Implementing Common Core:A Focus on Early Literacy

Module 1 – Overview of ELA Common Core State Standards for

Elementary Administrators

Presenters:

LaRae Blomquist, Geri Keskeys, and Arthetta Meeks

April 2013

Outcomes:Participants will understand the:

1.Connection between reading-foundational skills and reading comprehension

2.Foundation of speaking/listening standards3.Reading-literature and reading-informational

text standards4.Connection between reading and writing

Module Design

Administrative perspective Balance between information

and application

Depth vs. breadth

Take-away (and bring back) resources

Logistics

Contents of binder:• CCSS• Resources/notes• Shanahan on Literacy blog post!!• Possible resources for PLC work• Handouts for the training

Please bring your binders to each meeting.

Parking LotPlease write questions that tangentially relate to this module 1 training (e.g., will you be addressing structured student interaction during the K-2 training?) on a post-it note, and place it on the parking lot at an appropriate time.

Logistics ContinuedHandouts/powerpoints found on the EGUSD

website for CCSS

Purpose of Modules

Provide intense CCSS curricular training for elementary administrators

Support individual sites with a variety of resources that may be strategically used

NOTE: This is not meant to be a TOT-approach to CCSS early literacy.

Purpose of THIS Module

Provide an overview of CCSS to set the context for upcoming modules

Address some immediately applicable CCSS issues from an administrative perspective with a focus on grades K-3

One Early Literacy CCSS Shift• Simultaneous work of learning to read AND

reading to make meaning

+

“The low-level literacy work of sound-letter correspondence and so on—work that dominated the National Reading Panel report (2000) that has undergirded NCLB for years—has been, thankfully, marginalized in its own separate section of the CCSS. That work doesn’t even qualify as part of the reading and writing standards. Reading, in the Common Core, is making meaning.”

--Dr. Lucy Calkins (p.24 Pathways to the Common Core)

Reading-Foundational Skills

1. Print Concepts

2. Phonological Awareness

3. Phonics and Word Recognition

4. Fluency

“Accomplishment of foundational standards in the early grades should not be thought of as a prerequisite to other aspects of the ELA standards. Instruction in foundational skills should occur in concert with instruction related to Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language” (Overturf & Shanahan et.al., 2012).

READING in CCSS - Activity

Blocks represent R-FS + specific reading

standards and corresponding intervention

READING in CCSS - Activity

Size of blocks = Proportionate amount of

time

READING in CCSS - Activity

White

backgro

und = reading c

omprehensio

n

READING in CCSS – Activity

DIRECTIONS – In partners:

1.Examine the 4 color-blocked pages2.Physically arrange handouts from K-3rd based on content and proportionate amount of time3.Be prepared to discuss rationale

( 3 minutes)

Discussion Questions:

How do the size and presence of the colored blocks graphically inform your understanding of Reading-Foundational Skills?

As you analyze the areas that decrease and in some cases drop off, what are the implications for you as an administrator?

What interventions are currently in place or need to be in place?

READING in CCSS – Activity

READING in CCSS – Activity

Points to Ponder:

As you visit classrooms, do the blocks of time represent instructional minute allotment?

Speaking/Listening boxes remain the same size; what is the significance for classroom instruction?

Outcome #1 – “Big Ideas”Connection between

reading-foundational skills and reading comprehension

Targeted intervention

Explicit instruction for both foundational skills AND comprehension

Prominence of Speaking & Listening

Speaking and Listening Standards

Comprehension and Collaboration Standards 1-3

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas Standards 4-6

Examination of S/L StandardsRESOURCES NEEDED:• Standards document• Progression of Speaking & Listening handout

BLUE HANDOUT IN BINDER

Compare CCSS Verbiage to Progression Handout

Examining the Standards ActivityDIRECTIONS

1.Read through the standards progression handout horizontally.2.Once complete, read the document vertically3.Note the use of common terminology and expectations between S/L and Reading standards.

PURPOSE:

•Familiarity with S/L standards

•Recognition of “building” up

through grades

•Understanding of explicit tie

between S/L and R

Table Discussion:•What type of student interactions do you most often observe in classrooms?

Structured Student Interaction

Speaking/Listening - CCSS

Gradual Release of Responsibility

Explicit Direct Instruction (TAPPLE)

ELD Modes of Communication

BUILDING SHARED

KNOWLEDGE OF SSI

Components of SSIRead and Discuss: What components of SSI are most

absent in the average classroom?

Assessing Structured Student Interaction

Consider the components of exemplary SSI.View the video to determine which

components exist.If the SSI viewed was typical of all teachers at

the school, what predictions could be made about which students would be able to demonstrate learning?

Connection to ELD

Outcome #2 – “Big Ideas”Foundation of speaking/listening standards

Parallel S/L and Reading expectations

Structured student interaction expectations

S/L connection to ELD modes of communication

Outcome #3 – Understanding the Reading Standards

Evaluating Quality Reading Questions

DIRECTIONS:Examine Exhibit A (green handout)Exhibit A lists the Open Court questions for

each selection.In partners, evaluate the rigor of the questions

based on your understanding of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Costa’s Levels of Questions, and/or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

Elevating Rigor

• As a table group, use your prior knowledge of the story, “Cinderella,” to write 1-2 questions that require higher-level thinking. (4 minutes)

• Be prepared to share your best question with the group.

“Map” the Reading Standards for Higher-Level Questions Created

Examine the standards on p. 1 to determine the CCSS alignment.What is the result of developing

questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy (et al) versus basing a

question on a CCSS reading standard?

AH-HAs

A focus on critical-thinking without an

emphasis on standards alignment will present

an obstacle to implementing the CCSS.

A Look at CCSS-Aligned Questions

But first…

a reminder of the organization and relationship of the reading standards.

Inter-relationship of Reading Standards 1-10

CCSS #1 Reading Comprehension– cite evidence

(explicit & inferential)

CCSS #10 Comprehend grade-level literature

CCSS #2-9 Specific standards w/expectations

Text-Dependent Nature of Reading Standards

Differences Between Text Dependent vs. Text Related vs.

Text Inspired Questions

• Text Dependent

• Text Related

• Text Inspired

WARNING: Text-Dependent Questions are not literal, “right there” questions. They are questions

that require an examination of the text and ask students to critically think.

Avoiding Implementation Pitfalls

Design questions by looking at the standards rather than starting with the text selection.

Recognize that not all selections will be appropriate vehicles for some standards.

Compare/Contrast Exhibit A & C

As an administrator, you will not need to craft reading questions, but you WILL need to recognize if the questions you observe in classes are aligned to CCSS.

DISCUSS:• What makes the Exhibit C questions discernible

as aligned to CCSS?• How do they vary from the former standards?

Anchor Standards - Reading

YELLOW HANDOUT IN BINDER

Using the Anchor Standards to “Own” Big Picture

One set of reading

anchor standards

Notice Subheadings

NOTE: The anchor standards about to be addressed are NOT to be confused with what we think of as power standards.•Not in legal-size document•Intended to define intent of

each standard•Exist for all 4 ELA strands:

reading, writing, speaking/listening, and

language

Drilling Down for Key Standards

PINK HANDOUT

Drilling Down for Key Standards

DIRECTIONS:Examine Reading-Lit standard 5 and Reading-Info Text standard 7.Trace how those key standards build.Compare how they relate to the anchor standard.

Debrief

• How might the anchor standards aid you as an administrator?

• Would it be valuable to share anchor standards with your site at this time? Why or why not?

Additional Resources

Thank you, Delaware

Department of Education!

Additional ResourcesLegend for graphic organizerLiterary concept organizerGrade-specific question frames/examples

Additional ResourcesLegend for graphic organizer

Additional ResourcesLiterary concept organizer

Additional ResourcesGrade-specific question frames/examples

Outcome #3 – “Big Ideas”Understanding the reading-literature and

reading-informational text standards

Anchor standards provide intent of standard

Reading #1 – umbrella for reading comprehension

#2-#9 require purposeful questioning

Outcome #4 – Connecting Reading to Writing

Organization of Standards (pp. 4-5)

• Text Type and Purposes (1-3)1. Opinion/argument2. Informational Explanatory3. Narrative

• Production and Distribution of Writing (4-6)• Research to Build and Present Knowledge (7-9)• Range of Writing (10)

Sort Activity

PURPOSE:1.Clarify what is meant by “connecting reading to writing.”

SORT Activity

Sort the writing prompts into two piles—those prompts that demand critical thinking from students vs. those prompts that are more likely to require recall/literal reading comprehension

Debrief “Answers”

• Critical-Thinking Prompts: A, B, F, G, H

• Recall/Literal Reading Comprehension: C, D, ERecall/Literal Reading

Comprehension prompts tend to be

created by starting with the text rather than a reading

standard!

“Map” Critical-Thinking Prompts to Reading Standards

In partners:

1.Look at the prompts that are deemed as needing more critical thinking.

2.Identify which reading standard corresponds to each writing prompt.

Reflection/Discussion Questions

• What AH-HAs did you have?• As an instructional/curriculum leader, what

steps would you need to take to determine where your staff is with regard to connecting reading to writing?

• Where might you start to gather such information?

Outcome #4 – “Big Ideas”Connection between reading and writing

Consider writing task AS the assessment

Start with a reading standard.

Next, determine purpose of writing (W 1-3).

Evaluations•Please fill out the evaluation forms provided.

•Specific feedback is greatly appreciated in the comment section to better address the needs of administrators.