What best describes differentiated instruction?

Differentiated instruction is best described as tailoring teaching methods and resources to meet the varying needs of students. This approach acknowledges that learners have diverse backgrounds, abilities, interests, and learning preferences. It allows teachers to modify their instructional strategies based on the unique characteristics of each student, ensuring that all students have equitable access to learning.

This might involve varying the content, process, or product of learning based on individual student profiles. For instance, a teacher might provide different reading materials that are suited to varying reading levels in a single classroom or offer various ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a concept, such as through projects, presentations, or written assessments.

The other options highlight practices that do not align with the principles of differentiated instruction. Teaching the same content to all students overlooks individual differences, while providing extra homework for struggling students does not necessarily address their specific learning needs or styles. Utilizing a standardized curriculum for all classes fails to recognize the individual variations among students and does not allow for the adaptability that is central to differentiated instruction.