For EFL teachers who are willing to learn more about differentiation, in order to provide a safe learning environment for all students, by promoting inclusion and embrace diversity.

1. DIFFERENTIANTING CURRICULUM FOR EFL STUDENTS
DIFFERENTIANTED INSTRUCTION
1
Stella GRAMA
EFL Teacher, “M. Eliade” Lyceum
Superior Didactic Degree
CELTA Certified
National Trainer for Curriculum Development
e-mail: stellagrama9@gmail.com
AC, Chisinau- 2023

2. I. EVOCATION
2

3. EVOCATION
Tiered Instruction
3
•Tier 1
Differentiated Instruction is _______
How are students different from each other?
•Tier 2
How are students different from each other?
Provide 3 examples of differentiation in the
classroom.

4. Have you ever...
4
given a pretest?
tutored a child?
taught students in a small group?
analyzed similarities and differences in students’ work
samples/tests?
given students different materials to read based on ability
and/or interest?
You’ve been doing many of these things intuitively.
Differentiation is about doing them intentionally.

5. REALIZATION OF MEANING
5
DIFFERENTIATION
a process that enhances student
learning by matching students’
characteristics and differences
with changes in various
components

6. How are students different from each other?
6
• interests
• motivation, attitude, effort
• learning rate and learning styles
• readiness level
• personal experience
• social background
• language proficiency
• special learning needs
• physical needs

7. Basic Notions 1/2
7
• Mastery Learning
suggests that the focus of instruction should be the time required by
different students to learn the same material and achieve the same
level of mastery. All the students are gifted if they are provided with
the necessary learning conditions. (Benjamin Bloom, 1968)
• Tiered Assignments
are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, with various degrees
of support or direction. Students work on different levels of activities,
all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind. Tiered
assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student
readiness and performance levels.

8. Basic Notions 2/2
8
• Peer Teaching
involves one or more students teaching other students in a particular
subject area and builds on the belief that “to teach is to learn twice”.
(Whitman, 1998)
• Choice Boards/Learning Menus
activities or assignments that give students the option of choosing
what they will do to meet the requirements. Choice boards can be
set up in a variety of different ways: by ability, intelligences, learning
style, student interest, readiness, learning preference, or even
questioning.

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10. Student Learning
10
• A student’s current level of
knowledge, understanding, and
skills.
Readiness
• Personal motivation and previous
experience that fosters students’
involvement.
Interests
• Students’ preferences concerning
the way they explore the content.
Learning
Profiles (MI)

11. Differentiated Instruction
11
Content Process Product Environment Assessment
• Curriculum
• Presentation
• Instruction
Pace
• Materials
• Audiovisuals
/CDs
• Grouping
• Higher order
thinking skills
• Small group
instructions
• Learning
centers
• Choice
• Mind mapping
• Cooperation
• Tiered
products
• MI tasks
• Tiered
assignment
• Ways of
expression
• Formats
• PBL
• TBL
• Flexible
Grouping
• Movement
• Supportive
environment
• Motivation
• Continuous
Evaluation
• Rubrics
• Self-
Evaluation
• Peer-
Evaluation
• Graded
tasks
https://youtu.be/mLzCqoPFxRw?si=YQ3gTV3k8t1aM3P5

12. REALIZATION OF MEANING
Trading a problem
12
Problems Solutions
• The content does not quite regard the curriculum or
the IEP.
• The material is overloading and complicated.
• The aims or the tasks that are proposed are not
achievable in terms of time alotted.
• No access to the equipment necessary to fulfill the
tasks.
• The content is unattractive for students, does not
stimulate their engagement.

13. The Pyramid Strategy
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● its main aim is to create a
favourable educational
context meant to actively
engage every student in the
learning process by
considering their educational
needs.

14. Think-Pair-Share
14
● Identify 5 relevant actions the
teacher should take in order to
successfully implement curricular
adaptation

15. Steps for IE Planning
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1. identifying S’s individual learning
aims
2. formulating expectations
regarding S’s performance within
general activities
3. listing learning activities, study
modules, etc.
4. deciding upon the type of
inclusion
5. designing the adaptation itself:
● specific objectives
● lesson type
● specific teaching strategies
● class environment
● adapted resources
● adequate support and
monitoring
● alternative activities
● T-r’s self-evaluation stage

16. Modified Curriculum
16
Educational
Achievements
Contents Strategies
and
Resources
Evaluation
Strategies
Observations
regarding the
monitoring
process
● competences
and CU to be
developed
● subjects to
be taught
(derived
from lesson
topic and
linguistic
contents)
● adjusted
to S’s
needs
● individualized
and focused
on S’s
progress
● level of
goals
achieveme
nt

17. IEP Strategies
Discuss and formulate questions. Share with another pair.
17
focusing on the child,
not on the contents
providing equal chances by
adapting the rhythm,
learning style and type of
intelligence
creating equal chances by
adapting the rhythm,
learning style and type of
intelligence
adapting teaching
strategies to Ss’ learning
needs
alternating
interaction
assuring transdisciplinary
conexion
choosing flexible
evaluation activities
using active
learning
methods
focusing on
individual progress
when evaluating
competences

18. Effective Instructional Strategies
18

19. Effective Instructional Strategies
19

20. Traditional Classroom vs Differentiated Classroom
20

21. Principles of a Differentiated Classroom
21

22. Principles of a Differentiated Classroom
22

23. Varied Approaches
23
• Flexible grouping: whole class, pair-
work, small group and individual
activities.
• Audiovisuals
• Graphic organizers
• Multiple Intelligences
• Use of web learning tools
• Role-playing, simulations
• Real-life context

24. Differentiated Instruction Strategies
Line Up 1/10
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I know a lot
about this
subject.
I know a few
things about
it.
I know too
little or
nothing about
it.

25. Easy Read 2/10
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● reducing the volume
● dividing the text into paragraphs
● shortening extended sentences
● replacing words that are not part
of students’ active, daily
vocabulary
● excluding abbreviations
● using images/ symbol

26. Easy Read
26

27. Easy Read
27

28. Give Me Five 3/10
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29. Differentiated Questions (Bloom’s Taxonomy) 4/10
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• Evaluation
– Why do you
agree/disagree with?
• Synthesis
– How would you create a
...?
• Analysis
– How is it similar to...?
– How does it differ from...?
• Application
– How could you use...?
• Comprehension
– Given the following ___,
what do you suppose...?
• Knowledge
– Who, what, when where
is/does ...?

30. Mind Mapping 5/10
30

31. Tiered Assignment 6/10
31
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Name the main and
the secondary
characters of the
text/book.
Make up the
character sketch of
the main personage
(nature and
appearance).
Identify the main
topic and the
message of the text.
Write a summary of
it (7-8 sentences).
Imagine your own
ending of the text.
Role-play a
dialogue to present
it.

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Tier 1
What are they doing?
Ted Allan
He
Allan
Kim
They
Tim
Pam Liz
Tiered Activity Sample
Grammar Practice

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Ted Allan
He
Allan
Kim
They
Tim
Pam Liz
Tier 2
e. g.
What is she doing?
Ann is watching TV.

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Ted Allan
He
Allan
Kim
They
Tim
Pam Liz
Use the verbs:
read talk
write eat
play study
sleep watch
listen
Tier 3
e. g.
What is she doing?
Ann is watching TV.

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Ted
He
Allan
Kim
They
Tim
Liz
writing eating studying
watching reading listening
playing sleeping talking
Tier 4
e. g.
What is she doing?
Ann is watching TV.
What is he doing?
Alex is drawing a picture.

36. Weather Forecast
Think-Tac-Toe 7/10
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Choose 5 words
to add to your
vocabulary journal.
Do you know the
transcription of all
the new words?
Make up 3
sentences with the
new words.
Use the new words
to role-play a
dialogue with your
desk mate.
Find and
underline the new
words in the text.
Write a short poem
using the new
words.
Watch the video.
Make a list of
weather words.
Draw a picture of
your favourite
season.
What is the
weather like
today? Describe it
to your desk mate.

37. Learning Centers 8/10
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Stations set up in the classroom with
learning activities directed at specific:
• Interest
• Skill
• Extended study of an essential
concept
Grouping can be random, student
chosen or teacher assigned.

38. Station Rotation 9/10
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Station #1. Make a paper turkey and
describe it. (colour paper, scissors,
gluestick)
Station#2. Write a short letter of
thanks to your parents. Personalize it.
(colour pencils, A4 paper)
Station#3. Search for a song about
Thanksgiving on youtube. Sing it.
Dance it. ☺ (internet connection,
printed lyrics)
Station#4. Solve the puzzle and
describe the picture. (picture puzzle)

39. Choice Boards 10/10
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- allow students to choose how they will learn.
- structured like a Tic-Tac-Toe board, choice
boards offer a series of activities that focus on
students’ specific learning needs, interests, and
abilities.
- students decide which activity they are most
comfortable completing.
- create choice boards based on the three learning
domains (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor)
so students can develop skills and knowledge in
each area.

40. Suggestions of Active Strategies
40
• Flexible Groups
• Peer Teaching
• Tiered Assignments
• Choice Boards
• Graphic Organizers
• Jigsaw Puzzle
• The Four Corners
• Think-Pair-Share
• Games
• Cubing
• Group Investigation/Project
• Gallery Tour
• Varied Questions
• Give Me Five
• Varied length of texts
• Think-Tac-Toe
• Revolving Circle
• Vocabulary Journal
• 3-2-1 Exiting Card
• Cubing
• Songs
• Audiovisuals
• Web Tools

41. What else can I do?
41

42. What else can I do?
42

43. Resources:
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1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TagbnwkeoJE
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaAckoV59tg
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOPe_cJ67No
4. Tomlinson, Carol Ann, and Caroline Cunningham Eidson.
Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating
Curriculum: Grades K-5. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2003.
5. Tomlinson, Carol Ann. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding
to the Needs of All Learners, Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 1999.
6. https://neltaeltforum.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/differentiated-
instruction-and-english-language-teachers-context-of-nepal/
7. https://ru-clip.net/video/Kg38A1ggYiE/station-rotation-
differentiating-instruction-to-reach-all-students.html

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