Every class includes students who are ready for more, students who need more support and students in between. Differentiated instruction means planning so all of them can learn the same important content, with different paths, supports or products. It does not mean writing 30 separate lesson plans.
Here are 12 differentiated instruction strategies that work in real secondary classrooms, with examples and a simple planning table.
In this guide5 sections
What you can differentiate
- Content: how students access information (text level, video, worked examples).
- Process: how students practice (support, grouping, pace).
- Product: how students show what they learned.
- Environment: where and how students work.
12 strategies
- Pre-assessment. A short check before the unit shows who already knows what. See our formative assessment examples.
- Tiered tasks. Three versions of the same task at different levels of challenge, all aimed at the same goal.
- Choice boards. Students choose two or three tasks from a grid of options.
- Flexible grouping. Groups change by task: sometimes by readiness, sometimes by interest, sometimes mixed. See group work roles.
- Worked examples. Provide a fully solved example for students who need a model.
- Scaffolded notes. Partially completed notes for students who struggle to keep up. Our guide on how to take notes in class helps all students.
- Learning stations. Rotations with different levels or formats of practice.
- Extension menus. Ready-made challenges for early finishers.
- Small-group reteach. Pull five minutes with students who missed the exit ticket.
- Varied texts. The same topic at different reading levels.
- Product choice. Show understanding through a paragraph, diagram, short video or presentation.
- Adjusted pacing. Checkpoints let students move ahead or get support when needed.
Example: one lesson, three paths
| Group | Task | Support |
|---|---|---|
| Needs support | Solve 5 problems with a worked example | Teacher small group |
| On track | Solve 8 problems, check with an answer key at problem 4 | Partner check |
| Ready for more | Create and solve two word problems | Extension card |
All three groups work on the same skill and finish with the same exit question.
Tips for making it manageable
- Differentiate one part of a lesson, not the whole lesson.
- Reuse structures (choice boards, tiers) across units.
- Keep groups flexible so no student is labeled “low.”
- Use data from exit tickets to decide groups.
- Keep the learning goal the same for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
What is differentiated instruction?
Planning instruction so students with different readiness, interests and needs can all reach the same learning goals through different supports, tasks or products.
What are examples of differentiated instruction?
Tiered tasks, choice boards, flexible grouping, scaffolded notes, learning stations and product choice.
How do I differentiate in a large class?
Start with one strategy per week, such as tiered practice or an extension menu, and use exit tickets to form groups quickly.
Differentiation is a habit, not a heroic effort. Start with one tiered task and one extension menu this week, and build from there. For more engagement ideas, see our student engagement strategies.
