Differentiation/Strategies for Struggling Adolescent Readers

Synthesis

Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas
Chapter 5
This chapter focuses on ways to work with struggling adolescent readers by changing their reading identities.  At the beginning of the chapter, the authors discuss the fact that many of the experiences that adolescents have had with literacy simply reinforce the belief that they are unlikely to succeed.  Hence, students need to "receive instruction that takes their reading identities into account."  There are several ways to begin to change reading identities, such as teaching students to take charge of their own reading development.  This requires asking deep questions of students to engage them in their learning.  Another way to begin to change reading identities is to celebrate struggles.  Teachers need to "normalize" struggles by making their class understand that everyone struggles with reading from time to time.  By sharing and discussing difficulties, struggling readers can hear how others tackle and overcome their challenges.  When teachers actively employ some of these strategies, they may begin to see positive changes in their students' reading identities within 2-3 months.  As identities begin to change, teachers should beware of "disruptive talk," which "devalues the ideas of another."

Chapter 15
Textbook comprehension tends to be difficult for adolescents, particularly those who already struggle with reading.  However, it is important to note that students who are proficient in other areas can still struggle with reading a textbook.  While the authors recommend that teachers use forms of text other than the textbook, it remains crucial that content-area teachers teach students strategies for understanding textbooks.  To engage students, teachers should have them participate in pre-reading activities, such as anticipation guides, comprehension canopies, or creating text sets.  After pre-reading, teacher must then shift their focus to "embedded comprehension instruction" to promote independence for students while they are reading a subject-area textbook.  Students also need explicit strategy instruction, particularly the ability to use text features.  Teachers can guide comprehension by using interactive reading guides and QARs (question-answer relationships).  When teaching all of these strategies, teachers should promote a gradual release of responsibility while working with teachers in other content areas to reinforce and "give a second dose" of a strategy previously taught.

Chapter 18
Differentiated instruction is absolutely necessary in the classroom so that all students can be successful.  As mentioned in the text, instruction can be differentiated "for different sections of the same class, for groups of learners with similar needs, and for individual learners."  Also according to the text, modifications can be made to content, process, product, and assessment.  The theory of multiple intelligences says that not all students learn the same way; therefore, they should be provided with a variety of learning methods including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.  Universal design for learning (UDL) is another way of differentiation that provides "multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple means of engagement."  Some examples of UDL include the choice of working in pairs, reading aloud, or using interactive visuals.  Finally, the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP) model used for English language learners can be useful for all students as it sets content and language objectives for each lesson.  The end of the chapter gives a scenario in Ms. Taylor's 10th grade English classroom in which she unpacks a Common Core State Standard and gives her students a variety of options to help them appropriately satisfy the demands of the standard.

Fisher and Frey
This article discusses the fact that while adolescents are writing more than ever before, their writing scores are not improving.  This is because teachers are "causing" writing, as opposed to actually giving valid instruction about how to do it.  As suggested in other readings, the writers of this text note the importance of gradually releasing responsibility to students.  A case study was done on a class of students with particularly rough lives outside of school.  A Language Experience Approach (LEA) was used in this class.  In this model, students began a writing topic by talking about it first.  The reading and writing in the class was initially controlled by the teacher, but as students became more comfortable with each other and their teacher, the model moved to a more interactive approach.  Students could then use writing models and generative sentences to begin to construct more of their own writing.  Students also engaged in "power writing," which focuses on writing as much as possible in a short amount of time.  Independent, open-ended writing was the last component of the model.  The LEA method proved to be very successful for students in both reading and writing.  Students began to construct pieces that they did not realize they were capable of composing, and they felt that people actually wanted to read and listen to their work.

Responses

Text-to-Text
My background is in special education, so I have read many texts about differentiation, and all of them are different and insightful!  In fact, I took a whole class on UDL.  One major difference I noticed in this week's readings as opposed to readings I did for my UDL class is that my class focused mostly on using technology, whereas the whole principle of UDL is much larger than just technology.  Technology is one aspect of UDL, but not the only one.  I have also read a lot about the importance of understanding students' identities, as mentioned in Chapter 5.  Struggling students generally have a poor view of themselves, not only has readers, but as learners in general.  This week's text pointed out a new concept to me, though.  I try to normalize struggles in my special education resource classroom, but this is not generally done in general education classroom.  Chapter 5 made me realize that challenges need to be discussed across all content areas, perhaps even in AP classes!

Text-to-Self
I was encouraged by the readings this week because I realized that many of the strategies mentioned are ones that I already use in my classroom.  Because all of the students that I work with have learning disabilities, I feel that I am constantly having to be creative in my ways of presenting information in a way that makes sense to them.  As a special education teacher, it is part of my job to modify work so that students have different means of presenting their knowledge.  For example, an essay is not usually a good method of presentation for a student with a reading disability, so I might come up with a "choice menu" for a student that meets the general education teacher's requirements without frustrating the student.  However, there is always room to grow, and I would like to try some new strategies.  Particularly, I like the idea of creating text sets.  I do this to a certain degree, but I am sure that the school librarian could help me branch out even more in this area to include more resources.

Text-to-World
Of all of the texts that we have read this semester, I feel that this week's have the greatest text-to-world applications.  UDL in particular has applications that can be applied everywhere.  It seems that even the corporate world is beginning to realize the value of some of the topics mentioned in these chapters.  Whereas companies used to have business meetings that all looked exactly the same, major corporations are now starting to realize that people all learn differently and are drifting away from traditional, lecture-style presentations.  College classes, as well, are providing different ways for students to listen and respond.  Differentiation begins in the classroom, but it certainly carries over into life applications.  Most people feel more successful when given choices in their learning.

Questions

1.  I would be interested to hear some specific ways that you, as teachers, provide differentiation for your students in class.

2.   If you are using the LEA model in your classroom, how do you balance it with the demands of high-stakes testing?  I think that it is a wonderful model; I just worry that students also need to know how to write in a prescribed format for a test (unfortunately).