Using Differentiated Strategies to Provide Enrichment for ESL Students

In a differentiated classroom, teachers can provide learning support, enrichment and support for learning styles and different intelligences.This article will focus on the types of strategies teachers can use for supporting enrichment needs of students.

Depending on their class dynamics, teachers may wish to consider implementing flexible groupings for students to learn content, processes and skills in ways other than whole-group instruction. Types of groupings include: whole class, ability and readiness groups, cross ability and heterogeneous groups, student selected groups, topic interest groups, and students working independently.

Groupings should be for short period of time to meet specific instruction needs and there should only be one type of group work per lesson. Alternating the types of groups keeps students from being pegged. One of the main considerations when choosing a group learning configuration is to decide on the following:
1. What is the goal of the group work activity?
2. Will the activity foster motivation and give autonomy over students' learning?

Guidelines for Beginning Group Work

Before students begin work in any group work, it is important to set guidelines for beginning group work. This ensures that lessons run smoothly and there is little doubt from students as to what they need to do.

1. Establish guidelines for brainstorming and group discussion.
2.Explain how the groups will be graded.
Define the role of each student in the group. Have groups designate who will take time, who will take notes, who will be the group representative, etc.
3. Describe where each group will work.
4.Let students know what group they will be in one day ahead.
5.Establish clear guidelines for group functioning
6. Review guidelines about when a student can ask for help
7. Demonstrate how students will move in and out of their groups - otherwise there'll be lots of unnecessary noise!

Adjusted Questions

In a differentiated classroom, some students will be challenged at the knowledge and comprehension levels, while others will be challenged by questions that require analysis and interpretation. A differentiated strategy here is to use student readiness for determining what kinds of questions the teacher will ask.

Teachers can use Bloom's Taxonomy as a tool for deciding which questions need adjustment.

Examples - Levels of Difficulty

Knowledge - Identification and recall of information
Example: who, what, when, where, how?

Comprehension - Organization and selection of facts and ideas.
Example: What is the main idea?

Application - Use of facts, rules, principles.
Example: How is ________ related to ___________?

Analysis - Separation of the whole into components.
Example: outline/diagram/web

Synthesis - Combination of ideas to form a new whole
Example: what would you predict/infer from__________?

Evaluation - Development of opinions, judgments, or decisions
Example: Do you agree with ________?

The premise of differentiated instruction is to provide as many choices as possible to students without compromising on instruction. By regularly offering students choice, they can demonstrate what they have learned. Adjusting questions and providing flexible groupings are two types of differentiated instruction techniques teachers can use to nurture a student's need for additional enrichment in the whole learning group.