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Differentiating Independent Reading. A Strategy benefitting GATE students at Freese Arts and Culture Magnet School. Explanation of the Strategy. Freese uses the Scholastic Reading Counts (SRC) independent reading program to ensure every student rises to his/her potential in literacy
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Differentiating Independent Reading A Strategy benefitting GATE students at Freese Arts and Culture Magnet School
Explanation of the Strategy • Freese uses the Scholastic Reading Counts (SRC) independent reading program to ensure every student rises to his/her potential in literacy • Independent study via SRC provides acceleration for high-achieving and under-achieving pupils who are identified as gifted and talented.
Explanation of the Strategy • In SRC, students • Set reading goals • Read independently • Take quizzes on books read independently • Receive credit for the number of words in the book when they pass a quiz • The goal setting process serves much like an “Independent Study Contract” which is self and teacher monitored.
Explanation of Strategy • Teachers conference with students individually and in small groups about SRC in order to ensure that every student reaches his/her highest potential in literacy
Explanation of Strategy • Because of the individual and independent nature of the program, GATE students are able to choose books that are both interesting and beneficial to them and that work to increase their literacy skills all year long. • Differentiation in this manner allows opportunities for learning that are commensurate with the gifted and talented pupils’ particular abilities and talents.
Sample Lessons • Each student has a chart similar to this for every month of the school year, in his/her student planner. • This is one way a teacher might check in regularly with students to monitor and give feedback on the student’s progress Scholastic Reading Counts! Freese Goal:100,000,000 words school wide by May 28, 2010 Do your part to help us reach our goal!
Sample Lessons • Lessons that help students use the SRC tool most effectively to generate growth in reading might include: • Teaching students about their reading levels according to CST, Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, Literacy Benchmark Data, etc. • Teaching students to select reasonable, yet challenging goals and books for themselves • Individual and/or small group conferences to monitor progress and reading improvement • Celebrations for meetings/exceeding goals
Student Outcomes • GATE students are excelling in independent reading!