Tiered Assignments

Tiered Assignments using differentiated instruction

From the website http://www.gstboces.org/iss/hancock/home/Differentiated%20Instruction/Tiered%20Assignments.htm

Tiering allows teachers to "... create multiple paths for learning one key understanding or concept" (Tiered Instruction, 2004). Tiered tasks and instruction can be differentiated according to student interest, readiness, and/or learning profile. Each tier of the task will have more or less scaffolding depending on the individual needs of the students.

What can be Tiered?
Processes, Content, and Products
Assignments
Homework
Learning Stations
Assessments
Writing Prompts
Anchor (Extension) Activities
Materials and Software

When teachers use this strategy, it is helpful to determine the desired key concept and learning outcomes that all students should be able to achieve at the end of the learning. Pre-assessment is integral to help determine needs and grouping. Once assessments are complete, teachers will plan what they will tier:

When Tiering, adjust:
Level of Complexity
Amount of Structure
Number of Steps
Pacing
Materials
Concrete to Abstract
Options based on student interests
Options based on learning styles

How to know when you tier: Examine your curriculum and ask yourself the following questions...
(from Diane Heacox, Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom workshop at the National Conference on Differentiating Instruction in Las Vegas, NV)

1. Do some students need have more time, instruction, and practice with a skill or with content and others have indicated competency? (tier by challenge or tier by complexity)
2. Do your students need differing sources of information?
3. Do some students need more entry based resources and others more advanced, sophisticated or indepth resources based on their prior knowledge? (tier by resources)
4. Could common materials be used with different learning outcomes to work on both basic and more advanced outcomes?
5. Would students benefit from working on the same outcome but doing different kinds of work? (tier by process)
6. Would students benefit form demonstrating what they know or understand by being matched with their preferences? (tier by product)