Assess Students

In order to incorporate differentiated instruction plans properly into a curriculum, teachers should strive to gather as many assessments as possible. Although teachers may have already decided that some students are more advanced than others, this may not be the case in every subject. Give students various types of formal and informal tests to make an educated decision about what materials each child should receive.

Create Groups

Make lists of the students' strengths and weaknesses. Attempt to group students not only according to understanding but also according to individual learning styles. Some children may learn better by doing, others by seeing and still others by listening. Embrace the uniqueness of each child and divide children into multiple groups. Always be ready to rearrange the groups as needed.

Incorporate Differentiated Instruction

Find ways to incorporate differentiated instruction methods into your daily assignments. Students should feel comfortable knowing that although their assignments may not look the same as their friends, they are working on the same concepts. Spend time deciding when it will be most beneficial for students to work at different paces. Encourage students by looking over the material they have worked on and offering suggestions. Try differentiated instruction assignments with various subjects and continue to use this technique as often as possible.

Monitor and Reassess

After the lesson, take time to monitor understanding both formally and informally. For example, you may want to initiate a class discussion as an informal assessment and do a quick post-test as a formal assessment. You may find that children would be best served by joining a different group. Be flexible as you plan differentiated instruction for each child. This type of learning should be educational and exciting. Continue to assess students throughout the year and make changes as needed.