Secondary ELAR Instructional PrioritiesILT

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

Priority 1: Increase Academic Vocabulary

Vocabulary is a cornerstone for all comprehension

Scores are inconsistent

It is a process: “Understanding the processes of word formation will generate

student learning about thousands of words that students will encounter in their instruction and independent reading.” (Templeton, 2004, p. 9)

Word Within a Word

Focuses on word parts

The plan: 5 stems a cycle for on level, 10 stems a cycle for PAP

The routine: Day 1: introduction of stems

Day 2: memorization activity

Day 3: memorization activity

Day 4: application activity

Day 5: assessment (initially based on recall)

Logistics

3-5 minutes daily or every other day (a cycle can be 5 or 10 days as determined by the PLC)

Stems are repeated throughout cycles- it’s not a one and done

Consistency is key

Priority 2:Implementation of Workshop

Minilesson

WorkTime

Debrief

Key Components

Process Writing

Calibration

Reading both inside and outside of class

Two published pieces each six weeks

Portfolios (notebooks)

Independent reading

Use of rubrics (Lesson Plan)

50/50 split of fiction and non fiction

Community

Evidence of student work

Evidence of student learning

Celebrations

Biographies

What I like about me

Theme statements

Found poems

Celebrating Data

What Does a BISD Abydos Literacy Classroom Look Like?

Teachers Studentsfoster a love-of-language through discussion

and interaction with mentor textsread and write daily in class

teach grammar through writing process and not in isolation

choose their own writing topics whenever possible

proudly display student writing on classroom and hallway walls

help develop grading rubrics for writing and reading projects

read and write with students and share own reading and writing with students

conference with teacher often about reading and writing

use consistent and common high-level academic vocabulary across grade levels

share writing with peers in class and through publication

evaluate and asses student writing progress through portfolios

read and write outside of class

teach writing with an emphasis on process not product

explore many different authentic reading and writing genres

differentiate writing instruction by product, process, and content

discuss reading and writing choices often in class

implement Abydos strategies (ie. ratiocination, grouping, clocking, etc.) frequently

learn skills, techniques, and habits of effective reading and writing through meaningful and authentic

tasks

What does this look like in the classroom?

Priority 3:Close Reading

Close reading is an instructional routine in which students are guided in their understanding of complex texts (p. 1)

Brown & Kappes (2012) state “ Close reading of text involves an investigation of a short piece of text, with multiple readings done over multiple instructional lessons. Through text-based questions and discussion, students are guided to deeply analyze and appreciate various aspects of the text, such as attention to form, tone, imagery, and/or rhetorical devices; the significance of word choice and syntax; and the discovery of different levels of meaning as passages are read multiple times.”

Book Study

Necessary Features

Short but complex passages

Repeated readings

Annotation

Collaborative conversations about the text, including argumentation

Students have to be interacting with others in such a way as to facilitate one another’s understanding of the text.

Text Dependent Questions Require that students provide evidence from the text as part of their

response. Questions are not recall- they focus on various aspects of the text,

including structure, what it means, and what logical inferences can be drawn (Fisher and Frey, 2015, p. 5)

Phases of Close Reading

What does the text say?

How does the text work?

What does the text mean?

What does the text inspire you to do?

Things to Remember:

We need to thoughtfully and intentionally allow for problems to emerge

Students need to develop habits of mind including problem solving

To remove all or most problems or struggles removes the need for the students to use any reading and writing strategies we have taught them to use

Resolving problems builds stamina, persistence, and confidence (p. 11)

Select text that challenge students without overwhelming, but with an eye to growth over the course of the year (text should get harder as the year progresses)

Where we are now:

We have moved through two chapters: what close reading is and what does the text say

The process of annotation should be beginning- what and how

Continuing with book study October 9

High Expectations