A big part of differentiation is teaching to student interests. When it comes to putting books in the hands of your students, nothing may be more important than identifying those interests and providing learners with texts that will provide engagement and excitement. The teacher, however, does not always need to be in the role of making that match. Students can be fantastic resources for reading recommendations and can help you provide the most relevant materials to your learners.
In Ms. Spucci’s classroom, this process is an art. When a student finishes a book and wants to talk about it or thinks another peer might enjoy it too, they can fill out a recommendation card and slip it into a child’s “mailbox”. Ms. Spucci also puts an interest card in each student’s mailbox to let his or her classmates know the label color of books that are appropriate for each child’s level. The interest cards also lets peers know what genres and topics the student prefers.
What a genius idea for allowing learners to differentiate for you!
About Paula Kluth
