A simple guide to differentiated instruction

Differentiated instruction is more than just a buzzword—it’s a high-impact teaching strategy that packs a real punch when it comes to delivering learning outcomes.

While many teachers are familiar with the term, there is so much information out there about how, where and when to differentiate that even educational research is sometimes confused.

In this article, we break down what differentiated teaching is and how you can easily and consistently implement this pedagogical approach in your everyday practice.

What is differentiated teaching?

Put simply, differentiation involves adapting instruction and assessment to suit individual students’ interests, learning preferences, and readiness in order to promote learning. (Ontario Government, 2024)

That means helping students at every point on the learning spectrum—from high achievers to those who need some extra encouragement. This way, all students grow.

Of course, creating individualized curriculums for each of your students isn’t viable (or necessarily beneficial). Instead, differentiation focuses on adapting different classroom elements to create a more personalized learning experience. To do this, teachers can adjust the content, process, product and learning environment.

‍Note:
This approach is grounded in Carol Ann Tomlinson's framework of differentiated teaching. Tomlinson is an internationally acknowledged expert on the subject (Tomlinson, 1999; Gibbs and Mckay, 2021).

Four elements of differentiated teaching

Content

Content refers to the knowledge and skills students are required to learn. It includes the learning goals you establish for learners and any resources used to access that content (Mavidou and Kakana, 2019).

How to differentiate by content

Differentiating by content means setting different knowledge and skills goals for different students. One of the simplest ways to differentiate content is to curate a range of question and task types based on Bloom's Taxonomy and then assign different questions and tasks to different students based on their current level. Curating and assigning in this way is a common method of content differentiation.

More complex and individualized methods include teaching different content to different students. For example, you could take small groups of remedial learners and teach them one practical application of the content you are teaching while allowing more accelerated learners to continue ahead of their peers independently. You could also differentiate content based on interest—applying the same method but teaching each group different applications of the same content.

Previously, getting to this level of personalization took too much time. However, platforms like Atomi have tools that allow teachers to quickly assign materials to different groups of students, making these more personalized content differentiation methods quick and easy. They also help you leverage all the materials you have curated throughout the year for a more significant impact.

Tip:
One of the most popular ways of differentiating content is to allow students to choose passion projects. Students can work on these projects once they have completed the set work. Passion projects are specific to students' interests and abilities, boosting engagement and providing opportunities for further extension or application in given topics.

Some examples include writing persuasive essays on things like new government policies or making models or posters of interesting scientific phenomena.

Process

Process refers to the learning experiences that students engage with to digest and use the content.

Differentiating process focuses on changing the methods students use to understand the content; in other words, learning goals, knowledge, or skills can be kept the same, but those methods are modified. Like content, differentiating process can be varied based on readiness, interest, and student learning profiles. (Mavidou and Kakana, 2019)

How to differentiate by process

We can differentiate process by providing students with different learning materials such as textbooks, online research, Atomi videos, or even allowing them to choose between working independently or in small groups.

If teachers have more time, choice grids or tiered activities can also be included. Choices like these encourage students to select activities based on their abilities and interests while still achieving the same learning outcome.

Product

Product in this context refers to the things that students produce to show off what they have learned. Educators can better understand their abilities by allowing students to choose how they want to demonstrate their knowledge and simultaneously increase engagement (Mavidou & Kakana, 2019).

How to differentiate by product

To easily differentiate by product, we want students to choose how they present their understanding. For example, in assessments or formal evaluations, we can have several options for demonstrating understanding, like writing a persuasive essay or creating diagrams, speeches, or posters. Letting students self-select increases autonomy and engagement.

We can also occasionally challenge students by requiring them to demonstrate their knowledge using a method they might have little experience in so that they can develop new skills. Strong writers, for example, might be uniquely challenged by requiring to present their arguments to the class orally.

Learning environment

The learning environment refers to the context in which teaching and learning occur. As all teaching and learning occurs through a learning environment, it is a powerful tool that can either support or hinder student learning. When we think of the physical learning environment, we know that teachers typically aim to make their classroom a respectful and empowering place.

Differentiating the learning environment encompasses everything from class rules to furniture arrangements.

How to differentiate the learning environment

To differentiate the physical learning environment, educators could create space in the classroom for quiet, independent work. Teachers can also use outdoor spaces to build engagement and generate flow, or create collaborative spaces that students can move in or out of.

Outside the physical context, setting up clear routines and expectations for students makes it easier to pursue differentiation strategies.

Final thoughts

Differentiated instruction should be considered consistently throughout the school year along the four axes of content, process, product and learning environment.

Start small and look for opportunities to make significant changes without too much added administrative work. Implementing some of these tips is a great place to start, and find what works for you and your students.

To discover how Atomi can support differentiation in your classroom, get started with a free trial.