Differentiation for Parents & Teachers. Support Neurodiversity Better, AND Executive Function

Parents, teachers, and therapists—

In this video, I’m going to talk about differentiation. This is an educational concept, but why should parents, teachers, and therapists all understand it?

Because it’s incredibly important, and it will help you better support the kids you’re working with.

I hope you’re having a fantastic day.

My name is Seth Perler. I wear a lot of hats in the executive function world—I’m a coach and speaker, and I work with many kids with ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity.

In this video, I’ll explain differentiation and give you a definition that I believe is very useful. It’s my definition—you may define it differently—but this should help you get started.

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So, what is differentiation?

First, let’s look at the word “different.” Differentiation means making something different. But what are we making different?

We are making learning experiences different for individual students.

To me, differentiation means tailoring, personalizing, or customizing learning experiences. These words are essentially synonymous.

We are differentiating how we teach and what students experience.

Why do we do this? Because every student is different.

Each student has a unique brain, with unique strengths, interests, and needs.

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So here’s how I define differentiation:

It is the process of tailoring learning experiences to an individual’s unique needs, strengths, interests, gifts, and sense of meaning.

Let’s break that down.

Every student has different needs. Differentiation helps us meet those needs.

Every student has strengths—but traditional schooling often overlooks the strengths of neurodiverse learners. Differentiation allows us to build on those strengths.

Students also have different interests. Instead of using a purely top-down approach, we can incorporate what they care about to make learning more engaging.

Then there are gifts—natural abilities that may or may not be recognized in traditional systems.

And finally, meaning.

When learning feels meaningful or purposeful, students get much more out of it. The more we can connect learning to meaning, the more effective it becomes.

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So what does differentiation look like in practice?

There are four main areas we can differentiate:

Content, process, product, and environment.

Say it with me: content, process, product, environment.

Once you understand these four areas, you can quickly think about how to better support a student.

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Let’s break them down.

Content is what we are learning.

This is usually tied to curriculum or standards, but it can be anything. For example, if I’m learning a new song on the guitar, the content is the song itself.

We can differentiate content by choosing something that aligns with a student’s interests, strengths, and sense of meaning.

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Process is how we learn.

This includes learning strategies and teaching methods. For example, I could learn a song by watching someone play it, reading tablature, practicing hands-on, or modeling from a video.

Different students learn best in different ways, so we adapt the process accordingly.

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Product is how students show their learning.

This is where there’s often a big problem in education.

Most of the time, students are asked to demonstrate learning through tests or essays. These are very limited forms of assessment.

But there are many other ways to show learning.

For example, if I learn a song, I wouldn’t take a multiple-choice test—I would perform it. I might record it, create a video, or share the tablature.

There are countless ways to demonstrate understanding, but education systems often default to just a few.

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Finally, environment is where learning happens.

This includes both the physical and emotional environment.

The physical environment could involve group settings, classroom layout, or whether a student works better in noise or silence.

The emotional environment is just as important—if not more so.

Students need to feel safe in order to learn. When they feel unsafe, their brain shifts into survival mode (fight, flight, or freeze), and learning becomes much harder.

Creating a safe, supportive emotional environment is critical.

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So, to recap:

Content is what you learn.
Process is how you learn.
Product is how you show learning.
Environment is where you learn.

Differentiation means customizing all four of these areas to meet the needs of individual students.

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As a teacher or educator, I think of teaching as an art.

Teachers are not just delivering content—they are crafting learning experiences.

Unfortunately, many systems push teachers to simply follow curriculum and meet standards, rather than create meaningful, engaging experiences.

But my goal has always been to create differentiated, strength-based learning experiences.

Why?

Because it increases engagement, supports individual needs, and ultimately leads to better learning.

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That’s the whole point of differentiation.

My name is Seth Perler.

If you found this helpful, give it a like, subscribe, and leave a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

How do you approach differentiation? Do you have any tips or insights to share?

I’m especially interested in hearing from parents and therapists as well.

You can also check out my website for free resources and explore more content on my YouTube channel.

I also host The Executive Function Online Summit each year, where experts share insights on executive function.

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Thanks for being here.

I wish you peace of mind, joy, and meaningful connection with the kids you care about.

Take care.