How do you organize your lesson plans, materials, etc. in order to implement differentiated instruction?

Question

The students in my First Grade classroom range from very low ability to slightly above average ability. I try to implement differentiated instruction, but find it can be overwhelming to try to meet all the varying learning needs. What organizational tips can you offer?

Answer 1

Create a lesson plan that incorporates learning groups: 3 groups: beginner,emergent, at grade. Try to use center based learning that will allow students to rotate through the centers that they need. These centers could be language centers that include phonics, writing (begining/middle/end), inferential reading. Math: struggling,emergent, at grade level.

Create lessons that scaffold learning...make all lesson plans go through stages:
review skills,
introduce new,
model new,
apply/reinforce (exercises);
close the lesson by reviewing: ask students what new skills they learned...

See http://condor.admin.ccny.cuny.edu/~group4/

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=95

Answer 2

Well
There are numerous documented benefits and advantages of teaching children to read early on, and teaching them to reading using phonics and phonemic awareness instructions. It is clear that early language and reading ability development passes great benefits to the child as they progress through school at all grades, and that early language and reading problems can lead to learning problems later on in school.

For a simple, step-by-step program that can help your child learn to read visit this web site: http://readingprogram.toptips.org
Good Bye

Answer 3

You are overwhelming yourself sweetie. It is quite impossible to have all kinds of modifications/ levels indicated on your gradebook/lesson plan. drawers are great, but literature organizers are awesome. go to officedepot.com and search for literature organizers, you'll know what i mean. it can be quite expensive, but see if the school would buy it for you. if not, look for cheaper alternatives.
anyway, as for your lesson plans, simply put a generic lesson for all. one that would reflect that you're following the curriculum for 1st grade. when it comes to actual teaching, reality is that all students will not be able to handle it. soooooo, modify on the spot (or planning ahead would be better, if possible anyway).
for instance, if you are doing read aloud today and you want to check for comprehension--while you are reading, have higher level students do some note taking using words. simple phrases/words will do, depending what they can handle. for the lower level students, you can just require them to draw the details in the story. then, you can have them retell the story in their own words. there it is--one activity, multiple levels.
you can do the same for other subjects. let's say math. you're teaching time to the quarter hour. for higher students, have them do exactly that. some really high students can help you out by sitting next to lower kids and help them do time to the hour, then eventually to the quarter hour, they can manage to do that.
but if you want to be really organized by indicating all that in your lesson plans and gradebook, you will go crazy. calm down. you're doing exactly the right thing.

have fun teaching your cutsie patootsies.

Answer 4

Allow interaction.

Brighter students will assist those in need, until you can get to them individually.

The middle 80% don't need the level of attention of the slower ones, OR what the brighter ones should receive to keep them challenged. THEY need to reach their highest possible height of possible achievement, and not merely serve as tutors.

Discipline is key. Without it, THAT is where your class time goes.

Answer 5

you can try try having mixed ability groups so that the smarter ones can help the slower ones.

Answer 6

have a filing drawer/cabinets ect for each one. if you havnt allready got that. i can organize really good when i have to.

make your question easier to understand and i could probably give more advice.