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Tiered Assignments

What are tiered assignments.

According to Tomlinson (1995), tiered assignments are used by teachers within a heterogeneous classroom in order to meet the diverse needs of the students within the class. Teachers implement varied levels of activities to ensure that students explore ideas at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and prompts continued growth. Student groups use varied approaches to explore essential ideas.

Williams (2002) offers the following definition on her website: Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, 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 and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth. 

How can tiered assignments help your students?

Using tiered assignments allows for the following:

• Blends assessment and instruction,
• Allows students to begin learning where they are,
• Allows students to work with appropriately challenging tasks,
• Allows for reinforcement or extension of concepts and principles based on student readiness,
• Allows modification of working conditions based on learning style,
• Avoids work that is anxiety-producing (too hard) or boredom-producing (too easy), and
• Promotes success and is therefore motivating. (Tomlinson, 1995)

How can you implement tiered assignments in order to effectively meet the diverse learning needs of students?

One of the main benefits of tiered assignments is that they allow students to work on tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. They are highly motivating because they allow students to be successful at their level of readiness. Tiered assignments also allow students to work in their specific learning styles or preferences (Williams, 2002).

What are the guidelines for implementing tiered assignments?

Tomlinson (1995) offers the following guidelines for implementing tiered assignments:

• Be sure the task is focused on a key concept.
• Use a variety of resource materials at differing levels of complexity and associated with different learning modes.
• Adjust the task by complexity, abstractness, number of steps, concreteness, and independence to ensure appropriate challenge.
• Be certain there are clear criteria for quality and success.

Where can you find more information about tiered assignments?

Cherokee County Schools This homepage by Eulouise Williams has additional information on tiered assignments including examples of tiered assignments created by teachers in their district.

K-12 Resources By Teachers, For Teachers Provided by the K-12 Teachers Alliance

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Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Tiered Assignments

Janelle cox.

• September 23, 2014

Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies  as a way to reach all learners and accommodate each student’s learning style. One very helpful tactic to employ differentiated instruction is called tiered assignments—a technique often used within flexible groups.

Much like flexible grouping—or differentiated instruction as a whole, really—tiered assignments do not lock students into ability boxes. Instead, particular student clusters are assigned specific tasks within each group according to their readiness and comprehension without making them feel completely compartmentalized away from peers at different achievement levels.

There are six main ways to structure tiered assignments: challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, or resources. It is your job, based upon the specific learning tasks you’re focused on, to determine the best approach. Here we will take a brief look at these techniques.

Ways to Structure Tiered Assignments

Challenge level.

Tiering can be based on challenge level where student groups will tackle different assignments. Teachers can use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide to help them develop tasks of structure or questions at various levels. For example:

• Group 1:  Students who need content reinforcement or practice will complete one activity that helps  build  understanding.
• Group 2:  Students who have a firm understanding will complete another activity that  extends  what they already know.

When you tier assignments by complexity, you are addressing the needs of students who are at different levels using the same assignment. The trick here is to vary the focus of the assignment based upon whether each group is ready for more advanced work or simply trying to wrap their head around the concept for the first time. You can direct your students to create a poster on a specific issue—recycling and environmental care, for instance—but one group will focus on a singular perspective, while the other will consider several points of view and present an argument for or against each angle.

Tiering assignments by differentiated outcome is vaguely similar to complexity—all of your students will use the same materials, but depending on their readiness levels will actually have a different outcome. It may sound strange at first, but this strategy is quite beneficial to help advanced students work on more progressive applications of their student learning.

This differentiated instruction strategy is exactly what it sounds like—student groups will use different processes to achieve similar outcomes based upon readiness.

Tiered assignments can also be differentiated based on product. Teachers can use the Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences to form groups that will hone particular skills for particular learning styles . For example, one group would be bodily/kinesthetic, and their task is to create and act out a skit. Another group would be visual/spatial, and their task would be to illustrate.

Tiering resources means that you are matching project materials to student groups based on readiness or instructional need. One flexible group may use a magazine while another may use a traditional textbook. As a tip, you should assign resources based on knowledge and readiness, but also consider the group’s reading level and comprehension.

How to Make Tiering Invisible to Students

From time to time, students may question why they are working on different assignments, using varied materials, or coming to dissimilar outcomes altogether. This could be a blow to your classroom morale if you’re not tactful in making your tiers invisible.

Make it a point to tell students that each group is using different materials or completing different activities so they can share what they learned with the class. Be neutral when grouping students, use numbers or colors for group names, and be equally enthusiastic while explaining assignments to each cluster.

Also, it’s important to make each tiered assignment equally interesting, engaging, and fair in terms of student expectations. The more flexible groups and materials you use, the more students will accept that this is the norm.

Tiering assignments is a fair way to differentiate learning. It allows teachers to meet the needs of all students while using varying levels of tasks. It’s a concept that can be infused into homework assignments, small groups, or even learning centers. If done properly, it can be a very effective method to differentiate learning because it challenges all students.

• #DifferentiatedInstruction , #TieredAssignments

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The Benefits of Tiered Assignments for Student Engagement

As educators, we’re constantly seeking the golden key to unlock the potential in every student. We strive for that magic moment when a student’s eyes light up with understanding, engagement, and enthusiasm. However, as we all know, one size does not fit all. What ignites passion and curiosity in one student might be met with apathy or confusion by another. And here lies the crux of modern education: How do we tailor our teaching methodologies to cater to diverse learners and ensure optimal student engagement? Enter the solution – tiered assignments.

Tiered assignments are not just a buzzword or fleeting educational trend. They represent an innovative approach to teaching that understands and appreciates the vast spectrum of learning styles, capabilities, and paces present in every classroom. This approach shifts away from the one-size-fits-all model, moving towards a more dynamic, responsive, and individualized way of instruction.

What are Tiered Assignments?

To put it succinctly, tiered assignments are tasks or projects designed at different levels of complexity. They are aimed at meeting students where they are in their learning journey and providing them with the appropriate level of challenge. Instead of every student working on an identical task, they work on assignments tailored to their current understanding and skill level, allowing for differentiation and individual growth.

But why is differentiation so crucial? Imagine a classroom where every student is given the same book to read, irrespective of their reading ability. Some students might breeze through, some might find it just right, and some might struggle at every page, feeling overwhelmed. The outcome? Disengagement, frustration, and potentially, a diminished love for reading. Now apply this to every subject and every task, and the importance of differentiation becomes crystal clear.

Tiered assignments take the principle of differentiation and apply it practically. By offering assignments at varied levels of complexity, we ensure that each student is appropriately challenged. This doesn’t mean they won’t struggle – but it ensures that the struggle is productive. It’s about providing a challenge that’s attainable with effort, rather than setting students up for inevitable failure or letting them coast without growth.

Advantages of Tiered Assignments

Meeting Individual Learning Needs

One of the primary advantages of tiered assignments is the ability to meet the unique learning needs of every student. We often speak of our classrooms as a melting pot of diverse learners. But, what does this mean in practice?

Catering to Different Learning Styles: Some students are visual learners, preferring diagrams and charts, while others might be auditory learners, flourishing in discussions and debates. Yet others might thrive with kinesthetic or tactile methods. Tiered assignments allow teachers to create variations that cater to these diverse styles. For example, while exploring a historical event, one set of assignments might require students to draw a timeline (visual), another might ask them to partake in a group discussion (auditory), and yet another might involve role-playing (kinesthetic). The same content, delivered in various ways, ensures broader engagement.

Addressing Diverse Skill Levels: In any given classroom, the range of skills can be vast. Some students might be grappling with basic concepts, while others are ready for more advanced exploration. Tiered assignments respect this diversity. By creating tasks that range in complexity, every student is offered a path that starts where they currently are and guides them forward. No one is left behind, and no one is left unchallenged.

Promotion of Mastery Learning

Mastery learning, where students are encouraged to fully understand a concept before moving on, is fundamental to long-term academic success. Tiered assignments are intrinsically aligned with this philosophy.

Allows Students to Build on Foundational Knowledge: Just as a building needs a strong foundation, learning requires a solid base of understanding. Tiered assignments ensure that students solidify their foundational knowledge before adding more layers. This structured approach promotes depth over breadth, ensuring lasting comprehension.

Ensuring Understanding Before Progressing: With tiered assignments, students can’t just ‘get by’. They are encouraged to delve deep, grapple with concepts, and truly understand them before advancing. This not only ensures retention but fosters a genuine passion for the subject matter.

Boosting Student Confidence and Morale

Beyond the academics, tiered assignments have profound implications for a student’s self-worth and enthusiasm for learning.

Providing Opportunities for Success at Every Level: Success breeds success. When students succeed at their current level, they’re more inclined to tackle the next challenge with gusto. By providing assignments tailored to their capabilities, we’re setting them up for continual victories, which can be a tremendous morale booster.

Encouraging Growth Mindset: The famed psychologist Carol Dweck’s concept of a ‘growth mindset’ – the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – is central to the ethos of tiered assignments. By showing students that they can progress through levels, overcome hurdles, and master challenging concepts, we’re fostering resilience, grit, and a lifelong love for learning.

Increasing Student Engagement Through Complexity

Engaging students in the classroom can often feel like a Herculean task, especially in an age where distractions are numerous, and attention spans seem ever-dwindling. However, one might be surprised to discover that complexity, rather than simplicity, can be the catalyst for profound engagement. Let’s delve into the nuances of how and why this is the case.

How Complexity Leads to Engagement

The human mind is innately curious. Think back to a time when you were engrossed in a complex puzzle, a riveting novel, or even a challenging project. The intricacies, the layers of depth, and the unknown outcomes often draw us in, creating a magnetic pull that’s hard to resist. Similarly, when students are presented with assignments that are multifaceted and layered, they are more inclined to engage deeply.

Complex tasks demand critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. They require students to make connections between prior knowledge and new information, to ask questions, and to seek answers. This active involvement in the learning process transforms passive recipients of information into active participants in their educational journey.

The Correlation Between Challenge and Engagement

The relationship between challenge and engagement isn’t merely linear; it’s exponential. A task that’s too easy can lead to boredom, while one that’s impossibly hard can result in frustration. However, a task that strikes the right balance – one that’s challenging yet achievable – can elevate engagement to new heights.

This balance is often termed the ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ by educational theorists, referring to the sweet spot between what students can do on their own and what they can achieve with assistance. Tiered assignments, by their very nature, aim to position students within this zone. As students grapple with challenges, they experience moments of triumph when they overcome obstacles. These moments not only boost confidence but also create a feedback loop where success fuels the desire to engage further.

Moreover, when students are consistently met with the right level of challenge, they begin to view challenges not as insurmountable barriers but as opportunities for growth. This shift in mindset, where obstacles become stepping stones, can have transformative effects on engagement.

Implementation Strategies

Understanding the advantages of tiered assignments is one thing; effectively implementing them in the classroom is another. Like all instructional strategies, success with tiered assignments depends on thoughtful planning and execution. Let’s explore some best practices and tips for integrating tiered assignments seamlessly across various subjects and grade levels.

Best Practices for Creating Tiered Assignments

Start Small: If you’re new to tiered assignments, it’s wise to start with a single lesson or unit. Gauge student reactions, assess the outcomes, and refine your approach before scaling up.

Clearly Define Learning Objectives: For each tier of the assignment, have a clear understanding of what you want students to achieve. This clarity will guide the design of the tasks and provide a metric for assessment.

Use Varied Assessment Tools: Differentiate not only in task design but also in assessment. Consider using quizzes, presentations, peer reviews, and portfolios to evaluate understanding.

Group Strategically: When assigning tasks, consider students’ readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. Periodically reassess and regroup students based on progress and feedback.

Incorporate Student Choice: Wherever possible, allow students to choose their tasks. This empowerment can lead to greater ownership of their learning.

Provide Clear Instructions: Ensure that instructions for each tier are clear and concise. Providing rubrics can also help students understand expectations and assessment criteria.

Seek Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from students regarding the assignments. Their insights can provide invaluable information for refining the tiered approach.

Adapting Tiered Assignments for Different Subjects and Grades

Elementary Grades: At this level, focus on hands-on activities and visual aids. For example, in a math lesson on addition, lower-tier assignments might involve using physical counters, while higher tiers could involve word problems or puzzles.

Middle School: Introduce more complex tasks and collaborative projects. In a history lesson on ancient civilizations, one tier might involve creating a timeline, while another could entail a research project on a chosen civilization’s impact on modern society.

High School: Emphasize critical thinking and real-world applications. For instance, in a science lesson on genetics, base-tier assignments could focus on understanding genetic terminology, while advanced tiers might explore bioethical dilemmas in genetic engineering.

Subjects Adaptation:

Math: Vary the complexity of problems, introduce real-world applications, or explore mathematical theories in-depth.

Literature: Differentiate by reading materials (short stories vs. novels), or by tasks (book reports, thematic essays, or creative writing assignments).

Sciences: Offer lab experiments of varying complexity or delve into theoretical vs. practical aspects of a topic.

Social Studies: Vary by depth of research, types of sources used, or by the geographical and temporal scope of the topic.

Potential Challenges and Solutions

While tiered assignments offer a plethora of advantages, they are not without challenges. Recognizing potential pitfalls and proactively addressing them can ensure the success of this differentiated approach. Here’s a closer look at common challenges and strategies to overcome them.

Addressing the Common Pitfalls

Perceived Inequity: One potential challenge is the perception of inequity among students. Some might feel they’re being given “easier” or “harder” tasks and could interpret this as a reflection of their abilities.

Solution: Communication is key. Ensure students understand the philosophy behind tiered assignments – that it’s about offering the right level of challenge for each individual, not a judgment of their capabilities. Highlight the fluidity of the process; students might be at one tier for one topic and another for the next.

Increased Planning Time: Differentiating tasks can increase the time teachers spend on lesson planning.

Solution: Start with existing materials and see how they can be adapted to different tiers. Collaborate with colleagues, share resources, and consider using online platforms or software that offer tiered assignment templates.

Assessment Complexity: With varied tasks come varied assessment methods, potentially complicating the grading process.

Solution: Utilize rubrics that outline clear criteria for each tier. This not only streamlines grading but also ensures transparency for students. Additionally, consider peer assessments and self-assessments as complementary evaluation tools.

Overwhelm or Under-challenge: Despite best efforts, some students might still find assignments either too challenging or not challenging enough.

Solution: Maintain open communication channels with students. Encourage them to voice their feelings about task appropriateness and be flexible in making adjustments.

Tips for Smooth Implementation and Maximizing Benefits

Continuous Professional Development: Consider attending workshops or online courses on differentiated instruction. Staying updated on best practices can enhance the effectiveness of tiered assignments.

Use of Technology: Many educational platforms and apps offer tools for differentiation. These can automate certain aspects of tiered assignments, such as adaptive quizzes or gamified tasks.

Peer Collaboration: Create a teacher support group or community where educators can share their experiences, challenges, and solutions regarding tiered assignments. Collaborative brainstorming can lead to more effective strategies.

Parental Communication: Keep parents in the loop. Educating them about the rationale and benefits of tiered assignments can foster understanding and support from home.

Regular Reflection: After each unit or term, take the time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. This continual process of refinement will enhance the effectiveness of your differentiation strategies over time.

As we reflect on the educational landscape and the ever-evolving needs of our students, one truth remains constant: meaningful engagement is the cornerstone of impactful learning. Tiered assignments, with their nuanced approach to differentiation, stand out as a robust tool in achieving this aim.

The multifaceted layers of tiered assignments not only acknowledge the diversity of our classrooms but celebrate it. By crafting learning experiences tailored to the unique strengths and needs of each student, we’re sending a powerful message: every student’s journey is valued, and every student’s potential is limitless.

To my fellow educators, while the road to fully embracing tiered assignments may seem challenging, the rewards, in terms of student growth and engagement, are profound. As champions of learning, let us be fearless in our pursuit of strategies that genuinely resonate with our students. Let us be ever curious, ever evolving, and ever committed to the belief that every student deserves an educational experience that lights the spark of curiosity and fuels the flame of passion. Here’s to a future of classrooms abuzz with enthusiasm, inquiry, and the joy of discovery!

Further Reading

“ Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom ” by Diane Heacox – An insightful guide on how to integrate differentiated instruction seamlessly into everyday teaching.

“ From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks: 100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K – 12 Classrooms ” by Paula Kluth and Sheila Danaher – An invaluable resource on creating inclusive classrooms where differentiation benefits all, including those with special needs.

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The Foundational Guide to Differentiated Instruction

• Classroom Activities/Strategies/Guides

Most of us have experienced the frustration of one-size-fits-all clothing at some point. The concept or idea isn’t necessarily bad, but it just doesn’t work for everyone. The same can be said of education. Educators know that education does not work well as a one-size-fits-all approach. The more students in a classroom, the more diverse classrooms become. And with classrooms becoming increasingly diverse, the need for differentiated instruction becomes more critical.

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that recognizes the diverse needs and abilities of students. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach that forces students to fit into a predetermined box, instruction should  meet the individual, unique needs of the students. Differentiated instruction is extremely important because of its ability to foster equity and inclusion, create a more engaging and effective learning environment, and improve overall student achievement.

Ultimately, differentiated classrooms recognize students have diverse backgrounds, strengths, interests, and challenges, and a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction may not be effective for all learners. While differentiated instruction and its strategies may pose some challenges, the benefits of differentiation in the classroom are numerous and the challenges can be overcome.

Strategies for Implementing Differentiated Instruction

Simply put, differentiated strategies involve tailoring instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners. This tailoring can be something as easy as identifying the learning styles of students or can involve some intentional structuring of assignments. The goal isn’t to put more work on teachers and make them feel they need to edit or recreate every assignment. Instead, the goal is to give teachers the freedom to make adjustments to their ideas and curriculum that will lean into students’ strengths and therefore increase student achievement.

Identifying Learning Styles and Preferences

Identifying learning styles and preferences is an important early step in implementing differentiation of instruction. By identifying these aspects, teachers can better tailor their instruction to meet each student’s unique needs. Every classroom is likely to have a combination of visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners, which means visual aids, lectures and discussions, and physical movement should be used in instruction. Student preference or interest is also a form of differentiation. Finding a strong combination of student readiness plus their interests equals deeper engagement and application of the learning.

Teachers can identify these a number of ways. First, general observations can often reveal how a student learns best. However, if this is unclear, then teachers may choose to experiment with several different activities and styles to see how students react and perform. For older students, self-reflection or learning styles tests may allow students to verbalize an awareness of their own learning preferences. 

Curriculum Compacting

Curriculum compacting is a process where teachers can modify certain curriculum to meet the needs of high-ability students. It is a way of streamlining grade-level curriculum for students who may have already mastered certain skills or content. Once a teacher has assessed a student’s level of mastery, they may make changes to parts of the curriculum that allow students to move more quickly through content they already understand to focus on new or more challenging material.

This is an important teaching method for the higher-achieving end of the differentiation spectrum because it can help prevent students from becoming bored or disengaged with curriculum.

Tiered Assignments

Using tiered assignments is a classic strategy where teachers create multiple versions of an assignment that have varying levels of complexity, skill, or depth that correlate with the individual needs and abilities of students. Therefore, it is important to select a writing program that supports individualized instruction by offering different levels of complexity to match student skill level. 

For example, during writing instruction , students may be given a variety of prompts to respond to, or they may be assigned different length requirements to meet. Programs like Step Up to Writing ® offer differentiated instruction tiers for emergent, grade-level, and advanced writers starting as early as kindergarten through 12th grade. It is important to select a writing program that supports the individuality of each and every learner, regardless of age or preparation, as Step Up to Writing does. 

Interest-Based Learning

Along with identifying learning styles and preferences, learning the interests of individual students leads to an opportunity to implement interest-based learning in class. By designing learning experiences that tap into students’ interests, teachers can create a more student-centered and personalized learning environment. Students are more likely to engage in reading, writing, and researching when it involves something that interests them.

This may be done in the form of an ongoing evaluation throughout the school year, or even a final formative assessment where students can apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learned to something that truly interests them.

Benefits of Differentiated Instruction

In today’s diverse classrooms, one-size-fits-all instruction is no longer effective in meeting the unique needs of every student. Therefore, differentiating instruction can be one of the most beneficial instructional strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms.

Differentiation can take place at both the curriculum and instruction level—and mutually benefit the teachers as well as the students. A little bit of extra thought and organization during the lesson planning process can create a learning environment that meets the needs of diverse learners, personalizes learning, promotes student engagement, and fosters collaboration and community.

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

Meeting the unique needs of all students during instruction is essential for success. A differentiated teaching approach is one of the most effective instructional methods, which enables educators to tailor their teaching to the students’ diverse learning styles and abilities. 

Personalizing Learning

The more personalized the learning experience, the more meaningful and enduring the lessons become. Differentiated instruction allows teachers to personalize learning by tapping into learning styles and learning profiles in ways that make students feel seen and valued.

Promoting Student Engagement

Many teachers struggle with classroom management, in part because some students act out when disengaged. Yes, part of classroom management is set from policies and expectations given at the beginning of a school year, but classroom management is maintained through effective classroom instruction. Therefore, differentiated instruction can be an effective classroom management tool for teachers.

Fostering Collaboration and Community

One of the most beautiful things education can provide for students is a sense of community and belonging. When teachers are able to differentiate their instruction, they are doing just that—fostering collaboration and community by meeting students where they are and giving them new ways to relate to and learn from each other.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Action

It is not an unlikely scenario for a teacher to have a classroom that includes some students with learning disabilities (like dyslexia ), some who are reading two levels ahead, some English language learners, and all with varying levels of intelligence and interest. Simply printing off different variations of worksheets is not an effective way to reach a group like this. A variety of instructional strategies in each content area is more likely to reach each student.

Teachers have an ideal amount of curriculum they want to get through within a given time frame, but they shouldn’t feel so locked into that curriculum that they lose student engagement in the process. Differentiated instruction can be used in all classrooms—no matter the age, grade level, or content—to the students’ benefit. There are many differentiated instruction strategies and examples available, and for each subject level, teachers can find the perfect fit for their curriculum and classroom.

Differentiating Instruction in Mathematics

An example of a simple way to differentiate instruction in mathematics may involve the use of equations. When it comes to assessments, some students may be provided with the equations while others are not.

But differentiation in math goes much deeper than that. One of the best ways to differentiate instruction in math is to allow students to connect the lesson to personal interests and everyday scenarios. For example, a budget project in math class will allow students to explore numbers in relation to what they like to buy or spend money on.

Differentiating Instruction in English Language Arts

Differentiated instruction is one of the key components when it comes to reading comprehension and reading intervention. One of the key questions when determining effective reading intervention is asking if the program allows for differentiated instruction. Differentiating instruction in English language arts allows teachers to more confidently teach any given combination of readers and writers.

Challenges and Solutions

While differentiated instruction has many benefits, it also presents some challenges for teachers. Adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs of each student can be time-consuming, and managing different groups of students working on different tasks can also present a challenge. Teachers may feel overwhelmed with time constraints or feel the need for additional training to be successful.

Both of these things, however, are avoidable. While additional training can be beneficial, it is not a requirement and shouldn’t feel like a burden. The truth is that the majority of teachers already differentiate their instruction to some varying degree whether they realize it or not—some may need a little encouragement and validation that what they are doing is working and beneficial.

Time Management

Teachers constantly feel crunched for time. It is challenging to plan lessons, organize materials, instruct students, build relationships, and grade assessments each day. Including more student-centered activities and choice into instruction will not only free up some of the teacher’s time during the day, but it will also allow the students to take a more active role in their learning.

Classroom Management

Classroom management always finds itself on the list of challenges for teachers. Differentiated instruction is a huge contributing factor to managing a classroom, along with the policies and procedures put in place at the beginning of the school year. When it comes to classroom management, some of the best solutions are to keep it simple. Have a few rules that are comprehensive and can cover a lot of behavior.

For example, Children’s Literacy Initiative suggests the Power of Three, which includes, “Take care of ourselves, take care of others, and take care of the classroom.” The same can be said of differentiated instruction. Don’t try to do too much at once. Choose a few differentiation strategies to work with at a time rather than overwhelming yourself—and students—with too many.

Assessment and Grading

One way teachers can avoid getting bogged down by assessments and grading is by taking a more holistic approach. Rubrics can help with this as well. Rubrics can be as detailed or as holistic as needed. While they may take a bit more time on the front end to make, a good rubric will be easy to use and will speed up the assessment process. 

Professional Development and Support

Ultimately, teachers must remember they are not alone. Teachers can sometimes feel isolated when they are spending the majority of their days surrounded by children or young adults. Being the oldest person in the room and the main authority figure throughout the day can create a false sense of needing to figure things out on your own.

Taking time to step outside of your classroom and curriculum is important. While it can be frustrating at first to have to take time away from an already busy day to attend professional development, the long-term benefits of professional development far outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Seeking support from colleagues, administrators, and professional development can make the challenges a little less challenging.

In her book How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, Carol Ann Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development and one of the leading American educators on differentiated instruction, wrote: “Kids of the same age aren’t all alike when it comes to learning, any more than they are alike in terms of size, hobbies, personality, or likes and dislikes. Kids do have many things in common, because they are human beings and because they are all children, but they also have important differences.

“What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage. In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences become important elements in teaching and learning as well.” These words are a great reminder for teachers to lean in and embrace student differences and the opportunity to differentiate instruction as something special.

Voyager Sopris Learning ® offers additional support for educators looking for differentiated instruction and practice that is explicit, systematic, and research-based.

• Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension
• Creating Effective Rubrics: Examples and Best Practices

Research-Based Writing Instruction (Grades K–12)

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Podcast Articles , Truth for Teachers Collective   |   Jan 30, 2022

Let’s take a more intuitive approach to tiered and differentiated instruction.

By Tia Butts

High School ELA

I remember years ago when I was teaching and the term differentiation was a hot education topic.

Teachers were constantly told to provide differentiation in their lessons and at one point, in the district where I was teaching at the time, differentiation was included as an element in our evaluations.

Teachers were constantly told to differentiate and give examples of differentiated instruction (such as tiered assignments, flexible grouping, and student choice) but I don’t remember ever being told exactly what differentiation was.

It was not until years later (after taking a professional development course outside of my school district) that things clicked:

Differentiation is when we modify our lesson plans and instruction to meet students where they are .

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You can find out where students are by giving pre-assessments at the beginning of the school year or you can simply make that determination after you get to know them and grade several assignments.

Differentiation has always been something that should have been implemented in classrooms, but I think the need is more dire now than before considering that we have students performing on a range of different levels, and in most schools, virtual learning has impacted students, both positively and negatively.

Here are some simple suggestions for differentiating in large classrooms with diverse learners.

#1 Start with 3 tiered lessons/assignments and modify as needed from there

When we talk about meeting students where they are, teachers often think, Does this mean I’m expected to make a separate lesson plan for every student?

No, you don’t have to make a separate plan for all students, but you will have to do some extra legwork when you initially make lesson plans.

Tiered lesson plans will require you to break down each lesson into different levels.

For example, let’s say that you’re doing the initial lesson to introduce students to the narrative essay. A tiered lesson would require you to break this down into three parts – early learners, ready learners, and advanced learners. Here is what the individual lessons might look like if you plan an activity, for example, to introduce narrative writing:

• Early Learners –  Look up the definition of narrative. Describe in 4-5 sentences what an interesting narrative might be about.
• Ready Learners – Look through an example of sample student narratives. For two of the narratives, create a plot diagram and identify the strongest examples of figurative language.
• Advanced Learners – Look at samples of published memoirs. Think of a topic personal to you and write a paragraph that mimics the style of one of the authors.

Yes, tiered assignments require you to do work ahead of time, but if you have students that are functioning on varying levels (which is very likely) this extra work will probably be worth it.

#2 Provide more student choice in the content rather than the assessment

I still remember being a high-school student and being forced to read the same book as the rest of my peers in my class. Luckily, times have changed. The idea of meeting students where they are also includes making accommodations based on student interest.

Our 10th-grade English team decided that we wanted to get students into reading more, but we gave students a choice of reading instead of selecting just one book for the class to read. I thought trying to force students to read (since they probably had not read significantly since the pandemic) would end in significant behavior problems, but it didn’t.

In fact, students were engrossed in reading every time we had time to read in class.

I was blown away by how much they were engaged in silent reading. It took me a while, but I realized that they were engaged because they chose a book they were interested in reading.

Choice is not only for reading. Student choice boards are a great way to give students the feeling that they are in control and have a choice in what they do. However, the teacher is still able to adapt a choice board so that while the options may be different, the same standards and objectives are being fulfilled.

For example, Think-Tac-Toe is a great idea. The teacher sets up a board (like a Tic-Tac-Toe game) and has the student pick three options in a row vertically, diagonally, parallel, and perpendicular. This is a great activity for smaller assignments.

It’s simpler to provide choice in content than in assessment, so when possible, use the same rubric for all assignments, regardless of the choice in content, if your rubric is skills-based.

#3 Offer a mix of digital and paper assignments rather than assuming all students prefer tech and are proficient at it

Another way that you can differentiate to appeal to students’ preferences is to give a healthy balance between written work and digital work. Even in our technologically dominated world, some students (and adults) still prefer pen and paper at times. In fact, some people feel that they are able to perform better if they write their assignments down.

I admit that I recently became very obsessed with going 100% digital, but I don’t think it was always the best instructional decision to make for my students. After many months of staring at a computer screen, many students returned to in-person learning feeling burned out on technology.

As teachers, we often put EVERYTHING online but expect the students to limit themselves on their cell phones. However, when we create a balance between the assignments that are on paper and on the computer, we give ourselves control over which days are digital and which are not.

I recently did some things differently in my classroom. I originally had my students submitting all assignments online, but at a certain point, I just started to have a computer burn-out.

On a regular basis, there was always some type of technical glitch that only seemed to slow us down even more. Some students needed to reboot their computers, some had intermittent Internet issues, and then some had to keep shifting back and forth to charge their computers.

So, I decided to just go back to the basics and have students write the rough draft of their upcoming essay on paper. I initially did it just as a time-saver — at least then there would be no issues with having to wait for them to take out computers or having to deal with managing those that forgot their computer or charger.

This paper and pencil rough draft lesson ended up being one of the most productive days I had experienced in weeks. I think that based on what my students needed, time away from the computer on that day was essential.

The one thing that also adds differentiation to these types of lessons is scaffolding personalized for that group of students.

I didn’t just have students get out a piece of paper and start writing. I had pre-printed papers with templates that helped them write the rough draft and under each template (that focused on individual paragraphs) there was space for the students to write. This scaffolding was necessary for my group of students, which are mainly reluctant writers and ESOL students.

#4: Use pre-assessment scores to guide instruction, but never devalue informal assessment 

Using pre-assessment scores (or any other baseline data) to guide instruction is the most important factor because differentiation is based on data. If you plan to use data from the very beginning, use a pre-assessment as your baseline data.

You can then use those scores to break students up into tiers (early learner, ready learner, advanced learner) and to put them in flexible groups.

You could even use these tiers to help you make a seating chart that mixes all learners together. For example, when doing shoulder partners, you could put a ready learner and an advanced learner together, or an early learner and a ready learner together.

The best part is you don’t have to do this in the beginning of the school year, I’m usually so busy then trying to get to know students that I don’t use the first pre-assessment or test for differentiation. I like to take the time to get to know the students first so that I can look at the dynamic of how they work together before grouping.

So it’s fine to start using certain data as a baseline, but it doesn’t have to be in the very beginning. As long as you use your student scores to guide instruction as you teach, you are differentiating.

It’s fine to use a more intuitive approach to your differentiation instead of always relying on data. You know your students and who’s struggling, and you can prepare lesson scaffolding even without data “proof” that students need it.

Right now, differentiation is essential because diversity is ever increasing in classrooms. These examples are perfect for any teacher that is just starting to use differentiation and doesn’t want it to be too complicated.

Differentiation can become much more complex, but these are great ideas to implement if you want to meet students where they are but slowly become more familiar with how differentiation can help you personalize instruction to fit your students’ needs.

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Strategies for Differentiated Instruction in Elementary Classrooms: A Beginners Guide

No two students are the same and no two students learn exactly the same way. That’s why a one-size-fits all approach to teaching is likely to leave some students bored and unengaged. Thankfully there are educational approaches, like differentiated instruction, that help ensure the best learning experience for all of your students.

Differentiated instruction, also known as differentiated assessment or differentiated learning, is when educators tailor their teaching to meet individual needs of all their students. This helps create the best possible learning outcomes by adapting your lesson plans to help meet the needs of all your students, no matter their starting point.

In this post we’ll learn more about differentiated instruction strategies, how to implement this in your classroom, and common challenges to this approach. Let’s get started!

Understanding Your Students

Importance of knowing your students' needs.

Differentiated instruction happens in the classroom but starts well before then. It’s important to know where your students are starting from so you can prepare beforehand to adjust to everyone's needs. The more you know about your students, the better you can help them and adjust your content, process, and classroom setup to suit their needs.

How to gather information about your students

If you are teaching any grade other than kindergarten, you have the opportunity to connect with the previous grade level teacher to understand the specific needs of individual students and learn what works best for whom.

But sometimes there isn’t a chance to get good information on students before you get them in your classroom. In these cases, you can observe classroom behavior and communicate with parents to form your own baseline for student needs.

Creating a Differentiated Classroom

Now that we’ve covered student prep, let’s talk about classroom prep. Since your class is going to spend the majority of their time in your classroom, it makes sense to think about how it's arranged to best engage them.

Below are three great examples of how your classroom setup can help you use differentiated instruction.

Creating a learning center

Learning centers are designated areas of the classroom where pairs or groups of students work on a specific task. You can set up a larger learning space with multiple stations of the same activity or stations with different activities so students rotate through at a specific time.

To prepare your learning centers, gather materials needed, write clear instructions, set expectations, and be sure to leave time in the schedule for cleanup.

Splitting up your class into learning centers and other activities gives you the opportunity to engage individual students, pairs, or groups who may need additional or specialized support in your lesson plan. These centers also enable you to provide different types of activities around the same subject lesson to help students who learn differently have an opportunity to engage with materials in a way that best suits their needs.

Differentiated instruction with technology in the classroom

Your learning centers can also include technology to help give students another engaging way to learn. Not only do students love using technology, but it also helps prepare them for the role technology will play in their life.

Kodable’s programming games for kids is one great example of this. Our self-paced learning allows students to learn on their own while getting helpful hints from fuzzBuzz when needed. Kodable also comes with 80+ classroom activities for teachers that can be used in learning centers, groups, or teacher-led activities. Interested in bringing Kodable into your classroom? Try our free educator plan today.

Creating flexible groups

Flexible grouping allows you to cluster students together based on their readiness, interest level, or learning style. This is important to differentiated instruction because grouping students with similar capabilities allows you to give each group dedicated time depending on their needs.

For example, a high achieving group may need less instruction than another classroom group. With flexible grouping you spend more time addressing specific skills needs of one group versus another.

For differentiated instruction these groups work best when they are created by a teacher but they can also be created by students. Groups can last for a day, a week, or for a longer period of time. However if groups are created based on student readiness levels it’s important to be tactful when creating them so as to not hurt classroom morale.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies

Tiered assignments.

Tiered assignments, also known as tiered instruction , are parallel tasks given to student groups depending on their readiness level. This learning strategy allows you to give students the right level of activity that engages them and helps them learn without being too challenging to frustrate them. Walking this fine line of tasks that are not too easy or difficult helps promote success and instill more confidence and motivation for students going forward.

Learning Contracts

Learning contracts are documents created between you and your students that detail what students are responsible for at the beginning of a project or course. These contracts often include behavior expectations, learning objectives, and student reflections to be done once the activity is over. These contracts give ownership over learning to the students and can help motivate students to be more involved in their learning.

For differentiated instruction, learning contracts allow you to help students create goals that are best for their individual needs. Depending on student readiness the same activity can have different contracts for different students to help them all feel empowered and motivated to engage and learn.

Choice Boards

Choice boards give students the freedom to decide what learning activities they want to do. By giving students the opportunity to choose from a number of activities, they can pick the activity that they are most interested in and therefore be more motivated to participate in. You can see more choice board examples here.

For different learning you can use choice boards to give students different methods of exploring the same material. This way students can select the learning activity that they are most interested in while still learning the overall lesson objective.

Curriculum Compacting

Curriculum compacting is a differentiated instructional method that involves providing additional materials or opportunities to students who have already mastered the majority of the outcomes or objectives of an upcoming lesson. Using a pre-assessment, you can identify these students and replace or amend their resources appropriately.

Compacting is also ideal for students who may not go into an activity knowing all the skills but who are quick learners and will need additional material to continue being engaged. These activities can be self-directed learning or can involve mentoring other students who are still working on the main activity.

Differentiated Classroom Activities

Strategies for managing a differentiated classroom.

Start small, then grow - Trying to introduce differentiated learning for every subject all at once is a recipe for frustration for you and your students. Instead, envision your dream differentiated classroom and then work backwards to slowly incorporate small changes on a regular basis so students can become accustomed to them over time.

Use an anchor activity - Having a primary activity to engage a large group of students can help give you time to help smaller groups of students. Depending on your differentiated strategy this anchor activity can also be what you base your lesson plan on.

Keep a routine - As an elementary teacher you know how important routines are. The same holds true for differentiated learning. Have a similar routine so how activities start, groups are announced, work is turned in, and every other step that’s a repeatable process.

For more tips and tricks when it comes to managing your classroom, check out our full guide on classroom management strategies .

Collaborating with colleagues and parents

Colleagues who also use differentiated instruction can be a great source of support and inspiration when it comes to best practices. They can also be a great resource to leverage when you need a shoulder to lean on after a tough day in the classroom.

Clear communication with parents about differentiated instruction can help avoid misunderstandings and help align at home and in class instruction.

Assessment in Differentiated Instruction

Assessment techniques.

Pre-assessments, in activity assessments, and after assessments can all be used to help you better use differentiated instruction in your classroom. Pre-assessment helps identify students that may be ready for curriculum compacting or students that may need additional support during a lesson plan. Assessments during an activity can help gauge how well students are picking up the objective of your lesson. Meanwhile post-activity assessments help you see how well students retain information and how much you need to adjust future lesson plans. 

Grading in a differentiated classroom

Differentiated assessment involves determining a rigorous, but comparably appropriate expectation, for student achievement based on the type of support a student needs. For students who did not require any accommodations to accomplish the activity, assessment is normal. But for students who needed accommodations, report that grades reflect performance on a modified expectation.

Providing feedback to students

Just like differentiated instruction adjusting to the needs of every student, differentiated feedback helps students depending on what feedback will be most effective for them. This feedback can take place before, during, or after an activity and can be verbal or written.

Check out our full guide on assessment tools for elementary teachers to understand how effective assessments fit into your cirriculum.

Common Challenges of Differentiated Instruction

Challenges in implementing differentiated instruction.

It can be frustrating when you put a lot of effort into a new classroom activity and it doesn’t go well. Keep that in mind when you start implementing these new strategies in your classroom! Don’t let a bad day or start discourage you from keeping your plan to slowly make your classroom a differentiated learning center.

How to overcome challenges

Clearly communicate with students, parents, and your colleagues. This can help prevent challenges but also work through any that come up during your implementation. When in doubt, or if questions continue, getting support from your administration and other teachers who use differentiated learning can help provide a roadmap to follow.

Common misconceptions about differentiated instruction

Differentiated learning does not mean adjusting your teaching to only support students who are high achievers or students who are struggling. It is a teaching approach that empowers you to build your learning plans around the needs of all your students, regardless of their starting point. This doesn’t mean that particular groups of students will get more or less attention, but that you will craft your teaching around helping all students regardless of how they best learn.

The importance of differentiated instruction

Your classroom is a tapestry of diverse learners, each with their own abilities, backgrounds, and ways of processing information. This presents you with the challenge of catering to a wide variety of learning needs. Differentiated instruction is important because it gives you the ability to meet students where they are, keep them engaged, and provide support where it’s most needed. By differentiating instruction, you can help keep students curious and learning instead of disinterested in material.

Differentiated instruction is also important because it’s not just a teaching strategy for you but a mindset that helps you recognize the unique strengths and needs of all your students.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) vs Differentiated Instruction

Both UDL and differentiated learning are rooted in the idea of recognizing meeting the needs of all of your students. However there are some slight differences between the approaches that we’ll dive into.

UDL is a broader framework and philosophy for teaching, while differentiated instruction is a method that falls within that framework. UDL focuses on designing curriculum, materials, and assessments from the get-go in a way that addresses the diverse needs of all learners, right from the planning stage. For instance your classroom might provide options for accessing information: visual aids, audio explanations, and hands-on materials. This caters to different learning preferences and needs, making the learning environment inclusive from the start.

On the other hand, differentiated instruction is the practice of tailoring your teaching methods and content to meet the individual needs of students who are already in your classroom. It's about adjusting your teaching strategies based on ongoing assessments and observations. For example, during a reading lesson, you might assign different books to different groups of students based on their reading levels, ensuring that each group is appropriately challenged.

On the surface differentiated instruction sounds simple enough: adapt your teaching to best meet the needs of all of your students. But now you see that a lot of preparation goes into putting this plan in action.

Here are a few of the key differentiated instruction ideas we talked about today:

• Start by understanding your students to know who can benefit from this approach
• Use your classroom setup to help create a differentiated learning environment
• Manage your classroom by keeping a consistent routine and clear communication
• Use different differentiated assessment techniques to track progress
• Communicate your vision to avoid major hiccups and to overcome common challenges

By reading this article you are already on your way to using differentiated learning to help your students achieve great things. Be sure to ask for help from your colleagues and administrators when you need it and don’t let bumps in the road stop you from creating your ideal classroom.

Innovative teachers who use differentiated instruction also tend to try new classroom technology to help prepare their students for the future. Kodable helps teach K-5 students the basics of computer programming in a fun and engaging way. Create your free account today to see if Kodable makes sense to add to your classroom.

Kodable has everything you need to teach kids to code!

In just a few minutes a day, kids can learn all about the fundamentals of Computer Science - and so much more! With lessons ranging from zero to JavaScript, Kodable equips children for a digital future.

How to Tier Your Lessons Successfully

• Differentiation , Planning

We all have heard of differentiation. I’m sure at some point we have all wondered just how exactly are we suppose to make sure that we are tiering our content so that we can meet the needs of  all  of our students, both high and low. In this post, I’m going to help you understand how to tier your lessons successfully so that you can help reach all of your students without writing out individual lesson plans for each student.

Honestly, we have all heard that there is no “one-size fits all” lesson plan, but when it comes to planning out lessons for each student where they are– at their individual level –it can become daunting and very time-consuming. Here is how I do it.

Sorting Students to Differentiate

First I sort my students into three different groups. I typically call these groups my low, medium, and high, but you can call them whatever. No one sees this list but me and it changes depending on what concept we are learning. I sort students based on their data from a major test, such as the ITBS. If I don’t have any information from a test such as that, I make sure I provide students with a pretest before I start a unit to get an idea of their level of understanding.

Students who are grouped into the “low” group are students who don’t quite have the concept mastered or are below-grade level. Students who are in the “medium” group are students who are exactly where they should be: on-grade level. Finally, students who are in the “high” group are students who have already grasped the concept and are ready for a challenge, or above-grade level.

While I understand that this doesn’t “individualize” each student, it does help get us closer to their needs.

Tiering Your Lessons

Next, I start with my students who are on-grade level  (medium)  and plan my lesson for them. This is likely what you normally plan each week anyway. I write all of this in my lesson plan book and prepare everything I need as I normally would. Then, I look at what I have planned and the standards I’m addressing.

So let’s say that I’m addressing the fourth-grade reading literature standard RL.6 –

“Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first-and third-person narrations.” 

For me to tier my lesson plans for my below-level students  (low) , I can do this one of two ways:

1.) Examine my data (pretests or other tests) to determine what specifically I need to address with these students.

2.) Look at the standards for the previous year as my starting point.

In this case, I would likely consult both. I would make sure my students understood what point of view was and then have them practice a bit more by distinguishing their point of view from a character’s in a story. I wouldn’t necessarily have to print new material for these students. I could pull small groups with these students and together we could work on it using trade books or picture books. This would also help me see any particular misconceptions or address anything specifically from my data.

How you choose to tier your lessons would depend on your students and their needs. This may even vary from year to year.

For my above-grade level students  (high) , I have two options:

1.) Look at the standards for the year after as my starting point (acceleration).

2.) Enrich the standards for on grade level with more critical thinking (think top-level blooms with independent projects) (enrichment).

Using the same standard above with this example, I could look ahead at the fifth-grade standards and have them examine how the narrator’s point of view actually influenced how the events in the story are described. Or if I’m thinking independent projects, I could have them all work together in a literature circle and read two different books that are similar in subject but with different points of view. Then I could have them create a presentation of some sort.

I have also used the above-level students to “peer-tutor” on-level students or below-level students for some activities.

Planning Tiered Activities

Another option when planning tiered lessons is asking yourself “how can I scaffold this content for my students who are not on grade-level?” That will help you take the activity and break it down a bit more for those students. When trying to reach your above-level students, you can always ask yourself, “what more can I do to help them understand this topic a bit more or even deeper?”

Ultimately, when planning, remember that you need to reach all students in your classroom regardless of what level they are at. This can be done without spending extra time making multiple copies of different worksheets for each learner. When you tier your lessons in a way that can both scaffold instruction and enrich, students will be able to learn and you’ll save time.

• Differentiation Featured , Lesson Planning , Tiering

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Tiered Activities Make Math More Inclusive

by MiddleWeb · 06/02/2020

MiddleWeb is featuring excerpts from three new books edited by the  editorial team  of Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski, both teachers in Sacramento CA and co-authors of  The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox . Here’s our third article, from The Math Teacher’s Toolbox. Also see: Social Studies and Science .

By Bobson Wong and Larisa Bukalov

In our experience, the biggest obstacle to differentiating math instruction is figuring out how to do it effectively on a regular basis. In this article, we discuss one of our favorite differentiation techniques – tiered activities (sometimes called parallel tasks ).

In a tiered activity, we divide work into levels by complexity so that students with different levels of understanding on a topic can work simultaneously. We sequence work to move students through their zone of proximal development. The tasks are designed to be accessible enough so that students can use their past knowledge to understand it, but challenging enough so that students can extend their learning.

We typically use four or five levels since our students are used to seeing these scales on the state tests and AP exams that they take. The table below shows a brief description and example of each level.

Click to enlarge.

We fit our tiered lessons into the familiar framework of a whole-group introductory discussion, guided independent practice, and a whole-group summary. Our lessons have Do Now questions that are accessible to students based on their prior knowledge.

The class discussion of the Do Now activity leads into the lesson. Classwork problems range from the easiest questions in Level 1 to the hardest questions in Level 5. The lessons conclude with a summary question that students can answer individually as an exit ticket or with the class in a whole-group discussion.

Our classwork sheets contain all of the problems in the lesson. By providing all levels to everyone, students can monitor themselves, know what they need to do to improve to the next level, and work through the lesson at their own pace. Most of our students follow along with us while we discuss the lesson and do examples. After they become comfortable with the new material, many continue without our guidance, often working with a classmate.

Creating a Tiered Activity

To create a tiered lesson, we use the following steps:

1. Determine the goals and skills for the lesson. We typically take these from our unit plan.

2. Determine the Level 4 problems that are appropriate for those goals. Since Level 4 problems meet the standards for the lesson, we use them as our end goal. We refer to sources such as textbooks, websites, and end-of-year assessment questions to help us.

3. Adjust the Level 4 problems as necessary to match the skills and readiness of our students. Matching the levels to our students’ current skills and readiness is also critical to their social-emotional learning. If the Level 4 problems are too easy for our students, we may label them Level 3 so that students can get challenging work. If the Level 4 problems are too difficult, we may label them Level 5 or put them off into a future lesson to prevent students from getting too discouraged.

4. Identify three or four skills necessary to complete Level 4 problems. These skills help us determine the difficulty of Level 1 (one skill required), Level 2 (two skills required), and Level 3 (three or more skills required) problems.

5. Put an appropriate number of problems for each level. We typically put between two and four questions in each level, depending on the difficulty of the questions and the amount of time we have in class. This usually gives most students enough time and practice to reach Level 3 or 4.

6. If we have students that we believe can complete Level 4 problems and want an additional challenge, we create Level 5 problems. We often use textbooks for advanced courses or questions from math competitions as inspirations for Level 5 questions.

Advantages and Challenges of Tiered Activities

Tiered activities help students to engage in productive struggle , in which they actively work with little guidance on a task that is just beyond their abilities. When students struggle productively, they are not experiencing pointless frustration or practicing something that has just been demonstrated. If students see struggle as a necessary step towards eventual mastery, they are more likely to persist in academic endeavors , which helps promote a growth mindset.

Unfortunately, tiered activities don’t work for every lesson. They tend to work best for topics that require relatively little direct instruction so that students have enough time to work through the levels.

Tiered activities often require a great deal of time and energy to organize. Relying on textbooks and other sources that order questions by increasing difficulty (even if they don’t explicitly group problems by level) can make this task easier.

Despite these challenges, we believe that the many benefits of tiering make the effort worthwhile.

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MiddleWeb is all about the middle grades, with great 4-8 resources, book reviews, and guest posts by educators who support the success of young adolescents. And be sure to subscribe to MiddleWeb SmartBrief for the latest middle grades news & commentary from around the USA.

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