There's a lot of talk about differentiated instruction, but what is it really? And how does it apply to the middle and secondary English teacher?

Differentiated instruction is a recognition that students vary in their needs, interests, abilities, and prior knowledge. It's a springboard from which students work toward the same ends, but they use different content, processes, and products to get there. It's all about successfully teaching each student. And it can be done in the regular English classroom.

Barbara King-Shaver and Alyce Hunter help teachers of both middle and high school English understand and apply the principles and practices of differentiated instruction, addressing their unique challenges and needs. What's more, they offer a practical instructional model based on the experience of real teachers in real classrooms, including their own. Their model features:

• definitions with examples
• specific classroom lessons
• a unit design template/overview
• follow-up activities
• alternative assignments and assessments
• discussions of classroom management and content concerns
• a user-friendly format for quick access to information
• forms for planning and delivering lessons, including learning contracts, curriculum compacting guides, and much more.

Whether you're an English teacher new to the profession, new to differentiated instruction, or just looking for new ideas and strategies, you'll find in this book just the right technique or tool to help you reach each student.