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Differentiated Literacy and Language Arts Strategies for the Elementary Classroom, 1st edition

Published by Pearson (January 6, 2010) © 2011

  • Shellie Hipsky
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  • Elementary classroom examples, student work samples, and other techniques for working with students are introduced to the reader through classroom vignettes at the beginning and end of every chapter. These extra insights make Differentiated Instruction strategies easily accessible, and will help pre-service teachers gain knowledge and inspiration to differentiate assessment, instruction, and the learning environment of their own future classrooms. (See examples: “A Visit to a Differentiated Classroom” in Ch. 1 and “Mrs. Wilkin’s ‘B’ Week” in Ch. 4).
  • Most chapters provide insights on “keys” to successfully implementing differentiation–by learning how to “get to know” students better by determining and tapping into each students’ abilities, learning profiles, and interests, and working with students’ needs and strengths. Further discussion of gender, cultural diversity, religion, and socio-economic level differences shed light on needs and unique qualities of elementary students, and learning to look at students from a variety of perspectives, such as their multicultural backgrounds, while differentiating.  (See examples, especially in Chapter 2, and “Diversity in Speaking and Listening Skills” in Ch. 8).
  • Readers explore how their own differentiated learning environment will best look, function, and feel.  From how to guide interest stations and Web Quests to establishing flexible groups and keeping documentation, this book provides a common sense approach to making differentiated instruction manageable.
  • Looks at reading, viewing, visually representing, writing, speaking, and listening from grade-level perspectives so that future teachers have a baseline for what they may see in their own classrooms.  While the book demonstrates that a classroom will most likely have a variety of abilities, aspiring teachers can benefit from knowing what the average child can do at different grade levels.  
  • Refers to the findings of The National Reading Panel Report, and discusses the varieties of criterion-referenced and norm-referenced assessments so that true levels can be determined. State mandated and national standards in reading and language arts were synthesized in order to provide the reader with a glimpse of what is expected at the grade levels. (See examples in Chapter 4, and the Appendix. “Assessing Reading: Criterion-Referenced”).
  • Coverage in Chapter Five helps teachers to establish what the abilities and needs of their students are and suggests appropriate modifications and accommodations.  A variety of exceptionalities are discussed, including: L.D., Speech and Language Disorders, AD/HD, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Developmental Disabilities, Physical and Severe/Multiple Disabilities, Visual and Hearing Impairments, and Accelerated and Gifted students. Further discussion is given to the Individualized Education Plan, reflecting the latest Regulations for IDEA 2004. (See an example from Chapter 5, “Autism Spectrum Disorders”).
  • English Language Learner strategies are provided in Chapters 6 through 9, for reading, writing, speaking/listening, and teaching literacy across the curriculum. Strategies such as dialogue writing, vocabulary clusters, and think-alouds are discussed in relation to how they can support students who are learning English.  The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the International Reading Association (IRA)’s standards regarding language arts for ELL are supported through the strategies in the book. (See an example in Chapter 7, “English Language Learners (ELL) Writing in the Classroom”).

Chapter 1 Differentiated Instruction: The Big Picture

Chapter 2 Getting To Know Your Students

Chapter 3 The Differentiated Learning Environment

Chapter 4 What Should Your Students Know at Each Level?

Chapter 5 What Abilities and Needs Do Your Students Have?

Chapter 6 Reading

Chapter 7 Writing

Chapter 8 Speaking and Listening

Chapter 9 Literacy Across the Curriculum

Chapter 10 Conclusion: Lessons Learned

Appendix A: Differentiated Portfolio Record Sheet

Appendix B: Differentiated Choice Charts

Appendix C: Literacy and Language Arts Learning Skills Check Sheet

Dr. Shellie Hipsky taught special and general education from the kindergarten to doctoral level.  She wrote ProActive Publications’ (2005) The Drama Discovery Curriculum and Lincoln Interactive’s (2006) The Arts Alive Textbook.  Currently, Hipsky is an Educational Consultant at the University of Pittsburgh and an Assistant Professor at Robert Morris University.

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