Differentiated Instruction

Education news, analysis, and opinion about techniques and adaptations to instruct students with diverse learning needs in the same classroom

Explainer

In this 2014 photo, 6th graders Willyum Oliver and Michael James (from left) discuss a math performance task during class at Whittemore Park Middle School in Conway, S.C.. The software students are using helps teachers at Whittemore Park differentiate instruction.
Differentiated Instruction: A Primer
Definitions vary for differentiated instruction, a popular approach for teaching children with a range of academic strengths and interests.
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Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Teaching Letter to the Editor The Myth of Differentiation
"We should learn from such epiphanies," writes Mike Schmoker about a recent opinion essay.
September 25, 2026
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1 min read
Teacher Adam Gravenor hands out lesson sheets he created with the help of AI technology to accompany the class textbook at Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Nov. 17, 2025.
Teacher Adam Gravenor hands out lesson sheets he created with the help of AI technology to accompany the class textbook at Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Nov. 17, 2025. More teachers are using AI to generate decodable texts and other tailored reading, and not much research points to best practices.
RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Artificial Intelligence Using AI-Generated Text in Reading Class? Watch for These Pitfalls
Not all AI tools are equally skilled at crafting texts for teaching, studies have shown.
Sarah Schwartz, September 9, 2026
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4 min read
Jessica DiMaggio, an education for students with disabilities paraprofessional, watches a Structured Academics and Interpersonal Learning or SAIL student put the tips of his index fingers together at Watkins Elementary on Nov. 4, 2025 , in Wylie, Texas.
Jessica DiMaggio, an education for students with disabilities paraprofessional, watches a Structured Academics and Interpersonal Learning or SAIL student put the tips of his index fingers together at Watkins Elementary on Nov. 4, 2025 , in Wylie, Texas. Most teachers don't feel confident in their ability to adapt instruction to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities, according to a new survey by the National Center for Learning Disabilities and West Ed.
Angela Piazza/The Dallas Morning News via TNS
Special Education How Teachers Feel About Adapting Instruction for Students With Disabilities
Both general and special education teachers need more time and support to build confidence in differentiating instruction.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, August 27, 2026
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3 min read
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO- NOVEMBER 17: Teacher Adam Gravenor uses AI technology to assist his instruction at Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Nov. 17, 2025.
Teacher Adam Gravenor uses AI technology to assist his instruction at Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Nov. 17, 2025. As AI continues to enter the classroom, some teachers are using both general tools and those provided by educational publishers to generate "decodable" text to supplement phonics lessons, or texts of varying complexity.
RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Reading & Literacy More Kids Are Learning to Read on AI-Generated Text. What Are the Pros and Cons?
AI tools can easily create practice passages. Are they comparable to those written by humans?
Sarah Schwartz, August 27, 2026
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8 min read
English learners and early elementary students developing foundational literacy skills. Strategies designed for multilingual learners have improved engagement, confidence, and academic language for all students. Different learners.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion I Changed What Differentiation Means in My Classroom. Here’s How
The strategies that I first introduced for multilingual students ended up helping all my students succeed.
Jeremiah Asendido, June 12, 2026
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3 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
English Learners Opinion Teaching English Learners Is Complex. Here Are Some Tested Strategies
Teachers can start by shifting how we think about language development.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 28, 2025
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10 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion The Ins and Outs of Effective Culturally Responsive Teaching
Understanding different cultures is a skill all students need.
Larry Ferlazzo, September 25, 2025
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12 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion How Can Teachers Meet Their Many Challenges?
If the education system focused on students' strengths instead of weaknesses, teachers and students alike would benefit.
Larry Ferlazzo, August 15, 2025
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10 min read
Photo collage of two teachers working on laptop computer.
Education Week + Getty
Artificial Intelligence From Our Research Center Here’s How Teachers Are Using AI to Save Time
Forty ways teachers are using artificial intelligence to make their jobs easier.
Madeline Will, February 14, 2025
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2 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Tips for Making Differentiated Instruction Manageable
"Planning backward" and other tips for the successful implementation of this teaching technique.
Larry Ferlazzo, July 5, 2024
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7 min read
Diverse group of students sitting on chairs looking away at an abstract background.
iStock/Getty Images + Education Week
Equity & Diversity Opinion We Can End Academic Tracking Fast—Or We Can Do It Right
Eliminating ability grouping can give students better opportunities, but teachers must be ready to get students to grade-level standards.
Miriam Plotinsky, June 14, 2024
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5 min read
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Jacqueline Chaney ask her 2nd graders a question during class at New Town Elementary School in Owings Mills, Md., on Oct. 25, 2023.
Jacqueline Chaney ask her 2nd graders a question during class at New Town Elementary School in Owings Mills, Md., on Oct. 25, 2023.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Teaching Profession The State of Teaching, 2024 Edition The 'Difficult, Beautiful' Work of Teaching
From sunup to sundown, America's teachers grapple with countless decisions, interruptions, joys, and frustrations.
Madeline Will, Elizabeth Heubeck, Ileana Najarro, Arianna Prothero & Sarah Schwartz, March 6, 2024
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26 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Differentiated Instruction Isn't Easy. But It's Not Impossible
The teaching method takes time and patience, and it needs to be tailored to fit the needs of each student.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 9, 2024
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13 min read