Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Middle School Literacy Instruction

Formative assessment and differentiated instruction made manageable

We all recognize the countless benefits of differentiated instruction. The challenge is in its implementation. Faced with a classroom of 25 students—each with very different needs—how can we possibly keep every student on track and motivated? Through formative assessment and efficient follow-up instruction. This start-to-finish guide will show you how through seven classroom-tested practices for maximizing student learning.

Established experts on this subject, Leslie Laud and Pooja Patel demonstrate how to:

• Establish new classroom norms
• Involve students in the use of assessment data and feedback to inform their next steps
• Clarify end-of-unit criteria to help map learning progression
• Apply assessment data to grouping students for tiered activities
• Differentiate assignments based on student readiness, characteristics, and interest

Best of all, Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Middle School Literacy Instruction is packed with vignettes, sample worksheets, and charts to assist you through each step in the process. Armed with this toolkit, you'll quickly discover new ways to keep all students engaged in their learning.

• Introduces a unique set of seven practices for effectively teaching middle school literacy

1. Build supportive and self-directive class climate norms
2. Clarify learning standards and targets, then convey them
3. Pre-assess before each topic and continuously all along
4. Involve students in using assessment data and feedback to inform their next steps
5. Use assessment data to group students for tiered activities
6. Use assessment data to challenge and support all learners
7. Differentiate homework and graded assessments

• Offers practical suggestions, real-world examples, reproducible activities, and extensive connections to NCTE and the common core standards
• Presents an overview of tiered unit and lesson planning, along with several model tiered lesson plans, reproducibles and templates for lesson planning
• Includes research-validated strategies and resources for supporting low achieving students and challenging high achieving students