Carol Ann Tomlinson Gives an Updated Look at Differentiated Instruction in ASCD's New DVD Series

Alexandria, Va. ASCD has released a pair of professional development DVDs that offers teachers guidance on what, how, and why to differentiate in their classrooms. In these DVDs, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of Elementary Learners and The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of Secondary Learners, Carol Ann Tomlinson lays the groundwork for bringing differentiated instruction into the classroom to refine the work teachers already do. Through Tomlinson’s interviews and interactions with teachers, these videos demonstrate practical, real-world examples from elementary and high school classrooms.

“When I wrote the second edition of The Differentiated Classroom, I had the opportunity to reflect on the many changes in education over the past 15 years and develop new ways to make differentiated instruction successful in today’s schools,” said Tomlinson. “I hope that teachers will see the real-life classroom examples in these videos and feel encouraged to try the techniques and strategies with their own students.”

Each DVD will help teachers learn how to divide their time, resources, and efforts to effectively instruct students of various backgrounds, interests, and readiness and skill levels. Each also includes bonus content on how a differentiated classroom makes it easier to implement the Common Core State Standards. Take a look at the videos below for a sneak peek at these two DVDs.

  1. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of Elementary Learners―An elementary classroom teacher works with his students on a growth mindset, and Tomlinson describes its importance in this excerpt.
  2. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of Secondary Learners―A secondary classroom teacher talks to her students about the “glows and grows” from a small-group discussion in this excerpt.

The DVDs, which are meant for use in professional learning communities and schools, can be purchased as a set or individually.

For further guidance on implementing differentiated instruction, teachers can read The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition. In this book, Tomlinson builds on her writing, instruction, and observations over the last 15 years to update her concepts and strategies for a 21st century learning environment.

Learn more about Carol Ann Tomlinson and her work by visiting ascd.org/carolanntomlinson.

Featured

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • William Penn Charter School

    Richard A. Balderston OPC’69 Lower School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Richard A. Balderston OPC’69 Lower School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.