4+Differentiated+Instruction

=Differentiated Instruction in the CS Classroom= Differentiating instruction to meet the needs, interests, and readiness (prior knowledge of the topic) of the students in the classroom can bring about greater student success.

Below is a list of structures that can be applied in the DI classroom. What methods have you used to meet the needs of the students? How do these structures connect with the CS Curriculum?


 * RAFT** is an acronym for Role, Audience, Format, Topic. These headings are written across the top of a grid an da number of options are created. Students choose an option or the teacher selects it for them. Students read across the columns to learn the role they are going ot assume, the audience they will address, the format in which they will do the work, and the topic they are going to explore.


 * Learning Centres or Stations**: Centres provide different activities at various places in the classroom or school. Learning centres are not a differentiation structure if all students go to all centres and everyone does the same thing at a centre. In order to be differentiated, learning centres either need to be attended only by students who need or are interested in the work that is at the centre, or the work at the centre needs to be varied according to student readiness, interest, or learning preference.


 * Choice Boards**: A choice board is a common differentiation structure used to provide students with choice. It is sometimes called a Tic-Tac-Toe assignment because of its design.

Choice boards can be used to help students learn or as a way for students to demonstrate their lealrning. When designing a choice board, all choices must address the same learning goal and may be based on interest or learning preferences. Each 'choice" is assessed or evaluated against the same assessment criteria.


 * Cubing**: Students roll a cube and do the activity on the side that comes up. We can differentiate a cube according to any of student readiness, learning preference, or interst. Cubes can be designed for specific activities such as perspectives on a novel or different aspects of a history unit. Different cubes can be given to different groups and the activities varied to support the readiness or learning preference. We can make cubes and write the activities on the sides, or we can simply use a standard die accompanied by a set of index cards with the matching numbers and activities recorded on the cards.


 * Tiering**: When we tier an assignment, we are creating more than on version of a task so that we can respon to students' varied levels of readiness. To create a tiered assignment, choose or create an activity that is what you would normally provide for your grade levle, then create additional version of that activity to meet the readiness needs you identified through pre-assessment. Rember that ll tasks need to be respectful - engaging, interesting, and challenging for all learners.


 * Learning Contracts**: Teacher and student make a written agreement about a task to be completed. The agreement includes the learning goals and criteria for evaluation in student friendly language, the format of the work, how it will be assessed, and organization al detalils such as the deadline and check in points.