What is differentiated learning?

Differentiated learning is an approach that offers opportunities for learners to customize a learning pathway to meet their learning needs, aspirations and preferences.

It can also empower learners to show what they know in different ways.

Learners are provided with multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn.

Flexible learning is at the heart of differentiated instruction. Instructors design activities to meet the needs and capabilities of each learner or group of learners. If learners are working in groups, they might not be in the same group for every part of the lesson.

In differentiated instruction, instructors can support learner agency, confidence and independence by:

• scaffolding instruction so that all learners experience success.
• building on learner interests and skills to increase motivation.
• providing opportunities for appropriate learner choice and independent learning.
• helping learner to build a personalized repertoire of strategies to organize information, make sense of ideas, communicate clearly, and retain and retrieve information, concepts and ideas.
• providing frequent opportunities for learners to set goals, reflect on their own learning and develop self-monitoring and self-assessment skills.