Module 2: Content-Area Literacy

1. Module 2: Content-Area Literacy Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development Unit 3, Session 1

2. Identifying Ways to Support Struggling Readers and Writers Demystifying Differentiated Instruction

3. Essential Questions • Module 2 Question • What role can content-area teachers play in helping adolescents acquire general and discipline-specific literacy skills? • Unit 3, Session 1 Questions • What does differentiated instruction, with a focus on content-area literacy skills, look like? • How can differentiated instruction support struggling adolescent readers?

4. Warm-Up • Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: • What does excellent Differentiated Instruction look like? Is it worth the time and effort? Generate (individually) a list of ideas and initial thoughts that come to mind when you think about this particular topic/issue. Write the list on a chalkboard/whiteboard – merge lists with other participants. Sort your ideas according to how central or tangential they are.  Place central ideas near the center and more tangential ideas toward the outside of the page. Connect your ideas by drawing connecting lines between ideas that have something in common.  Explain to each other how the ideas are connected. Elaborate on any of the ideas/thoughts you have written so far by adding new ideas that expand, extend, or add to your initial ideas.

5. Differentiated Instruction • What does “Differentiated Instruction” mean to this group? • Our Current Definition(s):

6. Expanding / Illustrating Our Definition • Using the CCSSO Literacy Q&A document related to your content area: • CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: English language arts literacy Q & A, Janice Dole • CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: Math literacy Q & A, Russell Gersten • CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: Science literacy Q & A, Elizabeth Birr • CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: Social studies literacy Q & A, Cynthia Shanahan • And a Jigsaw Organizer… • Answer the questions on the following slide. Be ready to share with the whole group!

7. How did each content-area literacy expert answer the question, “How do I differentiate instruction?” Which suggestions from the article(s) are you already doing? Which are you going to try?

8. Expanding Our Understanding Again • Take a few minutes to skim/read the handout “Strategies for Differentiating Instruction” (or a related content-area specific document) • Strategies for Differentiated Instruction • Math Differentiation Brief • Reading Differentiation Brief (ELA / SS) • Science Differentiation Brief • Which of the following practices are we already doing? Which would we like to try? • Tiered assignments and products • Compacting • Independent Study • Interest Centers/ Groups • Flexible Grouping • Multiple Levels of Questions • Learning Contracts • Choice Boards

9. Gradual Release of Responsibility Model TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY “I do it” Focus Lesson Guided Instruction “We do it” “You do it together” Collaborative “You do it alone” Independent STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY From Frey, N. (n.d.). Re-visioning Intervention: RtI2 in Secondary. Slide 17. Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

10. Connecting to Gradual Release of Responsibility • Modeling core reading/writing strategies is a key component of Gradual Release of Responsibility. • Watch this 6 minute video clip of a Social Studies teacher modeling instructional strategies for her students. • I Do, We Do, You Do: Scaffolding Reading Comprehension in Social Studies(From Doing What Works. (n.d.). Adolescent Literacy) • What is this teacher doing to support all students? How are her practices supporting struggling readers/writers especially? • How can we, as a department/team/school, carefully model the content-area reading/writing skills we want students to master?

11. Preview of the Rest of the Unit • The next three sessions of this unit will introduce participants to the ways in which texts can both hinder and support struggling readers. • We will look at common expository text structures and how to help students identify them and use that knowledge to overcome reading challenges. • We will discuss why it is important to teach with multiple texts (i.e., text sets). • Finally, we will review common graphic organizers and how they can support reading and writing at all levels.

12. Wrap-Up • Things to Remember: • Differentiated instruction is a constellation of pedagogical practices – a necessity in today’s schools where student populations are more diverse than ever. • Modeling instruction and creating opportunities for multiple ways of reading/responding in class can support diverse learners.

13. References Dole, J. (n.d.). CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: English language arts literacy Q & A, Janice Dole. Retrieved from http://programs.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/ELA_Complete%20Set_Final.pdf Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Frey, N. (n.d.). Re-visioning intervention: RtI2 in secondary. PowerPoint Presentation. Retrieved from http://www.fisherandfrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/rti2-secondary.ppt Gersten, R. (n.d.). CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: Math literacy Q & A, Russell Gersten. Retrieved from http://programs.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/Math_Complete%20Set_Final.pdf

14. References Moje, E. B. (n.d.). CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: Science literacy Q & A, Elizabeth Birr Moje. Retrieved from http://programs.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/Science_Complete%20Set_Final.pdf Shanahan, C. (n.d.). CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit: Science literacy Q & A, Cynthia Shanahan. Retrieved from http://programs.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/SS_Complete%20Set_Final.pdf The Access Center. (2005). Enhancing your instructional skills through differentiation. Washington, D.C.: American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from: http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/differentiationmodule.asp