Connected Learning Connected Learning Experiences Experiences

Taffy E. RaphaelTaffy E. Raphael

University of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity of Illinois at Chicago

taffy@uic.edutaffy@uic.edu

International Reading AssociationInternational Reading Association

Preconvention Institute 2003Preconvention Institute 2003

Connecting Across our Connecting Across our

Dual ObligationsDual Obligations

Talking Points 1 - 4Talking Points 1 - 4

Key Talking Points #1Key Talking Points #1

Students who struggle to read in 3rd grade Students who struggle to read in 3rd grade and above tend to read a year to several and above tend to read a year to several years below their age levelsyears below their age levels

Most instructional programs designed for Most instructional programs designed for struggling readers 3rd grade and above struggling readers 3rd grade and above focus on continuing to help students build focus on continuing to help students build world level skills and fluencyworld level skills and fluency

This creates an artificial dichotomy of This creates an artificial dichotomy of “learning to read” and “reading to learn”“learning to read” and “reading to learn”

Key Talking Points #2Key Talking Points #2

Instructional programs designed for struggling Instructional programs designed for struggling readers 3rd grade and above rarely emphasize readers 3rd grade and above rarely emphasize interacting critically (reading, talking about, interacting critically (reading, talking about, writing in response to) age-appropriate writing in response to) age-appropriate materials.materials.

Peers of struggling readers who read at or Peers of struggling readers who read at or above grade level have more years of above grade level have more years of experience interacting with age-appropriate experience interacting with age-appropriate materials. materials.

Talking Points #3Talking Points #3

When students do not think about, talk about, When students do not think about, talk about, and write in response to age-appropriate and write in response to age-appropriate materials, they fall further and further behind materials, they fall further and further behind their same-grade peers.their same-grade peers.

When (optimistically) skills, strategies, fluency When (optimistically) skills, strategies, fluency abilities “kick in,” students are not successful in abilities “kick in,” students are not successful in comprehension and critical thinking (i.e., “my comprehension and critical thinking (i.e., “my students can read the words, but they don’t have students can read the words, but they don’t have a clue what they mean!”)a clue what they mean!”)

Talking Points #4Talking Points #4

Thus, effective literacy instruction involves Thus, effective literacy instruction involves the dual commitments ofthe dual commitments of teaching students to read using high quality teaching students to read using high quality

materials appropriate to their instructional materials appropriate to their instructional levellevel

ANDAND Teaching students to think about, write in Teaching students to think about, write in

response to, and talk about high quality response to, and talk about high quality literature that is appropriate to their age level.literature that is appropriate to their age level.

Designing Curriculum Designing Curriculum to Meet Our Dual to Meet Our Dual

ObligationsObligations

The Michigan Teachers Learning The Michigan Teachers Learning Collaborative:Collaborative:

Connecting Across BordersConnecting Across Borders

Linking across communitiesLinking across communities

= TLC Network Participant School District Location

The Questions We AddressedThe Questions We Addressed

Why are many of our children -- especially Why are many of our children -- especially 2nd & above able to read words but do not 2nd & above able to read words but do not understand what they are reading?understand what they are reading?

Why do some of our students seem to fall Why do some of our students seem to fall further and further behind instead of further and further behind instead of catching up with their peers?catching up with their peers?

What can we do about it?What can we do about it?

Designing Curriculum: What Designing Curriculum: What did we need?did we need?

An instructional framework that would help An instructional framework that would help accelerate our struggling readers’ progressaccelerate our struggling readers’ progress

An instructional framework that would help us:An instructional framework that would help us: use our time well use our time well include writing in meaningful waysinclude writing in meaningful ways teach skills and strategiesteach skills and strategies have many opportunities to practice what has been have many opportunities to practice what has been

taughttaught focus on important ideas, not just processfocus on important ideas, not just process motivate and engage our studentsmotivate and engage our students

The Goal of The Goal of Book Club Book Club PlusPlus

Meet our Dual Meet our Dual Obligations!Obligations!

age-appropriate text access

student-led discussion within instructional context created by teacher

students apply taught strategies within student-led book clubs

reading-level appropriate text access

teacher-led discussion around specific skills/strategies/words to be taught

students learn new strategies within guided reading group

Book Club Literacy Block

Reading Writing

Book Club

Community Share

Guided Reading

Unit Work

Working with Words

Journaling

Process Writing

Read Aloud

Sustained Silent Reading

Book Club Plus: Maintaining Our Dual Commitments

Scheduling Blocks: 75 or 120 Minutes

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Book Club [75 minutes]: opening community share reading writing fishbowl or book clubs closing community share

Guided Reading [45 minutes] group #1 group #3 group #2 group #1

[Independent Work during Guided Reading:journals, skills work, independentreading, unit project work, writersworkshop

Guided Reading [75 minutes] group #1 group #1 group #2 group #2 group #3 group #3[Independent Work during Guided Reading:journals, skills work, independentreading, unit project work, writersworkshop

Book Club [45 minutes]: opening community share reading writing fishbowl or book clubs closing community share

“Swing” day

Connecting Ideas and Connecting Ideas and Processes through Processes through

Literature StudyLiterature StudyThe Theme: Storied LivesThe Theme: Storied Lives

The Unit: Family StoriesThe Unit: Family Stories

Rich Literature for ALL Students

And...Babushka's DollThe Keeping QuiltThank You Mr. FaulkerThe Bee Tree

Book ClubBook Club Guided Guided ReadingReading

Viewing:Viewing:

Read AloudRead Aloud

How Does Writing Fit In?How Does Writing Fit In?Writing Writing IntoInto the Unit: Build theme/content the Unit: Build theme/content

Writing Writing ThroughThrough the Unit: Comprehension/Analysis the Unit: Comprehension/Analysis

Writing Writing OutOut of the Unit: Applying What We’ve of the Unit: Applying What We’ve LearnedLearned

Writing Into: Life-TimelineWriting Into: Life-Timeline

Writing Through Writing Through Character Development Over TimeCharacter Development Over Time

Writing Through #2:Writing Through #2: Tripod Format - Choice and VariationTripod Format - Choice and Variation

Writing Out: Memory BooksWriting Out: Memory Books

Grade 8

Writing Out:Alternative Forms of Expression

Connecting Instruction and Connecting Instruction and AssessmentAssessment

Using standard district-mandated Using standard district-mandated measures, how did our students do?measures, how did our students do?

Using project-specific measures, how Using project-specific measures, how did our students do?did our students do?

Standard Assessments:Standard Assessments:

On On Metropolitan Achievement Test:Metropolitan Achievement Test: Equal performance to control group, but Equal performance to control group, but

spent spent halfhalf the time in traditional the time in traditional skills/strategy programskills/strategy program

On On Quality Reading Inventory:Quality Reading Inventory: 100% made at least 1 years growth100% made at least 1 years growth 83% made >1 years growth83% made >1 years growth 42% achieved independence at grade 42% achieved independence at grade

levellevel

Rikki’s Response Log EntriesRikki’s Response Log Entries

When I was litel IWhen I was litel I

Owes was afad ofOwes was afad of

Sperts. But Im still afrad Sperts. But Im still afrad

Of sperts. I covered MyOf sperts. I covered My

Self at night.Self at night.

I have a queshten on the end of chapter 3.

Was litel Willy in the race or was he pracising? Thats the reason I was getting comefused. I like the book alot so far. I wonder what's going to happen next. This book is so exicting so far. it's like you are in the book. I'm getting comfused thogh. Was litel Willy's granfather alive or dead? Because litel Willy is talking to his granfather. Dous he have any parints arond? dous litel Willy have any frenids? Well I don't know!"

Early Fall Late Spring

From Language Arts, Nov 01

Owning LiteracyOwning LiteracyBook Club Grade 3: Stone FoxBook Club Grade 3: Stone Fox

Stone Fox Stone Fox Grade 3: Video Clip Not Grade 3: Video Clip Not

Available on www.Available on www.

Concluding CommentsConcluding Comments

Content Knowledge CurriculumContent Knowledge Curriculum There is value-added in substantive content in the There is value-added in substantive content in the

texts and tasks required for early literacy learning texts and tasks required for early literacy learning and developmentand development

AgencyAgency Students benefit from “finding” and “having” a Students benefit from “finding” and “having” a

voice, something often unavailable to young and voice, something often unavailable to young and poor childrenpoor children

Building Cultural CapitalBuilding Cultural Capital Thematic focus from “Self” to “Family” to “Culture” Thematic focus from “Self” to “Family” to “Culture”

built students’ cultural capital in the classroombuilt students’ cultural capital in the classroom

Concluding Comments (cont.)Concluding Comments (cont.)

EngagementEngagement Students worked in patterns of “coming Students worked in patterns of “coming

together - going apart - coming together,” a together - going apart - coming together,” a pattern reflected in the teachers’ pattern reflected in the teachers’ professional development experiencesprofessional development experiences

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Teachers from Grades 1 through 8 Teachers from Grades 1 through 8

engaged in meaningful conversation, engaged in meaningful conversation, betting understanding where their betting understanding where their curriculum work fit curriculum work fit