Anchors for differentiating instruction in literacy
Literacy instruction is foundational for all academic and content learning, beginning in preschool and throughout one’s education. Why is literacy so important? Kori Annan, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Secretary General of the United Nations, said:
“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society, a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development. For everyone, everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right. Literacy is, finally, the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman, and child can realize his or her full potential (Annan, n.d., para.3).”
The importance of being able to read, comprehend, and write is undisputed; but there are numerous programs and philosophies regarding how to teach literacy. Research provides evidence-based practices that can guide instruction in reading and writing. These practices often require differentiation within our tiers of teaching for individuals and groups of students.
Instructional differentiation in student literacy is one of the anchors of skill acquisition and can be described as differing teaching time, intensity, explicitness, and strategies (Allsopp, et al., 2010). The Department of Education, Office of Special Education, produced a resource entitled, Intensifying Literacy Instruction, Essential Practices, to increase the capacity of practitioners and educational leaders to support a broad range of learners, who need additional literacy support, to become skilled readers and writers. The publication identifies a set of research-based essential practices and encourages these practices to be the focus of professional development.
The practices for intensifying literacy instruction apply to those learners with severe and persistent reading and writing challenges who have not responded when provided instruction aligned with state academic standards, regardless of disability status. Practice 4, explained in Intensifying Literacy Instruction, Essential Practices, addresses adaptations to increase the instructional intensity of an intervention for students with disabilities (St. Martin et al., 2020). To intensify instruction, educators need to ensure the intervention matches the student’s needs, as indicated by performance data. Programs do not teach; teachers teach. Therefore, the needs of the students should be closely monitored, and adjustments made that align with the individual’s needs. Secondly, teachers need to consider the dosage of instruction and practice opportunities while increasing affirmative and informative feedback to students about their performance. Dosage can refer to the structure of or amount of time receiving an intervention. Next, instructors should consider the comprehensiveness of their teaching and include components of explicit instruction. Explicit instruction includes using clear and concise language, modeling strategies, practice opportunities, affirmative and corrective feedback, gradual release of instructional supports, and cumulative review. Students should be provided opportunities to make connections between mastered and related skills while applying their learning across contexts.
Intensifying literacy instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension helps students master written and oral communication through multiple approaches while addressing the five main components of reading. While addressing the “big five” in literacy instruction, research supports that instruction should be anchored by differing teaching time, intensity, explicitness, and strategies for students who struggle or demonstrate learning disabilities (Allsopp et al., 2010).
Resources
Archer, A. & Hughes, C. (2022). Explicit instruction: Effective and efficient teaching. The Guilford Press.
References
Allsopp, D., McHatton, P., Ray, S., & Farmer, J. (2010). Mathematics RTI: A problem-solving approach to creating an effective mode. LRP publication.
Annan, K., (n.d.). AZ Quotes.
St. Martin, K., Vaughn, S., Troia, G., Fien, H., & Coyne, M. (2020). Intensifying literacy instruction: Essential practices. Lansing, MI: MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center, Michigan Department of Education.
For more information, contact Diane Lewis ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
Categories Inclusive Practices, Reading