Using Tiered Instruction To Maximize Student Outcomes

tiered activity examples

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, a free educational app! Kodable has 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 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!

Kodable has everything you need to teach kids to code!

In just a few minutes a day, kids can learn all about the fundamentals of Computer Science - and so much more! With lessons ranging from zero to JavaScript, Kodable equips children for a digital future.

Applications for Many Programs Now Available

Applications are now available for many Davidson programs!

Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

This article is about differentiation. Due to the broad range of academic needs among students, teachers find themselves in a dilemma. The Burris Laboratory School outlines 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.

Author: Adams, C. & Pierce, R. Publications: Gifted Child Today Publisher: Prufrock Press Volume: Vol. 27, Issue 2, pp. 50-65 Year: 2004

The movement toward inclusion has impacted classrooms by requiring teachers to respond to a broader range of academic needs. How can we possibly reach all the students in our classrooms when they are academically diverse, have special needs, are ESL learners, or have some combination of any or all of these factors? An answer to this question lies in differentiating instruction. Working in the Burris Laboratory School, an inclusion school using a resource consultation model to serve the needs of all its students, we have found that using tiered lessons is a viable method for differentiating instruction.

What is Differentiation?

Although differentiated instruction is not a new idea, the differentiation movement has recently taken center stage as a means of meeting the needs of all students in the classroom. It 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. By  content , we mean 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. A student’s interest may be assessed with an interest inventory for the particular topic being studied or by an individual conversation with the student. Many teachers use the theory of multiple intelligences to characterize learning styles (Armstrong, 1994; Gardner, 1993; Martin, 1996).

Essential elements for successful differentiation include specific classroom management techniques addressing the special needs of a differentiated classroom, planned use of anchoring activities, and flexible use of time, space, and student groups. In a differentiated classroom, the management plan must include rules for working in a variety of configurations. You can only work with one group or individual at a time. Therefore, we have developed 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. Adding the caveat that the student should also bring along the three students who were asked will nearly eliminate the chance that you will be interrupted except in extreme cases. 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. A wide variety of materials and resources can serve as anchoring activities (see our  website  for a listing of books that have great activities for anchoring). Flexible grouping arrangements such as pairs, triads, or quads, as well as whole-group and small-group instruction, create opportunities to meet individual needs. A flexible use of time allows lessons to proceed to their natural conclusion, rather than being carried out in set blocks of time. The desks or tables should be arranged in such a way as to facilitate group work, as well as wholeclass groupings that encourage sharing of ideas.

A variety of instructional strategies, including compacting, learning contracts, cubing, and tiered lessons, can be used to differentiate instruction (for a discussion of these and other strategies, see Gregory & Chapman, 2002; Heacox, 2002; Smutney, Walker, & Meckstroth, 1997; Tomlinson, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992). It makes sense to alert your administration and the parents that you will be trying some new strategies in the classroom in case there are questions.

The tenets of differentiated instruction support both the Equity Principle and the Teaching Principle of the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000). These principles direct us to select and adapt content and curricula to meet the interests, abilities, and learning styles of our students; to recognize our students’ diversity; and to encourage them to reach their full potential in mathematics.

tiered activity examples

What is a Tiered Lesson?

Tomlinson (1999) described tiered lessons as “the meat and potatoes of differentiated instruction.” 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. A lesson tiered by readiness level implies that the teacher has a good understanding of the students’ ability levels with respect to the lesson and has designed the tiers to meet those needs. Think of a wedding cake with tiers of varying sizes. Many examples of lessons tiered in readiness have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. There is no rule that states there may only be three tiers, however. The number of tiers we use will depend on the range of ability levels in your own classroom since you are forming tiers based on your assessment of your students’ abilities to handle the material particular to this lesson. Students are regrouped the next time you use tiering as a strategy. Hence, the idea of flexible, rather than static, groups is essential.

No matter how you choose to differentiate the lesson—readiness, interest, or learning profile—the number of groups per tier will vary, as will the number of students per tier. You are not looking to form groups of equal size. When you form groups based on the readiness needs of individual students, Tier I may have two groups of three students, Tier II five groups of four students, and Tier III may have one group of two students. When the lesson is tiered by interest or learning profile, the same guidelines apply for forming groups: Different tiers may have varying numbers of students. Even when students are already homogeneously grouped in classes by ability, there is still variance in their ability levels that must be addressed.

To take a closer look at the anatomy of a tiered lesson, we have included a mathematics lesson (see Figure 1) that was developed as part of the Javits Grant, Project GATE, a federally funded partnership between the Indianapolis Public Schools and Ball State University, both in Indiana. When developing a tiered lesson, we have found the eight steps described below useful.

  • First, identify the grade level and subject for which you will write the lesson.  In this case, the grade level is first and the subject is mathematics.
  • Second, 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. Start with the standard first. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know if you get there? The author of this lesson has selected the Content Standard “Number and Operations” of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (2000)  Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (pp. 78–88).
  • Third, identify the key concept and generalization.  The key concept follows from the standard. Ask yourself, “What big idea am I targeting?” In this example, it is to understand and represent commonly used fractions. While there are many concepts that could be covered under the standard chosen, this lesson addresses only one. 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?” In this lesson, all students will develop their understanding of fractions as representing parts of a whole.
  • Fourth, 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? Before engaging in this lesson, students have been exposed to halves and thirds. Fractions (halves/ thirds) have been introduced to the students, and they have illustrated them with pictures. There are several literature books that illustrate fractional parts using food that could be used to introduce the lesson.
  • Fifth, 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). When beginning to tier, we suggest that you only tier one of these three. Once you are comfortable with tiering, you might try to tier more than one part in the same lesson. This lesson is tiered in content.
  • Sixth, 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. In this lesson, the author chose readiness.
  • Seventh, 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. For example, tiering on all eight of Gardner’s multiple intelligences in one lesson may not be a good place to start, so choose only a few, such as logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, and linguistic intelligence. (For further information on multiple intelligences in an easy-tounderstand format, see Wahl, 1997). For this lesson, students are placed in one of three tiers based on their ability to work with halves and thirds as assessed by the teacher through observation.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.” We don’t want one group doing blackline practice sheets and another doing a fabulous experiment.Notice in this lesson that all three tiers are working on fractions. Students in each tier use paper shapes to divide. However, the activities for each tier in the sample lesson, beginning in Tier I and moving through Tier III, differ from concrete to abstract and from simple to complex, to use Tomlinson’s Equalizer word pairs (Tomlinson, 1999).
  • 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 paperand- pencil test. Whatever it is, choose your assessment based on your needs and your lesson design.In this lesson, the teacher observes the students as they share their answers and jots down notes for a formative assessment of each student. For example, which child is struggling with the concept? Which child is moving rapidly and accurately through the material? Whose answers show more thought and insight? Answers to these and other questions will assist you in determining who needs reteaching and who is ready to go beyond the material presented. A formal assessment is not used here since the standards emphasize that students should have “informal experiences [with fractions] at this age to help develop a foundation for deeper learning in the higher grades” (NCTM, 2000, p. 83).

When this lesson was taught, the students were engaged during the entire lesson. The lesson was introduced by reading the book  Eating Fractions  (McMillan, 1991). Students were placed in groups based on their level of readiness to interact with the content. Four students did not have a clear understanding of halves and fourths. These students needed a more concrete activity and were placed in Tier I. Another 12 students could recognize halves and thirds and were ready to complete the Tier II activity. They were placed in four triads. Two students had in-depth knowledge of halves and thirds and were placed in Tier III. This pair worked at a more abstract level, and the questions they were asked required them to use different critical thinking skills than the other two groups. Tier I and Tier II students were provided with activities from the book  Fractions  (Watt, 2001) to use as anchoring activities if they finished early or were waiting for the teacher’s assistance. The anchor for Tier III students was  Apple Fractions  (Pallotta, 2002), which introduced fifths through tenths.

The second sample lesson (see Figure 2) is tiered in process according to learning style. In this case, students are grouped heterogeneously based on one of two learning preferences: kinesthetic or visual. The same eight steps for tiering a lesson apply in this case. In the second lesson, notice that the activities are at relatively the same level of complexity. This would be the “layer cake” model as opposed to the “wedding cake” model used when tiering according to readiness.

Final Thoughts

Time, energy, and patience are required to learn to differentiate instruction effectively in an academically diverse classroom. In addition, you need administrative and peer support, as well as professional development over extended periods of time; therefore, don’t expect to have a differentiated classroom by Monday morning. Start small: Choose a favorite lesson in your next unit and differentiate it according to the needs of your students. Seek the expertise of specialists such as special and gifted education coordinators, media specialists, and others with whom you can collaborate to improve instruction in the academically diverse classroom.

For more information on tiering, contact the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development, Ball State University (BSU)  https://www.bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/giftedstudies .

Author Note

Research for this article was supported under the Javits Act Program (Grant R206A980067) as administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Grantees undertaking such projects are encouraged to express freely their professional judgment. This article, therefore, does not necessarily represent positions or policies of the government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

tiered activity examples

Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple intelligences in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory and practice. New York: BasicBooks.

Gregory, G. H., & Chapman, C. (2002). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn’t fit all. Thousand Oakes, CA: Corwin Press.

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Martin, H. (1996). Multiple intelligences in the mathematics classroom. Palatine, IL: IRI/SkyLight.

McMillan, B. (1991). Eating fractions. New York: Scholastic. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.

Pallotta, J. (2002). Apple fractions. New York: Scholastic.

Smutney, J., Walker, S., & Meckstroth, E. (1997). Teaching young gifted children in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wahl, M. (1997). Math for humans.

Langley, WA: LivnLern Press.

Watt, F. ( 2001). Fractions. New York: Scholastic.

Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Disclaimer : The appearance of any information in the Davidson Institute’s Resource Library does not imply an endorsement by, or any affiliation with, the Davidson Institute. All information presented is for informational and archival purposes only. The Davidson Institute bears no responsibility for the content of republished material. Please note the date, author, and publisher information available if you wish to make further inquiries about any republished materials in our Resource Library.

Permission Statement

This article is reprinted with permission of  Prufrock Press, Inc.

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit  www.DavidsonGifted.org .

Share this post

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via email

Add a comment

Please note, the Davidson Institute is a non-profit serving families with highly gifted children. We will not post comments that are considered soliciting, mention illicit topics, or share highly personal information.

Post Comment

Related Articles

Gifted education in the u.s. - state policy & legislation.

Gifted students in states across the country often encounter a wide range of services varying from state to state and…

Tips for Students: Inspiring Young Scientists through Independent Research

The following article shares highlights and insights from one of our Expert Series events, which are exclusive for Young Scholars and…

2022 Davidson Fellows - Leveraging Science & Engineering Innovation to Better the Environment

The Fellows Scholarship awards $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships to extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece…

Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children

This article explores and explains emotional intensity in gifted individuals. Author Lesley Sword provides strategies for parents to help their…

This is editable under form settings.

  • Full Name *
  • Email Address *
  • Comment * Please note, the Davidson Institute is a non-profit serving families with highly gifted children. All comments will be submitted for approval before posting publicly. We will not post comments that are considered soliciting, mention illicit topics, or share highly personal information.

Suggest an update

  • Enroll & Pay
  • Prospective Students
  • Current Students
  • Degree Programs

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.

EduTip 6: Try a tiered activity for simple differentiation.

Can't find what you are looking for? Contact Us

Sponsored by Floop .

tiered activity examples

This page contains Amazon Affiliate and Bookshop.org links. When you make a purchase through these links, Cult of Pedagogy gets a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.

What’s the difference between Amazon and Bookshop.org?

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.

See all EduTips here .

' src=

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?

' src=

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!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

MiddleWeb

Articles / Mathematics

Tiered Activities Make Math More Inclusive

by MiddleWeb · 06/02/2020

MiddleWeb is featuring excerpts from three new books edited by the  editorial team  of Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski, both teachers in Sacramento CA and co-authors of  The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox . Here’s our third article, from The Math Teacher’s Toolbox. Also see: Social Studies and Science .

By Bobson Wong and Larisa Bukalov

tiered activity examples

In our experience, the biggest obstacle to differentiating math instruction is figuring out how to do it effectively on a regular basis. In this article, we discuss one of our favorite differentiation techniques – tiered activities (sometimes called parallel tasks ).

In a tiered activity, we divide work into levels by complexity so that students with different levels of understanding on a topic can work simultaneously. We sequence work to move students through their zone of proximal development. The tasks are designed to be accessible enough so that students can use their past knowledge to understand it, but challenging enough so that students can extend their learning.

We typically use four or five levels since our students are used to seeing these scales on the state tests and AP exams that they take. The table below shows a brief description and example of each level.

tiered activity examples

Click to enlarge.

We fit our tiered lessons into the familiar framework of a whole-group introductory discussion, guided independent practice, and a whole-group summary. Our lessons have Do Now questions that are accessible to students based on their prior knowledge.

The class discussion of the Do Now activity leads into the lesson. Classwork problems range from the easiest questions in Level 1 to the hardest questions in Level 5. The lessons conclude with a summary question that students can answer individually as an exit ticket or with the class in a whole-group discussion.

Our classwork sheets contain all of the problems in the lesson. By providing all levels to everyone, students can monitor themselves, know what they need to do to improve to the next level, and work through the lesson at their own pace. Most of our students follow along with us while we discuss the lesson and do examples. After they become comfortable with the new material, many continue without our guidance, often working with a classmate.

Creating a Tiered Activity

To create a tiered lesson, we use the following steps:

1. Determine the goals and skills for the lesson. We typically take these from our unit plan.

2. Determine the Level 4 problems that are appropriate for those goals. Since Level 4 problems meet the standards for the lesson, we use them as our end goal. We refer to sources such as textbooks, websites, and end-of-year assessment questions to help us.

3. Adjust the Level 4 problems as necessary to match the skills and readiness of our students. Matching the levels to our students’ current skills and readiness is also critical to their social-emotional learning. If the Level 4 problems are too easy for our students, we may label them Level 3 so that students can get challenging work. If the Level 4 problems are too difficult, we may label them Level 5 or put them off into a future lesson to prevent students from getting too discouraged.

4. Identify three or four skills necessary to complete Level 4 problems. These skills help us determine the difficulty of Level 1 (one skill required), Level 2 (two skills required), and Level 3 (three or more skills required) problems.

5. Put an appropriate number of problems for each level. We typically put between two and four questions in each level, depending on the difficulty of the questions and the amount of time we have in class. This usually gives most students enough time and practice to reach Level 3 or 4.

6. If we have students that we believe can complete Level 4 problems and want an additional challenge, we create Level 5 problems. We often use textbooks for advanced courses or questions from math competitions as inspirations for Level 5 questions.

Advantages and Challenges of Tiered Activities

Tiered activities help students to engage in productive struggle , in which they actively work with little guidance on a task that is just beyond their abilities. When students struggle productively, they are not experiencing pointless frustration or practicing something that has just been demonstrated. If students see struggle as a necessary step towards eventual mastery, they are more likely to persist in academic endeavors , which helps promote a growth mindset.

Unfortunately, tiered activities don’t work for every lesson. They tend to work best for topics that require relatively little direct instruction so that students have enough time to work through the levels.

Tiered activities often require a great deal of time and energy to organize. Relying on textbooks and other sources that order questions by increasing difficulty (even if they don’t explicitly group problems by level) can make this task easier.

Despite these challenges, we believe that the many benefits of tiering make the effort worthwhile.

tiered activity examples

Share this:

Tags: Bobson Wong differentiation independent practive Larisa Bukalov math tiered activities whole group introduction whole-group summary

' src=

MiddleWeb is all about the middle grades, with great 4-8 resources, book reviews, and guest posts by educators who support the success of young adolescents. And be sure to subscribe to MiddleWeb SmartBrief for the latest middle grades news & commentary from around the USA.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

  • Popular Posts
  • Recent Posts
  • Recent Comments

tiered activity examples

Articles / Gifted

Lessons Learned from Gifted Neurodiverse Kids

tiered activity examples

Book Reviews / Reading

The Reading Strategies Book Gets an Update

tiered activity examples

Articles / Reading

Why Reader Response Is So Important for Students

tiered activity examples

Articles / Literacy

Teaching with a Wide Range of Digital Texts

tiered activity examples

Articles / Community Building

Promoting Student Art That Builds Team Spirit

tiered activity examples

Book Reviews / School Reform

Opportunities for Swift Achievement Gains

tiered activity examples

Articles / Student Support

Using Ambient Sound to Reduce Student Stress

tiered activity examples

Articles / Writing

Add Imaginative Writing to Your ELA Classroom

tiered activity examples

Book Reviews / Brain-based Teaching

Teaching for Retention, Application and Transfer

tiered activity examples

History & social studies / Resources

Black History Month All Year Long

tiered activity examples

Shakespeare: A Rite of Passage for 6th Graders

tiered activity examples

Brain Breaks / New Teacher Tips

Brain Breaks Relieve Stress & Boost Learning

tiered activity examples

Articles / Learning through Failure

Use Failure as a Tool to Empower Kids’ Learning

tiered activity examples

Articles / Feedback

Structure Feedback to Affirm Student Identity

tiered activity examples

Literacy / Wide Open Learning

6 Ways to Help Students Soak Up Difficult Texts

tiered activity examples

Stop Using These Four Words in Math Class

tiered activity examples

What We Can Do When Gifted Students Struggle

  • Daisy Hartwell says: Glad I stumbled upon this! Thank you, Jennifer!
  • Sunday Cummins says: Thank you! The "feedback on feedback" concept is helpful. Looking forward...
  • Sunday Cummins says: Thank you so much! Looking forward to reading this!
  • na7 whatsapp says: Loved the suggestions for fun and engaging reading extension activities! The...
  • Sharon Groleau says: Can we add carry and borrow to the list also and...

Sign Up & Receive the Latest News about Our Content…

Email address:

First Name:

Read our Privacy Policy

BOOK REVIEWS

tiered activity examples

Strategies to Adjust ‘Up’ What Students Know

tiered activity examples

Assuring Just, Inclusive Learning for Newcomers

tiered activity examples

Building Bridges That Cultivate Teacher Growth

tiered activity examples

SEL, Civic Engagement, & a Healthy Democracy

tiered activity examples

An Enhanced Edition of ‘When Kids Can’t Read’

tiered activity examples

Shifting to Asset-Based Literacy Assessments

tiered activity examples

Bringing the Science of Reading into Grades 3-5

tiered activity examples

Class Libraries to Inspire and Challenge Readers

tiered activity examples

Strategies to Integrate AI into Every Classroom

tiered activity examples

Preparing Our Students to Engage the World

tiered activity examples

A Playbook for Student and Teacher Well-Being

tiered activity examples

Culturally & Historically Responsive Classrooms

tiered activity examples

Filling Your Classroom with Deliberate Optimism

tiered activity examples

Add the Power of Poetry to All Your ELA Lessons

tiered activity examples

Genius Hour Can Ignite Innovation and Inquiry

tiered activity examples

Effective Literacy Walks Begin with Collaboration

tiered activity examples

Restoring the Joy and Possibility of Teaching

K-12 Resources By Teachers, For Teachers Provided by the K-12 Teachers Alliance

  • Teaching Strategies
  • Classroom Activities
  • Classroom Management
  • Technology in the Classroom
  • Professional Development
  • Lesson Plans
  • Writing Prompts
  • Graduate Programs

Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Learning Stations

Janelle cox.

  • September 26, 2014

Young students sitting at desks looking at tablets

Effective teachers are always looking for ways to help their students better process content, as well as seek different avenues that will help them demonstrate their understanding.

Differentiated instruction strategies allow teachers to empower and engage students by accommodating each of their different learning styles . One helpful tactic to employ  differentiated instruction strategies is called learning stations—a way to supply your class with multiple ways to learn and understand concepts. Much like a menu offers patrons a variety of options to satisfy their appetite, learning stations expose students to a variety of strategies and choices that address many learners’ needs.

Like tiered assignments, flexible grouping, and differentiated instruction as a whole, learning stations are fluid and can span multiple levels. This gives both students and teachers insight as to how a particular individual learns best. These stations offer young minds the opportunity to learn independently while keeping them engaged in the process.

The Difference Between Traditional and Differentiated Centers

For many teachers, learning stations (also called centers) are a staple in their classroom. Here we take a brief look at how traditional stations compare to differentiated ones.

  • Teachers base differentiated stations on  student assessment data , whereas a traditional station is based on whole-group instruction.
  • In a differentiated station, students work within  multilevel resources , whereas traditional station resources are not differentiated.
  • Differentiated stations have  tiered assignments , which include varied student responses, whereas a traditional learning station only has one level of response for all.
  • Differentiated stations have  tiered activities , whereas traditional stations do not.

Multilevel Center Activities

Multilevel center activities are teacher-planned tasks that are designed at three different levels —beginner, intermediate, and advanced — enabling students with diverse learning needs to challenge themselves accordingly. Here are three examples of differentiated learning station activities that you can implement into your classroom centers.

An  open-ended activity  is where all students in the group tackle the same assignment, but the end product will differ for beginner, intermediate, and advanced clusters. It’s a great technique because students will feel comfortable writing within their level.

Example:  Ask your students in a reading group to draw a picture of the main character. Afterwards, instruct them to write speech bubbles around the character describing what they might say.

A  tiered activity  is when students are doing the same activity, but it’s tiered according to their difficulty level.

Example:  Have your students play a game of memory. This game is easy to differentiate because you can have beginner students try to match a letter with its sound, while more advanced children can try and match a letter to a word. To differentiate this station, assign different bags of cards for each level, and direct specific students to the cards they should choose.

Learning menus , or choice boards, are varied activities that give students options on how they want to learn a concept. They often mimic a tic-tac-toe board where your classroom would pick three activities to complete (one from each row) to form a line. Differentiated instruction menus benefit all students because you can tailor each board to students’ readiness, learning styles, or interests, and kids think they are a lot of fun!

Example:  Set up an exciting learning menu for math with items like “design math flashcards” and “measure five things in the room”, or write math facts in expanded form and pay attention to how each of your students prefers to learn.

Today’s classrooms are not taught with “one-size-fits-all” teaching. Differentiated instruction—and learning stations specifically—allow you to meet the needs of  all  learners while maintaining high standards within groups or individually. When you match a variety of exciting activities to a student’s learning style and preference, magic happens.

  • #DifferentiatedInstruction , #LearningStations

More in Teaching Strategies

An older student uses a microscope in science class.

Getting Older Students Excited About Science Class

As students move into middle and high school, it becomes increasingly challenging for…

tiered activity examples

AI-Powered Lesson Planning: Revolutionizing the Way Teachers Create Content

Traditional teaching methods are evolving since technology has been integrated into classrooms across…

A group of high school students sit in a group with books, discussing with the help of a teacher.

How to Promote Civic Engagement through English and Math

Civic engagement provides excellent opportunities for students to serve others and their communities…

A group of students watch their teacher demonstrate in technical vocational training.

Helping Students Explore CTE Programs

If you have been in education for a while, especially secondary education, you…

6 Teaching Strategies to Differentiate Instruction

Hero Images / Getty Images

  • Classroom Organization
  • Reading Strategies
  • Becoming A Teacher
  • Assessments & Tests
  • Secondary Education
  • Special Education
  • Homeschooling
  • M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
  • B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

Research shows that one of the most effective ways to meet all learners' needs is to differentiate instruction . Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies because it allows them to engage their students by accommodating each unique learning style. However, when you have a large group of students, it can be tough to keep up with each child’s individual needs. It takes time to come up with and implement differentiated activities. To help keep the workload manageable, teachers have tried a variety of strategies, from tiered assignments to choice boards. Try teacher-tested teaching strategies to differentiate instruction in your elementary classroom. 

Choice Board

Choice boards are activities that give students options as to what activities to complete to meet class requirements. A great example of this comes from a third-grade teacher named Mrs. West. She uses choice boards with her third-grade students because she feels it is the easiest way to differentiate instruction while keeping students engaged. While choice boards can be set up in a variety of ways (student interest, ability, learning style, etc.), Mrs. West chooses to set up her choice boards by using the Multiple Intelligence Theory . She sets up the choice board like a tic tac toe board. In each box, she writes a different activity and asks her students to choose one activity from each row. The activities vary in content, product, and process. Here are examples of the types of tasks she uses on her students' choice board:

  • Verbal/Linguistic: Write instructions on how to use your favorite gadget.
  • Logical/Mathematical: Design a map of your bedroom.
  • Visual/Spatial: Create a comic strip.
  • Interpersonal: Interview a friend or your best friend.
  • Free Choice
  • Body-Kinesthetic: Make up a game.
  • Musical: Write a song.
  • Naturalist: Conduct an experiment.
  • Intrapersonal: Write about the future.

Learning Menu

Learning menus are much like choice boards, whereas students have the opportunity to choose which tasks on the menu that they would like to complete. However, the learning menu is unique in that it actually takes the form of a menu. Instead of having a nine-square grid with nine unique choices on it, the menu can have an unlimited amount of choices for the students to choose from. You can also set up your menu in a variety of ways, as mentioned above. Here is an example of a spelling homework learning menu:

Students choose one from each category.

  • Appetizer: Sort spelling words into categories. Choose three spelling words to define and highlight all vowels.
  • Entree: Use all spelling words to write a story. Write a poem using five spelling words or write a sentence for each spelling word.
  • Dessert: Write your spelling words in alphabetical order. Create a word search using at least five words or use a mirror to write your spelling words backward. 

Tiered Activities

In a tiered activity, all students are working on the same activity but the activity is differentiated according to ability level. A great example of this type of tiered strategy is in an elementary school classroom where kindergartners are at the reading center. An easy way to differentiate learning without the students even knowing it is to have the students play the game Memory. This game is easy to differentiate because you can have beginning students try to match a letter with its sound, while the more advanced students can try and match a letter to a word. To differentiate this station, have different bags of cards for each level and direct specific students to which cards they should choose from. To make differentiation invisible, color-code the bags and tell each student which color he or she should choose.

Another example of tiered activities is to break the assignment into three sections using varied levels of tasks. Here is an example of a basic tiered activity:

  • Tier One (Low): Describe how the character acts.
  • Tier Two (Middle): Describe the changes the character went through.
  • Tier Three (High): Describe the clues that the author gives about the character.

Many elementary school teachers find that this differentiated instructional strategy is an effective way for students to reach the same goals while taking into account each student's individual needs.

Adjusting Questions

Many teachers find that an effective questioning strategy is to use adjusted questions to help differentiate instruction. The way this strategy works is simple: use Bloom's Taxonomy to develop questions starting with the most basic level, then move toward the more advanced levels. Students at varying levels are able to answer questions on the same topic but at their own level. Here is an example of how teachers can use adjusted questing to differentiate an activity:

For this example, the students had to read a paragraph, then answer a question that was tiered to their level.

  • Basic learner: Describe what happened after...
  • Advanced learner: Can you explain why...
  • More Advanced learner: Do you know of another situation where...

Flexible Grouping

Many teachers who differentiate instruction in their classroom find flexible grouping an effective method of differentiation because it provides students with the opportunity to work with other students who may have a similar learning style , readiness, or interest as them. Depending on the purpose of the lesson, teachers can plan their activities based on students’ attributes, then use flexible grouping to group them accordingly.

The key to making flexible grouping effective is making sure the groups are not static. It's important that teachers continually conduct assessments throughout the year and move students among the groups as they master skills. Often, teachers tend to group students according to their ability at the beginning of the school year and then forget to change the groups or do not think they need to. This is not an effective strategy and will only hinder students from progressing.

The Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy is another effective method to differentiate instruction. In order for this strategy to be effective, students must work together with their classmates to complete an assignment. Here's how to works: Students are divided into small groups and each student is assigned one task. This is where the differentiation comes in. Each child within the group is responsible for learning one thing, then bringing the information that they learned back to their group to teach their peers. The teacher can differentiate learning by choosing what, and how, each student in the group will learn the information. Here is an example of what a jigsaw learning group looks like:

Students are divided into groups of five. Their task is to research Rosa Parks. Each student within the group is given a task that suits their unique learning style. Here is an example.

  • Student 1: Create a fake interview with Rosa Parks and find out about her early life.
  • Student 2: Create a song about the Montgomery bus boycott.
  • Student 3: Write a journal entry about Rosa Parks' life as a civil rights pioneer.
  • Student 4: Create a game that tells facts about racial discrimination.
  • Student 5: Create a poster about Rosa Parks' legacy and death.

In today's elementary schools, classrooms are not taught with a “one size fits all” approach. Differentiated instruction allows teachers to meet the needs of all learners while still maintaining high standards and expectations for their students. Whenever you teach a concept in a variety of different modalities, you increase the chances that you will reach each and every student.

  • 10 Ways to Keep Your Class Interesting
  • Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Equity and Engagement
  • Differentiated Instruction and Assessment
  • Methods for Presenting Subject Matter
  • Essential Core Teaching Strategies
  • 5 Minute Activities for Elementary School Teachers
  • The Inclusive Classroom as the Best Placement
  • Whole Group Discussion Pros and Cons
  • Using Effective Instructional Strategies
  • Ice Breakers for the First Day of Elementary School
  • 10 Learning Strategies to Use in Your Classroom
  • 5 Keys to Being a Successful Teacher
  • A Review of Reading Eggspress
  • Differentiating Instruction for Success in Special Education
  • 5 Successful Review Activities for Elementary Students
  • 10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Design Your Educational Philosophy

Resilient Educator logo

ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, what is differentiated instruction examples of how to differentiate instruction in the classroom.

What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom

Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, every student has an individual learning style. Chances are, not all of your students grasp a subject in the same way or share the same level of ability. So how can you better deliver your lessons to reach everyone in class? Consider differentiated instruction—a method you may have heard about but haven’t explored, which is why you’re here. In this article, learn exactly what it means, how it works, and the pros and cons.

Infographic: What is differentiated instruction? Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Four ways to differentiate instruction: Content, product, process, and learning environment. Pros and cons of differentiated instruction.

Definition of differentiated instruction

Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Research on the effectiveness of differentiation shows this method benefits a wide range of students, from those with learning disabilities to those who are considered high ability.

Differentiating instruction may mean teaching the same material to all students using a variety of instructional strategies, or it may require the teacher to deliver lessons at varying levels of difficulty based on the ability of each student.

Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may:

  • Design lessons based on students’ learning styles.
  • Group students by shared interest, topic, or ability for assignments.
  • Assess students’ learning using formative assessment.
  • Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment.
  • Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students’ needs.

History of differentiated instruction

The roots of differentiated instruction go all the way back to the days of the one-room schoolhouse, where one teacher had students of all ages in one classroom. As the educational system transitioned to grading schools, it was assumed that children of the same age learned similarly. However in 1912, achievement tests were introduced, and the scores revealed the gaps in student’s abilities within grade levels.

In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that children with disabilities had equal access to public education. To reach this student population, many educators used differentiated instruction strategies. Then came the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2000, which further encouraged differentiated and skill-based instruction—and that’s because it works. Research by educator Leslie Owen Wilson supports differentiating instruction within the classroom, finding that lecture is the least effective instructional strategy, with only 5 to 10 percent retention after 24 hours. Engaging in a discussion, practicing after exposure to content, and teaching others are much more effective ways to ensure learning retention.

Four ways to differentiate instruction

According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instruction through four ways: 1) content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment.

As you already know, fundamental lesson content should cover the standards of learning set by the school district or state educational standards. But some students in your class may be completely unfamiliar with the concepts in a lesson, some students may have partial mastery, and some students may already be familiar with the content before the lesson begins.

What you could do is differentiate the content by designing activities for groups of students that cover various levels of  Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of levels of intellectual behavior going from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills). The six levels are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Students who are unfamiliar with a lesson could be required to complete tasks on the lower levels: remembering and understanding. Students with some mastery could be asked to apply and analyze the content, and students who have high levels of mastery could be asked to complete tasks in the areas of evaluating and creating.

Examples of differentiating activities:

  • Match vocabulary words to definitions.
  • Read a passage of text and answer related questions.
  • Think of a situation that happened to a character in the story and a different outcome.
  • Differentiate fact from opinion in the story.
  • Identify an author’s position and provide evidence to support this viewpoint.
  • Create a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the lesson.

Each student has a preferred learning style, and successful differentiation includes delivering the material to each style: visual, auditory and kinesthetic, and through words. This process-related method also addresses the fact that not all students require the same amount of support from the teacher, and students could choose to work in pairs, small groups, or individually. And while some students may benefit from one-on-one interaction with you or the classroom aide, others may be able to progress by themselves. Teachers can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs.

Examples of differentiating the process:

  • Provide textbooks for visual and word learners.
  • Allow auditory learners to listen to audio books.
  • Give kinesthetic learners the opportunity to complete an interactive assignment online.

The product is what the student creates at the end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of the content. This can be in the form of tests, projects, reports, or other activities. You could assign students to complete activities that show mastery of an educational concept in a way the student prefers, based on learning style.

Examples of differentiating the end product:

  • Read and write learners write a book report.
  • Visual learners create a graphic organizer of the story.
  • Auditory learners give an oral report.
  • Kinesthetic learners build a diorama illustrating the story.

4. Learning environment

The conditions for optimal learning include both physical and psychological elements. A flexible classroom layout is key, incorporating various types of furniture and arrangements to support both individual and group work. Psychologically speaking, teachers should use classroom management techniques that support a safe and supportive learning environment.

Examples of differentiating the environment:

  • Break some students into reading groups to discuss the assignment.
  • Allow students to read individually if preferred.
  • Create quiet spaces where there are no distractions.

Pros and cons of differentiated instruction

The benefits of differentiation in the classroom are often accompanied by the drawback of an ever-increasing workload. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

  • Research shows differentiated instruction is effective for high-ability students as well as students with mild to severe disabilities.
  • When students are given more options on how they can learn material, they take on more responsibility for their own learning.
  • Students appear to be more engaged in learning, and there are reportedly fewer discipline problems in classrooms where teachers provide differentiated lessons.
  • Differentiated instruction requires more work during lesson planning, and many teachers struggle to find the extra time in their schedule.
  • The learning curve can be steep and some schools lack professional development resources.
  • Critics argue there isn’t enough research to support the benefits of differentiated instruction outweighing the added prep time.

Differentiated instruction strategies

What differentiated instructional strategies can you use in your classroom? There are a set of methods that can be tailored and used across the different subjects. According to Kathy Perez (2019) and the Access Center those strategies are tiered assignments, choice boards, compacting, interest centers/groups, flexible grouping, and learning contracts. Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but have the students create a different product to display their knowledge based on their comprehension skills. Choice boards allow students to choose what activity they would like to work on for a skill that the teacher chooses. On the board are usually options for the different learning styles; kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and tactile. Compacting allows the teacher to help students reach the next level in their learning when they have already mastered what is being taught to the class. To compact the teacher assesses the student’s level of knowledge, creates a plan for what they need to learn, excuses them from studying what they already know, and creates free time for them to practice an accelerated skill.

Interest centers or groups are a way to provide autonomy in student learning. Flexible grouping allows the groups to be more fluid based on the activity or topic.  Finally, learning contracts are made between a student and teacher, laying out the teacher’s expectations for the necessary skills to be demonstrated and the assignments required components with the student putting down the methods they would like to use to complete the assignment. These contracts can allow students to use their preferred learning style, work at an ideal pace and encourages independence and planning skills. The following are strategies for some of the core subject based on these methods.

Differentiated instruction strategies for math

  • Provide students with a choice board. They could have the options to learn about probability by playing a game with a peer, watching a video, reading the textbook, or working out problems on a worksheet.
  • Teach mini lessons to individuals or groups of students who didn’t grasp the concept you were teaching during the large group lesson. This also lends time for compacting activities for those who have mastered the subject.
  • Use manipulatives, especially with students that have more difficulty grasping a concept.
  • Have students that have already mastered the subject matter create notes for students that are still learning.
  • For students that have mastered the lesson being taught, require them to give in-depth, step-by-step explanation of their solution process, while not being rigid about the process with students who are still learning the basics of a concept if they arrive at the correct answer.

Differentiated instruction strategies for science

  • Emma McCrea (2019) suggests setting up “Help Stations,” where peers assist each other. Those that have more knowledge of the subject will be able to teach those that are struggling as an extension activity and those that are struggling will receive.
  • Set up a “question and answer” session during which learners can ask the teacher or their peers questions, in order to fill in knowledge gaps before attempting the experiment.
  • Create a visual word wall. Use pictures and corresponding labels to help students remember terms.
  • Set up interest centers. When learning about dinosaurs you might have an “excavation” center, a reading center, a dinosaur art project that focuses on their anatomy, and a video center.
  • Provide content learning in various formats such as showing a video about dinosaurs, handing out a worksheet with pictures of dinosaurs and labels, and providing a fill-in-the-blank work sheet with interesting dinosaur facts.

Differentiated instruction strategies for ELL

  • ASCD (2012) writes that all teachers need to become language teachers so that the content they are teaching the classroom can be conveyed to the students whose first language is not English.
  • Start by providing the information in the language that the student speaks then pairing it with a limited amount of the corresponding vocabulary in English.
  •  Although ELL need a limited amount of new vocabulary to memorize, they need to be exposed to as much of the English language as possible. This means that when teaching, the teacher needs to focus on verbs and adjectives related to the topic as well.
  • Group work is important. This way they are exposed to more of the language. They should, however, be grouped with other ELL if possible as well as given tasks within the group that are within their reach such as drawing or researching.

Differentiated instruction strategies for reading

  • Tiered assignments can be used in reading to allow the students to show what they have learned at a level that suites them. One student might create a visual story board while another student might write a book report. 
  • Reading groups can pick a book based on interest or be assigned based on reading level
  • Erin Lynch (2020) suggest that teachers scaffold instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals. Verbally and visually explain the topic. Use anchor charts, drawings, diagrams, and reference guides to foster a clearer understanding. If applicable, provide a video clip for students to watch.
  • Utilize flexible grouping. Students might be in one group for phonics based on their assessed level but choose to be in another group for reading because they are more interested in that book.

Differentiated instruction strategies for writing

  • Hold writing conferences with your students either individually or in small groups. Talk with them throughout the writing process starting with their topic and moving through grammar, composition, and editing.
  • Allow students to choose their writing topics. When the topic is of interest, they will likely put more effort into the assignment and therefore learn more.
  • Keep track of and assess student’s writing progress continually throughout the year. You can do this using a journal or a checklist. This will allow you to give individualized instruction.
  • Hand out graphic organizers to help students outline their writing. Try fill-in-the-blank notes that guide the students through each step of the writing process for those who need additional assistance.
  • For primary grades give out lined paper instead of a journal. You can also give out differing amounts of lines based on ability level. For those who are excelling at writing give them more lines or pages to encourage them to write more. For those that are still in the beginning stages of writing, give them less lines so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Differentiated instruction strategies for special education

  • Use a multi-sensory approach. Get all five senses involved in your lessons, including taste and smell!
  • Use flexible grouping to create partnerships and teach students how to work collaboratively on tasks. Create partnerships where the students are of equal ability, partnerships where once the student will be challenged by their partner and another time they will be pushing and challenging their partner.
  • Assistive technology is often an important component of differential instruction in special education. Provide the students that need them with screen readers, personal tablets for communication, and voice recognition software.
  • The article Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers suggests teachers be flexible when giving assessments “Posters, models, performances, and drawings can show what they have learned in a way that reflects their personal strengths”. You can test for knowledge using rubrics instead of multiple-choice questions, or even build a portfolio of student work. You could also have them answer questions orally.
  • Utilize explicit modeling. Whether its notetaking, problem solving in math, or making a sandwich in home living, special needs students often require a step-by-step guide to make connections.

References and resources

  • https://www.thoughtco.com/differentiation-instruction-in-special-education-3111026
  • https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/differentiation-techniques-for-special-education
  • https://www.solutiontree.com/blog/differentiated-reading-instruction/
  • https://www.readingrockets.org/article/differentiated-instruction-reading
  • https://www.sadlier.com/school/ela-blog/13-ideas-for-differentiated-reading-instruction-in-the-elementary-classroom
  • https://inservice.ascd.org/seven-strategies-for-differentiating-instruction-for-english-learners/
  • https://www.cambridge.org/us/education/blog/2019/11/13/three-approaches-differentiation-primary-science/
  • https://www.brevardschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6174&dataid=8255&FileName=Differentiated_Instruction_in_Secondary_Mathematics.pdf

Books & Videos about differentiated instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson and others

  • The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition
  • Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau
  • The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, and Lane Narvaez
  • Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades K-5: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades 5–9: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades 9–12: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland
  • Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan
  • How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Tonya R. Moon
  • How To Differentiate Instruction In Mixed Ability Classrooms 2nd Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson 
  • Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom Paperback – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Tonya R. Moon
  • Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (Professional Development) 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
  • The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning 1st Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, Lane Narvaez
  • Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom  – David A. Sousa, Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Leading for Differentiation: Growing Teachers Who Grow Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Michael Murphy
  • An Educator’s Guide to Differentiating Instruction. 10th Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, James M. Cooper
  • A Differentiated Approach to the Common Core: How do I help a broad range of learners succeed with a challenging curriculum? – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
  • Managing a Differentiated Classroom: A Practical Guide – Carol Tomlinson, Marcia Imbeau
  • Differentiating Instruction for Mixed-Ability Classrooms: An ASCD Professional Inquiry Kit Pck Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Using Differentiated Classroom Assessment to Enhance Student Learning (Student Assessment for Educators) 1st Edition – Tonya R. Moon, Catherine M. Brighton, Carol A. Tomlinson
  • The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson

You may also like to read

  • Creative Academic Instruction: Music Resources for the Classroom
  • How Teachers Use Student Data to Improve Instruction
  • Advice on Positive Classroom Management that Works
  • Five Skills Online Teachers Need for Classroom Instruction
  • 3 Examples of Effective Classroom Management
  • Advice on Improving your Elementary Math Instruction

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Curriculum and Instruction ,  Diversity ,  Engaging Activities ,  New Teacher ,  Pros and Cons

  • Certificates in Administrative Leadership
  • Trauma-Informed Practices in School: Teaching...
  • Certificates for Reading Specialist
  • Language Arts
  • Creating Tiered Lesson Plans for Language Arts

By using tiered lesson plans you can meet each student's individual learning needs.

By Dawn Dodson

Tiered Lesson Plans

While this might not be true for everyone, I find that one of the most challenging aspects in teaching is consistently meeting each individual student’s needs. Although this seems like something simple and obvious to do, for me it means being able to provide challenges for each student at every ability level, in each of my middle school language arts classes, every day. With a minimum of sixty-five students, at times this can be overwhelming. Learning how to create tiered lesson plans allowed me to find a solution to this challenge.   

How to Create a Tiered Lesson Plan

“Where do I begin?” This was a question I asked myself and countless others during my first years of teaching. I’ll never forget meeting my first class. The students in my class had a reading level range of eighth grade to kindergarten. Even with an intervention specialist willing to jump into co-teaching, we were both inundated with the numerous needs presented by each student. Some students were barely able to decode, while others were in need of enrichment and more challenging projects. This was when I began to study and utilize tiered lesson planning. For me, it was, and currently is, a method to organize, plan, and execute lessons in which students are all being taught the same concept(s) at different learning levels.

In order to begin organizing my lesson, I first chose a learning objective. I then turn to pre-assessments that allow me to identify and group students who have similar needs. Depending upon the learning objective, content, and class projects/work, student learning levels/needs can be mixed within each group. My pre-assessments can be as formal as a quiz or test, or as informal as a journal entry, exit slip, anticipation guide, or survey. Once my groups are established, I use a graphic organizer to plan the specific activities/work students will be required to participate in and complete. I searched and experimented with many templates, but the one I chose was quite simple. It defines the learning objective and state-defined learning indicator at the top of the page, and then has three blocks for the three different assignments within the lesson. In each block I define the group activity/work and the assessment of the objective. There are many lesson plan templates available online to assist in organizing a tiered lesson, and I continue to edit my template depending upon what I want to use it for. Here is one example of a lesson template:

Once I began organizing lessons according to learning needs, the next hurdle was designing classroom activities and assignments that would allow each group to successfully learn the content/concept, and also feel sufficiently challenged. For example, if my learning objective is, “Students will learn to identify and use homophones correctly in writing”, I would come up with three activities that would meet student learning levels within this objective.

  • The Tier 1 activity may be to have students read and highlight homophones in a passage
  • The Tier 2 activity may be to read a passage, and highlight and define the various homophones in a passage
  • The Tier 3 group might create a list of the most commonly misused homophones and compose a short story in which they demonstrate the correct usage of homophones.

How to Make Everyone Feel Successful

The next issue takes place during class—how does the instructor execute the tiered lesson without making students feel as if there is a “dumb group” and a “smart group”? In part, I believe this is a reflection of the overall class environment; my students are not always in groups, or when they are, they are not always in the same group. I have a fluid learning environment that changes daily; however, creating tiered lesson plans is an important step in meeting individual student learning needs. Here are more ideas to help meet students learning needs with tiered lesson plans.

Tiered Lesson Plan Ideas:

Differentiated Instruction Organizer

This is a lesson plan template that can help anyone carefully organize any content lesson and activities that meet the needs of all learners. Although this template has a prepared letter writing lesson, this template can be used with any content at any grade level.      

Graphic Organizers for Good Science Reading and Writing

This is a lesson to help students read informational text effectively. I like this lesson because it provides many different kinds of graphic organizers that can be utilized within a tiered lesson plan.

From Graphic Organizer to Composition

This writing lesson allows students to use a variety of graphic organizers to plan and help write a composition. This lesson can also be used at the beginning of the year in order to allow students to explore and discover the best pre-writing organizer for their personal needs and writing style.

Graphic Organizers

This lesson helps students understand the purpose of using graphic organizers. I find this lesson helpful for students to identify the type of organizer that works best for them.

Start Your 10-Day Free Trial

  • Search 350,000+ online teacher resources.
  • Find lesson plans, worksheets, videos, and more.
  • Inspire your students with great lessons.

Language Arts Guide

tiered activity examples

Dawn Dodson

Lesson Search Terms

  • "Lesson Plans"
  • Social Skills Lesson Plans
  • Map Skills Lesson Plans
  • Spanish Lesson Plans
  • Short Vowel Lesson Plans
  • Common Nouns Lesson Plans
  • Graphing Skills Lesson Plans

Recent Language Arts Articles

  • Why Is Language Important?
  • Enhance Instruction with Essential Questions
  • Using Student Exemplars to Maximize Writing Success
  • Spice Up Informational Writing Instruction
  • 2differentiate

log in help

  • Pages & Files

Tiered Instructions:

Based on work by Carol Ann Tomlinson

Powerpoint from: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/.../ Tiered Instr.ppt

Basic Information from http://www.derry.k12.nh.us/dvs/staff/cmccallum/differentiation/tiered.pdf

Tiered Assignments

In a differentiated classroom, a teacher uses varied levels of tasks to ensure that students explore ideas and use skills at a level that builds on what they already know and encourages growth. While students work at varied degrees of difficulty on their tasks, they all explore the same essential ideas and work at different levels of thought. Groups eventually come together to share and learn from each other.

Tiered assignments should be:

  • -Different work, not simply more or less work
  • -Equally active
  • -Equally interesting and engaging
  • -Fair in terms of work expectations and time needed
  • -Requiring the use of key concepts, skills, or ideas

Basic Tiered Activity

Example: Completing a Character Map

Tier 1. (Low)

-How the character looks

-What the character says

-How the character thinks or acts

-The most important thing to know about the character

Tier 2. (Middle)

-What the character says or does

-What the character really means to say or do

-What goals does the character have

-What the character would mostly like us to know about him or her

-What changes the character went through

Tier 3. (High)

-Clues the author gives us about the character

-Why the author gives these clues

-The author’s bottom line about this character

Tiered Activities

Tiering can be based on challenge level, complexity, resources, outcome, process, or product. (Heacox, 2002)

1. Tiering by Challenge Level:

Use Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide to develop tasks at various

challenge levels.

Elementary activities for book talk presentations.

Lower levels of Blooms:

  • -List story elements (knowledge)
  • -Book summary (comprehension)
  • -Support a conclusion about a character with evidence from the book (application)

Higher levels of Blooms:

  • -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.

After whole group class reading of a current events issue in the Time for Kids magazine such as global warming, students complete a related activity differentiated by complexity.

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.

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, each side expressing a different viewpoint. The 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, (such as find five examples of contributions made by Native Americans ), or they may be working on a different, but related activity. (such as one group researching plants of the desert, while another

researches animals of the desert).

4. Tiering by Outcome:

Students all use the same materials, but what they do with the

materials is different.

Example: Pattern block Math

  • Identify all the ways you can group your pattern blocks.
  • Identify all the different patterns you can make with your pattern blocks.
  • 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.

Example: What are the characteristics of a hero?

  • Make a chart of specific heroes and what they did to make them become a hero.
  • Choose two or three heroes and compare them in a Venn diagram.
  • 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.

Example: For a unit on the solar system, Study of rotation and revolution

of the earth.

  • Create a flip book, diagram, or model showing the rotation of the earth around the sun (visual-spatial)

Position and move three people to demonstrate the concept of revolution and rotation of the earth with respect to

the moon and sun. (bodily-kinesthetic)

  • Make a timeline of a year detailing the position of the New Hampshire with respect to the sun. (logical-mathematical)

References:

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom, Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development, (ASCD).

Tiered Activity Resources:

For more ideas and specific tiered activities that you can use in your classroom, check out the following resources, available in the PACE

department at Derry Village School: Coil, C. (2004). Standards-Based Activities and Assessments for the

Differentiated Classroom. Pieces of Learning.

Davidson, K. and T. Decker. (2006). Bloom’s and Beyond: Higher Level Questions and Activities for the Creative Classroom. Pieces

of Learning.

Tomlinson, C. (2003). Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and

Curriculum Development, (ASCD).

Witherell, N. and M. McMackin. (2002). Graphic Organizers and Activities for Differentiated Instruction in Reading. New York, NY:

Scholastic.

The following web sites can provide further information and examples.

Best Practices: Instructional Strategies and Techniques

http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/tiered/index.html

Tiered Lesson Plans

http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/welcome.html  

Tiered Instruction

http://www.derry.k12.nh.us/dvs/staff/cmccallum/differentiation/tiered.pdf

Tiered Instructions

Comments ( 0 ).

You don't have permission to comment on this page.

PBworks / Help Terms of use / Privacy policy / GDPR

About this workspace Contact the owner / RSS feed / This workspace is public

Stem & Maker General   

  Home_Page

Technology Integration  

Convert from paper to technology: 

Webtools .

Technology Instructions and Tutorials

  • Interesting Ways to use Technology   
  • Google Earth - creating a tour and adding placemarks
  • Paper Slide video  
  • Photostory Instructions
  • Timeline in Excel Instructions

Professional Development - free, or online

  • Classroom 2.0 - session calendar

Intro_Differentiation

  • Maker projects  
  • Making Curriculum Pop - Teacher Resource
  • Differentiation_Strategies  
  • Jigsaw - Flexible Grouping   
  • Learning Environment
  • Learning Centers
  • Learning Stations
  • Intrinsic Motivation   
  • Book Report-MultiMedia
  • Project Rubrics creator  
  • Rafts Rubric
  • Quiz online with results
  • Web 2.0 rubrics
  • Foreign Language
  • Language Arts
  • Social Studies/History
  • Organization
  • Choice_Board
  • Compacting Curriculum
  • Direct Instruction
  • * Interactive Presentation
  • Highlighted Print Materials
  • *  Global Projects  
  • * Google Earth
  • Learning Contracts
  • Mini Lesson or Re-teaching
  • Note-taking
  • * Online Course - Create one  
  • Scaffold Curriculum

By Process , 

  • Anchor Activities
  • Choice Boards
  • * Collaboration  
  • *  Global Projects
  • Graphic Organizers
  • Highlighted Print Materials  
  • Layered Curriculum  
  • Learning Stations /Centers
  • Learning Contract
  • Literature Circles
  • Problem Based Learning
  • Tiered Instructions
  • Think Dots
  • Think-Pair-Share

* indicates interactive technology infused methods used 

STEM & Maker projects Science Technology Engineering Mathematics - Real world job skills

  • General websites
  • Maker  
  • Science  
  • Technology 
  • Engineering 
  • Math  

Samples and Presentations

  • Student Samples

Teacher Content Samples 

Conference Presentation

Cool Stuff:

Making life easier for the teacher:

* Resources binder  LiveBinders  

Resources &  Bibliography 

Recent Activity

IMAGES

  1. Using Color To Help You Tier Differentiated Activities

    tiered activity examples

  2. Tiered Activities for Early Elementary English Learners

    tiered activity examples

  3. 👍 Tiered assignments differentiated instruction. Specific Teaching

    tiered activity examples

  4. Tiered Vocabulary: What Is It, and Why Does It Matter?

    tiered activity examples

  5. PPT

    tiered activity examples

  6. Using Color To Help You Tier Differentiated Activities

    tiered activity examples

VIDEO

  1. Monkey man activity 2 #funny#24fitness#duet#foryou #reels

  2. Who Am I? Activity in Classroom #Who I am activity for students#@M( BrainTree

  3. Activity examples: Seasons workbook

  4. Activity examples: Transport workbook week 4

  5. Activity examples: Vacation workbook week 2

  6. Activity examples: Transport workbook week 2

COMMENTS

  1. Using Tiered Instruction To Maximize Student Outcomes

    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.

  2. Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Tiered Assignments

    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. Complexity

  3. Tiered Instruction Basics, Sections & Examples

    Lesson Transcript Author Kelly Carroll View bio Instructor Sharon Linde View bio Learn about tiered instruction and its importance. Study tiered learning strategies and see how to create a...

  4. Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

    Think of a wedding cake with tiers of varying sizes. Many examples of lessons tiered in readiness have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. ... the activities for each tier in the sample lesson, beginning in Tier I and moving through Tier III, differ from concrete to abstract and from simple to complex, to use ...

  5. PDF Tiered Activities

    Author Bruce Campbell's examples are organized from least complex to most complex (least challenging to most challenging). Keep in mind that when tiering lessons, there is no set number of tiers. There may be as few as two or as many as six tiers, according to Campbell. Animal Farm Tiers: Describe the novel's basic symbolism.

  6. PDF Developing a Tiered Activity

    Learning Profile Talents Create an activity that is: Interesting High level Causes students to use key skill(s) to understand key ideas Chart the complexity of the activity on the equalizer: - Low skill/complexity to high skill/complexity Clone the activity as needed to ensure challenge and success for your students. Think about:

  7. PDF Tiered Assignments In a differentiated classroom

    1. Tiering by Challenge Level: Use Bloom's taxonomy as a guide to develop tasks at various challenge levels. Example: Elementary activities for book talk presentations. Lower levels of Blooms: -List story elements (knowledge) -Book summary (comprehension) -Support a conclusion about a character with evidence from the book (application)

  8. 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 ...

  9. What Is Differentiated Instruction?

    Examples of differentiating process or activities at the elementary level include the following: Using tiered activities through which all learners work with the same important understandings and skills, but proceed with different levels of support, challenge, or complexity;

  10. EduTip 6: Try a tiered activity for simple differentiation

    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.

  11. Tiered Activities Make Math More Inclusive

    In this article, we discuss one of our favorite differentiation techniques - tiered activities (sometimes called parallel tasks ). In a tiered activity, we divide work into levels by complexity so that students with different levels of understanding on a topic can work simultaneously.

  12. PDF Planning a Tiered Activity

    Rationale and Purpose Th is tool provides teachers with a format for planning tiered activities, which are designed to help students at diff erent levels of readiness meet common KUD goals. Directions • Review the defi nition and purposes of tiered activities. • Distribute a copy of the tool to each teacher.

  13. Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Learning Stations

    A tiered activity is when students are doing the same activity, but it's tiered according to their difficulty level. Example: Have your students play a game of memory. This game is easy to differentiate because you can have beginner students try to match a letter with its sound, while more advanced children can try and match a letter to a word.

  14. Specific Teaching Strategies to Differentiate Instruction

    Tiered Activities . In a tiered activity, all students are working on the same activity but the activity is differentiated according to ability level. A great example of this type of tiered strategy is in an elementary school classroom where kindergartners are at the reading center. An easy way to differentiate learning without the students ...

  15. Differentiated Instruction: Examples & Classroom Strategies

    Examples of differentiating activities: Match vocabulary words to definitions. ... According to Kathy Perez (2019) and the Access Center those strategies are tiered assignments, choice boards, compacting, interest centers/groups, flexible grouping, and learning contracts. Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but have the ...

  16. Creating Tiered Lesson Plans for Language Arts

    Here is one example of a lesson template: Lesson Plan Title Learning objective: Indicator: TIER 1 Students: Activity/Assignment: Assessment: TIER 2 Students: Activity/Assignment: Assessment: TIER 3 Students:

  17. Tiered Activities and Assessments for Upper Elementary Students

    The Tier 1 presentation also has audio integrated for the modifications. The evidence of learning is also different in each tier of the example. Tier 1 students will have more scaffolds with sentence stems and a structured outline. Tier 2 students are given a checklist to help guide their final summary.

  18. Using Tiered Assignments for Differentiated Instruction

    Example: Briefly note the many different ways tiered assignments can be organized, such as by level or complexity. Letter Prompt: Imagine that you are a teacher, and you plan on using tiered...

  19. Designing a Tiered Science Lesson

    Designing a Tiered Science Lesson. by: Jenny Sue Flannagan. Free Offering. Add to Library & Open . Add to Wish List. ... NSTA Press produces classroom-ready activities, hands-on approaches to inquiry, relevant professional development, the latest scientific education news and research, assessment and standards-based instruction. ...

  20. Differentiation Instructional Strategies

    Differentiation <br /> Instructional Strategies

  21. 2differentiate / Tiered Instructions

    Tiered assignments should be: -Different work, not simply more or less work. -Equally active. -Equally interesting and engaging. -Fair in terms of work expectations and time needed. -Requiring the use of key concepts, skills, or ideas. Basic Tiered Activity. Example: Completing a Character Map. Tier 1.

  22. Tiering Tasks and Text

    Examples of Tiered Assignments Tiered Tasks. Spanish: ¿Qué es una familia? Tier A. familia_para_vos_video_tier_a.docx: File Size: 14 kb: File Type: docx: Download File. ... French leisure activities tiered text generic activity. french_leisure_infographic_activity.docx: File Size: 20 kb: File Type: docx:

  23. Tiered Lessons

    Definition/Synopsis: Tiered lessons are lessons which have different tiers of activities based upon the knowledge base of the learner. Once a student's foundational skills level has been determined via pre-assessment, students are given tasks (geared toward mastery of the same objective or standard) requiring various levels of depth.