Description
Most teachers know they should provide differentiated instruction. Most have trouble figuring out HOW to differentiate this specific Tuesday morning lesson on the Civil War, or polynomials, or paragraph writing, or photosynthesis. That gap — between knowing the principle and knowing the move — is what this reference fills. Thirty-four strategies, organized by subject area, with tiered task templates, choice menu examples, and a “quick-pull by situation” closing section for when you need something specific tomorrow morning.
What’s Inside
The Differentiated Instruction Quick-Reference is 43 pages organized into 11 sections:
- Differentiation foundations — brief recap of content/process/product
- Reading & Language Arts — 7 strategies (tiered texts, vocabulary, audio support, organizers, choice reading, reciprocal teaching, anchor charts)
- Math — 7 strategies (CRA sequence, manipulatives across grades, tiered problem sets, multiple solution paths, strategic pairing, visual fraction tools, persistent scaffolds)
- Writing — 5 strategies (choice in topic, tiered prompts, sentence frames, mentor texts, multiple response formats)
- Science — 5 strategies (multiple representations, lab partnering, tiered investigations, vocabulary cards, multi-sensory demos)
- Social Studies — 5 strategies (primary source choice, map/timeline scaffolds, discussion protocols, multiple modes, personal connection)
- Cross-Curricular — 5 strategies (flexible grouping, choice boards, tiered exit tickets, multiple expression, adjustable timing)
- Tiered Task Templates — reusable formats with worked examples
- Choice Menu Templates — 3×3 grid format plus subject-specific examples
- Assessment Differentiation — formative and summative strategies
- Quick-Pull by Situation — common classroom situations mapped to specific strategies in this reference
Every strategy entry follows the same format: name, what it is, when to use it, how to do it, and a quick example. Built to flip through, not read cover-to-cover.
This Differentiated Instruction Quick Reference Is For…
- K-12 general education teachers across all subject areas
- Subject specialists who need differentiation strategies specific to their content
- First-year teachers building their differentiation toolkit
- Veteran teachers refreshing their practice
- Instructional coaches supporting differentiation across teams
- Teacher candidates preparing for diverse classrooms
Designed To Be Used, Not Shelved
This isn’t a textbook. It’s a working reference. Each strategy is compact enough to grasp in 30 seconds. The Quick-Pull by Situation section maps common situations (“A student can’t read the textbook,” “The whole class is at different levels,” “You’re tired and don’t have time to plan elaborately”) to specific strategies you can implement tomorrow.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to differentiate every dimension of every lesson. Pick one strategy. Do it well this week. Build from there. $22 — instant PDF download.
