TIERING READING ASSIGNMENTS WITHOUT TEARS! Presentation Slides/Resources: http://tinyurl.com/confratute2016- Gilson
TIERING READING ASSIGNMENTS WITHOUT TEARS! Cindy M. Gilson, Ph.D. UNC Charlotte cgilson@uncc.edu http://distanceed.uncc.edu/programs/academically-or-intellectually-gifted Confratute 2016
Today s Goal Develop and evaluate a tiered lesson idea to differentiate for learners in a heterogeneous classroom
Tiering Defined: Tiering is a readiness-based instructional approach in which all students work with the same essential knowledge, understanding, and skill, but at different levels of difficulty based on their current proficiency with the ideas and skills. (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006, p. 107). Others consider tiering to include interest and learning profile based lessons, assignments, and assessments.
GOAL Tier 3 Tier 2 Tier1 (Gregory & Kaufeldt, 2012)
NOW WHAT??
What does it look like in the classroom? Content, process, product Small group work Partner work Independent work Whole group Writing prompts, resource materials, experiments Anchor activities Assessments (Formative/Summative) Homework assignments
Tear Free Example #1 Allow students to self-select novel slightly above current reading level and apply the day s reading objective.
Tear Free Example #2 List all of your FAVORITE end of unit project options that you have already designed. Rank them in order of easiest to most challenging. Select 3 that require equal amount of work and that are equally appealing to students. Voila! Instant tear free tiered lesson that is already made!
Tear Free Example #3 Vary the levels of questions 1. Cognition: What is the name of the nuclear plant in Japan that was compromised by the tsunami? 2. Convergence: What factors accounted for the series of explosions that rocked the plant? 3. Divergence: If you were a worker assigned to the plant, how would you react to the crisis? 4. Evaluative: In your opinion, should nuclear energy be promoted as an energy source, given its demonstrated danger? Why or why not? (J. P. Guilford (1967) as cited in VanTassel-Baska, 2014)
How are these similar/different? Activity 1 Activity 2 Examine the maps provided. What kind of maps do you think they are and for what might they be used? Why do you say so? What information do they show? Create a chart that shows the similarities and differences among all of the different types of maps. Be sure to use the correct vocabulary to describe each map. Additional practice with vocabulary of maps and map reading Using what you know about map symbols and terminology and about types of maps, create two different maps of the school grounds. Each map should serve a different purpose, and you should be able to explain these purposes clearly. In addition, your maps should be accurate and attractive enough to be useful to someone visiting the school for the first time. Application of understanding by mapping a familiar place (Tomlinson & Eidson, 2003)
(Gregory & Kaufeldt, 2012, p. 95)
(Gregory & Kaufeldt, 2012, p. 95)
How to Steps Step 1: Select one standard or learning objective Step 2: Unpack the standard KUDs Step 3: Pre-assess students knowledge, understandings, and skills Step 4: Decide what to tier by readiness Step 5: Create a learning task or assessment Step 6: Develop the assessment/assessment tool Step 7: Check your lesson against criteria for quality, rigor, and fairness Optional step: Add in other differentiation elements: interest and learning preferences
Small Group Creativity Warm-Up Name 10 Pick a reader/counter in the group Read the name of category #1 on the notecard Shout out 10 items that fit in that category as fast as possible. Now think of 2 more If time, try category #2 or make up your own category
Step 1: Select a standard or learning objective
Example: Informational Text Craft and Structure CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
Step 2: Unpack the standard KUDs Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. K What content do you want students to know? Advanced content? U What concept(s), principle(s), theme(s), or generalization(s) do you want students to understand? D What observable skill(s) do you want students to demonstrate?
Example Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. K U D
Completed Example Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. K Students will know the difference between first, second, and third person point of view U Students will understand that good readers analyze different points of view to improve their comprehension of an event or topic and to help inform their own point of view. D Students will analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic. Students will identify authors points of view from multiple accounts. Students will analyze important similarities and differences in the points of view.
Step 3: Pre-assess Students Knowledge Determine the criteria for mastery.
Step 3: Pre-assess Students Knowledge K Students will know the difference between first, second, and third person point of view Not Met Developing Proficient Accomplished U Students will understand that good readers analyze different points of view to improve their comprehension of an event or topic and to help inform their own point of view. D Students will analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic. Students will identify authors points of view from multiple accounts. Students will analyze important similarities and differences in the points of view. Which learning objective(s) will students be required to master? What will I pre-assess?
Step 4: Decide what to tier by readiness based on pre-assessments. CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT K x U D Note: This differentiation decision matrix is based on a modified version of Tomlinson and Jarvis matrix (2009). **Can add in additional differentiation by interest and learning style preferences.
Step 5: Create the differentiated learning task or assessment
Challenge What does this mean? Ask the students Challenge versus difficulty Abstract concepts or generalizations Integrity, power, resourcefulness Use Bloom s Revised Cognitive Taxonomy Interdisciplinary connections Advanced reasoning needed to arrive at a conclusion about the topic Multiple perspectives/arguments & counterarguments
Tomlinson s Equalizer (2001) Start with on-level assignment first Then tier up or tier down
Example Content Differentiation Tier 3 Know different types of third person point of view: limited/omniscient (outside curriculum) Goal for All Students: Know the difference between first, second, and third person point of view Allow for opportunity for all students to work towards tier 3 objective. Tier1 Know person point of view. Know the difference between their own point of view and others point of view (gr 3) (Gregory & Kaufeldt, 2012)
Tier 1: Tier 2: Schedule ELA Block: 9:00-9:10 Whole Group Mini- Lesson Guided Groups/Independent Work Stations 9:10-9:30 Tier 1 9:30-9:50 Tier 2 9:50-10:10 Tier 3 10:10-10:15 Whole Group Closure Homework: Formative assessment/reflection Tier 3: Independent Work Stations: 1. SEM-R: Apply lesson to independent texts 2. Words Their Way/ Wordly Wise 3. Writing Prompt 4. Computers: SEM-R Enrichment Projects
Tiering Resource Materials Mentors, community members, volunteers Reading materials: magazines, newspapers, journal articles, websites, books, poems, songs, historical documents DOGOnews TweenTribune Newsela COMMONLIT
commonlit.org
Example Process Differentiation Tier 3 Students will understand that good readers analyze similarities and differences in points of view to discover alternative perspectives (what s missing?) or synthesize information in a new way. Goal for All Students: Students will understand that good readers analyze different points of view to improve their comprehension of an event or topic and to help inform their own point of view. Allow for opportunity for all students to work towards tier 3 objective. Tier1 Students will understand that good readers analyze different points of view to improve their comprehension (Gregory of an event & Kaufeldt, or topic. 2012)
Complexity Multiple resources Multiple skills, concepts, or themes More complex questions - Flexibility various ways of applying big ideas Multiple cognitive, creative, or affective skills multiple tasks
Tiered Questions Tier 3: What points of view about this issue/topic are missing? How might you synthesize the different points of view to create something new? Tier 2: Why should good readers think about similarities and differences across points of view about the same issue/topic? How does knowing the similarities and differences among the multiple points of view influence a reader s personal point of view around this issue/topic? Tier 1: Name one similarity and one difference that you feel is the most important to help improve your comprehension of the text. Explain why you think this. NOTE: Each Tier has the same number of questions to process.
Example Product Differentiation CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. Goal for All Students: Students will be able to analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic. Students will be able to identify authors points of view from multiple accounts. Students will be able to analyze important similarities and differences in the points of view. (Gregory & Kaufeldt, 2012)
Example Rainforests (based on Heacox, 2012, p. 98) Least complex: Deliver a 3-minute speech that will inform your classmates about an environmental issue related to climate change. Include 2 resources with similar points of view. More complex: Deliver a 3-minute speech that will inform your classmates of 2 different points of view about an environmental issue related to climate change. Most complex: Deliver a 3-minute speech that presents a convincing argument for and against 2 different points of view about an environmental issue related to climate change.
Alternative Product Differentiation Increase or decrease complexity Scaffold: Graphic organizers Speech with symbolic images displayed Authentic audience Audio or video recorded speech Type II: Research effective speakers (*Cool TED Talk ) Choice products Multi-media presentation Poster Brochure
Step 6: Develop the Assessment/Assessment Tool To what extent did students master the common learning objective evident in all 3 tiers? Will you have different expectations for each level? Will you also tier the assessment or assessment tool? CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT K x U x D x
Tiered Rubrics (Roberts & Inman, 2015)
Step 7: Check your lesson against criteria for quality, rigor, and fairness Can you easily identify the learning objective in each tier? All tasks are equally rigorous in relation to each group of students readiness levels. All tasks and resource materials would be equally engaging for students. Each tier has different work rather than more/less work. All tasks are fair each tier would take about the same amount of time to complete. Time is built into your schedule for ALL levels of students to share.
Tiers or Tears? Survival Tips Use existing tiered lessons as inspiration. Collaborate with other teachers. Use your current curriculum or textbook materials as a starting point. Have a behavior management system in place. ~-~ Discuss purpose of tiered lessons with parents and students in advance. Ask your students for ideas and feedback. When you are ready to put your hard work into action find volunteers to help.
Articles/Resources for Example Tiered Lessons Adams & Pierce (2003) http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=487 23 This has a 3rd grade science example. Adams & Pierce (2004) http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/articles_id_10513.asp x This article has 1st and 3rd grade math examples. Oodles of examples!! K-12 grade: math, science, ELA http://www.doe.in.gov/highability/tiered-curriculum-project Primary SS; 2 nd grade ELA, math; high school chemistry http://differentiationcentral.com/lesson_plans.html Tiered lesson plan template: http://differentiationcentral.com/tools.html More information about tiered lessons: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6680
Questions?? cgilson@uncc.edu
Selected References Gregory, G., & Chapman, C. (2007). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn t fit all (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Gregory, G., & Kaufeldt, M. (2012). Think big start small: How to differentiate instruction in a brain-friendly classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (2015). Strategies for differentiating instruction: Best practices for the classroom (3rd ed). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press. Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms (2nd ed). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Tomlinson, C. A., & Eidson, C. C. (2003). Differentiation in practice: A resource guide for differentiating curriculum Grades K-5. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design (2nd ed). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Van Tassel-Baska, J., & Little, C. A. (2011). Content-based curriculum for high-ability learners. Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press, Inc. Wormeli, R. (2006). Fair isn t always equal: Assessing & grading in the differentiated classroom. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.