examples of tiered assignments in math

Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

This article is about differentiation. Due to the broad range of academic needs among students, teachers find themselves in a dilemma. The Burris Laboratory School outlines how teachers can reach all the students in their classrooms when they are academically diverse, have special needs, are ESL learners or have some combination of any or all of these factors.

Author: Adams, C. & Pierce, R. Publications: Gifted Child Today Publisher: Prufrock Press Volume: Vol. 27, Issue 2, pp. 50-65 Year: 2004

The movement toward inclusion has impacted classrooms by requiring teachers to respond to a broader range of academic needs. How can we possibly reach all the students in our classrooms when they are academically diverse, have special needs, are ESL learners, or have some combination of any or all of these factors? An answer to this question lies in differentiating instruction. Working in the Burris Laboratory School, an inclusion school using a resource consultation model to serve the needs of all its students, we have found that using tiered lessons is a viable method for differentiating instruction.

What is Differentiation?

Although differentiated instruction is not a new idea, the differentiation movement has recently taken center stage as a means of meeting the needs of all students in the classroom. It is an organized, yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet students where they are and help all students achieve maximum growth as learners (Tomlinson, 1999). Instruction may be differentiated in content/input, process/sense-making, or product/output according to the students’ readiness, interest, or learning style. By  content , we mean the material that is being presented.  Process  activities help students practice or make sense out of the content, while  product  refers to the outcome of the lesson or unit, such as a test, project, or paper.  Readiness  refers to prior knowledge and a student’s current skill and proficiency with the material presented in the lesson. A student’s interest may be assessed with an interest inventory for the particular topic being studied or by an individual conversation with the student. Many teachers use the theory of multiple intelligences to characterize learning styles (Armstrong, 1994; Gardner, 1993; Martin, 1996).

Essential elements for successful differentiation include specific classroom management techniques addressing the special needs of a differentiated classroom, planned use of anchoring activities, and flexible use of time, space, and student groups. In a differentiated classroom, the management plan must include rules for working in a variety of configurations. You can only work with one group or individual at a time. Therefore, we have developed two critical rules that thwart chaos and preserve sanity. The first is “Use six-inch voices,” meaning that students should modulate their speaking level so that their voices can only be heard six inches away. The second rule is “Ask three before me.” If students need assistance completing a task or come to a stumbling block in a lesson and you are not available, they should find three other students to ask before they may interrupt you. If their three peers cannot answer the question, the student has permission to interrupt you. Adding the caveat that the student should also bring along the three students who were asked will nearly eliminate the chance that you will be interrupted except in extreme cases. Anchoring or “sponge” activities are provided for students to use when they are waiting for you to assist them before they can go any further or at the beginning of the class period to get them ready to work. A wide variety of materials and resources can serve as anchoring activities (see our  website  for a listing of books that have great activities for anchoring). Flexible grouping arrangements such as pairs, triads, or quads, as well as whole-group and small-group instruction, create opportunities to meet individual needs. A flexible use of time allows lessons to proceed to their natural conclusion, rather than being carried out in set blocks of time. The desks or tables should be arranged in such a way as to facilitate group work, as well as wholeclass groupings that encourage sharing of ideas.

A variety of instructional strategies, including compacting, learning contracts, cubing, and tiered lessons, can be used to differentiate instruction (for a discussion of these and other strategies, see Gregory & Chapman, 2002; Heacox, 2002; Smutney, Walker, & Meckstroth, 1997; Tomlinson, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992). It makes sense to alert your administration and the parents that you will be trying some new strategies in the classroom in case there are questions.

The tenets of differentiated instruction support both the Equity Principle and the Teaching Principle of the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000). These principles direct us to select and adapt content and curricula to meet the interests, abilities, and learning styles of our students; to recognize our students’ diversity; and to encourage them to reach their full potential in mathematics.

What is a Tiered Lesson?

Tomlinson (1999) described tiered lessons as “the meat and potatoes of differentiated instruction.” A tiered lesson is a differentiation strategy that addresses a particular standard, key concept, and generalization, but allows several pathways for students to arrive at an understanding of these components based on their interests, readiness, or learning profiles. A lesson tiered by readiness level implies that the teacher has a good understanding of the students’ ability levels with respect to the lesson and has designed the tiers to meet those needs. Think of a wedding cake with tiers of varying sizes. Many examples of lessons tiered in readiness have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. There is no rule that states there may only be three tiers, however. The number of tiers we use will depend on the range of ability levels in your own classroom since you are forming tiers based on your assessment of your students’ abilities to handle the material particular to this lesson. Students are regrouped the next time you use tiering as a strategy. Hence, the idea of flexible, rather than static, groups is essential.

No matter how you choose to differentiate the lesson—readiness, interest, or learning profile—the number of groups per tier will vary, as will the number of students per tier. You are not looking to form groups of equal size. When you form groups based on the readiness needs of individual students, Tier I may have two groups of three students, Tier II five groups of four students, and Tier III may have one group of two students. When the lesson is tiered by interest or learning profile, the same guidelines apply for forming groups: Different tiers may have varying numbers of students. Even when students are already homogeneously grouped in classes by ability, there is still variance in their ability levels that must be addressed.

To take a closer look at the anatomy of a tiered lesson, we have included a mathematics lesson (see Figure 1) that was developed as part of the Javits Grant, Project GATE, a federally funded partnership between the Indianapolis Public Schools and Ball State University, both in Indiana. When developing a tiered lesson, we have found the eight steps described below useful.

• First, identify the grade level and subject for which you will write the lesson.  In this case, the grade level is first and the subject is mathematics.
• Second, identify the standard (national, state, district, etc.) you are targeting.  A common mistake for those just beginning to tier is to develop three great activities and then try to force-fit them into a tiered lesson. Start with the standard first. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know if you get there? The author of this lesson has selected the Content Standard “Number and Operations” of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (2000)  Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (pp. 78–88).
• Third, identify the key concept and generalization.  The key concept follows from the standard. Ask yourself, “What big idea am I targeting?” In this example, it is to understand and represent commonly used fractions. While there are many concepts that could be covered under the standard chosen, this lesson addresses only one. The generalization follows from the concept chosen. Ask, “What do I want the students to know at the end of the lesson, regardless of their placement in the tiers?” In this lesson, all students will develop their understanding of fractions as representing parts of a whole.
• Fourth, be sure students have the background necessary to be successful in the lesson.  What scaffolding is necessary? What must you have already covered or what must the student have already learned? Are there other skills that must be taught first? Before engaging in this lesson, students have been exposed to halves and thirds. Fractions (halves/ thirds) have been introduced to the students, and they have illustrated them with pictures. There are several literature books that illustrate fractional parts using food that could be used to introduce the lesson.
• Fifth, determine in which part of the lesson (content, process, product) you will tier.  You may choose to tier the content (what you want the students to learn), the process (the way students make sense out of the content), or the product (the outcome at the end of a lesson, lesson set, or unit—often a project). When beginning to tier, we suggest that you only tier one of these three. Once you are comfortable with tiering, you might try to tier more than one part in the same lesson. This lesson is tiered in content.
• Sixth, determine the type of tiering you will do: readiness, interest, or learning profile.  Readiness is based on the ability levels of the students. Giving a pretest is a good way to assess readiness. Students’ interest in a topic is generally gauged through an interest survey, while the learning profile may be determined through various learning style inventories. In this lesson, the author chose readiness.
• Seventh, based on your choices above, determine how many tiers you will need and develop the lesson.  When tiering according to readiness, you may have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. If you choose to tier in interest or learning profile, you may control the number of tiers by limiting choices or using only a few different learning styles. For example, tiering on all eight of Gardner’s multiple intelligences in one lesson may not be a good place to start, so choose only a few, such as logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, and linguistic intelligence. (For further information on multiple intelligences in an easy-tounderstand format, see Wahl, 1997). For this lesson, students are placed in one of three tiers based on their ability to work with halves and thirds as assessed by the teacher through observation.Differentiation means doing something different—qualitatively different. Make sure you keep this in mind when tiering the lessons. Second, be sure that students are doing challenging, respectful, and developmentally appropriate work within each tier. In other words, no group should be given “busywork.” We don’t want one group doing blackline practice sheets and another doing a fabulous experiment.Notice in this lesson that all three tiers are working on fractions. Students in each tier use paper shapes to divide. However, the activities for each tier in the sample lesson, beginning in Tier I and moving through Tier III, differ from concrete to abstract and from simple to complex, to use Tomlinson’s Equalizer word pairs (Tomlinson, 1999).
• Finally, develop the assessment component to the lesson.  The assessment can be formative, summative, or a combination of both. You may use some means of recording observations of the various groups, such as flip cards or sticky notes. You could develop a rubric for each tier based on the particular product that is created. You may give a formal paperand- pencil test. Whatever it is, choose your assessment based on your needs and your lesson design.In this lesson, the teacher observes the students as they share their answers and jots down notes for a formative assessment of each student. For example, which child is struggling with the concept? Which child is moving rapidly and accurately through the material? Whose answers show more thought and insight? Answers to these and other questions will assist you in determining who needs reteaching and who is ready to go beyond the material presented. A formal assessment is not used here since the standards emphasize that students should have “informal experiences [with fractions] at this age to help develop a foundation for deeper learning in the higher grades” (NCTM, 2000, p. 83).

When this lesson was taught, the students were engaged during the entire lesson. The lesson was introduced by reading the book  Eating Fractions  (McMillan, 1991). Students were placed in groups based on their level of readiness to interact with the content. Four students did not have a clear understanding of halves and fourths. These students needed a more concrete activity and were placed in Tier I. Another 12 students could recognize halves and thirds and were ready to complete the Tier II activity. They were placed in four triads. Two students had in-depth knowledge of halves and thirds and were placed in Tier III. This pair worked at a more abstract level, and the questions they were asked required them to use different critical thinking skills than the other two groups. Tier I and Tier II students were provided with activities from the book  Fractions  (Watt, 2001) to use as anchoring activities if they finished early or were waiting for the teacher’s assistance. The anchor for Tier III students was  Apple Fractions  (Pallotta, 2002), which introduced fifths through tenths.

The second sample lesson (see Figure 2) is tiered in process according to learning style. In this case, students are grouped heterogeneously based on one of two learning preferences: kinesthetic or visual. The same eight steps for tiering a lesson apply in this case. In the second lesson, notice that the activities are at relatively the same level of complexity. This would be the “layer cake” model as opposed to the “wedding cake” model used when tiering according to readiness.

Final Thoughts

Time, energy, and patience are required to learn to differentiate instruction effectively in an academically diverse classroom. In addition, you need administrative and peer support, as well as professional development over extended periods of time; therefore, don’t expect to have a differentiated classroom by Monday morning. Start small: Choose a favorite lesson in your next unit and differentiate it according to the needs of your students. Seek the expertise of specialists such as special and gifted education coordinators, media specialists, and others with whom you can collaborate to improve instruction in the academically diverse classroom.

For more information on tiering, contact the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development, Ball State University (BSU)  https://www.bsu.edu/academics/centersandinstitutes/giftedstudies .

Author Note

Research for this article was supported under the Javits Act Program (Grant R206A980067) as administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Grantees undertaking such projects are encouraged to express freely their professional judgment. This article, therefore, does not necessarily represent positions or policies of the government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple intelligences in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory and practice. New York: BasicBooks.

Gregory, G. H., & Chapman, C. (2002). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn’t fit all. Thousand Oakes, CA: Corwin Press.

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Martin, H. (1996). Multiple intelligences in the mathematics classroom. Palatine, IL: IRI/SkyLight.

McMillan, B. (1991). Eating fractions. New York: Scholastic. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.

Pallotta, J. (2002). Apple fractions. New York: Scholastic.

Smutney, J., Walker, S., & Meckstroth, E. (1997). Teaching young gifted children in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wahl, M. (1997). Math for humans.

Langley, WA: LivnLern Press.

Watt, F. ( 2001). Fractions. New York: Scholastic.

Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.

Disclaimer : The appearance of any information in the Davidson Institute’s Resource Library does not imply an endorsement by, or any affiliation with, the Davidson Institute. All information presented is for informational and archival purposes only. The Davidson Institute bears no responsibility for the content of republished material. Please note the date, author, and publisher information available if you wish to make further inquiries about any republished materials in our Resource Library.

Permission Statement

This article is reprinted with permission of  Prufrock Press, Inc.

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit  www.DavidsonGifted.org .

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Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Tiered Assignments

Janelle cox.

• September 23, 2014

Many teachers use differentiated instruction strategies  as a way to reach all learners and accommodate each student’s learning style. One very helpful tactic to employ differentiated instruction is called tiered assignments—a technique often used within flexible groups.

Much like flexible grouping—or differentiated instruction as a whole, really—tiered assignments do not lock students into ability boxes. Instead, particular student clusters are assigned specific tasks within each group according to their readiness and comprehension without making them feel completely compartmentalized away from peers at different achievement levels.

There are six main ways to structure tiered assignments: challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, or resources. It is your job, based upon the specific learning tasks you’re focused on, to determine the best approach. Here we will take a brief look at these techniques.

Ways to Structure Tiered Assignments

Challenge level.

Tiering can be based on challenge level where student groups will tackle different assignments. Teachers can use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide to help them develop tasks of structure or questions at various levels. For example:

• Group 1:  Students who need content reinforcement or practice will complete one activity that helps  build  understanding.
• Group 2:  Students who have a firm understanding will complete another activity that  extends  what they already know.

When you tier assignments by complexity, you are addressing the needs of students who are at different levels using the same assignment. The trick here is to vary the focus of the assignment based upon whether each group is ready for more advanced work or simply trying to wrap their head around the concept for the first time. You can direct your students to create a poster on a specific issue—recycling and environmental care, for instance—but one group will focus on a singular perspective, while the other will consider several points of view and present an argument for or against each angle.

Tiering assignments by differentiated outcome is vaguely similar to complexity—all of your students will use the same materials, but depending on their readiness levels will actually have a different outcome. It may sound strange at first, but this strategy is quite beneficial to help advanced students work on more progressive applications of their student learning.

This differentiated instruction strategy is exactly what it sounds like—student groups will use different processes to achieve similar outcomes based upon readiness.

Tiered assignments can also be differentiated based on product. Teachers can use the Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences to form groups that will hone particular skills for particular learning styles . For example, one group would be bodily/kinesthetic, and their task is to create and act out a skit. Another group would be visual/spatial, and their task would be to illustrate.

Tiering resources means that you are matching project materials to student groups based on readiness or instructional need. One flexible group may use a magazine while another may use a traditional textbook. As a tip, you should assign resources based on knowledge and readiness, but also consider the group’s reading level and comprehension.

How to Make Tiering Invisible to Students

From time to time, students may question why they are working on different assignments, using varied materials, or coming to dissimilar outcomes altogether. This could be a blow to your classroom morale if you’re not tactful in making your tiers invisible.

Make it a point to tell students that each group is using different materials or completing different activities so they can share what they learned with the class. Be neutral when grouping students, use numbers or colors for group names, and be equally enthusiastic while explaining assignments to each cluster.

Also, it’s important to make each tiered assignment equally interesting, engaging, and fair in terms of student expectations. The more flexible groups and materials you use, the more students will accept that this is the norm.

Tiering assignments is a fair way to differentiate learning. It allows teachers to meet the needs of all students while using varying levels of tasks. It’s a concept that can be infused into homework assignments, small groups, or even learning centers. If done properly, it can be a very effective method to differentiate learning because it challenges all students.

• #DifferentiatedInstruction , #TieredAssignments

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Articles / Mathematics

Tiered Activities Make Math More Inclusive

by MiddleWeb · 06/02/2020

MiddleWeb is featuring excerpts from three new books edited by the  editorial team  of Larry Ferlazzo and Katie Hull Sypnieski, both teachers in Sacramento CA and co-authors of  The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox . Here’s our third article, from The Math Teacher’s Toolbox. Also see: Social Studies and Science .

By Bobson Wong and Larisa Bukalov

In our experience, the biggest obstacle to differentiating math instruction is figuring out how to do it effectively on a regular basis. In this article, we discuss one of our favorite differentiation techniques – tiered activities (sometimes called parallel tasks ).

In a tiered activity, we divide work into levels by complexity so that students with different levels of understanding on a topic can work simultaneously. We sequence work to move students through their zone of proximal development. The tasks are designed to be accessible enough so that students can use their past knowledge to understand it, but challenging enough so that students can extend their learning.

We typically use four or five levels since our students are used to seeing these scales on the state tests and AP exams that they take. The table below shows a brief description and example of each level.

Click to enlarge.

We fit our tiered lessons into the familiar framework of a whole-group introductory discussion, guided independent practice, and a whole-group summary. Our lessons have Do Now questions that are accessible to students based on their prior knowledge.

The class discussion of the Do Now activity leads into the lesson. Classwork problems range from the easiest questions in Level 1 to the hardest questions in Level 5. The lessons conclude with a summary question that students can answer individually as an exit ticket or with the class in a whole-group discussion.

Our classwork sheets contain all of the problems in the lesson. By providing all levels to everyone, students can monitor themselves, know what they need to do to improve to the next level, and work through the lesson at their own pace. Most of our students follow along with us while we discuss the lesson and do examples. After they become comfortable with the new material, many continue without our guidance, often working with a classmate.

Creating a Tiered Activity

To create a tiered lesson, we use the following steps:

1. Determine the goals and skills for the lesson. We typically take these from our unit plan.

2. Determine the Level 4 problems that are appropriate for those goals. Since Level 4 problems meet the standards for the lesson, we use them as our end goal. We refer to sources such as textbooks, websites, and end-of-year assessment questions to help us.

3. Adjust the Level 4 problems as necessary to match the skills and readiness of our students. Matching the levels to our students’ current skills and readiness is also critical to their social-emotional learning. If the Level 4 problems are too easy for our students, we may label them Level 3 so that students can get challenging work. If the Level 4 problems are too difficult, we may label them Level 5 or put them off into a future lesson to prevent students from getting too discouraged.

4. Identify three or four skills necessary to complete Level 4 problems. These skills help us determine the difficulty of Level 1 (one skill required), Level 2 (two skills required), and Level 3 (three or more skills required) problems.

5. Put an appropriate number of problems for each level. We typically put between two and four questions in each level, depending on the difficulty of the questions and the amount of time we have in class. This usually gives most students enough time and practice to reach Level 3 or 4.

6. If we have students that we believe can complete Level 4 problems and want an additional challenge, we create Level 5 problems. We often use textbooks for advanced courses or questions from math competitions as inspirations for Level 5 questions.

Advantages and Challenges of Tiered Activities

Tiered activities help students to engage in productive struggle , in which they actively work with little guidance on a task that is just beyond their abilities. When students struggle productively, they are not experiencing pointless frustration or practicing something that has just been demonstrated. If students see struggle as a necessary step towards eventual mastery, they are more likely to persist in academic endeavors , which helps promote a growth mindset.

Unfortunately, tiered activities don’t work for every lesson. They tend to work best for topics that require relatively little direct instruction so that students have enough time to work through the levels.

Tiered activities often require a great deal of time and energy to organize. Relying on textbooks and other sources that order questions by increasing difficulty (even if they don’t explicitly group problems by level) can make this task easier.

Despite these challenges, we believe that the many benefits of tiering make the effort worthwhile.

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Tiered Assignments

What are tiered assignments.

According to Tomlinson (1995), tiered assignments are used by teachers within a heterogeneous classroom in order to meet the diverse needs of the students within the class. Teachers implement varied levels of activities to ensure that students explore ideas at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and prompts continued growth. Student groups use varied approaches to explore essential ideas.

Williams (2002) offers the following definition on her website: Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction. Students work on different levels of activities, all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind. Tiered assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student readiness and performance levels and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth. 

How can tiered assignments help your students?

Using tiered assignments allows for the following:

• Blends assessment and instruction,
• Allows students to begin learning where they are,
• Allows students to work with appropriately challenging tasks,
• Allows for reinforcement or extension of concepts and principles based on student readiness,
• Allows modification of working conditions based on learning style,
• Avoids work that is anxiety-producing (too hard) or boredom-producing (too easy), and
• Promotes success and is therefore motivating. (Tomlinson, 1995)

How can you implement tiered assignments in order to effectively meet the diverse learning needs of students?

One of the main benefits of tiered assignments is that they allow students to work on tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. They are highly motivating because they allow students to be successful at their level of readiness. Tiered assignments also allow students to work in their specific learning styles or preferences (Williams, 2002).

What are the guidelines for implementing tiered assignments?

Tomlinson (1995) offers the following guidelines for implementing tiered assignments:

• Be sure the task is focused on a key concept.
• Use a variety of resource materials at differing levels of complexity and associated with different learning modes.
• Adjust the task by complexity, abstractness, number of steps, concreteness, and independence to ensure appropriate challenge.
• Be certain there are clear criteria for quality and success.

Where can you find more information about tiered assignments?

Cherokee County Schools This homepage by Eulouise Williams has additional information on tiered assignments including examples of tiered assignments created by teachers in their district.

Differentiation for Math: 4 Ways

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• Differentiation

As educators, we understand each student learns in a unique way. While it may be challenging to meet the diverse needs of all students, differentiation for math is a powerful approach that can foster academic growth and engagement. In this article, we will explore what it means to differentiate learning and I offer four simple strategies, including the integration of math games, to differentiate instruction in your upper elementary math classroom.

Inside a brightly decorated classroom, Mrs. Ramirez stood at the center. 

As she scanned the room, Mrs. Ramirez observed a dynamic assortment of personalities, each student a unique thread in the fabric of her classroom. 

There were the spirited extroverts who seemed to have boundless energy, craving hands-on activities and lively discussions. 

On the other side of the spectrum, the introverts sat quietly, their minds teeming with thoughts yet struggling to find their voices. 

There were the students who excelled in mathematics, thirsting for complex problem-solving, while others longed for visual aids or auditory cues.

And then there were the students with exceptional talents and potential, their brains ready to be ignited, waiting for the right challenge that would elevate their learning.

In her quest to differentiate, even after 15 years of teaching, Mrs. Ramirez felt like a tightrope walker, delicately balancing her attention between the gifted, the struggling, the introverts, and the extroverts. 

The Challenges of Differentiation

Every student possesses unique strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. As educators, we understand each student learns in their own way. 

By differentiating instruction, teachers can unleash the full potential of their students, ensuring a brighter future and empowering them to excel in their mathematical journey.

But, differentiating for every student is challenging and time-consuming. Even seasoned teachers, like Mrs. Ramirez, can find themselves stretched thin. The sheer volume of individualized learning plans, materials, and activities requires an immense amount of time and effort. 

In this blog post, we will explore what it means to differentiate learning and I will share four simple strategies, including the integration of math games, to differentiate instruction in your upper elementary math classroom.

What is Differentiated Learning?

Differentiation for math is an instructional approach that recognizes and caters to the diverse learning needs, abilities, and interests of students. 

It involves tailoring teaching methods, resources, and assessments to meet individual student’s unique requirements, ensuring every learner can access and comprehend the curriculum. 

By personalizing instruction, educators can help students develop their strengths, address their weaknesses, and engage in meaningful and relevant learning experiences.

Differentiation for Math: Four Ways to Individualize Instruction

Learning Styles:

To differentiate instruction based on students’ learning styles, we consider their preferred learning modalities: tactile, auditory, and visual. By catering to students’ individual learning styles, you can maximize their engagement and comprehension of mathematical concepts and skills. 

Here are some ways to differentiate for each learning style: 

• For tactile learners, provide hands-on activities and manipulatives that allow them to physically interact with mathematical concepts. Utilize items such as counting blocks, geometric shapes, or fraction tiles to engage their sense of touch and enhance understanding. 
• For auditory learners, incorporate verbal explanations and discussions. Consider incorporating audio recordings or partner/group discussions to provide opportunities for them to listen, process, and discuss mathematical ideas. 
• Visual learners benefit from visual aids such as charts, diagrams, and graphic organizers. Use visual representations, such as models, number lines, or diagrams, to present information in a way that appeals to their visual processing strengths. Additionally, you can incorporate visual cues in instructions, worksheets, and presentations to reinforce concepts visually.

Flexible Grouping:

By forming groups based on students’ needs, interests, or readiness levels, you can provide targeted support and instruction to address individual learning goals. 

For instance, you may create mixed-ability groups for collaborative problem solving tasks or small homogeneous groups for targeted skill-building exercises. This approach allows students to work at their own pace, receive tailored guidance, and benefit from the diverse perspectives of their peers.

Tiered Assignments:

Tiered assignments are a powerful differentiation strategy allowing students to work on tasks of varying levels of complexity, depth, or sophistication. Designing assignments that target the same mathematical concept but offer different levels of challenge, ensures each student is appropriately challenged based on their readiness. 

For example, you could create three tiers of assignments: basic, intermediate, and advanced. Students can self-select or be assigned to the tier that matches their current level of understanding and skills. This approach ensures all students engage with the core concept while providing opportunities for extension and enrichment for those who are ready for more advanced work.

Math menus are a great way to create tiered assignments. The nature of a math menu automatically creates opportunities for students to select tasks that match their ability level; however, a more structured approach would be to create multiple menus with the same tasks but vary the points. For example, a simple practice worksheet may be worth 10 points on the higher-level menu and 30 points on the lower-level menu. This method still gives students the flexibility to choose their path but evens the playing field a bit when it comes to the effort-point value ratio.

Math Games:

Incorporating math games into the classroom is an excellent way to differentiate instruction while making learning enjoyable. Games can be adapted to suit various skill levels, allowing students to practice and reinforce mathematical concepts at their own pace. Consider using board games, digital games, or even physical activities that promote collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking. By offering a range of difficulty levels or modifying rules to accommodate diverse abilities, you can ensure all students are appropriately challenged and motivated to learn.

Here are some examples of ways to differentiate for math using math games: 

• A game can have different sets of cards or game boards with varying degrees of difficulty based on the levels of mastery or student readiness. 
• Convert short answer or open-ended problems into multiple choice questions or offer hints for struggling students while maintaining the original rules for others.
• Math games can be designed to include cooperative and competitive elements, allowing for differentiation based on students’ preferences and social dynamics. For example, students can choose to work together as a team to complete a game or play against each other. 
• Provide extension tasks or open-ended challenges that allow students to apply the skills and knowledge acquired during the game in a different context, enabling deeper understanding and catering to the diverse levels of mastery within the classroom.

Looking for More Strategies?

In most classrooms, our highest achieving students receive the smallest amount of differentiation for math; however, they need differentiated learning opportunities as much, if not more so, than everyone else to provide them an optimal learning experience that meets them where they are and helps them grow.  

Click here to discover effective strategies and resources to engage and challenge your gifted students that foster their mathematical talents while meeting their unique learning needs; it’s an essential guide for cultivating brilliance in your classroom!

A Final Word About Differentiation for Math

Differentiation is not a luxury; it is a necessity. 

The challenges Ms. Ramirez faced were not mere obstacles but stepping stones on the path toward unlocking the brilliance within each student. 

Differentiating learning in the upper elementary math classroom empowers students to reach their full potential, fostering a love for math and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. 

By incorporating strategies such as math games, flexible grouping, varied instructional materials, and individualized assignments and assessments, you can create a dynamic learning environment that accommodates the diverse needs of your students. 

Remember, differentiation for math is not a one-size-fits-all approach but rather a commitment to valuing and addressing the unique qualities of each learner. Embrace this approach, and you will witness the growth and success of every student in your classroom.

Ready to Get Started

If you’re ready to start using math games as differentiation for math, check out my editable math games and activities !

And, be sure to read the next post in my cooperative math games series where I discuss how competitive math games can impact student learning , explain why cooperative games are a better option, and share examples of cooperative partner games that can be used during math stations.

What differentiation for math strategies do you use in your classroom?

Shametria Routt Banks

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Tiered Intervention in Math

Tier 1: Rich, Differentiated Classroom Instruction:

“I can access grade level curricula with additional time and support from the teacher.”

Tier 1 Intervention incorporates frequent use of small group instruction, frequent daily formative assessment to drive instruction and incorporate evidence based learning strategies into instruction.

Fundamental to differentiation is the understanding that one does not alter the outcome but rather provides alternatives in instruction, assessment, and/or environment to meet the needs of the learner.

Differentiating Is…

Providing choice as much as possible.

Students can choose:

Manipulatives (choosing which manipulative to use or choosing not to use any), how to show or represent their work, the strategy for solving the problem.

Responsive Pedagogy:

Using open-ended questions, rich tasks or low-floor, high-ceiling 1 tasks so that all students have an entry point and the challenge level can be easily adapted.

Providing choice and parallel tasks that demonstrate understanding in different ways through complex and creative tasks that challenge all students., enriching learning by providing questions, tasks, projects and or research that allows for deeper learning of concepts beyond the curriculum., leveraging technology to provide alternative tasks, target gaps in skills and knowledge, and provide more practice..

 Responsive Instruction:

Allowing more time when students need it.

Arranging small group instruction to target the needs of specific groups., providing more explicit instruction and worked examples for struggling learners in an effort to help students learn to work more independently., explicitly teaching and reinforcing self-coping strategies to create independence., responsive assessment:, prioritizing understanding and process over product., differentiating is not ….

• Requiring all students to use the same materials and follow the same procedures and steps.
• Providing tasks that students are successful at but fail to push their learning forward.
• Accepting incomplete work because students didn’t have time to finish.
• Using only full class instruction.
• Talking students through every task so they don’t have a chance to develop self-coping strategies.
• Allowing struggling learners to over-rely on extra supports and inefficient strategies.
• Giving the same task to all students all the time – teaching to the resource and not the learner.
• Using only closed tasks and questions (those with only one right answer).
• Allowing only high achieving students to participate in open or creative tasks.
• Rewarding quick and efficient completion of practice with more work.
• Teaching next year’s outcomes.
• Using technology to entertain and occupy learners.

Process for Responsive Instruction:

Gersten (2009) suggests that Response to Intervention begins with “High quality instruction and universal screening for all students.” 2

In a true RTI (Response to Intervention) model, you would use a universal screen to see where everyone is at and what areas are needed for instruction. Tier 1 intervention refers to ways to dig deeper in the classroom to support areas where understanding is not happening. In Tier 1 intervention, there may be things we do for some students within the context of the classroom (either in whole class, small group, paired or small group instruction.)

The chart below offers some online resources for Tier 1 Intervention support. This is not a prescriptive list, nor is it an exhaustive list; it provides a starting place for utilizing high impact intervention strategies.

Classroom instruction links that can be used for Tier 1 intervention.

Grade Level

Responsive Instruction in Classrooms

Description

All grade levels

Supporting All Learners

Thinking and philosophy considerations in creating small groups across all grade levels.

Ministry resources: Multi grade application. 

Targeted/Group Approaches – Module 2 – Targeting Mathematics Instruction: Knowing Our Learners focuses on fostering a positive mathematics environment to support the needs of individual learners. Module 3 – Instruction in Mathematics: Effective Instructional Practices provides suggestions for Instructional approaches that support the learning needs of students and enhance mathematical thinking.

Differentiating Instruction in Mathematics

This website has many supports for intervention in math.

Capacity Building Series: Differentiating Mathematics Instruction

Ontario Ministry of Education Document – very user friendly philosophical research and practical application (with examples) great information.

Alberta Education: Using Flexible Grouping  

Examples and strategies for whole class, small group, pairs and individual support. (Alberta Education)

Specific to middle years and high school 

Effective and Differentiated Instruction in Mathematics

This booklet provides an “at a glance” look at effective and differentiated instruction in Mathematics. It includes classroom scenarios that describe how teachers assess, plan and adapt their instruction to determine and address their students’ interests, learning needs and preferences.

Content shows progression of learning to show how you can adapt concepts to students of varying entry levels.

(Ontario Resource)

Concrete to Abstract Continuum article (Concrete, Representational Abstract)

This article describes how to support students with disabilities who struggle to understand the core concepts that underlie operations and algorithms.“CRA may be implemented at all grade levels individually, in small groups, or for the entire class. It can be used with children at the elementary or secondary level.”

Concrete to Abstract Continuum gr. 7-12

3 minute video showing progression of concrete-pictorial-symbolic instruction: The Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) model, also known as Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract, is a three-stage method of teaching mathematical concepts that provides students with hands-on activities that allow them to understand a concept before using or memorizing the algorithms.

Concrete to Abstract Continuum Gr. k-6

13 minute video showing the relationship of concrete-pictorial-symbolic instruction: This video explains how to use CRA to differentiate during whole class instruction.

Interactive Think Aloud – Math Strategies

The Think Aloud strategy is especially helpful in a class of diverse learners, EAL in particular. The teacher can think aloud while teaching a concept to the whole group, allowing the students to see and hear the teacher’s thought process and how that correlates to the actions of the teacher. Another way to use this strategy is by having students lead the think aloud.

Guided Math (Small Group Instruction) 

4 minute elementary video: “Guided Math” in this context is a structure for teaching whereby a teacher supports each child’s development of mathematical proficiency at increasing levels of difficulty, within the context of a small group.

Marian Small’s Open Questions

Low floor, high ceiling tasks. The Open Questions resources are designed to provide scaffolding that allows students the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of math concepts.

Mathematical Discourse Ideas

Daily Routines – Number Talks as well as other ideas for students to think and talk about math.

Interleaved Mathematics Practice

Interleaved practice gives ideas of how to allow children to choose strategies to solve problems rather than provide a single strategy to be practiced. Students learn how to choose and use a strategy that works for them.

Grades 2-6 but could be addapted to all grade levels

Scripted Peer Teaching

Open Middle® – Challenging math problems worth solving k-12

Parallel and Open-ended Questions

Grades 2-6 but could be adapted to all grade levels.

Reciprocal Teaching

Reciprocal teaching happens after teacher modeling. Students are in small groups monitoring comprehension applying four strategies: predicting, clarifying, questioning, and summarizing (Miller & Veatch, 2011)

Tier 2: Small Group Targeted Instruction:

“I can access grade level curricula once learning gaps are intentionally addressed and supported (by the classroom teacher or interventionist.)”

Tier 2 Intervention involves explicit, direct, systematic instruction for struggling or at-risk learners that is based on assessment data to address gaps, using evidence based strategies.

The following table contains links that support small targeted group instruction:

Small Targeted Group Instruction Strategies

Evidence-based math instruction: What you need to know

Evidence-based ways to teach math that can be used with your current curriculum.

Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools

The eight recommendations in this guide are designed to help teachers, principals, and administrators use Response to Intervention for the early detection, prevention, and support of students struggling with mathematics.

Support All Learners

More math related content may be added by the Ministry at a later date.

Double Impact: Mathematics and Executive Function (Downloadable PDF)

General principles and suggestions for modifying mathematical and executive functioning demands in activities for young children.

The Teacher’s Response to Intervention (RTI) Guide: Tiers, Strategies and More

This RTI guide will help you prepare by exploring the:

• Definition of RTI
• Three RTI tiers
• Strategies you can use for each tier

Recommendations for Targeted Support

Tier two support is in addition to regular math instruction. It is expected that students interact with grade-level math as much as possible during class time (with continuing support provided), but support time will target specific foundational gaps identified by screeners. (Recommendations from the SaskMATH Working Group.)

Thinking Aloud in Mathematics

Thinking aloud helps students, especially those who struggle with mathematics, to clarify their ideas, identify what they do and do not understand, and learn from others when they hear how their peers think about and approach the problem.

Math: Memory Challenges 

Yale Dyslexia – Helping Students with Poor Working Memory

Tier 3: Intensive Interventions

“I am not able to access grade level curricula but need an individual plan and goals to address my learning needs from where I am at.”

Tier 3 Intervention is supported by responsive instruction and support at the individual level, through targeted and/or group approaches and when needed, intensive individual support. It should involve a collaborative approach with professionals who can support the goal setting and intervention plans for the student. See: National Center on Intensive Intervention .

The following table contains links that support intensive interventions:

Intensive Intervention Strategies

The Assessment of a Math Disorder: A Focus on Dyscalculia Webinar (Recording)

During this one-hour webinar, Dr. Scheller will discuss Dyscalculia and pose a best practice method for assessment that targets the key strengths and weaknesses exhibited by students with this learning disorder.

Intervention Central: RTI

Intervention Central provides teachers, schools and districts with free resources to help struggling learners and implement Response to Intervention.

Institute of Educational Sciences

Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the nation’s leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation and statistics.

National Center on Intensive Intervention

The NCII supports implementation of intensive intervention in literacy, mathematics, and behavior for students with severe and persistent learning and/or behavioral needs, often in the context of their multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) or special education services.

Considerations for Administrators and Division Personnel

1 Low floor, high ceiling tasks have entry points for learners at all stages of their understanding. As such they have room for extension and enrichment as well as differentiation for struggling learners. See Samples of Low Floor, High Ceiling tasks : Millennium Mathematics Project., N., 2017.  Creating a Low Threshold High Ceiling Classroom . [online] https://maths.org/home . Links to low floor/high ceiling tasks can be found in the article, “Creating a Low Threshold High Ceiling Classroom available at: < https://nrich.maths.org/7701 > [Accessed 20 July 2021]. Can be downloaded directly from: https://saskmath.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Creating-a-Low-Threshold-High-Ceiling-Classroom.pdf

2 Gersten, R.M.,(2009) Assisting students struggling with mathematics: Response to intervention (RTI) for elementary and middle schools. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, p.4.

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Using Tiered Instruction To Maximize Student Outcomes

As educators, your goal is to help every student in our classroom reach their full potential. However, with different learning styles, abilities, and needs, it can be challenging to meet the needs of every student in a class. This is where tiered instruction comes in, providing a framework that allows you to differentiate instruction to meet the unique needs of each student.

Understanding Tiered Instruction

What is tiered instruction.

Tiered instruction involves designing multiple levels of instruction for the same lesson or activity, with each level addressing the learning needs of different students. This approach allows you to provide support to struggling students, challenge advanced learners, and meet the learning needs of students in the middle.

Tiered instruction is a powerful tool because it allows you to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all students, regardless of their abilities or learning styles. By providing multiple levels of instruction, you can ensure that all of your students are challenged and engaged in the learning process.

Benefits of Tiered Instruction for Students and Teachers

For students, the benefits of tiered instruction include the opportunity to receive instruction that meets their unique needs, which can increase classroom engagement and promote a growth mindset. When students feel that their learning needs are being met and you find that perfect balance of material that isn’t too easy or too challenging, your students are more likely to be motivated and invested in their own learning. 

As an elementary teacher, tiered instruction allows you to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of all your students, even in classrooms with a wide range of abilities. This can reduce the stress and frustration of lesson plans falling apart when half your students are struggling with material while half of your class breezes through and now is bored and waiting for more. Outside of helping you run more effective lessons, tiered instruction helps you ensure that all your students, regardless of ability, are meeting your desired learning outcomes.

Key Components of a Successful Tiered Instruction Model

A successful tiered instruction model includes several key components. These include identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities, differentiating instruction for each tier, and utilizing technology to support instruction.

Identifying student needs and learning styles is an important first step in creating a successful tiered instruction model. You must understand the unique needs of your students in order to create effective tiered instruction plans because this will directly impact how well you can adjust your materials to meet their diverse needs.

Creating tiered lesson plans and activities is another important component of a successful tiered instruction model. This involves using your knowledge of your students to design activities that are challenging and engaging for them regardless of their ability level.

Differentiating instruction for each tier is crucial for ensuring that every student is challenged and engaged in the learning process. Teachers must provide instruction that is tailored to the needs of each student, which may involve modifying assignments, providing additional resources, or offering one-on-one support.

Utilizing technology to support instruction is another important component of a successful tiered instruction model. Technology can provide students with additional resources and support, and can also help teachers to track student progress and provide targeted feedback. Kodable , for example, is an online educational game that helps teach K-5 students the basics of computer programming in a fun and engaging way. Because lessons are self-paced, this helps facilitate tiered instruction by allowing students to progressively work through levels at their own speed.

In summary, tiered instruction is a powerful tool that allows you to meet the needs of all students in your class. By identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities around those needs, differentiating instruction for each tier, and utilizing technology to support instruction, you can create a learning environment that is engaging, challenging, and effective for all your students.

Implementing Tiered Instruction in the Classroom

Implementing tiered instruction in the classroom can be a highly effective way to meet the diverse needs of your students. By grouping students according to their needs and strengths, you can provide targeted instruction and support that meets each student where they are at. Below are some key steps to implementing tiered instruction in the classroom.

Identifying Student Needs and Learning Styles

The first step in implementing tiered instruction is identifying students' needs and learning styles. This can be done through a variety of methods, including pre-assessments, observations, and conversations with students. By understanding each student's unique needs and learning style, you can create tiers that are tailored to each group of students.

For example, some students may be visual learners, while others may be auditory learners. Some students may struggle with certain concepts, while others may excel. By taking the time to understand each student's individual needs and strengths, teachers can create tiers that are optimized for learning and growth. See our full guide on teacher assessment tools for more information on pre-assessments and other types of assessments.

Creating Tiered Lesson Plans and Activities

Creating tiered lesson plans and activities is the next step in implementing tiered instruction. You should design each tier to include activities and tasks that address the needs and learning styles of the students in a particular group. These activities should build upon each other, with increasingly difficult tasks for advanced learners and additional support for struggling students.

For example, in a math class, the advanced tier may work on more complex problems that require critical thinking and problem-solving skills . The middle tier may work on similar problems, but with more support and guidance from the teacher. The struggling tier may work on simpler problems, with additional support and scaffolding from you.

Differentiating Instruction for Each Tier

Differentiating instruction for each tier is central to the success of tiered instruction. You should utilize a variety of instructional strategies, such as small group instruction, individualized instruction, and peer tutoring, to meet the needs of each group of students. You should also provide support and guidance as needed to help your students work through any challenges they may face.

For example, in a language arts class, the advanced tier may work on writing an essay independently, while the middle tier may work on the same essay with some guidance and support from the teacher. The struggling tier may work on a simpler writing assignment, with more support and scaffolding from the teacher. However, it’s important to make sure that when you create student tiers that you do so in a thoughtful way to ensure that students do not feel like they are in a superior or non-superior group.

Utilizing Technology to Support Tiered Instruction

Technology can be a valuable tool in supporting tiered instruction. You can use online resources, educational apps, and interactive whiteboards to provide additional instruction, practice, and feedback for students at each level. Thankfully there are even a number of free teacher technology tools that can help you get started with no budget needed.

For example, in a science class, the advanced tier may use a virtual lab to conduct experiments and analyze data. The middle tier may use the same virtual lab, but with additional guidance and support from the teacher. The struggling tier may use a simpler virtual lab, with more support and scaffolding from the teacher.

Or you could have students play Kodable, a free educational app! Kodable has self-paced lessons which helps facilitate tiered instructions by not being too challenging to make students quit but also being engaging enough to keep students of all levels playing and learning.

Create your free Kodable account to bring this learning tool into your classroom today!

By identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities, differentiating instruction for each tier, and utilizing technology, teachers can create a learning environment that is optimized for growth and success.

Assessing and Monitoring Student Progress

Assessing and monitoring student progress is a critical component of effective teaching and learning. It helps you understand what students know and can do, and it provides your students with feedback on their progress. In tiered instruction, a variety of assessment strategies can help you track student growth and make any necessary adjustments to instruction.

Formative and Summative Assessments in Tiered Instruction

Formative assessments are ongoing assessments that are used to track student progress in real-time. These assessments can take many forms, including quizzes, exit tickets, observations, and discussions. You can use formative assessments to identify areas where students may be struggling and to adjust instruction accordingly.

Summative assessments, on the other hand, provide a snapshot of overall student performance at the end of a unit or lesson. These assessments can take the form of tests, projects, or presentations. Use summative assessments to evaluate student learning and to determine if your students have met the learning objectives for a particular unit or lesson.

Learn more about formative, summative, and other types of assessments in our teacher assessment tools guide.

Tracking Student Growth and Adjusting Instruction

Based on the results of assessments, you should make any necessary adjustments to their instruction. These adjustments may include modifying lesson plans or activities, providing additional support or challenging students with more complex tasks, and revisiting content that students may have struggled with before. By tracking student growth and adjusting instruction, you can ensure that all your students are making progress and are being appropriately challenged by your material.

Providing Feedback and Encouraging Self-Assessment

Feedback is a critical component of effective teaching and learning that helps encourage achieving and struggling students to keep pushing on. You should provide feedback to students on their progress, both formally and informally to help facilitate this. Feedback can take many forms, including written comments, verbal feedback, and rubrics. By providing feedback, you help your students understand their strengths and weaknesses and provide guidance on how to improve.

In addition to providing feedback, you should also encourage self-assessment. By encouraging students to reflect on their own learning, you can help them take ownership of their progress and empower them to become independent learners. Self-assessment can include self-reflection, peer assessment, and goal-setting.

Overall, assessing and monitoring student progress is an essential component of tiered instruction. By using a variety of assessment strategies, tracking student growth, and providing feedback and self-assessment opportunities, you can ensure that all students are making progress and are being appropriately challenged.

Collaborating with Colleagues and Parents

Building a supportive school culture for tiered instruction.

Building a positive classroom culture is essential to the success of tiered instruction in your classroom. Collaborating with your colleagues to share resources and best practices and create a cohesive approach to tiered instruction school-wide is a great way to ensure that not just your classroom, but your entire school are taking the right steps to educate all students.

Collaboration among your colleagues can be creating and sharing lesson plans and activities across multiple classes, sharing strategies for differentiating instruction , and sharing strategies for supporting struggling students. By working together, you and your colleagues can create a supportive learning environment that benefits all students.

In addition to collaborating with colleagues, you can also seek out resources and attend professional development opportunities to learn more about effective tiered instruction strategies. By staying up-to-date on the latest research and best practices, you can strengthen their instructional practices and provide better support to all students.

Engaging Parents in the Tiered Instruction Process

You should also engage parents in the tiered instruction process to ensure there isn’t any misunderstanding. This can be done through parent-teacher conferences, newsletters, and other communication methods that you already are using today. By involving parents in the instructional process, you can gain valuable insights into their child's needs and strengths and build a partnership with parents to support student learning.

Parents can also be a valuable resource to provide information about their child's interests, learning style, and home environment. This information can help you create more effective instructional plans and provide targeted support to students.

Overall, building a supportive school culture requires collaboration and communication among teachers, parents, and students. By working together, you can help create a learning environment that supports the success of all students.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is tier 1 tier 2 tier 3 education.

Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 are terms often used in the context of Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). They refer to different levels or tiers of instructional support provided to students based on their academic needs. Here's a breakdown of each tier:

Tier 1: This is the core instruction that is provided to all students in the general education classroom. It encompasses the regular curriculum and teaching strategies used for the majority of students. Tier 1 instruction is designed to meet the needs of the average learner.

Tier 2: This tier involves targeted interventions provided to students who require additional support beyond the standard Tier 1 instruction. It focuses on specific skills or areas where students are struggling. Tier 2 interventions are typically delivered in small groups and can be provided by the classroom teacher or a specialist.

Tier 3: Tier 3 is the most intensive level of support and is tailored to meet the needs of students who require significant individualized assistance. Students in Tier 3 typically have persistent difficulties and may receive more specialized interventions or one-on-one instruction. These interventions often involve more frequent progress monitoring and may be provided by specialized interventionists or special education teachers.

The goal of the tiered approach is to provide targeted and differentiated instruction to ensure that students receive the appropriate level of support based on their individual needs.

What is an example of a tiered lesson?

A tiered lesson is designed to address the varied needs of students within a classroom. Here's an example of a tiered lesson for a science topic:

Objective : Students will understand the water cycle.

Tier 1: Students will identify and label the basic stages of the water cycle (e.g., evaporation, condensation, precipitation).

Tier 2: Students will explain the processes of the water cycle and their interconnections using diagrams or visual representations.

Tier 3: Students will investigate and analyze factors that influence the water cycle in different environments (e.g., temperature, wind patterns, topography) and present their findings through written reports or presentations.

In this example, each tier addresses the learning objective but provides varying levels of complexity and depth based on students' abilities. This allows students to engage with the content at a level that matches their readiness and skills.

How do you use tiered instruction in your classroom?

To incorporate tiered instruction in your classroom, consider the following steps:

Assess student needs: Use a variety of formative assessments, observations, and data to determine students' strengths and areas of improvement.

Identify tiers and design activities: Create tiered activities or assignments that address the same core objective but offer different levels of challenge, complexity, or support.

Group students: Organize students into appropriate tiers based on their assessed needs. You can use flexible grouping to rearrange or change groups over time as students' progress.

Provide instruction and support: Deliver instruction at each tier, ensuring that students receive appropriate content, strategies, and resources based on their tier placement.

Monitor progress: Continuously assess and monitor students' progress to determine the effectiveness of the tiered instruction and make any necessary adjustments.

Differentiate as needed: Be prepared to make further adaptations or modifications for individual students who may require additional support or enrichment beyond the tiered activities.

By implementing tiered instruction, you can meet the diverse needs of your students, provide targeted support, and promote their overall growth and achievement.

Tiered instruction offers a powerful framework for meeting the unique needs of all students in your classroom. By identifying student needs and learning styles, creating tiered lesson plans and activities, and utilizing technology to support instruction, you can differentiate instruction to provide the right level of challenge and support for each of your student. By assessing and monitoring student progress, collaborating with colleagues and parents, and building a supportive school culture, you can also create an environment where all students can thrive and reach their full potential. By maximizing student outcomes through tiered instruction, you can truly make a difference in the lives of your students!

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Guide to Implementing Tiered Assignments in Classrooms

In the evolving landscape of modern education, differentiation stands out as a keystone in successful teaching. At its heart, differentiation is the acknowledgment that each student brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and needs to the classroom. Catering to these diverse backgrounds not only respects each learner’s individual journey but also maximizes their potential for success.

One powerful method to achieve this differentiation is through the use of tiered assignments. These assignments, designed to cater to varying levels of student readiness, offer educators the flexibility to meet learners where they are. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, tiered assignments open avenues for students to engage with material in ways that resonate most with their learning styles and proficiencies.

However, before digging into the mechanics of tiered assignments, it’s crucial to fully grasp the concept of a diverse classroom. The term “diverse learners” isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a reality that every educator must embrace if they’re to provide meaningful and equitable learning experiences for all their students.

Understanding Diverse Classrooms

Definition and characteristics of diverse classrooms.

A diverse classroom is not simply a mix of students from different backgrounds. It’s a rich tapestry of learners, each with distinct abilities, experiences, cultures, languages, interests, and ways of perceiving the world. While it’s easy to think of diversity purely in terms of ethnicity or socioeconomic status, it extends well beyond these factors. Inclusivity in education also encompasses learners with different cognitive abilities, learning preferences, and personal challenges, be they physical, emotional, or psychological.

Some key characteristics of diverse classrooms include:

• A range of learning abilities: from gifted and talented students to those with learning disabilities.
• Varied cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Differences in socioeconomic status, which might influence access to resources and prior educational experiences.
• Varied personal histories, family structures, and lived experiences that influence a student’s perspective and approach to learning.

The Significance of Acknowledging Individual Student Needs

Recognizing and addressing individual student needs is not merely a best practice – it’s essential for creating an equitable and inclusive educational environment. Here’s why:

Personalized Learning: Customized learning experiences increase engagement and retention. When students see themselves in the curriculum and feel that their needs are understood, they’re more likely to invest emotionally and intellectually in their education.

Building Confidence: Students who consistently feel out of their depth or, conversely, unchallenged, can become demotivated. By catering to each student’s readiness level, educators can boost their confidence and encourage a love for learning.

Preparing for the Real World: Our global society is diverse. By fostering an environment that respects and celebrates these differences, educators are preparing students for a world where they’ll interact with people from all walks of life.

What are Tiered Assignments?

At their core, tiered assignments are designed with the diverse classroom in mind. They are tasks or projects that are modified according to the learner’s level of readiness, ensuring that all students are challenged appropriately. This doesn’t mean that objectives change for different students; rather, the complexity, depth, or mode of an assignment might vary.

For instance, in a reading exercise, while one group might work on identifying basic story elements, another might delve deeper into analyzing themes and motifs. Though the material is the same, the way each student interacts with it differs based on their readiness and comprehension level.

Tiered assignments are a bridge, ensuring that each student has access to learning that’s rigorous yet within their zone of proximal development—the sweet spot where learning happens most effectively. This method respects the individual needs and abilities of each student, allowing them to grow at their own pace while still achieving common learning objectives.

Tiered Assignments: Definition and Core Principles

Tiered assignments, as the name suggests, involve creating layers or “tiers” of tasks that cater to different levels of student readiness. While the core learning objective remains consistent for all students, the process, complexity, and sometimes the product can vary to offer an appropriate level of challenge.

Core Principles

Consistent Learning Objectives: The heart of tiered assignments is ensuring that while tasks may differ, the fundamental goal or learning objective remains consistent for all students.

Flexibility: These assignments are designed to be adaptable based on student assessment, ensuring that as students grow and their needs change, the assignments can be adjusted accordingly.

Equity, Not Equality: The aim isn’t to give everyone the same assignment but to ensure each student has an assignment that offers them an equitable chance to succeed and be challenged.

Responsive Design: Tiered assignments respond to individual differences. Educators should be ready to modify assignments based on ongoing assessments and student feedback.

Benefits of Tiered Assignments in Diverse Settings

Personalized Learning Paths: Students can engage with materials in a way that resonates with their individual strengths and readiness levels.

Enhanced Engagement: When students feel neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed by assignments, they’re more likely to be engaged and invested in their work.

Increased Achievement: By working within their zone of proximal development, students are more likely to grasp and retain the content.

Collaborative Environment: Different tiers can encourage collaboration among students, allowing them to learn from one another and appreciate diverse perspectives.

Professional Development for Educators: Designing tiered assignments pushes educators to think critically about their teaching methods, fostering growth and innovation in their pedagogical approaches.

Steps to Implementing Tiered Assignments

Assessment of Student Readiness: Begin with a pre-assessment to gauge the current skills, understanding, and readiness levels of each student.

Design Varied Tasks: Based on the assessment, design tasks with different levels of complexity, ensuring they all align with the core learning objective.

Group Students: Depending on the assignment, group students by similar readiness levels. Remember, these groups should be fluid, allowing students to move between them as they progress or face challenges.

Provide Clear Instructions: Each tier should have clear instructions, so students understand what’s expected of them and how they can achieve success.

Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor student progress. Adjust the assignments or move students between tiers as necessary, based on their performance and feedback.

Facilitate Peer Collaboration: Encourage students to collaborate within and across tiers, fostering a rich learning environment where students can learn from each other’s varied experiences and perspectives.

Review and Reflect: After the assignment, take the time to review its effectiveness. Reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how the process can be improved for future tiered assignments.

Assessing Learner Readiness and Levels

Before implementing tiered assignments, it’s crucial to understand where each student stands in terms of skills, knowledge, and readiness.

Diagnostic Assessments: These are pre-assessments that help determine students’ prior knowledge and skills in a particular area. They can include quizzes, discussions, or tasks related to the upcoming content.

Observations: Regularly observe students during class activities. Noticing how they approach tasks, the challenges they face, and the strategies they use can provide valuable insights.

Student Feedback: Encourage students to self-assess and provide feedback on their comfort level with the material. This can be done through reflection journals, surveys, or one-on-one discussions.

Continuous Assessment: Rather than just relying on a one-time pre-assessment, continually assess students throughout the unit or course to adjust tiers as needed.

Designing Assignments with Varying Complexities

With a clear understanding of student readiness, assignments can be designed to cater to varying levels of complexity.

Bloom’s Taxonomy: Utilize Bloom’s taxonomy to create tasks at different cognitive levels, from basic recall to more complex analytical and evaluative tasks.

Varied Resources: Provide resources at different reading levels or complexities to cater to diverse learners.

Differentiated Product: Allow students to showcase their understanding in different ways, whether through essays, presentations, projects, or other mediums.

Incorporating Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

Recognizing that students have different strengths and preferences in how they learn is key. Incorporating Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences can provide varied entry points for learners.

Linguistic and Logical: Traditional reading, writing, and mathematical challenges cater to these learners.

Visual-Spatial: Integrate diagrams, charts, and opportunities for artistic expression.

Kinesthetic: Include hands-on activities or movement-based tasks.

Musical: Integrate music, rhythms, or sound-based activities.

Interpersonal and Intrapersonal: Encourage group activities or self-reflection tasks.

By diversifying tasks, students can engage with the material in ways that resonate most with their personal strengths.

Strategies for Effective Management

Implementing tiered assignments requires meticulous organization and management to ensure smooth execution.

Transparent Communication: Make sure students understand the purpose of tiered assignments and how they’re designed to benefit individual learning.

Structured Workspace: Design the classroom layout to facilitate group work, individual tasks, and teacher-led instruction seamlessly.

Regular Check-ins: Regularly check in with students, ensuring they feel supported and providing guidance where necessary.

Peer Support System: Encourage collaboration and peer support, so students can leverage each other’s strengths.

Utilize Technology: Digital platforms and tools can help in creating, distributing, and monitoring tiered assignments effectively.

Feedback Loop: Create a consistent feedback system where students can express their feelings and concerns regarding the assignments, allowing for continuous refinement of the process.

Optimizing Tiered Assignments: Resources, Techniques, and More

Tools and Resources for Tracking Progress

Effectively tracking student progress is essential to ensure that tiered assignments are meeting their intended outcomes. Here are some tools and resources:

Learning Management Systems (LMS): Platforms like Google Classroom , Canvas , or Moodle can help manage assignments, track submissions, and monitor student engagement.

Differentiated Lesson Planner: The Teachers’ Blog Differentiated Lesson Planner makes tiered tasks a cinch.

Digital Portfolios: Platforms like Seesaw or Portfolium allow students to document and reflect on their learning journey, providing a holistic view of their progress.

Online Assessment Tools: Quizzing platforms like Kahoot or Quizizz offer instant feedback, helping gauge student understanding in real-time.

Progress Trackers: Spreadsheet tools, like Google Sheets or Excel, can be used to create custom progress trackers, charting student growth over time.

Grouping Techniques: Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous

Homogeneous Grouping: This method groups students with similar readiness levels or abilities together.

Pros: Allows for targeted instruction; students can move at a similar pace.

Cons: Risk of creating ability “labels” or limiting peer-to-peer learning opportunities.

Heterogeneous Grouping: This method mixes students of different abilities and readiness levels.

Pros: Encourages peer-to-peer support and diverse perspectives; can boost confidence for lower-achieving students.

Cons: Risk of advanced students dominating tasks or some students feeling overwhelmed.

Best Practice: A combination of both methods can be effective, varying groupings based on the task’s objective and desired outcomes.

Feedback Mechanisms for Continuous Improvement

Formative Assessments: Regular, low-stakes assessments can provide ongoing feedback to both educators and students.

Peer Review: Encourage students to review and provide feedback on each other’s work, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Self-Assessment: Equip students with rubrics or reflection templates to evaluate their own work and set future goals.

Regular One-on-Ones: Individual meetings with students can offer deeper insights into their experiences and challenges.

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Differentiating instruction might be seen as favoritism or unfair treatment.

Solution: Ensure transparent communication about the purpose and benefits of tiered assignments to both students and parents.

Challenge : Designing multiple versions of assignments can be time-consuming for educators.

Solution: Collaborate with fellow teachers, tap into shared resources, or use adaptive learning platforms that auto-adjust based on student performance.

Challenge: Some students might feel demotivated if they perceive their tier as “lower” than their peers.

Solution: Emphasize the value of growth and the idea that everyone’s learning journey is unique. Rotate groups regularly to avoid fixed labels.

Conclusion: Championing Tiered Assignments in Diverse Classrooms

The educational landscape is ever-evolving, but one constant remains: the diversity of our classrooms. In this rich tapestry of learners, where each individual brings unique strengths, challenges, and perspectives, lies the challenge and the opportunity for educators.

Tiered assignments emerge as a beacon of differentiation in this context. They recognize that not all students are on the same page, and instead of trying to force a uniform approach, they adapt to each student’s unique page. They’re a testament to the fact that equal does not always mean equitable. Instead of giving everyone the same, they aim to give everyone what they need to succeed.

As we’ve journeyed through the intricacies of tiered assignments, from understanding diverse learners to assessing readiness, designing assignments, and managing them effectively, a recurring theme is evident. The approach is as dynamic as the students it serves. And that’s its strength.

For educators, the takeaway is twofold. First, embrace the complexity of diverse classrooms, not as a challenge but as an opportunity. Each student, with their unique abilities and experiences, enriches the classroom, and tiered assignments can help channel this richness effectively.

Second, while tiered assignments offer a robust framework, the real magic lies in continuous adaptation. The world of education is fluid. New tools emerge, best practices evolve, and our understanding of learning deepens. As educators, staying adaptive, staying curious, and being willing to refine our methods is paramount.

To conclude, tiered assignments are not just a pedagogical tool; they’re a philosophy. A philosophy that centers on the student, acknowledges diversity, and strives for inclusivity. In the ever-evolving quest to provide the best for our students, they’re not just an option but an imperative. As educators, may we always strive to match the diverse beats of our classrooms, ensuring every learner feels seen, challenged, and empowered.

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Tiered Instructions:

Based on work by Carol Ann Tomlinson

Powerpoint from: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/.../ Tiered Instr.ppt

Basic Information from http://www.derry.k12.nh.us/dvs/staff/cmccallum/differentiation/tiered.pdf

Tiered Assignments

In a differentiated classroom, a teacher uses varied levels of tasks to ensure that students explore ideas and use skills at a level that builds on what they already know and encourages growth. While students work at varied degrees of difficulty on their tasks, they all explore the same essential ideas and work at different levels of thought. Groups eventually come together to share and learn from each other.

Tiered assignments should be:

• -Different work, not simply more or less work
• -Equally active
• -Equally interesting and engaging
• -Fair in terms of work expectations and time needed
• -Requiring the use of key concepts, skills, or ideas

Basic Tiered Activity

Example: Completing a Character Map

Tier 1. (Low)

-How the character looks

-What the character says

-How the character thinks or acts

-The most important thing to know about the character

Tier 2. (Middle)

-What the character says or does

-What the character really means to say or do

-What goals does the character have

-What the character would mostly like us to know about him or her

-What changes the character went through

Tier 3. (High)

-Clues the author gives us about the character

-Why the author gives these clues

-The author’s bottom line about this character

Tiered Activities

Tiering can be based on challenge level, complexity, resources, outcome, process, or product. (Heacox, 2002)

1. Tiering by Challenge Level:

Use Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide to develop tasks at various

challenge levels.

Elementary activities for book talk presentations.

Lower levels of Blooms:

• -List story elements (knowledge)
• -Book summary (comprehension)
• -Support a conclusion about a character with evidence from the book (application)

Higher levels of Blooms:

• -Discuss the theme or author’s purpose for writing the book (analysis)
• -Create a new ending for the story (synthesis)
• -Critique the author’s writing and support your opinion (evaluation)

2. Tiering by Complexity:

When you tier by complexity, you provide varied tasks that address a student’s level of readiness, from introductory levels to more abstract, less concrete, advanced work. Be careful to provide advanced work to the higher level student, rather than just more work.

After whole group class reading of a current events issue in the Time for Kids magazine such as global warming, students complete a related activity differentiated by complexity.

Students are asked to write a public service announcement

using jingles, slogans, or art to convey why global warming is a problem

and what people can do to prevent it.

Students conduct a survey of peer awareness and understanding of global warming. They design a limited number of

questions and decide how to report their results such as with charts or in a newscast.

Tier three:

Students debate the issue about the seriousness of global warming, each side expressing a different viewpoint. The must provide

credible evidence to support their opinions and arguments.

3. Tiering by Resources:

Use materials at various reading levels and complexity to tier by resources. Students using tiered resources may be engaged in the same

activity, (such as find five examples of contributions made by Native Americans ), or they may be working on a different, but related activity. (such as one group researching plants of the desert, while another

researches animals of the desert).

4. Tiering by Outcome:

Students all use the same materials, but what they do with the

materials is different.

Example: Pattern block Math

• Identify all the ways you can group your pattern blocks.
• Identify all the different patterns you can make with your pattern blocks.
• Create a bar graph to show all the different kinds of pattern blocks in your bag.

5. Tiering by Process:

Students work on the same outcomes, but use a different process to get there.

Example: What are the characteristics of a hero?

• Make a chart of specific heroes and what they did to make them become a hero.
• Choose two or three heroes and compare them in a Venn diagram.
• List personal characteristics exhibited by heroes and rank them from most to least important.

6. Tiering by Product:

Groups are formed based on learning preference, using Gardner’s multiple intelligences.

Example: For a unit on the solar system, Study of rotation and revolution

of the earth.

• Create a flip book, diagram, or model showing the rotation of the earth around the sun (visual-spatial)

Position and move three people to demonstrate the concept of revolution and rotation of the earth with respect to

the moon and sun. (bodily-kinesthetic)

• Make a timeline of a year detailing the position of the New Hampshire with respect to the sun. (logical-mathematical)

References:

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc.

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom, Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development, (ASCD).

Tiered Activity Resources:

For more ideas and specific tiered activities that you can use in your classroom, check out the following resources, available in the PACE

department at Derry Village School: Coil, C. (2004). Standards-Based Activities and Assessments for the

Differentiated Classroom. Pieces of Learning.

Davidson, K. and T. Decker. (2006). Bloom’s and Beyond: Higher Level Questions and Activities for the Creative Classroom. Pieces

of Learning.

Tomlinson, C. (2003). Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and

Curriculum Development, (ASCD).

Witherell, N. and M. McMackin. (2002). Graphic Organizers and Activities for Differentiated Instruction in Reading. New York, NY:

Scholastic.

The following web sites can provide further information and examples.

Best Practices: Instructional Strategies and Techniques

http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/tiered/index.html

Tiered Lesson Plans

http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/welcome.html  

Tiered Instruction

http://www.derry.k12.nh.us/dvs/staff/cmccallum/differentiation/tiered.pdf

Tiered Instructions

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EduTip 6: Try a tiered activity for simple differentiation.

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Despite knowing that our students have different needs, many teachers struggle with differentiation, not because they disagree with it in theory, but because in practice, the idea of planning so many different lessons is overwhelming. 

While you probably know that it’s not necessary to plan a unique lesson for every student, you may not be aware of some of the simplest ways to provide differentiation, so in this tip I’ll share just one, the tiered activity , also known as a tiered assignment . 

You can find this strategy in lots of places, but I learned about it from the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson in books like How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms ( Bookshop.org link | Amazon link ).

Here’s how it works: Suppose you’re teaching students how to type on a keyboard without looking at the keys. After giving a brief pretest, you’ve determined that some students have no idea how to do this, while others have had a few lessons in a previous course, and a few seem to have slow, but moderately good touch typing skills. It would not make sense to have the whole class work through a typing exercise that consisted entirely of hitting the f and j keys; this would be a waste of time for those who are past that point. But if you made everyone do an exercise consisting of complex words, punctuation, and numbers, that would be incredibly frustrating for the beginners. 

So instead, you offer students three options, or tiers, to choose from: 

• Exercise 1 uses single keystrokes of the home keys. 
• Exercise 2 uses whole words that only use the home keys.
• Exercise 3 uses whole words with a few more keys beyond the home keys, plus capitalization, commas, and periods.

Each exercise takes five minutes to complete, and students only need to complete one of them.

This kind of assignment makes it much more likely that every student will be working at the level of challenge that’s just right for them, and it doesn’t require you to create individual assignments for every student. 

In some cases, you can take one assignment and just break it up into three tiers. For example, if you have 20 practice problems for a math, chemistry, or grammar lesson that go from easiest to hardest, instead of giving all students all 20 problems, tier 1 might be problems 1-10, tier 2 might be 5-15, and tier 3 might be 11-20. 

In English, if students are writing a personal narrative, the length of the final piece might be the same for all tiers, but each successive tier might contain more advanced skills, such as a certain amount of complex sentences, specific styles of dialogue, or the use of certain literary devices like interior monologue or metaphors.

In social studies, tiers might consist of three different texts about the same topic, written at different levels of complexity, or the same text offered at different levels on a platform like Newsela .

The point here is that if you’re not doing much differentiation, but you want to be, don’t think you have to create a whole bunch of separate assignments. Start with a core assignment with clear objectives, then think about how you can simplify it for some students so they still get the most important components, and add more complexity for those who are already further along with that particular skill or body of knowledge. 

A few important notes for making this work well:

• Each tier should offer a relatively equal amount of work and challenge. In other words, students who are advanced with the material in question shouldn’t be given more work than beginners; they should have work at a different level. Similarly, those same advanced students should experience a similar level of struggle with their task as those who are working at the beginner level; if they fly right through their tier in no time, it’s probably not challenging enough.
• Tiers should be flexible and fluid. Do not give students fixed labels that keep them in the same tier all year long, for every activity—ideally, students should move from tier to tier depending on the particular task at hand. Even better, help students develop the metacognitive skills to select whatever tier gives them the right amount of challenge, and encourage them to tune in to how a tier feels once they’ve chosen it; if they’re feeling overwhelmed, they may need to move down a tier, but if they’re bored, they may need to move up.
• Mindset and classroom culture can make a huge difference in how well this approach works. If students feel embarrassed about working on lower tiers or “punished” by working on higher ones, a tiered task won’t work nearly as well as it could. Ideally, you can model an attitude of practicality, of each person getting what they need when they need it. Before starting your first tiered task, have a conversation about how everyone has strengths in some areas and needs to grow in other areas—use an example from your own life about something you’ve recently learned or something you’re trying to get better at—and emphasize the idea that we grow the most when we’re challenged just enough to stay interested. Make it a regular part of your classroom conversation to ask questions like, “What tier do you think will be best for you this time?” or “How did that tier work for you?” to help students see the tiers as self-directed choices, rather than labels.

See all EduTips here .

I teach almost 100% collaboration activities. I have them for 3.5 hours a day. They are all gifted students but have different achievement levels. Some need a lot of time to research while others are super quick. But when they work in teams, they can get frustrated waiting for the slower student. Do you have any advice to how break up work without making it more work for me, like completely different articles, projects, and websites?

Good question, Heather! I can think of a few things that might help. Like the EduTip suggests, rather than creating completely different projects, you may want to approach things by starting with a single assignment and then simplifying it and/or adding more complexity to meet the needs and levels of all your learners. In addition, in this post , Jenn outlines some useful strategies for when student contributions are uneven during cooperative work. Lastly, CoP has curated a ton of great resources on cooperative learning on this Pinterest board . I hope this gives you good starting point to find what you’re looking for!

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