Differentiated instruction strategies and assessment (also known as differentiated learning or, in education, simply, differentiation) is a framework or philosophy for effective teaching that involves providing different students with different avenues (often in the same classroom) to acquiring content; to processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and to developing teaching materials and assessment measures so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability. Students vary in culture, socioeconomic status, language, gender, motivation, ability/disability, personal interests and more, and teachers need to be aware of these varieties as they are planning their curriculum. By considering varied learning needs, teachers can develop personalized instruction so that all children in the classroom can learn effectively. Differentiated learning classrooms have also been described as ones that are responsive to student variety in readiness levels, interests and learning profiles. It is a classroom where all students are included and can be successful. To do this a teacher sets different expectations for task completion for students based upon their individual needs.

Effective teaching requires differentiated instruction strategies—providing different materials, arrangements, and strategies for students with different abilities and needs. The differentiation can include unique structural arrangements in the school, such as special tutoring for individuals or special classes for small groups needing particular extra help. Differentiation can also include extra attention or coaching within a classroom for individual students or small groups.

One of the more widely used approaches for differentiating instruction is called response to intervention (or RTI). Like other forms of differentiation, RTI begins with the premise that students differ widely in how they learn and the extent of their learning. It also assumes that a central part of teaching is respond to these differences, and to do so as promptly as possible. To achieve this purpose, RTI programs typically frame educational interventions around three levels called tiers. Tier 1 instruction involves efforts to teach an entire class in the most effective ways—ways that are good bets for being effective with the majority of students. Using Tier 1 strategies, for example, a teacher might sometimes explain new ideas to the whole class, but also put students into small groups for selected projects and give them individual seat work or homework to do. Tier 2 instruction involves additional time or materials for the relatively small number of students who do not learn from Tier 1 methods. Typically it involves additional work in small groups or even individual tutoring within the classroom by the teacher, an educational assistant, or adult volunteer. Tier 3 instruction is reserved for the even smaller number of students who still do not learn even from Tier 2 instruction. It is likely to involve special classes or individual tutoring outside of the classroom, using special education teachers or educational assistants hired for the purpose. Tier 3 instruction is therefore more resource intensive than Tier 2 instruction, which is in turn more resource intensive than Tier 1 instruction.

Although the three-tiered system of RTI resembles a traditional “tracking” system of education, it is much more effective (and fair to students) than traditional tracking because it also emphasizes the importance of assessing learners’ successes and needs continually. As illustrated in the accompanying diagram, even Tier 1 instruction involves detailed screening of learners’ progress—all learners’ progress—through brief, short-term tests and observations. Since brief assessments can sometimes prove inaccurate, many advocates of RTI also propose screening all learners not once, but several times following initial instruction. The tests and observations help to identify students who are not responding to instruction and therefore may need Tier 2 instruction. At Tier 2 and Tier 3, assessment is also continual and short-term, and instruction focuses as much as possible on the same goals and objectives as in Tier 1. When implemented properly, therefore, it is difficult for a student to get placed at Tier 2 or Tier 3, only to be in effect abandoned at those levels educationally.

As this description implies, RTI is often used to organize services for students with special educational needs (for additional strategies see: “Students with special educational needs”). Many books have been published to help special educators with implementing its ideas. RTI differs from some alternative approaches to special education in advocating an especially inclusive approach when responding to diversity: essentially the same approach is proposed for teaching the entire class as is used for teaching students who are struggling. In either case, the key to the approach are two-fold: 1) use a variety of the best available teaching practices, and 2) assess students frequently, specifically, and briefly to keep track of their progress.