Teachers serve students with different skills, backgrounds and learning styles. Differentiated instruction, or DI, is a method built for that reality. DI adjusts what students learn, how they learn it and how they show what they know.
The result is a classroom where more students can access the same high standards. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s online Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) with Emphasis in Advanced Teaching Strategies program prepares teachers to apply this method in their own schools.
What Is Differentiated Instruction?
Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to student needs. A teacher who uses DI does not deliver one fixed lesson to all. They adjust content, process or product based on student readiness, interest or learning profile. For a full overview of the method and its origins, see this guide that explores and defines differentiated instruction.
This approach benefits students who learn at different paces or bring different backgrounds to the classroom. It also gives teachers a framework for maintaining rigor while adjusting the path each student takes to reach it. DI does not lower expectations; it changes how students meet them.
The Four Elements of DI
Reading Rockets identifies four elements that teachers can adjust. Each one gives a different entry point for reaching more learners.
- Content: What students learn.
- Process: How they engage with the material.
- Product: How they show what they know.
- Learning environment: Covers the physical setup and routines of the class.
Teachers do not need to adjust all four at once. Most start with one element and build from there.
Examples of DI by Content
A reading teacher assigns three versions of the same text. One version is at grade level. One is below.
One is above. All groups study the same topic. Each group works with text they can access.
A science teacher gives a vocabulary guide to students who need support. Others work with the main text. Both groups cover the same concept and reach the same objective.
A history teacher pre-teaches key terms before the main lesson. Students who need more background get that support first. Those who do not need it begin the reading on their own.
These adjustments do not change the objective. They change the entry point into it.
Examples of DI by Process
A math teacher sets up three stations. One group works on problems alone. Another works in pairs. A third works directly with the teacher. All three groups cover the same skill.
A writing teacher offers some students a graphic organizer. Others write freely from a prompt. Both groups aim for the same goal, a clear paragraph, with different levels of support.
A teacher uses think-alouds for students who need to hear each step aloud. Others apply the steps on their own. The task is the same. The path to it is not.
Examples of DI by Product
One student writes an essay. Another builds a model. A third records a short video. All three demonstrate the same learning goal in a format that fits their strengths.
A teacher offers a choice board with six options. Students pick the one that works for them. The format varies. The standard does not.
A student who struggles with written expression uses a visual map to summarize a unit. Others write a formal report. Both show the same understanding in a different form. Teachers who want structured practice with these strategies often build that skill through a program such as SIUE’s online MSEd in C&I – Advanced Teaching Strategies.
What DI Is Not
DI is not about assigning different standards to different students. All students work toward the same learning goals. The adjustment is in how they reach them, not in what they achieve.
DI is not the same as special education. It is a general classroom practice. Teachers use it to meet the range of needs in any class.
DI is also not chaos. Teachers plan for it. They use data to group students and track growth. The adjustments are deliberate, not random.
Finally, DI is not a one-time fix. It is an ongoing process. Teachers observe, adjust and observe again. Over time, it becomes a natural part of how a classroom runs. This cycle of testing, checking and adjusting mirrors the process of action research, which many teachers use to test new strategies against real classroom results.
How to Start Differentiating
Start with data. Review recent assessments to see where students are. Exit tickets, unit tests and reading checks all give useful information. Use what you find to form groups for a specific skill.
Choose one element. Focus on content, process or product first. Adding all three at once is hard to manage, especially at the start.
Use flexible groups. A student may need more help in reading and less in math. Groups should reflect the current task, not stay fixed all year. Change groups as you gather new data.
Check in often. Short checks show who needs more support and who is ready to move ahead. Adjust groups as students grow.
Differentiation Skills for Working Teachers
DI also builds teacher confidence. Teachers who know how to read data and respond to it feel better prepared for any class they teach.
Teachers who adjust their instruction reach more students well. The online MSEd in C&I – Advanced Teaching Strategies from SIUE includes coursework on DI and its classroom application, and the program is built for working teachers and completed fully online. Educators who want a closer look at the full scope of the program can explore how SIUE’s advanced teaching strategies curriculum builds these skills.
Putting These Strategies Into Practice
Differentiated instruction gives teachers a practical way to reach every student without lowering the bar for any of them. Whether the entry point is content, process or product, the goal stays the same: Every student works toward the same learning objective, supported at the level they need.
Building this skill set well often means moving past individual strategies toward a structured way of applying them across an entire teaching career. SIUE’s online MSEd in C&I – Advanced Teaching Strategies includes a dedicated course on differentiated instruction, alongside coursework in classroom learning environments and curriculum design, so teachers leave with both the theory behind these methods and practice putting them to use.
Teachers who build these skills early tend to keep using them, since small adjustments to grouping, materials or output options rarely require rewriting a lesson plan from scratch. Over time, differentiation becomes less of an added task and more of a habit that shapes how a classroom runs.
Ready to put these strategies into practice in your own classroom? Start with SIUE’s online MSEd in C&I – Advanced Teaching Strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Differentiated instruction raises a few common questions for teachers who are new to the approach. The answers below address how DI fits into planning, grading and daily classroom routines.
Does differentiated instruction mean creating a different lesson for every student?
No. Teachers typically adjust content, process or product for groups of students who share similar needs, not for each student individually.
How much planning time does differentiated instruction add?
Planning time decreases as teachers build a bank of reusable materials and grouping strategies, though it takes more upfront time in the first year of practice.
Is differentiated instruction the same as an Individualized Education Program?
No. DI is a general classroom practice available to all students, while an Individualized Education Program is a legal document for students who qualify for special education services.
Can differentiated instruction work in a class with a wide range of skill levels?
Yes. DI is designed specifically for classrooms where students enter with different skills, backgrounds and readiness levels.
Where can teachers learn more about applying differentiated instruction?
Graduate programs such as SIUE’s online MSEd in C&I – Advanced Teaching Strategies teach these methods in depth alongside broader curriculum and instruction coursework.
About Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public university on a 2,660-acre campus in Edwardsville, Illinois, just outside St. Louis. The SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior has trained teachers and education leaders since the university’s founding, and its P-12 teacher and administrator preparation programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation through December 2029.
Its graduate programs, including the MSEd in Curriculum and Instruction, are built for working educators who want to apply new strategies in their own classrooms while continuing to teach. For teachers looking to deepen their practice without stepping away from the classroom, SIUE’s online format and flexible course schedule make it possible to earn a graduate degree while keeping a full teaching load.
The program’s focus on practical, classroom-ready strategies gives educators tools they can apply the same week they learn them.
