Differentiated Instruction

Differentiating Instruction for Reading

Differentiated Instruction makes student success more likely because students' individual needs are supported. Modifying or supplementing whole-group instruction in a small group setting allows each student to learn at an optimal pace. Research supports differentiated instruction as a best practice in all subjects, and shows that it is especially effective in reading instruction.

pointer White paper: Differentiating Instruction: Teaching Differently to Improve Reading Instruction

Dr. Vicki Gibson states that while the process of providing differentiated instruction may sound relatively simple, successful implementation can be challenging. She also notes that there are many descriptions of differentiated instruction, but there are far fewer resources that provide practical support for making it happen in classrooms.

Read Naturally is an excellent resource for differentiating instruction for reading, because differentiated instruction is inherent in the process for all Read Naturally reading programs and assessments. Additionally, Read Naturally offers high-quality professional development that provides educators with the support they need to implement this practice most effectively.

Read Naturally Intervention Programs: Differentiating Instruction for Reading

Program Features and Benefits		Read Naturally Strategy Programs					Other Interventions
Program Features and Benefits		Read Naturally Live	Read Naturally Encore	Read Naturally ME	One Minute Reader	Read Naturally GATE	Take Aim at Vocabulary	Word Warm-ups	Signs for Sounds	Funēmics
Read Naturally Programs	Provide information on how to differentiate instruction in the teachers’ manuals	✔	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
	Proven effective with students of all abilities	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
	Offer materials at a range of levels	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
	Designed by educators with differentiated instruction as a goal	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
	Employ research-based strategies and best practices	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Individualized, Small Group, or Both	In individualized programs, a student... is placed at an appropriate level works toward an individual goal monitors progress works at own pace	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔
Individualized, Small Group, or Both	In small-group programs, teachers easily adapt instruction based on the needs of the group or the individual students within the group.					✔	✔		✔	✔

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Read Naturally Assessment Tools

Read Naturally also offers assessments ideal for assisting teachers in differentiating instruction:

Benchmark assessments screen for individual needs.
Diagnostic phonics assessments determine skills and needs in phonics and decoding.
Progress monitoring assessments track individual progress in fluency.

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Read Naturally Professional Development

Finally, Read Naturally offers high-quality professional development options to support differentiating instruction for all students, including seminars, coaching services, and self-study courses.

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Differentiating Instruction: Teaching Differently to Improve Reading Instruction

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Differentiated Instruction Resources

pointer Differentiating Instruction for Reading

DifferentiationCentral website
Gibson Hasbrouck & Associates website
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) website
Differentiation in action: A complete resource with research-supported strategies to help you plan an organize differentiated instruction—and achieve success with all learners, by Judith Dodge. New York: Scholastic (2006).
Differentiated instruction: Grouping for success, by Vicki Gibson and Jan Hasbrouck. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill Higher Education (2008).