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RESOURCES TO USE

NO RED INK
NO RED INK IS A WEB-BASED LEARNING PLATFORM THAT HELPS

STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR GRAMMAR AND WRITING SKILLS. NO RED INK

GENERATES ALL THE GRAMMAR SENTENCES USING EACH STUDENTS
INTEREST. THESE INTEREST INCLUDE IDEAS SUCH AS FAVORITE
CELEBRITY, HOBBIES, AND TV SHOWS. IT ALSO PROVIDES
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION, THAT ADJUSTS QUESTIONS BASED ON
WHAT STUDENTS GET RIGHT/WRONG AND DRILLING DOWN TO THEIR
UNDERLYING MISCONCEPTIONS. IT ALSO HELPS TEACHERS PROVIDE
ASSIGNMENTS AND QUIZZES THAT ARE UNIQUELY GENERATED ACCORDING
TO EACH STUDENTS INTEREST. NO RED INKS COLOR CODED HEAT MAPS
FEATURE ALLOWS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO TRACK PROGRESS EASILY.
I CHOSE THIS BECAUSE OF ITS ABILITY TO TIER INSTRUCTION WHILE
OFFERING STUDENTS THE ASSIGNMENTS THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED.

ACCESS: HTTPS://WWW.NOREDINK.COM/

DRAGON DICTATION
THIS DICTATION APP TRANSCRIBES AND ALLOWS STUDENTS TO

SAVE TEXT, SEND IT, OR EVEN POST IT TO SOCIAL MEDIA. ELL AND
SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS OF ALL AGES CAN BENEFIT FROM THESE
FEATURES. IT ALLOWS THEM TO SEE THEIR TEXT IMMEDIATELY AFTER
SPEAKING. THE APP SUPPORTS A NUMBER OF LANGUAGES, MAKING
IT USEFUL FOR DUAL LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION. VERBAL LEARNERS
CAN TALK THROUGH THEIR IDEAS FOR PAPERS OR PROJECTS AND
EASILY SAVE THEM TO TEXT. THIS APP MAKES PARTICIPATING IN
CLASS ACCESSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE LEVELS OF STUDENTS. I CHOSE
THIS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS MY LOWER ELL STUDENTS TO
PARTICIPATE IN CLASS WITH MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS. IT
ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO PRACTICE FLUENCY AS WELL.

ACCESS: HTTPS://

ITUNES.APPLE.COM/US/APP/DRAGON-DICTATI
ON/ID341446764?MT=8

READING A-Z

READING A-Z HELPS ENSURE SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM AND

BEYOND WITH ENGAGING, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE
LEVELED BOOKS AT 27 READING LEVELS. THE GRADUATED LEVELS OF
DIFFICULTY BUILD STUDENTS' CONFIDENCE WHILE INCREASING
COMPREHENSION AND FLUENCY. THIS TOOL IS CRUCIAL TO
DECIPHERING WHERE MY STUDENTS READING LEVELS ARE AT.
AFTER THE FIRST ASSESSMENT IT ALLOWS ME TO TRACK THEIR
PROGRESS AS THEY MOVE FROM LEVEL TO LEVEL. THIS ALSO
ALLOWS CHOICE AS THEY CHOOSE WHICH BOOK TO READ WITHIN
THEIR LEVEL.IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE STUDENTS ARE SO
THAT YOU CAN PROPERLY DIFFERENTIATE AND MEET THEIR NEEDS.

ACCESS:
HTTPS://WWW.READINGA-Z.COM/BOOKS/LEVEL
ED-BOOKS
/

READ THEORY
READ THEORY IS ANOTHER WEB BASED TOOL THAT ALLOWS

STUDENTS TO BE TESTED AT THEIR CURRENT READING LEVEL.

THE GREAT PART ABOUT THIS TOOL IS THAT IT FORMS
SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES AROUND THE INFORMATION IN
WHICH EACH STUDENT STRUGGLES. READ THEORY TAKES IT A
STEP ABOVE AS IT INCORPORATES EVERYTHING FROM
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO SAT PREP. THIS ALSO ALLOWS
STUDENTS TO TRACK THEIR PROGRESS BASED ON THEIR
GROWTH. THIS WEBSITE BEGINS TO BUILD UP THE CONFIDENCE
THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. READ THEORY IS ANOTHER GREAT WAY
TO MANAGE PROGRESS THROUGH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

ACCESS: HTTP://READTHEORY.ORG

I-STATION
I-STATION DELIVERS INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, COMPLETE

WITH AGE-APPROPRIATE CONTENT FOR PRE-K THROUGH HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS. EACH STUDENTSCURRICULUM IS ADJUSTED
AUTOMATICALLY TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL ABILITY IN VARIOUS SKILL
LEVELS. THIS WEBSITE IS GREAT BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOOK AT THE
FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS THAT THE STUDENTS ARE LACKING. THIS
WEBSITE OFFERS INTERACTIVE LESSONS THAT INCORPORATE BOTH
GAMES AND AUDIO READINGS. IT ADDS A VISUAL ASPECT THAT
ALLOWS STUDENTS TO CLICK AND POINT ON THE WORD AS IT
READS. I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT HELPS STUDENTS WITH THE
VOCABULARY AND PROPER SKILLS THEY NEED TO LEARN AND
PRONOUNCE WORDS.

ACCESS: HTTP://WWW.ISTATION.COM/READING

SMITHSONIAN TWEEN TRIBUNE

THIS PAGE ALLOWS FOR STUDENTS TO PICK FROM THEIR VARIOUS
INTERESTS THAT RELATE BACK TO THEIR LEXILE LEVEL. THESE
TOPICS INCLUDE ENTERTAINMENT, SCIENCE, FASHION, SPORTS,
WORLD NEWS, ETC. ALL WRITTEN FOR STUDENTS. THEY ALSO
ALREADY INCLUDE QUESTIONS BASED ON THE LEXILE LEVEL THAT
THE STUDENT SELECTS TO READ. THIS IS A GREAT ACTIVITY WHEN
STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO PICK THEIR OWN ASSIGNMENT THAT IS
BASED ON THEIR INTEREST. THESE ARTICLES ARE EVERY
CAPTIVATING TO THEIR AGE GROUP AND GET THEM READY FOR
GREAT CLASS DISCUSSIONS. SINCE THEY ARE BASED ON LEXILE
LEVELS STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO MAKE GREAT CONVERSATION
REGARDLESS OF THEIR LEVEL.

ACCESS: HTTP://TWEENTRIBUNE.COM/

NEWSELA
NEWSELA ARTICLES ARE WRITTEN ABOUT NONFICTION LITERACY

AND CURRENT EVENTS AT DIFFERENT READING LEVELS. THIS IS ONE

OF MY FAVORITE SITES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME ARTICLES
IN DIFFERENT LEVELS. THIS ALLOWS FOR ME TO HAND OUT
ARTICLES TO EACH STUDENT THAT ARE ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC
WITH THE SAME INFORMATION. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE
READING LEVEL IS DIFFERENT. THIS ALLOWS FOR TWEENS TO FEEL
MORE COMFORTABLE AND INCREASE IN THE ABILITY TO WORK.
THIS ALSO PRODUCES THE SAME FINAL PRODUCT BUT THE
PROCESS OF LEARNING IS DIFFERENTIATED. THESE ARTICLES ALSO
SHOW THE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.

ACCESS: HTTPS://NEWSELA.COM /

SCHOLASTIC
THIS WEBSITE ALLOWS FOR STUDENTS TO PICK

DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO. I

USE THIS WEBSITE TO FIND MULTI-SENSORY ACTIVITIES
FOR MY STUDENTS TO ENGAGE ON. WE VOTE IN CLASS
SO THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GIVEN A CHOICE ON
THE CONTENT. THESE ACTIVITIES ALSO INCORPORATE
BOTH DIFFERENT LEVELS, DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES,
AND DIFFERENT INTERESTS. SCHOLASTIC ALSO HAS A
GREAT RESOURCE FOR TEACHING VOCABULARY AT VERY
DIFFERENT LEVELS.

ACCESS: HTTP://

WWW.SCHOLASTIC.COM/TEACHERS/STUDENT-AC
TIVITIES

INFORMATION

TOOLS FOR TEACHING: DITCHING THE DEFICIT MODEL

THIS ARTICLE WAS ABOUT THE NEED AND THE TOOLS THAT CAN BE

USED TO GAIN STUDENT KNOWLEDGE. IT WAS ALL ABOUT CREATING

THE INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING THAT THEY NEED IN THE
CLASSROOM. EVEN THOUGH THE TIPS WERE SHORT, THEY WERE
VERY IMPORTANT. BY GAINING DIFFERENT INFORMATION ABOUT
THE STUDENT, YOU BECOME A BETTER TEACHER FOR THEM. I THINK
THESE SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS REGARDLESS OF
WHAT LEVELS THEY TEACH. THIS GOES INTO ALL PARTS OF
DIFFERENTIATION. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THESE CHARACTERISTICS
ABOUT EACH STUDENT, THEIR GROWTH WILL NOT BE WHERE IT
NEEDS TO BE. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU BEGIN TO FIND THESE
OUT SO THAT YOU CAN MEET THEIR NEEDS.

ACCESS: HTTP://

WWW.EDUTOPIA.ORG/BLOG/TEACHING-TOOL-DIT
CHING-DEFICIT-MODEL-REBECCA-ALBER

5 GOOD TOOLS TO DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION

THIS ARTICLE WAS ALL ABOUT THE MULTIPLE WAYS TO EXTEND

CHOICES. EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDNT COVER EVERY ONE, THEY

MADE GREAT POINTS. THEY ALLOWED STUDENTS TO CHOOSE
WHAT CENTERS THEY WOULD FOCUS ON AND OTHER POSSIBLE
WAYS TO EXTEND THEIR LEARNING. THROUGH THE CLASSES THIS
YEAR I LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT CHOICE WAS FOR THEIR SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT. THIS ARTICLE TALKS ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT
YOU CAN EXTEND THOSE CHOICES. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
HAVE FRESH IDEAS ON THE TOPIC SO THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO VARY
IT FOR YOUR STUDENTS. THERE IS ALSO ROOM TO TWEAK AND
FIND OUT WHICH ONES WORK BEST FOR EACH STUDENTS.

ACCESS: HTTP://

OPENINGPATHS.ORG/BLOG/2014/08/FIVE-GOOD
-TOOLS-DI/

DIFFERENTIATION FOR GIFTED

THIS ARTICLE WAS ABOUT DIFFERENTIATING FOR THE GIFTED. I

CHOSE THIS ARTICLE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD MY

STUDENTS WERE ALL LOW THIS YEAR, SOME OF THEM EXCELLED
TREMENDOUSLY. I REALIZED THAT GIFTED COULD BE LOOKED AT IN
DIFFERENT WAYS. THIS ARTICLE TALKED ABOUT CHALLENGING THE
GIFTED STUDENTS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY
MASTER THE INFORMATION, THEY NEED TO BE PUSHED TO THE NEXT
LEVEL. EVERY STUDENT SHOULD GET THE HELP THEY NEED WHETHER
THEY ARE LOW OR HIGH. NEXT YEAR I WANT TO FOCUS ON
CHALLENGING MY GIFTED STUDENTS TO DO MORE AND PROCESS
MORE. GROWTH IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT REGARDLESS OF WHAT
LEVEL YOU ARE AT.

ACCESS: HTTP

://WWW.NSGT.ORG/DIFFERENTIATING-LEARNING
-FOR-GIFTED-STUDENTS
/

FLEXIBLE GROUPING
THIS ARTICLE WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT TALKED ABOUT WAYS
TO GROUP STUDENTS. I THINK THAT IN THE CLASSROOM THIS IS A
MAJOR NEED. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO GROUP STUDENTS CORRECTLY,
YOU CAN MOVE FROM TEACHER LED TO STUDENT LED. THIS IS
IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I WANT MY STUDENTS TO BEGIN TO
DEPEND ON EACH OTHER. THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENT THAT A LOT
OF MY STUDENTS NEED BECAUSE THEY ARE IN A STAGE OF GROUP
ACHIEVEMENT. I THINK WAYS TO GROUP STUDENTS CAN BEGIN
TO DIFFERENTIATE ITSELF. IN EACH GROUP THE PERSONALITIES,
SKILLS, AND EVEN CONVERSATIONS WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT.
GROUPS CAN PUSH INDIVIDUAL LEARNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

ACCESS: HTTP://

WWW.EDUPLACE.COM/SCIENCE/PROFDEV/ARTIC
LES/VALENTINO.HTML

DIFFERENTIATION FOR ELL

THIS ARTICLE FOCUSED ON ELL STUDENTS. I PICKED THIS

ARTICLE BECAUSE ELL STUDENTS MAKE UP A LARGE PORTION

OF DISD. THIS ARTICLE TALKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ONE
STUDENT BUT, ALSO ADDRESSED A LOT OF TECHNIQUES THAT
COULD BE USED FOR EVERY STUDENT. ONE PIECE OF THE
ARTICLE THAT STOOD OUT TO BE WAS WHEN IT SAID NO
METHOD WORKS ALL THE TIME. THIS QUOTE REMINDED ME OF
THE IMPORTANCE TO KEEP BUILDING MY TOOLBOX AND
CHANGING STRATEGIES FROM DAY TO DAY. IT HAD GREAT
TOOLS THAT COULD BE USED IN SIMPLE WAYS BUT MAKE
HUGE DIFFERENCES.

ACCESS: HTTP://

WWW.AMLE.ORG/BROWSEBYTOPIC/WHATSNEW/WN
DET/TABID/270/ARTMID/888/ARTICLEID/350
/DIFFERENTIATING-INSTRUCTION-FOR-ELLS.
ASPX

TWEENS
THIS ARTICLE WAS ALL ABOUT TWEENS AND HOW TO

DIFFERENTIATE FOR THEM. SINCE I AM TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL

IT, A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF DIFFERENTIATION IS HOLISTIC
TEACHING. THEY SHOWED TIPS ON HOW TO CATER YOUR TEACHING
TO THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS. ONE THAT IS GREAT WAS
FORMATIVE FEEDBACK IN SHORT FORMS. DUE TO THE FACT THAT
THEY HAVE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS AND DECREASED
MOTIVATION IT IS IMPORTANT TO GATHER IT QUICK AND FREQUENT.
I LIKED THIS BECAUSE I HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE GROWING
OUT OF THIS AGE GROUP BUT A LOT WHO ARE STILL IN IT. I THINK
THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE AGE GROUP THAT YOU
ARE WORKING IN.

ACCESS: HTTP://

WWW.ASCD.ORG/PUBLICATIONS/EDUCATIONALLEADERSHIP/APR06/VOL63/NUM07/DIFFERENT
IATING-FOR-TWEENS.ASPX

6 SCAFFOLDING STRATEGIES TO USE WITH YOUR STUDENTS

I LOVE THIS ARTICLE BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT SCAFFOLDING

IN DIFFERENT WAYS. MOST PEOPLE WHEN THEY REFER TO

SCAFFOLDING, THEY ONLY TALK ABOUT QUESTIONS. BY USING
THESE SCAFFOLDING SKILLS YOU CAN ADDRESS ALL TYPES OF
LEARNERS AND STYLES. I THINK THESE SCAFFOLDING
TECHNIQUES ARE A GREAT WAY TO GET ALL STUDENTS
INVOLVE . THESE TECHNIQUES INCLUDE TALKING ABOUT
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE WHICH ENGAGES DIVERSE
LEARNERS. IT ALSO ADDRESSES THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
NEEDS. I BELIEVE THAT THESE STRATEGIES CAN BE USED
INFORMALLY EVERYDAY TO DIFFERENTIATE FOR STUDENTS.

ACCESS: HTTP://

WWW.EDUTOPIA.ORG/BLOG/SCAFFOLDING-LESS
ONS-SIX-STRATEGIES-REBECCA-ALBER