Variety is the Spice of Life

I recently read the chapter entitled "Eliminating Ability Grouping and Reducing Failure in the Primary Grades" from the book No Quick Fix. As I read the chapter, I continually thought of ways to modify the ideas presented to work within the context of a middle school classroom.

The selection records the efforts and successes of two elementary schools as they implement a program that combines four of the main approaches to reading instruction. Their program was daily divided up into four thirty-minute blocks which consisted of the following areas: a basal block, a self-selected reading block, a writing block, and a working with words block.

The programs grew out of the idea that all children possess individual differences in the ways that they learn, and therefore no one approach is best. Rather, a combination approach comprised of the best attributes of each individual approach is desirable.

These schools chose to discontinue the practice of grouping students by ability level for reading instruction - (which they found to be ineffective). Instead, they implemented multi-method, multi-level classrooms where students received whole-class instruction.

Since many middle school programs usually only provide (about) a 50 minute language arts block daily, the program (as it is designed) cannot work within the middle school framework unless major organizational changes are implemented by administration. However individual language arts/reading teachers can adapt the major concepts to implement with their students.

Several of the concepts that I will take away from the article to implement in my future middle school language arts class are as follows.

Allowing reading to take place in a variety of ways is a definite must. Even at the middle school level, students can benefit from large group reading, partner reading, individual reading, and even being read to by their teacher. Each method facilitates the acquisition and practice of different valuable skills.

All reading programs should include a variety of topics and genres. Reading should expose students to new topics so that they can become more knowledgeable about the world around them. They should be given plenty of opportunities, however, to pursue their existing interests. Students are more motivated to read when they self-select topics that are of great interest to them.

Middle school students should also have variety in the level of difficulty of their reading materials. Difficult materials facilitate skill acquisition and vocabulary development during large group instruction. Grade level material can be used for working on fluency during partner reading. A student's confidence and comfort can be improved by allowing them to individually read (successfully) with materials of a lower difficulty level. By providing reading materials of many difficulty levels, students have opportunities to be challenged, to learn new skills, to practice, and to gain confidence .

Our ultimate goal is to give students the skills they need to become life-long readers and writers. To begin this, we must first make reading and writing enjoyable for them. Reading is more enjoyable for them, if they experience successes in reading. Variety in how and what we present to them, is a step toward doing this.