Diverse student populations with varying learning skills and linguistic barriers exist throughout elementary and higher education settings. Poorer learning outcomes are observed when students are not engaged or motivated to learn. This study aimed to determine techniques used in the classroom such as discussion and debate, research and inquiry or small group instruction that could lead to a positive effect when instructing students in these settings. The analysis included a review of the literature for the years 2000 through 2023 with a focus on learning outcomes. This literature review is limited to differentiation with small group instruction, with researcher highlighting the importance of individual learning proficiency. Based on the findings of this study, it can be implied that there is a return on the teacher's time invested using the five fundamental principles of differentiation for achieving better student learning outcomes.