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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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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.

Using Tiered Instruction To Maximize Student Outcomes

As educators, your goal is to help every student in our classroom reach their full potential. However, with different learning styles, abilities, and needs, it can be challenging to meet the needs of every student in a class. This is where tiered instruction comes in, providing a framework that allows you to differentiate instruction to meet the unique needs of each student.

Understanding Tiered Instruction

What is tiered instruction.

Tiered instruction involves designing multiple levels of instruction for the same lesson or activity, with each level addressing the learning needs of different students. This approach allows you to provide support to struggling students, challenge advanced learners, and meet the learning needs of students in the middle.

Tiered instruction is a powerful tool because it allows you to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all students, regardless of their abilities or learning styles. By providing multiple levels of instruction, you can ensure that all of your students are challenged and engaged in the learning process.

Benefits of Tiered Instruction for Students and Teachers

For students, the benefits of tiered instruction include the opportunity to receive instruction that meets their unique needs, which can increase classroom engagement and promote a growth mindset. When students feel that their learning needs are being met and you find that perfect balance of material that isn’t too easy or too challenging, your students are more likely to be motivated and invested in their own learning. 

As an elementary teacher, tiered instruction allows you to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all your students, even in classrooms with a wide range of abilities. This can reduce the stress and frustration of lesson plans falling apart when half your students are struggling with material while half of your class breezes through and now is bored and waiting for more. Outside of helping you run more effective lessons, tiered instruction helps you ensure that all your students, regardless of ability, are meeting your desired learning outcomes.

Key Components of a Successful Tiered Instruction Model

A successful tiered instruction model includes several key components. These include identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities, differentiating instruction for each tier, and utilizing technology to support instruction.

Identifying student needs and learning styles is an important first step in creating a successful tiered instruction model. You must understand the unique needs of your students in order to create effective tiered instruction plans because this will directly impact how well you can adjust your materials to meet their diverse needs.

Creating tiered lesson plans and activities is another important component of a successful tiered instruction model. This involves using your knowledge of your students to design activities that are challenging and engaging for them regardless of their ability level.

Differentiating instruction for each tier is crucial for ensuring that every student is challenged and engaged in the learning process. Teachers must provide instruction that is tailored to the needs of each student, which may involve modifying assignments, providing additional resources, or offering one-on-one support.

Utilizing technology to support instruction is another important component of a successful tiered instruction model. Technology can provide students with additional resources and support, and can also help teachers to track student progress and provide targeted feedback. Kodable , for example, is an online educational game that helps teach K-5 students the basics of computer programming in a fun and engaging way. Because lessons are self-paced, this helps facilitate tiered instruction by allowing students to progressively work through levels at their own speed.

In summary, tiered instruction is a powerful tool that allows you to meet the needs of all students in your class. By identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities around those needs, differentiating instruction for each tier, and utilizing technology to support instruction, you can create a learning environment that is engaging, challenging, and effective for all your students.

Implementing Tiered Instruction in the Classroom

Implementing tiered instruction in the classroom can be a highly effective way to meet the diverse needs of your students. By grouping students according to their needs and strengths, you can provide targeted instruction and support that meets each student where they are at. Below are some key steps to implementing tiered instruction in the classroom.

Identifying Student Needs and Learning Styles

The first step in implementing tiered instruction is identifying students' needs and learning styles. This can be done through a variety of methods, including pre-assessments, observations, and conversations with students. By understanding each student's unique needs and learning style, you can create tiers that are tailored to each group of students.

For example, some students may be visual learners, while others may be auditory learners. Some students may struggle with certain concepts, while others may excel. By taking the time to understand each student's individual needs and strengths, teachers can create tiers that are optimized for learning and growth. See our full guide on teacher assessment tools for more information on pre-assessments and other types of assessments.

Creating Tiered Lesson Plans and Activities

Creating tiered lesson plans and activities is the next step in implementing tiered instruction. You should design each tier to include activities and tasks that address the needs and learning styles of the students in a particular group. These activities should build upon each other, with increasingly difficult tasks for advanced learners and additional support for struggling students.

For example, in a math class, the advanced tier may work on more complex problems that require critical thinking and problem-solving skills . The middle tier may work on similar problems, but with more support and guidance from the teacher. The struggling tier may work on simpler problems, with additional support and scaffolding from you.

Differentiating Instruction for Each Tier

Differentiating instruction for each tier is central to the success of tiered instruction. You should utilize a variety of instructional strategies, such as small group instruction, individualized instruction, and peer tutoring, to meet the needs of each group of students. You should also provide support and guidance as needed to help your students work through any challenges they may face.

For example, in a language arts class, the advanced tier may work on writing an essay independently, while the middle tier may work on the same essay with some guidance and support from the teacher. The struggling tier may work on a simpler writing assignment, with more support and scaffolding from the teacher. However, it’s important to make sure that when you create student tiers that you do so in a thoughtful way to ensure that students do not feel like they are in a superior or non-superior group.

Utilizing Technology to Support Tiered Instruction

Technology can be a valuable tool in supporting tiered instruction. You can use online resources, educational apps, and interactive whiteboards to provide additional instruction, practice, and feedback for students at each level. Thankfully there are even a number of free teacher technology tools that can help you get started with no budget needed.

For example, in a science class, the advanced tier may use a virtual lab to conduct experiments and analyze data. The middle tier may use the same virtual lab, but with additional guidance and support from the teacher. The struggling tier may use a simpler virtual lab, with more support and scaffolding from the teacher.

Or you could have students play Kodable Basics, a free educational app! Kodable's suite of learning apps have self-paced lessons which helps facilitate tiered instructions by not being too challenging to make students quit but also being engaging enough to keep students of all levels playing and learning.

Create your free Kodable Education account to bring this learning tool into your classroom today!

By identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities, differentiating instruction for each tier, and utilizing technology, teachers can create a learning environment that is optimized for growth and success.

Assessing and Monitoring Student Progress

Assessing and monitoring student progress is a critical component of effective teaching and learning. It helps you understand what students know and can do, and it provides your students with feedback on their progress. In tiered instruction, a variety of assessment strategies can help you track student growth and make any necessary adjustments to instruction.

Formative and Summative Assessments in Tiered Instruction

Formative assessments are ongoing assessments that are used to track student progress in real-time. These assessments can take many forms, including quizzes, exit tickets, observations, and discussions. You can use formative assessments to identify areas where students may be struggling and to adjust instruction accordingly.

Summative assessments, on the other hand, provide a snapshot of overall student performance at the end of a unit or lesson. These assessments can take the form of tests, projects, or presentations. Use summative assessments to evaluate student learning and to determine if your students have met the learning objectives for a particular unit or lesson.

Learn more about formative, summative, and other types of assessments in our teacher assessment tools guide.

Tracking Student Growth and Adjusting Instruction

Based on the results of assessments, you should make any necessary adjustments to their instruction. These adjustments may include modifying lesson plans or activities, providing additional support or challenging students with more complex tasks, and revisiting content that students may have struggled with before. By tracking student growth and adjusting instruction, you can ensure that all your students are making progress and are being appropriately challenged by your material.

Providing Feedback and Encouraging Self-Assessment

Feedback is a critical component of effective teaching and learning that helps encourage achieving and struggling students to keep pushing on. You should provide feedback to students on their progress, both formally and informally to help facilitate this. Feedback can take many forms, including written comments, verbal feedback, and rubrics. By providing feedback, you help your students understand their strengths and weaknesses and provide guidance on how to improve.

In addition to providing feedback, you should also encourage self-assessment. By encouraging students to reflect on their own learning, you can help them take ownership of their progress and empower them to become independent learners. Self-assessment can include self-reflection, peer assessment, and goal-setting.

Overall, assessing and monitoring student progress is an essential component of tiered instruction. By using a variety of assessment strategies, tracking student growth, and providing feedback and self-assessment opportunities, you can ensure that all students are making progress and are being appropriately challenged.

Collaborating with Colleagues and Parents

Building a supportive school culture for tiered instruction.

Building a positive classroom culture is essential to the success of tiered instruction in your classroom. Collaborating with your colleagues to share resources and best practices and create a cohesive approach to tiered instruction school-wide is a great way to ensure that not just your classroom, but your entire school are taking the right steps to educate all students.

Collaboration among your colleagues can be creating and sharing lesson plans and activities across multiple classes, sharing strategies for differentiating instruction , and sharing strategies for supporting struggling students. By working together, you and your colleagues can create a supportive learning environment that benefits all students.

In addition to collaborating with colleagues, you can also seek out resources and attend professional development opportunities to learn more about effective tiered instruction strategies. By staying up-to-date on the latest research and best practices, you can strengthen their instructional practices and provide better support to all students.

Engaging Parents in the Tiered Instruction Process

You should also engage parents in the tiered instruction process to ensure there isn’t any misunderstanding. This can be done through parent-teacher conferences, newsletters, and other communication methods that you already are using today. By involving parents in the instructional process, you can gain valuable insights into their child's needs and strengths and build a partnership with parents to support student learning.

Parents can also be a valuable resource to provide information about their child's interests, learning style, and home environment. This information can help you create more effective instructional plans and provide targeted support to students.

Overall, building a supportive school culture requires collaboration and communication among teachers, parents, and students. By working together, you can help create a learning environment that supports the success of all students.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tier 1 tier 2 tier 3 education.

Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 are terms often used in the context of Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). They refer to different levels or tiers of instructional support provided to students based on their academic needs. Here's a breakdown of each tier:

Tier 1: This is the core instruction that is provided to all students in the general education classroom. It encompasses the regular curriculum and teaching strategies used for the majority of students. Tier 1 instruction is designed to meet the needs of the average learner.

Tier 2: This tier involves targeted interventions provided to students who require additional support beyond the standard Tier 1 instruction. It focuses on specific skills or areas where students are struggling. Tier 2 interventions are typically delivered in small groups and can be provided by the classroom teacher or a specialist.

Tier 3: Tier 3 is the most intensive level of support and is tailored to meet the needs of students who require significant individualized assistance. Students in Tier 3 typically have persistent difficulties and may receive more specialized interventions or one-on-one instruction. These interventions often involve more frequent progress monitoring and may be provided by specialized interventionists or special education teachers.

The goal of the tiered approach is to provide targeted and differentiated instruction to ensure that students receive the appropriate level of support based on their individual needs.

What is an example of a tiered lesson?

A tiered lesson is designed to address the varied needs of students within a classroom. Here's an example of a tiered lesson for a science topic:

Objective : Students will understand the water cycle.

Tier 1: Students will identify and label the basic stages of the water cycle (e.g., evaporation, condensation, precipitation).

Tier 2: Students will explain the processes of the water cycle and their interconnections using diagrams or visual representations.

Tier 3: Students will investigate and analyze factors that influence the water cycle in different environments (e.g., temperature, wind patterns, topography) and present their findings through written reports or presentations.

In this example, each tier addresses the learning objective but provides varying levels of complexity and depth based on students' abilities. This allows students to engage with the content at a level that matches their readiness and skills.

How do you use tiered instruction in your classroom?

To incorporate tiered instruction in your classroom, consider the following steps:

Assess student needs: Use a variety of formative assessments, observations, and data to determine students' strengths and areas of improvement.

Identify tiers and design activities: Create tiered activities or assignments that address the same core objective but offer different levels of challenge, complexity, or support.

Group students: Organize students into appropriate tiers based on their assessed needs. You can use flexible grouping to rearrange or change groups over time as students' progress.

Provide instruction and support: Deliver instruction at each tier, ensuring that students receive appropriate content, strategies, and resources based on their tier placement.

Monitor progress: Continuously assess and monitor students' progress to determine the effectiveness of the tiered instruction and make any necessary adjustments.

Differentiate as needed: Be prepared to make further adaptations or modifications for individual students who may require additional support or enrichment beyond the tiered activities.

By implementing tiered instruction, you can meet the diverse needs of your students, provide targeted support, and promote their overall growth and achievement.

Tiered instruction offers a powerful framework for meeting the unique needs of all students in your classroom. By identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities, and utilizing technology to support instruction, you can differentiate instruction to provide the right level of challenge and support for each of your student. By assessing and monitoring student progress, collaborating with colleagues and parents, and building a supportive school culture, you can also create an environment where all students can thrive and reach their full potential. By maximizing student outcomes through tiered instruction, you can truly make a difference in the lives of your students!

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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 .

Listen to episode 246 below, or subscribe in your podcast app

Sponsored by word workouts  and betterhelp.

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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The Benefits of Tiered Assignments for Student Engagement

• Dylan Callens
• October 30, 2023

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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{{item.title}}, my essentials, ask for help, contact edconnect, directory a to z, how to guides, teacher standards and accreditation, strategies for differentiation.

There are critical considerations to reflect on before implementing differentiation strategies - to aspects of content, process and product - in direct response to a student’s readiness, interests and learning profile.

Bringing it all together

Critical considerations.

Before introducing strategies for differentiation, it is important to note 3 interrelated considerations for teachers who wish to differentiate instruction.

1. Differentiation that is founded in ineffective classroom practice cannot succeed.

Trivial and fluffy curriculum remains trivial and fluffy, even after differentiation. Varied versions of an ill-focussed product are no more helpful. A pernicious classroom environment cannot invite learners to be comfortable with themselves and one another. A teacher who does not see assessment as a continual window into the needs of his/her students has little sound footing from which to differentiate instruction. A teacher who cannot learn to trust and share responsibility with his/her students, would, at best have students seated in rows and completing varied worksheets silently and alone.

2. Differentiation is more than a strategy or series of strategies – it's a way of thinking about teaching and learning.

…..teacher growth in differentiation is not so much about introducing tiered lessons, independent study alternative forms of assessment – or even moving to multi-text adoption. Practising quality differentiation is much more about knowing what matters to teach, realising that learning happens in us rather than to us, continually reflecting on the ‘particularness’ of each of our students, and pondering how to develop both the commonalities students share as humans and the singularities students bring to us as individuals. If we as teachers understand the nature of our art more fully and deeply, more differentiation would likely evolve from that understanding. Learning some new ‘tricks’ with little sense of why they matter is less helpful.

3. Movement towards differentiation in teaching is movement towards expertise.

Regarding differentiation, teachers can say, “I already do that”. Most teachers at some times and in some ways obviously adapt or adjust for students’ learning needs. The truly expert teacher understands, however, that even after a dozen careers in the classroom he/she could still learn more about his/her subject and his/her learners and how to link each learner and subject with power and joy. … expert teachers teach students the most important things in the most effective ways.

(Tomlinson & Allan 2000)

What and how to differentiate

Effective differentiation takes place when teachers adjust aspects of content, process and product in direct response to a student’s readiness, interests and learning profile. Teachers may also modify the learning environment in direct response to a student’s learning profile.

‘What’ and ‘how’ teachers differentiate depends on the needs of the students in the class at any one time.

The following diagram illustrates the connections between classroom elements and student characteristics and the multiple opportunities teachers have for differentiation. It shows that teachers can adjust classroom elements - content, process and product - in direct response to a student’s readiness, interests and learning profile. Teachers can also modify the learning environment in direct response to a student’s learning profile.

Tiered instruction

Tiered instruction is when teachers make slight adjustments within the same lesson to meet the needs of students.

All students learn the same fundamental skills and concepts but through varying modes and activities.

The tiers need to challenge students appropriately at their ability levels. The teacher’s challenge is to make sure all tasks, regardless of tier level, are interesting, engaging, and challenging.

Activities and assignments can be adjusted by:

• level of complexity
• amount of structure
• materials provided
• time allowed
• pacing of the assignment
• number of steps required for completion
• form of expression, for example letter, essay, report, research paper, short story, speech
• level of independence required.

The 6 ways to tier a lesson

• tier by challenge level - Bloom’s Taxonomy
• tier by complexity - when you tier by complexity, you address the needs of students at introductory levels as well as the needs of students who are ready for more advanced work
• tier by resources - when you choose materials at various reading levels and complexity of content, you are tiering assignments by resources
• tier by outcomes - students use the same materials but the end products vary
• tier by process - the end products are the same but the ways students arrive at those outcomes may vary
• tier by product - group by multiple intelligences or learning styles followed by assignments that fit those preference.

1. Tiering by challenge level

Use Bloom’s taxonomy as a useful guide to develop tasks at various challenge levels.

An example is activities for book talk presentations:

• list story elements (knowledge)
• book summary (comprehension)
• support a conclusion about a character with evidence from the book (application).
• discuss the theme or author’s purpose for writing the book (analysis)
• create a new ending for the story (synthesis)
• critique the author’s writing and support your opinion (evaluation).

2. Tiering by complexity

When you tier by complexity, you provide varied tasks that address a student’s level of readiness, from introductory levels to more abstract, less concrete, advanced work.

Be careful to provide advanced work to the higher level student, rather than just more work. An example is after whole group class reading of a current events issue in a magazine such as global warming, students complete a related activity differentiated by complexity.

• Tier one: Students are asked to write a public service announcement using jingles, slogans or art to convey why global warming is a problem and what people can do to prevent it.
• Tier two: Students conduct a survey of peer awareness and understanding of global warming. They design a limited number of questions and decide how to report their results such as with charts or in a newscast.
• Tier three: Students debate the issue about the seriousness of global warming with each side expressing a different viewpoint. They must provide credible evidence to support their opinions and arguments.

3. Tiering by resources

Use materials at various reading levels and complexity to tier by resources. Students using tiered resources may be engaged in the same activity or they may be working on a different, but related activity.

4. Tiering by outcome

Students all use the same materials but what they do with the materials is different. An example is pattern block maths:

• Tier one: Identify all the ways you can group your pattern blocks.
• Tier two: Identify all the different patterns you can make with your pattern blocks.
• Tier three: Create a bar graph to show all the different kinds of pattern blocks in your bag.

5. Tiering by process

Students work on the same outcomes but use a different process to get there. An example is: What are the characteristics of a hero?

• Tier one: Make a chart of specific heroes and what they did to make them become a hero.
• Tier two: Choose two or three heroes and compare them in a Venn diagram.
• Tier three: List personal characteristics exhibited by heroes and rank them from most to least important.

6. Tiering by product

Groups are formed based on learning preference using Gardner’s multiple intelligences. For example: For a unit on the solar system - the study of rotation and revolution of the earth.

• Tier one: Create a flipbook, diagram, or model showing the rotation of the earth around the sun (visual-spatial).
• Tier two: Position and move three people to demonstrate the concept of the revolution and rotation of the earth with respect to the moon and sun (bodily-kinaesthetic).
• Tier three: Make a timeline of a year detailing the position of Queensland with respect to the sun (logical-mathematical).

How to create a 3-level tier

• Identify key concepts, skills and essential understandings that you want all students to achieve. These elements become the basis for your ‘on-level’ tasks.
• Identify how you will cluster groups/activities. Although you can create multiple levels of tiers (2-6), keep the number of levels consistent with your group of students. For example, don’t make 3 tiers if there are only 2 groups of students exist in your classroom (those working at the appropriate level and those students who require extra support).
• Select elements to tier (see ‘Six ways to tier a lesson’ above).
• Create your ‘on-level’ tier (tier one).
• Design a similar task for learners who require extra support. The task should make adjustments based on student readiness (tier two).
• If needed, develop a third, more advanced activity for learners who have already mastered the basic standard or competency being addressed. Make sure the task actually requires higher-level thinking than the ‘on-level’ tasks. The advanced tier shouldn’t just be more of the same thing (tier three).

As you construct the tiers make sure that in order for students to accomplish a higher level, they must also have an understanding of the lower levels.

Compacting is the process of eliminating teaching or student practice if students have already mastered a concept or skill. For example, a year 3 class is learning to identify the parts of fractions, and diagnostics indicate that 2 students already know the parts of fractions. These students are excused from completing the identifying activities and are taught to add and subtract fractions.

Steps for compacting

• identifying the learning objectives or standards that all students must learn
• offering a pre-test opportunity or planning an alternate path through the content for those students who can learn the required material in less time than their age peers
• planning and offering meaningful curriculum extensions for students who qualify
• eliminating all drill, practice, review or preparation for students who have already mastered such things
• keeping accurate records of students’ compacting activities.

A layered curriculum

The layered curriculum approach features a 3 layer model (like a pyramid) where students start with basic learning and skills (layer C) and move to use higher-level thinking skills (layer B and then layer A) as they work through the layers. Developed by educator and author Kathie Nunley (2006) the approach came as a response to her classroom experiences with high school students.

Layer C - the foundational level

The base level of competency, layer C, is basic learning and skills. This layer reflects what every student must be able to know, understand, and do. At this level, students gather information and add it to their bank of knowledge.

Layer C reflects what all students must do and the activities ask students to collect factual information.

Layer B - the middle level

The middle level of competency, layer B, is application. This is where students apply and manipulate the information.

Layer B provides students with the opportunity to apply, manipulate and play with the information they gathered while completing C layer activities. Typically, this layer requires students to apply, manipulate, discover, hypothesise and prove, demonstrate or problem solve.

Layer A - the top level

The top-level of competency, layer A is critical thinking. This is where students evaluate and think critically about an issue. Nunley says the purpose of layer A is to teach students critical thinking skills and to apply their classroom learning into their daily lives. Layer A consists of questions that ask students to analyse a topic. Frequently, no right or wrong answer exists.

Nunley emphasizes that all layers should provide students with some control over their learning. She suggests a menu-like approach to the tasks in each layer. The approach allows students to pick and choose from the available options provided by the teacher.

A menu offers students a way to make decisions about what they will do in order to meet class requirements. A menu could be for a single lesson, a week-long lesson or even a month-long period of study. Once the teacher has decided on what the essential understandings and/or skills are, they can begin to create a menu.

Steps for creating menus

• Identify the most important elements of a lesson or unit.
• Create an imperative or required assignment or project that reflects the minimum understanding you expect all students to achieve.
• Create negotiables which expand upon the ‘main dish’ or imperative assignment or project. These negotiables often require students to go beyond the basic levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. For example, they often include activities that require synthesis, analysis or evaluation.
• Create a final optional section that offers students the opportunity for enrichment. The optional section often reflects activities that students can use for extra credit.

Wormeli (2006) suggests placing the menu options in a restaurant menu style (see below) that could include an ‘appetisers’, a ‘main dish’, ‘side dishes’, and even ‘desserts’. He suggests the following format.

• a list of assignments or projects
• students select one item to complete.
• an assignment or project that everyone must complete.
• students select two items to complete.
• optional but irresistible assignments or projects
• options should be high interest and challenging
• students choose one of these enrichment options
• level of complexity.

Cubing requires students to look at a topic from 6 different angles. Teachers often create a visual cube that serves as a starting point when they want students to analyse or consider various aspects of a topic. Cubes can be used as an after-reading strategy that requires students to think critically about a topic. When students work with cubes they apply information in new ways. Cubes can be differentiated by interest and readiness.

Introducing the strategy to students

One of the best ways to introduce cubing is to apply the activity to a common or familiar object. Select an object appropriate to the age and interests of the students, distribute the object to students and then assign groups to look (or study) the object from several angles.

Students work in assigned pairs or groups. If desired, the groups can be created by readiness levels since the cubing perspectives below begin at the least complex level and become increasingly complex. Using the object as the topic, ask students to:

• describe it – what does it look like?
• compare it – compare the object with something else/ what is it similar to or different from?
• associate it – what do you associate the object with/ what does it make you think about?
• analyse it – describe the object’s parts/ how is it made?
• apply it – what can you do with the object/ how can you use the object?
• argue for or against it – what is an argument for or against the object?

Give students about 10 minutes to build a mini-presentation, then one student in each group presents to the class.

Steps for cubing

Select a topic, for example, World War 1 (WW1). Decide in advance how much time you want to devote to the cubing process. Informal cubing activities can easily be accomplished within a class period. However, activities can be extended if research is required.

Create groups based on readiness or interest.

Assign each group a perspective from which to explore the topic:

• describe WW1
• compare the WW1 to another war
• associate the WW1 with other issues, topics, or concerns
• analyse the WW1 by discussing the events and decisions that led to the war
• apply the lessons you’ve learned from studying WW1. How does learning about WW1 help you understand events, issues, topics, and decisions that still exist today?
• argue for or against WW1. Should the war ever have been fought? Take a stand and list your reasons.

After the designated amount of time, ask representatives from each group to present their perspectives.

Adaptations

Cubing, looking at a topic from 6 different angles, can be adapted. Adaptations can include:

• Design cubes based on interest or learning profiles.
• Use the cubes for independent work. Require students to complete each element on the cube but allow them to pick and choose the order in which they complete the activities.
• Use the cubes as dice which students roll.
• In maths, create problems for students to solve. One problem is printed on each side of the cube.
• Knowledge - students recall and cite content
• Comprehension - students demonstrate their understanding of the content
• Application - students use their knowledge and skills in a different way or situation
• Analysis - students break down topics into pieces and analyse them
• Synthesis - students consider aspects that seem to contradict each other and form something new
• Evaluation - students use their previous learning to judge the value or success of something guided by specific criteria.

Tic-Tac-Toe choice boards

Tic-Tac-Toe choice boards give students the opportunity to participate in multiple tasks that allow them to practice skills they’ve learned in class or to demonstrate and extend their understanding of concepts. From the board students either choose or are assigned 3 adjacent or diagonal tasks to complete.

Choice boards address student readiness, interest or learning preferences - and are easily adapted to a subject area.

Steps for tic-tac-toe

• Identify the outcomes and instructional focus of a unit of study.
• Use assessment data and student profiles to determine student readiness, learning styles, or interests.
• Design nine different tasks.
• Arrange the tasks on a choice board.
• Select one required task for all students and place it in the centre of the board.
• Students complete three tasks, one of which must be the task in the middle square.

The 3 tasks should complete a Tic-Tac-Toe row.

Tic-Tac-Toe choice boards can be adapted. Adaptations include:

• Allow students to complete any three tasks - even if the completed tasks don’t make a Tic-Tac-Toe.
• Assign students tasks based on readiness.
• Create different choice boards based on readiness (struggling students work with the options on one choice board while more advanced students have different options).
• Create choice board options based on learning styles or learning preferences. for example, a choice board could include 3 kinaesthetic tasks, 3 auditory tasks and 3 visual tasks.

Sternberg’s intelligence preference

You can assess students according to Sternberg's intelligences:

• Analytical - linear – schoolhouse smart - sequential
• Practical - street-smart – contextual – focus on use
• Creative - innovator – outside the box – what if

An idea to assess students in this way is possible through the following scenario:

'Imagine you are driving with your parents and they are listening to the radio. An interesting discussion starts about something you do not know. As you listen, you get more and more interested - and what do you most want to know?

• Do you want to know all the little details that go into it?
• Do you want to know how it is being used?
• Do you want to know only enough information to think of other things to do?'

Students who choose the first question fall into the analytic intelligence, the second corresponds to the practical and those who choose the final question are the creative learners.

Example 1: matter

• Know: there are 3 states of matter - solid, liquid, and gas
• Understand: all matter has both mass and volume
• Do: distinguish each state of matter from the others and show how each changes to the others.

Analytical:

• Choose 3 items from our classroom that are all in different states of matter. Show how each item is in a different state of matter in comparison to the other two items. Use terms like mass and volume to explain your answer.
• Use the idea of water, ice and vapour to create a chart to show how these 3 things change from one state to another. Include condensation, evaporation, melting point, freezing point, expanding and contracting in your chart.
• Create 3 imaginative items to demonstrate different states of matter. Make an illustration of each item and explain why each one fits into the state it is in. Use mass and volume in your explanation.
• Make a visually appealing poster to teach primary students how each state changes into the other states. Be sure the way you teach is original. Show condensation, evaporation, melting point, freezing point, expanding and contracting in your poster.
• There are 3 mysterious objects in a box on a museum shelf. Their states of matter are not yet identified. Your task is to figure out the state of matter for each one. Design a museum exhibit for these. Use the terms mass and volume in your exhibit signs.
• There is a close friend of yours who does not understand how one state of matter changes into another. You want to help your friend out. Write out how you would explain to your friend using all these terms: condensation, evaporation, melting point, freezing point, expanding and contracting. Make your explanation as clear as you can.

Example 2: geographical terms

• Know: geographical terms such as isthmus, delta, peninsula, river and island
• Understand: landforms and bodies of water affect human movement and influence the development of cities
• Do: locate and label specific landforms.

Analyse how landforms produce economic advantages that establish settlements. After students have read and taken notes on the chapter, the teacher reviews, with the whole class, the basic information on landforms. Then, students are given a choice of 3 assignments to be done individually or in groups of 2 or 3.

Create clues or a set of directions to help us identify and locate at least 8 landforms on the map (given in the textbook or on a map provided by the teacher). Clues/directions should also be based on population and economic growth and changes.

Develop a map of a new world that has at least 8 different types of landforms and/or bodies of water. For example, using labels determine how these sites would grow due to the economic possibilities of these geographical features and predict population growth over a period of time.

Using these 8 given cities (or you may choose other cities after approval by the teacher) demonstrate how landforms and bodies of water contributed to the development and movement of people to this site over a period of time. You may use overlay transparencies or models to show the areas and growth.

• Heacox D. (2002) Differentiation Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.
• Heacox, D. (2005). Promoting Student Independence and Responsibility in Academically Diverse Classrooms. 2005 ASCD Annual Conference. Orlando, FL.
• Nunley, K. E. (2006). Differentiating the High School Classroom: Solution Strategies for 18 Common Obstacles. Thousand Oaks: CA: Corwin.
• Tomlinson, C. A., & Allan, S. D. (2000). Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms.
• Wormeli, R. (2006). Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing & Grading in the Differentiated Classroom. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

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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.

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Implementing Differentiation: Using Tiered Assignments

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EduTip 6: Try a tiered activity for simple differentiation.

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Despite knowing that our students have different needs, many teachers struggle with differentiation, not because they disagree with it in theory, but because in practice, the idea of planning so many different lessons is overwhelming. 

While you probably know that it’s not necessary to plan a unique lesson for every student, you may not be aware of some of the simplest ways to provide differentiation, so in this tip I’ll share just one, the tiered activity , also known as a tiered assignment . 

You can find this strategy in lots of places, but I learned about it from the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson in books like How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms ( Bookshop.org link | Amazon link ).

Here’s how it works: Suppose you’re teaching students how to type on a keyboard without looking at the keys. After giving a brief pretest, you’ve determined that some students have no idea how to do this, while others have had a few lessons in a previous course, and a few seem to have slow, but moderately good touch typing skills. It would not make sense to have the whole class work through a typing exercise that consisted entirely of hitting the f and j keys; this would be a waste of time for those who are past that point. But if you made everyone do an exercise consisting of complex words, punctuation, and numbers, that would be incredibly frustrating for the beginners. 

So instead, you offer students three options, or tiers, to choose from: 

• Exercise 1 uses single keystrokes of the home keys. 
• Exercise 2 uses whole words that only use the home keys.
• Exercise 3 uses whole words with a few more keys beyond the home keys, plus capitalization, commas, and periods.

Each exercise takes five minutes to complete, and students only need to complete one of them.

This kind of assignment makes it much more likely that every student will be working at the level of challenge that’s just right for them, and it doesn’t require you to create individual assignments for every student. 

In some cases, you can take one assignment and just break it up into three tiers. For example, if you have 20 practice problems for a math, chemistry, or grammar lesson that go from easiest to hardest, instead of giving all students all 20 problems, tier 1 might be problems 1-10, tier 2 might be 5-15, and tier 3 might be 11-20. 

In English, if students are writing a personal narrative, the length of the final piece might be the same for all tiers, but each successive tier might contain more advanced skills, such as a certain amount of complex sentences, specific styles of dialogue, or the use of certain literary devices like interior monologue or metaphors.

In social studies, tiers might consist of three different texts about the same topic, written at different levels of complexity, or the same text offered at different levels on a platform like Newsela .

The point here is that if you’re not doing much differentiation, but you want to be, don’t think you have to create a whole bunch of separate assignments. Start with a core assignment with clear objectives, then think about how you can simplify it for some students so they still get the most important components, and add more complexity for those who are already further along with that particular skill or body of knowledge. 

A few important notes for making this work well:

• Each tier should offer a relatively equal amount of work and challenge. In other words, students who are advanced with the material in question shouldn’t be given more work than beginners; they should have work at a different level. Similarly, those same advanced students should experience a similar level of struggle with their task as those who are working at the beginner level; if they fly right through their tier in no time, it’s probably not challenging enough.
• Tiers should be flexible and fluid. Do not give students fixed labels that keep them in the same tier all year long, for every activity—ideally, students should move from tier to tier depending on the particular task at hand. Even better, help students develop the metacognitive skills to select whatever tier gives them the right amount of challenge, and encourage them to tune in to how a tier feels once they’ve chosen it; if they’re feeling overwhelmed, they may need to move down a tier, but if they’re bored, they may need to move up.
• Mindset and classroom culture can make a huge difference in how well this approach works. If students feel embarrassed about working on lower tiers or “punished” by working on higher ones, a tiered task won’t work nearly as well as it could. Ideally, you can model an attitude of practicality, of each person getting what they need when they need it. Before starting your first tiered task, have a conversation about how everyone has strengths in some areas and needs to grow in other areas—use an example from your own life about something you’ve recently learned or something you’re trying to get better at—and emphasize the idea that we grow the most when we’re challenged just enough to stay interested. Make it a regular part of your classroom conversation to ask questions like, “What tier do you think will be best for you this time?” or “How did that tier work for you?” to help students see the tiers as self-directed choices, rather than labels.

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I teach almost 100% collaboration activities. I have them for 3.5 hours a day. They are all gifted students but have different achievement levels. Some need a lot of time to research while others are super quick. But when they work in teams, they can get frustrated waiting for the slower student. Do you have any advice to how break up work without making it more work for me, like completely different articles, projects, and websites?

Good question, Heather! I can think of a few things that might help. Like the EduTip suggests, rather than creating completely different projects, you may want to approach things by starting with a single assignment and then simplifying it and/or adding more complexity to meet the needs and levels of all your learners. In addition, in this post , Jenn outlines some useful strategies for when student contributions are uneven during cooperative work. Lastly, CoP has curated a ton of great resources on cooperative learning on this Pinterest board . I hope this gives you good starting point to find what you’re looking for!

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Differentiating Math Instruction Through Tiered Lessons

In response to the movement toward inclusion in classrooms, Rebecca Pierce and Cheryll Adams from Ball State University outlined how teachers can reach all the students in their classrooms : when they are academically diverse; have special needs; are ESL learners; or, have some combination of any or all of these factors. Differentiation Differentiation is an organized, yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet students where they are and help all students achieve maximum growth as learners (Tomlinson, 1999). Instruction may be differentiated in content/input, process/sense-making, or product/output according to the students’ readiness, interest, or learning style. Content refers to the material that is being presented. Process activities help students practice or make sense out of the content, while product refers to the outcome of the lesson or unit, such as a test, project, or paper. Readiness refers to prior knowledge and a student’s current skill and proficiency with the material presented in the lesson.

The article provides two critical rules that thwart chaos and preserve sanity. The first is “Use six-inch voices,” meaning that students should modulate their speaking level so that their voices can only be heard six inches away. The second rule is “Ask three before me.” If students need assistance completing a task or come to a stumbling block in a lesson and you are not available, they should find three other students to ask before they may interrupt you. If their three peers cannot answer the question, the student has permission to interrupt you. Anchoring or “sponge” activities are provided for students to use when they are waiting for you to assist them before they can go any further or at the beginning of the class period to get them ready to work.

Tiered Lessons A tiered lesson is a differentiation strategy that addresses a particular standard, key concept, and generalization, but allows several pathways for students to arrive at an understanding of these components based on their interests, readiness, or learning profiles. When developing a tiered lesson, the following eight steps have been provided:

• Identify the grade level and subject for which you will write the lesson.
• Identify the standard (national, state, district, etc.) you are targeting. A common mistake for those just beginning to tier is to develop three great activities and then try to force-fit them into a tiered lesson.
• Identify the key concept and generalization. The key concept follows from the standard. Ask yourself, “What big idea am I targeting?” The generalization follows from the concept chosen. Ask, “What do I want the students to know at the end of the lesson, regardless of their placement in the tiers?”
• Be sure students have the background necessary to be successful in the lesson. What scaffolding is necessary? What must you have already covered or what must the student have already learned? Are there other skills that must be taught first?
• Determine in which part of the lesson (content, process, product) you will tier. You may choose to tier the content (what you want the students to learn), the process (the way students make sense out of the content), or the product (the outcome at the end of a lesson, lesson set, or unit—often a project).
• Determine the type of tiering you will do: readiness, interest, or learning profile. Readiness is based on the ability levels of the students. Giving a pretest is a good way to assess readiness. Students’ interest in a topic is generally gauged through an interest survey, while the learning profile may be determined through various learning style inventories.
• Based on your choices above, determine how many tiers you will need and develop the lesson. When tiering according to readiness, you may have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. If you choose to tier in interest or learning profile, you may control the number of tiers by limiting choices or using only a few different learning styles. Differentiation means doing something different—qualitatively different. Make sure you keep this in mind when tiering the lessons. Second, be sure that students are doing challenging, respectful, and developmentally appropriate work within each tier. In other words, no group should be given “busywork.”
• Finally, develop the assessment component to the lesson. The assessment can be formative, summative, or a combination of both. You may use some means of recording observations of the various groups, such as flip cards or sticky notes. You could develop a rubric for each tier based on the particular product that is created. You may give a formal paper-and-pencil test. Whatever it is, choose your assessment based on your needs and your lesson design.

Conclusion Time, energy, and patience are required to learn to differentiate instruction effectively in an academically diverse classroom (especially during these challenging times throughout the ongoing pandemic!). In addition, you need administrative and peer support, as well as professional development over extended periods of time.

For more information on tiering, contact the  Center for Gifted Stud ies and Talent Development , Ball State University (BSU).

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Get Ready for Season 1: 7 Things to Do at Max Level in The War Within

Ben fitzsimmons | 1 hour ago.

The release of a new World of Warcraft expansion always brings with it a variety of new things to do. New zones to quest through, dungeons to run, secrets to find, and much more. Many players may have a set in stone plan that they intend on following as soon as they get their hands on the new content. Other players may want some guidance on the best direction to take your character as you reach level 80. Today we're going to discuss some of the best things you can do once you reach level 80 in The War Within.

It's worth mentioning that Dragonflight's upgrade system carries over into The War Within. You'll be able to earn a new type of stones and a new type of crests to upgrade gear that is categorized on an upgrade track.

Related Article: World of Warcraft -- Best Tank Spec for Beginners

1. World Quests

World quests received a minor rework and adjustment in The War Within. In previous World of Warcraft expansions, they were essentially random side quests that would spawn up in each zone and doing them was super fast and easy. They also didn't build up to anything and the rewards they offered were typically not useful at all and were mostly only done for reputation purposes. In The War Within, doing world quests now builds towards assignments. Assignments are basically harder world quests that are done in a group. They become available after doing enough world quests in a specific zone. These world quests are great to do early in an expansion because they can be a great source of starter gear for fresh 80s. The War Within also introduces another reason to want to do world quests, which are delves. We're going to talk more about delves in the next entry, but doing assignments will reward you with bountiful keys with are crucial to maximizing the effectiveness of delves.

Delves are an entirely new way of experiencing Warcraft that were introduced in The War Within. We have a whole guide breaking them down. Delves are going to be a crucial aspect of gameplay in this expansion. Blizzard has stated they intent on delves being an endgame pillar right alongside Mythic Plus dungeons and raiding. Delves are a phenomenal thing to do at level 80 because they have a variety of difficulties to pick from, offer decent rewards for the amount of time they take to do, and are easily doable solo. Delves have the chance to become empowered as bountiful delves. Doing this delves with a bountiful key will allow you to unlock higher tier rewards at the end of the delve by consuming the key. This can be a great way to gear up and get ready for season 1. It can also be worth noting that the level of rewards you can get are capped until season 1 actually begins. This means if you're trying to 100% maximize the value of each individual bountiful key you get, it would likely be best to hoard them until season 1 actually begins and then use them on the uncapped rewards.

3. Zone specific objectives

upgrade materials, gold, and more This is a quick entry. The zone specific objectives are basically just world quests uniquely themed around the zone they reside in. They are kind of similar to the Siege of Dragonbane Keep or the Tuskarr cooking events from Dragonflight. When The War Within launched they were bugged, but they're supposed to give some gold, some upgrade materials, and random other things. They aren't worth going out of your way to farm, but are likely a decent source of upgrade materials which are very valuable. These zone specific objectives will likely be worth doing in most instances if you're just flying by and they happen to be active or if you notice they're going to start soon and you're not far away.

4. Rare hunting

Rare hunting is always a popular thing to do when new WoW content comes out. New rares mean new mounts and transmog. Getting into a group that's rare hunting as a fresh level 80 preparing for the first season of The War Within can be a useful way to get some materials, random Warband-bound gear and a chance at a few mounts.

5. Dungeon spamming

Dungeon spamming is a classic way to play World of Warcraft. Spamming dungeons is almost always the most effective way of doing something. In The War Within, it's nowhere near the most effective way to farm gear in preparation for season 1, since you can't queue for heroic dungeons until season 1 begins. However, it isn't hard to do them or find groups for them. If you're someone who enjoys running dungeons and would rather do them over delves or open world content, dungeon spamming is your next best option. Open world farming is the way to go for farming gear pre-season 1 launch, but that doesn't mean dungeons can't be useful.

6. Renown Rewards

Renown was introduced in Shadowlands and reiterated upon in Dragonflight as a replacement for traditional reputations. They are basically battle passes for factions. If you're someone who likes questing and doing open world content, renown rewards can be a decent way of getting some solid gear pre-season 1. The reward tiers that offer this gear are also Warband wide and The War Within has account-wide reputations. That means you can progress these reputations on any character on your account and all of your characters share that progress and the rewards.

7. Crafting Orders

The effectiveness of crafting orders is limited, especially if you can't craft your own gear. However, crafting orders can be a great way to fill in that last slot or two you're missing that just refuses to drop from the other content you're farming. It's best to view crafting as a supplementary form of gearing rather than a primary means of obtaining each slot. If you can craft your own gear, you can get a few slows right away at level 80 easily. Of course, you'll need to either buy the materials or spend the time gathering them yourself for this to work.

BEN FITZSIMMONS