Using Literacy Strategies and Selecting Text

to Support CCSS in the Elementary Grades

Karen Kelley Parrino

2Louisiana Believes

To meet these raised expectations, we must clarify our focus on what our students need. Specifically, we must ensure this year that our students…

English language arts•Comprehend (access) meaningful, on level texts •Speak and write in response to meaningful texts

Math students •Master math concepts of priority, on level content and practice standards (not just procedures) •Master targeted remedial content that allows practice faster focus of on level content

Instructional Vision

Teacher Leader Summit: Day 1 Ready!

This Summit will prepare teachers to make these shifts beginning the first day of the 14-15 school year. This will include focused training on: • Student Learning Targets • Assessment • Standards, curricula, and instructional strategies

Louisiana Believes 3

It is crucial that educators use research based strategies to provide strong, explicit instructional strategies to increase their student’s knowledge.

Learners acquire and store knowledge in two primary ways: linguistic (by reading or hearing lectures), and nonlinguistic (through visual imagery, kinesthetic or whole-body modes, and so forth). The more students use both systems of representing knowledge, the better they are able to think about and recall what they have learned (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).

Linguistic and Nonlinguistic

Graphic organizers are a common way to help students generate nonlinguistic representations. Ex. Venn Diagram

Graphic organizers are powerful tools to help students think about and recall information.

Graphic Organizers

Discussion: How can you use graphic organizers to enhance student knowledge?

What graphic organizers do you use in your class and what organizers would you like to try with your students?

With your shoulder partner and discuss some graphic organizers that you use to enhance student learning.

Graphic Organizers

Have you ever asked your students to close their eyes and visualize the setting in a story? If so, you are using a powerful aspect of learning.

Your students will gain deeper meaning and connect knowledge in meaningful ways.

Close your eyes and visualize yourself on a beach. What do you see? Hear? Feel? Smell?

Visualization

Learners of all different ability levels can participate in and gain knowledge from visualization.

Students with special needs are able to participate and be a part of the learning experience.

Visualization requires little time and no instructional materials.

Visualization

Reading electronic storybooks Playing interactive phonics and spelling games Crafting multimodal stories Posting book reviews E-mailing messages Researching informational topics sites Exploring the websites of favorite authors Participating in virtual books clubs Collaborating and researching with students in other

schools on projects Social media

New Literacies

Cunningham and Allington (2007) compare the balanced approach to a multivitamin, suggesting that it brings together the best of teach-and student-centered learning theories. Balanced programs may vary, but they usually embody the following characteristics:

Literacy involves both reading and writing. Oral language is integrated with reading and writing. Reading instruction includes phonemic awareness, phonics,

fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Writing instruction includes the writings process, the

qualities of good writing to communicate ideas effectively, and conventional spelling, grammar, and punctuation to make those ideas more readable.

Reading and writing are used as tools for across content areas.

Since no one program is best, teachers should choose a balanced approach to literacy. Four of the most popular programs are the basal reading program, literature focus groups, literature circles and reading and writing workshop.

Basal Reading Program – This is a commercially produced reading program. The books in the program are called basal readers. They come with workbooks, supplemental books and related instructional materials. The teacher’s guide gives detailed procedures for teaching the selections and skills and strategies. Instruction is normally present to the whole class. Publishers will advertise that basal readers are a “complete” program, but effective teachers know they are not. Basal Texts will need to be evaluated carefully to ensure they meet the rigor required for CCSS.

Effective Teachers Organize for Literacy Instruction

Literature Focus Units – Teachers create these units from high quality stories and novels. District and states may have approved lists for these award winning books that students are expected to read at particular grade levels. Everyone in the class reads and responds to the same book. Teacher use these units to teach students about literary genres and authors and develop students interest in literature. When using text, I try to incorporate a lot of science text, especially text that is about two levels higher.

Literature Circles – Small groups of students form literature circles are book clubs to read a story or book. The teacher selects five or six books at different levels to meet individual needs of all learners. They collect multiple copies of each book and give a book talk to introduce each book. Students choose a book to read and form a group to respond to the book. Students develop responsibility for completing assignments and learn more about responding to books.

Four Instructional Programs for Organizing Literacy Instruction – cont.

Reading and Writing Workshop – Students select books and read independently at their own pace. The students conference with the students about their reading. In writing workshops, students write about books that they choose and conference with their teacher about them. Teachers teach minilessons on reading and writing skills and read books aloud to the class.

These four programs are used at all grade levels. Teachers usually combine them because students learn best through a variety of literacy approaches.

Four Instructional Programs for organizing Literacy Instruction

Naturally, learning to read and write is more difficult for English learners. The following are ways that teachers scaffold English learners’ oral language acquisition and literacy development:

Explicit Instruction – on literacy strategies and skills Small Group Work – Social Interaction supports their learning Reading Aloud to Students – Variety of books including some to

represent the student's home cultures (Rothenberg & Fisher, 2007).

Background Knowledge – Teachers organize instruction by themes to build students’ world knowledge about grade-level appropriate concepts, and they develop English learners knowledge through mini lessons and a variety of reading and writing activities (Braunger & Lewis, 2006).

Nurturing English Learners

Parents can implement many home literacy activities such as: Reading aloud to children Listening to children read aloud and reading along with them Making time for children to read books independently a priority Providing books and other reading materials in the home Taking with children about the books they are reading Asking children what they are learning at school Providing materials and opportunities for children to write at

home Taking children to the library to check out books and materials Giving books and magazine subscriptions as gifts Monitoring children as they complete homework assignments Emphasizing the value of literacy and importance of school

success

Home- Literacy Activities

Assessment is an integral and ongoing part of learning and teaching (Mariotti & Homan, 2005).

Purposes of classroom assessment: Determining Students’ Reading Levels - This is essential to plan for

appropriate instruction. Monitoring Students’ Progress – Regularly assess students to make sure

they are making adequate progress. Diagnosing Students’ Strengths and Weaknesses – This is especially

important when students are struggling or aren’t making the expected progress.

Documenting Students’ Learning - Educators use students’ tests results and work samples to provide evidence of their accomplishments.

Effective Teachers Link Instruction and Assessment

The PARCC assessment will provide information to determine how students are progressing in their learning.

States, districts, schools, and teachers can use this information to inform

Student Interventions Systemic changes Curricular and instructional changes

Karen Kelley-Parrino

The CCSS will lay the foundation toward ensuring that students are ready for college and career.

Karen Kelley-Parrino

Determine whether students are college and career ready or on track.

Assess the full range of the Common Core Standards, including standards that are difficult to measure.

Measure the full range of student performance, including the performance of high and low performing students.

Provide data during the academic year to inform instruction.

Provide data for accountability, including measures of growth.

Incorporate innovative approaches throughout the system.

Priority Purposes of PARCC Assessments:

Karen Kelley-Parrino

K – 2 formative assessments are being developed

They will be aligned to CCSS. Grades 3 – 8 - Timely student achievement

data showing students, parents and educators whether all students are on track to college and career readiness.

High School – College-readiness score to identify who is ready for college-level coursework. Targeted interventions and supports at every level. 12th grade bridge courses.

Build a Pathway to College and Career Readiness for ALL Students

Karen Kelley-Parrino

Daily Learning Objective - Design begins with the inferences (claims) we want to make about students. These should be connected clearly to the CCSS.

Classroom Work – In order to support claims we must gather evidence, student work, which should allow us to evaluate whether each student has met his/her daily learning objective.

Classroom Activities/Tasks – Designed to elicit specific evidence from students to support claims.

Evidence Centered Design (ECD) in the Classroom

Karen Kelley-Parrino

Claims – Design begins with the inferences (claims) we want to make about students.

Evidence – In order to support the claims we must gather evidence.

Tasks Models – Tasks are designed to elicit specific evidence from students in support of claims.

Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) The PARCC Assessments

Karen Kelley-Parrino

PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide"one"model"for"how"to organize content and integrate the four strands of the CCSS.

Reading complex texts Reading a wide range of texts – literature and

informational Writing effectively when using and or analyzing

resources Conducting and reporting on research Speaking and listening Using knowledge of language effectively when

reading, writing and speaking

Model Content Frameworks for ELA/Literacy

Karen Kelley-Parrino

CCSS will lay the foundation toward ensuring students are ready for college and career readiness. ( Zone 3) career

PARCC provides information to determine how students are progressing in their learning.

PARCC will measure the FULL range of student performance, including high and low performing students.

Additional PARCC Notes

Karen Kelley-Parrino

K – 2 CCSS builds reading foundational skills K - 2 standards 7, 8 & 9 in reading and standards 7,

8 & 9 in writing show that research exists in CCSS in grades K- 2.

PARCC will give students text and ask them to do multiple things with it, find connections, analyze, etc.

Educators can create chances for authentic research and allowing students to research topics that interest them.

If you build a great assessment, it is O.K. to teach to the tests.

Standards come first, then Model Content Frameworks.

PARCC cont.

LET'S FIGURE IT OUT --- MATHEMATICALLY!

Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week;Student B reads only 4 minutes a night...or not at all!

Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.Student A reads 20 min. x 5 times a week = 100 mins./weekStudent B reads 4 minutes x 5 times a week = 20 minutes

Step 2: Multiply minutes a week x 4 weeks each month.Student A reads 400 minutes a month.Student B reads 80 minutes a month.

Step 3: Multiply minutes a month x 9 months/school yearStudent A reads 3600 min. in a school year.Student B reads 720 min. in a school year.

Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.

Read for 20 minutes a day!

By the end of 6th grade if Student A and Student B maintainthese same reading habits,

Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school daysStudent B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days.

One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance. How do you think Student B will feel about him/herself as a student?

Some questions to ponder:

Which student would you expect to read better?

Which student would you expect to know more?

Which student would you expect to write better?

Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?

Which student would you expect to be more successful in school....and in life?

Read

corestandards.org Supplemental Information for Appendix A of the Common Core State

Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy: New Research on Text Complexity

Complexity- a three-part model of measuring text complexity based on qualitative and quantitative indices of inherent text difficulty balanced with educators’ professional judgment in matching readers and texts in light of particular tasks. In selecting texts to serve as exemplars, the work group began by soliciting contributions from teachers, educational leaders, and researchers who have experience working with students in the grades for which the texts have been selected.

Quality-the work group solicited only texts of recognized value. From the pool of submissions gathered from outside contributors, the work group selected classic or historically significant texts as well as contemporary works of comparable literary merit,

cultural significance, and rich content. Range- presents a broad a range of sufficiently complex, high quality texts. Appendix B: Text Exemplars and Sample Performance Tasks - Read Alouds,

poetry, informational text great resource to keep in mind when selecting. Important to infuse more informational text should be 50/50 by grade 3.

Students love science and informational text about topics that interest them. Remember to differentiate – Whenever possible allow students choice. This is not always possible, but this may not always be an option.

The first step is to know why you are having students read something. What do you want students to know or understand about the reading when they get done? As teachers, we need to provide our students with a focus or purpose for reading.

How Can We Find Text to Support CCSS in the Classroom?

I would like to share some texts that I use in my classroom and give pairing suggestions:

Nonfiction texts are an important component for K – 2 students and should make up 50% of texts selected.

La. Believes Year-Long Scope & Sequence

http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/year-long-scope-sequence

Selecting Texts:

Give choices for independent reading Build up stamina for reading – ex. start with 2

minutes at beginning of school year in K- double Independent reading time = no talking- teacher

reads (models), timer is a good idea When the timer goes off students can share with

their elbow partner, etc. A reading survey at the beginning of the year is a

great way to get to know your students as readers and differentiate.

Reading buddies with older students

Reading Suggestions

Anchor charts you create together with students. I like to make one “Why We Read”? The Goldilocks rule relating to selecting a book to

read: Too Hard – I do not know many words I can not remember important details. I need a lot of help. Too Easy – I know almost all of the words. I have read this book many times. I can retell the story easily. Just Right – I know many words, but need help with some. I understand what I am reading and many need to reread

some.

Reading Suggestions

Student Journals – Make & Take – holds Wikki sticks or sight words. Journals in science, as well as ELA.

Golf pencils preferred falls in hand and “forces” proper position. NO erasers.

How many times do we see young students struggling to erase and rewrite. This waste valuable time. It’s not about spelling it’s about the thought process.

Students may choose paper type in many assignments. Labeling – use word walls – I like to have a mini word wall

for science, too. Writing should be integrated across all subjects.

Writer’s Workshop – Read Aloud – 5 minutes Modeled or shared writing – 10 min, writing – 10 min, Independent/Small Group writing – 20 minutes (conference

during this time). Close with a sharing session about 10 min.

Everyone Writes

Effective teachers apply learning theories as they teach reading and writing.

Effective teachers create communities of learners in their classrooms.

Effective teachers use balanced approaches to literacy instruction that reflects student-centered and teacher-centered learning theories.

Effective teachers scaffold student’s reading and writing and as their students become more proficient, they gradually withdraw their support.

Effective teachers link classroom instruction and assessment.

Reflect: How Effective Teachers Teach Reading and Writing:

Karen Kelley-Parrino

Change is a process. Change takes time. Change takes time to process and think through

it. It is crucial to collaborate and share best

practices. “Any change, even a change for the better, is

always accompanied by drawbacks and discomfort”. Arnold Bennett

The end goal is our students! To prepare them for life after high school and success!

Final Thoughts

24 years teaching experience in Livingston Parish 16 years in kindergarten in Live Oak Schools Bachelor of Science Elementary Education 1989 -

L.S.U. Preschool and Kindergarten Certification – L.S.U. -

1999 National Board certification -2010 Master’s plus 30 in Curriculum and Instruction

with a Teacher Leader Endorsement -2011 Reading Specialist -2013 Teacher Advisor for The National Council for

Teacher Quality A+ Pel Board Member Questions? Feel free to e-mail me at:

karen.parrino@lpsb.org

My Background in Education