Differentiated instruction is instruction that is tailored to individual students’ strengths and challenges. The essential skills are the same for all students. We differentiate instruction because each child has unique needs and should progress relative to his/her own abilities. The goal is to give all students access to the curriculum in a way that will allow them to be successful. Instruction can be differentiated by content, learning profile, and skill level.
The fifth grade differentiates by learning profile when they provide choice for post reading projects. One student may be a talented artist and want to create a collage. Another student may love to research and can take a topic from their guided reading book and learn about it further to write a report.