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Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction for Reading

By: Access Center

Differentiated instruction is based on the premise that instructional

approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse
students. This brief looks at how differentiation strategies applied to reading
can be designed to help students learn a range of skills including, phonics,
comprehension, fluency, word prediction, and story prediction.

What is differentiated instruction?

Differentiated instruction, also called differentiation, is a process through which teachers
enhance learning by matching student characteristics to instruction and assessment.
Differentiated instruction allows all students to access the same classroom curriculum by
providing entry points, learning tasks, and outcomes that are tailored to students’ needs (Hall,
Strangman, & Meyer, 2003). Differentiated instruction is not a single strategy, but rather an
approach to instruction that incorporates a variety of strategies.

Teachers can differentiate content, process, and/or product for students (Tomlinson, 1999).
Differentiation of content refers to a change in the material being learned by a student. For
example, if the classroom objective is for all students to subtract using renaming, some of the
students may learn to subtract two-digit numbers, while others may learn to subtract larger
numbers in the context of word problems. Differentiation of process refers to the way in which
a student accesses material. One student may explore a learning center, while another student
collects information from the web. Differentiation of product refers to the way in which a
student shows what he or she has learned. For example, to demonstrate understanding of a
geometric concept, one student may solve a problem set, while another builds a model.

When teachers differentiate, they do so in response to a student’s readiness, interest, and/or

learning profile. Readiness refers to the skill level and background knowledge of the child.
Interest refers to topics that the student may want to explore or that will motivate the student.
This can include interests relevant to the content area as well as outside interests of the
student. Finally, a student’s learning profile includes learning style (i.e., a visual, auditory, tactile,
or kinesthetic learner), grouping preferences (i.e., individual, small group, or large group), and
environmental preferences (i.e., lots of space or a quiet area to work). A teacher may
differentiate based on any one of these factors or any combination of factors (Tomlinson,
1999).

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How is it implemented?
Implementation looks different for each student and each assignment. Before beginning
instruction, teachers should do three things:

1. Use diagnostic assessments to determine student readiness. These assessments can be

formal or informal. Teachers can give pre-tests, question students about their background
knowledge, or use KWL charts (charts that ask students to identify what they already Know,
what they Want to know, and what they have Learned about a topic).

2. Determine student interest. This can be done by using interest inventories and/or
including students in the planning process. Teachers can ask students to tell them what
specific interests they have in a particular topic, and then teachers can try to incorporate
these interests into their lessons.

3. Identify student learning styles and environmental preferences. Learning styles can be
measured using learning style inventories. Teachers can also get information about student
learning styles by asking students how they learn best and by observing student activities.
Identifying environmental preferences includes determining whether students work best in
large or small groups and what environmental factors might contribute to or inhibit student
learning. For example, a student might need to be free from distraction or have extra
lighting while he or she works.

Teachers incorporate different instructional strategies based on the assessed needs of their
students. Throughout a unit of study, teachers should assess students on a regular basis. This
assessment can be formal, but is often informal and can include taking anecdotal notes on
student progress, examining students’ work, and asking the student questions about his or her
understanding of the topic. The results of the assessment could then be used to drive further
instruction.

What does it look like for reading?

Differentiation strategies applied to reading can be designed to help students learn a range of
skills including, phonics, comprehension, fluency, word prediction, and story prediction. The
chart below offers a variety of strategies that can be used.

Focus of
Strategy Definition Example
Differentiation

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Focus of
Strategy Definition Example
Differentiation

Tiered assignments are

designed to instruct
students on essential skills
Students with moderate
that are provided at
comprehension skills are
different levels of
asked to create a story-web.
complexity, abstractness,
Tiered Students with advanced
Readiness and open-endedness. The
Assignments comprehension skills are
curricular content and
asked to re-tell a story from
objective(s) are the same,
the point of view of the
but the process and/or
main character.
product are varied
according to the student’s
level of readiness.

Compacting is the process

of adjusting instruction to
account for prior student
mastery of learning
objectives.

Compacting involves a
three-step process:

1. (assess the student to

A student who can decode
determine his/her level
words with short vowel
of knowledge on the
sounds would not
material to be studied
participate in a direct
and determine what
Compacting Readiness instruction lesson for that
he/she still needs to
skill, but might be provided
master;
with small group or
2. create plans for what individualized instruction on
the student needs to a new phonics skill.
know, and excuse the
student from studying
what he/she already
knows; and

3. create plans for freed-

up time to be spent in
enriched or
accelerated study.

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Focus of
Strategy Definition Example
Differentiation

Interest Centers: Centers

can focus on specific
reading skills, such as
Interest centers (usually
phonics or vocabulary, and
used with younger
provide examples and
students) and interest
activities that center on a
groups (usually used with
Interest theme of interest, such as
older students) are set up
Centers or Readiness outer space or students’
so that learning
Interest Interest favorite cartoon characters.
experiences are directed
Groups
toward a specific learner
Interest Groups: For a
interest. Allowing students
book report, students can
to choose a topic can be
work in interest groups with
motivating to them.
other students who want to
read the same book.

Students work as part of

many different groups
depending on the task
and/or content.
Sometimes students are
placed in groups based on
readiness, other times
they are placed based on
The teacher may assign
interest and/or learning
groups based on readiness
profile.
for phonics instruction,
Readiness
Flexible while allowing other
Interest Learning Groups can either be
Grouping* students to choose their
Profile assigned by the teacher or
own groups for book
chosen by the students.
reports, based on the book
Students can be assigned
topic.
purposefully to a group or
assigned randomly. This
strategy allows students to
work with a wide variety of
peers and keeps them
from being labeled as
advanced or struggling.

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Focus of
Strategy Definition Example
Differentiation

Learning contracts begin

with an agreement
between the teacher and
the student. The teacher
specifies the necessary
A student indicates that he
skills expected to be
or she wants to research a
learned by the student and
particular author. With
the required components
support from the teacher,
of the assignment, while
the student determines how
the student identifies
the research will be
methods for completing
conducted and how the
the tasks.
information will be
Learning Readiness presented to the class.
This strategy:
Contracts Learning Profile
For example, the student
1. allows students to
might decide to write a
work at an appropriate
paper and present a poster
pace;
to the class. The learning
2. can target learning contract indicates the dates
styles; and by which each step of the
project will be completed.
3. helps students work
independently, learn
planning skills, and
eliminate unnecessary
skill practice.

Choice boards are

organizers that contain a After students read Romeo
variety of activities. and Juliet, they are given a
Students can choose one choice board that contains a
or several activities to list of possible activities for
complete as they learn a each of the following
Readiness
Choice skill or develop a product. learning styles: visual,
Interest Learning
Boards auditory, kinesthetic, and
Profile
Choice boards can be tactile. Students must
organized so that students complete two activities from
are required to choose the board and must choose
options that focus on these activities from two
several different skills. different learning styles.

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Citation

Access Center. (2004). Differentiated Instruction for Reading. Washington D.C.: Author.

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Related Topics
Curriculum and Instruction, Differentiated Instruction

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