Guide to the Language Arts Block Christina School District2011-2012

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The Language Arts Block Handbook

“Your Guide for all things ELA”

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20 minutes Whole GroupComprehension/Fluency(Comprehension skill; choral, echo, partner, whisper read selection)10 minutes Whole GroupVocabulary (Anthology Selection, Text Talk, Elements of Reading, Curious About Words, Read Aloud, etc.)

10 minutes Whole Group

Phonics instruction**Whole group Phonics Instruction should only occur when the skills being taught are part of the grade level scope and sequence/pacing guide. Otherwise, phonics instruction should occur in small, flexible groups.

10 minutes Whole Group

Daily Read Aloud****Read Alouds can happen inside or outside of the Language Arts block. They may be part of your vocabulary instruction, writing mini lesson, or comprehension skill building lesson.

45-60 Minutes Small Flexible Rotating Groups/Centers

15-20 Minutes needs based small group instruction15-20 Minutes needs based small group instruction 15-20 Minutes needs based small group instruction

35-45 Minutes Whole Group

Writers Workshop 5-10 minute Mini-Lesson with or without Read Aloud 1-2 minute quick Status of the Class update (identify stage of writing process- prewriting, drafting, editing, revising, publishing)

15-20 minutes Writing and Teacher/Student Conferencing 5 minute Sharing (Students rotate on a Flexible day schedule)

Sample Components/Timeframe of Language Arts BlockESSENTIAL QUESTIONS MUST BE POSTED

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Christina Language Arts Block K-5All students will receive 135 minutes of literacy instruction daily. (Reading and Writing)

Word Work (15 minutes)•Phonemic Awareness•Phonological Awareness •Phonics•Vocabulary•Use your Common Core and Journeys Teachers Edition to guide your word work

Teacher Directed (20-30 minutes)•Use the comprehension skill from the Common Core and Journeys Teachers Edition to guide the Teacher directed lesson•Essential Questions listed on Grade Level matrix may differ from those found in Teachers Edition and Focus Wall. The updated EQ’s align more closely with the Common Core will provide greater depth of knowledge. •May use text or passages from Journeys, Supplemental Read Alouds, Science kit readers, Social Studies textbooks, Time for Kids Readers, etc. Remember the focus is on the skill /strategy. •Teachers may use instructional delivery methods found in Journeys Teachers Edition or Sample Acquisition lessons found in elementary reading shared drive \\clshare\Elem_reading. •Keep whole group practice/assignments out of this block and save for flexible group time.

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Flexible Group (20 minutes x 2) or (15 minutes x 3)•Students will be broken into flexible groups based upon skill.•Teacher must meet with the lowest group(s) EVERY day.•Save this time for independent practice work based.

• assign something for all other students to do based on teacher directed lesson and then pull your low group first to provide more assistance/alternative assignments for them (remember these assignments must be meaningful and not just busy work).

•Centers for students not working with you should directly tie to what you have been teaching from the Teacher Directed Lesson or small flexible groups. There may be one review center for previously learned skills.

• Purpose: extra practice on what has been taught during word work and the teacher directed lesson.

• Center options can be found in your Journeys Teacher’s Edition and on Literacy Links at: http://www.christina.k12.de.us/LiteracyLinks/elemresources/center_resources.htm

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Suggested Centers•Review of Skills and Strategies Previously Taught Center•Fluency Center (fluency practice, re-reading, partner reading)•Word Work Center (activity can support grade level scope and sequence skills and/or needs based skills; can use frayer model to help support vocabulary concepts)•Reading Independently Center (Self Directed Reading and/or using the graphic organizer)•Writing in Response to Reading Center (writing from their graphic organizer, answering text based questions, or making connections to text)•Listening & Speaking Center (listen to anthology story, listen to key pieces of literature, recording your reading or thoughts/retellings and sharing with a partner)•Technology Center (Learning Point Navigator Assignments, Kidspiration, Inspiration, Think Central, www.Thinkfinity.org, MS Word publishing of written responses, www.starfall.com, www.pbskids.org, www.wegivebooks.org, etc.)•For additional resources refer to Literacy Links at http://www.christina.k12.de.us/literacylinks/elemresources/ElemResources.htm

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Writing Block (35-45 minutes)•Use Direct instruction (Mini Lessons)

• Use Journeys Teachers Edition and/or Writing Curriculum Binder

•Address the Writing Process•Common Core Writing Priority Focus Areas

• How to Write a Paragraph• Narrative Writing• Letter writing• Descriptive Writing• Informative/Explanatory Writing – Structures

(comparing/contrast essay, Chronological essay, cause/effect, problem/solution)

• Persuasive/Construct Support• Research http://www.christina.k12.de.us/LiteracyLinks/elemresources/writing_resources.htm

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Intervention Block: http://www.christina.k12.de.us/LiteracyLinks/elemresources/rti_resources.htm •Tier III students get both the 135 minutes language arts block daily and an additional 150 minutes of Tier III intervention services weekly outside the language arts block. •Tier II students get both the 135 minutes reading block daily and an additional 90 minutes of Tier II intervention services weekly outside the language arts block.

Tier III group•This group must receive 30 minutes additional instruction daily.•These should be students who need supplemental instruction.•Tier III students must be progress monitored weekly.•Intervention done with this group must remain needs based supported by data. •Strategy/skill intervention should not be switched until progress monitoring data supports further/different instruction.•While this group is working, other students should be working on extended thinking tasks (ex: Literature Circles, Book Clubs, Projects, Learning Point Navigator, Accelerated Reader, Scholastic Reading Counts, etc.)

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Intervention Block, Continued:Tier II Group:•This group must receive additional instruction 90 minutes weekly.•These should be students who need supplemental instruction.•Tier II students must be progress monitored weekly.•Intervention done with this group must remain needs based.•Strategy/skill intervention should not be switched until progress monitoring data supports further/different instruction.•While this group is working, other students should be working on extended thinking tasks (ex: Literature Circles, Book Clubs, Projects, Learning Point Navigator, Accelerated Reader, Scholastic Reading Counts, etc.)

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Response to Intervention• What’s New to Elementary RtI in CSD?• Math intervention is now added

• Strategic—math only 90 minutes per week• Strategic—reading and math 120 per week• Intensive—math only 150 minutes per week• Intensive—reading and math180 minutes per week

• 20% rule• If 20% of students in a classroom are not meeting BM on any

instructional screening, a school based team shall meet to consider needs for additional classroom support and strategies. 12.10 DOE RtI

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Response to Intervention• IEP • IEP team to consider child’s PM data when developing,

reviewing, or revising the IEP• Team must check for improvement to the point that special

education and related services may no longer be required…school shall initiate a reevaluation. 12.9 DOE RtI

• I Tracker Pro• Teachers and administrators will use the I Tracker Pro system to

input and track student information and data.

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Response to Intervention• How is I-Tracker Pro making life easier? • Teachers enter data into system• Some data is automatically pulled from eSchool, mClass, DCAS,

Renaissance Place, etc. • They no longer need paper/pencil data collection forms such as…

• group summary for PM • RtI Referral forms

• I-Tracker Pro stores this data for us

• The Most updated RtI Handbook can be found on the RtI page of Literacy Links at http://www.christina.k12.de.us/literacylinks/elemresources/rti_resources.htm

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HMH Journeys HMH 2011 Journeys

•Integrated Reading, Language Arts, Writing•Uses latest research to help students become successful readers and writers•Uses the best new literature to introduce Concept of Prints, Anthology short stories, Big Books, Read Alouds, and Trade Books• •Balanced:•Encompasses all 5 strands (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Fluency)•Skills and Strategies are reinforced throughout•Focus is on both written and oral comprehension

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HMH Journeys Instructional Practices Include:•Clear Goals and Expectations•Explicit Instruction•Aligned Standards and Instructional Practices•Rich practices to develop students who can read, write, and speak well•5 strands woven together•Supports ELL with • rich visual context pictures • child friendly sentences to introduce vocabulary and connects to

meaning

• HMH resources are Language Support and Vocabulary in Context Cards and the Curious about Words 15

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HMH Journeys--Pacing Guides

• Pacing Guides Follow the Scope and Sequence of the HMH Journeys Program

• One for each grade level K-5• Aligns and connects to Common Core State Standards• They can be found on Literacy Links at

http://www.christina.k12.de.us/literacylinks/elemresources/pacing_guides1011.htm

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HMH Journeys Differentiated Instruction:The Grab and Go Kit has an abundance of resources to support the teacher edition (Journeys) from the struggling reader all the way to the advanced reader. There are a variety of other materials available to teachers to target and differentiate instruction: Reading/Literacy ToolkitReady-Made Work Stations (word study, comprehension & fluency, think & write)Leveled Readers (old and new)Curious about Words (extend oral vocabulary; contains weekly read alouds)Write in ReadersDecodable and Vocabulary Readers Language Support Cards (pre-teach critical skills)Instructional Card Kit (vocabulary, context, and retelling cards and others to support instruction)Sound Spelling Cards (provide sound letter associations K-3)Additional materials found on www.thinkcentral.com

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HMH Journeys On-going Assessment:•Prescriptive data-driven instruction•Just think about your purpose when assigning a task—do you want to know what the student has mastered (summative) or what they still need to learn (formative)?

• Summative or Formative• Possible Assessment Options: weekly tests, benchmark/unit tests, stop & think

questions, graphic organizers, etc.

•Progress Monitoring---remember progress monitoring with your curriculum based measures helps you to gauge student progress in all strands of literacy. Technology:•Comprehensive set of resources with a multitude of activities and ideas for students, parents, and teachers•www.thinkcentral.com •www.hmhelearning.com (online teacher community)•http://hmheducation.com/tx/journeys/resources-modules.php

• Online modules explaining each piece of the Journeys program for teachers

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What tools should I use to target student needs?

Screening and Inventories•Spelling Inventory•Phonics Inventory•Fry Sight Word Inventory•Diagnostic Assessment (1-6)

•Emerging Literacy Survey (K-1)

•Comprehensive Screening Assessment (2-5)

Progress Monitoring•DIBELS Next•Fry Sight Word Inventory•Curriculum Based Assessments

Flow chart of intervention resources (flex group sections) http://www.christina.k12.de.us/LiteracyLinks/elemresources/ElemResources.htm 19

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HMH Journeys Common Assessments

• Journeys Weekly Tests (formative in nature)• The 3rd weekly test in each unit can be given. This test contains a cold

read portion (skills in context) for comprehension and vocabulary. Only the new comprehension story and vocabulary portions must be administered. These scores will be entered into I Tracker Pro by the teacher. (two scores only __/10 and __/10)

**See Language Arts Block Handbook for scoring information**

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Lesson # Date for Kindergarten in Progress Monitoring Assessments

Lesson # Dates for Grades 1-5 Find in Grab and Go Kits

Lesson 3-4 October 10-14 Lesson 3 Grades 2-5 September 19-23Grade 1 September 26-30

Lesson 7-8 November 28-December 2 Lesson 8 Grades 2-5 October 24-28Grade 1 November 7-10

Lesson 13-14 January 17-20 Lesson 13 Grades 2-5 December 12-16Grade 1 December 19-21

Lesson 17-18 February 27-March 2 Lesson 18 February 6-10Lesson 23-24 April 2-5 Lesson 23 March 17-21Lesson 27-28 May 21-25 Lesson 28 May 7-11

HMH Journeys Common Assessments

• Journeys Unit and Benchmark Tests (summative in nature) • Units 1, 3, and 5 will be given. These tests are cumulative in nature. They

will be scan forms in nature and will be sent to DSC for scoring. Once scored at DSC, data will be entered directly into the I Tracker Pro system.

**See Language Arts Block Handbook for scoring information**These tests also contain a stand alone writing prompt that teachers can

manually enter into I-Tracker Pro (one holistic score based on the state of DE rubric).

Unit Date for Kindergarten Dates for Grades 1-5

Unit 1 October 31-November 4 Grades 2-5 October 3-6 Grade 1 October 17-21

Unit 3 February 6-10 January 9-20

Unit 5 April 30-May 4 April 16-20

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What Data Should I Use?• DCAS• DIBELS Next• Scholastic Reading Inventory• STAR• Curriculum Based Assessments (discussed earlier)

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Changes to DIBELS Next

DIBELS Next• ISF is now FSF (timed only for 1 minute & teachers ask students

to give first sound of a word)• LNF has new font that is more familiar to young children• PSF no longer given at middle or end of Grade 1• NWF includes students reading whole words; even distribution of

vowels• ORF are all new stories, fonts, and are grade level appropriate• DAZE is now available. This is an optional CLOZE comprehension

screener that can be given to all students in a whole class setting• Page 11-13 in DIBELS Next assessment Manualhttp://www.christina.k12.de.us/literacylinks/elemresources/dibels_resources.htm

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Learning Focused Solutions• Literacy Links

http://www.christina.k12.de.us/LiteracyLinks/elemresources/lfs_resources.htm • Journeys/CCSS Skills and Strategy Matrices (focus on comprehension)• Essential Question/Big Idea Posters• Acquisition Lesson Planning Templates• Activating Strategies • Summarizing Strategies• Other LFS Resources

• Elementary Resources Shared Drive \\clshare\Elem_reading\LFS • Graphic Organizers• Model Acquisition Lessons

• Content Chairs will work on more model lessons during meetings this year!

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Where can I go for more help? • Office of Curriculum and Instruction • Heather Bordas bordash@christina.k12.de.us 552-2626

• Curriculum Specialist, Kathy Kelly kellyk@christina.k12.de.us

• Instructional Coaches• Content Chairs

• Literacy Links• http://www.christina.k12.de.us/LiteracyLinks/elemresources/

ElemResources.htm • This presentation is posted on Literacy Links for your reference in

the future!25

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