2. The view from their desk…
 You have three
minutes to read
the section and
answer the
questions that
follow.
 GO!

3. Activity Experiences
First
Thoughts?
Reactions
?
Purpose?

4. Today’s Objectives:
I will be able to: Agenda:
 Explain the purpose
 The What, How, &
and benefits of
differentiating by Why of DI by
readiness. readiness
 Identify the literacy
 Strategies &
levels of my students.
 Create readiness
Application
groups using student  Your turn! Time to
literacy levels. plan a
 Identify and create
lesson/assessment
instructional activities
that are appropriate for that uses literacy
each of your readiness levels to DI by
group.

5. What is Readiness?
 “Current knowledge,
understanding, and skill level a
student has related to a particular
sequence of learning” (Tomlinson &
Strickland 6).
 Readiness is influenced by a
student’s prior learning and life
experiences, attitudes about
school, and habits of mind
(Tomlinson 3).
 Readiness, NOT ability!
For more information and examples, see pages 1-8 in your

6. Purpose of Differentiating by
Readiness
 Why?  Challenge is
 To appropriately necessary for
challenge ALL growth!
learners
 Zone of Proximal
 Goal: Development
 “Make the work a
little too difficult for
students at a given
point in their growth-
and then to provide
the support they
need to succeed at a
new level of
challenge”

7. The Zone of What?!
Possible
Anxiety
Possible
Boredom
For more information and examples, see pages 5-6 in your

8. When we differentiate by readiness,
we should consider
The students’:
Knowledge, understanding, and skill with
the topic
“Attitude (toward school & topic)
Experience with the topic (outside of school or
previous courses)
Preconceptions about the topic
Overgeneralizations about the topic
General communication, thinking, & reasoning
skills”
http://www.foridahoteachers.org/differentiation_framework.htm

9. Ways to get the information you
need to differentiate by Readiness
Things all teachers can do to Formal Assessments that can
obtain information: provide information:
 Explore, Plan, ACT(EPAS
Pre-Assessment •
Data)

In-Class /Formative
• Read 180
Assessment (During
the Unit) • AIMS Web Data
 White Boards • NWEA Map Data
 Knowledge Rating
Chart • Aleks Data
 KWL
• Formal Educational
 Testing
Homework
Assignment

Entrance & Exit Slips
http://www.foridahoteachers.org/differentiation_framework.htm

10. LT gives those tests…but how do I
access the scores?
 Infinite Campus (individual students)
 Decision Ed (whole class)
 Same as above, but can access
spreadsheets of entire classes (we
know-amazing!) Wish
I wish they’d Granted.
tell us how to
find that
information!

11. Infinite Campus
*Instructions are on page 8-no need to write anything *
What you’ll see…

12. Accessing Decision Ed to see class reading levels
*Instructions are on page 8-no need to write anything *
What you’ll see…
Ok…now what?

13. Tiering: A Method of Differentiating
by Readiness
“Tiering is a To Tier an Assignment:
1) Determine the KUD statement
process of 2) Identify the readiness ranges
adjusting the relative to the KUD goals
3) Create an activity that is
degree of difficulty engaging & rigorous
of a 4) Replicate the activity to address
differences in readiness
question, task, or • Use similar knowledge &
product to match a skills
• Yields the same
student’s current understanding
readiness level.” 5) Use assessment data to match
the task to the student
For more information and examples, see pages 9-32for Readiness Differentiation
Strickland, A Strategy in your
Strickland, A Strategy for Readiness

14. Purpose of Tiered Activities
 Working too far  Working too far below
above students’ students’ readiness
readiness level will not level will not lead to
lead to growth, only growth, only boredom
frustration
p.29-31/p.89 in unit plan/p.95 in unit plan

15. Tiering in a Nutshell
The Game
Everyone wants to play the
game.
In order for me to play it,
the game has to start
where I am.
In order to continue playing
it, the game has to grow as
fast as I do.
If that doesn’t happen,
I won’t play the game.

16. Flexible Grouping: A Method of
Differentiating by Readiness
“…it is critical during a unit to find a way to
teach to a learner’s need rather than
only to an imaginary whole-class
readiness” (Tomlinson 84).
 Students work in a variety of groups
 Homogeneous
 Heterogeneous.
 Interest, Learning Profile, &
Readiness
 Create groups that make the most sense
given the learningFor more informationthe examples, see pages 33-48 in your
outcome(s) of and

17. Flexible Grouping: An example
Flexible Grouping: An Example
 Using students’ literacy  Homogenous Group:
levels, arrange the  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
students from highest
to lowest performance.  7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
1 2 3  13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
4 5 6
7 8 9  Heterogeneous Group:
10 11 12  1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16
13 14 15  2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17
16 17 18  3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18
Example in Handout
For more information and examples, see page 36 in your

18. Small Group Instruction: A Method
of Differentiating by Readiness
 Use small group instruction
as a regular part of
instructional cycles.
(Tomlinson p. 84)
 Mini-lessons or mini-
workshops on particular
skills are a useful tool
when differentiating.
 Teacher quickly convenes
an instructional group
based on observation of
need.
 The entire class does not

19. Anchor Activities for literature
Classroom Management Tips
Bingo
Directions: If you are finished with a class assignment or are ahead in your reading, work on any
of these anchor activity options. If you get a BINGO (5 in a row, any direction), you’ll get a prize!
 Set clear procedures Write a letter to a
pen-pal, friend,
relative
Write the prequel
to the
story/novel.
Advice column:
Write two advice
entries for two
Recipe for
_____________
Email your
teacher
for group time (About novel, (What happened
different
characters in the
novel.
(What does a
character need to
do to reach a
(Connections, a
review, whether
or not s/he should
connections, a before we got goal/avoid an keep teaching it,
 Student agreements review, etc.)
Write a
here?)
Write the rules for
(“Dear Abby” style)
Create an
outcome?
M.V.P. defense
etc.)
Create a Facebook
newspaper article a game advertisement page of a
 Transition (Choose the most
character
expectations (The 5 W’s & H of
an event or
character in the (Board game or
(For the novel,
movie, or a place
valuable passage
in the novel and
defend your
Include profile,
“likes,” statuses,
character wall
 Material management
novel) video game) in the novel) choice). posts, etc.
Decorate and Write a Twitter Write a poem Interview a
write a thank you Feed character
procedures card from one
character to 140 characters or FREE SPACE
another less! What would (Write the
 Anchor activities (For being there,
for tough love-
whatever!)
a character tweet?
Who would
follow? RT?
(You choose!
Character, topic,
POV…)
questions and
answers &
comments)
Most Important Write a skit or a “You know what Create a collage Dear Diary…
 A task to which a Word scene
(You choose!
grinds my gears…”
student automatically (Choose the most
important word in
Character(s),
topic, something
(Family Guy: What
really got you (You choose!
(Write two diary
entries from the
the novel and that didn’t happen angry/worked up Character(s), POV of a
moves when an defend your
choice).
but could/should
have…)
while reading the
text? Why?)
topic, POV, events
in the story…)
character)
assigned task is Write directions
from one place to
Top 15 words to
know
Create a cartoon
or comic strip
Rewrite a section
of the novel
Design a web
page
For more information and
finished
another for
someone that Create a study
(You choose!
Character(s),
hasn’t read the method for topic, something
examples, see pages 42- book. someone that that didn’t happen (Have a character (For the novel,
hasn’t read the but could/should make a different movie, or a place
48 in your packet. book have…) decision) in the novel)

20. But how can I give (& assess)
different assignments?
 Focus on the KUD no matter what
level the activity is designed at!
 Teacher observations, checklists,
rubrics can all be based on a scale
from 1-4
 To what extent do the students
demonstrate that they…
For more information and examples, see pages 59-62 in your
packet.

21. It’s your turn!
Imagine that you’ve placed your “students” into three
groups based on literacy levels.
1. Create a KUD for a unit/lesson/activity that your
team teaches
 OR
Use the KUD that you created with your team
earlier today!
2. Use the graphic organizer to plan a lesson based
on your KUD. WHAT WILL EACH GROUP DO?!
3. Insider note: TYPICALLY, the KUD has to be the
same…
 BUT with readiness, the U stays the same,

22. Today’s Objectives:
I will be able to:
 Explain the purpose and benefits of
differentiating by readiness.
 Identify the literacy levels of my
students.
 Create readiness groups using
student literacy levels.
 Identify and create instructional
activities that are appropriate for
each of your readiness group.

23. I get it! I’m excited! (Now what?)
 Realistic goals
 Ask reading specialists in the building
for help!
 (There is a list in your packet on page
49).
 Use resources for leveled readings
(lexile.com)
 Try something out!
For more information and examples, see pages 49-62 & the
full unit plan at the end of your packet.

24. References:
Ford, M.P. (2005). Differentation Through Flexible Grouping: Successfully Reaching All Readers. Learning
Point Associates: Naperville, Illinois.
Strickland, C.A. (2011). Differentiation of instruction at the high school level. ASCD: Alexandria,
Virginia.
Tomlinson, C.A. & Strickland, C. A. (2005). Differentiation in practice: A resource guide for differentiating
curriculum – Grades 9-12. ASCD: Alexandria, Virginia.
(2007). Tools for high quality: Differentiated instruction. ASCD, 12.
(2012). LTHS professional learning communities glossary. LTHS: LaGrange, IL.
http://www.act.org/standard/planact/reading/index.html
http://www.derry.k12.nh.us/dvs/staff/cmccallum/differentiation/tiered.pdf
http://www.foridahoteachers.org/differentiation_framework.htm
http://www.lexile.com/analyzer
Thank you for