#7: The ACED System for Differentiated Reading Instruction
Many teachers struggle with meeting the diverse reading needs of their students. With so many different skill levels in one classroom, how can you ensure that every child gets the instruction they need without drowning in lesson planning? Enter The ACED system for differentiated reading instruction—a simple, four-step framework that helps teachers streamline their approach and get big reading growth with less prep time.
What Is the ACED System?
The ACED system follows four key steps to differentiate reading instruction effectively:
- Assess – Identify students’ starting points.
- Create Groups – Sort students by skill level.
- Establish Goals – Set achievable end-of-year targets.
- Design a Year-Long Plan – Use backward planning to map out lessons.
Let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Assess Students’ Reading Skills
Before you can effectively differentiate instruction, you need to pinpoint where students are starting. Assessments should focus on key reading skills, such as:
- Phonemic awareness
- Letter sounds and decoding
- High-frequency words
- Fluency and comprehension
By understanding where students are in their reading journey, you avoid reteaching what they already know and can focus on what they actually need.
Step 2: Create Skill-Based Reading Groups
Once you have assessment data, the next step is to group students with similar learning needs. Instead of trying to plan 25 individual lessons, look for patterns in the data. You might have groups working on:
- Letter sounds
- Digraphs and blends
- Fluency and decoding
Grouping students ensures that you can target instruction effectively without overwhelming yourself with excessive planning.
Step 3: Establish “Just-Right” Goals for Each Group
Think of goal-setting like using a GPS: You need both a starting point and a destination to map a path forward.
For example, if a group is currently learning letter sounds, their goal might be to read silent E words by year’s end. Setting clear end-of-year goals ensures that every group is making measurable progress.
Step 4: Design a Year-Long Plan Using Backward Planning
Backward planning makes lesson prep faster and easier. Here’s how:
- Start by identifying the final skill each group needs to master.
- Work backward to break it down into monthly or biweekly learning objectives.
- Map out instruction in a logical sequence that builds on prior knowledge.
This approach ensures that you cover all essential skills in the right order and can adjust pacing based on student progress.
Why the ACED System Works
- It simplifies differentiation by breaking it into clear, manageable steps.
- It reduces prep time since you’re planning for groups, not individuals.
- It maximizes student progress by ensuring targeted, skill-based instruction.
Bringing It All Together
Using The ACED system for differentiated reading instruction, you can effectively meet students where they are, set meaningful goals, and create a structured plan—without burning out.
Want More Support?
For ready-to-use lesson plans and research-backed strategies, join The Science of Reading Formula—your go-to resource for effective early literacy instruction. Click here to enroll now!
LINKS
Become a Science of Reading Formula member!
GRAB THE FREE ScOPE AND SEQUENCE
Click the big blue “DOWNLOAD HERE” button below to print the scope and sequence I mentioned in this episode.
WHAT TO LISTEN TO NEXT
Rate, Review, and Follow
If you loved this episode, please take a minute to rate and review my show! That helps the podcast world know that this show is worth sharing with other educators just like you.
Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review”. Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!
While you’re there, be sure to follow the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and I don’t want you to miss out! Follow right here.
