Reading Differentiation Across All Blackboards

Once again, I am caught supporting what I read about reading on every front, and the realization that I will most likely find myself teaching Math in the classroom. I should add that I am totally ok with that. But reading about assessment and differentiation in terms of teaching reading, in particular, early reading, it can be a little complicated to relate it to myself and my future classroom. That being said, the three sections I read (Chapters 4 and 5 in the Graves and Chapter 4 of Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents) actually helped me come up with some connections I haven’t thought of previously. My realization is that in assessing my Math tests and homework, I am also assessing reading, so it is up to me to differentiate and scaffold not only Math concepts, but reading as well in order to help my students learn at the levels they are at and progress from their individual levels.

Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents pointed out that often times, the differentiation that middle and high schools try to create for students who are struggling with reading is ineffective. They say that many schools try to work on phonemic awareness with these older students, but it just doesn’t help them progress. So, what are teachers of older students supposed to do? I believe that differentiated teaching (and assessment) can occur in all the different subject matter in terms of reading level. If we do it that way, students who are behind in reading level can still fully participate in their other classes, while improving their reading and writing skills. The only “negative” of this is it would mean teachers would have to start paying very close attention—classroom differentiation is about more than sending a student to see the reading aid or ESL program. In my Math classroom, I was thinking about how homework, test questions, and even the textbook are worded. I hope that when my time comes to teach, I will take the time to adjust these texts for my students who may need help with more than their math. The Graves text worded eloquently, “Differentiation is about matching students with texts and tasks that meet their ability, their interests, and their learning styles” (125). I think that can relate to the projects I plan and questions I create. I will do everything I can to make learning math accessible to my students, even if that means altering my plans to account for reading differences.   

Graves, M. F. (2007). Teaching Reading in the 21st Century (5th Edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Ivey, G. &. (2006). Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents. Alexandria: ASCD.