Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 6-8 Strategies and Resources

Filling a vital need for grades 6–8 educators, this practical guide presents a field-tested framework for promoting students’ reading, writing, and collaborative learning in the middle school years. The expert authors describe ways to scaffold the development of content knowledge and core literacy skills using challenging, full-length anchor texts and connected text sets. They provide specific differentiation strategies and instructional routines, all emphasizing culturally responsive practice. Teachers see how students with varying support needs can engage productively in lessons focused on reading, discussion, grammar and language, writing, and research. In a convenient large-size format, the book includes links to two complete lesson modules, numerous “Try It Yourself!” activities for teachers, and 19 reproducible/downloadable forms.

Sharon Walpole, PhD, is Professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware, where she is former Director of the Professional Development Center for Educators. Her research and numerous publications focus on literacy coaching, professional learning for teachers, designing flexible interventions for students who struggle, and the effects of evidence-based curricula. Dr. Walpole is a recipient of the Early Career Achievement Award from the National Reading Conference, the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Delaware, the Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award from the International Literacy Association, and the P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award from the Literacy Research Association. 

Sara Merkle, EdD, is a School Success Specialist at the University of Delaware’s School Success Center and teaches courses in the College of Education and Human Development. Her interests include adolescent literacy instruction and achievement, curriculum development, influencing relationships between leaders and teachers, education equity, and advocacy for teachers and students. Dr. Merkle believes that education is a form of social justice, and she amplifies the voices and experiences of literacy educators in her instructional coaching and partners with them to drive practice and achievement. She is a person who stutters, a characteristic that has complicated and enhanced her life.

Aleta Thompson, MA, has been an educator for 50 years as a teacher, literacy and instructional coach, and curriculum writer. She taught high school English, including theatre, journalism, and Advanced Placement Literature, for 28 years, and has been a literacy coach for 22 years, most recently working with K−12 and preservice teachers across the mid-Atlantic area for the University of Delaware’s Professional Development Center for Educators. Ms. Thompson has worked with local theatres as a director, actor, and stage manager, and studied Shakespeare in England with the National Endowment for Humanities and the English-Speaking Union.

1. Introduction
- A Design Opportunity
- The Need for Evidence-Based Knowledge Building
- The Role of Text Sets
- Deciding to Center Students
2. Middle School Students and Their Teachers
- What Do We Want Middle School Students to Know and Be Able to Do?
- Demographics and Achievement
- Defining Adolescent Readers
- Serving Middle School Teachers
- Positioning Curriculum
3. Feasible Differentiation in Middle School
- Early Leaders in Differentiation
- Persistent Questions
- So, Is Differentiation Feasible and Effective?
- The Need for a Change
- Curriculum in the Mix
4. Choosing Anchor Texts and Building Text Sets
- Reading Comprehension and Text Representation
- Building Background Knowledge through Quad Text Sets
- Selecting Anchor Texts
- Text Complexity
- Quantitative Complexity
- Qualitative Complexity
- Readers and Tasks
- Quad Texts in Action
- Try It Yourself!
5. Planning for Equity
- Achievement Gap
- Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Pedagogy
- Culturally Responsive–Sustaining Education Framework
- CRSE Guidance for ELA Instructional Solutions
- Culturally Responsive Curriculum Scorecard
- Using Outside Readers
- Beyond a Single Story
- Try It Yourself!
6. Routines for Knowledge Building
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Identifying Affordances for Teaching with Text
- Instructional Routines for Building Topic and Vocabulary Knowledge
- Opportunities for Differentiation
- Try It Yourself!
7. Routines for Reading
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Identifying Affordances for Teaching with Text
- Creating a Robust Sequence of Steps in a Lesson
- Instructional Routines for Reading the Anchor Text
- Instructional Routines for Reading Text Sets
- Building Challenge over Time
- Opportunities for Differentiation
- Try It Yourself!
8. Routines for Discussion
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Identifying Affordances for Teaching with Text
- Creating a Robust Sequence of Steps in a Lesson
- Instructional Routines for Targeted Discussions
- Building Challenge over Time
- Opportunities for Differentiation
- Try It Yourself!
9. Routines for Grammar and Language
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Identifying Affordances for Teaching with Text
- Creating a Robust Sequence of Steps in a Lesson
- Instructional Routines for Grammar and Language
- Building Challenge over Time
- Opportunities for Differentiation
- Try It Yourself!
10. Routines for Writing
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Creating a Robust Sequence of Steps in a Lesson
- Instructional Routines for Teaching Writing
- Modeling the Writing Process
- Guiding Students to Revise
- Modeling the Revision
- Feedback
- Building Challenge over Time
- Opportunities for Differentiation
- Try It Yourself!
- 11. Routines for Research
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Creating a Robust Sequence of Steps in a Lesson
- Instructional Routines for Research
- Instructional Routines for Presenting Information
- Building Challenge over Time
- Opportunities for Differentiation
- Try It Yourself!
12. Routines for Assessment
- Starting with Evidence
- Addressing Standards
- Model–Practice–Assess Assessment Series
- Try It Yourself!
- Comprehension Assessment
- Try It Yourself!
- Culminating Tasks
- Try It Yourself!
13. Changing the Status Quo in Middle School
- Try It Yourself!
References
Index