Few common teacher instructional practices have generated more pejorative comments than targeted worksheets for independent practice. For example, for many teachers, the adjectival phrase, “drill and kill,” must precede the noun, “worksheets.” And teachers who use such worksheets are often labeled as “lazy, traditional, ignorant of educational research, and/or weak in behavioral management skills.” Especially guilty of malpractice are those who use workbooks, filled to the brim with worksheets.
However, the dirty little secret is that may of us teachers do use targeted worksheets for independent practice during small group reading or ELA instruction. It may be time for us to come out of the closet, as Dr. Tim Shanahan has done in his August 31, 2024 Shanahan on Literacy blog, titled “Seatwork that Makes Sense for Reading.” Tim admits, “Like most professors, I have long looked askance at worksheets and their role in reading instruction (though I had relied upon them as a teacher).”
Now when teachers read an article from the Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead researcher on the National Reading Panel, we expect Tim to cite the relevant research on the topic i.e., independent practice worksheets.
However, Tim comments, “Except there is no body of research on seatwork (just one study as far as I can tell—and, though helpful, it doesn’t even attempt to describe appropriate instruction in any kind of specific detail).”
The study Dr. Shanahan refers to (Amendum, et al., 2024) “…was a correlational study, which identified how time was spent in classrooms and its relationship to learning to read. It found that the most effective teachers were using a combination of authentic texts and worksheets, etc. Unlike in some past studies, there was no particular benefit to using one type of material over another — in other words, they did see some learning gains due to use of seatwork activities” (Shanahan’s Comments).
So from Tim’s review of this one relevant study and his informed opinion, this noted researcher and former teacher concludes, “Good teachers often use a mix of direct instruction along with some practice sheets.”
Now of course, Tim’s conclusions, which I whole-heartedly share, beg too many questions to fully answer here; however, if we agree that direct, explicit, whole-class instruction is our priority, but some small group work is necessary to differentiate instruction, it makes sense that the independent worksheets and/or activities we use in our classrooms during small group instruction need to be carefully designed to maximize learning.
My view is that independent practice should be targeted to specific, diagnostically assessed literacy deficits. And worksheet practice should conclude with formative assessment to determine mastery of the practiced concept or skill.
My Targeted Independent Practice series supports teachers with quality assessment-based independent learning. Each program includes 1. A comprehensive diagnostic assessment to determine student needs 2. Targeted worksheets corresponding to the specific diagnostic test components 3. Formative assessments to determine mastery. View each program in its entirety.
*** Reading Fluency and Comprehension
*** Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
*** Executive Function and Study Skills
Not sure if your students need interventions? Download the free Targeted Independent Practice Diagnostic Assessments and let the data inform your instructional decision-making.
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Diagnostic reading and ELA assessments, each with its recording matrix.
From the store · grades 4–adult
Essential Study Skills
Self-guided lessons on motivation, organization, memory and test preparation that students can run without you. $29.99, licensed per teacher.
Questions teachers ask
Is there a free study-skills assessment?
Yes. The executive function and study skills assessment is part of the free toolkit and comes with its recording matrix.
Do I have to buy anything to use the assessments?
No. Every diagnostic assessment on this site is free. Enter your email on the Free Assessment Toolkit page and the diagnostic assessments arrive as downloads, each with its recording matrix.
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Every program is a digital download licensed for one teacher. School and district purchase orders are accepted through the store.
Mark Pennington, M.A. Reading Specialist
Thirty-six years teaching ELA and reading, elementary through community college, plus district reading specialist. He wrote every program on this site.
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