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October 17, 2022 ELA PD - Literacy , ELA K-5 , ELA Focus - Reading , ELA 6-8 , ELA Resources - Tip Sheets , Core Literacy

13 ideas for differentiated reading instruction in the elementary classroom, by: erin lynch.

Differentiation has been a buzzword in education for years. As a literacy specialist, it is a critical part of my job. Differentiation is how a teacher adapts instruction to meet the specific learning needs of an individual or group of students. It means meeting the needs of all learners through differentiated instructional ideas. In this article, we’ll explore differentiated instruction in the classroom and opportunities to incorporate it into lessons. Also, available for download is a tip sheet with 13 ideas for differentiated reading instruction in the elementary classroom.

Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom

Differentiation can be applied to: the instructional approach, the subject matter, and/or to the learning environment. Differentiated lesson plans are based on learning styles and incorporate a variety of modalities in order to reach all learners. During differentiated student work time, students can work independently on a personalized goal or in small flexible groups based on interest, topic or ability.

There are endless opportunities to incorporate differentiation into your classroom!

13 Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction in the Elementary Classroom

With instruction…

Be sure to not only verbally explain the topic or idea you are instructing on, but also to have a visual. You can create an anchor chart to use as a reference guide or draw a picture/table/diagram/graph to foster a clearer understanding. If applicable, provide a video clip on the smartboard (this is a sure-fire way to engage students). Remember to always repeat what you are teaching with varying explanations. Also, tap into background knowledge for students to build upon, and pre-teach any vocabulary words that might be unfamiliar to your students.

With subject matter ...

Hold conferences with students to find out what they want to learn more about. Use surveys to incorporate student interests whenever possible. If students are interested in the topic, they are more likely to retain what you are teaching them. Use inquiry-based learning to allow students to investigate areas of interest. Inquiry-based learning is also great for cross-curriculum work!

With the environment...

There are many things you can do to design a classroom that promotes learning for all students. Some examples include preferential seating and seating that allows for movement, partnerships, or small group work. Anchor charts should be displayed for students to reference. Graphic organizers and resource guides should be readily available for students to take as needed. Students should have access to technology for many reasons. Of course, one important reason is for research, but for me as a literacy specialist a very close second is to help improve a student's reading ability. There are many online resources that support students in the areas of fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary by using leveled texts with corresponding reading exercises.

You can also differentiate based on ability!

Differentiated Instruction Ideas Based on Diverse Learners

For struggling students...

Scaffold your instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals. Next, practice the strategy with your students. Then have your students try it independently. Offer a variety of graphic organizers to help focus their thinking. This method of scaffolded instruction is known as the I, We, You method. Be sure to give these students self-monitoring and fix-up strategies to allow them more independence when working alone.

For average students...

Offer opportunities for small group work or partnerships (often, hearing the thoughts of peers will inspire students, and being a member of a group can motivate students to contribute to the best of their ability). These are students you want to challenge, as well, so offer extension activities when they are ready. For example, a good extension activity in reading is to rewrite the end of the book or to write about what would you like to discuss with the main character or the author.

For above average students...

Raise the bar with challenge/enrichment activities ( Making Thinking Visible activity downloads, which encourage students to think more deeply about a topic or text, are great resources). Pull questions for these students from DOK levels 3 and 4.

Using Assessments to Guide Differentiation

Personally, I have found the best way to differentiate for my students is by using assessments to guide my instruction. Students need to be assessed in order to collect information about how much knowledge and skill they have acquired (assessment as a measurement tool). Students also need to be assessed so as to gauge the student's level of learning (assessment as an evaluative tool).

There are two basic types of assessments: formative and summative .

Formative assessments are assessments FOR learning and include journaling, conferring, observation, self-assessment, portfolios, and so on.

Summative assessments are assessments OF learning and include unit assessments, standardized assessments, portfolios, and so on.

Assessing students is critical for differentiation because it...

allows you to get to know individual readers

provides summaries of student learning

gives information about student learning progress

diagnoses strengths and weaknesses of an individual's learning

supplies direction for further learning

helps with goal-setting for very targeted instruction

I find the best way to differentiate for my students is to periodically set personalized goals with each student, based on formative and/or summative assessment data. I use a variety of assessments with my students to help them set these goals. Below are some resources you may find helpful in assessing individual students.

Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction In the Elementary Grades

1. Have students read books at their own level.

Level the classroom library in order to help students find appropriate books for independent reading time. Color-coordinating the shelves is an easy way for students to find books that are suitable for their reading skills.

2. Provide different levels of support after a class lesson.

Create a “Teacher Station” or “Center” and meet with your struggling learners to give them extra support and instruction. Have on-level learners work in small groups to complete a task. Invite above-average learners to complete the same task in pairs or alone.

3. Differentiate text assignments.

After students have read (or listened to) the same text, vary follow-up assignments. For example, after a read aloud, ask struggling learners to complete a simple story web. Have on-level learners complete questions about key ideas and details. Task above-average learners to retell the story from a character’s point of view.

4. Scaffold instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals.

Verbally and visually explain the topic or idea you will be teaching. Use anchor charts, drawings, diagrams, and reference guides to foster a clearer understanding of the topic you will be reading about or teaching. If applicable, provide a video clip for students to watch.

To get nine more differentiated reading instruction, download my What Does Differentiation Look Like? Tip Sheet now.

Differentiation is how a teacher adapts instruction to meet the specific learning needs of an individual learner or of a group of students. It means the instructor is meeting the needs of all learners through differentiated instructional ideas and methods. Differentiation can be applied to the instructional approach, the subject matter, and/or to the learning environment. One key approach to differentiation is individualized goal-setting based on assessment data. Use formative and summative assessment data to differentiate instruction for individuals or small groups of students.

differentiated instruction for reading

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What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom

Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, every student has an individual learning style. Chances are, not all of your students grasp a subject in the same way or share the same level of ability. So how can you better deliver your lessons to reach everyone in class? Consider differentiated instruction—a method you may have heard about but haven’t explored, which is why you’re here. In this article, learn exactly what it means, how it works, and the pros and cons.

Infographic: What is differentiated instruction? Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Four ways to differentiate instruction: Content, product, process, and learning environment. Pros and cons of differentiated instruction.

Definition of differentiated instruction

Carol Ann Tomlinson is a leader in the area of differentiated learning and professor of educational leadership, foundations, and policy at the University of Virginia. Tomlinson describes differentiated instruction as factoring students’ individual learning styles and levels of readiness first before designing a lesson plan. Research on the effectiveness of differentiation shows this method benefits a wide range of students, from those with learning disabilities to those who are considered high ability.

Differentiating instruction may mean teaching the same material to all students using a variety of instructional strategies, or it may require the teacher to deliver lessons at varying levels of difficulty based on the ability of each student.

Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may:

  • Design lessons based on students’ learning styles.
  • Group students by shared interest, topic, or ability for assignments.
  • Assess students’ learning using formative assessment.
  • Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment.
  • Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students’ needs.

History of differentiated instruction

The roots of differentiated instruction go all the way back to the days of the one-room schoolhouse, where one teacher had students of all ages in one classroom. As the educational system transitioned to grading schools, it was assumed that children of the same age learned similarly. However in 1912, achievement tests were introduced, and the scores revealed the gaps in student’s abilities within grade levels.

In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that children with disabilities had equal access to public education. To reach this student population, many educators used differentiated instruction strategies. Then came the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2000, which further encouraged differentiated and skill-based instruction—and that’s because it works. Research by educator Leslie Owen Wilson supports differentiating instruction within the classroom, finding that lecture is the least effective instructional strategy, with only 5 to 10 percent retention after 24 hours. Engaging in a discussion, practicing after exposure to content, and teaching others are much more effective ways to ensure learning retention.

Four ways to differentiate instruction

According to Tomlinson, teachers can differentiate instruction through four ways: 1) content, 2) process, 3) product, and 4) learning environment.

As you already know, fundamental lesson content should cover the standards of learning set by the school district or state educational standards. But some students in your class may be completely unfamiliar with the concepts in a lesson, some students may have partial mastery, and some students may already be familiar with the content before the lesson begins.

What you could do is differentiate the content by designing activities for groups of students that cover various levels of  Bloom’s Taxonomy (a classification of levels of intellectual behavior going from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills). The six levels are: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

Students who are unfamiliar with a lesson could be required to complete tasks on the lower levels: remembering and understanding. Students with some mastery could be asked to apply and analyze the content, and students who have high levels of mastery could be asked to complete tasks in the areas of evaluating and creating.

Examples of differentiating activities:

  • Match vocabulary words to definitions.
  • Read a passage of text and answer related questions.
  • Think of a situation that happened to a character in the story and a different outcome.
  • Differentiate fact from opinion in the story.
  • Identify an author’s position and provide evidence to support this viewpoint.
  • Create a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the lesson.

Each student has a preferred learning style, and successful differentiation includes delivering the material to each style: visual, auditory and kinesthetic, and through words. This process-related method also addresses the fact that not all students require the same amount of support from the teacher, and students could choose to work in pairs, small groups, or individually. And while some students may benefit from one-on-one interaction with you or the classroom aide, others may be able to progress by themselves. Teachers can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs.

Examples of differentiating the process:

  • Provide textbooks for visual and word learners.
  • Allow auditory learners to listen to audio books.
  • Give kinesthetic learners the opportunity to complete an interactive assignment online.

The product is what the student creates at the end of the lesson to demonstrate the mastery of the content. This can be in the form of tests, projects, reports, or other activities. You could assign students to complete activities that show mastery of an educational concept in a way the student prefers, based on learning style.

Examples of differentiating the end product:

  • Read and write learners write a book report.
  • Visual learners create a graphic organizer of the story.
  • Auditory learners give an oral report.
  • Kinesthetic learners build a diorama illustrating the story.

4. Learning environment

The conditions for optimal learning include both physical and psychological elements. A flexible classroom layout is key, incorporating various types of furniture and arrangements to support both individual and group work. Psychologically speaking, teachers should use classroom management techniques that support a safe and supportive learning environment.

Examples of differentiating the environment:

  • Break some students into reading groups to discuss the assignment.
  • Allow students to read individually if preferred.
  • Create quiet spaces where there are no distractions.

Pros and cons of differentiated instruction

The benefits of differentiation in the classroom are often accompanied by the drawback of an ever-increasing workload. Here are a few factors to keep in mind:

  • Research shows differentiated instruction is effective for high-ability students as well as students with mild to severe disabilities.
  • When students are given more options on how they can learn material, they take on more responsibility for their own learning.
  • Students appear to be more engaged in learning, and there are reportedly fewer discipline problems in classrooms where teachers provide differentiated lessons.
  • Differentiated instruction requires more work during lesson planning, and many teachers struggle to find the extra time in their schedule.
  • The learning curve can be steep and some schools lack professional development resources.
  • Critics argue there isn’t enough research to support the benefits of differentiated instruction outweighing the added prep time.

Differentiated instruction strategies

What differentiated instructional strategies can you use in your classroom? There are a set of methods that can be tailored and used across the different subjects. According to Kathy Perez (2019) and the Access Center those strategies are tiered assignments, choice boards, compacting, interest centers/groups, flexible grouping, and learning contracts. Tiered assignments are designed to teach the same skill but have the students create a different product to display their knowledge based on their comprehension skills. Choice boards allow students to choose what activity they would like to work on for a skill that the teacher chooses. On the board are usually options for the different learning styles; kinesthetic, visual, auditory, and tactile. Compacting allows the teacher to help students reach the next level in their learning when they have already mastered what is being taught to the class. To compact the teacher assesses the student’s level of knowledge, creates a plan for what they need to learn, excuses them from studying what they already know, and creates free time for them to practice an accelerated skill.

Interest centers or groups are a way to provide autonomy in student learning. Flexible grouping allows the groups to be more fluid based on the activity or topic.  Finally, learning contracts are made between a student and teacher, laying out the teacher’s expectations for the necessary skills to be demonstrated and the assignments required components with the student putting down the methods they would like to use to complete the assignment. These contracts can allow students to use their preferred learning style, work at an ideal pace and encourages independence and planning skills. The following are strategies for some of the core subject based on these methods.

Differentiated instruction strategies for math

  • Provide students with a choice board. They could have the options to learn about probability by playing a game with a peer, watching a video, reading the textbook, or working out problems on a worksheet.
  • Teach mini lessons to individuals or groups of students who didn’t grasp the concept you were teaching during the large group lesson. This also lends time for compacting activities for those who have mastered the subject.
  • Use manipulatives, especially with students that have more difficulty grasping a concept.
  • Have students that have already mastered the subject matter create notes for students that are still learning.
  • For students that have mastered the lesson being taught, require them to give in-depth, step-by-step explanation of their solution process, while not being rigid about the process with students who are still learning the basics of a concept if they arrive at the correct answer.

Differentiated instruction strategies for science

  • Emma McCrea (2019) suggests setting up “Help Stations,” where peers assist each other. Those that have more knowledge of the subject will be able to teach those that are struggling as an extension activity and those that are struggling will receive.
  • Set up a “question and answer” session during which learners can ask the teacher or their peers questions, in order to fill in knowledge gaps before attempting the experiment.
  • Create a visual word wall. Use pictures and corresponding labels to help students remember terms.
  • Set up interest centers. When learning about dinosaurs you might have an “excavation” center, a reading center, a dinosaur art project that focuses on their anatomy, and a video center.
  • Provide content learning in various formats such as showing a video about dinosaurs, handing out a worksheet with pictures of dinosaurs and labels, and providing a fill-in-the-blank work sheet with interesting dinosaur facts.

Differentiated instruction strategies for ELL

  • ASCD (2012) writes that all teachers need to become language teachers so that the content they are teaching the classroom can be conveyed to the students whose first language is not English.
  • Start by providing the information in the language that the student speaks then pairing it with a limited amount of the corresponding vocabulary in English.
  •  Although ELL need a limited amount of new vocabulary to memorize, they need to be exposed to as much of the English language as possible. This means that when teaching, the teacher needs to focus on verbs and adjectives related to the topic as well.
  • Group work is important. This way they are exposed to more of the language. They should, however, be grouped with other ELL if possible as well as given tasks within the group that are within their reach such as drawing or researching.

Differentiated instruction strategies for reading

  • Tiered assignments can be used in reading to allow the students to show what they have learned at a level that suites them. One student might create a visual story board while another student might write a book report. 
  • Reading groups can pick a book based on interest or be assigned based on reading level
  • Erin Lynch (2020) suggest that teachers scaffold instruction by giving clear explicit explanations with visuals. Verbally and visually explain the topic. Use anchor charts, drawings, diagrams, and reference guides to foster a clearer understanding. If applicable, provide a video clip for students to watch.
  • Utilize flexible grouping. Students might be in one group for phonics based on their assessed level but choose to be in another group for reading because they are more interested in that book.

Differentiated instruction strategies for writing

  • Hold writing conferences with your students either individually or in small groups. Talk with them throughout the writing process starting with their topic and moving through grammar, composition, and editing.
  • Allow students to choose their writing topics. When the topic is of interest, they will likely put more effort into the assignment and therefore learn more.
  • Keep track of and assess student’s writing progress continually throughout the year. You can do this using a journal or a checklist. This will allow you to give individualized instruction.
  • Hand out graphic organizers to help students outline their writing. Try fill-in-the-blank notes that guide the students through each step of the writing process for those who need additional assistance.
  • For primary grades give out lined paper instead of a journal. You can also give out differing amounts of lines based on ability level. For those who are excelling at writing give them more lines or pages to encourage them to write more. For those that are still in the beginning stages of writing, give them less lines so that they do not feel overwhelmed.

Differentiated instruction strategies for special education

  • Use a multi-sensory approach. Get all five senses involved in your lessons, including taste and smell!
  • Use flexible grouping to create partnerships and teach students how to work collaboratively on tasks. Create partnerships where the students are of equal ability, partnerships where once the student will be challenged by their partner and another time they will be pushing and challenging their partner.
  • Assistive technology is often an important component of differential instruction in special education. Provide the students that need them with screen readers, personal tablets for communication, and voice recognition software.
  • The article Differentiation & LR Information for SAS Teachers suggests teachers be flexible when giving assessments “Posters, models, performances, and drawings can show what they have learned in a way that reflects their personal strengths”. You can test for knowledge using rubrics instead of multiple-choice questions, or even build a portfolio of student work. You could also have them answer questions orally.
  • Utilize explicit modeling. Whether its notetaking, problem solving in math, or making a sandwich in home living, special needs students often require a step-by-step guide to make connections.

References and resources

  • https://www.thoughtco.com/differentiation-instruction-in-special-education-3111026
  • https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiation/differentiation-techniques-for-special-education
  • https://www.solutiontree.com/blog/differentiated-reading-instruction/
  • https://www.readingrockets.org/article/differentiated-instruction-reading
  • https://www.sadlier.com/school/ela-blog/13-ideas-for-differentiated-reading-instruction-in-the-elementary-classroom
  • https://inservice.ascd.org/seven-strategies-for-differentiating-instruction-for-english-learners/
  • https://www.cambridge.org/us/education/blog/2019/11/13/three-approaches-differentiation-primary-science/
  • https://www.brevardschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6174&dataid=8255&FileName=Differentiated_Instruction_in_Secondary_Mathematics.pdf

Books & Videos about differentiated instruction by Carol Ann Tomlinson and others

  • The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition
  • Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau
  • The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, and Lane Narvaez
  • Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades K-5: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades 5–9: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson
  • Differentiation in Practice Grades 9–12: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland
  • Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan
  • How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Tonya R. Moon
  • How To Differentiate Instruction In Mixed Ability Classrooms 2nd Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms 3rd Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson 
  • Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom Paperback – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Tonya R. Moon
  • Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom (Professional Development) 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
  • The Differentiated School: Making Revolutionary Changes in Teaching and Learning 1st Edition by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Kay Brimijoin, Lane Narvaez
  • Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom  – David A. Sousa, Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Leading for Differentiation: Growing Teachers Who Grow Kids – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Michael Murphy
  • An Educator’s Guide to Differentiating Instruction. 10th Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson, James M. Cooper
  • A Differentiated Approach to the Common Core: How do I help a broad range of learners succeed with a challenging curriculum? – Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marcia B. Imbeau
  • Managing a Differentiated Classroom: A Practical Guide – Carol Tomlinson, Marcia Imbeau
  • Differentiating Instruction for Mixed-Ability Classrooms: An ASCD Professional Inquiry Kit Pck Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson
  • Using Differentiated Classroom Assessment to Enhance Student Learning (Student Assessment for Educators) 1st Edition – Tonya R. Moon, Catherine M. Brighton, Carol A. Tomlinson
  • The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners 1st Edition – Carol Ann Tomlinson

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Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Curriculum and Instruction ,  Diversity ,  Engaging Activities ,  New Teacher ,  Pros and Cons

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Differentiated Instruction

What is differentiated instruction.

Differentiated Instruction is matching instruction to meet the needs of individual learners. The teacher forms small, flexible teacher–led instructional groups based on student data and observations. The teacher groups students with similar instructional needs, limiting the size of the group based on the intensity of instruction needed. The focus and format of reading skills instruction varies with the skill level of the students. How often and how long the teacher meets with each small group varies depending on student needs. Students who are more at risk will need to meet in smaller group sizes, more frequently, and for longer periods. This small group targeted skill instruction supplements and reinforces high quality and consistent Tier 1 reading instruction.

When is Differentiated Instruction Implemented?

Differentiated Instruction is implemented during the time allotted for reading instruction. Typically, whole group instruction is provided using the core reading curriculum as a guide and is usually followed by small group reading centers to develop reading skills both cooperatively and independently. During the reading center time, the classroom teacher meets with small groups to provide differentiated instruction that is systematic and explicit in identified reading skill areas.

How is Differentiated Instruction Implemented in the Classroom?

Differentiated Instruction is implemented in the teacher-led small group. The teacher forms small, flexible groups based on student data and observations. There is not one correct way to place students into small groups for instruction. The suggested number of students per group is 1-4 for struggling readers and 5-8 for those students on grade level for reading. The smaller group size is needed for struggling readers because it allows the students more practice opportunities with teacher feedback. The classroom is then organized based on how frequently the teacher needs to meet with each group per week (e.g., group meets daily, group meets 3 times per week) and the number of minutes per day (e.g., 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes).

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Differentiated Instruction

5 Strategies for Differentiated Reading Instruction

Ellen ullman author photo WF1470000

One-size-fits-all reading instruction, much like one-size-fits-all clothing, is a myth. But when teachers vary their instructional strategies to meet their students’ diverse needs, interests, and abilities, they can ensure better learning outcomes.

“When I think of differentiated reading instruction, my go-to method is small-group targeted instruction,” says Monica Padgham, Acting Vice Principal of McCammon Elementary School in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. “By this, I mean teachers creating small groups for purposeful instruction in three areas of reading: fluency, comprehension, and word work.”

Differentiated Instruction in Practice

At Padgham’s school, teachers assess their students to determine what each child needs in their overall literacy development. They then sort students into small groups for targeted reading instruction.

“I’ve been at this for 20 years and believe this gives you the most bang for your buck,” she says. “If you teach only to the whole class, you’ll lose the kids who aren’t ready as well as the kids who already understand. It’s more effective to address what they need in small groups.”

While teachers are doing small-group reading instruction, the other students are typically working on choice boards, writing letters, reading, or doing word work.

The key to all of this, says Padgham, is to plan ahead of time. “Start with the whole class and assign the daily tasks. Make sure you keep track of the choices students make so that you can let their parents and caregivers know which things they like best, such as being read to or doing crossword puzzles.” Keeping track of student choices will also let you know if students need to be encouraged to try a broader range of activities.

Differenciated Reading Strategies Inline 2

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Reading

Differentiation means adjusting your content, assessments, environment, or expectations. It doesn’t have to be a full-scale overhaul to be effective. You could ask students to write a song, create a storyboard, or do a video book report to demonstrate comprehension. You could use technology , such as Waggle , which offers supplemental, personalized instruction, or Writable , which helps students become stronger writers. Or you could simply allow your students to pick their own reading material.

Here are a few examples of differentiated strategies you can try:

1. Choice Boards

These boards list various activities for students to work on. Start with your end goal: what do students need to accomplish? You can provide up to 12 choices on a typical board, including independent and group work, activities using technology, or no-tech activities. You can also add some extra fun for your students by developing a game board of learning options.

To get started, try out these customizable PowerPoint templates available in HMH Into Literature for project-based learning options. You can customize these slides with project choices and instructions to create a digital choice board of your very own.

differentiated instruction for reading

2. Learning Stations

Set up literacy activities around the room and let students rotate through them. Each station should use a different method to teach a skill or concept, such as reading an article, watching a video, listening to an audiobook, or acting out a scene. To be effective, each station should have clear activities and takeaways. To help students process what they’ve learned, have a class discussion or assign a reflective activity after they’ve rotated through all the stations.

Differenciated Reading Strategies Inline 1

3. Task Cards

Similar to learning stations, task cards provide a range of activities for students. Start by creating cards with a single question or task that targets a specific skill, learning standard, or subject area. You can use the cards for whole-class work or place them on your desk for students to use individually, with a partner, or in a small group. If you have an answer key, students can check their own work. Students can complete task cards in class or for homework. To differentiate, you can hand out specific cards to students who need more work on that task.

4. Tiered Assignments

Vary the tasks based on student level. For example, after reading or listening to a fiction passage, a developing reader could retell the story in her own words, an on-level learner could answer comprehension questions, and an advanced reader could rewrite the story from a different character’s point of view. Another idea is to create different sets of reading comprehension activities. Let students write a paper, do a TED-Style Talk or other presentation, or record a group discussion. Keep in mind that with the appropriate support, every learner can, and should, get the opportunity to try any of these tasks.

Differentiated support may include meeting with a small group of students to practice skills that build understanding. These skills coach lessons provide direct instruction on targeted skills and opportunities for students to practice and apply the skill.

differentiated instruction for reading

5. Vary Discussion Style

Rather than just having students answer specific questions that you ask, have students ask questions to each other. Challenge them to talk about what they liked or disliked and why. Ask a student to lead the discussion or assign students to bring questions to class. Take a vote on what a character might do next or hold a debate on a character’s guilt or innocence. The point is to introduce various ways to discuss the materials your class reads.

When you differentiate reading instruction to meet the various learning needs of your students, the work becomes more meaningful and engaging. By incorporating various learning strategies, teachers can help students stay motivated. Because it is flexible, differentiated instruction can maximize individual growth. But most of all, when we differentiate, we deliver student-centered instruction. Students feel seen and heard, and that can make all the difference.

Streamline feedback and grow great writers with Writable . Get access to more than 1,000 assignments and prompts to scaffold student practice, increase engagement, and connect writing directly to your daily instruction. Request a free demo here .

Build confident readers and writers with our literacy curriculum .

Get our free guide to differentiated instruction.

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PS PK K 1 2 3 24 Comments

10 tips for differentiated reading instruction in K-3

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Looking for tips to achieve differentiated reading instruction in K-3 ? You’re in the right place!

differentiated instruction for reading

(This post contains affiliate links.)

Differentiation.

It’s the big buzz word these days, isn’t it?

But what does it really  mean?

Simply put, differentiation is tailoring your instruction to meet the needs of individual learners.

According to Carol Ann Tomlinson , “Differentiating instruction means ‘shaking up’ what goes on in the classroom so that students have multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn.”

Differentiation is not …

  • giving the same instruction and assignments to the entire class, day after day.
  • giving busy work or extra problems to early finishers.
  • doing something different for every student in your classroom. (Whew!)

Differentiation is …

  • a flexible approach to instruction.
  • adjusting how we teach based on students’ readiness levels, interests, and learning styles.
  • changing the way we teach so that everyone – the advanced, struggling, and on-level readers, LEARN.

Here’s the thing.

Differentiation isn’t easy.

But here’s the good news!

By following a few key tips, you can learn to meet the needs of all your readers.

And you can do it with the time you have – without burning yourself out.

Let’s take a look at ten tips for differentiating reading instruction in K-3.

10 tips for differentiating reading K-3

1. take the time to teach structure and routines..

Boring, right? I mean, why spend a couple of weeks practicing routines when learning to read is so much more fun?

If you’ve taught for more than a week, you know the answer.

If we skip over the routines, it’s only a matter of time before our classrooms become a hot mess. Every time we try to sit down with a small group, we’ll be interrupted.  There will be commotion and quarreling at center time. Before long we’ll want to grab a stack of identical worksheets and throw our differentiation dreams out the window.

differentiated instruction for reading

We all know that it’s important to teach structure and routines. But how do we begin?

The trick is to think about all the moving parts that will make your reading block run smoothly. Then model what you want to see. And practice, practice, practice.

  • How will students assemble for read aloud time?
  • How will they move through learning centers?
  • How will students choose their own books?
  • How will they “help themselves” when you are busy with a small group?
  • What will they do when they finish their work?
  • How will you minimize noise?
  • How will students work productively in small groups?

2. Organize your classroom library.

I used to recommend leveling much of the classroom library using Fountas & Pinnell’s guided reading leveling system.

I no longer recommend this, because after studying the science of reading I no longer support using the early predictable books with beginning readers.

Instead, I recommend building up your collection of quality decodable books and giving them their own bins.

I also recommend sorting books by series and topic.

3. Assess regularly, and plan how you’ll use the results.

When you think of assessment, what comes to mind? For many of us, assessment is that thing we do at the end of the unit to see if our students “got it.” But that’s just one way to assess – and considering it’s after the teaching has concluded, it’s not even the most effective!

Consider all the ways to gather information about your learners!

  • conversations with students
  • classroom discussions
  • student work
  • observation
  • formal assessments

Whether you’re referring to the results of formal instruction such as Acadience Reading (my favorite!)  or informal notes that you jot down during small groups  – you’ve got to decide what to do with the information.

I suggest recording the data on a spreadsheet. Use the chart to group students with similar needs. Then make plans for how to address their needs in small groups or in individual reading conferences.

4. Structure your reading block for differentiation.

If your reading instruction is typically a block of whole class instruction, it’s hard to differentiate.

I recommend starting the reading block with differentiated instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics, using small groups. If possible, involve other teachers at your school so that each of you teach just two total groups; that way, everyone can receive this instruction every day.

Then do whole class lessons in comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.

differentiated instruction for reading

A smart way to conclude your reading time is with an interactive read-aloud.

5. Rethink independent reading time.

Back when I was a student (ahem) years ago, silent reading time was about promoting the enjoyment of reading. In hopes of achieving that, teachers made sure that every child was occupied with a book. It could be ANY book, as long as it was made of paper and had words in it. The teacher read at the same time (or graded papers).

differentiated instruction for reading

Times have changed. While we certainly want our students to learn to enjoy reading, our goals for independent reading time are bigger than that. It’s a teaching time.

I recommend giving each child a bag of books with books s/he is responsible for reading. For most early readers, these should be decodable books that feature phonics patterns you’ve already taught.

You might also include small versions of text you’ve read together during shared reading.

Finally, consider allowing kids to have “dessert books” that they enjoy looking at but cannot read yet. (Insist, however, that they practice their decodable books first.)

A final tip: Beginning readers should spend most of the reading block getting explicit instruction and reviewing previously learned skills, not spending 30-40 minutes doing “independent reading.” Increase the independent reading time when they are ready.

6. Don’t be afraid of explicit instruction.

For years I’ve been a balanced literacy advocate, but as I learn more about the science of reading I’ve experienced a shift in my thinking.

I used to be afraid of explicit instruction … to me it could only mean boring-snoring drill and kill.

But when you have a strong reading curriculum with hands-on materials, explicit instruction can be pleasant and – yes- even fun.

7. Use flexible grouping.

The reality is that you probably have your low, medium, and high readers. And there will be many times that it will make sense to group them accordingly. But not always.

Whatever you do, don’t create labeled, permanent groups that never change.

8. Give kids meaningful work, not busy work.

Your explicit, whole class lessons are important. Your explicit, small group instruction is important.

But your centers are important, too.

It’s tempting to create cute center activities without stopping to consider our goals and objectives. We might want to keep the kids busy so we can focus on the “important” learning in our small groups.

Rather than make the learning centers cute, isolated activities, use them as an extension of whole and small group instruction. Make sure the activities feature skills students have mastered; they can use the center to practice the skills to automaticity.

For quality centers, check out these!

  • Mega bundle of phonics centers
  • Mega bundle of fluency centers

9. Make the work for all learners equally appealing.

Don’t give your low learners worksheets while the advanced learners get to play a game.

10. Take it slow, and be easy on yourself.

During my first years of teaching I took one subject to improve on each year. I spent all summer reading, studying, and planning for how I was going to take my teaching to the next level.

You can have the same approach to differentiation.

Add new strategies to your toolbox each year.

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Reader Interactions

24 comments.

September 14, 2018 at 6:04 pm

Hi Anna, Thank you for the information. How exactly do you use Book Wizard. Sorry, my keyboard’s question mark isn’t working. Anyway, I clicked on the link you gave but was a a quandary as to how exactly I wanted to level my books. I teach K and have a ton of books but was wondering if there was a way I could enter the titles and the system would tell me.

September 14, 2018 at 6:12 pm

I’m sorry. I went back and didn’t see the search bar. I got it now.

September 16, 2018 at 3:27 pm

May 4, 2017 at 8:49 am

Thank you for this information. I teach Adult Education at a non-profit Mental Health Facility. Some of our members are age 50+ and were “passed though” the public school system without them ever acquiring the most basic reading skills. I’m trying to assess their levels without any formal testing materials, then differentiating their materials to their abilities. For an adult, it can be difficult to find interesting materials at a 1-4 grade level. There is one man, with whom I’ve been working with for over a year, that just doesn’t get it still. It is difficult when I only work with him for 30 minutes to an hour a week…

Anna Geiger

May 13, 2017 at 5:09 pm

I can only imagine how challenging that would be, Cindy! Thank you so much for your dedication!

Lisa Dorsett

May 3, 2017 at 9:32 pm

This is excellent information and very informative. Thank you for sharing! ?

May 13, 2017 at 5:10 pm

Thanks for reading, Lisa!

Marya Fonsh-Mielinski

April 25, 2017 at 4:58 pm

Hi! I love all the freebies I can get now that I “belong” to your site and I loved the tips on this post. The drag is that I cannot figure out how to access the printable for differentiation tips! 😉 Am I just missing it somewhere on the freebies page? I don’t think that it was ‘sent’ directly to my inbox in the welcome email…sometimes my email at school is weird, and sometimes (she admits) I am not so good at technology 🙂 Thanks!

April 26, 2017 at 12:46 pm

Hi Marya! Feel free to send me an email, and we can figure it out: anna(at)themeasuredmom(dot)com.

Mahesh Kumar

April 20, 2017 at 12:12 am

Hi Anna, These are really some wonderful things you have mentioned here. My kid has just started in play school. I should keep these things in my mind, it’ll help me search a better school for my kid. Thanks a lot for sharing.

April 22, 2017 at 5:32 pm

You’re very welcome, Mahesh!

Jimmie Brown

April 18, 2017 at 10:43 am

Excellent information, thank you

April 18, 2017 at 3:13 pm

You’re welcome, Jimmie!

April 18, 2017 at 7:20 am

Great article, as always! Thank you for sharing from your treasury of knowledge.

Thank you, Robyn!

Jacqui Jacobs

April 18, 2017 at 1:51 am

THANK YOU for sharing! Awesome ideas. So grateful.

April 18, 2017 at 3:14 pm

You’re very welcome, Jacqui! 🙂

April 18, 2017 at 12:25 am

Very exciting to work like this.

April 17, 2017 at 10:34 pm

Thank you for sharing

You’re welcome, Elaine!

April 17, 2017 at 11:09 am

Thank you so much.

April 18, 2017 at 3:17 pm

You’re welcome, Tessy!

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differentiated instruction for reading

differentiated instruction for reading

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction involves teaching in a way that meets the different needs and interests of students using varied course content, activities, and assessments.

Teaching differently to different students

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is fundamentally the attempt to teach differently to different students, rather than maintain a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction. Other frameworks, such as Universal Design for Learning , enjoin instructors to give students broad choice and agency to meet their diverse needs and interests. DI distinctively emphasizes instructional methods to promote learning for students entering a course with different readiness for, interest in, and ways of engaging with course learning based on their prior learning experiences ( Dosch and Zidon 2014). 

Successful implementation of DI requires ongoing training, assessment, and monitoring (van Geel et al. 2019) and has been shown to be effective in meeting students’ different needs, readiness levels, and interests (Turner et al. 2017). Below, you can find six categories of DI instructional practices that span course design and live teaching.

While some of the strategies are best used together, not all of them are meant to be used at once, as the flexibility inherent to these approaches means that some of them are diverging when used in combination (e.g., constructing homogenous student groups necessitates giving different types of activities and assessments; constructing heterogeneous student groups may pair well with peer tutoring) (Pozas et al. 2020). The learning environment the instructor creates with students has also been shown to be an important part of successful DI implementation (Shareefa et al. 2019). 

Differentiated Assessment

Differentiated assessment is an aspect of Differentiated Instruction that focuses on tailoring the ways in which students can demonstrate their progress to their varied strengths and ways of learning. Instead of testing recall of low-level information, instructors should focus on the use of knowledge and complex reasoning. Differentiation should inform not only the design of instructors’ assessments, but also how they interpret the results and use them to inform their DI practices. 

More Team Project Ideas

Steps to consider

There are generally considered to be six categories of useful differentiated instruction and assessment practices (Pozas & Schneider 2019):

  • Making assignments that have tasks and materials that are qualitatively and/or quantitatively varied (according to “challenge level, complexity, outcome, process, product, and/or resources”) (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) It’s helpful to assess student readiness and interest by collecting data at the beginning of the course, as well as to conduct periodic check-ins throughout the course (Moallemi 2023 & Pham 2011)
  • Making student working groups that are intentionally chosen (that are either homogeneous or heterogeneous based on “performance, readiness, interests, etc.”) (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) Examples of how to make different student groups provided by Stanford CTL  (Google Doc)
  • Making tutoring systems within the working group where students teach each other (IP Module 2: Integrating Peer-to-Peer Learning) For examples of how to support peer instruction, and the benefits of doing so, see for example Tullis & Goldstone 2020 and Peer Instruction for Active Learning (LSA Technology Services, University of Michigan)
  • Making non-verbal learning aids that are staggered to provide support to students in helping them get to the next step in the learning process (only the minimal amount of information that is needed to help them get there is provided, and this step is repeated each time it’s needed) (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible) Non-verbal cue cards support students’ self-regulation, as they can monitor and control their progress as they work (Pozas & Schneider 2019)
  • Making instructional practices that ensure all students meet at least the minimum standards and that more advanced students meet higher standards , which involves monitoring students’ learning process carefully (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible; IP Module 5: Giving Inclusive Assessments) This type of approach to student assessment can be related to specifications grading, where students determine the grade they want and complete the modules that correspond to that grade, offering additional motivation to and reduced stress for students and additional flexibility and time-saving practices to instructors (Hall 2018)
  • Making options that support student autonomy in being responsible for their learning process and choosing material to work on (e.g., students can choose tasks, project-based learning, portfolios, and/or station work, etc.) (IP Module 4: Making Success Accessible) This option, as well as the others, fits within a general Universal Design Learning framework , which is designed to improve learning for everyone using scientific insights about human learning

Hall, M (2018). “ What is Specifications Grading and Why Should You Consider Using It? ” The Innovator Instructor blog, John Hopkins University Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation.

Moallemi, R. (2023). “ The Relationship between Differentiated Instruction and Learner Levels of Engagement at University .” Journal of Research in Integrated Teaching and Learning (ahead of print).

Pham, H. (2011). “ Differentiated Instruction and the Need to Integrate Teaching and Practice .” Journal of College Teaching and Learning , 9(1), 13-20.

Pozas, M. & Schneider, C. (2019). " Shedding light into the convoluted terrain of differentiated instruction (DI): Proposal of a taxonomy of differentiated instruction in the heterogeneous classroom ." Open Education Studies , 1, 73–90.

Pozas, M., Letzel, V. and Schneider, C. (2020). " Teachers and differentiated instruction: exploring differentiation practices to address student diversity ." Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs , 20: 217-230.

Shareefa, M. et al. (2019). “ Differentiated Instruction: Definition and Challenging Factors Perceived by Teachers .” Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Special Education (ICSE 2019). 

Tullis, J.G. & Goldstone, R.L. (2020). “ Why does peer instruction benefit student learning? ”, Cognitive Research 5 .

Turner, W.D., Solis, O.J., and Kincade, D.H. (2017). “ Differentiating Instruction for Large Classes in Higher Education ”, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 29(3), 490-500.

van Geel, M., Keuning, T., Frèrejean, J., Dolmans, D., van Merriënboer, J., & Visscher A.J. (2019). “Capturing the complexity of differentiated instruction”, School Effectiveness and School Improvement , 30:1, 51-67, DOI: 10.1080/09243453.2018.1539013

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The Foundational Guide to Differentiated Instruction

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  • Classroom Activities/Strategies/Guides

Most of us have experienced the frustration of one-size-fits-all clothing at some point. The concept or idea isn’t necessarily bad, but it just doesn’t work for everyone. The same can be said of education. Educators know that education does not work well as a one-size-fits-all approach. The more students in a classroom, the more diverse classrooms become. And with classrooms becoming increasingly diverse, the need for differentiated instruction becomes more critical.

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that recognizes the diverse needs and abilities of students. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach that forces students to fit into a predetermined box, instruction should  meet the individual, unique needs of the students. Differentiated instruction is extremely important because of its ability to foster equity and inclusion, create a more engaging and effective learning environment, and improve overall student achievement.

Ultimately, differentiated classrooms recognize students have diverse backgrounds, strengths, interests, and challenges, and a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction may not be effective for all learners. While differentiated instruction and its strategies may pose some challenges, the benefits of differentiation in the classroom are numerous and the challenges can be overcome.

Strategies for Implementing Differentiated Instruction

Simply put, differentiated strategies involve tailoring instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners. This tailoring can be something as easy as identifying the learning styles of students or can involve some intentional structuring of assignments. The goal isn’t to put more work on teachers and make them feel they need to edit or recreate every assignment. Instead, the goal is to give teachers the freedom to make adjustments to their ideas and curriculum that will lean into students’ strengths and therefore increase student achievement.

Identifying Learning Styles and Preferences

Identifying learning styles and preferences is an important early step in implementing differentiation of instruction. By identifying these aspects, teachers can better tailor their instruction to meet each student’s unique needs. Every classroom is likely to have a combination of visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners, which means visual aids, lectures and discussions, and physical movement should be used in instruction. Student preference or interest is also a form of differentiation. Finding a strong combination of student readiness plus their interests equals deeper engagement and application of the learning.

Teachers can identify these a number of ways. First, general observations can often reveal how a student learns best. However, if this is unclear, then teachers may choose to experiment with several different activities and styles to see how students react and perform. For older students, self-reflection or learning styles tests may allow students to verbalize an awareness of their own learning preferences. 

Curriculum Compacting

Curriculum compacting is a process where teachers can modify certain curriculum to meet the needs of high-ability students. It is a way of streamlining grade-level curriculum for students who may have already mastered certain skills or content. Once a teacher has assessed a student’s level of mastery, they may make changes to parts of the curriculum that allow students to move more quickly through content they already understand to focus on new or more challenging material.

This is an important teaching method for the higher-achieving end of the differentiation spectrum because it can help prevent students from becoming bored or disengaged with curriculum.

Tiered Assignments

Using tiered assignments is a classic strategy where teachers create multiple versions of an assignment that have varying levels of complexity, skill, or depth that correlate with the individual needs and abilities of students. Therefore, it is important to select a writing program that supports individualized instruction by offering different levels of complexity to match student skill level. 

For example, during writing instruction , students may be given a variety of prompts to respond to, or they may be assigned different length requirements to meet. Programs like Step Up to Writing ® offer differentiated instruction tiers for emergent, grade-level, and advanced writers starting as early as kindergarten through 12th grade. It is important to select a writing program that supports the individuality of each and every learner, regardless of age or preparation, as Step Up to Writing does. 

Interest-Based Learning

Along with identifying learning styles and preferences, learning the interests of individual students leads to an opportunity to implement interest-based learning in class. By designing learning experiences that tap into students’ interests, teachers can create a more student-centered and personalized learning environment. Students are more likely to engage in reading, writing, and researching when it involves something that interests them.

This may be done in the form of an ongoing evaluation throughout the school year, or even a final formative assessment where students can apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learned to something that truly interests them.

Benefits of Differentiated Instruction

In today’s diverse classrooms, one-size-fits-all instruction is no longer effective in meeting the unique needs of every student. Therefore, differentiating instruction can be one of the most beneficial instructional strategies teachers can implement in their classrooms.

Differentiation can take place at both the curriculum and instruction level—and mutually benefit the teachers as well as the students. A little bit of extra thought and organization during the lesson planning process can create a learning environment that meets the needs of diverse learners, personalizes learning, promotes student engagement, and fosters collaboration and community.

Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

Meeting the unique needs of all students during instruction is essential for success. A differentiated teaching approach is one of the most effective instructional methods, which enables educators to tailor their teaching to the students’ diverse learning styles and abilities. 

Personalizing Learning

The more personalized the learning experience, the more meaningful and enduring the lessons become. Differentiated instruction allows teachers to personalize learning by tapping into learning styles and learning profiles in ways that make students feel seen and valued.

Promoting Student Engagement

Many teachers struggle with classroom management, in part because some students act out when disengaged. Yes, part of classroom management is set from policies and expectations given at the beginning of a school year, but classroom management is maintained through effective classroom instruction. Therefore, differentiated instruction can be an effective classroom management tool for teachers.

Fostering Collaboration and Community

One of the most beautiful things education can provide for students is a sense of community and belonging. When teachers are able to differentiate their instruction, they are doing just that—fostering collaboration and community by meeting students where they are and giving them new ways to relate to and learn from each other.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction in Action

It is not an unlikely scenario for a teacher to have a classroom that includes some students with learning disabilities (like dyslexia ), some who are reading two levels ahead, some English language learners, and all with varying levels of intelligence and interest. Simply printing off different variations of worksheets is not an effective way to reach a group like this. A variety of instructional strategies in each content area is more likely to reach each student.

Teachers have an ideal amount of curriculum they want to get through within a given time frame, but they shouldn’t feel so locked into that curriculum that they lose student engagement in the process. Differentiated instruction can be used in all classrooms—no matter the age, grade level, or content—to the students’ benefit. There are many differentiated instruction strategies and examples available, and for each subject level, teachers can find the perfect fit for their curriculum and classroom.

Differentiating Instruction in Mathematics

An example of a simple way to differentiate instruction in mathematics may involve the use of equations. When it comes to assessments, some students may be provided with the equations while others are not.

But differentiation in math goes much deeper than that. One of the best ways to differentiate instruction in math is to allow students to connect the lesson to personal interests and everyday scenarios. For example, a budget project in math class will allow students to explore numbers in relation to what they like to buy or spend money on.

Differentiating Instruction in English Language Arts

Differentiated instruction is one of the key components when it comes to reading comprehension and reading intervention. One of the key questions when determining effective reading intervention is asking if the program allows for differentiated instruction. Differentiating instruction in English language arts allows teachers to more confidently teach any given combination of readers and writers.

Challenges and Solutions

While differentiated instruction has many benefits, it also presents some challenges for teachers. Adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs of each student can be time-consuming, and managing different groups of students working on different tasks can also present a challenge. Teachers may feel overwhelmed with time constraints or feel the need for additional training to be successful.

Both of these things, however, are avoidable. While additional training can be beneficial, it is not a requirement and shouldn’t feel like a burden. The truth is that the majority of teachers already differentiate their instruction to some varying degree whether they realize it or not—some may need a little encouragement and validation that what they are doing is working and beneficial.

Time Management

Teachers constantly feel crunched for time. It is challenging to plan lessons, organize materials, instruct students, build relationships, and grade assessments each day. Including more student-centered activities and choice into instruction will not only free up some of the teacher’s time during the day, but it will also allow the students to take a more active role in their learning.

Classroom Management

Classroom management always finds itself on the list of challenges for teachers. Differentiated instruction is a huge contributing factor to managing a classroom, along with the policies and procedures put in place at the beginning of the school year. When it comes to classroom management, some of the best solutions are to keep it simple. Have a few rules that are comprehensive and can cover a lot of behavior.

For example, Children’s Literacy Initiative suggests the Power of Three, which includes, “Take care of ourselves, take care of others, and take care of the classroom.” The same can be said of differentiated instruction. Don’t try to do too much at once. Choose a few differentiation strategies to work with at a time rather than overwhelming yourself—and students—with too many.

Assessment and Grading

One way teachers can avoid getting bogged down by assessments and grading is by taking a more holistic approach. Rubrics can help with this as well. Rubrics can be as detailed or as holistic as needed. While they may take a bit more time on the front end to make, a good rubric will be easy to use and will speed up the assessment process. 

Professional Development and Support

Ultimately, teachers must remember they are not alone. Teachers can sometimes feel isolated when they are spending the majority of their days surrounded by children or young adults. Being the oldest person in the room and the main authority figure throughout the day can create a false sense of needing to figure things out on your own.

Taking time to step outside of your classroom and curriculum is important. While it can be frustrating at first to have to take time away from an already busy day to attend professional development, the long-term benefits of professional development far outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Seeking support from colleagues, administrators, and professional development can make the challenges a little less challenging.

In her book How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms, Carol Ann Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development and one of the leading American educators on differentiated instruction, wrote: “Kids of the same age aren’t all alike when it comes to learning, any more than they are alike in terms of size, hobbies, personality, or likes and dislikes. Kids do have many things in common, because they are human beings and because they are all children, but they also have important differences.

“What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage. In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences become important elements in teaching and learning as well.” These words are a great reminder for teachers to lean in and embrace student differences and the opportunity to differentiate instruction as something special.

Voyager Sopris Learning ® offers additional support for educators looking for differentiated instruction and practice that is explicit, systematic, and research-based.

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differentiated instruction for reading

Differentiating Instruction for Reading and Mathematics

The challenge.

Chances are, in a classroom of 25 students, there are 25 learning levels and styles that go along with them. While “differentiating instruction” is a term claimed by any number of programs, truly delivering on its promise leaves teachers asking, “Where do I begin?”

Our Philosophy

As a company founded by educators, we’ve always been driven by one simple truth: programs must rise to the challenge of offering equitable access to high‑quality instruction. We believe that one of the first steps is starting with data that provides visibility into the learning—data that reaches beyond what teachers may observe that’s not just rich but razor-sharp in its insight and delivered in user-friendly formats so all educators can benefit from it at a glance. 

We believe that to utilize data to its best advantage, it must directly correlate to targeted instruction teachers can trust, so individuals, small groups, and whole classes of learners get exactly the materials they need, and teachers don’t lose valuable time seeking them out.

The Solution

Years of research, classroom experience, and educator partnerships have led us to create assessment tools that “see” what the human eye cannot. This insight complements—with surgical precision—what educators know about their students and immediately allows them to connect to multiple, targeted instructional materials built by the same company. Having both reading and mathematics materials available in the same best‑in‑class program saves time and energy for both educators and students.

Used in combination or as separate products, the Ready suite of mathematics and reading programs, i-Ready Assessment and Personalized Instruction and the remarkably useful teacher resources on the Teacher Toolbox give teachers a complete system of programs that were fundamentally designed to work together to enhance their instruction and lead to student growth.

For schools around the country, the Ready and i‑Ready programs are proving to deliver on the promise of differentiated instruction in reading and mathematics classrooms, helping students of every level, from every background, grow and achieve more.

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i-Ready Assessment

Tools to pinpoint student strengths and areas of need and to measure proficiency of on-grade level standards

differentiated instruction for reading

i-Ready Personalized Instruction

Online, personalized instruction and practice promote productive struggle to help all learners achieve proficiency.

Ready Student Instruction Books.

Flexible, standards-based instruction and practice for reading and mathematics

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Teacher Toolbox

Provides educators with access to thousands of digital K–8 resources to differentiate instruction to each student’s needs

Making Differentiated Instruction a Reality

i-Ready helps teachers differentiate instruction and accelerate student growth.

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Voices from Educators

“ i-Ready has made differentiating instruction so much easier for me. From the minute [students] take that test, it groups them into profiles; I can see exactly what they need and work with that group, and then reassess.”

—Teacher, Grade K

“The Teacher Toolbox has been a fantastic resource for our teachers so that they can see lessons and resources based on students’ needs at different grade levels and quickly access them as a tool for differentiation.”

—District Administrator, Grades K–8

“I love that i-Ready challenges students at their level and gives teachers and parents specific feedback as to the exact standards/skills individual students need to work on for mastery of grade-level expectations.”

—Teacher, Grades 3–5

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A Collaborative Strategy to Increase Reading Comprehension in World Language Classes

Similar to the jigsaw method, Quote, Quote, Mingle is designed to have students work together to figure out the main idea of a passage.

Photo of elementary school teacher and students in classroom

A few years ago, I learned about a strategy called Quote, Quote, Mingle from our middle school instructional coach at a professional development session. This strategy helps students gain knowledge by having conversations with their peers based on what they’ve read. The more people you talk to, the more information you get to help you develop a fuller picture of the topic. (I still remember the article we read that day about a panda’s sixth digit—a rudimentary, thumblike bone extension.)

This strategy may sound familiar. It has a lot in common with the jigsaw method, but while the jigsaw method asks groups of students to become “experts” on different aspects of a topic and then share their findings with their classmates, Quote, Quote, Mingle requires students to hypothesize about a text while posing questions and drawing inferences about it based on reading a small part of it.

As world language teachers, we try to integrate as many texts as we can to expand our learners’ reading capacity. However, teaching informational text with Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary can be challenging, which also makes learning engagement inevitably decrease. So, under these circumstances, I invited one of our Chinese teachers and her classes to try this strategy, and it worked well in an elementary setting.

The learning goal was to understand the main idea of a third-grade informational text in Chinese, which introduced the history and impact of potatoes on our everyday lives. Before implementing the strategy, we also did some preparation work to make the whole process clearer for students to understand.

Getting Started

The teacher and I broke down the informational text into bite-size pieces. For instance, we segmented the text about potatoes into six parts and put them on index cards. Each student then received a card with part of the article on it.

During the implementation, we followed these steps:

  • The teacher describes the activity to students with the instructions, “We’re going to read an article, and you need to find the main idea. You will move around in the classroom with an index card and exchange information with three classmates, which we call a mingle. And I will set a four-minute timer to remind you when a mingle session is finished. Then, you need to talk to another group of three people and share the ‘quotes’ from the last session.”
  • The teacher then sets a timer to remind students to get ready for the next mingle session and instructs them to talk with other classmates. We both walk around the classroom during this time to check in with any students who need help or more clarification.
  • Next, the teacher instructs the students to go back to their initial groups and share the information they gathered from these mingle sessions. The teacher invites the students to identify the main idea based on the group discussion, and they jot it down on chart paper.
  • Students share their findings with the whole class, and the teachers may comment on the differences or similarities. For the final step, students read the whole text, and the teacher encourages them to find the parts that have been validated or contradicted through discussion.

We stress that the students need to discuss the main idea with every person they talk to. We find that this instruction creates a meaningful opportunity for them to interact with the texts and peers.

3 Takeaways from Using Quote, Quote Mingle

1. This activity engages students in meaningful conversations. It forces students to read the pieces carefully and summarize them before engaging in conversation with their classmates. They need to stay focused to remember their peers’ sharing when exchanging information.

2. Quote, Quote, Mingle encourages active participation and collaboration with body movement. We tend to think teaching informational text is challenging, and the most common approach is for teachers to explain the difficult parts for students via direct instruction. However, this method diminishes students’ active participation and ownership of their own learning. Using a collaborative approach in academic reading helps to ease students’ anxiety when they encounter unfamiliar topics.

3. This strategy promotes language proficiency and fluency. Reading these bite-size pieces and summarizing them is great practice for reading comprehension. Plus, using conversation to exchange information requires students to fine-tune their word choices and presentation in a time-constrained setting. The more they talk to their peers, the more opportunities they will have for language fluency.

Incorporating collaborative strategies for language learning shifts students from being passive receivers when it comes to reading to active learners. It also encourages students to think aloud when communicating with their peers, which also helps them to reflect on their understanding of the text.

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  1. 13 Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction in the Elementary Classroom

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  2. 10 tips for differentiated reading instruction in K-3

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  3. 13 Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction in the Elementary Classroom

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  4. Paula's Primary Classroom: Differentiating Reading Instruction:Some

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  5. 14 Examples Of Differentiated Instruction In Reading To Understand It

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  6. How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Second Edition

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COMMENTS

  1. Differentiated Instruction for Reading

    Differentiated Instruction for Reading. Differentiated instruction is based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students. This brief looks at how differentiation strategies applied to reading can be designed to help students learn a range of skills including, phonics ...

  2. What Is Differentiated Instruction?

    What Is Differentiated Instruction? By: Carol Ann Tomlinson. Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.

  3. 13 Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction in the ...

    Ideas for Differentiated Reading Instruction In the Elementary Grades. 1. Have students read books at their own level. Level the classroom library in order to help students find appropriate books for independent reading time. Color-coordinating the shelves is an easy way for students to find books that are suitable for their reading skills.

  4. Differentiated Reading Instruction: Multiple Pathways to Literacy

    Furthermore, according to Tomlinson (2001), "Differentiating instruction means 'shaking up' what goes on in the classroom so that students have multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn.". Differentiation is not a single strategy, but an approach to instruction that incorporates a ...

  5. Differentiated Instruction: Examples & Classroom Strategies

    Learn what differentiated instruction is, how it works, and the pros and cons of this method for reaching students with different learning styles and needs. Find out the four ways to differentiate instruction (content, process, product, and learning environment) and see examples of activities and strategies for each way.

  6. PDF Reading Differentiation 1 Running head: READING DIFFERENTIATION

    Differentiated Reading Instruction: What and How (Ankrum & Bean, 2007), examine several points that should be considered if differentiated reading instruction is to be effective. Those points include assessment, grouping formats, classroom management, materials, length and frequency of instruction, and lesson focus.

  7. What Is Differentiated Reading Instruction?

    Differentiated reading instruction can be an effective approach to preventing this gap in literacy and achievement. A teacher might differentiate the process of instruction by changing the form of content delivery. For instance, some have an easier time comprehending a story by hearing it, as opposed to reading it in print. ...

  8. Differentiated Instruction

    Differentiated Instruction is implemented in the teacher-led small group. The teacher forms small, flexible groups based on student data and observations. There is not one correct way to place students into small groups for instruction. The suggested number of students per group is 1-4 for struggling readers and 5-8 for those students on grade ...

  9. 5 Strategies for Differentiated Reading Instruction

    Differentiated support may include meeting with a small group of students to practice skills that build understanding. These skills coach lessons provide direct instruction on targeted skills and opportunities for students to practice and apply the skill. 5. Vary Discussion Style.

  10. What is differentiated instruction?

    Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to students' different learning needs. It lets students show what they know in different ways. It doesn't replace the goals in a child's IEP or 504 plan. Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that tailors instruction to all students' learning needs.

  11. 10 tips for differentiated reading instruction in K-3

    A smart way to conclude your reading time is with an interactive read-aloud. 5. Rethink independent reading time. Back when I was a student (ahem) years ago, silent reading time was about promoting the enjoyment of reading. In hopes of achieving that, teachers made sure that every child was occupied with a book.

  12. Differentiated Classroom Structures for Literacy Instruction

    Differentiation isn't just about having different students do different things. Differentiated instruction is based on students' needs.. Below are some classroom structures for literacy instruction that can be differentiated. For each, examples are provided of simply different experiences for students, and differentiated experiences, flexibly adapted to meet students' changing needs.

  13. PDF Differentiated Reading Instruction: Small Group Alternative Lesson

    How can teachers provide differentiated reading instruction to meet the diverse needs of students in small groups? This pdf document presents a research-based framework and practical examples of effective practices for K-3 classrooms. It also offers guidance on how to assess students' reading levels, select appropriate texts, and plan and monitor instruction.

  14. Differentiated Reading Instruction

    Differentiated reading instruction is instruction that is designed to differentiate information based on the individual learning needs or styles of students. Individuals learn differently and ...

  15. Differentiated Instruction

    Differentiated assessment is an aspect of Differentiated Instruction that focuses on tailoring the ways in which students can demonstrate their progress to their varied strengths and ways of learning. Instead of testing recall of low-level information, instructors should focus on the use of knowledge and complex reasoning.

  16. The Foundational Guide to Differentiated Instruction

    Differentiated instruction is one of the key components when it comes to reading comprehension and reading intervention. One of the key questions when determining effective reading intervention is asking if the program allows for differentiated instruction. Differentiating instruction in English language arts allows teachers to more confidently ...

  17. Differentiated Instruction for Reading and Mathematics

    Having both reading and mathematics materials available in the same best‑in‑class program saves time and energy for both educators and students. Used in combination or as separate products, the Ready suite of mathematics and reading programs, i-Ready Assessment and Personalized Instruction and the remarkably useful teacher resources on the ...

  18. A Reading List for Differentiated Instruction

    A Reading List for Differentiated Instruction. You can find ideas on how to gear your teaching to meet the needs of all students even in works that aren't explicitly about differentiation. One of the many hopes that we as educators have for our students is that they become lifelong learners. We want them to explore their passions, which in ...

  19. PDF Differentiated In truction for Reading

    Differentiated instruction, also called differentiation, is a process through which teachers enhance learning by matching student characteristics to instruction and assessment. Differentiated instruction allows all students to access the same classroom curriculum by providing entry points,

  20. A Collaborative Reading Strategy for World Languages

    Reading these bite-size pieces and summarizing them is great practice for reading comprehension. Plus, using conversation to exchange information requires students to fine-tune their word choices and presentation in a time-constrained setting. The more they talk to their peers, the more opportunities they will have for language fluency.

  21. Sen. Ruiz posts four bills addressing literacy, learning loss

    What each bill says: Senate bill S-2644 would establish a reading intervention program for students in kindergarten through third grade with a reading deficiency — scoring below grade level or at risk of scoring below grade level on a screening assessment. It would include instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary ...

  22. Best Practice for RTI: Differentiated Reading Instruction for All

    Provide differentiated reading instruction for all students based on assessments of students' current reading levels (tier 1). Tier 1. Ideally, classroom reading instruction would be evidence based. However, research that might provide a clear, comprehensive model of how to teach reading to students in the primary grades is lacking (NRP, 2000 ...