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Differentiated Instruction: Administrator Checklist
Phonemic Awareness
o Words presented
orally or on picture
cards
Integrated
Explicit
Scaffolded
Systematic
Phonics/Word
Recognition
o Words presented in
isolation on cards
Fluency
Comprehension
o Books or passages to
o Strategy selected is
practice phonics
appropriate for the book or
elements
passage
o Books or passages that
provide challenging
practice
Vocabulary
o Items selected
from the
reading
o
o
o
o
The teacher manages smooth transitions from large to small groups
All children in the classroom are engaged in meaningful activities
The teachers uses appropriate data to form and reform groups
The teacher makes connections to grade-level instruction
o
o
o
o
There are two and only two major areas of instructional focus
Instructional talk is clear and brief
The teacher names the focus skill or strategy
The teacher models the focus skill or strategy
o Group size facilitates attention and practice
o The teacher provides extended guided practice, with every student
responding
o The teacher corrects errors
o The teacher has a plan for a series of lessons for the group
o The teacher has a plan for progress monitoring
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Model Lesson #1: Vocabulary and Comprehension
(K/1 Read Aloud)
Preteach Key Content Area Word (2 Minutes)
We are going to learn about dolphins today. It
will help us understand if we know the word
mammal. Let me show you what a mammal is.
This lesson is for K-1
children who are at
low risk on all DIBELS
measures.
Animal
Lizard
Fish
Bird
Have hair
Breathe air
Warm-blooded
Don’t lay eggs
Babies drink milk
Mammal
Dog
Mouse
Dolphin
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A mammal is one kind of animal. It is an animal that has hair, breathes air, is warm-blooded,
doesn’t lay eggs, and whose babies drink milk. A dog is a mammal. A mouse is a mammal. A
dolphin is a mammal. All of these animals have hair, breathe air, are warm-blooded, don’t lay
eggs, and have babies who drink milk. A lizard is not a mammal. It doesn’t have hair. A fish is
not a mammal. Baby fish don’t drink milk. A bird is not a mammal. Birds lay eggs. The
interesting thing about dolphins is that they are mammals that live in the ocean. Now that you
know what a mammal is, you’re ready to learn more about dolphins.
Review a Comprehension Strategy (2 Minutes)
Text Structure: Topic-Subtopic
When we are trying to use a book to learn about
something new, we have to pay attention to the way
the author is working with information. Sometimes
authors have one main topic and several different
subtopics. If we know that before we start reading,
we can use it to help us remember the most
important information. Here’s how that looks:
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Read Text Aloud (7 minutes)
Dolphins, by Sylvia M. James
Review Comprehension Strategy (4 Minutes)
Remember that I told you that when we are using a book to learn new
things we need to know how authors are presenting their work? This
author had one topic, dolphins, and four subtopics. Let’s see what we
can remember about each one. I’ll write them down. You can look back
in the book to help you remember.
Dolphins
Note: Because of the density of ideas
targeted in this lesson, the exact same lesson
can be used for two sessions in a row.
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Vocabulary and Comprehension
o The teacher manages smooth transitions
from large to small groups
Integrated o All children in the classroom are engaged in
meaningful activities
o The teachers uses appropriate data to form
and reform groups
o The teacher makes connections to gradelevel instruction
Explicit
o There are two and only two areas of
instructional focus
o The teacher names the focus skill or strategy
o The teacher models the focus skill or
strategy
o Group size facilitates attention and practice
Scaffolded o The teacher provides extended guided
practice, with every student responding
o The teacher corrects errors
o The teacher has a plan for a series of
Systematic
lessons for the group
o The teacher has a plan for progress
monitoring
This includes all DIBELS subtests at
the last benchmarking period
The teacher should remind students of
how they applied the comprehension
strategies to a recent core selection.
The teacher intentionally uses key terms
such as topic and subtopic. These are
important academic terms.
The graphic organizer the teacher
builds serves as a visual model of the
text structure.
The group should be small enough that
all children can see and attend.
The group contributes to the semantic
map the teacher constructs. The teacher
ensures that all take part.
The richness of the selection allows for
two successive lessons.
Teachers checks DIBELS results after
each benchmarking to make sure
children should remain in this group.
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Model Lesson #2: Vocabulary and Comprehension
(2/3 Student Reading)
Preteach Vocabulary (2 Minutes)
We are going to work with a book about plants today. Before you read, I want to be
sure that you can read this list of words. All of these words are parts of plants or
flowers and seeds. You can use your syllable types to read them. You can use the
pictures in the book to see what they are.
pet+ al = petal
o + vules = ovules
stig + ma = stigma
pol + len = pollen sta + mens = stamens Germ + in + a + tion =
germination
pist + til = pistil
se + pal = sepal
Review a Comprehension Strategy (2 Minutes)
We are going to read today to learn how plants grow from seeds. There is a lot of information. It
will help you to remember it if you know one of the ways that authors organize information:
sequencing. A sequence is a listing of events in the order in which they happen. Your number words
can help you to remember items in a sequence: first, second, third. Look for the sequence as you
whisper read this book.
This lesson is
for 2-3 children
who are at
benchmark in
ORF.
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Whisper-Read the Text (7 minutes)
After Reading
Review Vocabulary Words and Return to Strategy
Let’s look at the page with the pink flower. You can see that its parts are
labeled. Show me the petal. Show me the pistil. Show me the stamens.
Show me the ovules. Show me the sepal. Show me the stem. Show me the
pollen.
Now let’s see what you remember about the sequence, or order, of events
from seed plant. What happens first? Second? Third? . . . Use the book
to jog your memory.
Again, conceptually dense vocabulary and comprehension lessons can
be repeated over two days to increase interaction with the new
ideas.
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Model Lesson #3: Vocabulary and Comprehension
(2/3 Student Reading)
Introduce the Text and Strategy (1 Minute)
This lesson is for 2-3
children who are at
benchmark in ORF.
Today we are going to read a fantasy. A fantasy is a piece of fiction that has at least one element that is impossible. It
could involve magic or science that isn’t possible. Other than that, fantasy has the characteristics that you know: a
setting, characters, a problem, a series of events that stem from the problem, and a solution. Great fantasy also has a
theme – a deep message or lesson that goes beyond the story. When you read this book, use your story map to make sure
that your understanding is on target. You can use the map to take notes.
Whisper Read (8 Minutes)
Review the Strategy (3 Minutes)
Let’s use the story map to summarize. Why is this a fantasy? What is the setting? Who are the main characters?
What is the problem? What happens after the problem? What is the solution to the problem? What do you think
the story’s theme is?
Teaching Tier 2 Words (3 minutes)
I want to draw your attention to two words that will be useful to know. The first word is cease. What word? Cease means to
stop very suddenly. In the book, when Sylvester wished it would stop raining, the rain stopped so suddenly that he knew it
must be magic. If I am surprised, I might cease to talk. A policeman who saw someone doing something dangerous might
shout, “Cease that immediately.” If there is a terrible explosion, a building could cease to exist. Cease means to stop very
suddenly. What word?
Another word that will be useful is possibilities. What word? Possibilities comes from the word possible. It means a list of
things that could happen. In the story, Sylvester thinks there are few possibilities for his being saved. If you have money to
spend, you can consider the possibilities before making a choice. An election asks people to select a candidate among the
possibilities. Possibilities are things that could happen – things that are possible. What word?
Look for chances to use the words cease and possibilities today; let’s add them to our Word Wizard chart.
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Story Map
Setting
Characters
Problem
Events
Solution
Theme
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Vocabulary and Comprehension
o The teacher manages smooth transitions
from large to small groups
Integrated o All children in the classroom are engaged in
meaningful activities
o The teachers uses appropriate data to form
and reform groups
o The teacher makes connections to gradelevel instruction
Explicit
o There are two and only two areas of
instructional focus
o The teacher names the focus skill or strategy
o The teacher models the focus skill or
strategy
o Group size facilitates attention and practice
Scaffolded o The teacher provides extended guided
practice, with every student responding
o The teacher corrects errors
o The teacher has a plan for a series of
Systematic
lessons for the group
o The teacher has a plan for progress
monitoring
Children should visibly attend to the
print in their individual copies.
Placement in this group depends on
ORF
The teacher should remind students of
how they applied the comprehension
strategies to a recent core selection.
The teacher should use precise language in
identifying the comprehension strategies.
The teacher reviews story maps before the
students read.
The teacher asks students to complete
maps and use the new words.
The richness of the selection allows for
two successive lessons.
Teachers check DIBELS ORF results
after each benchmarking to make sure
children should remain in this group.