How to Differentiate Mixed-Abilities in Your Classroom

And always provide the right level of challenge for students.

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation is the means of teaching one concept and meeting the different learning needs in a group.

Differentiation lies on a scale. At one end is 1-to-1 teaching, where everything is 100% personalised for one student. At the other is where I was when I first started teaching — treating everyone in the class the same, and moving together (regardless of how well they did or didn’t do). Your job as teacher is to move as close to the 1-to-1 end as possible whilst keeping your sanity.

Why is Differentiating Better?

• Because your learners are people, not statistics.
• Because if the material is too easy learners are bored, and quickly demotivated if it’s too difficult.
• Because they all have their own interests, and things that engage and motivate them.
• Because they can be different ages, genders, and come from different geographic and cultural background.

So why would teaching them all the same way make any sense?

How to Differentiate (Two Models)