Which strategy would best differentiate a retelling assessment for advanced readers?

• A. having them summarize the story in a few sentences
• B. asking them to elaborate on specific story elements
• C. providing a multiple-choice summary
• D. giving them a prompt to change the story ending

Answer: (B)

The option that suggests asking advanced readers to elaborate on specific story elements is particularly effective for differentiating a retelling assessment. Advanced readers generally possess a deeper understanding of the text and can analyze complex ideas and themes within a narrative. By encouraging them to focus on specific elements—such as character motivations, themes, or plot structure—you allow them to demonstrate their reading comprehension at a higher level.

This approach not only assesses their ability to recall events from the story but also evaluates their critical thinking and analytical skills. Advanced readers can engage more deeply with the text, making connections and interpretations that reflect their sophisticated understanding. In contrast, the other options tend to be less challenging or do not fully leverage the capabilities of advanced readers, as they focus more on surface-level comprehension or do not encourage deeper analysis of the text.