Google Classroom is a great platform for differentiating instruction for several reasons. It gives students a private arena to hand in ability-leveled assignments. It provides a way for students to ask the teacher questions without fear of being ridiculed by peers. It also supplies a host of tools for teachers to create assignments which provide student choice. Learning how to implement these tools is the key for differentiating learning with Classroom.

Creating Assignments for Individuals or Groups of Students

The ability to choose which students receive specific assignments is one of the most recent updates rolled out by Google in August. It will also be the basis for each of the methods of differentiation discussed herein.

Step 1

On the Classwork tab, select the Create button and choose Assignment. Creating a Question in lieu of an Assignment also gives teachers the option to send questions to individual students or groups of students.

Step 2

In the Assignment dialogue box, click the student drop-down menu to choose students to receive the assignment. Repeat this process for each assignment needed for the differentiated task.

Leveled Assignments

Leveled assignments for students with different abilities and needs is one of the most common methods for differentiating instruction. It is also one of the most time-consuming tasks that teachers encounter in a traditional classroom setting. In addition, it may make students uncomfortable or embarrassed if they get a different assignment in the presence of their peers. With Classroom, this process is streamlined to enable teachers to create leveled work and assign it to individuals or groups of students. Teachers simply have to create assignments and choose students to receive it. Students are unable to see which other students have the same or different assignments.

Remediation or Extension Activities

No two students work at exactly the same pace on every lesson. Providing remediation lessons for students who need more practice or providing extension activities for students who have mastered content is another method for differentiation which can be easily handled via Classroom.

Choice Boards

Teachers can provide students with choice in a number of ways through Classroom. One way is to give students a choice in the manner in which they accumulate knowledge. Creating an assignment with multiple avenues to reach the objective is as simple as uploading multiple files, links, or videos in Classroom. Another way to give students choice is by allowing them to determine how they will show the teacher they’ve reached the objective. Students can use Docs, Slide, Sheets, videos or other methods to show the teacher they have grasped a concept, and each of these methods is compatible with Google Classroom.

Cater to Learning Styles

It’s easy to cater to multiple learning styles with Classroom. When students submit work, they are offered options for uploading their creations. Included in those options are items such as attaching files, links, Docs, Slides, Sheets, or Drawings. The possibilities are only limited by teacher and student imaginations.