Differentiated Literacy Centers

How Do I Develop Differentiated Literacy Centers?

The first step is to unpack the standard. Sometimes this requires research to really understand what the standard means. Unpacking the standard means I identify what students need to know (content/ideas), be able to do (skills), and understand (theories, principles, generalizations, big ideas etc).

The second step involves using Bloom’s Taxonomy and suggested verbs associated with each level to create three tiers of work. Tier one examines the basic knowledge and comprehension of the concept students will need to understand in order to access the standard. This is for students who are not yet ready to engage with the standard. Tier two is for kids that are ready to go. These tasks focus on application and analysis of the standard. Tier three is for students who are ready to move on. In this tier, students work on tasks involving evaluation and synthesis. While creating the tasks, I try to provide a variety of options in the type of work so that students can choose tasks that are both interesting and appropriate. If you are thinking about creating your own differentiated tasks, then this is the step where you can identify great lessons/activities you have done in the past and see where they fit in within the tiers.

How Do I Implement Differentiated Task Cards?

First I teach the students a concept through shared reading. When I feel they are ready for independent practice, I put the differentiated task cards as part of their centers. I copy the cards on card stock and laminate. Tier one goes on green, tier two goes on yellow, and tier three goes on red. The cards along with all the needed supplies are available to students at a table. Students can choose the task they think is appropriate. I am big on choice because that is part of ownership in learning. Sometimes I have to nudge students in the right direction, but overall, I find students make good choices. On their centers contract, they have a space where they write the color and task they chose. At the end of the contract, their work is attached to the contract. The task cards can also be for mini-lessons for small groups to help support them in their needs in relation to the standard. Why do I choose to make their work differentiated? See below!

Differentiation

The first time I really began to understand differentiation, I felt as though I had new glasses that allowed me to see the classroom for the first time. I had just spent an invigorating five days at a conference in Northern California where I went to every workshop offered by Melanie Crawford, a differentiation guru who studied under Sandra Kaplan from the University of Southern California. Keeping detailed notes to refer to later, my mind raced with enthusiasm with the endless possibilities for making my classroom meaningful for all students. After attending several workshops, I sat down with a colleague to discuss the implications and began developing a brainstorm list of how to make differentiation a reality. I felt as though my mind was on fire. Ideas poured out like waterfalls flooding the pages. It was the beginning of the obsession that would soon follow.

I will never forget my new impressions upon returning to the classroom. With my newfound clarity came the acute realization of the inappropriateness of the work I had assigned my students. I viewed my students as a different observer and painstakingly watched the independent work my students grappled with during literacy centers. One particularly unsuitable assignment involved quotation marks. Students were supposed to write quotes in dialogue bubbles and then write a story including those quotes. What originally had appeared as a fun activity now seemed like a train wreck – cruel for some and a joke for others. How can I expect Annie to be successful writing an entire story with quotation marks when she struggles with writing complete sentences and using any punctuation marks? How did this task challenge Carrie, who adored writing and had already mastered using quotation marks long ago? How will Karen find joy in this work when she prefers not to write at all? The truth of the matter hit home hard – the work I gave my students only matched the independent level and interest of some of my students. By reaching only to the middle and one mode of learning, I had failed many. Teachers, parents, and principals praised my work with the students, but now I knew the truth – I could definitely do better.

This new revelation about my teaching practices could have been crippling, however, I felt quite the contrary. Newly armed with the knowledge of differentiation, I was able to analyze my practices with a clearer lens. We tend to teach what we know, and having developed a deeper understanding of differentiation, I was now able to change my practices. A new challenge shaped my classroom. Every task became an opportunity to think about multiple ways of providing access for my students at tiered levels. From this point on, my greatest frustrations came that I couldn’t develop differentiated tasks fast enough.

I am sharing this story for several reasons. Encapsulating the moment of great learning helps me maintain the intensity and clarity longer. This was one of several trainings and teaching methodologies that have deeply affected me in the past thirteen years. Each time I learn more about meeting students’ needs and viewing learning through their eyes, it can be a very humbling experience. In my heart, I apologize for what I did not do for previous years of students. How could I? I didn’t know any better. Along with humility comes a passion that changes my classroom practices. I love the fire that drives me to spend countless hours analyzing my students and developing instruction, but I keep wondering, will there ever be a time when I don’t feel apologetic for my teaching in the past? Perhaps that is part of the teaching paradox.