Resources for Differentiated Instruction
Adam Cooper
One of the most useful aspects of webquests is the ease of which a teacher can adapt to serve a multitude of purposes in the classroom. One such tool is the Unsolved Mysteries Webquest developed by Carla Beard at Web English Teacher. This webquest sets students with the task of writing a research essay. Through multiple steps, students are provided opportunity to select topics of interest from several categories and access to resources for completing the assigned task. Through the provision of multiple choices, students can mold the required 1500 word essay in the direction of information that they would find interesting. Allowing students to explore their own interests, though within a loose set of options, increases participation by the reluctant and can even increase their accountability (Smith & Throne, 2007).
In my classroom, a webquest such as the one provided by Carla Beard would be of tremendous value. It is already aligned with Indiana academic standards and could be adapted to high grade levels without much difficulty. Aside from using this tool to guide students in developing their research writing skills, webquests could be developed to engage multiple forms of writing. It could even be molded to aid students in public speaking and debate. One idea that I have considered is the combination of webquests with R.A.F.T. projects. Students could step into a variety of roles through their research which could ultimately influence the style and format of the writing. For example, researching information in the role of an employer would be different from researching a similar topic from the point of view of a customer. The possibilities are only limited by a teacher’s imagination.
Differentiating by Readiness: Online Reading Instruction
URL: http://www.achieve3000.com/
Achieve3000.com is the parent site for three websites devoted to improving students reading and writing (Kidbiz3000, Teenbiz3000, and Empower3000). This website is specifically designed to differentiate for students at a variety of ability and readiness levels. Students are given a preliminary test that measures their Lexile. They are then provided access to articles from the Associated Press that are adjusted to their reading ability. A key component of this is the ability for teachers to adjust the reading level should there be a discrepancy between the test results and what has been observed in the classroom. Each reading is accompanied by identified vocabulary, comprehension questions, and an essay component. For students who struggle with reading, an automated reader can be used if assigned by the teacher. Articles are fit into a number of categories which provides the opportunity for student selection, adding interest to the readiness. Along with the reading component, there are multiple writing aspects, including timed writing assignments. Through regular use of this resource, students have been shown to grown as much as two Lexile levels over the course of a school year.
Within my classroom, this resource could be used as part of our non-fiction and writing units. Smith and Throne (2007) explain that graphic organizers can help students who struggle with traditional or formal readings. The Achieve3000 articles can be combined with graphic organizers to address a multitude of academic needs such as identifying and working with main ideas, supporting text, and challenging vocabulary. Using graphic organizers in tandem with the provided writing prompts on the website would aid students in applying what they have learned in the reading to their written response.
Differentiating by Learner Profile
URL: http://www4.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/lessons/mi/2mite.htm
This resource could be restructured into a R.A.F.T. assignment quite easily, allowing students to be divided into groups with each member assigned a specific role. For example, studying music and lyrics as a part of a poetry unit could open up the possibilities for addressing the various learning styles and interests in the classroom. Within a group, students could develop an album through pulling lyrics from various artists that share common themes and other literary elements. Each role filled by a student could be responsible for various pieces of the total project from art design for album covers to writing reviews of the finished product. By connecting the learning to the various intelligences, students are given more options for what and how they learn which in turn increases their motivation (Smith & Throne).
