Differentiated Instruction

Definition of Differentiated Instruction

C. A. Tomlinson (2000), who first coined the term differentiated instruction and prominently advocated for its use in K–12 general education classrooms, defined the concept as tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. However, since its inception in the 1970s, others have devised different definitions for the term. For example, Mãrghitan et al. (2016) defined differentiated instruction as an instructional strategy that allows students to start at their specific ability level, despite grade and age, and move forward academically. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach but instead incorporates the learning differences of each student within the classroom. Differentiated instruction gives the students the ability to use their own learning preferences and interests to gain an understanding about the academic standards they are being taught.

Boelens et al. (2018) defined differentiated instruction as having two different components based on its use in a college classroom. The first is the institutional level, in which students are tracked or put into groups according to their ability levels. The second is within the university classroom itself, whereby professors align their instructional strategies according to the varying academic needs of their students.

Although Boelens et al.’s definition specifically focused on the college or university level, their description of differentiated instruction aligns well with Mãrghitan et al.’s (2016) description of its use in the K–12 classroom.

According to Tomlinson (2004), teachers can differentiate their instruction via four methods: (a) content, (b) process, (c) product, and (d) learning environment. Activities based on various Bloom’s taxonomy levels fall within the content category. Process refers to how a student makes sense of the information and learns. Delivering material according to students’ preferred learning style is a form of process. Product is the medium through which the students show what they know and are capable of doing based on their investigation of a particular topic. Assessment based on students’ preferred learning style is product. Meeting the physical and psychological needs of students refers to the learning environment (Tomlinson, 2004). Tomlinson’s model suggests that teachers should not only promote equity and excellence but also ensure instruction is differentiated and is centered on students’ readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles (Santangelo & Tomlinson, 2009). Boelens et al. (2018) agreed with Tomlinson’s definition of differentiated instruction, but instead of referring to the fourth method as learning environment, the term affect was used. Although similar in definition to learning environment, affect focuses more on students feeling safe when interacting with their peers and knowing that their opinion is valued and that they are an integral part of the whole group (Boelens et al., 2018).