Transcript Focus PD Day - Dreamstalk Studios

Literacy Project
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These do not increase student reading levels:
◦ Mandating a core reading program
◦ Not focusing on high-quality universal
instruction
◦ Using tried, but not true, practices
◦ Lack of consistent practices
◦ Not providing effective pd
◦ Not looking at results
◦ Relying on commercial interventions
◦ Failing to use informal & formal assessments
◦ Not a Total School Commitment
 (Noll, 2013)
It is not enough to do your best;
you must know what to do, and
THEN do your best.
 W. Edwards Deming
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Reading as a leisure activity is the best
predictor of comprehension, vocabulary and
reading speed. Kids who do the most
recreational reading become the best readers.
In 38 of 41 studies, students given SSR time
did as well as or better in reading
comprehension tests than students given
traditional skill-based reading instruction.
 Kelly Gallagher
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The most effective teachers continue to
demonstrate that effective literacy instruction is a
balance of explicit teaching as well as holistic
reading and writing experiences. - Tankersley
Eliminate almost all worksheets and workbooks.
Use the money saved to purchase books for
classroom libraries; use the time saved for selfselected reading, self-selected writing, literary
conversations, and read-alouds. - Allington
Read-icide: The systematic killing of the love of
reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mindnumbing practices found in schools. - Gallagher
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Oral language is crucial to literacy development.
“The amount of oral language that children have
is an indicator or their success or struggle in
school.”
Kirkland and Patterson, p. 391, Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 32, No. 6
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“The development of oral language is facilitated
through a carefully planned environment that
promotes thoughtful, authentic opportunities to
engage in conversations.”
Kirkland and Patterson, p. 392, Early Childhood Education
Journal, Vol. 32, No. 6
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Children’s literature provides great models of
language for children.
Literature offers opportunities for rich discussion
and conversations in the classroom.
Provide opportunities for retelling of the story ex.
Flannel board, puppets, etc.
Opportunities for social interaction is an
important part of oral language development.
Wordless picture books have great value in terms
of stimulating oral language development.
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“Teachers can no longer afford to squeeze a
read aloud book between lunchtime and
bathroom break. Because reading aloud is so
important to language development, we must
systematically and explicitly plan for its use in
the daily routine.”
Kirkland and Patterson, p. 393, Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 32,
No. 6
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Other language building activities: Show and
Tell, daily news, morning message, shared
reading, guided reading,
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Foundational component of reading success
Research has found that some students who
struggle with reading have difficulties with
phonemic awareness (rhyming, blending,
segmenting, etc.)
Many students benefit from direct instruction
in phonemic awareness.
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Should be of focus in the early grades.
Phonics is just one component of a balanced
reading program and not the whole program.
It should not comprise more than 25% of the
reading instruction.
Systematic approach to instruction is
essential.
Phonics instruction needs to be tied to real
reading and real writing. (avoid teaching
skills in isolation)
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Guided reading, paired reading, echo
reading, choral reading builds fluency.
Repeated reading builds fluency and
confidence: reading for performance
increases interest: ex. Reader’s Theater.
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Vocabulary impacts students’ ability to
comprehend what is being read.
Essential to provide language-rich learning
environments in which students can expand
their vocabulary.
Vocabulary instruction is an important
component of a balanced reading program.
Variety of methodologies and approaches
available in literature.
Access visuals to assist in vocabulary
development.
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Personal choice was found to improve both
reading motivation and comprehension.
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Ensure reading materials that are relevant to
students’ lives.
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Have a wide range of materials (books,
magazines, graphic novels, real life documents,
non-fiction) and genres.
Importance of large, multi-leveled classroom
libraries
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Struggling readers tend to make poor
choices: have them select from 4-5 teacher
selected books that are of interest and
manageable level.
Reading within ones’ passion zone is
motivational!
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Research shows that reading at 98% or higher
accuracy is essential for reading acceleration.
(Some sources say 96% or higher)
Reading below 90% accuracy does not improve
reading ability at all.
Access to high success books and reading
materials determines progress in learning to
read.
Critically important that struggling readers
have interesting books at their own level.
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“Research supports a balanced approach to
reading instruction that includes explicit
instruction of reading skills while engaging
students in a great deal of actual reading and
writing as well as fostering independent and
flexible reading strategies.”
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More authentic reading develops better
readers!
“In large scale national studies, researchers
found that students in more effective
teachers’ classrooms spent a larger
percentage of reading instruction time
actually reading: students in less effective
teachers’ classrooms spent more time using
worksheets, answering low-level, literal
question or completing before and after
reading activities.” (Allington)
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Studies show that spending a significant
amount of time in sustained reading
contributes more to achievement gains and
motivation than time spent on word study,
alphabetical skills and phonemic awareness.
Give students plenty of time to read!
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After self-selected reading time, take 3-4
minutes for students to do a quick share
about what they have read.
Idea: read the same book with other students
in different grades, schools, or countries and
share experiences through writing, skype, or
blogging.
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Listening to an adult model fluent reading
increases students’ fluency and comprehension
skills.
Expands vocabulary, background knowledge,
sense of story, awareness of genre, and
comprehension of texts read.
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Models enthusiasm and reading for pleasure
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Sales pitch: raising interest and curiosity
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When students write about material they have
read, there is significant positive impact in
comprehension.
Let students communicate and share about a
book through journaling and blogging within
your class or across different classrooms.
Have students keep a reading diary where they
record their reading and reflect on what they
read.
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Analysis of 96 studies found that teaching
metacognitive ‘learning to learn’ strategies
was one of the most effective approaches.
Moving from explicit instruction in
decoding strategies to comprehension
strategies.
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Students have choice of text everyday.
Students spend significant time reading text at independent
level. This means they read accurately (at least 95% on word
recognition) and understand the text’s meaning
(comprehension).
Students talk about reading and write everyday.
Students hear fluent reading.
Students spend significant amount of time dedicated to a variety
of reading and writing experiences in various formats interwoven
through every subject. Teacher explicitly models reading skills
and provides students time to use the skill when reading. No
more than 1/3 of this time should be spent on reading
instruction. Remaining time should be spent authentically
reading.
◦ Pre-K – K: constantly building background experiences and awareness in
relation to reading skills
◦ 1 – 12: approx. 60 minutes of reading/40 minutes of writing per day
(Allington, 2001)