Differentiating Instruction

The ultimate guide to leaving no child behind—newly updated!

 

Now in its second edition, this best-selling book is your one-stop resource for differentiated instruction. Whether you’re new to the concept or just looking to improve your approach, you’ll find tools to meet the needs of all your students—in a way that works for you. You’ll discover how innovative approaches, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and retrofitting, can help you adapt general education curriculum to fit diverse learning styles.

 

Featuring case studies at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, this new edition offers

 

• More easy-to-use strategies to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms
• A new chapter on collaborative planning and evaluation, plus a discussion of co-teaching and differentiation
• Updated lesson plans tied to the Common Core
• A greater emphasis on cultural proficiency, ELLs, and gifted students
• New technology references and resources
• A strengthened link to RTI

 

Every student is different—and every classroom is different, too. With multiple options to differentiate instruction at any point along the way, this essential guide will help you create the path to success for every student.

"Thousand, Villa, and Nevin take three very big ideas in education—Universal Design, Collaboration, and Differentiated Instruction—and combine them in a novel and engaging way. And they practice what they preach – the information and examples speak to someone just beginning to differentiate instruction as well as the expert who wants to further refine his or her craft."

—Douglas Fisher, Professor

San Diego State University

 

"The extensive emphasis on technology, case studies, and lesson plans throughout the book provide a rich resource to the readers of this exciting text. Administrators, university instructors, and staff developers will find this a valuable tool to support their students and colleagues on their differentiation journey."

—Mary Falvey, Retired Dean and Professor Emeritus

California State University, Los Angeles

 

Jacqueline S. Thousand, Ph.D., is Professor Emerita at California State University San Marcos, where she designed and coordinated special education professional preparation and Master’s degree programs in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services. She previously taught at the University of Vermont, where she directed Inclusion Facilitator and Early Childhood Special Education graduate and postgraduate programs and coordinated federal grants, which, in the early 1980s, pioneered the inclusion of students with moderate and severe disabilities in general education classrooms of their local schools. Prior to university teacher, Dr. Thousand served as a special educator in Chicago area and Atlanta public schools and as the coordinator of early childhood special education services for children ages 3 through 6 in the Burlington, Vermont area. Dr. Thousand is a nationally known teacher, author, systems change consultant, and disability rights and inclusive education advocate. She is the author of 21 books and numerous research articles and chapters on issues related to inclusive education, organizational change strategies, differentiated instruction and universal design, co-teaching and collaborative teaming, cooperative group learning, creative problem solving, positive behavioral supports, and, now, culturally proficiency special education. Dr. Thousand is actively involved in international teacher education and inclusive education endeavors and serves on the editorial boards of several national and international journals. Learn more about Richard Villa′s PD offerings Richard A. Villa is president of Bayridge Consortium, Inc. His primary field of expertise is the development of administrative and instructional support systems for educating all students within general education settings. Villa is recognized as an educational leader who inspires and works collaboratively with others to implement current and emerging exemplary educational practices. His work has resulted in the inclusion of children with intensive cognitive, physical, and emotional challenges as full members of the general education community in the school districts where he has worked and consulted. Villa has been a classroom teacher, special education administrator, pupil personnel services director, and director of instructional services and has authored 4 books and over 70 articles and chapters. Known for his enthusiastic, humorous style, Villa has presented at international, national, and state educational conferences and has provided technical assistance to departments of education in the United States, Canada, Vietnam, and Honduras and to university personnel, public school systems, and parent and advocacy organizations. Ann I. Nevin is professor emerita at Arizona State University and visiting professor at Florida International University. The author of books, research articles, and numerous chapters, Nevin is recognized for her scholarship and dedication to providing meaningful, practice-oriented, research-based strategies for teachers to integrate students with special learning needs. Since the 1970s, she has co-developed various innovative teacher education programs that affect an array of personnel, including the Vermont Consulting Teacher Program, Collaborative Consultation Project Re-Tool sponsored by the Council for Exceptional Children, the Arizona State University program for special educators to infuse self-determination skills throughout the curriculum, and the Urban SEALS (Special Education Academic Leaders) doctoral program at Florida International University. Her advocacy, research, and teaching spans more than 38 years of working with a diverse array of people to help students with disabilities succeed in normalized school environments. Nevin is known for action-oriented presentations, workshops, and classes that are designed to meet the individual needs of participants by encouraging introspection and personal discovery for optimal learning.