Differentiated Instruction

What is Differentiated Instruction?^[1]

Like Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction is also a technique used by teachers to tailor learning experiences for each student so that they are individualized to their needs. Educators use various teaching strategies and lesson adaptations to instruct students with diverse learning needs in the same course, classroom, or learning environment.

When thinking about Differentiated Instruction strategies, there are four elements that teachers can differentiate depending on their student’s “readiness, interest, or learning profile,” and these are “content, process, products, or the learning environment” (What Is Differentiated Instruction?).

To do this effectively, the teacher must consider the unique needs of each student and present information in such a way that each student can interpret, adapt, and find ownership in the process (Gregory and Chapman, 2007). Differentiated Instruction meets each student where they are in the learning process and “offers challenging, appropriate options for them in order to achieve success” (pg. 3).

Teachers who employ differentiated instructional strategies may adjust the elements of a lesson from one group of students to another so that those who may need more time or a different teaching approach to grasp a concept get the individualized assistance they need, while those students who have already mastered a concept can be assigned a different learning activity or move on to a new concept or lesson. In more diverse classrooms, teachers will tailor lessons to address the unique needs of special-education students, high-achieving students, and English-language learners. Teachers also use formative assessment—periodic, in-process evaluations of what students are learning or not learning—to determine the best instructional approaches or modifications needed for each student.

How Does Differentiated Instruction Differ From UDL?

There is some noticeable overlap between universal design for learning and Differentiated Instruction, but the two are not the same. While both work to make content more approachable for learners, “UDL is a function of instructional design, and differentiated instruction is a function of instructional delivery” (Understanding UDL vs. Differentiated Instruction). UDL proactively seeks to give learners options depending on their learning and assignment preferences, whereas differentiated instruction reactively seeks to tailor learning and assignments depending on students’ identified needs.

As you can see, there are some similarities between Universal Design for Learning and differentiated instruction. Both approaches work to support the learning of all students in meaningful ways. Additionally, the planning of the approaches is different. UDL is something that instructors can do on the front end of their academic planning, but differentiated instruction requires instructors to adapt the content and activities after students have demonstrated that they would benefit from a different approach to instruction.

Differentiated Instruction

References

Gregory, G.H., Chapman, C. (2003). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin Press.

SHAPED. (2022, September 23). UDL vs Differentiated Instruction |