So you have a student—or maybe a handful—who need extra support to succeed in math. You’re using math differentiation strategies to adjust instruction, but it’s not always clear when that’s enough… or when it’s time for a more targeted math intervention plan.
Let’s break down the difference between math differentiation vs intervention, with examples to help you decide what support is right for your students.
When Is Differentiation the Answer?
Differentiation is your first line of defense in the classroom. As a teacher, you’re constantly making thoughtful adjustments to help every student access the lesson.
Examples of effective math differentiation include:
- Offering manipulatives during independent work
- Swapping for a different manipulative that better supports a student’s thinking
- Adjusting the number of problems assigned
- Picking focus problems based on the needs of different groups
- Letting students demonstrate understanding using whiteboards, diagrams, or hands-on models
- Strategically placing a student so you can catch and address misconceptions in real time
If students can access tier 1 instruction with these supports—and they’re making progress—differentiation is working.
When Does a Student Need Math Intervention?
If you’re consistently differentiating and a student is still struggling to grasp core content, that’s a red flag. It’s time to consider math intervention—a targeted strategy to address foundational gaps.
These students may not just need support accessing the current lesson—they may need instruction that helps them understand earlier, prerequisite concepts.
For example:
If your 1st graders are learning to “count on” for addition, but one student doesn’t yet grasp what addition means, they’ll struggle. They need an intervention group that focuses on building that conceptual understanding first.
That’s the difference between differentiation vs intervention:
Intervention = focused instruction on missing foundational skills
Differentiation = supports within the current lesson
A Simple Framework for Differentiation and Intervention
Not sure where to start? This video lays out a 3-step framework you can use to:
- Differentiate your tier 1 instruction
- Understand the CRA progression
- Determine whether differentiation might be enough!
Math Intervention Resources That Work
If you’ve identified foundational gaps, I can help.
Every unit in my 5-Day Focus Math Intervention series follows the same proven model:
✔️ Concrete
✔️ Representational
✔️ Abstract
This CRA progression builds deep, connected understanding for your students—and it works.
Kindergarten Math Intervention | First Grade Math Intervention | 2nd Grade Math Intervention
3rd Grade Math Intervention | 4th Grade Math Intervention | K-4 Interventionist Bundle
