Using Literacy Centers to Differentiate in the Early Language Classroom

Nathan LutzKent Place School

DO NOWJot down one lesson/activity that is difficult for

you to implement in class either because of your class size or the range of proficiency levels of

your class.

Using Literacy Centers to Differentiate in the Early Language Classroom

Nathan LutzKent Place School

For handouts from today’s session, please go to

~ Carol Ann Tomlinson

Traditional Approach The Real World

No two students enter a classroom with identical abilities, experiences, and needs. Learning style, language proficiency, background knowledge,

readiness to learn, and other factors can vary widely within a single class group.

Regardless of their individual differences, however, students are expected to master the same

concepts, principles, and skills. Helping all students succeed in their learning is an enormous challenge

that requires innovative thinking.

Top Quartile The Best and Brightest

Pay attention, do the work, ask good questions

Second Quartile Mid-Level Managers in Training

Pay attention, do the work, don’t necessarily ask questions

Third Quartile Future Cubicle Farmers of America

Work is hit or miss, but generally make an effort

Fourth Quartile The Calvinist Brigade (Damned from Birth)

Little to no effort exerted

Top Quartile The Best and Brightest

Pay attention, do the work, ask good questions

Second Quartile Mid-Level Managers in Training

Pay attention, do the work, don’t necessarily ask questions

Third Quartile Future Cubicle Farmers of America

Work is hit or miss, but generally make an effort

Fourth Quartile The Calvinist Brigade (Damned from Birth)

Little to no effort exerted

ALIENATED

ALIENATED

ON TARGET

Differentiated instruction is an instructional theory that allows teachers to face this challenge by taking diverse student factors into account when planning

and delivering instruction. Based on this theory, teachers can structure learning environments that

address the variety of learning styles, interests, and abilities found within a classroom.

WHAT?

• Teachers are not developing a separate lesson plan for each student in a classroom.

• Teachers are not "watering down" the curriculum for some students.

• Teachers providing several learning options or different paths to learning, which help students take in information and make sense of concepts and skills

• Teachers providing appropriate levels of challenge for all students, including those who lag behind, those who excel, and those in the middle

• Learning Environment must be supportive – nurture and scaffold

• Continuous assessment – constant formative feedback• High-quality curriculum – outcomes, standards for

each student• Respectful tasks – all the activities must be where they

are at• Flexible grouping – constantly re-evaluate groupings

based on skill levels

Teachers can differentiate According to a student’s• Content• Process• Product• Learning Environment• Assessments

• Readiness • Interest• Learning Profile

Differentiate is Flexible and Infinite

• Content – not everyone learning same thing• Process – formative assessment• Product – not everyone has to do the same

projects – depending on interests and readiness• Learning environment – flex grouping, seating

arrangements, class décor• Assessments – reflection of the process –

summative assessment

• Utilize pre-tests to assess where individual students need to begin study of a given topic or unit.

• Encourage thinking at various levels of Bloom's taxonomy.• Use a variety of instructional delivery methods to address

different learning styles.• Break assignments into smaller, more manageable parts that

include structured directions for each part.• Choose broad instructional concepts and skills that lend

themselves to understanding at various levels of complexity.

• Provide access to a variety of materials which target different learning preferences and reading abilities.

• Develop activities that target auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners.

• Establish stations for inquiry-based, independent learning activities.

• Create activities that vary in level of complexity and degree of abstract thinking required.

• Use flexible grouping to group and regroup students based on factors including content, ability, and assessment results.

• Use a variety of assessment strategies, including performance-based and open-ended assessment.

• Balance teacher-assigned and student-selected projects.• Offer students a choice of projects that reflect a variety of

learning styles and interests.• Make assessment an ongoing, interactive process.

• Ensure that there are quiet, distraction-free places in the room to work , as well as places that invite student collaboration

• Provide materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings

• Set clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs

• Develop routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with other students and cannot help them immediately

• Help students understand that some learners need to move around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly

• Whole-class instruction / Small-group instruction• Individual work / Collaborative work• Performance-based groups• Partners/pairs/trios• Think/Pair/Share

• Before summative assessments take place, teachers need to start differentiated assessment at the diagnostic testing phase

• The assessment format MUST cater to Multiple Learning Styles and Intelligences • Example: is a paper and pencil assessment a valid assessment

for a kinesthetic and visual learner?• Rich performance tasks criteria:

• Provide evidence of essential learning• Demand innovation/creativity, problem solving, • Are engaging yet challenging task• Provide individual accountability in group work

• Feedback should be timely • Consider differentiated feedback!• . . .specifically. . .feedback that caters to students’

individual learning styles • Examples: voice recordings, video recordings, face

to face chat, written

• Students’ interests: need to know their interests• Learning profiles: what kind of learners are they• Readiness levels: how prepared are your students?• Learning styles: what kind of Learner (Gardner)

• Inventories• Surveys• Scales

• IEP or 504 Plan?• Information processing delay• Grouping preferences• Environment

• AKA achievement• Pre-assessing• Formative assessments (exit tickets, self

assessments, etc.)• Summative assessments

• Everyone’s work is:• Equally engaging• Equally appealing• Equally important

• Emphasize strengths• Are relevant• Provide choices• Stretch students• Scaffold learning

If the sky were the limit…• Have you ever wanted to teach a small

group of 4-5 students?• Do you think students need greater

opportunity to become independent workers?

• Does “one size fits all” not work for your class?

If the sky were the limit…

What is on your teacher’s wish list?

Small Group Instruction

• Targeted direct instruction• Assessment• Opportunity to re-teach / enrich• Get to know students better –

academically and socially

Independent Learning or Small Group Work

• Students work independently at their instructional level

• Foster work ethic• Develop independence• Foster collaboration

Our Task as World Language Teachers

Establish your goalsPractice a skill

Extend knowledge about a subjectReteach content to struggling studentsReview material prior to an assessment

Produce a project

Setting Up1. Design activities2. Set time limits3. Group students4. All materials organized and made available5. Clear expectations that are posted6. Explain, Model, Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse

Setting Time LimitsWhole class

1/2 class1/3 class1/4 class

. . .

How to group?Homogenous Heterogeneous

Organizing Your CentersMake a space for your students to work

Provide all materialsColor coding and/or use boxes/bins/folders

Display clear and concrete directionsProvide means to collect work/accountability sheet

RehearsalDisplay groups & movement chart

Dry run through the centersModel orderly behavior for movement, quiet, etc.Initially do games at centers – reinforce the fun!

Require resetting the center – tidying up

QuébecJohn

SusanMarie Danny

FranceSteveSam

KathyDanielle

HaïtiBrianPabloAbby

KeishaSénégal

PhilipKunal

JinMary

Types of CentersThe sky is the limit!

BUT. . .

Keep it simple until the students learn the routine

Our Task as World Language Teachers

Varietyinterpersonal reading

interpretive

presentational

listening

writing

speaking

playinga game

discuss

Keep in Mind. . .• What are the objectives of this unit? What do students need to

know and be able to do?• What learning and practice would best be done at the teacher

table? • What experiences are best done in small groups or individually?• What skills really need extra practice or support?• What are engaging realia, videos, etc. for this unit? • What materials and technology do I have access to?• How shall I group students to maximize learning?

Accountability • For individual work: Turn in a worksheet/checklist• For games/experiential work: Turn in a slip or fill out a group sheet• Staying in the target language

Je m’appelle ______________

Au centre no 1, j’ai parlé français ____(fait un cercle)

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

J’ai utilisé un nouveau mot! ___________________

Mon partenaire était ______________________.

étudiant Centre no 1 Centre no 2 Centre no 3 Centre no 4

Didier

Jeanne

Sylvain

Samuel

Marie

Claire

Examples of Centers• Reading Center (interpretative communication)• Guess Who? (interpersonal communication)• Information Gap (interpersonal communication)• Guess Where? (interpersonal communication)

Think back to your “do now” – the lesson/activity that is difficult for you to implement in class either

because of your class size or the range of proficiency levels of your class. . .how can you solve

that issue with a learning center?

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

Parting Words• Start small• Strive for a balance of modalities/activities• Share/collaborate with a colleague • Centers can be portable: use file folders

¡Gracias!Merci!谢谢شكرا

References Blaz, Deborah. Teaching Foreign Language in the Block. Eye on Education: 1988.Diller, Debbie. Literacy Work Stations, Making Centers Work. Stenhouse: 2003Ford, M.P. & Opitz, M.F. “Using centers to engage children during guided reading time: Intensifying learning experiences away from the teacher.” in The Reading Teacher: 2002.

Creating a storyPROFICIENCYTRAJECTORY

TPR; one word answ

ers

Simple sentences

Organizing sentences

Spontaneous speaking

Retelling a story

Creating a story