Writing to Achieve Session 2

1. Writing to AchieveSession 2 September 11, 2009 Genre: Response to Literature

2. Goals for today… • Follow up and Extensions: • Fluency Assessments & Instruction • Foundations of Writing • Genre Study: Response to Literature • Essential components • Data analysis of State Writing Test Results • Guiding principles for teaching RTL • Analysis of student writing using WTA rubrics • Planning and Collaboration

3. As a professional learning community… • We must work as a TEAM, rather than a group of individuals. • This will entail collaborating and brainstorming with each other.

4. Fluency Assessment Results: • What needs stood out? • Strengths? • Have you devised an instructional plan of action?

5. Collaboration time: • At your tables, think about at least one instructional practice/strategy that would provide support for: • Phrasing • Expression/intonation • High Frequency Words & decoding • Be prepared to share

6. Fluency Practice: Word/Phrase Level • Just like with multiplication facts, students must be able to read, write, and recall a large bank of high frequency words AUTOMATICALLY in order to be freed up to decode more complex words, focus on meaning, etc. • Reading fluency practice using word lists (Diana) • Writing fluency practice using phrase lists (Karen)

7. Foundations of Writing: Follow-Up • Here’s what: • What did you notice? Any patterns? Did unexpected needs arise? • What are the 2-3 needs that stand out? State factual statements to describe the need. For example: “Most of students don’t understand the use of quotation marks.” • Now what: • What is your plan for the remaining weeks?

8. Break 10-10:15

9. Genre Study: Response to Literature • Goal is not to provide you with a “cookie-cutter” instructional plan for RTL. • Goal, however, is to arrive at a unified purpose/definition for a RTL and it components.

10. Table Talk: • As a team, create a visual that answers: • What is response to literature? • Why teach response to literature? • What are key components to include when writing a RTL?

11. Trimester 1: Writing Prompt

12. State Writing Test Data: 2006-2009 • What percentage of your kids scored proficient or advanced? (Score of 6+ • What instructional practices did you implement?

13. Guiding Principles… • Please share 1-3 guiding principles that supported student proficiency on the RTL writing test.

14. Lunch Break: 12:15-1:15

15. Scoring Practice • You will need newly created rubrics • Highlighter • Student writing

16. Process… • Using the rubric, decide which of the student samples, best represents a score of 1. • Repeat the procedure for a score of 2, 3, and 4. GOAL: As a team select the 4 anchor papers that will guide our scoring this year.

17. Planning/Resource Search • Options 1 • Use remaining time to plan your RTL instruction • Option 2 • Collaborate with colleagues: peruse resources, share ideas/instructional practices • Option 3 • Use lab to visit websites on the resource list

18. QUESTIONS???? • Complete the presentation check form and turn in. • Thank you!