Words Their Way
Workshop Model
Hand-Crafted Differentiated Spelling Program
For the first part of the year, we had the class on two different level spelling lists, but the students continued to earn low scores on their weekly tests, and we saw little evidence of their application of their spelling words in their daily writing. I devised and implemented a differentiated intervention system, in which the students were placed into 4 groups, based upon their spelling scores and writing samples. Each student worked with 10 words weekly, took an oral test, individually, at the computer, and then had to receive two 90%s or one 100% to move on to the next list. Students became aware that they were responsible for their spelling words not only on the test, but also in their daily writing, and were motivated to practice and study.
Students built responsibility by checking to see which list they needed to work with, and collecting their worksheets for the week. They also were in charge of getting their spelling tests in order, and regulating turns at the computers.
Students built responsibility by checking to see which list they needed to work with, and collecting their worksheets for the week. They also were in charge of getting their spelling tests in order, and regulating turns at the computers.
Just-Right Integrated Literacy
The reading workshops this year naturally differentiated instruction by requiring that students read books at their instructional "just right" level. I approached content area lessons as an opportunity to integrate literacy. For some units, students were given leveled books to keep in their book bins, and read both during content area lessons, and free time. Many times, these books were distributed in sets of 5, to allow for group discussion or partner reading. For other units, I chose to check out several books from my local library, level them, and then keep them in a "content area library," for them to "check out" at their leisure, and return when they were done. With leveled science and social studies books, students had access to not only reinforcing content, but enriching their science and social studies experiences.