Differentiating content literacy instruction for all students

Keith Pruitt, Ed.S.Words of Wisdom

Educational Consultingwww.woweducationalconsulting.com

Differentiating Content Literacy Instruction for All Learners

Not all students are alike.--Tracey Hall, Nicole Strangman, Anne Meyer

National Center On Accessible Instructional Materials

If students are different in appearance, shape, size, color, likes and dislikes—doesn’t it make sense that students learn in different ways and at different paces?

So why do we still try to makeONE SIZE FIT ALL?

The Learning CycleFrom Tracey Hall’s work

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What key challenges do your students face in acquiring

academic English?

TURN AND TALK

Difficulties for Engagement

• Unfamiliar vocabulary

• Difficult concepts

• Complex sentence structure

• Lack of background knowledge

• Time Restraints

• Testing Difficulties

• Lack of motivation

9 Promising Practices for Developing Literacy in Adolescent ELLs

1. Integrate all four language skills into instruction from the start

2. Teach the components & processes of reading & writing

3. Teach reading comprehension strategies4. Focus on vocabulary development5. Build & activate background knowledge6. Teach language through content & themes7. Use native language strategically8. Pair technology with existing interventions9. Motivate English Language LearnersSource: Short & Fitzsimmons. Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Literacy for Adolescent

English Language Learners. 2007.

Building Success:

8© 2010

“…the research has well demonstrated the need

for students to have instructional texts that

they can read accurately, fluently, and with good

comprehension if we hope to foster academic

achievement.”

Allington, What Really Matters for Struggling Readers

MARGARITA CALDERÓN, PH.D.The RIGOR intervention resources were developed with Margarita Calderón, Ph.D., based on her research about students' acquisition of English language and literacy. Dr. Calderón recently retired as a research scientist and professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Education, and she continues to work closely with educators throughout the United States.

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Text Challenges for ELLs

• Vocabulary• Connecting to Prior

Knowledge• Sentence length• Verb tense• Pronouns• Prepositional phrases• Punctuation

• Possessives• Contractions• Passive voice• Abbreviations• Multiple meaning

words• Idioms

“Grab and Go” Weekly Skill Bags

Level 1: 16 Skill BagsLevel 2: 16 Skill Bags

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Step 1Phonemic Awareness and Phonics

• Review sounds• Introduce new sounds• Sound/symbol relationships• Blending/segmenting• Spelling• Word sorts• Oral language practice

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Step 2Vocabulary Instruction and Practice

• Everyday words (tier one) • Challenging words (tier two)• Discipline-specific academic words (tier three)

• Word study/grammar connections• Oral language practice

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Step 3Content-Area Reading

• Making connections/building background

• Previewing the book• Comprehension strategies• Fluency• Phonics and vocabulary in context• Grammar and language connections• Oral language practice

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English Content-Area NonfictionTESOL-aligned texts for beginning reading/language acquisition levels

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Step 4 Scaffolded Writing

• Shared writing (Days 1 & 2)• Interactive writing (Days 3 & 4)• Independent writing (Day 5)• Oral language practice

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Step 5 Ongoing Unit Assessment

Assessment tools for• Spelling• Word study• Phonics • Vocabulary• Comprehension• Independent writing

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Creative vs. Text-Dependent ReadingType of Reading Description Requires

Creative Reading(“C” Reading)

Answers to comprehension questions are based on prior knowledge (not connected to evidence in the passage), personal experiences, and creative thinking

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Text-Dependent Reading

(“T” Reading)

All answers to comprehension questions are based on information (clues and evidence) in the text (text-dependent).

Deductive Reasoning

Ask creative and text-dependent questions with the same reading text:literature in textbooks, novels, paperbacks, short stories, science and social studiestextbooks, newspaper and magazine articles, directions, menus, recipes, contest rules, advertisements, Web pages, etc.

(Developed by Margaret Kilgo)

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In This Presentation our purpose has been to show you how taking research based practices will look when placed

into a program approach.

Rigor provides for you an intervention to work with ELL students and struggling

readers.

Remember, Good teaching doesn’t come in a box.

But good tools do.Thank You

Keith Pruitt