Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction, Grades 4—10: Seven Practices to Maximize Learning

Seven easy steps to differentiating math instruction for busy teachers

Are you able to support your struggling students while also challenging your high achievers? Research clearly shows the value of using formative assessment to differentiate mathematics instruction, but putting it into practice can be daunting. This book makes it much easier! Staff development expert and former math teacher Leslie Laud provides a clear roadmap for using formative assessment to differentiate mathematics instruction for students in Grades 4–10, using strategies ideal for a Response to Intervention (RTI) model. She presents a comprehensive framework of research-based practices that show how to:

• Get started and establish norms
• Implement formative assessment
• Create tiered lessons
• Manage a multitasking classroom effectively

Tested and enhanced by experienced math teachers, the book′s strategies are designed for use in conjunction with any curriculum or textbook. Included are a wealth of practical examples, reproducibles, and student activities―all developed with effective time management in mind. Whether you are just starting or interested in enhancing your mathematics instruction, this book will prove an invaluable resource.

Leslie Laud has differentiated math instruction in her own classroom and in her co-teaching with her math colleagues, and has been doing so for almost two decades. She teaches an online course on Differentiated Middle School Math Instruction at Bank Street College of Education. Additionally, she has presented at many conferences both nationally and internationally, including The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference. She has also published many articles in leading journals such as Educational Leadership and Teaching Exceptional Children. She currently leads staff development groups with teachers in school systems in the Boston area. She received both her doctorate in curriculum and instruction and her master’s in special education from Teachers College, Columbia University.