Giving Students A Choice (u05a2)
Giving Students Options
Allowing students to choose their assignments is another tactic that automatically differentiates instruction: Rather than creating one learning activity to meet an objective, create several for students to choose from. They will pick the one that interests them the most and, at the same time, self-differentiate according to their capacity and needs. If a student is challenged in writing, will often choose the graphic novel over the essay. If a student is more academic, then she will select the research paper instead of the television infomercial. Coming up with activities that involve similar amounts of effort and require the same level of learning takes time but the effort is well worth it.
Tic-Tac-Toe is a simple way to give students alternative ways of exploring and expressing key ideas and using key skills. Typically, the Tic-Tac-Toe board has 9 cells in it, like that of the game. Boards can be easily adjusted for the needs of the many different students in your classroom.
Adaptations
· Allow students to complete any 3 tasks–even if the completed tasks don’t make a Tic-Tac-Toe.
· Assign student tasks based on readiness.
· Create different Tic-Tac-Toe boards based on readiness.
· Create Tic-Tac-Toe boards based on learning styles or learning preferences.
· Create Tic-Tac-Toe boards based on Multiple Intelligences.
From Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom by Carol-Ann Tomlinson
I created an Iditarod Tic-Tac-Toe Board for class last week and have shared it with a fourth grade teacher in my building. We do a lot of collaborative projects together and share many teaching ideas and strategies. She had never heard of Tic-Tac-Toe boards but thought the concept was great and would work well with the students in her class. We are both on the alternative evaluation from this school year and plan to develop a Tic-Tac-Toe board for Theme 6: Nature: Friend or Foe for the Houghton Mifflin Reading curriculum that is taught in our district. Our focus will be volcanoes, a topic that is often talked about due to the many volcanoes in Alaska. The nine space volcano board will focus on connecting Gardner’s nine multiple intelligences with technology. For assessment we plan to develop quantitative rubrics for each of the nine squares.
I think back to the lack of choice I had in school and I know a Tic-Tac-Toe Board would have made a big difference for me. As I look over the board I know for sure that I would not pick the Logic Smart or Word Smart boxes. I would have picked Nature Smart or Wonder Smart as my first two choices.
This project has made a very powerful impact on me and has made me really think about my instruction and how important it is to give students a choice.