A typical English class contains students who read Chopin for fun and students who struggled through the first three chapters. Both are expected to write an essay about Edna Pontellier. Both deserve an assignment that lets them show what they can do.

Differentiation is often described as making several assignments, which sounds like several times the grading. It does not have to be. The most practical version keeps the same core task and changes the supports around it.

The Awakening is well suited to this approach. It is short, it has clear images to work with, and its central question about Edna's choices can be approached at several depths. A struggling reader and an advanced reader can both make a meaningful argument about it.

The key principle is to keep the expectations high while adjusting the path. Students who need more support should still be asked to think. They just get more structure to help them get there.

Adjust the supports, not the standard

Offer scaffolds that students can opt into. Some will need a graphic organizer, some a sentence frame, and some nothing. Letting students choose their level of support gives them ownership.

• Provide a choice of two or three prompts at different levels of complexity
• Offer an optional outline template with sentence starters for claims and analysis
• Allow students to discuss ideas aloud with a partner before writing
• Give extended time or a shorter word count where accommodations call for it
• Offer stretch options, such as connecting the novel to another text, for advanced writers

Use one rubric for everyone

A single rubric keeps the grading coherent. Students at different levels will land in different places on it, and that is fine. The rubric shows each student where they are and what to work on next.

Write descriptors at each level that make sense for growth. A student with a developing claim should see what a stronger claim would look like. This turns the rubric into a map instead of a judgment.

Accommodations and modifications

Follow each student's documented plans carefully. An accommodation, such as extra time or speech-to-text, changes access. A modification changes the expectation, and it should be handled through the appropriate process with your special education team.

Keep feedback specific and encouraging. Students who struggle often get comments only about what is wrong. Naming what they did well helps them build on it.

Keeping the grading load reasonable

More variety in the assignment can mean more variety in the papers. A rubric-based tool such as GraideMind can help by applying the same criteria to every essay and drafting feedback tailored to what each student wrote. You then adjust the tone and priorities for individual students.

Whatever the approach, look at growth as well as the final product. A student who moves from a summary essay to a genuine argument has done something significant. Say so, and they will keep going.