How can educators address specific literacy
needs for all ability levels?
Kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms are full of children from numerous cultures and backgrounds. Some children are navigating their education journey through two different languages, while others lack a foundation in common vocabulary. No matter what ability a child has, they all have a right to expect to have a teacher who is excited to help them make as much growth as much as possible. This brings me to my compelling question: How can educators address specific literacy needs for all ability levels?
I have worked in schools in different counties and states, and the same struggle is present in each classroom. Teachers want to know how to help each child meet their full potential. Some of my colleagues taught only whole group lessons, while others incorporated small-group instruction in their daily schedules. Over the past two years, in the New Literacies and Global Learning masters program, I found through research and practicums that differentiation is the key to meeting specific literacy needs for all ability levels. Differentiation is critical to the success of meeting individual student needs. Teachers are able to address specific foundational literacy skills and strategies when differentiation is implemented. A proven effective way to differentiate instruction is through the use of small-groups during the literacy block. Small-group lessons consist of word work, reading strategies to use before, during and after reading, and running records which are taught to approximately six students at a time. There are numerous benefits to working to a student’s instructional level as opposed to teaching in a whole-group setting. Whole-group lessons teach to one level of learners and never address the needs of others. When teachers place a specific focus on the differentiated content students make literacy gains.
I have worked in schools in different counties and states, and the same struggle is present in each classroom. Teachers want to know how to help each child meet their full potential. Some of my colleagues taught only whole group lessons, while others incorporated small-group instruction in their daily schedules. Over the past two years, in the New Literacies and Global Learning masters program, I found through research and practicums that differentiation is the key to meeting specific literacy needs for all ability levels. Differentiation is critical to the success of meeting individual student needs. Teachers are able to address specific foundational literacy skills and strategies when differentiation is implemented. A proven effective way to differentiate instruction is through the use of small-groups during the literacy block. Small-group lessons consist of word work, reading strategies to use before, during and after reading, and running records which are taught to approximately six students at a time. There are numerous benefits to working to a student’s instructional level as opposed to teaching in a whole-group setting. Whole-group lessons teach to one level of learners and never address the needs of others. When teachers place a specific focus on the differentiated content students make literacy gains.