Identifying school-wide strategies
When a school commits to differentiated instruction, the teaching staff have
to develop a repertoire of research-based strategies for adapting instruction.
School‑wide use of a common repertoire of strategies ensures that students
have access to these adaptations across grade levels and subject areas. Cole
et al. describe 12 sample strategies for adapting instruction to increase
the academic success of all students.
Sample school-wide strategies for adapting instruction4
Change the context |
Change the presentation |
Change behavioural
expectations or consequences |
Precorrect errors
Directly give extra practice for skills needed, before the skills are required.
Ask Mitch to sit down and practise “stay in seat” and “keep
hands and feet to self” before the lesson starts. |
Task difficulty
To increase accuracy, adapt the skill level, problem type or rules.
Jeff is allowed to use a calculator to solve math problems to decrease
difficulty and his motivation to escape difficult tasks. |
Time to complete
Adapt the time allotted for task completion and testing.
Stephen can complete his math test with few errors but it takes him
longer than other students. His teacher gives him extra time, and he doesn’t
lose any credit. |
Level of participation
Adapt how a learner is involved in a task or activity.
Pam is very shy about raising her hand in class, so the teacher allows
her to write down the answer on a card. This makes Pam less anxious and
more willing to participate. |
Task size
Adapt the number of items that a learner is expected to complete or master.
Joe has difficulty completing the entire social studies assignment,
so his teacher allows him to complete half. This maintains Joe’s
motivation to participate. |
Output method
Adapt how the learner can respond to instruction.
Leslie’s verbal explanations are often difficult to understand
when she is asked to speak in front of the class. Her teacher allows her
to write her comments and read them privately to the teacher. |
Alternate goal
Adapt goals or expectations while using the same materials.
In social studies, Ceci is expected to locate just the provinces while
others locate the capitals as well. When she is successful, she can work
well during cooperative group activities. |
Input method
Adapt the way instruction is delivered.
Tom has a hard time tolerating morning circle, often getting up and
running away. He is allowed to sit at his desk to listen to circle activities
or he can choose to review the wall schedule with a peer. |
Increase rewards for acceptable behaviour
Make positive behaviour more valuable than negative behaviour.
Kendle dislikes completing math worksheets and often tosses them on
the floor. She is allowed to earn extra minutes of recess for math work
completion. |
Alternate materials
Provide different instructional materials and methods.
John is in high school and at risk of early school leaving. He is introduced
to a self-paced online course that allows him to see his accomplishments
clearly. He is more motivated to earn high school credits. |
Level of support
Increase the amount of assistance provided.
José works with a peer tutor for extra practice in reading grade-level
material. |
Remove or restrict
Take away desired objects or activities when problem behaviour is observed.
George has difficulty with math but can do the grade-level work if
he is motivated. He and his teacher agree that he will lose five minutes
of computer time any day he refuses to complete the end-of-class quiz. |
Choosing adaptations
When choosing instructional adaptations, consider these types of questions.
- Will this adaptation improve the student’s level of participation in class?
- Is this adaptation the least intrusive option (i.e., least interfering
or restrictive)?
- Will this adaptation give the student a variety of options, or will the
same adaptation be used for all or most activities (e.g., always do fewer
number of tasks or work at different level of difficulty)?
- Does the adaptation ensure an appropriate level of difficulty and challenge?
- Can the student use this adaptation in other classes or activities?
- Can the adaptation lead to self-management or future independence?
Developing school-wide supports
School-wide supports and policies assist students who are struggling academically.
For example:
- learning centres with assigned staff and flexible hours where students
can receive extra teaching as needed
- tutorials and seminars on specific topics such as study skills, managing
test anxiety, keyboarding skills
- homework policies and related supports such as after-school homework clubs
and homework hotlines or Web sites
- access to assistive technology for learning such as scan-and-read software
and video equipment
- peer tutoring programs
- community volunteers and mentors.
Building staff capacity
Teaching staff need to work together to develop and enhance the school’s capacity
to meet the diverse learning needs of all students. To build their understanding
of and skills in differentiated instruction, teachers need access to research,
resources, professional development and opportunities for professional dialogue
with colleagues.
The Professional Learning Communities (PLC) model offers a framework that
schools can use to build the staff’s capacity to meet students’ diverse needs.
PLCs provide a means for staff to collaborate and explore questions such as
the following.
- What are our current school-wide goals to improve learning for all students?
- What professional development activities will help us achieve our goals?
- How will we work together to achieve the goals?
- What will we implement in our school’s instructional programming?
- When will we meet to plan, share and assess?
- How will we assess our success in enhancing student learning?
- How will we refine, share and celebrate our efforts to meet students’ diverse
learning needs?
