Differentiated Literacy Instruction in Grades 6-8
Strategies and Resources
Sharon Walpole, Sara E. Merkle, and Aleta Thompson
Digital professor copy available on VitalSource once published ?“This is the guide that will get real books back into middle school ELA classrooms! The authors present a clear and realistic instructional approach that balances research evidence and equity. The authors deeply engage with the challenges that middle school teachers and students face in reading complex text. They provide a blueprint for increasing word and world knowledge and reading volume using their quad text set framework. Teachers, literacy coaches, and teacher educators can use this book to ensure that all students have access to high-quality, engaging, and challenging reading opportunities throughout their academic careers. Walpole and associates help make ELA more effective and rewarding for both teachers and students.”
—Laura S. Tortorelli, PhD, Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University
“This book does what few curriculum resources manage—it supports both students and teachers without selling a ‘magic bullet.’ The book reads like a candid, supportive conversation with fellow educators. I especially appreciate the emphasis on discussion, writing, and comprehension strategy instruction that respects adolescent learners’ development. The authors provide teacher-friendly routines that make instruction more effective and sustainable. From semantic morphology to peer discussion and writing routines, every component supports middle school learners as they are—curious, growing, and deeply in need of meaningful literacy instruction.”
—Ashley Karkkainen, MA, literacy coach, Menominee County Intermediate School District, Michigan
“Elementary teachers have long appreciated Walpole's thoughtful and text-rich approach—now middle school teachers have their own inspiring resource for planning a curriculum that centers complex, diverse, and high-quality texts. The authors explain the thinking, values, and research-informed choices that shape their approach, and provide actionable ideas for practice. Clear routines for reading are presented alongside practical strategies for engaging students in rich discussion and purposeful writing.”
—Kristin Conradi Smith, PhD, Dr. Virginia L. McLaughlin Associate Professor of Education, William & Mary
“This book offers comprehensive guidance for designing curriculum materials and planning differentiated instruction in the middle grades. The authors’ deep commitments to evidence and equity ground their routines for knowledge building, reading, discussion, grammar and language, writing, research, and assessment. Deeply respectful of both the research and standards that guide curriculum and the teachers and students who experience it, this book is sure to be a valuable resource for English language arts teachers and literacy leaders working in middle schools, as well as preservice teachers preparing to teach in diverse schools and classrooms.”
—John Z. Strong, PhD, Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo, State University of New York
Table of Contents
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
About the Authors
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.