Using Empowering Teachers Instructional Routines with Student Center Activities to Differentiate Instruction Elissa Arndt Connie Weinstein Michelle Wahl.

Using Empowering Teachers Instructional Routines with Student Center Activities to Differentiate Instruction

Elissa Arndt Connie Weinstein Michelle Wahl Marcia KosanovichMary VanSciver

Just Read, Florida! Leadership Conference Orlando, 2008

Today’s Objective

Participants will learn how to effectively introduce reading skills during small group instruction using Instructional Routines and aligned Student Center Activities.

The goal is to differentiate instruction using free resources.

What is Differentiated Instruction?

Matching instruction to the needs of individual learners.

Forming small, flexible teacher-led instructional groups based on student data and observations.

Grouping students with similar instructional needs, limiting the size of the group based on the intensity of instruction needed.

How to Differentiate Instruction

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.

The small group targeted skill instruction supplements and reinforces high quality and consistent initial reading instruction during the 90+ reading block.

Two Free Resources to help Differentiate Instruction

1. Empowering Teachers Student Progress Records Questions to Guide Instruction Instructional Routines http://www.fcrr.org/assessment/ET/index.html

2. Student Center Activities Instructional Materials http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/SCAindex.htm

Data to inform Instruction

PMRN class status reports

Classroom data collection

Organizing Data for Instruction

Empowering Teachers resources Guiding questions for instruction Student progress records

Handout 1

Handout 2

Modify IR to align with SCA

K Phonemic Awareness Instructional Routine for Segmenting

K-1 Student Center Activity on Phoneme Segmenting

We will show how to develop a new Instructional Routine based on the Student Center Activity.

Handout 3z

z

Handout 2, cont.

Summary of Adaptation to Instructional Routine

Instead of fingers, use counters & Elkonin Boxes

Replace picture with other pictures as needed, still using the Elkonin Boxes at the bottom of each Activity Master

Handout 4

Handout 5

Steps

Instructional Example[ea1] 

TEACHER EXPLAINS TASK

We[ea2]  are going to practice using prefixes and suffixes to create new words from underlined phrases in sentences.

TEACHER MODELS TASK

Display the Sentence Match Student Sheet for the students to see..We’ve been practicing the meanings of these prefixes and suffixes [ea3] . Let’s review their meanings as I fill in the top of the chart: un- means not; mis- means not correctly; re- means again; -er means more (when comparing); –est means most (when comparing); and -ful means full of. Arrange the header cards with the affixes in a row.Now I will select a sentence card and read it while paying attention to the underlined phrase. Teacher selects the top sentence card and reads it aloud.‘Why was the horse not able to gallop?’ The phrase ‘not able’ goes with the prefix un- to make the word unable. I will write unable on the card and place the card under the un- column. Teacher writes the word ‘unable on the card and puts it under the un- column.Next I will write the word ‘unable’ on the Student Sheet under the un-column to record my work. Teacher writes ‘unable’ on the student sheet.Here is your copy of the Student Sheet. Write the meanings of the affixes on the second row to match my sheet. Pass out a Student Sheet to each student and pause to let them fill out the meaning portion.

 [ea1]In order to make this task explicit for the students, I need to succinctly explain what they are expected to do. For each part of the task I will use as few words as possible. Teacher language should be concise, specific, and related to the lesson objective.  [ea2] Systematic instruction is carefully planned and thought out. This allows students to internalize the routine and focus their efforts on practicing the new skill.  [ea3]Because this SCA assumes students have prior knowledge of these affixes it is important to remind the students of their meanings to then apply them in this lesson.

Handout 6

TEACHER & STUDENTS PRACTICE TASK TOGETHER

Let’s try another one together. Select another sentence card and follow the same routine[ea1]  as above, pausing to allow student responses. Continue working together for the selection of two more sentence cards.

STUDENTS PRACTICE TASK

Finish this activity with the remaining sentence cards providing individual feedback and scaffolding as necessary.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

Shuffle the pile the sentence cards, pass out a clean Student Sheet and complete this activity again.

SCAFFOLDING SUGGESTION FOR ERRORS

 [ea1]By keeping the same steps for each turn I have reinforced the systematic nature of this lesson

Handout 6, cont.

Small Group Profile based on Data

4 students in Kindergarten

Need instruction on blending sounds of letters in words

Small Group Activity

Use the next SCA to create a new IR

Look at the objective of the SCA (Handout 7) Consider the materials that are needed to

implement the objectives Use your blank template to create the IR

(Handout 8)

Handout 7

Handout 8

Handout 9

Combine Resources to Differentiate Instruction

Data Empowering Teachers

Student Progress Records Guiding Questions Instructional Routines

Student Center Activities Activity Plans Activity Masters

“To be more effective in teaching all students to read, we must find ways to help teachers more powerfully differentiate their instructional support in a way that is guided by accurate information about student needs.”

Joseph Torgesen

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Thank you!

Questions or Comments?

www.fcrr.org