Strategic Literacy Support Reading

8/3/2019 Strategic Literacy Support Reading

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Draft Not for reproduction

Strategic Literacy Support

Differentiated Instruction for Struggling Readers and Special Learners

Stanley L. SwartzPhilip H. Swartz, Kathy Pitchford and Daniel P. Swartz

Introduction

Many students struggle in the process to become readers and writers. This groupincludes English learners, learners with special needs and, too often, students who havenot received appropriate instruction. Difficulties in reading and writing are primarypresenting problems in students with disabilities. It is common for these students todemonstrate significant delays in literacy achievement that result in reduced learningopportunities in subject areas and participation in general education classrooms. Inaddition, reading and writing instruction is not given high priority for some students, inparticular those with severe disabilities.

Beginning readers also need strategic support in both reading and writing to develop the

early skills that allow them to participate in whole group instruction. Small group orindividualized instruction allows strategic focus on individual strengths and weaknesses.

Reading and writing are important forms of communication. They are also fundamentalto school success and provide increased access to important opportunities over the lifespan. It is critical that all learners be provided the necessary instruction to maximize theliteracy learning of each individual student.

On Reading

Reading is a cognitive process that involves decoding symbols that represent the words inoral language. These words are comprised of letters from a standardized set of written

symbols called graphemes. These letters are used in various combinations to form thewords of the language. In the English language there are 26 letters used to representmore than one million words. These letters singly, and in various combinations, make 44sounds. Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate these sounds.

Reading is the process of decoding words to understand a message from the writer.Decoding text is accomplished using two sources of information, phonics andcomprehension. Phonics is the system of letters matching sounds in language. This


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variety of sounds for letters and letter combinations is one of the complications of usingphonics in the English language. The other source of information is comprehension.Using comprehension as a source of information is the determination by the reader thatthe word they are using makes sense in the text passage and brings meaning to themessage from the author.

It is important to consider errors children make when reading in terms of what they areattempting to do. Are they using a single source of information or are they trying to useboth sources of information for support? There are errors that students make thatillustrate attempts to use these two sources of information. Remember these are theirattempts to read accurately and are not successful.

Example: If the text says, The lake is beautiful, the illustration shows a lake, and thestudent reads, The lack is beautiful; the student has unsuccessfully tried to use phonics.He did not attempt to use comprehension as a source of information because what he readdoes not sense.Example: If the text says, The horse is brown, the illustration is of a brown horse, andthe student reads, The horse is fast, the student attempted to use comprehension. In thiscase the student is selecting a word that makes sense without attending to the letters ofthe word.

Example: The text reads, The star is in the sky. The student reads, The sun is in the sky.This is an unsuccessful attempt to use both sources of information.The word sun does make sense in the sentence, but star and sun only have the first letterin common.

Sources of Information

Phonics Letters/sounds

Does it look/sound right?Does the word you are saying look like the word in the sentence?

Comprehension Meaning Knowledge/Experience

Does it make sense?Does the word you are using make sense in this sentence?


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What Research Tells Us About Teaching to Read

There is a considerable body of scientific research that identifies the skills that studentsneed to acquire to become effective readers. Five areas of instruction have been identifiedthat are critical elements to ensure success in teaching reading (Report of the NationalReading Panel, 2000).

Phonemic Awareness Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice, think about, and workwith individual sounds that are in words. Readers understand that written words can bespoken and that they use phonemes or particular speech sounds when they read a word.

Phonics Phonics is the relationship between the sounds of the spoken language(phonemes) and the letters of the written language (graphemes). Phonics is a system forremembering how to read words. The letters of the alphabet and their correspondingsounds when placed in memory are used to decode words.

Fluency Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and quickly. Fluent readers decodeautomatically and therefore are able to concentrate their attention on the meaning of thetext. Fluent readers recognize and comprehend words at the same time.

Vocabulary Vocabulary is the words we know and need to communicate. Oralvocabulary is the words we use when speaking and reading vocabulary is the words wecan read in print. Reading text with meaning relies on the words used being part of thevocabulary of the reader. A reader needs to know most of the words that are read tocomprehend the text. Understanding phonics and using these skills to decode text is nothelpful if the word decoded by students is not a word in their vocabulary or the meaningof the word cant be determined by the context of the text.

Text Comprehension The purpose of reading is to understand what is read.Comprehension is the ability to take meaning from text and remember and communicatethe meaning from the text. Good readers are those that monitor their comprehension tomake sure they understand the text.

Best Teaching Practices for Reading in the Classroom

Interactive Read Aloud is a whole group oral reading activity in which a book or a pieceof text is chosen, usually relating to a specific topic being taught and read aloud. Theteacher reads out loud while modeling appropriate reading behaviors and allows studentsto participate in the discussion of the book while making predictions, clarifying ideas,discussing vocabulary, and building on comprehension skills.

Shared Reading is a whole group activity in which a piece of text, which has large printand is visible to all students, is read simultaneously by the entire class with the teacher asthe leading voice, modeling good reading behaviors and pointing to the text. It allows allstudents to participate in the reading process and builds on comprehension skills. It alsoallows access to text that may be at a frustration level for some students and the practiceof fluency and other reading behaviors by other students.


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Guided Reading is a small homogeneous group activity, typically in groups of two tofour, in which the students each have a copy of a piece of text at instructional level andread aloud at their own pace. The teacher observes and makes notes of students readingbehaviors and prompts students at the point of error.

Independent Reading is an activity in which students make independent book choices at

their appropriate level (independent reading level) and are able to read for a set period oftime and practice their reading strategies. The teacher rotates around the classroom andlistens to students read and takes anecdotal records of students reading behaviors.

On Writing

Reading and writing are reciprocal processes. When a student reads, he is decoding themessage that the author has sent. When a student writes, he needs to organize his thinkingto form the message that he intends to send to himself or to another reader. Duringwriting, students need to use alphabetic principle, word analysis, spelling, and the

conventions of print required for the particular message that is being written. There aremany important skills that are necessary to learn in the reading and writing process.Different kinds and levels of understanding are needed for students to use these skills inreading and in writing. The ability to read or decode a word does not guarantee that astudent will be able to write or encode the same word.

The Writing Process Writing instruction is based upon a students oral languagedevelopment and knowledge of the world around them, very much like readinginstruction at the acquisition phase. Learning that what one says can be recorded inwritten form and then read by another becomes a goal even for the very youngest student.In order to provide writing instruction, teachers need to know what knowledge students

already possess.

The reciprocity of reading and writing is an essential connection that all students need todevelop and draw upon. Writing is done at many different levels of understanding andthinking. The writer needs to understand the basic principles of letter-soundcorrespondence, letter formation, and using systematic patterns in words and wordclusters in order to spell words. Central to the process is, of course, that the writer issending a message to the reader and that the message carries a meaning.

Understanding Reciprocity

What I can say, I can write. What I can write, I can read. What I can write, others canread. What others write, I can read.

Writing generally develops more slowly than reading. A reader has the advantage ofgaining new knowledge by reading the writing of others. Writers on the other hand haveonly their own knowledge and must use this information to express themselves in print.Beginning writers are encouraged to write about things they know and are familiar within their lives. They are encouraged to use the language that they hear every day in their


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homes and communities.

Best Teaching Practices for Writing in the Classroom

The development of oral language is progressive. As vocabulary grows, language

structures become more complex and the knowledge base expands as students progressin their language acquisition. Likewise, in their writing, students progress from beginninglevels of vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling and phonology to more complex levels.There are a variety of teaching methods and experiences that support students growth inwriting.

Interactive Writing is a process in which the teacher and the students collaborate on theconstruction of the text and share the role of scribe. The negotiation of text is a processthat develops thinking, planning, refining and consolidating while at the same timedeveloping appropriate language structures and increasing vocabulary. The teacher andstudents can work at many levels of competence, from letter recognition and formation to

learning various types of writing. Interactive writing is an effective method to supportskill development in beginning writers, focus on the confusions of struggling writers, andteach advanced writing skills to more proficient readers and writers.

Interactive Editing is a teaching method where the teacher and students collaborate toedit familiar, error-free nonfiction text. Students learn to identify the key content wordsin sentences and paragraphs and then use these words in their own writing. Interactiveediting provides an opportunity to discuss grammar and all of the conventions of writingin the context of an authentic writing activity. The importance of the reciprocity ofreading and writing is emphasized in interactive editing. The reading style and formbecomes the model for the writing.

Advanced Word Analysis is the study of spelling patterns, suffixes, prefixes and wordorigins. Words and patterns are taught based on teacher observation of the independentwriting of students. The emphasis is on teaching students to make associations and todraw upon what they already know about words in order to decode or pronounceunknown words, apply these strategies in their writing.

Independent Writing is the extension of all the other methods of writing instruction.The goal is that the students are given the time necessary to independently write text,incorporating all they have learned in large group and small group writingmethodologies. Teachers use students independent writing to inform and modify theirinstruction to be specific to student need.

Gradual Release of Responsibility


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The gradual release of responsibility is a model of teaching that shifts the roles of teacherand student over time. This model recognizes that various levels of support are needed tohelp students become independent in their learning. Teaching that employs a gradualrelease of responsibility from teacher to student is based on learning theory that isconstructivist. Constructivism is a learning theory when applied to literacy learning thatholds that children generate knowledge and meaning through their experience. Bestteaching practices are constructivist and emphasis a focus on learning rather than onteaching. In other words, we measure our success as teachers on student outcomes ratherthan on our attempts to teach.

The Gradual Release in Teaching

I do, you watch. We do together. You do, I help. You do, I support.

The gradual release model is basically how we teach everything.

A Practical Example

Lets consider something nonacademic: learning to ride a bicycle.

My personal path to bike riding started with a wagon and progressed to a tricycle andthen finally to a bicycle.

My older sister was the expert bike rider that I observed and admired. She pulled me inmy wagon behind her bike. I was a keen observer of her riding ability and wanted to dothe same. My next step was a tricycle. My legs werent long enough to pedal so Ipushed myself along with my feet. I advanced to a good rider but I always had my eyeon a bicycle. So when I was finally big enough for a bicycle my sister was my teacher.She explained what I needed to do and demonstrated it. I got on the bicycle and she heldit up because I did not have the balance to do it myself. She walked along side of me andheld the bike as I practiced steering and pedaling. When I was able to go faster, she ranbeside me still holding the bike. Finally she let go and I was able to ride by myself for ashort distance before the inevitable crash. She picked me up and encouraged me to tryagain. Once again she held me as I got started and I was able to ride even farther. Withmy increased experience, a great deal of practice, and her support and encouragement, Ifinally got the idea and was able to coordinate all of my skills. I was a little shaky at firstbut I could ride all on my own. With practice I became a better rider and I no longer

needed my sisters help.

This is the gradual release.

For instruction in both reading and writing the gradual release can be considered withthese levels of support.

Highest Support Teacher demonstration, student observation and interaction.


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High Support Collaboration between teacher and student. Moderate Support Student work guided and supported by the teacher. Low Support Student independent work, teacher observes and assesses.

Differentiated Instruction

Three cycles of instruction have been developed and tested that implement a gradualrelease or responsibility to support student learning in reading and writing. These cyclesmodify methods used in whole group instruction for use in small group or individualizedinstruction.

Comparing Whole Group Instruction to Small Group Instruction in Reading

Interactive Read Aloud

Whole Group

Students are not always able to see the text. Book selection is based on whole group need. Emphasis is on story. Access to difficult text.

Small Group

Students can see the text.

Book selection is based on group members needs. Students connect what they hear to what they see in print.

Shared Reading

Whole Group

Limited availability of enlarged text. Some children are not participating. Book selection based on whole group need.

Small Group

Any size of text can be used. Book selection is based on group members needs. Teacher can monitor participation more closely.


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Reading Behaviors

Good readers demonstrate some very important reading behaviors that they use to decodeand understand what they are reading. Beginning readers need to be taught thesebehaviors and struggling readers frequently need to be taught these behaviors to replacesome ineffective behaviors that they have previously acquired. These behaviors include,

monitoring, comparing sources of information, fluency, and correction.

Monitoring Good readers pay attention to the meaning of the text they are reading.They follow the story in a passage and continue only if the comprehend what is written.

Comparing Sources of Information At point of confusion, good readers comparewhether or not the word looks like the one they are saying and also whether or not theword makes sense in the passage.

Fluency Students who read very slowly and struggle to decode words in the text, runthe risk of losing track of the meaning of the passage. On the other hand, fluency bringswith it the caution that some readers have learned to decode words that are not in their

vocabulary and when this happens the meaning of the passage might also be lost.

Correction Students need to learn that one of their jobs as a reader is to solve anyproblems they encounter in text, whether it is a word they are having trouble decoding orif the meaning of the word is unknown to them. They need to be taught to use theirvarious skills to correct their errors.

The Strategic Literacy Support Cycle in Reading

The SLS Cycle in Reading is designed to support beginning and struggling readers whocontinue to have difficulties using phonics as a source of information. The SLS Cycle in

Reading may also accelerate more proficient readers into more difficult text. ContentSpecific Instruction is a method that will be more appropriate for those students who areable to decode words but have difficulty with comprehension. Strategic teaching requiresinformation specific to what a student tries to do during reading and what confusions theyhave.

We teach directly to improve reading behaviors and to help students learn to solve theirconfusions. The focus is on teaching behaviors needed during reading rather than onisolated skills.

The Strategic Literacy Support Cycle in Reading uses a four step approach, including, 1)Interactive Read Aloud, 2) Shared Reading, 3) Guided Reading, and 4) IndependentReading. This cycle uses the same text in each step.

Interactive Read Aloud is Step 1 when the teacher reads to the students. The studentslisten, participate in a discussion of the text and are attentive to the print. The InteractiveRead Aloud in this cycle differs from the traditional read aloud used in the classroom inthat the student can see the words as the teacher reads and points to the text with herfinger. This approach supports the transference of phonemic awareness (sounds the childhears) to phonics (the letters and combinations of letters that represent sounds). The


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teacher begins this step by introducing the book with careful attention to the meaning ofthe text, unknown words, unique phrases, and irregular spellings. This step has theadditional purpose of increasing academic vocabulary and oral comprehension.

Step 2 in the cycle is Shared Reading. Shared Reading is where the teacher and thestudents read the text together. The lesson begins with a book introduction but at a lower

level of support than the one provided in Step 1, Interactive Read Aloud. The use of thesame book is designed to provide the child with a reduced level of teacher support in thatthe task of reading is shared. In Shared Reading the teacher and the students read the textin unison while the teacher points to the text with her finger and the students followalong. The students have no copy of the book and only have access to the text the teacheris using. The teacher always remains the guiding voice during this step of the reading.

In Steps 1 and 2, the teacher maintains control of the book. In Step 3, Guided Reading,the students handle the book. In Guided Reading, the students read and the teacherobserves and prompts the students to use independent strategies to problem solve.Students are encouraged to use what they have learned during the Read Aloud and SharedReading steps of the cycle. The critical role for the teacher in this step is to promptstudents to use what they know rather than giving them the information. It is a frequenterror to give students information too soon rather than helping them use what theyknow to problem solve on their own.

Guided Reading Prompts

Reminder A prompt encourages students to use their own knowledge or information toproblem solve.

Prompts to Use Sources of Information

Phonics

Does what you read look that way?

Do you see any part of this word that you know?

Comprehension

Does the word you read make sense?

Prompts to Use Reading Behaviors

Monitoring

Does what you read match the text?

Can you read that again and listen to how it sounds?

Comparing Sources of Information

Does the word you read look like this word? Does the word make sense in the sentence?


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Fluency

Can you read this the same way you speak?

Correction

What do you know that can help you solve this problem?

Independent Reading is Step 4 and is the teacher opportunity to assess the impact of theinstructional cycle and design next steps for teaching. The student reads the bookindependently and the teacher takes a Record of Oral Reading to see if the book wasbrought to the students independent level. The teacher records the errors and correctionsthat the students makes as they read through the passage. This information is used todetermine the necessary next steps for instruction.

The steps in the cycle should be scheduled over different days to determine retentionand comprehension rather than short-term memory.

Strategic Literacy Support in Reading SLS Cycle of Instruction in Reading

Group Formation and Book Selection

Homogeneous groups of 2-4 the San Diego Quick test is a goodinitial method to form groups.

Text is selected both for focus on skill development and studentinterest.

Text should be at instructional level something that students are

able read at 90-95% reading accuracy. Level determined by features of text for K-Grade 3 and readability

for 4+ (see Guided Reading, pages 14-39).

Step 1 Interactive Read Aloud

Read aloud is interactive and allows student participation. Teacher has the only copy of the text High book introduction focusing on features of text, vocabulary,

comprehension (see Guided Reading, pages 39-47). Teacher reads and points with finger to text as the students follow. Teaching points at the end of the reading as appropriate (see

Guided Reading, page 54).

Step 2 Shared Reading

Teacher convenes same group and uses the same text Book introduction is moderate (see Shared Reading, pages 9-12). Teacher and students read the text together as teacher points to the

words with her finger. Teacher has the only copy of the text.


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Shared reading is interactive (see Shared Reading, pages 3-6). Teaching points at the end of the reading as appropriate (see

Shared Reading, page 139).

Step 3 Guided Reading

Guided reading step is separated by at least one day. Teacher convenes the same group and uses the same text. Book introduction is low. Students each have their own copy of the book. Students read out loud at their own pace. Teacher prompts at point of difficulty (see Guided Reading, pages

49-52). Teaching points at the end of the reading as appropriate (see

Guided Reading, page 54).

Step 4 Independent Reading

Teacher convenes the same group and uses the same text Students read independently Teacher assesses using the Record of Oral Reading (see Guided

Reading, pages 137-138).

The steps of the cycle are repeated singly and in combination based on studentneed and demonstrated independence.

Comparing Whole Group Instruction to Small Group Instruction in Writing-Interactive Writing and Interactive Editing

Whole Group

Heterogeneous group. Limited participation. General teaching points.

Small Group

Homogeneous groups of 2-4 students. All students contribute. Strategic teaching points.

The Strategic Literacy Support Cycle in Writing

The Strategic Literacy Support Cycle in Writing, parallels the reading cycle, and includes1) Modeled Writing, 2) Interactive Writing, 3) Guided Writing and 4) IndependentWriting. This model is also one that focuses on a gradual release of responsibility fromthe teacher to the student. Unlike the SLS Cycle in Reading that has a limited focus, the


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SLS Cycle in Writing can support a broad range of writing abilities and writingconfusions.

During Step 1, Modeled Writing, the teacher demonstrates what a good writer doesduring the writing process and focuses on various writing conventions (sentencestructure, capitalization/punctuation, encoding, development of ideas) and then discusses

what they are thinking about as they write. This focus is determined by student need.The students observe during this step while the teacher writes. Modeled Writing is aparticularly powerful way to support students writing because they have the opportunityto observe and listen to the thought process of a proficient writer.

In Step 2, Interactive Writing, the teacher and the students share the pen to write. Thetext that they write together extends the writing completed by the teacher during ModeledWriting. The teacher and students negotiate what they are going to write and worktogether in the actual writing. In this step, the teacher acts as a facilitator and participant,releasing as much control as possible to the students.

In Step 3, Guided Writing, the students write independent of the teacher. The teacher

observes and prompts the student to independently problem solve and use their strategiesat point of need. This gives students an opportunity to practice what they have learned sofar, with support at the point of confusion or appeal to the teacher.

Guided Writing Prompts

Reminder- A prompt encourages students to use their own knowledge or information toproblem solve.

If a student stops while writingWhy did you stop?What are you thinking about?

If a student is having difficulty spelling a wordWhat do you know about that word?Do you know how the word sounds?Do you hear letters that you know in the word?

If a child writes a word incorrectly:Either phonics or comprehension prompts might be appropriate. If the studentmisspells a word, you might ask him to look at the word, read it out loud, andask if what he read looks like that word.

If a student uses a word that doesnt make sense, you would prompt to re-readwhat was written and then ask the student to consider whether or not it makessense.


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PhonicsDoes what you wrote sound that way?What do you know about this word?Do you hear a part you know?

ComprehensionRead what youve written so far and try to find a word that makessense there.Does the word you wrote make sense in this text?

In Step 4, Independent Writing, the student writes while the teacher observes andassesses. The teacher takes notes on what progress the student has made and behaviorsthe students exhibit while writing. This information is used to determine the necessarynext steps for instruction.

The steps in the cycle should be scheduled over different days to determine retention

and comprehension rather than short-term memory.

Strategic Literacy Support in Writing SLS Cycle of Instruction in Writing

Group Formation and Writing Focus

Homogeneous groups of 2-4. These groups might be the same groups formed forthe reading cycle.

Writing should focus on a shared experience. Reading something together is avery effective shared experience.

Same theme followed during all steps of the cycle.

Step 1 Modeled Writing

Teacher uses think aloud procedures to model good writing. Support for all levels and types of writing can be provided (see Interactive

Writing, pages 14-16). Teaching points range from letter formation (see Interactive Writing, pages 139-

143) to a wide variety of skills (and page 129).

Step 2 Interactive Writing

Teacher and students share the pen during construction of text. Each student contributes to the writing. Strategic teaching at points of confusion (see Interactive Writing, pages 135). Errors are corrected at the point of error.


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Note: both modeled and interactive writing use enlarged text and chart paper oroverhead (in upper grades) and all students work on the same copy.

Step 3 Guided Writing

Students continue the same theme.

Students work on their own individual paper. Teacher observes and prompts at point of error or confusion.

Step 4 Independent Writing

Students write independently with minimal teacher support. Teacher observes and assesses (see Interactive Writing, page 132). Teacher does not correct student work during the writing.

The steps of the writing cycle can be repeated both singly and in combination basedon student need and teacher assessment of independent writing.

Content Specific Instruction (CSI) using Interactive Writing andInteractive Editing

Content Specific Instruction - Students are taught to identify key content words innonfiction text and then how to use these words in their own writing. CSI uses acombination of reading and writing procedures to support both reading comprehensionand independent writing.

Some students have learned to read using phonological information at a level that theirdecoding is accurate but they are still unable to comprehend the text. They decode wordsaccurately but many of the words are not part of their vocabulary. Most of these studentsdo not monitor their reading for the meaning of the text. Some of these same studentshave participated in instruction that emphasizes fluency. Rates of reading are set as goalsand often come at the expense of understanding what is read.

One student was observed to skip words in the text and when asked by the teacherwhy he did that, he said, I need to reach my fluency goal, so I just skip the words Idont know?

Content Specific Instruction is a method for teaching writing and the thinking processesinvolved in a variety of writing tasks. The goal is to extend students understanding andcommand of written language, giving them a structure for reading text and for writingabout what they have read. CSI is also an effective way to teach content because itcombines comprehension with composition in a connected and interactive manner. CSIhelps students understand how reading supports writing and how writing can supportreading comprehension.


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Content Specific Instruction using various teaching methods from both the reading and writingcycles: 1) Read Aloud, 2) Interactive Editing, 3) Modeled Writing, 4) Shared Reading, 5)Interactive Writing and 6) Independent Writing.A nonfiction text is selected and the teacherReads Aloud and models the selection of keycontent words procedure ofInteractive Editing in Step 1. This is a think aloud procedurewhere the teacher discusses why some words are more important than others to the meaning ofthe text. The words can be either circled or listed separately. All students should be able to seethe text.

In Step 2, the teacher uses Modeled Writing to write a sentence that summarizes the originaltext using the key content words. All conventions of print are observed and once again theteacher thinks aloud about what is needed to complete the writing. Students observe in bothSteps 1 and 2 with minimal interaction.

Step 3 uses more text from the same material and the teacher and students use Shared Readingto read the text and then use Interactive Editing procedures to jointly select the key content

words. The discussion is teacher-lead but students are encouraged to share their ideas about theimportance of various words.

In Step 4, the procedures forInteractive Writing are used for the teacher and students to jointlyconstruct a summary of the text selection. All students should contribute to the writing.

Step 5 directs students to read the text on their own (Independent Reading) and select their ownkey content words and write a summary using the key content words (Independent Writing).The teacher observes these efforts and uses the list of key content words selected by each studentand the writing artifact to determine next steps for instruction.

Additional Steps can be added to this cycle based on student need and teacherobservation of independent work. The teacher Read Aloud and Modeled Writing stepscan be repeated to review the process of identifying key content words and writing thatkeeps the meaning of the original text.

The Shared Reading and Interactive Writing steps can be repeated to provide additionalpractice. Group work can be added to these steps where students work together toidentify key content words with minimal interaction from the teacher. This allows theteacher to listen to their conversation and assess student understanding of the process.The Interactive Writing step might also be used with less teacher participation for thesame assessment opportunity.

Content Specific Instruction

Group Formation and Text Selection

Homogenous groups of 2-4 initial groups might be based on writing samples orskill levels (see Interactive Writing, pages 137-131).

Text selection should be instructional level.


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Step 1 Read Aloud and Interactive Editing

Teacher reads the text out loud. Students are able to see the text.

Teacher models the selection of key content words (see Interactive Editing, pages77-78).

Student interaction is minimal

Step 2 Modeled Writing

Teacher thinks aloud how key content words are used to write a summary of the text (seeInteractive Writing, page 87).

All conventions of print are observed and writing is visible to all students.

Student interaction is minimal.

Step 3 Shared Reading and Interactive Editing

Teacher and students read together as the teacher points to the text with herfinger.

Shared Reading is interactive and students are encouraged to talk about what isread.

Teachers and students work together to identify key content words.

Step 4 Interactive Writing

Teacher and students negotiate writing using the key content words. InteractiveWriting procedures are used (see Interactive Writing, pages 3-8).

Writing is displayed and visible to all students.

Step 5 Independent Reading and Independent Writing

Students identify key content words independently.

Students write a summary independently.

The same theme or topic is used for all CSI steps.

Each step in the cycle can be repeated based on student need and teacher evaluation ofindependent writing.

Supporting Literacy Learning for Non-Verbal Students

Most of our teaching methods for reading and writing rely on verbal behaviors or verbalresponses from students. For example, when we listen to students read out loud,observing their reading behaviors is the teacher window on the skills that students bringto the task. Even though reading out loud and reading to oneself are different skills, we


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nevertheless rely heavily on one to establish the level of the other. When we try todetermine student comprehension we typically ask students to talk about what they haveread in ways that help us assess their level of understanding of what they read. Inwriting, teachers typically use extensive conversations, modeling, and interactivesupports as methods to help students as they attempt to write their own messages. Ourusual teaching methods are all heavily invested in verbal interaction with students.

Using phonics as a source of information for decoding and understanding text assumesthat if can use letter/sound correspondence information to call a word correctly,comprehension will follow. Our instruction begins with phonemic awareness where weensure that students learn to distinguish the sounds of the language and proceeds toattaching these sounds to the letters that represent them when they encounter them inprint.

Students who are deaf are an exception to this method of teaching and learning. Graphicrepresentation of letters and words are used exclusive of the associated sounds. Usingsign language as their expressive mode involves using signs for words and concepts and adifferent syntax that are not an exact translation of the written text. Word by worddecoding is not emphasized in this instruction.

Instruction for non-verbal students has more in common with instruction for verbalstudents than for students who are deaf in that they share the auditory receptive skills.Teaching procedures that use these receptive skills but employ alternative modes ofexpression are key to instruction in reading and writing for non-verbal students. Absentverbal communication skills, alternative methods of expression for students and teachingprocedures to monitor decoding and comprehension in reading and encoding andexpression in writing are used.

Nonverbal Students

The inability to communicate is the primary source of behavior problems in non-verbalstudents. The lack of reading and writing skills in non-verbal students is a function oflittle or no direct teaching. With communication limited because of the lack of verbalbehavior, other modes of communication become even more critical to these students.Many non-verbal students have an extensive receptive oral language vocabulary. Thismeans that both phonics and comprehension can be accessed as sources of information.Our goal is to use this receptive language as the basis to develop both reading and writingskills using non-verbal expression behaviors. Remember that reading out loud is not thereading behavior; it is our window into the reading behavior.

Procedures

Letters of the alphabet should be taught using alphabet charts and books that have bothupper and lower case letters, illustrations of common objects, and the label of the objectsin print. These illustrations can begin with the letter in the first position, b (boy, box) andprogress to words with the letter in other positions (table).

Integrate reading and writing by combining letter recognition with letter formation asboth reinforcement and to monitor learning. The child points to the letter when called bythe teacher and then writes the letter.


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Phonemic Awareness and Phonics

Emphasis is given to hearing sounds in words with a direct connection to print. Theteacher voices alternative sounds for vowels, vowel combinations, consonants, andconsonant blends with the student directed to point to the correct letter or combination.Asking the student to clap as the teacher reads can assess recognition of syllables.

Concepts About Print

Direct instruction is provided in concepts about print such as directionality, one-to-onematching, return sweep, concept of first and last part of word, sentence, and story,locating know and unknown words, and comparing sources of information.

Modifying the Strategic Literacy Support Cycles in Reading and Writing:Combining the cycles for individualized instruction

1. Interactive Read AloudYou read, point to text, ask the student to follow the text with his eyes.Monitor by asking the student to point to a word or the illustration of thatword.

2. Modeled WritingTeacher models writing of letters, words, or sentences.

3. Shared ReadingTeacher reads, the student points to the text word by word. Again, monitor by

asking the student to point to a word or the illustration of the word.

4. Interactive WritingSharing the pen with the teacher, the student is asked to write the word(s) thatthey identified in the Shared Reading.

5. Guided ReadingAsk the student to point to the text as they read. Tell the student to stop onwords they don't know and look to you for support. Use both phonics andcomprehension as sources of information for vocabulary. Instruct the studentto remember high frequency words.

6. Guided WritingWith teacher support, the student is asked to write his own words about thetext. Teacher observes and prompts at point of difficulty.

7. Independent ReadingAsk the student to point to the text as they read. Monitor by asking the student to


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point to letters and words and or the word illustration for comprehension.

8. Independent WritingIndependent Writing is assessed to monitor progress and design next steps ininstruction.

These steps can be repeated singly and in combination and both Independent Reading andWriting can be assessed to determine next stops for instruction.

References

Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read(2000). Washington,DC: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Swartz, S., et al. (2003). Guided reading and literacy centers. PearsonLearning/Dominie Press.

Swartz, S., et al. (2001). Interactive writing and interactive editing. PearsonLearning/Dominie Press.

Swartz, S., et al. (2002 ). Shared reading. Pearson Learning/Dominie Press.

Swartz, S., Geraghty, C., Pitchford, K., & Swartz, P. (2008). Family literacy workshops.San Diego, CA: Cavallo Press.


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SLS Reading Cycle

Summary each step of the reading cycle.

1. Read Aloud

2. Shared Reading

3. Guided Reading


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4. Independent Reading

SLS Writing Cycle

Summarize each step of the writing cycle.

1. Modeled Writing

2. Interactive Writing

3. Guided Writing


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4. Independent Writing

Documents

Strategic Literacy Support Reading