ABSTRACT
Differentiated instruction allows teachers to vary the pace of their lessons, the task complexity, the modality by which groups of students are learning, and the level of support they provide. Teachers need a complete understanding of the school’s intended curriculum to plan instruction. The intended curriculum is the framework from which the enacted curriculum is built, and it should have clear learning objectives. To properly differentiate instruction, teachers must first assess where their students are against intended learning objectives and use this data to understand if the students exceed or fall short in their comprehension of the material. Students who have a firm grasp of the material can be given more challenging tasks or accelerated through more content, while students who struggle can be given extra time or support to aid their mastery of the learning outcomes. School leaders must support teachers in differentiating instruction by ensuring common planning time is built into their schedules.
