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7 Zones Every Middle School Classroom Should Have

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Either read or watch 3 items from this list. The list includes text and videos about many topics from this course. Your goal is to find resources that you can use in your classroom and that you can add to your Key Assignment!

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CLASSROOM TOUR | 2020-2021| Middle School Teacher

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Flexible Classrooms: Providing the Learning Environment That Kids Need

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At Albemarle County Public Schools, flexible classrooms empower student choice, increase student engagement, and improve student participation.

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Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Whether teachers differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction.

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Topic Page: It’s easy to think primarily elementary and middle schools implement PBIS. Would you be surprised to learn there are thousands of high schools implementing PBIS, too? The key features of PBIS don’t change at the high school level; implementation simply addresses contextual factors unique…

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7 Scaffolding Learning Strategies for the Classroom

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7 Scaffolding Learning Strategies for the Classroom

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University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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Scaffolding vs. Differentiation Benefits of Scaffolding in Education 4 Strategies for Scaffolding in the Classroom 3 Scaffolding Learning Activities FAQs About Scaffolding in Education Helpful Resource Links
What is Scaffolding in Education?

Scaffolding is a classroom teaching technique in which instructors deliver lessons in distinct segments, providing less and less support as students master new concepts or material. Much like scaffolding on a building, this technique is meant to provide students with a framework for learning as they build and strengthen their understanding. When students reach the intended level of comprehension or mastery, the teacher can step back and gradually remove their support.

For example, a middle school biology teacher may show students a video on mitosis, then have them take a short, open-book quiz aided by a glossary. After a classwide discussion on the topic, during which the teacher shows examples of mitosis and answers students' questions, students may retake the quiz without textbooks to measure their comprehension.

The scaffolding approach differs from traditional "independent learning" model, in which a teacher asks students to read an article as homework, write a five-page essay and hand it in by the end of the week without providing any additional structured support. (Students are typically able to ask questions, but many are hesitant.) In this scenario, students would be responsible for navigating their own way through new course content, which would likely prove challenging for students who do not learn well via independent study.

The term "scaffolding" was first used in an educational context in the mid-1970s, coined by American psychologist Jerome Bruner. In The Child's Conception of Language (ed. A. Sinclair, et al, 1978) Bruner describes scaffolding as:

"...the steps taken to reduce the degrees of freedom in carrying out some task so that the child can concentrate on the difficult skill she is in the process of acquiring."

Scaffolding can also be explained by the phrase "I do, we do, you do," wherein the teacher demonstrates, guides, then hands the reins to the students.

Scaffolding vs. Differentiation

Unlike scaffolding, which involves all students following discrete steps to master a concept, differentiation presents students with different types of lessons based on their abilities and preferences.

For example, a teacher may assign most of the class to read a chapter of a book, then write a short paragraph discussing the chapter. However, there may be one or more students in the class for whom this type of assignment poses a challenge. For these students, the teacher may ask them to read a shortened or altered version of the text, then show they understand by answering some multiple choice questions about the text. The teacher is differentiating the type of assessments these students need in order to be successful.

Scaffolding and differentiation are used to achieve similar goals, in that they provide a way for educators to help students succeed while still being challenged and building upon existing knowledge. Both approaches may also be combined in a single lesson. Teachers may identify students who need differentiated lessons by first scaffolding their lessons, then determining whether students need alternative assignments to keep pace with their peers.

Breaks up a lesson, concept or skill into distinct units or parts

Presents different students with different methods of learning

Teachers decrease their support as students progress through lessons

Lessons may follow a different format for different students, with varying levels of teacher support

Enables students to develop autonomy

Allows students to interact with course content in the ways most comfortable or effective for them

Example: Read a summary of a book chapter, define key vocabulary words, then read the chapter as a group and answer a short quiz.

Example: Watch a video about the chapter, define key vocabulary words using a dictionary, then watch the video again and summarize out loud to the teacher.

It may take some time for teachers to identify which students respond best to scaffolding or differentiation, if they don't receive insight from students' previous teachers and guidance counselors. However, knowing how to effectively engage all of their students can be extremely beneficial for overall classroom management.
The concepts of scaffolding and the "zone of proximal development" are sometimes used interchangeably, as both were developed around the same time. Psychologist Lev Vygotsy explained his zone of proximal development, or ZPD, as the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance from a teacher. Therefore, the ZPD refers to the skills a learner is on the cusp of mastering, while scaffolding provides the support needed for the student to reach successive points of comprehension.

Benefits of Scaffolding in Education

Even before it was given a name, the concept of scaffolding has proven itself an essential approach to education. Teachers find that scaffolding:

Improves the likelihood that students will retain new information

Helps connect foundational knowledge to new concepts

Engages students with their learning and tracking their own progress

Gives students more autonomy and independence in the classroom

Bridges student learning gaps in traditionally difficult course content

Reduces students' feelings of frustration, confusion and negative self-perceptions in the classroom

Improves communication between students and teachers

Allows students to "fail productively" and encourages asking for help

Keeps classes organized and on schedule

When both teachers and students can follow an instructional roadmap and actively participate in the transfer of knowledge, fewer students are likely to become lost and give up on difficult concepts. If a teacher chooses to scaffold differentiated lessons for certain students, overall student performance is likely to soar.

If teachers are new to scaffolding, implementing the strategy into practice can be challenging or time consuming. However, the benefits of improved learning retention and better overall performance far outweigh the effort expended. Soon, scaffolding will become a natural part of the lesson planning process.

4 Strategies for Scaffolding in the Classroom

No matter the instructional approach, teachers should always introduce new concepts to students in a way that meets their current level of comprehension. A tenth-grade geometry teacher wouldn't begin a unit on the Pythagorean theorem without first ensuring that students knew what a hypotenuse was.

Once teachers establish their students' starting point, they can scaffold new course content by following this process:

Break the new lesson into discrete units

Create assignments for each unit

Talk students through each assignment before they begin work

Explain the purpose of the lesson or assignment - answer the age-old question, "Why do we need to know this?"

Divide students into groups to discuss the assignment, plan their approach and support each other

Provide students with tips or examples of the completed assignment so they can compare their progress

Have students present their work for feedback and/or take an assessment to gauge understanding

Examples of some of these steps can be illustrated with specific scaffolding strategies, including:

Show and tell: The teacher models a process or final product so students can see what they are meant to be creating. Show and tell can be used to demonstrate algebra equations, scientific models, artistic techniques and much more. Teachers can even extend show and tell to doing the first assignment along with the students following their initial demonstration.

Making real-life connections: Sometimes, it can be challenging for students to understand why they need to know something or how it connects to the world outside of school. As the teacher, share an example of how an academic concept applies to your own life, then ask students if they have any similar examples.

Start with vocabulary: If a student encounters a word they don't recognize in a text about a new concept, they may start to feel out of their depth, and their engagement may falter. Before embarking on a new lesson or assigning independent reading, make sure students understand key vocabulary words so they don't become lost. Again, connect new words to concepts students are already familiar with, and have students create their own vocabulary flash cards or "cheat sheets" (with examples) to refer back to.

Use visual aids: There are countless studies demonstrating the increase in retention of visual over auditory information ( like this one from the University of Tennessee). Specifically, it's been found that seeing images or visual demonstrations helps students understand and remember key concepts better than simply listening to the teacher explain them. Charts, models, slideshows, videos and other visual tools can all support student learning.

Not every student will feel they need the same amount of scaffolding as others; some students may be able to demonstrate certain algebraic equations after one lesson, while others may need a week's worth of teacher demonstrations and in-class exercises before they grasp the concept. It's best to structure lessons to serve the greatest number of learners possible at once, and build in a chance to address both high achievers and those who need extra support.

3 Scaffolding Learning Activities

As they scaffold a lesson on new material, teachers must first confirm that students have adequate context. This can even be basic, foundational information - for example, as a teacher embarks on a lesson about the Boston Tea Party, they need to confirm that their students know where Boston is, what taxes are, why tea was so important at the time and why Britain might care if a shipload of it ended up in Boston Harbor. "No taxation without representation!" means nothing if students don't understand what each of those words means.

Once the teacher establishes a baseline for student understanding, whether through an in-class discussion or short exploratory quiz, they can identify the goals of the lesson and begin to create a lesson plan.

Here are some activities students can follow as they begin to explore new concepts:
Fish bowl
Give students a topic to discuss, perhaps guided by a set of questions. Select about one quarter of the class to sit in a circle or group in the middle of the classroom. Have all other students sit around the edges of the central group and listen while this group discusses the topic. Observers are not allowed to speak while the smaller group is talking amongst themselves.

After about 15-20 minutes of discussion, divide the smaller group up among the rest of the class and divide into new groups of equal size. The observers can now discuss what they heard with members of the smaller group, offer different perspectives, ask questions and come to new conclusions together.
Think-alouds
This technique works well for reading comprehension exercises, but can also work for mathematical exercises. The teacher reads a passage aloud as the students follow along. Whenever the teacher reaches a potential point of confusion for students - such as an unfamiliar vocabulary word or place name - they stop and think through the issue aloud, perhaps with the aid of some predetermined questions. As they continue to read the passage aloud, the teacher will stop and pose some of their questions for the students to answer.

Eventually, students are asked to take over reading aloud (if they are able), pausing to think through or pose questions to their classmates.
Mind maps and concept maps
To demonstrate their grasp of a new topic, teachers can direct students to create a mind map as a visual representation of that topic. For example, if students have just learned about penguins in the Arctic, they should begin to draw a diagram with "penguin" at the center, then make "branches" off of that central topic that lead to the penguin's characteristics, including what it eats, where it lives and what its predators are.

In a concept map, students are asked to take everything they know about a larger topic - for instance, the Arctic - and connect all the disparate concepts they know about that topic. An Arctic concept map might connect penguins to elements of the landscape and climate, other animals and the effect of humans on their habitat.

Often, a lack of engagement results from students not understanding the purpose of school work, or the intended end result of a certain lesson or assignment. Showing and explaining to students what they are meant to create or achieve is not giving them the answers. Rather, providing students with a blueprint can help them take ownership of the learning process and, by extension, the finished product - their new knowledge.

FAQs About Scaffolding in Education
Classroom Management
This suite of courses can help teachers identify the best ways to teach diverse groups of learners, motivate students effectively and lead students responsibly through potentially difficult subject matter.
Classroom Teaching Techniques
A number of courses in this series can help teachers implement scaffolding into their lesson plans concerning technology, critical thinking and reading comprehension.
Effective Classroom Management Solutions Certificate
Beyond ensuring that students grasp core academic concepts, teachers can use scaffolding to instill lessons in anti-bullying, positive social skills and inclusion.

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7 Scaffolding Learning Strategies for the Classroom

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Learning is like constructing a new building - you can't build strong walls without sturdy scaffolding! Read our latest blog post to learn about educational scaffolding and how teachers use this proven strategy in the classroom. (Hint: show and tell makes a comeback.)

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Common accommodations and modifications in school

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Refer to this checklist of common modifications and accommodations to get to know options for struggling students.

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Flexible grouping is an essential teaching strategy that allows educators to personalize instruction to meet the unique needs of their students. By grouping students together based on their individual strengths and areas for growth, you can create a more supportive and engaging learning environment.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at flexible grouping and its benefits for students. We'll explore different types of flexible grouping, such as ability grouping, interest grouping, and mixed-ability grouping, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each. We'll also provide tips for implementing flexible grouping in your classroom and share some best practices to help you get started.

Whether you're a new teacher looking for innovative teaching strategies or a seasoned educator interested in trying out new approaches, this article will provide you with the information and resources you need to effectively use flexible grouping in your classroom.

Understanding Flexible Grouping

Flexible grouping is a teaching strategy where students are grouped together based on their individual needs, abilities, and interests rather than solely based on their grade level or age. In flexible grouping, students are placed in groups that are fluid and can change based on their progress and needs.

Benefits of Flexible Grouping

Personalized Instruction

One of the biggest benefits of flexible grouping is that it allows you to personalize instruction to meet the needs of each individual student. By grouping students together based on their abilities, interests, and needs, you can create lessons and classroom activities that are tailored to each group, ensuring that every student is challenged and engaged in their learning.

Increased Student Engagement

When students are working in groups that are more aligned with their needs and interests, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their learning. Flexible grouping can help students see the relevance of what they're learning and connect it to their own interests, which can make learning more meaningful and engaging.

Improved Social-Emotional Outcomes

Flexible grouping can also help improve social-emotional outcomes for students. By working in groups with peers of different abilities and backgrounds, students can build relationships and develop empathy and understanding for others. This can help promote a positive classroom culture and improve student well-being.

More Effective Differentiation

Another benefit of flexible grouping is that it can help make your differentiated instruction strategy more effective. You can more easily tailor instruction to meet the needs of each group, providing more targeted support and challenging students who are ready to move ahead.

Now that we've looked at the what and the why of flexible grouping, let's take a look at how flexible grouping can be used in your classroom.

Types of Flexible Grouping

There are plenty of options to try but here are the most common flexible grouping strategies that you can try in your own classroom:

Ability grouping

Ability grouping involves grouping students together based on their current academic ability level. This allows you to create lessons and activities that are better aligned with each group's current skill level, which can help ensure that all students are challenged and engaged in their learning.

Interest grouping

Interest grouping involves grouping students together based on their shared interests or passions. This can help promote student engagement and motivation by allowing students to explore topics that they find interesting and relevant.

Mixed-ability grouping

Mixed-ability grouping involves grouping students of different abilities together. This approach can help promote collaboration and peer support, allowing students to learn from one another and develop a stronger sense of community in the classroom.

Project-based learning

Project-based learning involves having students work in groups on a longer-term project that requires them to apply their learning in a real-world context. This can help promote collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Learning centers

Learning stations or centers involve setting up different areas in the classroom where students can work independently or in small groups on different activities related to a particular topic or skill.

Consider using Kodable in your learning center to give your students a fun and engaging game to learn the basics of computer programming! Kodable is in over 50% of US elementary schools and would make a great addition to your classroom too.
Create your own Kodable account to get your students coding today!
How to Create Flexible Groups in your Classroom

To create effective flexible groups, you need to have a good understanding of your students' needs, abilities, and interests. Take the time to get to know your students and assess their learning needs through observation, assessment, and student work.

Identify your instructional goals and determine how flexible grouping can help you achieve those goals. What skills or concepts do you want students to learn? What are the different levels of understanding in your class?

Decide which type of flexible grouping will work best for your instructional goals and your students' needs. You don't have to commit to this flexible grouping strategy forever but consistency when you start is important.

Remember that flexible grouping is just that - flexible! Be prepared to adjust your groups as needed based on ongoing assessments and student needs. Groups should be fluid and dynamic to meet the needs of your students.

Be sure to communicate with parents about the benefits of flexible grouping and how it will be used in the classroom. Address any concerns they may have and provide opportunities for them to provide feedback and input.

Use assessment tools to regularly assess student progress and adjust groupings as needed. Keep track of student performance and use data to inform your instruction and groupings.

Overall, creating flexible groups in your classroom requires careful planning and ongoing assessment. By taking the time to get to know your students and their needs, setting goals, choosing the right grouping strategy, being flexible, communicating with parents, and monitoring progress, you can create a more effective and engaging learning environment for all your students.

Addressing Common Challenges in Flexible Grouping

Resistance from students

Some students may resist working with new or different classmates, especially if they are used to working with the same group of students all the time. To overcome this challenge, it can be helpful to provide opportunities for students to get to know one another and build relationships before starting flexible grouping.

Difficulty grouping students

Grouping students can be challenging, especially if you have a wide range of abilities and interests in your classroom. One strategy to overcome this challenge is to use ongoing assessment data to inform your grouping decisions. You can also consider using a variety of grouping strategies to help you understand which is working best for your class.

Time constraints

Flexible grouping requires careful planning and preparation, which can be challenging for teachers who are already strapped for time. To overcome this challenge, it can be helpful to set aside dedicated planning time to create and revise groupings based on ongoing assessments and student needs. You can also consider using pre-made teacher resources, such as task cards or learning centers, that are already designed for flexible grouping. Understanding these time constraints before you dive in can help you personally prepare so you can avoid feeling overwhelmed midway through.

Resistance from parents

Some parents may be resistant to flexible grouping, especially if they are used to traditional classroom models. To overcome this challenge, it can be helpful to communicate with parents about the benefits of flexible grouping and how it can help their child learn and grow. You can also provide opportunities for parents to provide feedback and input on your grouping decisions.

Classroom management

Flexible grouping can present unique classroom management challenges, especially if students are not used to working with different classmates or if there are behavior issues in the classroom. To overcome this challenge, it can be helpful to establish clear expectations for behavior and collaboration when working in groups. You can also consider using group learning contracts or rubrics to help students understand their responsibilities when working in a group.

Overall, implementing flexible grouping can be challenging, but with careful planning and preparation, it can be a highly effective way to meet the needs of all learners in your classroom.

Review

Flexible grouping is an important teaching strategy that can help you differentiate instruction and meet the diverse needs of all learners in your classroom. By creating flexible groups, you can ensure that each student is working at their own level and receiving the support and challenge they need to make progress.

After reading this article you're already on your way to helping all the students in your class succeed! Another way to accomplish this is to help prepare your students for their digital future. Kodable is a free online educational game that helps students learn the basics of computer programming in a fun and engaging way. Help prepare your students for their future by signing up for your free account.

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Flexible Grouping: Strategies and how it to use in your classroom | Kodable

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In this blog, we'll take a closer look at flexible grouping and its benefits for students. We'll also explore different types of flexible grouping, such as ability grouping, interest grouping, and mixed-ability grouping.

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Equitable access to technology is worth fighting for. Technology can empower students and enhance their learning. It also increases the number of opportunities they are exposed to. In many schools in the United States (and all over the world), students are expected or required to have digital access to complete their required coursework. However, not all students have equitable access to technology.

In this article, we will explain what equitable access to technology is and why it's important. In addition, we will outline what educators can do to promote access to technology for every student on their roster.

What Is Equitable Access to Technology?

The commercialization of electronic devices may seem ubiquitous, but not all students have access to them at home. Digital access measures the level of participation of students in using digital tools (including both hardware devices and software programs).

Equitable access to technology refers to all students having access to technology and information regardless of their ethnicity, socio-economic status, age, physical ability, or any other quality. It's not only integral for opportunities to learn, but also a fundamental component in assisting students with acquiring the knowledge and skills they need to become digitally savvy citizens.

A lack of equitable access to technology and information deprives students of learning experiences and can even limit their opportunities after graduation. This inequity is further exacerbated by the need for distance learning this school year.

Access to technology is more than just providing devices and connectivity to students. It also involves making sure every student has the opportunity to learn from a teacher who understands how to use technology.

Why Does Equitable Access to Technology Matter?

Many students lack access to technology at home. Some only have access to a smartphone and no data plan, while others have multiple devices and internet access. This disparity in digital access has been called "the homework gap" by policymakers.

A student's socio-economic status impacts how likely they are to have access to technology. A survey by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American think-tank, found that 35 percent of households in the United States with school-age children and an annual income of under $30,000 do not have access to high-speed internet. Among households earning $75,000 or more, only 6 percent lack high-speed internet.

The National Center for Education Statistics conducted a survey that found only 61 percent of school-aged children had internet access at home, and yet a majority of students reported requiring the internet to complete assignments.

Educators are well aware of the homework gap and how important it is for students to have equitable access to technology. Yet much more could be done. A recent infrastructure survey from the Consortium of School Networking, an association and advocacy group that promotes emerging technologies with decision-makers in K-12 education, found that less than 10 percent of school district leaders felt that 100 percent of their students had access to technology outside of school.

Technology access is becoming a Catch-22 for students. Increasingly, schools and school districts are promoting the use of digital tools for assignments, especially with part of the 2020-2021 school year moving to online learning. However, students may not be able to get access to the technology required while at home.

What Educators can do to Promote Equitable Access to Technology for Students

Educators play an important role in securing equitable access to technology. They are on the front lines with students. In this section, we will outline some practical tips on how educators can promote equitable access to technology for all their students.

Develop a Systematic Technology Plan

If you are an educator, consider encouraging your school or school district to develop a systemwide technology plan. Be sure to build it on a foundation of policies that address what is required to provide equitable access to technology for students. At their core, these policies should outline where to go for help getting access, ensure individuals know how to access the technology, and be flexible enough to accommodate the diverse instructional requirements and learning styles that students have.

Get Teachers Involved

Teachers are the liaison between school leadership and students. They are connected with students and have a good sense of their needs and capabilities. School leaders should work alongside teachers when implementing programs that promote equitable access to technology for their students. They should be sure to consult with the relevant teachers who oversee students in the area the initiative is trying to address.

For example, school leaders should talk to their literacy department before purchasing software that boosts literacy skills. It may seem like a no-brainer, but many schools end up purchasing outdated or irrelevant technology simply because they did not run them by teachers beforehand. After all, the first people who should be trained in the technology are the teachers who will be using it to educate.

Start Digital Literacy Programs

Despite living in a technological world, many students in the United States are not fully comfortable with digital tools. Some of the factors that cause discomfort with technology among students include lack of financial resources to purchase digital tools and limited proficiency in English.

Teachers are often aware of which students lack technological skills. Educators would do well to implement digital literacy programs that allow students to catch up on their technological skills. Some schools host an after-school program that teaches students the basic computer skills they require.

Utilize Governmental Resources

Educators can take advantage of governmental resources for digital access. Many schools already utilize government initiatives like the Federal E-Rate program, which provides discounted internet access and funding for schools and school districts to help get their kids online while at school. However, there are also many programs available that promote technology outside of the classroom as well, including local initiatives to provide hotspots and laptop loaners to students.

Governmental policy is a key resource in ensuring students have equitable access to technology. In the United States, Title IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act makes funding available so that schools are able to purchase digital tools. This policy assists educators and benefits students. Check to see what grants are available in your area.

Use Partnerships to Enable Equitable Access to Technology

Many schools have a shortage of digital resources available for students to use. Despite available government funding, schools may lack the technology their students require. Partnerships between schools and external organizations or other schools in the community can help educators bridge their gap in funds for technology.

The best partnerships are with organizations that have the resources your school lacks. Use the resources your school does have to barter for access to technology. For example, one school might loan out a sports field to another school in exchange for time in their computer lab.

Equitable access to technology is a large societal issue. Luckily, educators have the power to increase equitable access to technology. To learn about technology in the classroom, discover resources for teachers and students, and gain an understanding of issues in education, head to GoGuardian. Our smart technology is here to optimize your digital learning program for K-12 learners.

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Equitable Access to Technology for Students & Educators | GoGuardian

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Equitable access to technology is worth fighting for. Technology can empower students and enhance their learning. It also increases the number of opportunities they are exposed to. In many schools in the United States (and all over the world), students are expected or required to have digital access to complete their required coursework.

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Cross-grade buddy programs are well-regarded for building positive school culture. With the right planning, they can boost academic and social skills as well-for both older and younger students.

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Small Groups CAN Work in Middle School Classrooms, if You Do This *FREE PDF*

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The Opportunity Myth: What's Your Commitment?

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Differentiated Instruction

Whether students are ahead of their peers or behind, differentiation should ensure that all learners engage in critical thinking.

Imagine asking one of your students for advice about choosing a birthday present for a family member who's their age and shares similar interests. When they recommend what to get, could they also explain what options to avoid and why their suggestion is the best choice? Is it likely that any of your students could give gift advice in this scenario whether their academic success was high or minimal?

Their advice is critical thinking in action. They analyze the information about your family member's interests and evaluate the quality of the options, including their suitability as the best fit. How do we give all learners opportunities to engage in challenging content that is differentiated based on academic needs?

A common misconception is that an effective differentiation system for readiness (i.e., skill levels) can be based on the revised Bloom's Taxonomy or another framework, like Webb's Depth of Knowledge. The idea is that advanced learners get activities where they analyze, evaluate, and create, while struggling learners need to build knowledge and understanding through basic applications.

As a result, learners who struggle with a subject area are denied rich experiences that could help them see authentic uses of skills in the world outside of school. While they work on abstract school content, they see their peers engage in rich conversations, analyzing and evaluating concepts to create artifacts for a public audience. It's like watching a three-star chef prepare a savory banquet as you prepare to eat a white bread sandwich containing iceberg lettuce.

This oversimplified approach to differentiation denies struggling learners valuable experiences that are based on higher-order thinking, despite their capacity to analyze, evaluate, and create in their daily lives. But how do we give all learners opportunities to engage in challenging content that is differentiated based on academic needs?

Steps for Differentiating to Challenge All Learners

Start with the end in mind. Identify the core skills and concepts that make up the learning outcomes. Then collect information on your students' preparedness, from prerequisites and minor gaps to existing mastery. Combined with students' lived experiences, this data should inform you on how to revise and/or remix a planned complex activity.

Recorded readings. Oral understanding can aid reading material by improving access to the information.

Word journals. Provide a words/terminology bank for key concepts in the subject area. Students should routinely update and review their journals.

Collaboration teams. Use structured protocol strategies for learner groups to explore, process, and construct content.

Peer support. Other learners can serve as resources as the need arises.

Next, design the learning experience for all students to complete that includes a critical thinking challenge.

Learning stations. Have students participate in different stations where they work on prerequisite skills based on their current skill level. The teacher is one station to personalize support for students grouped by similar needs.

Independent work. Assign students work based on the prerequisite skills they need more practice with. The teacher meets with students for personalized support.

Remix the critical thinking activity. Review the activity and make a version that focuses on either fewer choices or fewer moving parts. Simplify without compromising the critical thinking experience. Or, create a version that focuses on the prerequisite skills without compromising the opportunity for critical thinking.

For students who can accomplish the skills with bridging supports,curate resources, guides, and tools that support learners' needs while focusing on the instructional outcome. Here are some examples:

For students who lack prerequisite skills or conceptual understanding,plan activities that include custom supports for skills and critical thinking experiences. Here are some examples:

For students who already meet learning expectations,introduce new knowledge, skills, and/or concepts that amplify their understanding. Add these elements into the prepared critical thinking experience for more seasoning and spice. This could be included in learning stations, independent work, and other activities.

Differentiation is about meeting needs for all learners through equitable critical thinking challenges.

If we routinely review and analyze student achievement data to monitor their progress, the information tells us the specific gaps or prerequisite skills each learner needs more practice with to learn. The steps shared above take that information and add adaptations or mirrored versions of the core assignment. A different series of learning activities do not need to be created-unless that is the direction you choose based on the learner achievement data.

Not limiting critical thinking opportunities for learners who struggle with the content helps them feel that they can do challenging work. This is an important goal for growing their self-esteem.

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Using Differentiation to Challenge All Students

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Differentiated Instruction Whether students are ahead of their peers or behind, differentiation should ensure that all learners engage in critical thinking. Imagine asking one of your students for advice about choosing a birthday present for a family member who's their age and shares similar interests.

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Creating Flexible Groups Based on Data .docx

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A three-step plan for using surveys to gauge students' interests as a basis for forming small reading discussion groups.

When you put kids together in a small reading group, what are you grouping for? Are your grouping decisions based on students' reading level? Are they based on skills that you believe need to be taught? Some kids may need those types of groups, and some may not. In our experience, kids jump at the chance to meet with their small group if it's about a text they chose or a topic they're interested in, and if they're in a comfortable meeting spot.

When students have a chance to discuss readings with peers, their motivation and engagement are ignited-peer-to-peer interactions are social capital that keeps students invested in the work. We've developed a three-step process to launch small reading groups at the beginning of the year, with an emphasis on using students' collective and individual curiosities, passions, wants, and needs as a motivator for group work.

1. Rethink Surveys

Many times, we've surveyed kids in the first weeks of school, gathering information that would impact our instructional decision-making. Often, our good intentions fell short because we asked questions-what students read over the summer (or didn't read), their favorite authors, etc.-that were important to us but that didn't really energize students. Asking questions that are relevant to their lives is key.

Fiction vs. nonfiction

YouTube vs. video games

Instagram vs. Snapchat

Legos vs. colored pencils

Breakfast vs. dinner

Famous heroes vs. legendary villains

We still ask questions about favorite books and authors, but we now add questions such as: "If you don't have homework after school or you finish earlier than expected, what's your favorite free time activity?" Or we might give them pairs of words and ask them to circle the word in each pair that best matches their interests:

2. Launch the Groups

Use the survey results to guide how you form your small groups. You can divide students into groups of three or four based on common interests-grouping together students who chose Legos over colored pencils, for example. Or you can form groups based on diverse interests-some group members chose breakfast while others chose dinner.

Explain that students will be sharing their survey responses with their group, and encourage them to elaborate on some of their ideas. Give students an example: "If you chose YouTube over video games, you can explain what YouTubers you follow and why."

As students share, eavesdrop and take note of what you learn about them. This will help you plan instruction and curate resources for future small group work.

While some students complete these surveys with gusto, others may be a bit more reserved in what they share. One reason for that is that some students prefer talking to writing. We address that by launching our small discussion groups using the student surveys as the text. Here's how we do it:

3. Curate Individual Students' Readings

After collecting information about students, it's time to put that information to good use. How do you do that? Consider two hypothetical students, Alex and Sebastian.

Alex is energetic, a middle child, wild about ice-skating, and a fan of pink and the Babysitter's Club graphic novels. She's a beagle-owning, stuffed-animal-collecting, broccoli-disliking third grader. We know about these details through conversations and our beginning-of-the-year survey. From the first days of school, it was easy to connect with Alex because we knew so many of her likes, dislikes, interests, and passions.

Sebastian, a quiet and unassuming fifth grader, opened up during the small group survey discussion. He mentioned that he was really into jazz and played the saxophone, and talked about his fascination with marine life. He prefers learning factual information and likes to read about Native American tribes and chiefs. He had just received his ham radio license.

With these kinds of details, curating texts for students is easier. Making sure Alex has access to some of the Babysitter's Club books is a first step-add some other graphic novels, a short article or video about the first beagle to win the Westminster Kennel Club Show's Best in Show category, and maybe an infographic about the brain benefits of eating broccoli. Providing Sebastian with texts on new ways scientists are working to save coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans or on Native American tribes in the Pacific Northwest will have him reading for hours.

Students might read their texts independently and then share ideas with their small group, or they might invite a small group to join them in reading the texts that the teacher has curated. Both the text choices and small group work become motivators because they serve as invitations for social engagement around topics of interest.

Even though students' texts are specific to them, when they meet in a small group to share what they've learned or new ideas they're thinking about, the enthusiasm can be contagious. Before long, the small group interactions have excited other classmates to try out reading about beagles, broccoli, marine life, and even ham radios. When students talk about texts and topics they're interested in, they diversify the range of texts in the classroom and validate themselves as readers.

Using surveys to get to know our students' collective and individual curiosities, passions, wants, and needs helps us be more intentional with our planning. Small group work holds a lot of social capital because it is a structure and routine students can count on for reading, learning, and sharing new ideas with others.

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How to Set Up Interest-Based Reading Groups

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A three-step plan for using surveys to gauge students' interests as a basis for forming small reading discussion groups. When you put kids together in a small reading group, what are you grouping for? Are your grouping decisions based on students' reading level? Are they based on skills that you believe need to be taught?

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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Classroom Setup Ideas: Create a Space Students Will Love!