#DifferentiationTips

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Tips for Differentiating Instruction in Your Classroom

Tips for Differentiating Instruction in Your Classroom - Instruction that is differentiated seeks to gain an understanding of the qualities, needs, and growth patterns of each student in order to support the creation of documents and resources that will shape the learning of each individual student within a group setting.  Its purpose is twofold first, to ensure that the opportunities for students to demonstrate what they have learnt are suitable for the various learning needs and preferences of the students second, to ensure that the content is connected to the students' interests third, to enable the deepest possible understanding of the essential knowledge and skills of the discipline and fourth, to remove any barriers that may hinder efforts towards achieving the goal.  It is vital to have clear expectations in accordance with the curriculum in order to ensure that the risk that the students are required to take is suitable for the learning that is being encouraged. This will increase the likelihood of success in moving forward and accomplishing the goals that have been proposed.

The material, the manner in which the student learns, and the manner in which they exhibit learning are the three fundamental qualities utilised in the process of differentiating education.  The information that students need to acquire or the skills that they need to develop are related to the subject that is being presented.  The term "the way students learn" refers to the process by which students comprehend the material that is being presented to them for the first time.  In the context of education, "demonstrating learning" refers to the comprehension of how students demonstrate what they have learnt.  The modifications that are made to these characteristics are determined by a number of different factors, including the level of support that students require in order to access the content, the level of complexity of the content, the skills, interests, and readiness levels of the learners in the class, the social aspects of the students' lives, culture, linguistics, and gender.

The Understanding of the Needs of Students

When you think of diversifying instruction, what are some of the things that come about?  Are you thinking of a great deal of preparation?  A great deal of materials?  Have you prepared a wide variety of lunches for your class?  Having a second helping of spaghetti on a daily basis?  Are there too many different ways that spaghetti can be combined for your class?  What steps can a teacher who puts in a lot of effort take to ensure that they are prepared to meet the demands of each and every student in their classroom?  Is it possible to cater to the requirements of your entire class, even if the students in your class have varying requirements about the English language, different academic levels, and varied emotional requirements?  Instructional differentiation may appear to be a challenging endeavour; but, if we approach it in a step-by-step manner, it will become more simpler to accomplish.  Additionally, it is possible that you may discover that it is effective for both you and your kids.

To begin, you need to ask a single straightforward question: "What is the style of my class?"  The way in which you identify yourself will be determined by the response to this one question.  It can appear to be easy, but in reality, it is not.  There are a big number of factors that you need to think about.  There are three primary areas in which you are looking for information on your students: their preparedness needs, their knowledge needs, and their affective needs.  Your students' emotional needs are referred to as their affective needs.  Do the two of them enjoy playing together?  Cooperative effort?  Would you rather spend time by yourself?  Do they have a fear of having to make mistakes?  What your students already know and what they need to learn in order to read and write are both examples of knowledge needs.

Modifying Both the Content and the Evaluations

Adapting content, which refers to the resources that students come into contact with throughout a learning experience, is the part of individualised instruction that is most readily apparent.  Differentiated classrooms should incorporate a wide range of resources, presenting concepts in a number of formats, such as through the use of print, audio, visual, and experiential learning alternatives.  As a result of the fact that units are not designed primarily for students to work independently, but rather that unit structure also incorporates opportunities for collaborative learning, an effective socially constructed classroom will encourage collaborators to take responsibility not only for their own learning but also for assisting with and augmenting the learning of others.  Adaptations to content materials should include, or relate to, suitable scaffolding that has been carefully constructed to make difficult, higher-level information accessible to learners who are having difficulty, as well as to enable students who are having difficulty to feel meaningful cognitive engagement with the topic. 

It is impossible to adequately differentiate education in the majority of classes when relying exclusively on a single textbook; textbooks are constrained and restrictive because of the necessity of the situation.  Both the modification of call numbers and the development of more extensive classroom collections should be taken into consideration. These collections should include primary and secondary sources, drama, art, cinema, materials written and illustrated by young people, and a variety of literary works.

The number of different adjustments that may be made is immense.  You might group together print resources that are at very comparable reading levels, offer some options for auditory learning such as read-alouds, audiobooks, or videos, and you might also offer some lessons in visual storytelling.  You might also consider providing options that are tailored to the respective strengths of your pupils in terms of how they use and express themselves through technology if you and your students have a sophisticated connection with technology.  Although the majority of the examples in this book highlight the use of print-based media, there are a variety of ways to combine multimedia resources into making teaching developmentally and instructional-linguistically relevant for students who are learning English.

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The True Meaning of Judgment: What Jesus Actually Taught

Far too often, there’s confusion around what Jesus truly meant when He taught not to judge others. To understand His message, it’s essential to distinguish between types of judgment—not all are equal, and not all are condemned.

There are judgments that are necessary, objective, and morally neutral—what we might call discernment or truth-based observation. These are made in order to accurately describe a situation or a person’s actions in light of evident facts. For instance, if someone openly embraces hateful ideologies—say, living in a home filled with Nazi paraphernalia and promoting hostility toward Jews or African Americans—it is not “judgmental” in the Christian sense to call that person racist. That is an objective assessment grounded in observable truth, not a personal condemnation born of malice. A just society relies on such clarity to function.

However, Jesus’ teachings go deeper than simply warning against calling wrong “wrong.” What He truly condemns is judgment as condescension towards anyone suffering—the kind that dehumanizes or dismisses someone for their actions, regardless of the suffering or desperation that may have motivated them. This is the critical distinction.

For example, a person who steals food to survive, or lies to secure shelter or safety, may be breaking social or legal codes—but their actions are driven by basic survival, not evil intent. To punish such a person instead of helping them is not justice; it is cruelty. Jesus’ message is a call to empathetic discernment—to look beyond the act and understand the human story behind it.

We must resist the urge to judge people harshly when their wrongdoing stems from deep need or suffering. Their actions should be seen not as an opportunity to condemn, but as an invitation to extend help and healing. In contrast, choosing punishment over compassion, especially within a broken system such as the prison industrial complex, only perpetuates cycles of suffering.

In short, you are not violating Jesus’ teaching by objectively identifying hate, racism, or injustice when it's clearly present. But you are judging in the way Jesus warned against when you write off the struggling, the poor, or the desperate—those who may behave in ways you don’t approve of simply because they are trying to survive.

To refrain from that kind of judgment is to walk in the shoes of another, to understand their pain, and to reflect Christ’s own compassion. When you choose mercy over condemnation, you’re aligning yourself with the heart of Jesus’ message: love over law, empathy over exclusion, healing over punishment.

If there’s a silver lining to judging others in casual and social conversations, it’s that it offers a rare glimpse into yourself—a mirror revealing what you may be unconsciously projecting. We constantly perceive ourselves in others. When you find yourself labeling someone as insensitive, inconsiderate, or selfish, those are not just criticisms of another person—they're prompts for self-reflection. More often than not, the very traits we condemn are reflections of unresolved parts of our own character.

This is where the deeper wisdom of Jesus' teachings comes into play. When you judge someone, pause and ask yourself: Is this a quality I, too, possess? If the answer is yes, then the next step is not further condemnation—but forgiveness. Forgive the other person for what you accused them of, not because they were innocent, but because they became a mirror to help you recognize something within yourself. This is the essence of Jesus’ prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

In everyday conversation, this self-projection is often casually acknowledged through phrases like “you’re projecting,” “look in the mirror,” or “pot calling the kettle black.” These statements, while sometimes said mockingly, are actually spiritual cues—flags from the universe urging you to engage in honest introspection. Instead of reacting defensively (as the ego tends to do), try receiving such moments with humility. They may be revealing truths about yourself that you've yet to fully face.

If, during an argument, you call someone selfish and later realize you were acting selfishly too, don’t linger in guilt. Forgive them, ask your Heavenly Father to forgive you, and move toward reconciliation. Extend grace: a kind word, a high five, a hug—something to restore peace and harmony.

Interestingly, the original translation of the Lord’s Prayer uses the word “debts” rather than “trespasses.” This suggests a transactional mindset—as if others "owe" us for their offenses. But the spiritual invitation here is to release all those perceived debts. No one owes you anything. Let it go. And ask your Father to forgive your debts, as you have forgiven theirs.

This process is sacred: recognizing projection, extending forgiveness, and asking the Holy Spirit for help to overcome the very faults you've identified in others. When you do this sincerely, the universe—aligned with divine will—begins to rearrange itself in support of your transformation. That is the quiet power of grace at work within you.

In Summary,

Many Christians misunderstand what Jesus meant when he spoke against judgment. Simply making an accurate, objective, or descriptive statement about someone is not what Jesus condemned. For instance, identifying someone as a racist based on their actions is not inherently judgmental in the way Jesus warned against. However, labeling someone as "annoying," "useless," "lazy," or hurling insults like “a-hole” are examples of the kind of condemnation Jesus cautioned his followers to avoid. These are not neutral observations—they are judgments on a person’s worth or character, often rooted in ego, contempt, or malice.

The problem lies not just in the act of making a judgment, but in the spirit behind it. Words like “judgment” have drifted in meaning over time, and this linguistic shift has led to confusion about the original teachings. In true Christianity, saying someone is a thief after they’ve been caught stealing is a factual statement. But accusing people who receive public assistance of being “leeches” or “crooks” is a moral condemnation—a projection of superiority, which is exactly the kind of judgment Jesus opposed.

Even calling someone a “sweetheart” while technically being a judgment—it is a statement about character—but one offered in love. Thus, it is not judgment alone that is discouraged, but the tone, intent, and spirit in which such judgments are made. Jesus did not forbid discernment, but he did forbid condemnation.

This is especially relevant when discussing marginalized communities. The judgment and rejection of the gay community by many who claim to follow Christ is a public and persistent betrayal of his core teaching: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” To declare someone evil, broken, or wrong simply for who they are is to step into the very role Jesus warned against—usurping the authority of God and dispensing condemnation in His name.

Using Scripture to justify hatred, exclusion, or violence is not only a misuse of the text—it is a rejection of the Spirit of God, who is love. Jesus never taught hatred. He never endorsed anger or violence. His way was mercy, compassion, and radical love. Homophobia and other forms of bigotry are not born of righteousness—they are byproducts of fear and ignorance.

Those we consider “different” or “abnormal” are not tests of our theology—they are tests of our love. They reveal whether we truly follow Jesus or merely use his name. To follow Christ is to bless, not curse; to love, not condemn. Any other path is a denial of the very heart of his message.

Source: The True Meaning of Judgment: What Jesus Actually Taught