Connecting School to Home: Balanced Literacy, Grades K-4 Roxbury Public Schools

1. Connecting School to Home: Balanced Literacy, Grades K-4 Roxbury Public Schools Mrs. Danielle Lynch Supervisor of Humanities, PreK-6 • The longer I write and read, the more I learn; writing and reading are lifelong apprenticeships. • Donald M. Murray

2. Ready, Set, Write… • On your handout, please spend 2 minutes writing at least 4 lines in response to these questions… • Why read? • Why write?

3. Roxbury Public Schools English Language Arts (ELA) Vision… • To foster the development of literate individuals who critically read and purposefully write for a variety of interpersonal and intrapersonal purposes, so as to fulfill their need to connect with texts, their lives, and the world.

4. Fostering Lifelong Readers and Writers In order to support our developing readers & writers in the complex tasks of reading and writing, we are… • Using assessments to guide and differentiate instruction • Teaching and Learning ELA within a Balanced Literacy Approach to Instruction

5. Our Starting LineAssessment Drives Instruction The Roxbury Public Schools believe that Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom is… A collection of evidence that demonstrates progress of student understanding towards established goals.

6. Benchmark Assessments • Kindergarten: Alternative Assessment Portfolio • Alphabet Recognition (upper and lower case) • Letter/Sound Correspondence • Phonemic Awareness • Concepts About Print • Sight Word Recognition • Story Retelling • Four District Wide Writing Samples (scored with a rubric / in packet) • Alphabet Writing

7. Benchmark Assessments • First Grade: Alternative Assessment Portfolio • Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment(September/October & March/April) • Accuracy • Fluency • Comprehension (within, about, and beyond the text) • Writing About Reading • Alphabet Recognition • Letter/Sound Correspondence • Word Awareness Writing Activity • Four District Wide Writing Samples (scored with a rubric / in packet)

8. Benchmark Assessments • Second and Third Alternative Assessment Portfolio: • Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment(September/October & March/April) • Accuracy • Fluency • Comprehension (within, about, and beyond the text) • Writing About Reading • Four District Wide Writing Samples (scored with a rubric / in packet) • Pilot: Rigby READS (online assessment) • (January)

9. Benchmark Assessments • Fourth Grade: • Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment(September/October & March/April) • Accuracy • Fluency • Comprehension (within, about, and beyond the text) • Writing About Reading • Four District Wide Writing Samples (scored with a rubric / in packet)

10. Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment • This assessment tool enables us to determine what kinds of texts are at a child’s: • Independent, • Instructional, or • Frustrational Level. * Instructional Level is what is used in the classrooms to create readiness-based, small-group strategic reading instruction.

11. Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment

12. Characteristics of Texts • What determines the level of a text? • Sentence Complexity • Vocabulary • Kinds of Words • Length • Print and Layout • Punctuation • Readers’ Tools

13. Benchmark Assessments • How will benchmark assessment data be used: • To differentiate instruction based on… • Readiness • Need • Interest • To communicate to families a student’s observed strengths and needs • To contribute to a student’s academic legacy in our schools

14. Balanced Literacy Approach • Have fully transitioned from a Basal Approach to Instruction to a Balanced Literacy Approachwith a focus on… • Developing language and word study skills • Constructing meaning • Building a community of writers

15. Balanced Literacy Approach • As a result, we are using a three-block framework for designing and managing the instructional program. • Guiding Readers and Writers, 2001. • Language and Word Study • Reading • Writing

16. Balanced Literacy Approach • Literacy by Design • Program materials that support the three-blocks…

17. Balanced Literacy Approach • Literacy by Design • Designed for Teachers • Concrete strategies and resources to help students excel • Designed for Students • A specific plan for differentiated instruction ensures students receive the individual attention they need • Designed for Results • A focus on comprehension, tools to build reading stamina, and ongoing assessment that informs instruction

18. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language and Word Study

19. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language and Word Study: • Vocabulary • Phonics & Phonemic Awareness • Word Study / Spelling • Test Taking Strategies National Reading Panel

20. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language & Word Study: VOCABULARY • Step 1: Explain – • Provide a student friendly description, explanation, or example of the new term • Step 2: Restate – • Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. • Step 3: Show – • Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representation of the term. Source: R. Marzano, LbD

21. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language & Word Study: VOCABULARY • Step 4: Discuss – • Engage students periodically in structured vocabulary discussions that help them add to their knowledge of the terms. • Step 5: Refine and Reflect – • Periodically ask students to return to their notebooks to discuss and refine entries. • Step 6: Apply in Learning Games – • Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms. Source: R. Marzano, LbD

22. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language & Word Study: PHONICS & PHONEMIC AWARENESS • Is systematic and explicit • Scope and sequence – becomes more sophisticated • Explores how to look for patterns in words, rather than memorizing an abstract set of rules • Leads to automatic word identification, so that children develop large store of words that they can read with ease • Allows child to build meaningful associations with text so that they are in a better position to use when they know to builds comprehension Source: M. Opitz, LbD

23. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language & Word Study: Spelling • Grades 1 & 2: 10 words • Five regular spelling words • extension & application of phonics skill • Two high-frequency words • previously taught high frequency words • Two challenge words • break the rules of phonics / irregular or contain rule in a different way • One personal word • individualized / sometimes a word that is misspelled in writing

24. Balanced Literacy Approach • Language & Word Study: Spelling • Grades 3 & 4: 20 words • Ten regular spelling words • extension & application of phonics skill • Four no-excuse words • Words expected to be used in everyday writing • Four challenge words • break the rules of phonics / irregular or contain rule in a different way • Two personal word • individualized / sometimes a word that is misspelled in writing

25. Balanced Literacy Approach • Reading

26. The National Institute for Literacy • Reading is… a complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires all of the following: • the skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes, or speech sounds, are connected to print; • the ability to decode unfamiliar words; • the ability to read fluently; • sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension; • the development of appropriate active strategies to construct meaning from print; • the development and maintenance of a motivation to read.

27. Balanced Literacy Approach • Reading Workshop • Gradual Release of Responsibility: • Modeled Reading • Shared Reading • Interactive Reading • Guided Reading • Independent Reading

28. Balanced Literacy Approach • Reading Workshop • Key at all stages: • Engagement with Text • Active Listening • Turn and Talk • Buddy Reading • Reader Response (Type 1 & 2)

29. Balanced Literacy Approach • Reading Workshop • Comprehension Strategies: • Make Connections • Question • Synthesize • Determine Importance • Fix-Up Strategies • Monitor Understanding • Create Images • Inference

30. Cross-Content Integration • Literacy by Design… • Builds critical science and social studies vocabulary and concepts through content themes. • Places an emphasis on non-fiction texts • Grades K-2: • 50% of selections are non-fiction • Grades 3 & 4: • over 60% of selections are non-fiction

32. Balanced Literacy Approach • Writing

33. Balanced Literacy Approach • Building a Community of Writers: • Educational Leadership, April 2007  • "If we could institute only one change to make students more college ready, it should be to increase the amount and quality of writing students are expected to produce."

34. Balanced Literacy Approach • Building a Community of Writers: • Program being built upon the work and research of: • Writing Workshop (philosophy) • L. Calkins, Columbia University • Collins Approach to Writing (management system) • J. Collins/G. Chadwell • 6 Traits of Writing (what we teach) • – R. Culham, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory • Handwriting Without Tears

35. Balanced Literacy Approach • Building a Community of Writers: • Writing Workshop: Guiding Principles • Students… • Write often; • Practice what good writers do; • Recognize that writing is a process; • Choose writing topics within genre focus; • Reflect upon needs and growth as a writer; • Support fellow peers in the writing community; • Share their writing; • Celebrate growth and successes.

36. Balanced Literacy Approach • Writing Workshop: Guiding Principles • Teachers… • Set clear, high expectations ; • Provide formal instruction in the way of mini- lessons (approx. 5 to 15 minutes); • Use authors as mentors; • Integrate grammar instruction; • Allow time for authentic application of what is taught; • Facilitate learning / writing through conferences and small group instruction; • Differentiate instruction in order to accommodate the learning needs of all students; • Acknowledge growth, provide feedback, and celebrate progress; • Foster a love for writing.

37. Balanced Literacy Approach • Building a Community of Writers: • Writing Across the Curriculums • Collins Writing Approach Type 1: Capture Ideas Type 2: Respond Correctly Type 3: Edit for FCAs Type 4: Peer Edit for FCAs Type 5: Publish

38. Balanced Literacy Approach • Collins Writing Approach: Type 3 • Meets up to three specific standards called "Focus Correction Areas" (FCAs) • Revision and editing are done on the original by the student • One draft • Read out loud (One Foot Voice) • Assessed ONLY on the FCAs

39. Balanced Literacy Approach • Collins Writing Approach: Type 4 • Read aloud by someone else • Edited for FCAs • Two drafts • Writing is critiqued by a peer and revised by the author

40. Balanced Literacy Approach6 Traits of Writing Ideas Organization Word Choice Sentence Fluency Voice Conventions Together, these create a focus on the CRAFT of writing!

41. Balanced Literacy Approach • Writing: HANDWRITING • Mini-Lessons / Teacher Modeling • Student practice transfers into authentic use of skills • Handwriting Without Tears • Grades Kindergarten and One (this year) • Grade 2 – Manuscript ONLY • Grades 2 & 3 – transition (2011-2012) • Grade 2 – Manuscript • Grade 3 – Script • Grade 4 – transition (2012-2013)

42. Units of Study

43. Units of Study

44. Turn & Talk… • With a partner, please spend 2 minutes reacting to this quote and sharing with your partner how you see the Balanced Literacy program, that we are building, supporting these words… • To read is to empower To empower is to write To write is to influence To influence is to change To change is to live. ~ Jane Evershed ~

45. What can you do to help?Dialogue with a Text (Scholastic Article) • Keep reading material available. • Read to your child! • Think Aloud! • Read with your child. • Read by your child. • Ask about your child’s reading life. • Ask about your child’s writing life. • Make a point to highlight the value of being a reader & writer.

46. Simply stated… • Through balanced literacy, we are moving away from • Teaching stories • And moving towards instruction that focuses on • Teaching students how to be readers and writers in school and in their everyday lives… • We are working to create a program that has relevancy for our students!

47. Thank you for your time and attention! • I can be reached at: • dlynch@roxbury.org • (973) 598-8489