Books about Mixed ability from Amazon.com

Just as students come in different sizes and shapes and with differing cultural backgrounds, interests, and abilities, so do teachers face challenges in "fitting" instruction to the students in their classrooms. This book provides practical guidance in addressing the diverse needs of students in mixed- ability classrooms. Differentiated instruction provides multiple approaches to content, process, and product; and it is a blend of whole-class, group, and individual instruction.

The author states: "My goal here is to help teachers determine what differentiated instruction is, why it is appropriate for all learners, how to plan for it, how to manage it, how to help parents and students prepare for differentiated classrooms, and how to assess student progress." She describes actual classrooms that use strategies for managing differentiated classrooms and provides detailed how-to's for lesson planning. An appendix lists strategies, including pretesting for competence ("compacting"), independent projects, interest centers, and tiered assignments..
Price: $20.29 [Notify me when price goes down.]

It's an age-old challenge: How can teachers divide their time, resources, and efforts to effectively instruct students of diverse backgrounds and interests, as well as skill and readiness levels? The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners offers a powerful, practical solution.

Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, author Carol Ann Tomlinson describes a way of thinking about teaching and learning that will change all aspects of how you approach students and your classroom. She looks to the latest research on learning, education, and change for the theoretical basis of differentiated instruction and why it's so important to today's children. Yet she offers much more than theory, filling the pages with real-life examples of teachers and students using-and benefitting from-differentiated instruction.

At the core of the book, three chapters describe actual lessons, units, and classrooms with differentiated instruction in action. Tomlinson looks at elementary and secondary classrooms in nearly all subject areas to show how real teachers turn the challenge of differentiation into a reality. Her insightful analysis of how, what, and why teachers differentiate lays the groundwork for you to bring differentiation to your own classroom.

Tomlinson's commonsense, classroom-tested advice speaks to experienced and novice teachers as well as educational leaders who want to foster differentiation in their schools. Using a "think versus sink approach," Tomlinson guides all readers through small changes, then even larger ones, until differentiation becomes a way of life that enriches both teachers and students..
Price: $21.14 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Some children learn easily, while others struggle How can teachers make sure that every child has opportunities to develop his or her talents? The answer is differentiation: changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction in response to learners' needs, styles, and/or interests. In this timely, practical guide, Diane Heacox presents a menu of strategies for any teacher faced with a spectrum of student needs and styles. Some are quick and easy-differentiating discussions, creating tiered assignments. Others are more comprehensive-matrix plans for designing curriculum units, "one-sentence lesson plans" that encompass content, process skills, and evidence of learning. Individual chapters focus on evaluation in a differentiated classroom and how to manage both behavior and work tasks. Diane describes ways to get to know your students and recognize that all have strengths and limitations. Not every gifted student is always ready for higher-level thinking; not every child with learning differences is always incapable of succeeding in a "higher group." Any curriculum can be differentiated-even a standard or mandated curriculum. Drawing on Bloom's Taxonomy, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, other experts in the field, and her own experience in the classroom, Diane explains how to differentiate instruction in a wide variety of scenarios to provide variety and challenge in how teachers teach and in how students learn. Templates and forms simplify planning; examples illustrate differentiation in many content areas. Recommended for all teachers committed to reaching and teaching all learners. Includes reproducibles..
Price: $18.54 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Praise for the First Edition:

"Highly recommended reading for classroom educators and a seminal contribution to Teacher Education supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections."
-Midwest Book Review

"A teacher-friendly guide to differentiating instruction based on sound theory and best practice."
-Joanne Quinn, OISE University of Toronto

"[The book] is highly recommended reading for classroom educators and a seminal contribution to Teacher Education supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections."
-Wisconsin Bookwatch , May 2002

"Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit Allprovides information about strategies that will enable teachers to plan strategically so they can meet the needs of the wide variety of students in today’s highly diverse classroom. Presented in an easy-to-use format, practical techniques and processes are shared that can be used to plan and adjust learning based on pre-assessment of individual students’ knowledge, skills, experience, preferences, and needs."
-Gifted Child Today, January 2003

"My principals useDifferentiated Instructional Strategiesto design appropriate strategies for evaluating whether the needs of all learners have been met."
-Linda S. Tafel, Professor
National-Louis University, Evanston Campus

Find the strength and uniqueness in every child in your classroom!

Differentiated instruction enables teachers to plan strategically so they can meet the needs of each and every student in today's highly diverse classroom. Now the book offering best practices and techniques for differentiated instruction has been updated and expanded by two of the field's most respected proponents. Differentiated Instructional Strategies, Second Edition, features more of the practical techniques and processes that teachers can use to adjust learning based on individual students’ knowledge, skills, experience, preferences, and needs.

Are you looking for the best and newest research-based practices in pedagogy and assessment for learning? The ones that make a real and positive difference in student achievement are explored here in depth. Centers, Projects, Choice Boards, Problem-Based Learning, Inquiry Models, Cooperative Learning, and Contracts are all featured, complete with explanations and examples. More than 75 planning models, templates, matrixes, rubrics, graphic organizers, checklists, and questionnaires are included as well, to help teachers make the right decisions about instruction and assessment on an individual basis. This teacher-friendly guide is sure to be an important resource for any teacher, new or experienced, who wants to help every student in the classroom learn and succeed. (20060603).
Price: $27.10 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Judith Dodge effectively blends her years of experience and the latest research on differentiated instruction to provide teachers with innovative tools that generate immediate impact on classroom teaching and learning. In this book she helps teachers to: translate research into action, inform their instruction through on-going and frequent assessments, access multiple pathways for learning, foster "intrinsic" motivation, use "instructional intelligence" and flexible groupings, harness the power of visual tools, scaffold instruction for struggling learners, and provide challenging options for advanced learners..
Price: $11.96 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Co-Teaching in the Differentiated Classroom is a practical hands-on guide that explains how to implement co-teaching programs in mixed-ability classrooms. Based on the authors' award-winning model, this important guide shows how special education teachers can pair with general education teachers to improve classroom functioning while promoting high achievement for all students. The book provides tested frameworks and tools for teacher collaboration on lesson planning, student grouping, assessment, and discipline. It also offers guidance on managing overcrowded classrooms and on designing and implementing differentiated lessons and assignments, and includes advice for administrators..
Price: $16.17 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A truly visionary book based on the popular workshops of a highly acclaimed art therapist, designer, and pioneer in personal growth through creativity.

In Visioning, Lucia Capacchione, the author of such self-help classics as Recovery of Your Inner Child and The Power of Your Other Hand, shows us that we can transform our lives in the same way that a designer transforms raw materials to meet his or her vision. Drawing on her experiences as a designer and corporate consultant, Capacchione uses the artistic principles she acquired from mentors Charles Eames and Walt Disney to teach readers how to apply a blueprint to their individual lives that will help them to realize personal goals and dreams. Complete with easy-to-follow and playful hands-on art activities and techniques, Visioning sparks "the designer within" and makes real the notion that if you can dream it, you can do it. .
Price: $8.75 [Notify me when price goes down.]

"Differentiated Assessment Strategies is a bible for assessment strategies that you will keep nearby for easy reference in planning and implementing classroom assessment The use of this book will take away the mystery on how to guide and monitor students’ performances."
From the Foreword by Marti Richardson, NSDC Past President

Empower students to self-assess and improve performance with these ready-to-use assessment strategies and tools!

Do you have a full toolbox to gather ongoing assessment information to pinpoint student needs and plan instruction? Do you believe a student’s interests can leverage academic success? Would you like to help your students grow as reflective self-assessing thinkers? With this classroom-friendly guide, you’ll become a better teacher as you learn to assess students before, during, and after instruction.

Packed with tools, surveys, checklists, questionnaires, assignments, organizers, guidelines, and rubrics, Differentiated Assessment Strategies addresses informal as well as formal assessments, and assessments before, during, and after learning for learners of all types and levels, including K-12, special needs, and gifted students. In addition to application of the latest research, you’ll become skilled in novel assessment tools that provide immediate feedback. Chapman and King provide ready-to-use tools to:

• Evaluate and activate students’ prior knowledge
• Transform homework into rich learning opportunities
• Draw higher order thinking from ALL students
• Assess learning to offer feedback to students Assess learner preferences, as well as cognitive styles and multiple intelligences
• Determine student comprehension and requirements for reteaching
• Build students' metacognitive power to self-assess their own learning

Use assessment strategies to build a positive learning culture and energize your students!

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Price: $29.29 [Notify me when price goes down.]