{"id":9519,"date":"2020-12-07T17:00:23","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T16:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/eu\/?p=9519"},"modified":"2026-06-05T12:13:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:13:42","slug":"confidence-building-strategies-for-teaching-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/confidence-building-strategies-for-teaching-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Achieving differentiation\u00a0in\u00a0Online\u00a0Lessons\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"At\u00a0<\/span>Wacom<\/span><\/a>, we\u2019re hearing from increasing numbers of teachers struggling to differentiate online lessons. Does that sound like you?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\nTeaching for all abilities is hard enough in the classroom.<\/span>\u00a0Working at a distance from your learners makes it hard to pitch lessons\u00a0<\/span>appropriately<\/span>\u00a0for everyone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\nLet\u2019s look at simple ways you can differentiate learning for your class<\/span>. To\u00a0<\/span>offer support to students who struggle<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>whilst also stretching those in need of challenge.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n

Different ways of\u00a0<\/span>differentiating<\/span>\u00a0lessons<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDifferentiat<\/span>ion<\/span>\u00a0no longer means sitting children on tables according to a fixed idea of ability.\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0now\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>far more\u00a0<\/span>flexible<\/span>\u00a0approach focused on\u00a0<\/span>personalising learning<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>to avoid putting a ceiling on achievement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\nThe\u00a0<\/span>principal ways<\/span>\u00a0of differentiating lessons are:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n

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  1. By outcome<\/span>: Students complete the same\u00a0<\/span>task,<\/span>\u00a0but there<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s variation in the\u00a0<\/span>level of\u00a0<\/span>work they produce.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    1. By task<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>G<\/span>roups of learners complete different activities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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      1. By support\u00a0<\/span>offered<\/span>: Extra\u00a0<\/span>resources are used to support struggling learners.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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        1. By lesson structure<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>Classes<\/span>\u00a0are\u00a0<\/span>planned<\/span>\u00a0for different groups of students.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThere<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s no right way to make differentiation work. Most teachers find a combination of approaches best to meet the needs of their students.\u00a0<\/span>Working online might mean embracing\u00a0<\/span>alternative ways<\/span>\u00a0to differentiate\u00a0<\/span>that you\u2019ve not tried before.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n

          1:\u00a0<\/span>Differentiation by outcome<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nRather than\u00a0<\/span>organising<\/span>\u00a0lots of activities for\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>different\u00a0<\/span>abilities in your class, you can differentiate by outcome. This means setting everyone the same task<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>but expecting different levels of<\/span>\u00a0success or complexity<\/span>\u00a0of response<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\nUse success criteria to show students your expectations. Organise this into challenge\u00a0<\/span>order to help them see next steps.\u00a0<\/span>Whilst everyone will complete the same task, the criteria show them ways to improve.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\nFor example,\u00a0<\/span>when writing an<\/span>\u00a0English\u00a0<\/span>character description<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>you<\/span>\u00a0could organise your<\/span>\u00a0criteria by\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>complexity of\u00a0<\/span>their answer<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\n