The awesome thing about differentiated instruction is that it's so doggone versatile. You've already got the general approaches to get you differentiating across the board; to really shake things up, here's a handful of methods you can use specifically for teaching.

 

Everyone gets their own volume.

Some of these strategies will work better with younger students, some with older, and some can work for all ages with just a little adaptation. Ultimately, you know best what will work in your classroom, so we'll leave you to it.

Or better yet, leave it up to your students, because tip #1 is:

1. Let your students pick their own reading material.

Before you decide either (a) you can't do this because it would mean too much work for you; (b) you can't do this because you don't know how; or (c) you can't do this because all of your students would be reading crap…take a minute to breathe. We'll tell you up front that even though Nancie Atwell (who gave us this idea) is all for choice, even she places some limitations on what books students can read.

For one thing, students are choosing books from her well-curated classroom library, and for another, she bans books that she considers "junk" (we won't point any fingers, but Nancie will: Gossip Girl is mentioned by name, and books based on video games get the boot, too).

She does, however, make exceptions when it appears that a less than literary title may be a student's only entry point to reading.

Atwell discusses her process in brief on the Kids Recommend page of her school's website, and in detail in her book The Reading Zone. Whether or not you're ready to climb on board, you may find some ideas about using student choice to help differentiate your reading instruction.

2. Set up multiple reading centers in your room that focus on different literacy skills.

You can either have students rotate through these centers over time (a new center every 20 minutes, every day, or every week, depending on the complexity and length of the assignments and activities at each center) or allow students to choose which centers they spend time at during a "free choice" portion of the class. Figure 2 on page 9 of the article "Differentiated Reading Instruction: What and How" offers a nice list of ideas for literacy centers that can be adapted for various age groups.

3. Match the level to the student.

It can be useful to work individually with students to help them learn how to tell (eventually they'll be able to do it on their own) if a book they're considering reading is too easy, too hard, or just right. The reason it's so important is described in detail in Melinda Parks' article "Choosing Books that are Just Right." We'll give you a hint: did Goldilocks keep eating the porridge that was too hot? Exactly. And if we want our students to keep reading, the same thing goes.

Want more resources behind that reasoning? Reading Rockets, which produces shows on reading for PBS, offers the Five Finger Rule for choosing just-right books. And even though it's worded for a younger crowd, the method will work just as well for older students.

4. Read aloud in class.

Most folk think this is a more common activity in early childhood education. But when you think about it, there's no real reason to phase it out as students grow out of their short pants. Some students take in information better when they hear it, which is why audio books are such a racket these days.

If you're concerned that students won't get practice reading with their eyes if they do it with their ears instead, encourage them to read along while they listen to a recording or to you (if you've got that awesomesauce reading voice down). At the least, a good way to get them started on their homework can be reading the first chapter of a new book. And hey, you don't have to do it all yourself: go in a circle or do it popcorn style so they can practice their eye-to-vocal-chords coordination too.

And that's another benefit of reading aloud in class. Aside from the fact that it may reel students in or just plain work better for aural learners, it can give some of your students a chance to practice their reading voices while improving diction, enunciation, and self-confidence. And add to that that you'll be able to stop every once in a while to check for understanding. When you do this, you can offer insights and share reading strategies with students. Whether it's a "did you get this five-syllable word" or "maybe we should underline that important-sounding sentence."

Not convinced yet? Go back and read this section out loud and then your doubts will be drowned out for sure.

5. Use multiple levels of the same text when possible (and if necessary).

Some students might thrive on the footnotes in the Signet Classics version of Romeo and Juliet, while others may benefit from a fun, kooky summary with quizzes, themes, and characters to give that extra boost (not to mention some added food for thought).

Also, books like The Odyssey and Beowulf come in various translations (including the Shmoop translations, we might add), and some of those are more user-friendly than others. You can also find abridged versions of some texts if need be.

6. Ready, brace yourself….watch the movie.

Sure, you'll want to lay on the reminders that it's not a substitute for reading the book. But if there's a promising film (or stage) adaptation available for a text you're studying in class, by all means, dim the lights and give it a go. Or encourage your students to do that at home, if you can't spare the class time.

Getting the information in more than one format will help some students make connections they may not have made otherwise. And it will offer an opportunity for students to compare a text presented in two different media formats, which just so happens to be Common Core standard. That's hitting so many birds with one televised stone we don't even know where to start.

P.S. We have book vs. movie sections in lots of our Learning Guides.

7. Bring in props or visual aids that illustrate some aspect of what you're reading.

If you're reading Lord of the Flies, head to the beach (or a gift shop) and find yourself a conch. Tangible objects that make connections to the text will help some students engage with the material and feel like literature is coming alive. And hey—you don't need to provide them all yourself. Encourage your students to bring in an object and explain its relationship to the text.

8. Offer independent reading time in class.

That way students can enjoy the reading process and also get some practice. There will be some students who don't look forward to this time at all, but there will be others who savor it. And whatever their personal opinion, chances are they've all got something to gain from the practice. Just try to keep it balanced (not every day, not entire class periods) to meet the needs of students in both camps.

9. Encourage students to discuss the materials they read, and do it in various ways.

In other words, discussion shouldn't always be a series of responses to specific questions you ask. From time to time, a handy little "What did you think?" or "Did you like it? Why or why not?" can really do the trick. You don't always need to be all "What does the skull symbolize, and why does it show up at this particular moment in the plot?" Not that there's anything wrong with that, but hey, this is the article on differentiated instruction. So get different.

In other words, try to facilitate the discussion without necessarily leading it. Whether it's assigning individual students to bring a few questions into class, having them take a vote or debate about what a certain line means, or asking each student to come up with a different adjective for one character. By having a range of ways to talk about the books you're reading, you may just find yourself catching your students asking each another those questions before class has even started.

10. Just surrender. Use an app.

For realz. If your students feel most at home online, use ReadTheory or a similar online app. It may not be made out of trees and have pages, but it's designed to improve reading comprehension. It targets a wide range of students (K-12) and starts students with individual assessments so that content will be tailored to their specific needs.

The articles students read and the questions they answer on ReadTheory mimic the kinds of questions they may encounter on standardized tests, which can be a plus or a minus, depending how you look at it. On the one hand, it could be good practice for students, and hey—some students actually thrive with these kinds of learning activities. On the other hand, it's possible your students—and maybe you, too—have had enough of standardized tests, and you won't be so into this option. Still, it's a good way to inject some variety for the app generation.

11. Connect lit to life.

You're reading Anna Karenina and you talk about the role of social status and judgment in 21st-century America. You just finished One Hundred Years of Solitude and you assign a creative writing piece where they bring some magical realism to your very own classroom. They're having trouble with the philosophy behind Notes from Underground so you create a two-minute video showing what would happen if the Underground Man lived and lamented in Silicon Valley.

After all, what's this all about? Reaching the widest range of students with their variety of quirks and learning methods. And if we're lucky, doing it in a way that will keep reading hot and relevant in a world where attention spans are increasingly…oh look, a lolcat!

We think you get the idea.

P.S. Head on over to our Teaching Guides and Online Courses for loads of ideas for differentiation.