You can use the basal as a shared reading approach, with you modeling strategies. Also, if you have tapes of the story you can use it as a listening center. But you obviously must use guided reading or the student who is two grade levels below will never catch up. In my district where the majority of students are billingual. It is very common and more the norm that students are way below grade level and all over the place. We supplement basal instruction with guided reading.
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] on behalf of [email protected] Sent: Tue 12/14/2010 5:25 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [MOSAIC] differentiation I teach fourth grade and have really struggled this year with differentiation. Although I get the purpose of it, I am really starting to question the practice unless the student is already identified. Here are my reasons.... 1. If i differentiate for you, some of my students read on a 2nd grade level, and you earn an A, how do I justify retaining you at the end of the year, if you do not having failing grades? 2. How do I uphold academic rigor and high expectations, and provide work for you that is two grades below? 3. Why are you in my 4th grade classroom if you are reading 2 grade levels below? 4. How can I give you second grade work and then ask you to take a fourth grade test at the end of the year? 5. Why must I teach from a fourth grade basal when 60% of my class is not reading at grade level? Any advice would be appreciated. I am trying to convince my principal to drop the basal and adopt a readers workshop approach. Rosie _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
