differentiating LitERAcy Instruction

Supporting Emergent Readers and Writers

Who We AreLindsay Hollingsworth Assistant professor

Becca Lowe Elementary Education major

University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Er

Erin WernimontKindergarten teacher

Jamie HartwigFirst grade teacher

Neal Wilkins Early Learning Center, Platteville School District

Overview

Research

Portraits from Neal Wilkins

Research

The Goal for Differentiation...“...to reach students who span the spectrum of learning readiness, personal interests, and culturally shaped ways of seeing and experiencing the world.”

(Tomlinson, 2014)

How Do I divide time, resources, and myself to maximize my students’ talent?

Teachers as….

Two Critical “Givens”Content requirements Students who vary as

learners

Differentiation 101Teachers vary________

Content

Process

Product

Learning Environment

Based on ____________

Readiness

Interests

Learning Profile

Knight’s recommendations

Learning maps

Guided questions

Cooperative learning

●

Creating Guiding QuestionsCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.

RF.K.2.E

Add or substitute

individual sounds

(phonemes) in simple,

one-syllable words to

make new words.

What words do we know that belong to the -op

family?

mop

pop

top

stop

drop

Community BuildingStudents know….

● They are welcomed and valued.● They can learn and they will be supported.● They will work together to enhance each other’s growth.● The classroom is a safe place for successes and failures.● Hard work will result in observable growth.● Routines and processes are designed to give all students

access to whatever they need for success.

(Knight, 2013; Tomlinson, 2014)

Road Trip AnalogyKeep an eye on students’ daily journey towards the final destination.

...and be prepared to lend a helping hand

Portraits from Neal Wilkins

Snapshots from Mrs. WErnimont’s Kindergarten Class

Highlights of the Week

What will we learn in kindergarten?

Design of Reading BlockMini-Lesson

Pass out Reading Badges

Center Work

● Reading Center/Listening Center● Word Work● Writing Center● Teacher Time

READING Badges● Individualized

● Determined by readiness

● Content and process vary

CENTER ORGANIZATIONCenter Organization

Students select from 12 literacy activities

#1-#4 Basic

#5-#8 Grade Level

#9-#12 Challenge

Word Work Centers

Students select from 12 literacy activities

#1-#4 Basic

#5-#8 Grade Level

#9-#12 Challenge

ReadinG gCenter

Mrs. Wernimont’s Word Work

Fishing for Sight WordsStudent fishes for sight words and then records them on recording sheet.

Bubble Gum Words

Materials:

Bubble Gum Machine

Colored rocks with sight words applied

Twist, read, and play!

Twist, read, play!

SiGHT Word PracitceRead it

Build it

Write it

More Word Work Centers

Individualized Sight Word PracticeStudents are assigned six sight words to practice a week based on preassessment data.

Writing with Mrs. Wernimont

Handwriting Zoo- letter writing with animal friends

Writing CenterCVC Word Family Practice My Handwriting Book

Individualized Spelling PracticeSpelling lists determined by pretest data.

Writing offices-I can statements

-Zookeepers house

-Word wall words

-Left/right

-Post it notes

-ABC chart

Inside of writing offices

Teacher TimeStudents meet with Mrs. Wernimont to read from Storytown Books.

Resource Sharing….A Few of My Favorite Things!Kalnicki, J. (2015). Camp kindergarten. Retrieved at http://campkindergarden.blogspot.com/

Rist, M. (2015). Inspired by kindergarten. Retrieved at http://inspiredbykindergarten.blogspot.com/

Sloane, S. (2009). Kids count. Retrieved at http://www.kidscount1234.com/

Snapshots from Mrs. Hartwig’s First Grade Classroom

Focus WallGoals for the week are displayed publicly

Standards BasedStandards are visible in “I can” language.

Design of Reading BlockTuesdays - Whole group Instruction

Reading Centers - 4 days a week

● Read to Self● Read to Buddy● Word Work● Writing● Listening to Center

Small group Reading InstructionStudents describe penguin lifecycles in sequential order.

Read to self

Personal Reading Log● Record of

strengths and goals over time

● Can be used to form skill groups

VocabularyWord wall of rich academic language for first graders.

Leveled Word WorkStudents choose word work practice sheets based on skill level.

CHALLENGEStudents complete challenge activities in addition to or instead of word work practice

Writing with Mrs. Hartwig

Writing process1. Mini-lessons

2. Practice

3. Conferences and Revisions

4. Publish

Word CollectorsIndividualized word lists developed with students to address frequently misspelled words.

teacher timeStudents work 1:1 with Mrs. Hartwig to grow as writers.

AssessmentSticky notes are used to record notes about student’s writing over time.

Writing checklist with student’s feedback

RTI at Neal Wilkins Early Learning Center

Kindergarten Camp

First GradeFrontier

RTI DesignData Points: AIMS Web, ESGI, Classroom Performance

8 groups per grade level

6-8 Week Sessions

All students are supported in a literacy skill at their level

Thank you!Lindsay Hollingsworth

hollingswoli@uwplatt.edu

Becca Lowe

lowere@uwplatt.edu

Erin Wernimont

wernimont@platteville.k12.wi.us

Jamie Hartwig

hartwig@platteville.k12.wi.us

ReferencesBoushey, G. & Moser, J. (2009). The CAFE book: Engaging all students in daily literacy assessment and instruction. Portland, Maine:

Stenhouse.

Boushey, G. & Moser, J. (2014). The daily five: Fostering literacy in the elementary grades. (2e). Portland, Maine: Stenhouse.

Calkins, L. (2010). Units of study in opinion, information, and narrative writing, Grade 1. Portsomouth, NH: Heinemann.

Kalnicki, J. (2015). Camp kindergarten. Retrieved at http://campkindergarden.blogspot.com/

Knight, K. (2013). High-impact instruction: A framework for great teaching. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Reed, C. (2015). The brown bag teacher. Retrieved at http://thebrownbagteacher.blogspot.com/

Rist, M. (2015). Inspired by kindergarten. Retrieved at http://inspiredbykindergarten.blogspot.com/

REFERENCESSloane, S. (2009). Kids count. Retrieved at http://www.kidscount1234.com/

Tomlinson, C.A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners, 2e. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms, 2e. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.