GLA Differentiated Instruction 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a key principle of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as it relates to differentiated instruction?
- All students must reach the same benchmark at the same time
- Provide multiple means of representation, action, and engagement (Correct answer)
- Modify standards for students with disabilities
- Focus instruction exclusively on struggling learners
Correct answer: Provide multiple means of representation, action, and engagement
UDL emphasizes proactively building multiple pathways into lessons so all learners can access content.
Question 2: A literacy teacher uses 'anchor activities' in her classroom. What is the primary purpose of anchor activities?
- To give students a break after finishing work early
- To keep students productively engaged while the teacher works with other groups (Correct answer)
- To replace core instruction for advanced learners
- To assign homework that reinforces yesterday's lesson
Correct answer: To keep students productively engaged while the teacher works with other groups
Anchor activities are independent, meaningful tasks students return to whenever they finish assigned work, allowing the teacher to facilitate small-group instruction.
Question 3: Which scenario best illustrates differentiation by 'learning profile'?
- Giving a student extra time on a reading test
- Allowing a student to demonstrate comprehension through a recorded podcast instead of a written essay (Correct answer)
- Providing a simpler text to a below-grade-level reader
- Grouping students by their standardized test scores
Correct answer: Allowing a student to demonstrate comprehension through a recorded podcast instead of a written essay
Differentiating by learning profile means adjusting how students show what they know based on their strengths and preferred modes of expression.
Question 4: A teacher is planning a lesson on informational text structures. She creates three versions of the same article: original, partially outlined, and fully outlined with annotations. This is an example of:
- Differentiation by interest
- Tiered tasks based on readiness (Correct answer)
- Flexible grouping by learning profile
- Product differentiation
Correct answer: Tiered tasks based on readiness
Scaffolded versions of the same text represent tiered tasks aligned to different readiness levels.
Question 5: Which statement about differentiated instruction and standards is accurate?
- Differentiated instruction lowers standards for struggling students
- All students work toward the same standards through varied pathways (Correct answer)
- Standards only apply to on-grade-level students
- Differentiation replaces the need for grade-level standards
Correct answer: All students work toward the same standards through varied pathways
DI does not change the learning goals — it changes the paths students take to reach the same high standards.
Question 6: During a writing workshop, a teacher confers individually with students and adjusts her feedback based on each writer's current needs. This practice best reflects:
- Direct whole-class instruction
- Responsive, individualized differentiation (Correct answer)
- Reteaching the same lesson to all students
- Summative product assessment
Correct answer: Responsive, individualized differentiation
Individual writing conferences allow teachers to provide targeted, personalized feedback that meets each student's current developmental stage.
Question 7: A student's interest survey reveals a passion for sports. The teacher incorporates sports statistics into a math-integrated literacy task. This adjustment addresses differentiation by:
- Readiness
- Learning profile
- Interest (Correct answer)
- Environment
Correct answer: Interest
Using a student's interests to make content more engaging is a core strategy for differentiating by interest.
GLA Differentiated Instruction 3
Which of the following is a key principle of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as it relates to differentiated instruction?