Big Ideas in Literacy: making a difference for all

children Kamloops  Grade  2/3  

Faye  Brownlie  

Learning Intentions

•  I  have  polished  my  mental  model  of  what  is  effec=ve  teaching  of  reading.  

•  I  have  a  beAer  idea  of  how  to  use  evidence-­‐based  reading  strategies  with  a  colleague.  

•  I  am  commiAed  to  having  all  my  students  read  with  JOY!  

•  I  am  leaving  with  a  ques=on  and  a  plan.  

Kamloops Students •  What  are  their  strengths?  •  Where  do  they  need  to  strengthen?  

•  What  is  your  ‘ac=on  plan’  as  you  work  with  each?  

Dashawn  

I  am  capable  I  have  ideas    They  are  relevant    And  connected  

Wait  for  me  Listen  to  me  I  can  do  it  Thank  you  for  finding    Pa=ence  

Dakoda  

Enthusias=c  Very  curious  Loves  to  share  his  knowledge  Spends  =me  with  adults  Has  a  passion  for  science  Just  wants  to  belong  Confidence  Wants  to  be  successful  ‘My  mind  is  a  machine’  Scien=st  

Tea  

Loves  her  family  Creates  and  craZs  Seeks  affirma=on  Trusts  Desires  success  Importance  of  rela=onship  Socially  mo=vated  Confidence  building  

Jovan  

Sounding  out  Recognizes  more  words  Caring  of  others  Will  always  try  Read  out  loud  Mythical  creatures  evil  and  good  ‘Clear  pictures  in  my  head’  Found  his  confidence  

Teachers’ Reflections: what made a difference for

vulnerable readers (2012-13)

•  1:1  support  •  Rela=onship  •  Choice  •  Focus  on  meaning  

We CAN teach all our kids to read.

•  Struggling  readers  need  to  read  MORE  than  non-­‐struggling  readers  to  close  the  gap.  

•  Struggling  readers  need  to  form  a  mental  model  of  what  readers  do  when  reading.  

•  Struggling  readers  need  to  read  for  meaning  and  joy    

•  Struggling  readers  do  NOT  need  worksheets,  scripted  programs,  or  more  skills  prac=ce.  

“Every  Child,  Every  Day”  –  Richard  Allington  and  Rachael  Gabriel  

In  Educa=onal  Leadership,  March  2012  

6  elements  of  instruc=on  for  ALL  students!  

1.  Every  child  reads  something  he  or  she  chooses.  2.  Every  child  reads  accurately.  3.  Every  child  reads  something  he  or  she  

understands.  4.  Every  child  writes  about  something  personally  

meaningful.  5.  Every  child  talks  with  peers  about  reading  and  

wri=ng.  6.  Every  child  listens  to  a  fluent  adult  read  aloud.  

•  Choice  •  Accuracy  •  Talking  with  peers  

Strategy Cards – Catching Readers Before They Fall (Johnson & Keier)

Building Independence •  Build  criteria  with  your  students  – What  do  good  readers  do?    

•  No=ce  when  the  students  are  using  the  co-­‐created  criteria  

•  Ask  the  students  “What  should  I  no=ce  about  what  you  are  doing  when  you  are  reading?”  

Browsing Bags – gr. 2/3 •  Early  readers:    just  right  books,  repeated  readings  of  the  same  books,  expert  books  (perhaps  from  GR)  

•  More  developed  readers:    a  variety  of  different  genres  

•  Read  to  self,  read  to  a  friend,  read  to  an  adult  •  Reflec=on:    I  liked.  I  learned.  I  am  wondering  about.  

Reading Train •  Children  are  sinng  side  by  side  in  two  lines.  •  The  reader  starts  reading  when  the  whistle  blows  and  con=nues  to  read  un=l  the  whistle  blows  again.  

•  One  person  reads,  the  other  synthesizes  the  main  idea,  asks  a  ques=on,  or  makes  a  connec=on.  

Teaching Reading Strategies •  The  costume  at  the  door  was  scary.    Sam  could  feel  his  heart  ___________.  

•  The  costume  at  the  door  was  scary.    Sam  could  feel  his  heart  r___________.  

What strategies did you use? •  Thinking  about  meaning.  •  Thinking  about  parts  of  speech.  •  Thinking  if  the  word  would  sound  right.  •  With  the  ‘r’  you  now  had  visual  informa=on  to  add  in.  

•  Children  who  are  struggling  with  reading,  oZen  have  trouble  using  all  sources  of  informa=on  and  tend  to  rely  on  just  one…their  easiest  one!  

•  How  can  you  integrate  the  flexible  use  of  reading  strategies  throughout  the  day?  

Balance

•  Where  do  your  students  spend  their  =me?  

•  “This  may  be  surprising,  but  there  is  a  growing  body  of  research  showing  no  consistent  rela=onship  between  student-­‐text  matching  and  learning.”  

•  Tim Shanahan, “Should We Teach Students at Their Reading Levels?” – Reading Today, Sept/Oct, 2014 (Summary of research address at IRA, New Orleans, 2014)

•  “Except  for  the  earlier  men=oned  O’Connor  study,  and  that  only  with  beginning  reading  levels,  there  is  no  credible  evidence  suppor=ng  learning  benefits  from  teaching  kids  at  their  levels.”  

•  Tim Shanahan, “Should We Teach Students at Their Reading Levels?” – Reading Today, Sept/Oct, 2014

•  “Instruc=onal  level  is  not  where  lessons  should  begin,  but  where  they  need  to  end.”  

•  Tim Shanahan, “Should We Teach Students at Their Reading Levels?” – Reading Today, Sept/Oct, 2014

Building Understanding

Quadrants  of  a  Thought  

Image              Words  

Ques=ons              Emo=ons  

Voices  of  the  Wild  –  Jonathan  London    

I  am  Bear  scavenging  among  the  man’s  things.  There  is  food  here  in  the  ashes  of  his  campfire,  and  more  –    I  sniff  it  on  the  air  

           nearby.  But  he  comes,  his  kayak  sliding  in,  his  paddle  raised,  his  voice,  in  a  shout:  GET  OUT!  GET  OUT!  I  rear  up,  stand  tall,  all  claws  and  teeth  

           ROARRR!  He  slaps  water  and  yells  and  I  –    I  scratch  the  white  moon  on  my  belly,  yawn  

           and  amble  off  to  look  for  berries.  

Take away questions •  Do  all  my  students  engage  in  all  5  aspects  of  reading/wri=ng  daily?      – Where  do  we  spend  most  of  our  =me?  

•  How  much  =me  do  my  most  vulnerable  students  spend  on  leveled  text?  

•  Are  we  having  fun  with  reading  and  wri=ng?