Differentiation: How do I use data to adjust instruction for groups and individual students?

In order to differentiate instruction using data, educators should:

• Adjust whole-group instruction to meet the broad needs of the entire class.
• Strategically group learners to differentiate instruction based on shared needs.
• Create individual learning pathways to support the unique needs of each student.

What is the problem?

To serve students equitably, teachers must support the holistic needs of all learners, especially targeting the needs of students who are furthest behind. Using data effectively helps educators better understand learners, build relationships, and personalize instruction to meet unique needs. However, translating data insights into instructional decisions can be challenging, particularly when students have a wide variety of growth areas to target. In order to harness the power of data and effectively personalize instruction, teachers can take a multi-level approach to differentiation.

Why is it important?

Given the number of potential sources to pull from, educators can often feel overwhelmed by a deluge of data. By developing clear processes and systems to identify trends and insights, teachers can adjust and improve instruction to meet learning goals, fostering stronger relationships and student ownership. Educators can personalize learning through the use of holistic data, designing instruction that meets the unique needs of students in a multitude of ways – not just through individualized pathways. By strategically using data to identify actions at the whole-group, small-group, and individual levels, educators can effectively and efficiently support all learners. Additionally, when supported by data, advocacy efforts to improve student learning can help align and advise new policies and revise current ones that affect whether students experience an equitable, effective, and engaging education.

The research says.

• Schools reporting strong usage of data to group students and share data with students show strong achievement gains.
• Instruction that is explicitly and systematically differentiated (matched to student needs), as determined through data, has been shown to be effective in reading and math.

How: Solution

When determining instructional actions from data, it is important to use a variety of data to understand both common and unique student needs. By identifying trends across a class, educators can design whole-group, small-group, and individual learning experiences tailored to each student’s academic and social needs.

When exploring instructional strategies at the whole-group, small-group, and individual levels, think about:

• Resources and time – How can I use tools, create time, and collaborate with instructional teammates to analyze and identify actions from data?
• Holistic data – How can I use various types of data, including structured, unstructured, behavioral, and personal data, to understand my students holistically?
• Types of student groups – How can I leverage mixed groups and leveled groups to best support student learning?

Adjust whole-group instruction and pacing

When driving instruction with data, It is important to first start with whole-group trends and needs. Targeted large-group instruction is necessary, especially when teaching grade-level content and curricula. As educators collect regular formative data on mastery, patterns may emerge that indicate the necessity of reteaching the concept to bring the class beyond only a small percentage of mastery. Based on whole-group mastery, teachers can consider:

• Reteaching the lesson by offering new methods, visuals, and scaffolds for understanding the concept. By redesigning the lesson using formative data and specifically targeting misconceptions, educators can better ensure students grasp the content.
• Remediating to address any prior skill gaps that students may have, ensuring they have the foundational knowledge to master the grade-level content of the original lesson.
• Adjusting pacing to allow enough time for learning with concepts that may require extra time. Especially when using data from pre-tests, educators can anticipate standards that may be more challenging for the class.
• Designing collaborative learning opportunities to allow students to learn from one another. Creating opportunities for peer learning can encourage discourse, facilitate the use of problem-solving skills, and promote the application of learning to support and reinforce mastery.

When exploring these strategies, think about these questions:

• How can I support every learner through whole-group instruction?
• What data insights might indicate a need for small-group instruction?
• How can I conduct quick checks for understanding during the lesson to make sure students are comprehending the whole-group lesson?