Define Differentiation LIST ANY EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENTIATION THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY USING IN YOUR CLASSROOMS

Define Differentiation LIST ANY EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENTIATION THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY USING IN YOUR CLASSROOMS

Differentiating Reading Instruction INFORMATION TAKEN FROM DIFFERENTIATING READING INSTRUCTION BY LAURA ROBB, 2008

Session 1 Introduction and Chapter 1 DIFFERENTIATING READING INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENTS FOR DIFFERENTIATING READING INSTRUCTION BY LAURA ROBB

Differentiation IS NOT : Every student doing a different thing in your class Designing an individual plan for every student you teach Giving a different assignment to every student you teach ONE way to distinguish students differences or learning preferences Dumbing down the curriculum for some students and increasing the rigor for others Giving longer assignments to some students and shorter assignments to some students

Differentiation IS: Designing instruction for students in their zone of proximal development All about assessment Tiering assessments, assignments, and instruction Using appropriate scaffolding and reteaching for all students Making all students accountable for grade level performance RTI Conferencing with students

"View learning as working on a tough task with the support of an expert." (p. 23) "THE GOAL IS TO ENABLE THE STUDENT TO COMPLETE THAT TOUGH TASK ON HIS OR HER OWN BY GRADUALLY GIVING THE STUDE NT MORE AND MORE RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL THE TEACHER'S SUPPORT IS NO LONGER NECESSARY." (PG. 23-24)

What About Reading Instruction? Students must have choice of independent reading materials {and choice of writing topics}. Students must be matched to appropriate reading levels in their independent reading (Lexiles) Students must apply reading {and writing} strategies taught in class to their independent reading {and writing}. Teachers should use a common text {or mentor text for writing} for read alouds and direct instruction (How We Use Trade Books)

What About Writing Instruction? All students must write {and read}! If a student is at his/her frustration level, he/she will not write {or read} anything. (Better to work paragraph by paragraph) Some students may need more scaffolding when writing {or reading} Provide them with a topic/thesis statement or work just on writing a thesis statement {provide reading graphic organizers} Work on specific parts of a composition beginning, middle, end and provide models {comprehension strategy} Allow more time for some students Let some write/compose on the computer {some may need to listen to a story or passage read aloud} Let some students talk through a paper before writing it Some students need to draw and write {while they read -- visualizing}

TIERING Tiering does NOT mean that we give proficient readers and writers longer assignments and more books to complete! Tiering DOES mean adjusting assignments to the learning needs and abilities of individual students.

"Consider the difference between the 'difficulty' and the 'complexity' of an assignment." (p. 21) "INSTEAD OF INCREASING THE DIFFICULTY BY ASKING STUDENTS TO READ AND WRITE MORE, DESIGN ACTIVITIES THAT INCREASE COMPLEXITY." (P. 21-22)

Example of Tiering an Assignment Student A works on a written summary of a book for a book review and presents the opinion part of her review orally. Student B writes a book review that includes a brief summary and a supported opinion.

Example of Tiering an Assignment All students complete a graphic organizer on character analysis. Student A receives support from the teacher to transform the notes into a paragraph. Student B completes the paragraph with feedback from a partner. Student C completes the paragraph independently.

Tiering Can Mean Adjusting: The reading level of a text The writing tasks a student does so that those who need support at the sentence and paragraph level receive it while others write longer pieces The choice of projects you offer so that they meet the needs of the range of reading and writing levels in your classes Presentations of choice learning, such as an illustrated time line or a photo essay that include the high-level thinking you expect at your grade level

Tiering Can Mean Adjusting: The amount of independent, choice reading so that thick, hefty books count as two to three titles The kinds of teaching materials for struggling readers so that they read more, because texts are easy and on topics that interest them The choice of assignments in paired and group projects so they meet the learning needs of diverse members Homework assignments so students are truly reading at their independent levels and completing writing tasks that match what they can do well Tests and quizzes by having students respond to what you are teaching using instructional and/or independent reading materials

What s Key for Differentiation? If a seventh grader reads instructionally at third grade, that seventh grader should apply grade-level skills and high-level reading strategies to the easier text. All students, no matter what their instructional reading {or writing} levels, should engage in the high-level, analytical thinking expected for their grade using materials they can read {or write}. To improve as a reader {or writer} and to enlarge reading vocabulary {and writing skills}, students need to learn their instructional levels, think at high levels, and complete a great deal of independent practice reading {writing}. (pg. 75, Assessments for Differentiating Reading Instruction)

Use a 3-Part Framework Before Reading/Writing Engage and build schema but don t tell too much! During Reading/Writing Model comprehension strategies {writing strategies} After Reading/Writing Discuss, write, complete tiered activities to share with classmates {Author s Chair} Connect and process ideas to create new meanings and lasting understandings

10 Practices to Differentiate Reading Instruction Use Read Alouds as a common teaching text. Teach with diverse materials Organize for instruction so you address all reading/writing levels in some way Value independent reading and writing practice Tier you assignments Show students how to construct meaning while reading/writing Encourage discussion Write to explore, think, learn, and improve comprehension Use ongoing assessments to support each student Plan units carefully

Questions to Consider 1. How can I add differentiation to my teaching framework? 2. Have I incorporated differentiation strategies into my instruction? 3. Am I using the read aloud as a common teaching text? 4. Am I preparing students for differentiated reading/writing instruction by establishing daily learning routines? 5. Do I use students assessments to inform instruction decisions? 6. Have I thought through my unit and written Big Picture Plans? 7. Have I developed ongoing formative assessments that drive differentiated instruction? 8. Are my assessments responding to what students can successfully do? 9. Do I ask students to self-evaluate so they understand their progress?

Session 2 R O U T I N E, A S S E S S M E N T, A N D P L A N N I N G : B U I L D I N G T H E F O U N D A T I O N F O R D I F F E R E N T I A T I N G R E A D I N G I N S T R U C T I O N A S S E S S M E N T S T H A T H E L P Y O U K N O W Y O U R S T U D E N T S A S R E A D E R S

A reading (writing) workshop is similar to an artist s workshop. Your class, like the painter s workshop that has apprentices at differing levels of expertise, has students who have a diverse range of reading, critical thinking, and writing levels. (pg. 32, Differentiating Reading Instruction)

Components for Differentiating Instruction Instructional read alouds (Model Texts for LA) Differentiated whole-class instructional reading/writing Small-group instructional reading/writing Independent reading/writing Writing to improve reading (Reading to improve writing)

What s Missing? I started a differentiated unit of study at the end of the first week of school, and it flopped. My students talked all the time. They read little; their journal work was more doodling than writing. I ll never do this again. (pg. 33 Differentiating Reading Instruction)

What s Missing? Big Picture Planning Establishing routines Assessment of students strengths and needs

Routines Preparing Students Post a daily schedule Give out and prepare response journals Provide a daily warm-up activity Present daily read alouds Have students read independently Four Layers of Discussion Support Differentiating Reading Instruction

Routines Four Layers of Discussion Support Differentiating Reading Instruction Discussions and the Teacher s Role learn how to maintain discussions that move beyond spouting the facts to thinking, drawing conclusions, and making connections Paired discussions Small-group discussions Discussions with oneself Metacognition

Assessment Assessments for 1 st Weeks of School Ongoing Performance- Based Assessments

Planning Thinking through and planning units of study focuses you on instructional goals and can improve your daily teaching and students achievement. (pg. 50 Differentiating Reading Instruction)

QtA Strategy What is it? How could you use it in your classroom? Would it work? What would you need to do? (Form on pg. 281)

Sample Journal Entries Do we do this already? Could we use this? Would it work? Why or why not?

The goal of our teaching and assessment to improve students reading skill and stamina and move them toward independence! (pg. 35 Assessments for Differentiating Reading Instruction)

Idea for Observational Notes See pg. 45 in Assessments for Differentiating Reading Instruction Each day that I plan to take observational notes, I prepare a clipboard by placing 4-6 sticky notes on a blank piece of paper on the clipboard

Assessment Forms Were there any Assessment Forms that you thought that you could use? Which ones and how would you use them?

Session 3 and 4 C H A P T E R 3 : R E A D A L O U D S A N D D I F F E R E N T I AT I O N : B R I D G I N G L E A R N I N G G A P S W H I L E E N G A G I N G R E A D E R S C H AP T E R 4 : W H O L E - C L AS S I N S T R U C T I O N A L R E A D I N G A N D D I F F E R E N T I AT I O N : D I F F E R E N T I AT E D W H O L E - C L A S S I N S T R U C T I O N T H AT M AT C H E S S T U D E N T S A N D B O O K S ----------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - C H A P T E R S 3-4 A S S E S S M E N T F O R M S F O R R E A D I N G S T R AT E G Y C O N F E R E N C E S A N D A S S E S S I N G T I E R E D L E A R N I N G TA S K S

"Reading aloud every day poems, stories, and books you love transmits to your students the passion and joy you have for reading. Reading aloud strengthens students' listening skills and also tunes their ears to the music in our language, and their minds to visions the text conjures up." (pg. 68)

"For those students who heard few stories before entering school and who may not be bonding to books while in school, your daily read alouds can awaken their torpid imaginations and replace 'nothing' with myriad sensory images, colors, and emotions." (Laminack and Wadsworth, 2006 as cited in Robb, 2008, pg. 68)

"In middle and high school, teachers can read aloud at the start and end of class and transition from reading to writing workshop with a poem. The point is that one read aloud a day is not enough to build and strengthen students' imaginations." (pg. 68)

"The read aloud became the teacher's common instructional text, and students had the opportunity to improve their reading skills because each one read a text at his or her instructional level. Students who needed support met with their teacher for short bursts of instruction and monitoring. Note, too, that students' homework provided opportunities to practice reading at their comfort levels." (pg. 101-102)

Agree or Disagree? Because this idea is so crucial to differentiating reading instruction, I feel it s worth repeating here that having every student read the same book, no matter what accommodations you make, means that many students won t have an opportunity to improve their reading skills. (pg. 27)

Kelly Gallagher s Model of Instruction He teaches a class novel for all students to read. (Many of his students come from low socio-economic homes and many are ELL students.) He uses many forms of scaffolding to make the text accessible for all students. He stresses the importance of independent reading and sets specific goals for his students. He uses many forms of scaffolding to assure that students are completing their independent reading. He differentiates his instruction through a wide variety of strategies. The power of collaboration is key to his success in the classroom.

The Importance of Collaboration A high level of understanding a text that may be challenging for students to read is possible if students are given time to discuss, collaborate, and share what they see in the text. The act of collaboration itself raises the reading comprehension of every student in our classes; thus it s important for us teachers to build in meaningful collaboration time for our students. (pg. 17 Deeper Reading, Kelly Gallagher) We remember: 10% of what we read 20% of what we hear 30% of what we see 50% of what we both see and hear 70% of what we talk about with others (pg. 17 Deeper Reading, Kelly Gallagher)

Kelly Gallagher Video Clips Disc #2 Extras A Shift in Education The Critical Roll of the Teacher Good and Bad Readers Disc #1 Access to Text A Time and Place Teacher Modeling Monitoring Comprehension Fix-up Strategies Disc #2 Mystery Envelopes

What About Assessment? Read pages 86-89 in Assessments for Differentiating Reading Instruction by Laura Robb What do you think about how we are using assessments? Do they reflect differentiation?

Here s One Way That Gallagher Uses Assessment to Improve Student Work Disc #2 Writing Assessment That Drives Better Student Writing

Things to Consider According to Robb, conferencing is a key component in a differentiated classroom. Consider how much conferencing Gallagher does in small groups. Does he have a differentiated classroom even though he is teaching a common novel? Could you make your classroom look more like Gallagher s or Robb s? What do they have in common?

Handouts From Gallagher s Books Mystery Envelopes Activity The Word Game Interrupted Summary One Question and One Comment Word Scramble Prediction Favorite First Lines The Reading Minute Monthly Bulletin Board Ideas to Promote Reading Book Donation Label Books Recommended by Students Form Parent Classroom Library Letter

Session 5 -- January 7 -- Assignment Chapter 5 Small-Group Reading Instruction and Differentiation: Supporting Students With Teacher- Led Reading Groups More From Kelly Gallagher on Reading and Writing Instruction

Value Independent Reading Practice 15-30 min. of class time 3 times a week for students to read books in their Lexile range Build reading stamina by offering students genres that interest them and topics that they care about Allow students a choice of texts (comics, graphic novels, manuals, video games, magazines, etc.) Ideally, classroom libraries should have 400-700 books on wide variety of topics and genres and at different readability levels (Collect magazines, newspapers, comics, etc. from friends and family and let students contribute to your library; PTO sponsored Book Fairs?) Set up book displays in your classroom that change monthly (feature an author; feature a genre; feature a theme) Classroom libraries can be VERY MOTIVATING for students to read independently Talk about what you are reading independently

What Research Says About Independent Reading Students with the best vocabulary are readers. Good readers read about 1 million words a year. Students who learn 3,000 new words a year from reading and from classroom instruction are in the normal vocabulary growth range. Each time a learner encounters a word in print, he learns 10% more about the word.

Use Read Alouds as a Common Teaching Text Demonstrate joy of reading Model fluency and expression Build background knowledge Model comprehension strategies Teach narrative story elements Introduce issues or information that students respond to in writing Use it for the basis of your lesson so that all students have equal access

Read Aloud to Teach Narrative and Informational Text Elements ACTIVITIES FROM PAGES 76-85

Teach with Diverse Materials Avoid using one text for the entire class Use multiple texts at diverse reading levels

Organize for Instruction to Meet all Reading Levels Organize unit around genre, issue, theme, topic instead of teaching the book

More About Vocabulary Students vocabulary knowledge is not comprised of word definitions; rather it is a series of connected concepts that have been stored after each encounter with a word. So traditional vocabulary assignments in which students look up a word in the dictionary or copy a list of words and their definitions from the chalkboard are ineffective. They do not help students absorb a word to the point at which they can think with it and use it in discussion and writing; wide-range reading does. (pg. 172)

Final Notes on Vocabulary When a student has a large and wide range of known words related to a topic, these words become part of the student s background knowledge for that topic learning and enlarging vocabulary strengthens students background knowledge and enables them to comprehend more challenging texts. Vocabulary power is closely connected to daily independent reading, both in and out of school and should be a part of every language arts curriculum. (pg. 172)

Tier Assignments Match reading materials to students needs Provide scaffolding for students who struggle Increase the complexity of assignment to match student levels Have some required activities and some free choice activities for each unit

Examples of Differentiated Assignments Journals Book Talks Dramatic Monologues Design a poster Make a movie Make a labeled diagram Design an illustrated timeline Make a cartoon Create a Web site for a character or person Design a Web site for your favorite author and his or her books Prepare a Power Point presentation Tests Essays (See pgs. 131-138 for explanations of each)

Student-Led Discussion Groups (For Independent or Class Reading) When students teach others, they retain 90% of the material! WOW! (pg. 180) 4 students is the limit Teacher organizes the groups based on abilities and interests Use open-ended questions for fiction and nonfiction (see pgs. 182-183) 10-20 minutes long Model with your Read Aloud what students are to do in groups

Student-Led Discussion Groups (For Independent or Class Reading) For Independent Reading: Establish a deadline to read the book Provide each group with a list of questions to be taped into their journals or write on anchor chart Use part of 2 periods to prepare students 10-15 min. to create agenda including title of book and author and the questions they will use and notes to answer the questions about their books 15-20 min. to complete their agendas and turn them in to you (Model on pages. 186-187) Scaffold by choosing specific questions for some students Scaffold by working with a specific group or with a pair of students for no more than 10-12 min. per pair

Book Logs (pg. 191)

Questions about Assessment to Ponder Have you included a variety of learning experiences and assessments so you can differentiate for each student? What kinds of adjustments and accommodations will you make for struggling students? Are you using read alouds to show how you complete a journal entry, apply a reading strategy, and think about issues and genre structures? NOTE: When students teach others, they retain 90% of the material! WOW! (pg. 180)

Show Students How to Construct Meaning While Reading Model, model, model with read alouds, in small groups, in individual conferences Offer multiple opportunities for comprehension strategy practice

Encourage Discussion A powerful way to build schema Opportunity to clarify understanding and build understanding Time to apply facts to issues and problems Deepens understanding and recall Makes information relevant to students lives Research shows that when students talk about their reading, they become more motivated to read. (pg. 26)

Write to Explore, Think, Learn, and Improve Comprehension Learners can write only what they know and understand. Reading journals provides insight into whether students can think inferentially and analyze text.

Use On-Going Assessments to Support Each Student Monitor student successes and areas of need Provide targeted instruction Assessments should include students writing, oral presentations, quizzes, tests, conferences and observational notes you collect

Notes on Conferencing One-on-one conferencing is essential Use to spotlight the scaffolds that a student may require Take time to get to know each student s strengths and needs, not only to have them reading at their instructional level, but also to refine and offer assessments that can help them progress. That s what differentiation is about not one-size-fits-all, but matching the work to the student. (pg. 115) [CONFERENCE FORMS PGS. 123-124]

Retelling By middle school, students who have difficulty retelling benefit from additional practice and explicit modeling by the teacher. When retelling becomes a challenge for students, it s usually because the book is too difficult for them to read or they lack background knowledge on the topic, impeding their ability to make connections. Or perhaps they re being asked to retell too much. (pg. 115) TAKE TIME TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO RETELL!

Assess with Strategy Conferences A strategy conference enables you to gain insight into whether a student can explain how a strategy works and whether he or she can apply a reading or vocabulary-building strategy to an instructional text. (p. 126) Lasts 5-7 minutes Conduct ½ way through a unit after you have modeled the strategy and students have practiced it Ask students to tell you what they know and understand about a strategy before and after they practice with you to get the most complete assessment of their knowledge and application of the strategy. Use data to organize small targeted groups for reteaching or additional practice Use this time for individuals to practice a strategy in front of you (See a suggested format on pg. 128)

Use Peer Book Conferences Use these after students have had a conference with you. You can t conference with every student all the time! Turning the conference process over to students allows time for supporting those students who struggle, or for circulating around the room and listening to pairs conversations. Furthermore, while you can confer with only one student at a time, a class or partners can complete conferences and provide you with valuable data within 10-15 minutes. (pg. 127-128) (See suggested format on pg. 130.)

Plan Units Carefully Think through a whole unit first Understand what you want student to learn about a genre, issue, and/or reading strategies Gather materials before beginning the unit

Knowing When Students Have Absorbed a Reading Strategy Talk about the strategy Ask students to write what they know about the strategy Listen to pairs think aloud or invite a student to think aloud for you Complete a strategy bookmark (handout pg. 230-236)