Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

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

  • 08/13/15

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

  • Doerr School of Sustainability Accelerator

    From Concrete Warehouse to Innovation Hub: Accelerating Sustainability at Stanford

    The transformation of a once windowless, concrete publishing warehouse into a sun-drenched center for global innovation began with a single, fundamental challenge: how to turn an industrial storage shell into a space built for human connection.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.