📖 Science of Reading + Diffit Toolkit

You don’t need a new curriculum to align with the Science of Reading. With Diffit and clear routines, you can make evidence‑based reading practice part of your day while keeping content rigorous and engaging. The activities below support decoding, fluency, vocabulary, background knowledge, language structures, and discussion.

How to Use This Toolkit

Start small, then scale. Pair these activities with Diffit’s leveled texts, images, and question sets. Use in whole‑group, small‑group, or independent reading, and adjust supports based on student needs.

• Begin with one or two activities and repeat them across new texts.
• Mix levels so all readers access the same content goal.
• Layer vocabulary or sentence‑level supports where needed.

🧱 Foundational Skills: Decoding & Fluency

Build accuracy, automaticity, and phrasing with content‑rich, level‑appropriate texts.

• Reading Passage: Short, leveled texts for guided or independent oral reading—track accuracy and rate.
• Cloze Reading: Use context to supply missing words—supports decoding, prosody, and meaning making.
• Reading with Image: Pair text with visuals to anchor word recognition and reduce cognitive load.
• Read and Annotate: Mark unfamiliar words and syllables, then reread for smoother fluency.

📚 Vocabulary & Language Development

Make word learning explicit and connected to the text.

• Key Vocabulary: Teach high‑utility terms with student‑friendly definitions tied to the passage.
• Key Vocabulary with Images: Add visuals to boost concept knowledge and memory.
• Visual Vocabulary Practice: Sort or match terms to reinforce meaning in context.
• Frayer Model: Vocabulary: Deepen understanding with examples, non‑examples, and characteristics.

🧠 Comprehension & Background Knowledge

Guide readers to extract, connect, and synthesize ideas.

• Main Idea (By Paragraph): Identify central ideas and key details step by step.
• Making Inferences: Combine clues and prior knowledge to infer meaning.
• Visual Summary By Paragraph: Convert key points into visuals to cement understanding.
• Multiple Choice Questions: Quick checks aligned to comprehension targets.

🔤 Language Structures

Strengthen syntax and text‑structure awareness to support comprehension and writing.

• 8 Parts of Speech: Build grammar awareness to support decoding and sentence sense.
• Causes and Effects: Analyze relationships to understand how ideas connect.
• Compare and Contrast: Examine similarities and differences across passages or levels.
• First, Then, Finally: Practice clear sequencing for narrative and informational texts.

🗣️ Oral Language & Discussion

Use structured talk to rehearse language and strengthen comprehension.

• Group Discussion: Prompt evidence‑based talk with targeted questions.
• Think Pair Share: Rehearse ideas aloud before writing or responding.
• Partner Share: Practice academic vocabulary and sentence frames in pairs.
• Reading with Discussion Questions: Blend close reading with accountable talk moves.

💡 Tips for Using Diffit with the Science of Reading

• Match text level to decoding needs using Reading Passage, then progress to the original text.
• Front‑load with Key Vocabulary or Key Vocabulary with Images, then move into Main Idea (By Paragraph).
• Alternate Cloze Reading and Read and Annotate to build fluency and comprehension.
• Use discussion (e.g., Think Pair Share) before written products like Short Answer Questions or CER Open Ended Question.

Let Diffit support your Science of Reading implementation so every student builds the skills to read with confidence and purpose.