Small Group Differentiated Reading Instruction Heartland AEA 11 Indianola 3-5 Becky Hinze

1. Small GroupDifferentiated Reading InstructionHeartland AEA 11Indianola 3-5Becky Hinze Hinze 2008

2. Outcomes for Today • What is small-group differentiated reading instruction? • Guided Reading vs Skill-Focused Lesson? • Assessments and purposes • CORE Reading Instruction vs Supplemental • Using data to put students into flexible groups during CORE reading time. • Using the four box method for instruction Hinze 2008

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4. Effective Teacher Research “The teacher’s influence on student achievement scores is twenty times greater than any other variable, including class size and student poverty.” (Fallon, 2003) Hinze 2008

5. What do you think? • Why small group instruction? • Pluses of small group instruction? • Challenges of small group instruction? Hinze 2008

6. Points from Research….. • Teachers must be able to support student growth in critical areas through skillful, systematic, and explicit instruction at the whole class level. • They must also be able to work effectively with small groups of students who have different instructional needs. Center on Instruction, 2007

7. Traditional whole class instruction as the only method of instruction fails for much of the same reasons it does in the primary grades: Within any classroom there are multiple levels of readers.

8. Small-group instruction is necessary because students in most classes vary widely in their instructional needs, and their diverse needs are best met when instruction is at the right level and focused on areas of most critical need. Center on Instruction, 2007 2007

9. Without effective initial classroom instruction and strongly differentiated instruction by classroom teachers, the need for intervention specialists may simply overwhelm school resources because too many students will not make expected yearly progress. Center on Instruction, 2007

10. If we are serious in our desire to make all students competent readers, we, as educators, must provide differentiated reading instruction geared to the specific needs of students as they matriculate through the upper grades.

11. Article by Torgeson Purpose for Reading…. • 1) What IS differentiated reading instruction? • 2) What are ways differentiated instruction can take place? (p.2) • 3) What are the two types of lessons and their purposes? Hinze 2008

12. 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. (Joe Torgeson) Hinze 2008

13. Continued……….. • 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 more frequently and for longer periods. This small group targeted skill instruction supplements and reinforces high quality and consistent initial reading instruction. Hinze 2008

14. When is Differentiated Instruction Implemented? • Differentiated Instruction is implemented during the 90+ minute reading block. 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 systematic and explicit instruction in identified reading skill areas. (Joe Torgeson) Hinze 2008

15. Core Instruction • Core instruction is designed to provide the literacy diet that should be sufficient to ensure good literacy outcomes for the majority of the students. The core literacy diet will benefit all, but will not be sufficient for some students. Hinze 2008

16. When eating out of the food pyramid is not enough … • Need to add iron pills, or vitamins, but do not stop eating from the food pyramid. Hinze 2008

17. Comprehension Vocabulary Fluent and Accurate Reading of Connected Text Phonics Phonemic Awareness When instruction in the literacy diet is not enough … Add supplemental or intensive instruction (iron pill) in addition to core instruction (literacy diet) To meet the needs of ALL students Hinze 2008

18. Comprehension Vocabulary Fluent and Accurate Reading of Connected Text Phonics Phonemic Awareness When instruction in the literacy diet is not the right match … Add different curriculum or instruction (high protein diet for athletes) in addition to or instead of core instruction (literacy diet) To meet the needs of TAG students Hinze 2008

19. GL 1st grader SR 1st grader HR 1st grader GL 2nd grader SR 2nd grader HR 2nd grader HR 2nd grader Content to Cover to Reach/Maintain Grade Level Performance

20. Teachers should provide differentiated instruction using at least two different lesson formats 1. Guided Reading Lesson Structure Purpose: to allow students to integrate their new acquired skills and knowledge while reading text for meaning “Guided Reading is a context in which a teacher supports each reader’s development of effective strategies for processing novel texts at increasingly challenging levels of difficulty” (Fountas & Pinnell, 1996, p. 3). Selecting the text Introducing the text Reading the text Discussing the text Teaching for strategic activities Extending meaning (optional) Word Work (optional) Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

21. Guided Reading Lesson Structure The Guided Reading lesson structure provides teachers the opportunities to monitor how well students are applying skills to reading of text, encourage and support application of skills during text reading (e.g., word level skills and comprehension skills), engage students in thinking about the meaning of text, and build a sense of reading as a meaningful, enjoyable activity. Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

22. Limitations of the Guided Reading Lesson Format: Limitations for students still acquiring initial skills: Does not support systematic instruction and practice on foundational knowledge and skills Does not provide enough opportunities for mastery oriented practice on foundational skills Does not provide a good structure for systematic review required by struggling readers Often, the leveled books used in guided reading lessons do not provide good practice on early phonemic decoding skills Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

23. 2. The Skills focused lesson format Purpose: to provide explicit and systematic instruction, as well as extended and focused practice on specific skills and knowledge for students who need this before attempting to integrate these skills in a guided reading lesson. To provide more focused instruction and practice than is possible within a guided reading format. Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

24. Skill-Focused Lesson • Explicit Instruction of the skill. • Focus Statement (what and why learning the skill) • Model (I do it.) Think Aloud • Guided Practice (We do it.) • Independent Practice (You do it.) • Best practice is to end with reading or writing of connected text. Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

25. How do I know which students to group together? • Based on observations of reading and writing • Based on assessment/instructional needs • Based on interests/motivation • Flexible Grouping - Groups are expected to change frequently • Groups do not “follow” each other through the same series of books; books and materials are specially selected for the group. Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

26. Three Functions of Assessment Needed to Guide Instruction • 1: Screening Assessments-Target a group of students • 2: Diagnostic Assessments- Pinpoint instructional needs • 3: Progress Monitoring- Shows whether the instruction is effective and impacting student skill development Hinze 2008

27. Assessment Sorting Activity If you were in the class this summer your job is to do a “Walk and Talk.” I want you to talk about assessments. Do you have what you need? Do they tell you what you want to know? If not, what are your needs? Hinze 2008

28. Using Data to Group Kids What data do you already have? • Make a list of all the assessments you already use. - What is the purpose for each assessment? Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

29. How often do you need to collect data? • Informal data collection should be ongoing • Formal data collection should take place more frequently the more struggling the student Hinze 2008

30. Ways to group students Four Box Method: • Fluent and Accurate • Accurate but Slow Rate • Inaccurate and Slow Rate • Inaccurate but High Rate (Data needed: fluency and accuracy) Hinze/Gustafson July 2008

31. Let’s Do It Take your data and put your students into groups! If you have this done, please find someone that is doing it and help them put them into groups. Hinze 2008

32. Reflection Circle Square Triangle Hinze 2008

33. USE ME!!!! • bhinze@aea11.k12.ia.us • Cell 343-9455 Hinze 2008