Spot the Difference–Accommodation or Modification: Reflective Practice

Meeting the needs of multiple writers will never stop being a challenge. Often, teachers find themselves juggling the curriculum while modifying it to fill gaps or accommodating to create accessibility to the instruction. This can quickly become a mixture that blurs the expectations we hope students will achieve. 

The Context: In my seventh-grade classroom, many students have documented needs with accommodations via IEPs or 504 plans. However, many students face challenges accessing grade-level content without documented needs. My classroom dynamics continuously require me to reflect on how I create accessibility for all students to learn and reach their writing potential. 

How it Works: When planning instruction for a diverse group of learners, I have to weigh the readiness for the skill. This includes planning:

• Accommodations
• Scaffolds
• Modifications
• Tools for Independence

Along with all of this, I have to be careful not to overscaffold or support where students should be doing the heavy lifting.

One Small Shift: As you consider reflecting on the ways you build accessibility, think about what small adjustments can be made to work toward independence. For students with significant gaps in their understanding, this may include using modifications to meet them where they are. For others, it may require accommodations like visual reminders or more frequent check-ins to monitor a student’s progress. Either way, creating accessibility leads writers toward confidence and success.

Digging Deeper: For more ideas on how to build accessibility and reflect on your instructional practices, check out this episode of the Two Writing Teacher Podcast, where Stacey Shubitz and Melanie Meehan discuss Accommodations to Access Writing Instruction.