planning differentiated instruction sharon walpole university of delaware michael c. mckenna...

Planning Differentiated

InstructionSharon Walpole

University of Delaware

Michael C. McKennaUniversity of Virginia

RAND Model of readingReading comprehension is

our goal. It involves extraction of ideas from text and construction of ideas in the head of the reader. It is influenced by characteristics of the reader, the text, the activity, and the context in which it happens.

http://www.rand.org/multi/achievementforall/reading/readreport.html

Stage models of readingWhen children are acquiring

literacy – developing the skills necessary for reading comprehension – they tend to move through stages in which their focus is very different. All along, during each stage, they are developing oral language skills.

Oral Language

Fluency

Alphabet Knowledge

Phonemic Awareness

Start thinking . . . If you were trapped on a desert island until

you could come up with an ideal reading program for your school, what would it include?

To what extent does your current program include these things?

If there are missing elements, why don’t you think the designers included them?

Overview Define differentiation Describe instructional tiers Propose instructional diets and groupings Introduce a planning process

“At its most basic level, differentiation consists of the efforts of teachers to respond to variance among learners in the classroom. Whenever a teacher reaches out to an individual or small group to vary his or her teaching in order to create the best learning experience possible, that teacher is differentiating instruction.”

Carol Ann Tomlinson, Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. ERIC Digest. http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.html

Defining Differentiation (adapted from Tomlinson)Content What a student needs to learn

Process Activities and instruction to accomplish that learning

Product Evidence to demonstrate that learning

Learning Environment

Procedures and opportunities for support and collaboration

Let’s think it through You’ve read aloud a piece of children’s

literature to develop vocabulary and comprehension. How could you differentiate for students on or

above grade level, just below grade level, and well below grade level?

Would you choose to differentiate content, process, product, and/or learning environment? Why?

Let’s think it through Make it more complex. You have a class of 20

students and a well-designed core reading program. Your goal is to develop at least grade-level competence in decoding, fluency, and comprehension. How could you differentiate for students on or above

grade level, just below grade level, and well below grade level?

Would you choose to differentiate content, process, product, and/or learning environment? Why?

Researchers have long tried to focus differentiation for reading“Balanced reading” was a critical concept in literacy

history. It curricularized differentiation as one part of reading instruction. Teachers read aloud from children’s literature, engaged in shared reading from big books and posters, formed flexible groups for guided reading of little books and leveled books, and finally provided time for independent reading from a wide range of materials.

Guided reading …

“takes advantage of social support and allows the teacher to operate efficiently, to work with the tension between ease and challenge that is necessary to support readers’ moving forward in their learning.” (p. 6)

Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (1996). Guided reading: Good first teaching for all children. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Defining Differentiation(Fountas and Pinnell)

Planning Form groups based on fluency.

Choose a text for each group.

Before Reading

Introduce the text.

Conduct a picture walk to develop comprehension.

During Reading

Listen and take notes about strategy use.

Discuss the story.

Confirm and support problem-solving for words.

After Reading

Discuss, respond to the story.

Assess understanding.

Let’s think it through You have first graders, 12 of whom have been

identified as at-risk in the area of decoding by your screening assessment. How would a guided reading format support their

development? What would you gain by planning guided reading for

all of them? What would you lose by planning guided reading for

all of them?

This text was dedicated specifically to coaches and teachers in Georgia. It is derived from challenges and lessons in implementing Reading First.

Differentiation is

“instruction that helps [children] accomplish challenging tasks that are just out of their reach”

“instruction that targets a particular group of children’s needs directly and temporarily”

“instruction that applies a developmental model”

Walpole, S., & McKenna, M. C. (2007). Differentiated reading instruction: Strategies for the primary grades. New York: Guilford Press.

The concept of three tiers of instruction

The 3-tier model (University of Texas System/Texas Education Agency, 2005) is a general framework — and just a framework — for explaining how any research-based program can be executed in a school.

(http://www.texasreading.org/utcrla/materials/3tier_letter.asp)

Sharon Vaughn

Tier I: Core Classroom Reading Instruction1. A core reading program grounded in scientifically

based reading research2. Benchmark testing of all kindergarten through

third-grade students to determine instructional needs at least three times per year (fall, winter, and spring)

3. Ongoing professional development to provide teachers with the necessary tools to ensure that every student receives quality reading instruction

Tier II: Supplemental Instruction

For some students, core classroom reading instruction is not enough. Tier II is designed to meet the needs of these students by providing them with additional small-group reading instruction daily.

Tier III: Instruction for Intensive Intervention

A small percentage of students require more support in acquiring vital reading skills than Tier II instruction can provide. For these students, Tier III provides instruction that is more explicit, more intensive, and specifically designed to meet their individual needs.

In Georgia Reading First All students should have access to both

Tier I and Tier II instruction during the 135-minute block Our ideal is that all students have small-group

differentiated instruction every day Tier III instruction (Intensive Intervention)

occurs outside the block and is reserved for those students for whom Tiers I and II are not working

Do children come in tiers, too?

Think about last year’s instruction.

How well did your strongest students do? How well did your middle group do? How well did your struggling students do?

It may be hard to accept, but the results you’re getting are the results you’re supposed to be getting. In other words, whatever you are doing right now is bringing you the results you are getting right now . . . Change what you are doing and you can change your results. Pretty simple really.

Vitale, J. (2006). Life's missing instruction manual : The guidebook you should have been given at birth. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

I define insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get different results.

– Einstein

Our state-level data indicate that we are not yet meeting the needs of

all students; our school visits indicate that differentiated

instruction is not yet fully realized.

Setting the stage for differentiation

requires careful analysis of the core.

Decide what to teach when.We are more likely to achieve improvements

in vocabulary and comprehension for K and 1st grade during whole-group read-alouds, using both core selections and children’s literature.

We can introduce and practice phonemic awareness and phonics concepts during whole group, but we’re more likely to achieve mastery during small-group time.

Decide what to teach when.We are more likely to achieve improvements

in fluency and comprehension in 2nd and 3rd grade if we introduce them in whole-group and practice in small-group time.

We can introduce word recognition concepts during whole-group time, but we will likely achieve mastery only during small-group time.

What do we have to do to accomplish this?

Make more time for small groups. Literacy coaches and grade-level teams

must determine exactly how to use the core program Sort core instructional components from

extension and enrichment activities Moderate and control instructional pacing so that

early introductions and reviews are fast


Make a very simple centers rotation. Look for materials already in the core. Consider daily paired readings and rereadings. Consider a daily activity linked directly to your read-aloud.

Your children can write in response to that text every day. Make your centers coherent! They are not babysitting

stations but tools to reinforce and extend what you teach. Consider a daily activity linked directly to your small-group

instruction. Your children can practice the things you’ve introduced.


Considerations for K Centers

Strategic and intensive children are struggling with LNF Computer station? Letters for distributed practice at home?

Only half the children are established with ISF. Only 5 children are low risk for PSF Picture sorts Pictures to say and spell

Considerations for 1st-grade Centers

Fluency: Paired rereading of old stories Paired reading of additional texts (benchmark)

Phonics: Picture sorts, word sorts Spelling for sounds

Vocabulary/Comprehension: Listening station

Considerations for 2nd-grade Centers

Fluency: Assisted fluency work for intensive Paired rereading of old stories for strategic Paired reading of additional texts for benchmark

Phonics: First grade materials? Intervention materials? Practice with core vocabulary

Vocabulary/Comprehension: Listening station with retelling sheet (intensive) Leveled books and expository texts with retelling sheets

(strategic and benchmark)

Considerations for 3rd-grade Centers

Fluency: Assisted fluency work for intensive Paired rereading of old stories for strategic Paired reading of additional texts for benchmark

Phonics: First grade materials? Intervention materials? Practice with core vocabulary

Vocabulary/Comprehension: Listening station with retelling sheet (intensive) Leveled books and expository texts with retelling sheets

(strategic and benchmark)

Now you have set the stage for differentiated reading instruction.

It’s time to plan.

1. Gather your resources.

2. Consider your children’s needs.

3. Try it out.

Gather your instructional resources. Remember that time is a resource! Make a daily or weekly schedule for

instruction at each grade level. The more collaborative it is, the better. The more specific it is, the better. The more time you reserve for small-group

instruction, the better. The more specific you are about the texts for

read-alouds, the better.

Where’s the teacher?

Whole class, grade level reading instruction Needs-based instruction with teacher

Practice with vocabulary and comprehension

Practice with decoding and fluency

Practice with vocabulary and comprehension

Needs-based instruction with teacher

Practice wit h vocabulary and comprehension



Needs-based instruction with teacher

Whole class, grade level writing instruction

– Walpole & McKenna, The Literacy Coach’s Handbook

A Basic Template

Whole-Group Instruction

Needs-based Center or Intervention

Center

Center Needs-based Center

Center Center Needs-based


For First Grade, perhaps


Vocabulary & Comprehension with Core/Read-AloudCore PA/Phonics/Fluency

Phonics/Fluency Intervention

Comprehension Center

Comprehension

Center

Core PA/Phonics/Fluency

Fluency Center

Fluency Center Comprehension Center

Core PA/Phonics/Fluency

Whole-Group Instruction: WR and Fluency with Core/Shared Reading

Gather your instructional resources. Summarize, in list form, the scope and

sequence of instruction at each grade level. What order for letter names? What order for letter sounds? What order for letter patterns? What order for high-frequency words? What order for comprehension skills and

strategies?

Gather your instructional resources. Examine ALL assessments that are designed as

part of your core; they would be useful to test the extent to which your children are keeping pace with the pace of the core. Make decisions about exactly which assessments to use,

for which children, and when. Make decisions about exactly which assessments to omit

and why.

Gather your instructional resources.

Once you know what assessments you have in your core, gather others together from your professional books; we proposed a checklist

Walpole, S., & McKenna, M. C. (2006). The role of informal reading inventories in assessing word recognition. The Reading Teacher, 59, 592-594.

Make an assessment toolkit.

For phonemic awareness A test of phonological awareness levels

(e.g., syllable, onset-rime, phoneme) A test of phoneme segmentation


Alphabetic principle Letter name inventory Letter sound inventory Phonics inventory Pseudoword decoding test Spelling inventory


Word recognition High-frequency word reading test High-frequency word spelling test Graded word lists


Fluency Set of graded passages Norms for reading rate Prosody rubric

Monitor Student Progress:

Words Correct per Minute

Grade Spring Benchmarks

Rasinski (2003)

DIBELS

ORF

GPS Hasbrouck & Tindal (2005)

(50th percentile rank)

1 60 40 60 53

2 94 90 90 89

3 114 110 120 107

4 118 123

5 128 139

6 145 150

7 167 150

8 171 151


Comprehension Retelling rubrics for narratives and

information texts Passages with comprehension questions

Consider your children’s needs. Given your screening data, you will know that

some portion of children are likely at benchmark, some are just below grade level, and some are well below grade level.

For children at benchmark, you can decide to focus small-group time on fluency and comprehension or on vocabulary and comprehension.

Only the below-grade-level children need additional assessments.

McKenna, M. C., & Walpole, S. (2005). How well does assessment inform our reading instruction? The Reading Teacher, 59, 84-86.

Word RecognitionDeficit Revealed by

ScreeningNext Steps …

Oral Reading Fluency

•Screen in phonics

•If there is a problem in phonics, do not

group for fluency

•Screen for sight vocabulary

•If there is a problem with sight

vocabulary, do not group for fluency

•If phonics and sight vocabulary are

adequate, provide needs-based fluency

instruction.

Walpole & McKenna, 2007, p. 27

Word Recognition, continuedDeficit Revealed by

ScreeningNext Steps …

Sight Vocabulary • Screen in phonics

• Plan needs-based sight word instruction

based on words inventoried

Phonics • Screen in phonological awareness

• If there is a problem in phonological

awareness, do not group for phonics.

• Give phonics inventory to determine

specific deficits

• Provide targeted phonics instruction

Phonological Awareness

• Give a phonological awareness

inventory

• Use the inventory to determine level of

awareness

• Provide instruction designed to bring

student to next level.

Sample Cases Involving Word Recognition

Let’s look at some cases that illustrate the Cognitive Model in the area of word recognition.

Don’t make them too complicated! They are simply intended to lead you quickly through the process of determining a child’s instructional needs.

Case 1: AdamBeginning grade 2Fall ORF is strategicModel suggests you screen in phonicsFall NWF is strategicFry Inventory: Adam knows nearly all What additional assessment/s should

be administered?What should be the instructional focus?

Case 2: Eve

Beginning grade 2Fall ORF is intensiveModel suggests you screen in phonicsFall NWF is benchmarkFry Inventory: Eve knows about half What should be the instructional focus?What additional assessment/s should

be administered?

Case 3: RyanBeginning grade 2Fall ORF is strategicModel suggests you screen in phonicsFall NWF is intensiveFry Inventory: Ryan knows only 100 What additional assessment/s should

be administered?What should be the instructional focus?

Case 4: Peg

Beginning grade 2Fall ORF is StrategicModel suggests you screen in phonicsFall NWF is BenchmarkFry Inventory: Peg knows nearly all 300 What should be the instructional focus?What additional assessment/s should

be administered?

Case 5: Latrelle

Beginning grade 1Fry Inventory: Latrelle knows only 3Fall NWF is BenchmarkDo you need to consider PA results? What should be the instructional focus?What additional assessment/s should

be administered?

Case 6: Demetrius

Beginning grade 1Fry Inventory: Demetrius knows 100Fall NWF is IntensiveFall PSF is Benchmark What should be the instructional focus?What additional assessment/s should

be administered?

Case 7: Pam

Beginning grade 1Fry Inventory: Pam knows 200Fall NWF is IntensiveFall PSF is Strategic What should be the instructional focus?What additional assessment/s should

be administered?

Case 8: Jeff

Beginning grade 1Fry Inventory: Jeff knows 150Fall NWF is BenchmarkFall PSF is Intensive Is this really possible since PA is

required for phonics learning?What would you do?

Consider your children’s needs.

Make instructional groups. Differentiated groups will not be of equal

size – they will have similar needs. Your benchmark children may constitute

one group. Make additional groups with similar needs,

based on your new data.


Using the Cognitive Model of Reading Instruction (McKenna & Stahl, 2003), choose your focus for each group: Phonemic awareness and phonics Phonics and fluency Fluency and comprehension Vocabulary and comprehension

Phonemic awareness and word recognition. These children still need to work on learning letter

names and sounds, and they are not yet able to segment phonemes automatically.

They will work on coordinated activities to manipulate phonemes, learn new letters and sounds and review letters previously taught.

They will work with letters and words during small-group time.

Word recognition and fluency These children still need to work on decoding,

but they can segment and blend phonemes to read some words.

They will work on coordinated activities to learn new letter patterns and review patterns previously taught.

They will work with words and with phonic-focused texts during small-group time.

Fluency and comprehension These children have relatively few decoding

problems, but they lack automaticity. They will work in a repeated reading format;

they may review particularly challenging words (for their pronunciation or their meaning), but they will use most of their time reading and rereading challenging leveled texts and discussing text meaning.

Vocabulary and comprehension These children are at grade level in the areas of

decoding and fluency. They will extend what they know into new texts

and new text types. They will write in response to reading.

Consider your children’s needs. Choose instructional strategies from the

scientific literature in each of the two target areas for each group. These strategies should be simple to implement

repetitively. These strategies should be adequate to use for

daily instruction for three weeks.


Plan three week’s instruction for each of your groups. Gather manipulatives. Make word lists. Select texts.

Try it out!If you are going to differentiate, you have to be

flexible. Make a plan and give it time to unfold. Evaluate your own implementation of the plan. Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan in

addressing the needs of each child in each group.

Start again for another three weeks!

The Big Picture It is essential to keep the big picture in mind

as you plan for small groups. The following slides show how small-group

planning is nested within your overall planning for the block.

These examples come from Differentiated Reading Instruction.

Walpole & McKenna (2007). Differentiated reading instruction: Strategies for the primary grades. New York: Guilford.

Our goal

We have designed this year’s professional development plan so that coaches work with teachers to increase the effectiveness of differentiated instruction.

We will provide you guidance and activities; you need to make time for planning and implementing these small groups.

ReferencesFountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (1996). Guided reading: Good first teaching

for all children. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.McKenna, M. C., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Assessment for reading instruction.

New York: Guilford.McKenna, M. C., & Walpole, S. (2005). How well does assessment inform our

reading instruction? The Reading Teacher, 59, 84-86.RAND Reading Study Group. (2002). Reading for understanding: Toward an

R&D program in reading comprehension. Santa Monica CA: RAND. (Downloadable at http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1465/)

Tomlinson, C. A. (2004). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001-02). Differentiation of instruction in the elementary grades. ERIC Digest. (http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.html)

Vitale, J. (2006). Life's missing instruction manual : The guidebook you should have been given at birth. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Walpole, S., & McKenna, M. C. (2007). Differentiated reading instruction: Strategies for the primary grades. New York: Guilford.

Walpole, S., & McKenna, M. C. (2006). The role of informal reading inventories in assessing word recognition. The Reading Teacher, 59, 592-594.

planning differentiated instruction sharon walpole university of delaware michael c. mckenna...

Documents

reading instruction

grade level

shared reading

balanced reading

independent reading

collaboration slide

differentiation of instruction

planning process slide