Differentiated Instruction Workshop
This interactive workshop is designed for use in teacher education programmes and aims to make the complex concept of differentiated instruction (DI) more approachable for student teachers. The session begins with a brief introduction to key theoretical principles, drawing on the work of Tomlinson and Bosker & Doolaard. However, rather than overwhelming students with its theoretical scope, the workshop encourages them to first explore what they are already doing in their practice that aligns with DI. The heart of the session is a guided reflective dialogue: a volunteer engages in a plenary conversation with the workshop leader based on five scaffolded questions that move from existing practice to immediate action.
- What do you already do in your own practice?
- Why do you do this?
- What is your end goal for DI?
- What do you need to know to get there?
- What is your next step? When you get in your classroom tomorrow, what will you do then?
Afterwards, students can pair up and repeat this dialogue with each other. The final question (“What is your next step for tomorrow?”) ensures that each student leaves the room with at least one concrete action they can immediately implement in their teaching. While the resource is framed around differentiation, the pedagogical structure of the reflective dialogue is easily transferable to broader equity-related topics. Teacher educators can use the same five-question format to support student teachers in thinking about the inclusiveness of their teaching practices, and to help them identify small, practical steps toward creating more equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.