{"id":100001,"date":"2025-11-01T11:16:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T15:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ced.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=100001"},"modified":"2025-11-03T09:26:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T14:26:12","slug":"resources-for-educators-differentiating-instruction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ced.ncsu.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/01\/resources-for-educators-differentiating-instruction\/","title":{"rendered":"Resources for Educators: Differentiating Instruction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Strategies from Jordan Lukins, an assistant teaching professor of special education, and former elementary special education teacher, Pre-K-12 autism specialist and elementary resource teacher with the Alamance-Burlington School System. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \n Download tips as a PDF<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Four Tips for Differentiating Instruction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, isn\u2019t exactly differentiation, but it is a way to reduce how much we need to differentiate to address individual student needs. UDL is a proactive approach to planning instruction that is accessible and flexible from the start. By embracing the idea that \u201cwhat is necessary for one is beneficial for all,\u201d UDL involves building in options for all students instead of making individual adaptations for specific students. Some great ways to get started with UDL include presenting information to all students using a variety of formats (e.g., text, verbal, visual, video); offering different ways for students to engage with learning (e.g., working independently, with a partner, or in a smaller group; providing a menu of activity choices); and allowing students to show what they know in various forms (e.g., write a paper, give a presentation, create a project).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Use Flexible Grouping.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

 Flexible grouping is at the heart of good differentiation. Importantly, flexible grouping doesn\u2019t mean that students should always learn in homogeneous (or same-ability) groups. Although these groups can be necessary for providing targeted instruction to students with a common need, heterogeneous (or mixed-ability) groups are beneficial for problem solving tasks, general practice and activities based on shared interests. Teachers should change their groups frequently based on student data and learning goals. <\/p>\n\n\n