2012 English/Language Arts Updates, Curriculum, and Resources

1. 2012 English/Language Arts Updates, Curriculum,and Resources Jill Martin jmartin@augusta.k12.va.us 540.245.5116

2. Six Word Memoirs Originated in SMITH Magazine www.smithmag.net

3. All things considered, I’m doing well. • Writing brings me back to me. • At a spork in the road. • Spectator, not player. Working on that. • Suffered from listlessness…started a new list. • Missing most of life’s free throws

4. Teacher and Student Examples Write Like This, Kelly Gallagher (2011). • Teach, grade, travel, speak, write: tired. • Started a family, surrounded by girls. • Read a book; smarter than yesterday. • Eat. School. Cheerleading. Work. Sleep. Repeat. • My dream is what I’ll be. • Thinking of six words is hard. • Gold medalist. Sixteen. Black like me. (www.smithmag.net)

5. Now you try… • Books over boredom, my perfect day. • Girls grew up. We’re playing again!

6. Our Goals for 2012 and Beyond! Tracy Robertson- DOE English Coordinator • Pay attention to WHAT the SOL says and TEACH it! • Integrate writing into everything! Every time students read, they are provided with an example of writing. • Strong formative assessment must be ongoing in classrooms!

7. In New SOLS You Will Find… Strong vertical alignment in grades 4-12 Reading is divided into fiction and nonfiction strands Research will be tested in writing instead of in reading SOL Reading reporting categories: Word Analysis and Word Reference (vocabulary) Comprehension of fiction Comprehension of nonfiction

8. Grades 4 through 12 Reading Strand Vocabulary Standards • Instruction should emphasize common Greek and Latin roots and affixes. • Instruction should include word study in authentic text. • Denotation-The strict dictionary meaning of a word. • Connotation-The emotional and imaginative association surrounding a word. The associations that people make with a word.       cheap vs. inexpensive    thin vs. lanky       • Vocabulary will be tested in passages and stand alone questions

9. ROOTMEANINGEXAMPLES act (l) do action, actor, react, transact, enact agri (l) field agriculture, agrarian, agronomy alt (l) high altitude, altimeter, alto alter (l) other alternate, alternative, altercation ambul (l) walk, go ambulance, amble, preamble ambi or amphi (l) both, around ambidextrous, amphibian amo, ami (l) love amiable, amorous, amateur, amity ang (l) bend angle, triangle, quadrangle, angular anim (l) life, spirit animate, animosity, animal, inanimate ann, enn (l) year annual, biennial, anniversary, annuity anthr (g) man anthropology, philanthropist arch (g) chief monarch, archbishop, archenemy arch (g) primitive, ancient archaeology, archaic, archive

10. Grades 4 through 12 Reading Strand Fiction and Nonfiction Standards • In grades 5 through 12, there will be more nonfiction than fiction content on the SOL • Grades 6-12 include comparison of forms and genres (fiction vs. nonfiction text with similar topic or theme) • Nonfiction includes emphasis on text structures and organizational patterns

11. Grades 4-12 Reading Blueprint

12. SOL Question Changes • Technology Enhanced Items (TEI) • What is it asking? How is it being asked? • RIGOR IS INCREASING-Formative Assessment in our classrooms must mirror this rigor

13. Here’s What It Will Look Like

14. Grade 3 Reading Question Example2012-2013 SOL Test 2009-2010 SOL Test

15. Grade 8 Reading Question Example2012-2013 SOL Test 2009-2010 SOL Test

16. End of Course Example2012-2013 SOL Test 2009-2012 SOL Test

17. How will this change reading instruction and assessment in your classroom?

18. Read Like Writers. Write Like Readers.

19. Grades 4-12 Writing Strand • Writing revolves around mode, purpose, audience, and process • Each grade level has a composing/revision standard and an editing/grammar standard • Emphasis is put on elaboration, unity, central idea, organization, tone and voice

20. From the DOE... * Teaching writing is an expectation of every grade, not only “tested” grades. * SOL writing at any level DOES NOT require 5 paragraphs. * Provide students with opportunities to compose using computer technology and to use the Online Practice SOL Writing Tool (a composition task, not a typing task) * Self and peer-editing opportunities for students are essential

21. Changes to SOL Writing Tests • The End-of-Course prompt - persuasive • Grade 8 prompt - persuasive or expository • Grade 5 prompt - expository or narrative • Research will be tested in writing • Composing/Written Expression is now one combined domain

22. SOL Two Domain Writing Rubric Composing/Written Expression •Audience/purpose •Central Idea •Effective conclusions •Counter arguments •Elaboration •Unity •Organization •Deliberate Word Choice •Selected, Precise Information •Sentence Variety •Tone •Voice Usage & Mechanics •Sentence Formation •Usage •Standard Inflections •Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs •Agreement Mechanics •Capitalization •Spelling •Punctuation •Formatting

23. Scoring with the SOL Writing Rubric • All student papers are read by two readers; their scores are added together • Composing/Written Expression score counts twice = 2/3 • Usage/Mechanics score counts once = 1/3 • If judges scores are more than 1 point apart, papers are read by a third judge * Must pass both parts of the writing test in order to pass the SOL*

24. Grade 5 Writing

25. Grade 5 Writing2012-2013 SOL Test 2009-2012 SOL Test

26. Grade 8 Writing2012-2013 SOL Test 2009-2010 SOL Test

27. EOC Writing2012-2012 SOL Test 2009-2010 SOL Test

28. Writing Rubrics

29. How will this change writing instruction and assessment in your classroom?

30. Research StrandResearch Isn’t An Old School Paper

31. Grades 4-12 Research Strand • Consequences of plagiarism, following ethical and legal guidelines for gathering and using information is emphasized in grades 3-12 • Students conduct research projects in grades 4 and 5 • Citation of primary and secondary sources begins in grade 6 • MLA or APA documentation is required in grades 9-12

32. Grades 4-12 Research Strand Students are expected to: • Critically evaluate the accuracy, quality, and validity of the information • Frame, analyze, and synthesize information to solve problems, answer questions, and generate new knowledge • Each research “product” does not have to be a paper • Media Literacy can easily be incorporated into research

33. Communication: Speaking, Listening, and Media Literacy • Replaces the Oral Language strand in grades 4-12 • Instruction should include opportunities for student collaboration and promote active listening skills • Emphasis is on critical thinking, problem solving, accountability, working in groups, and reaching consensus

34. Communication: Speaking, Listening, and Media Literacy Students are expected to: •Identify author, audience, content, and purpose of media messages •Compare/contrast auditory, visual, and written media messages •Identify persuasive techniques in media messages •Distinguish between fact and opinion in media messages and text

35. Review The Goals and Know Your Content • Pay attention to WHAT the SOL says and TEACH it! • Integrate writing into everything! Every time students read, they are provided with an example of writing. • Strong formative assessment must be ongoing in classrooms.

36. Curriculum Resources http://www.augusta.k12.va.us//Domain/40 RTI Link on Augusta County Website Book Study/Blog- The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller