Differentiation - Lexiles in the Classroom and Summer School

My last post on July 5, 2010, dealt with collaboration in effective schools.  Recently, when I visited Winthrop Elementary school I observed collaboration at its best for students.  

I stopped to visit Bill Giasson, a third grade teacher.  He is working with students in summer school as well as working in his classroom throughout the summer - preping for his incoming class.  Bill does this every year - focusing on his students' needs and tracking down info.  He realizes how crucial literacy is for his students and has been thinking about how to support his students' literacy acquisition.  

This year, he has decided to organize his classroom library according to lexiles - taken from the NWEA.  He has labeled his totes and organized his books accordingly.  He has arranged the lexiles with an overlap on each end so students don't slot themselves as 200's or 600's.  Further, he has separated and labeled the fiction and nonfiction.  Third grade embeds nonfiction in its curriculum so students need extra support in this area. 

This organization allows students to practice at an appropriate levels and assures growth. 


This process can be easily applied in all grades where student lexiles are available.

The title 1 program uses the DRA and appropriate guided reading levels.  This is coordinated through the co-relation chart above.

Holly Lachance, title 1 coordinator, has organized the book room for K-5 staff in Winthrop and provides them with this co-relation chart, enabling them to use all of the measures provided by assessments used in the school system.  

A perfect example of the power of collaboration.

For further information on Lexiles, go to:

http://www.lexile.com/findabook/

This approach to differentiation can be used effectively at all grade levels - and used to support our most challenged readers.  Practicing on the appropriate level of reading assures growth.   Best practices work!