Comprehension Focus Group - Ms. Baker's Reading Roommsbakersreadingroom.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/4/3/6943529/... · 2018-09-27 · COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP •In this DVD, the intervention

COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP

Created by Brenda Baker

April 2016

Note: This training will mention Units of

Study. These units will be developed next

year. At this time you will just use this

intervention with single texts.

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• Comprehension Focus Group (CFG) is a small-group intervention for students in grades three and beyond who are lagging behind their peers in reading.

• The goal is to help struggling readers develop efficient strategies for problem solving in texts and to comprehend the message at deeper levels.

• The CFG includes three units of study: {which we will develop next year}

• Text and Genre Units

• Strategy Units

• Content Units


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• In this DVD, the intervention consists of a series of reading and

writing lessons in a specific genre which occur over a period of

weeks. Generally, a unit of study involves a minimum of three

books; however, as students move into chapter books, a unit

might involve fewer books.


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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP Progress Monitoring…

The intervention is structured to provide opportunities for teachers to collect systematic data for

progress monitoring.

• One-to-one conference enables the teacher to

• Systematically observe literacy behaviors

• Provide tailored support to meet student’s needs

• The student’s Response Log includes standard resources (prompts, maps, guides, checklists)

• The teacher collects anecdotal data on each student for reading and writing

• Calculates these observations with systematic data

• The teacher assesses the student’s reading strategies and comprehension on a new book within

the genre framework (cold-read running record).

Created by Brenda Baker 5

Reading Framework



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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP READING FRAMEWORK

The CFG framework begins with a preparatory stage

(Preparing for Reading) that introduces the unit of study

and prepares students for the actual reading and writing

phases. This component consists of five procedural steps:



1) Teacher introduces the genre to be studied, including a definition of the genre and the author’s

purpose for writing within the genre.

2) Teacher selects a mentor text for the genre and reads the text aloud.

3) Teacher introduces the text map for the genre, and the teacher and students collaboratively map

out the structure on a large text map.

4) Teacher introduces the books within the unit of study and gives a brief book talk on each book.

The students preview the books and rank them according to the order for reading. {Until we have

the UOS this will be random leveled books.}

5) Teacher provides students with blank copy of the text map to complete after reading the text and

instructs students to place it in the Text Maps section of their Response Log.



After books have been selected, the CFG format moves into Reading Phase, which includes two unique phases, Phase One consists of four procedural steps:

1. Teacher presents a strategy-based mini-lesson and instructs students to apply strategies during reading.

2. Teacher provides a book orientation to the first book in the study, including setting two purposes for reading:

a. a comprehension purpose b. a strategy purpose

Teacher provides students with a copy of Reading Strategies to be in the My Strategies section of their Response Logs. 3. Students read independently and flag sections in the text where they used particular strategies. Teacher conducts one-to-one conference with each student. 4. Students circle strategies used during reading on the Reading Strategies form in the Response Log, including providing evidence of where they applied the strategies. Teacher provides appropriate feedback as the students work.



The second phase of the reading framework builds on yesterday’s learning. Phase Two consists of three

procedural steps:

1. Students complete the individual text map in the Text Maps section of the Response Log, and the

teacher provides appropriate feedback.

2. Teacher and students engage in book discussion, using conversational moves to facilitate the

discussion.

3. Teacher provides a comprehension prompt, and the students respond in the My Thinking section in their

Response Logs.



The two reading phases are repeated until the students have read all texts within

the genre unit of study. This phase can take three to six weeks, depending on the

length of the books in the study and the teacher’s assessment of the students’

learning.



Writing Framework


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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP WRITING FRAMEWORK


At the end of the reading unit, the teacher prepares the students

for the writing phases. The writing framework begins with the

preparatory stage (Preparing for the Writing Phase), which consists

of three procedural steps:

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1. Teacher reviews the large text map of the genre and

discusses how students will use this same structure to guide

them in planning their writing.

2. Teacher and students collaboratively compose a group piece

of writing in the genre.

3. Teacher guides students to create a list of possible topics for

writing in the genre, and students record these topics in the

My Thinking section of the Response Log.

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In the final step,

the teacher builds explicit

connections between the reading

and writing processes, and the students

develop a piece of writing in the genre.

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The Writing Phase includes three procedural steps:

1. Teacher uses mentor text to present a writing strategy, and students

are reminded to apply this strategy to their writing piece.

2. Students write independently, and teacher conducts individual writing

conferences.

3. Teacher provides students with a copy of Writing Strategies to be

placed in the My Strategies section of the Response Log. Students use

this resource to reflect on their writing, including providing evidence of

where they applied a particular strategy. Teacher provides appropriate

feedback as the students work. 16

COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP MATERIALS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE INTERVENTION

The CFG intervention is designed to help struggling readers acquire effective

strategies for problem solving in texts, while maintaining a focus on deep

comprehension. The materials provide students with authentic opportunities to

learn about the reading and writing processes:

● Mentor texts

● Multiple copies of texts (generally 6 per set) of appropriate text

● Chart paper for constructing anchor charts

● Chart paper for Writing-Aloud activity

● Large laminated copies of text maps (reading) and text guides (writing)

● Response Logs Created by Brenda Baker

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Mentor Texts for Focus Study

Appropriate Texts

Large Chart Paper for Co-Constructed Charts

Large Text Maps

Strategic Prompts--- Word Solving & Comprehension


The Response Log serves a dual purpose:

(1) it provides the teacher with an important tool for assessing the

students’ reading and writing development over time, and

(2) it provides the students with a valuable resource for scaffolding

their reading and writing development over time.



Teachers can create a Response Log by inserting four tabs in a

composition notebook. The tabs should designate four sections

for the student learning:

★ My Thinking

★ My Strategies

★ Text Maps

★ Text Guides


My T

hin

kin

g

My S

trate

gie

s

Te

xt M

ap

s

Te

xt G

uid

es

My Response Log

Billy Bob

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Response Log With Four Tabs

My Strategies

My Thinking

Text Maps

Text Guides


During mini-lessons and book orientations, the teacher introduces the

appropriate form and instructs the students to place it in the correct section of

the log. These forms are as follows:

➢ Reproducible copies of text maps (reading) for section three and copies

of text guides (writing) for section four of the Response Log.

➢ Reproducible copies of comprehension prompts for section one of the

Response Log

➢ Reproducible copies of strategic prompts in reading for section two of

the Response Log

➢ Reproducible copies of strategic prompts in writing for section two of the

Response Log


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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP BACKGROUND ON THE STUDENTS


The students are third graders and up, who were identified at the

beginning of the school year as candidates for Comprehension Focus

Group intervention. The students were assessed on three literacy

measures: Text Reading Level, Word Text, and Writing Sample. Based

on these assessments, the school team (Response to Intervention

team) recommended the students for CFG intervention. At the time of

the taping, the students had been participating in this intervention for

approximately 6 months.

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP DVD CHAPTERS AND TEACHING EPISODES


The DVD chapters are divided into 13 episodes that allow

participants to analyze teaching and learning in authentic

contexts.

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Prepare for Reading Phases

COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP PREPARING FOR THE READING PHASE


Episode 1: Introduction to the Genre

The teacher introduces the personal narrative as the genre unit of study.

She provides the definition of the genre and introduces the mentor text

Saturdays and Teacakes (2004) by Lester Laminack. After she reads the book

to the students, she introduces the text map for personal narrative and guides

the students to complete the text map with her.

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Observation and Analysis

The teacher’s goal is to build the students’ background for the genre prior to

the actual reading of the books within the unit. She uses a mentor text to

provide a model of the genre, and she provides explicit instruction on using a

text map to aid comprehension. Look for examples of how the teacher provides

explicit language and clear demonstrations to build connections between text

structure and reading comprehension.

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EPISODE 2: PREPARE FOR THE READING


The teacher introduces the three books for the personal narrative

study. She explains that the students will use strategies to preview

and rank-order the books for reading. She prompts the students to

articulate some previewing strategies they can use to help them

with selecting books. As the students apply these previewing strategies, the teacher

takes notes on their behaviors. The students rank-order the books,

and they explain why they made their particular choices. The students select the text Fireflies (1985) by Julie Brinckloe as

their first choice. Finally, the teacher passes out a text map for

personal narrative and explains that they will complete this map

after they have finished reading the book Fireflies. She instructs the

students to place the text map under the Text Maps section in their

Response Log.

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Individual Text Maps




In this episode, the teacher realizes that students must acquire

effective strategies for selecting books, or else they will lack the

knowledge they need for independent reading. Observe how the

teacher introduces the three books in the unit of study.

How does she scaffold the students to apply previewing

strategies for selecting and ranking the three books?

Observe the students’ behaviors and record specific evidence

that indicates their understanding of these critical strategies.

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP READING PHASES ONE AND TWO


Episode 1: Comprehension Mini-Lesson

The reading phase begins with a comprehension mini-lesson

(approximately 10 minutes) that focuses on helping students acquire

strategies for deeper reading. In this episode, the teacher presents a

mini-lesson on using multiple strategies (visualizing, inferring,

connecting, questioning) to comprehend the text. She uses the mentor

text Saturdays and Teacakes to engage students, while she records

their thinking on an anchor chart. One side of the anchor chart

displays the comprehension strategy, and the other side provides the

evidence from the text.

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Once a mentor text has been read and enjoyed, the teacher uses

a short passage from the text to illustrate how good writers use

language to stimulate the reader’s imagination and comprehension.

The mini-lesson includes two critical components:

1. teacher modeling and think-aloud for using comprehending

strategies.

2. opportunities for the students to apply the knowledge gained

from the mini-lesson to independent practice.

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Observe the interaction for evidence that the students are

applying the knowledge gained from the mini-lesson to

independent practice. The teacher prompts the students to

articulate their comprehension strategies.

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP READING PHASES ONE AND TWO EPISODE 2: BOOK ORIENTATION


The goal of this component is to prepare students to read

the text by creating a supportive context for building meaning

and applying comprehension strategies. The teacher provides

an overview of the text, and she sets a purpose for supporting

the students during their independent reading.

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP READING PHASES ONE AND TWO EPISODE 2: BOOK ORIENTATION



Observe how the teacher establishes two purposes for reading the text.

1. She prompts the students to read for comprehension.

a. “I want you to read to find out what upsets him (the boy) and what

difficult decision he has to make.”

b. Later, the students will use this prompt to respond in their logs.

2. The teacher prompts the students to read for a strategic purpose.

a. Instruct students to “flag the places where you used comprehension

strategies to help you understand the author’s experience.”

Why would the strategy prompt be important for struggling readers in an

intervention group?

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EPISODE 3: INDEPENDENT READING AND TEACHER CONFERENCES


The goal of independent reading is for students to use

comprehension and word-solving strategies to read the text with

fluency, using problem solving strategies, and comprehending

what they read. As the students read silently, they use sticky

notes to flag their thinking. The goal for the teacher is to provide

each student with a one-to-one reading conference, which

includes tailored feedback based on the teacher’s observations

of the student’s reading behaviors.

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EPISODE 3: INDEPENDENT READING AND TEACHER CONFERENCES



Observe the reading behaviors of the three students. What does

their reading indicate about their comprehension? Pay particular

attention to the final reading segment with the girl. The student’s

hesitations on particular types of words provide the teacher with a

window on the student’s processing. Note the student’s responses

and the teacher’s prompting.

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP READING PHASES ONE AND TWO EPISODE 4: STRATEGY PROMPT


The goal of this component is to develop students’ metacognition of

particular strategies for comprehending the text. The teacher instructs

the students to use the reading strategies checklist in the My Strategies

section of their Response Log.

The teacher prompts the students to underline on the checklist all the

strategies that they had flagged during their independent reading. As

the students work, the teacher interacts with them, providing support as

needed.

Finally, the teacher prompts the students to share passages in the text

where they had applied these comprehension strategies.

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This episode provides an opportunity to observe how a response log and a

strategy checklist can be used to scaffold students’ learning.

The purpose of the My Strategies section is to capture evidence of how

students are applying flexible strategies during reading, including

comprehension, vocabulary, and word-solving strategies.

In this episode, the students use the strategy checklist as a resource by

underlining strategies they used during independent reading and providing

written evidence from the text.

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● How can these resources be used to promote the students’ self-

reflective activity?

● Why is it important for struggling readers to use response logs and

strategy checklists?

● Would these resources be appropriate for students who are not

receiving a reading intervention?

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EPISODE 5: TEXT MAP


Students complete

individual text maps for the book Fireflies.

This component signals the second phase of the intervention. Once

again, the Response Log is used as a tool for decoumenting the

student’s learning. In this episode, the teacher directs the students to

the Text Maps section of the Response Log.

As the students write, the

teacher conducts individual conferences and records observational

data. She concludes this segment by directing the students to the

carpet where they will hold their book discussion.

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EPISODE 5: TEXT MAP



Observe how the teacher interacts with the students as they complete

their text map.

● How does she use this component as an opportunity for

individual conferences? ● How will her observations of individual student’s learning provide

data for progress monitoring? ● Discuss how the mapping activity serves as a scaffold for

supporting the book discussion.

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EPISODE 6: BOOK DISCUSSION


This lesson begins with a review of the conversational moves from the

anchor chart. The teacher reminds the students of three guidelines for

participating in discussion groups:

1. they should not raise their hands

2. they should look at the person who is talking

3. they should think about what the person is saying.

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EPISODE 6: BOOK DISCUSSION


The book discussion component is approximately 10 minutes, this

episode focuses on a shorter segment for time sake during our training. Observe the interaction, and collect evidence of the students’ learning.

Is the teacher’s initiating prompt appropriate for encouraging discussion?

Why do you think the teacher began with the prompt from the

independent reading event? Record the students’ responses and discuss their levels of thinking. How do they build on one another’s comments? What is the teacher’s role in the discussion? How often does she enter the discussion? Listen to her prompts and discuss their value for promoting the students’

deeper comprehension. 51


EPISODE 7: COMPREHENSION PROMPT


At the conclusion of the discussion, the teacher directs the students to the My

Thinking section of the Response Log. This section is designed to capture

evidence of each student’s thinking in response to a standard comprehension

prompt. The comprehension prompt has been typed on a label and inserted in the log.

The students record the date and the name of the book for assessment

purposes. As the students respond to the prompt, the teacher observes their

reading behaviors and provides supports, as needed.

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EPISODE 7: COMPREHENSION PROMPT


● How does this component provide systematic data for monitoring

the students’ comprehension over time? ● Why did the teacher insert the written prompt in the log?

● Would a verbal prompt have provided the same assessment data?

● How is progress monitoring and charting of student’s learning a

feature of an intervention group.

The Response Log is used as an assessment tool.

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP PREPARE FOR THE WRITING PHASE

EPISODE 1: PLAN FOR WRITING


After the students have read the

three books in the genre study,

the teacher introduces the writing

phase. The first step is to prepare

the students for the writing by

reviewing the genre. In this

episode, the teacher and students

review the large text map of

Saturdays and Teacakes.

The teacher discusses how the

students will use this same text

structure to guide them in

planning their writing. Then, she

informs the students that they will

use the personal narrative text

guide to compose a group text.

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Prepare for the Writing Process


EPISODE 1: PLAN FOR WRITING


• Observe how the teacher prompts the students to write about a common (and

recent) experience.

• Why is this important?

• How will this background influence the quality of the group composition,

including the students’ ability to use descriptive language?

• Discuss how the mapping experience will provide a scaffold for organizing the

group text.

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EPISODE 2: WRITING ALOUD


In this episode, the teacher and students engage in a

Writing-Aloud experience. The teacher facilitates the

discussion, inviting the students to contribute at critical points

in the development of the message. The goal is to model the

writing process, including using a text guide to organize a

meaningful and interesting message.

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EPISODE2: WRITING ALOUD


• Observe how the teacher involves the students in the group

composition.

• How did the previous component with the text guide prepare the

students to contribute to the group composition?

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EPISODE 3: IDEA LIST


The teacher explains to the students that they will write their own

personal narrative. She prompts the students to turn to the Text Guide

section of their Response Log and create a list of ideas for writing a

personal narrative.

After the students have recorded at least four ideas, the teacher invites

them to share their topic for today’s writing. Next, the teacher

distributes the text guide, and the students begin organizing their

personal narrative. As the students write, the teacher conducts one-to-

one conferences.

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EPISODE 3: IDEA LIST


Observe the teaching and learning interaction throughout

the episode.

• What are the students learning?

• How does the teacher provide a balance of group and

individual support?

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COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP WRITING PHASE

EPISODE 1: MINI-LESSON ON CRAFT


Once again, the teacher uses the mentor text for a mini-lesson. She directs the students to turn to the page with the sticky note,

instructs them to follow along as she reads a particular passage,

and gives them a purpose for listening to the author’s language.

Her goal is to engage the students in examining how the author

uses specific language to help the reader visualize his message.

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EPISODE 1: MINI-LESSON ON CRAFT


The mentor text represents an exemplar of good writing, and the

students are familiar with the author’s message. During the mini-lesson on crafting, the students are able to analyze the

author’s writing at a deeper level.

• What are the students learning about the craft of writing?

• How will this help them in crafting their own personal narratives?

• How does the teacher prompt them to be specific in their language

descriptions?

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EPISODE 2: INDEPENDENT WRITING (WRITING CONFERENCE)


During the independent writing, the students use their text

guide to help them organize their writing. The teacher

observes them as they write, and she provides support when

needed. This component can occur over several days and

can include revising, editing, and crafting conferences. The

one-to-one conferences are essential to ensure the students’

writing development.

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• Observe how the teacher prompts the students to articulate their

thinking about the writing process.

• How does the teacher meet the needs of the individual students

during writing conferences?


EPISODE 2: INDEPENDENT WRITING (WRITING CONFERENCE)

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This component occurs after the students have completed one part of

the writing process.


EPISODE 2: WRITING STRATEGY PROMPT

The students use the Writing Strategies checklist from the My Thinking

section of their Response log.

In this episode, the students use this resource to reflect on their writing

at this point in their writing process.

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EPISODE 3: WRITING STRATEGY PROMPT


What are the students learning about crafting their writing?

How does the Writing Strategy checklist promote independence and

self-reflection in writing?

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Phase Three: After Writing

Students share their writing with the group.

Students provide feedback to authors.

Key Concepts of Comprehension Focus Groups

Over a sustained period of time (6-9 weeks), the students read and compare texts within the genre study.

A collection of texts are earmarked as mentor texts and used as models for reading and writing.

The teacher gives students a precision prompt to focus their thoughts for writing in their response logs.

The students read numerous texts within the genre, and engage in book discussions with the teacher, comparing the similarities and differences within and across texts.

The teacher meets individual reading needs through one-to-one conferences.

The goal is that students develop deeper knowledge of how authors write to help readers comprehend their messages.


Teaching through discussion is not an endless round of Q and A.

It is also not telling children what the text is about as a

frontload, before they’ve ever read the text. Simply telling

students what they should think and know is insufficient and

ineffective. It breeds dependency.

Text Dependent Questions: Pathways to Close and Critical Reading by D. Fisher & N. Fry

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Things We Know About the

Character

Examples What this Says About the

Character

Physical Description

Dialogue

Thoughts

Reactions of Others

Actions

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Documents

Comprehension Focus Group - Ms. Baker's Reading Roommsbakersreadingroom.weebly.com/uploads/6/9/4/3/6943529/... · 2018-09-27 · COMPREHENSION FOCUS GROUP •In this DVD, the intervention