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Differentiating Reading Instruction…where to begin?

I remember when I first began teaching, I was overwhelmed with all of the learning styles, abilities, and outside influences that affected my students and their success.  After a few years, advice from veteran teachers and administrators, hours of PLC meetings, 300+ hours of training and workshops, I feel like I've finally got it down.  Here's what it looks like at the beginning of the year in my classroom.

  • During the first week of school, I always take an Interest Inventory of each student.  This is when I get to learn about their likes and dislikes.  Everything from their favorite cartoon, subject in school, and  place to eat.  This gives me a little glimpse of what motivates them and comes in handy when forming reading groups based on interest.  It also shows me what incentives work best!

  • I use several formal and non-formal assessments to evaluate my students' strengths and weaknesses.  Several districts I've worked in use DIBELS and the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) to assess fluency and comprehension. 

  • Next, I take all the results and form 4 reading groups in a class of about 20-24.  For each group, I evaluate the assessments and determine what the group needs.  For first grade, it typically looks like this:

Low: phonemic awareness, high frequency words, decodable books from Open Court

    Low-Medium: phonemic awareness, high frequency words, strategic books or if it's Medium-High: high frequency words, complex spelling patterns, chapter books focusing on comprehension skills and strategies (summarizing, making connections, visualizing)
    High- Chapter book working on higher-level comprehension skills and strategies
    • Remember, groups are flexible.  I progress monitor using DIBELS 1-2 times a month for my lowest scholars and move students around accordingly.  For my early readers, I use the QRI monthly to progress monitor.  From my experience, the QRI is most beneficial in the middle of the year in first grade because that is when students are reading more fluently.
    What great differentiation tips do you have for other educators?  Please leave in the “comments” section.

    My name is Kristen and I’ve enjoyed teaching kindergarten, first grade, a 1/2 combo, and second grade.  I’ve taught at both a low and high-performing Title I schools as well as a few fancy schools in California and O’ahu, Hawaii. I’ve earned my Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in reading in addition to my Reading Specialist Certificate.  When I am not teaching my scholars or other educators at Professional Development classes, I  enjoy creating materials to share with my colleagues, organizing family literacy events, and giving workshops on ways to make Literacy Workshop effective and engaging.  

    3 Responses

    1. I love your idea about differentiation by interest. During our science unit on habitats, I let students choose what habitat they want to research, and form groups that way. They love having choice.

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