Chapter 11: Differentiating for Success
I: Overview
Every student brings his or her strengths, needs, and interests to the classroom. Because students’
achievement levels and preferred ways of learning vary, teachers modify instruction in three
ways: They modify the content that students need to learn, the instructional process used to teach
students, and the products students create to demonstrate their learning.
Chapter 11 Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Discuss the ways in which teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students,
including struggling students.
Chapter 11 Outline
Vignette: Mrs. Shasky Differentiates Instruction
Introduction
WAYS TO DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION
• Grouping for Instruction
o Guided Reading
• Text Sets
STRUGGLING READERS AND WRITERS
• Struggling Readers
II: Teaching Suggestions
Preview Questions
Chapter 11 focuses upon the need for teachers to modify instruction to meet the strengths and
needs of every student. As the class begins to study chapter 11, ask your students to consider the
questions which follow.
1 Should all students be given the same assignment or should teachers create different
Focus Questions
Pre-service teachers should consider the questions which follow as they read chapter 11.
1 How can teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students who struggle?
Class Activities
1. Pre-service teachers sometimes don’t understand the roles of various professionals in an
elementary school. Invite an elementary school literacy coach as well as a teacher who has
2. Bring copies of elementary level social studies textbooks to your college classroom. Ask the
college students to form groups and select a chapter from one of the textbooks. Give your
students two tasks:
o Suggest a way in which a teacher could help a struggling reader learn by using the
After Class Activities
1. Ask your college students to select a grade level and a topic for a thematic unit such as the
Olympic Games, presidential elections, or recycling. Encourage them to gather a text set of
3. Encourage your students to develop a literacy center for an elementary classroom.
III. Resources
Related Readings
Encourage students to explore the topics presented in chapter 11 in more depth by reading the
following professional literature.
Allington, R.L. (2006). What really matters for struggling readers: Designing research-
Hoffner, H. (2004). Learning disabilities: An historical perspective. Indianapolis, IN: Kappa
Delta Pi.
Hoffner, H., Baker, E. and Quinn, K.B. (2008). Lights, cameras, pencils! Using descriptive video
to enhance writing. The Reading Teacher, 61 (7), 576-579.
Online Resources
Council for Exceptional Children
Media Access Group at WGBH
The website of the Media Access Group at PBS station WGBH can help teachers find ways to
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D)
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
The website of the professional organization, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other