Literacy Takes Flight at FRC

Literacy that Works for All

Students

Lisa Boles Cathy Oresnik Sherry Klassen

Read the following recommendation engine post. While you are reading, really think about your thinking. When you are finished discuss your thinking with a partner.

I want that Panasonic 103-inch TV. My wife says that’s too big.Is she right?

Optimal viewing distance at 1080p = diagonal screen size ÷ 0.84, maximum OVD for 103-inch screen = 122.619 inches.

Recommendation: If seat to screen distance >122.619inches: Purchase TV; if <122.619 inches: Construct home theaterspace of necessary size; purchase TV.

Recommendation Engine Ask an AlgorithmComprehension Strategies(Adapted From: Daniels, Harvey and Steineke, Nancy (2011)Texts and Lessons for Content-Area Reading. Toronto, Heineman)

Literacy Strategies

Literacy Strategies cont’d

Some reliable and well-replicated research has been done over the past few decades (Pearson and Gallagher 1983; Pearson, Roehler, Dole, and Duffy 1992;Pearson 2009) to identify the cognitive strategies good readers use. Skilled readers:

Monitor their comprehensionVisualize and make sensory imagesConnect to their background knowledgeAsk questions of the textDraw inferencesDetermine what’s importantSynthesize

Holding Your Thinking

According to John Hattie’s meta-analysis, Visible Learning, reciprocal teaching is one of the most effective teaching strategies. Typically, students record their thoughts using one literacy strategy and then share their thoughts with others in their group, thus modeling their thinking for each other.

Alternatively, this form can be used as a note-taking frame to hold your thinking in all of the categories to be shared in discussion following reading/viewing.

Summarize Connect Question Synthesize

Meeting the Needs of All Students

Pyramid of Intervention

CSS

• Literacy Strategies• Poster Application in Content

Areas• Lesson Planning• Scribbler• I love to Read Month

• RIT for TRAN and CP

• Welcome Center

Intensive

• EAL• RIT Option

Targeted

Universal

Why Literacy?

Teachers expressed a concern about the literacy levels of their students

Dufours’ recommendation… “ …the key to effective collaboration is to ensure that educators focus on the “right” things- the things that actually impact student learning.” They go onto suggest that after in-school PLCs have been established, PLC’s should focus on identifying essential outcomes, developing common assessments and creating plans for students who do not understand… improving student literacy. These are among the “right” things.

Our Students

100-110 new EAL arrivals per yearExponential EAL increase in last 10 years EAL Academic → Myriad of Needs

↑ Refugees, students who have not experienced success in their home country, disengaged males

Parent expectations that put stress on students

Our Students (con’t)

FRC – 205 EAL students in 2014-15 46 students in stage 1-2 68 students in stage 3 Over 40 countries represented Top 5 Countries: China, Nigeria , India, Korea, Iran 72% of students were not born in Canada

Intensive Interventions in 2014-2015 school year

LAL1 (3) and LAL2 (4) LALNU1 (10) and LALNU2(11) Intensive Intervention (17)

Getting Started

2009-2010 formed a Literacy Interest GroupResearch - 2 Groups

Judith Irvin- Taking Action on Adolescent Literacy Cris Tovani - I Read It But I Don’t Get It.

Shared… Discussion… Established Priorities throughout the Literacy Journey Defined Working Definition of Literacy Planned to bring in Cris Tovani for Kickoff in

Pinawa Find support for Literacy Coach

FRC Literacy Coach – Cathy Oresnik

2010-2011 – Literacy Coach Established

2 Sections each semester to Chair the committee and work with staff

Taking the Lead on Adolescent Literacy – Resource used to continue planning for Literacy at FRC

14 parameters – Michael Fullan and Lyn Sharratt

Literacy

Working Definition:To be literate means to competently make meaning of any symbolic representation of an object, idea or concept to create and communicate understanding.

Fullan and Sharratt DefinitionThe development of a continuum of skills, knowledge, and attitudes that prepare all learners in a changing world community. It begins with the fundamental acquisition of skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, representing, responding and mathematics. It becomes that ability to think, apply, and communicate effectively in all subject and program areas in a variety of ways and for a variety of purposes. – The 14 Parameters (p.ix)

The role of the literacy coach

Making Connections beyond FRC

Collaboration with other schools and PTSD staff on divisional literacy initiatives

Development of the Provincial Reading is Thinking continuum and piloted RIT at FRC

Liaison with feeder schools

The role of the literacy coach (con’t)

Universalcoordinated peer coaching opportunities for teachers (Literacy Labs)Researches and provides resources for, and plans with, classroom teachersMeets with department teams during team planning timePlans staff meeting PD activities and writes monthly Literacy Focus staff newsletterChairs literacy committee Works with literacy committee to plan larger PD daysAdministers Fountas and Pinnell assessments to all new students Helps plan I Love to Read month and other school-wide initiativesStaff advisor for our literary magazine, The Scribbler, and coaches debate Updates literacytakesflight website and Scoop it page http://www.scoop.it/t/current-topics-in-adolescent-literacy

The role of the literacy coach (con’t)

TargetedParticipates in classroom reviewsBrings the literacy lens to articulation meetings, at risk meetings, etc.Piloted/teaching Reading is Thinking

IntensiveIntervention program for struggling readers

Kick Off – 2010/11 - Year 1

UniversalChris Tovani – 7 Strategies for all teachers to use in their subject area

Making connectionsQuestioning the text

Determining importanceCreate mental image

Synthesize InformationDraw inferences

Repair understanding

Going Deeper – 2011/12 - Year 2

UniversalLiteracy Labs – Opportunities for teachers to gather in groups of 3 or 4 with the literacy coach, share plans to use a literacy strategy in a lesson, view the implementation of the strategy and debrief the success of the implementation Poster Development – Deepen teacher understanding and consistent language and delivery for students

Literacy Strategies in Science

Literacy Strategies in Math

Literacy Strategies in Business (QR Codes)

Deeper Still…– 2012/13– Year 3

UniversalEAL Strategies as PD FocusEAL Stages on Class listsFountas and Pinnell Levels on Class listsFountas and Pinnell Assessment for new students Monthly Newsletter - Literacy FocusOrganize staff meeting literacy PD activitiesPublishing of The ScribblerI Love to Read Month

Deeper Still….2012/13 – Year 3 (con’t)

TargetedReading is Thinking CourseE Class StrategiesClassroom Profile Review

IntensiveWelcome CenterTransition and Credit Program delivery of Reading is Thinking

Backward Design/UDL – 2013/14 – Year 4

Team planning time: Lesson study model

All Subject area teams developed a subject specific backward design template. These teams of teachers work together to develop, deliver and assess lessons/units. The literacy coach to be used as a resource to help facilitate the process and provide observation and feedback.

Intensive Supports– 2014/15 – Year 5

Continued: Subject area teams developed a subject specific backward design template. These teams of teachers work together to develop, deliver and assess lessons/units. The literacy coach to be used as a resource to help facilitate the process and provide observation and feedbackLAL Literacy and NumeracyIntensive Reading SupportLiteracy with a 21st Century lens

Accomplishments

Literacy posters make literacy strategies visible

Literacy is a focus in teacher planningThe Scribbler in its 5th yearLiteracy focus newsletter and activities make

literacy a part of every staff meeting21st century lunch and learn opportunitiesContinued book studies on literacyLAL literacy and numeracy courses and

intensive reading programs established

Accomplishments (con’t)

3 sections of Reading is Thinking, and RIT used to support learning in Credit and Transitions Programs

Creative Writing optionLiteracy and EAL levels available in Mayet

and on class listsEstablished Practice - Classroom Profile

MeetingsAnnual Celebration of what is accomplished

Challenges

More wide spread adoption of the peer coaching/job embedded collaborative model of teacher development

More use of the literacy coach in classSupporting Program Leaders work to focus on

lesson planning Keeping literacy at the center of our planningSupporting Language Learners with no formal

schooling

What’s Next

Division-wide system for Student Profiles and Data Collection Lesson Study – Job-embedded learning that involves planning together using various effective strategies – focusing on the discussion around what is effective.21st Century application to LiteracyDivision-wide standards for literacy in terms of roles and responsibilities

Questions

?

Think time

Considering your school division circumstances, what would you need to do to move forward to further promote literacy?

What could it look like in your schools?

What supports would be needed?

Summarize Connect Question Synthesize

Resources

Brownlie, F., Fullerton, C., Schnellert, L. (2011). It's all about thinking: Collaborating to support

all students in math and science. Winnipeg, MB: Portage and Main Press

Brownlie, F., Schnellert, L.(2009). It's all about thinking: Collaborating to support all students in

English, Social Studies and Humanities. Winnipeg, MB: Portage and Main Press

Irvin, J., Meltzer, J., & Dukes, M. (2007). Taking action on adolescent literacy: An implementation

guide for school leaders. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Irvin, J., Meltzer, J., Dean, N. & Mickler, M. J. (2010). Taking the lead on adolescent literacy: Action

steps for school-wide success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Sharrat, L., & Fullan, Michael. (2012) Putting Faces on the data. Thousand Oaks, CA; Corwin

Press

Sharrat, L., & Fullan, Michael. (2009) Realization: The change imperative for deepening district-

wide reform.Thousand Oaks, CA; Corwin Press

Tovani, C. (2000). I read it, but I don’t get it. Portland Maine: Stenhouse Publishers