Differentiated instruction is a form of teaching that emphasizes the individual characteristics of the student. Teachers who use this form of instruction primarily consider readiness, interest, and learning style. Readiness refers to the knowledge and skills a student brings to the classroom. Interest means the knowledge and skills a student wishes to learn. Learning style refers to how a student is best able to acquire and keep new knowledge and skills.
Teachers using differentiated instruction begin by measuring student readiness, often by giving a preliminary test called a pretest on the subject to be covered. Pretests that feature more open-ended questions can also be used to gather information from students about their interests. Finally, the teacher tries to assess learning styles, using personality tests, classroom observation, and the students’ performance on assignments.
After the various factors have been assessed, the teacher can begin instruction with lessons that can be modified to reflect the characteristics of different students. The teacher assumes the role of a guide, allowing students to use their interests and learning styles to discover knowledge and skills at their own pace and level of understanding.
Methods of assessment—that is, ways of measuring learning—in a differentiated classroom are as varied as the instruction. Students are given a choice of assessment projects. These projects could, for example, consist of essay writing and other more traditional activities. But they could also include artistic endeavors—such as writing a play or a comic book, or creating a poster.
Differentiated instruction has its roots in the theories of Virgil S. Ward, an American educator who specialized in teaching gifted students. Ward’s theories of differential education for the gifted, first published in the early 1960’s, were eventually adopted more widely in general education as differentiated instruction.
Critics of differentiated instruction believe the method is impractical in modern school systems. Differentiated instruction requires teachers to know a great deal about each student. However, teachers may have difficulty obtaining such knowledge, especially in school systems with large classes and a high rate of student turnover. Those who favor differentiated instruction regard the additional work required of the teacher as justified. They believe the need to present the curriculum in a variety of ways increases as the knowledge and skill levels of students at the same grade level become more varied.
