourth dimension invitee post service inward a serial on Response to Intervention (RTI) past times MD Chris Weber, a Senior Fellow as well as Thought Leader on the topic amongst the International Center for Leadership inward Education.

Differentiation, particular education, as well as reply to intervention (RTI) are interrelated as well as interdependent; or, they should be. In my sentiment as well as experiences schools tin to a greater extent than successfully implement these critical, research-based initiatives. They stand upward for principles as well as practices essential to coming together all students’ needs as well as to ensuring that students graduate hereafter ready. Comprehensive approaches to differentiation, particular education, as well as RTI are to a greater extent than necessary than always if schools volition range the destination of high levels of learning for all students. 

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Schools should strategically as well as purposefully blend differentiation, particular education, as well as RTI inside Systems of Supports for rigorous learning that optimize the complex as well as critical processes nether a singularly-designed laid of structures. This starting fourth dimension inward a serial of 3 posts describes how schools as well as educators must leverage differentiation inside a System of Supports:

A Comprehensive Approach to Differentiation inside an RTI-Inspired System of Supports for Rigorous Learning

Effective nub supports are built on providing students what they need; educators telephone phone this differentiation. Our increased successes inward differentiating teaching as well as learning straight better pupil 24-hour interval of the month as well as motivation.
What follows are the elements of differentiated supports for each as well as every student:

• Survey students to larn almost their interests, passions, as well as drives; contain this data inward minor as well as large ways throughout the schoolhouse year.
• Screen to ensure nosotros accept identified students at high-risk of experiencing failure inward the absence of a scaffolded laid of Core Supports as well as immediate, intensive, as well as targeted Specialized Supports. These students volition demand the rattling best inward damage of scaffolded as well as differentiated supports to range successes inside the core.
• Build relationships amongst students early on as well as often, hence that the learning surround is positive as well as productive as well as hence that a growth mindset prevails.

In lodge to ensure that these differentiated supports are inward house it is of import to programme for:

• What – specifically as well as fundamentally – students volition learn.
• A prioritized ambit of sequence of concepts as well as skills, based on nation as well as local priorities as well as pupil needs.
• How students volition access data as well as content?
• How to differentiate during whole grouping instruction?
• How to differentiate during minor grouping instruction?
• How students volition interact amongst the content? 
• With whom students volition learn?
• Tasks that render students amongst pick as well as opportunities to exercise agency.
• When students volition larn amongst an emphasis on:
1. Where students volition learn?
2. How students volition demo us what they know as well as what they tin do?
3. The materials nosotros volition demand to render differentiated supports.
4. Pedagogies that that volition scaffold students to success, such equally those based on a gradual liberate of responsibleness model. This does non hateful teacher-only lecture, but a audio lesson blueprint that includes rich pupil discourse as well as interaction supported past times a teacher’s metacognitive modeling. There is a argue that direct instruction has twice the resultant size of inquiry-based approaches (although nosotros are huge fans of research too…the genius of AND)
5. Questioning techniques that encounter students at the leading border of their zones of proximal evolution as well as engage them inward productive struggle. 
6. Practices as well as strategies based on interests, modalities, styles – non because whatsoever are superior or because students necessarily posses a predisposition to larn best from i to a greater extent than than another, but because multiple approaches contribute to a greater likelihood that learning volition occur; because interacting amongst concepts from multiple perspectives as well as directions strengthens understanding. 
7. Assessments that ensure that nosotros tin accurately mensurate what students know inward relation to the rattling starting fourth dimension chemical constituent for what is planned: “What – specifically as well as fundamentally – students volition learn.”

Whether differentiation serves equally the umbrella nether which RTI as well as Collaborative Systems of Support work, or Collaborative Systems of Support as well as RTI assist schools inward organizing as well as systematizing differentiated practices is unimportant. Both sets of principles must last present.

In the minute post service inward the serial I volition depict the elements of early on intervention (pre-referral services) inside a System of Supports.