Train The TrainersTrain The TrainersELAELA

(English Language Arts)(English Language Arts)

By: Shannan Rivenbark and Tonya GrayBy: Shannan Rivenbark and Tonya Gray

ELA/Literacy Shift 1:ELA/Literacy Shift 1:

Building Knowledge through Building Knowledge through Content-Rich Nonfiction and Content-Rich Nonfiction and

Informational TextInformational Text

Examples of what you will observe Examples of what you will observe in the classroom.….in the classroom.….

Shift One:Shift One:

Elementary teachers instructing with Elementary teachers instructing with and students reading from and students reading from informational texts fifty percent of the informational texts fifty percent of the time.time.

Secondary ELA teachers using literary Secondary ELA teachers using literary nonfiction in their classrooms. nonfiction in their classrooms.

In secondary content area classrooms, In secondary content area classrooms, students are reading and writing students are reading and writing independently to gain subject area independently to gain subject area knowledge.knowledge.

What the Student Does… What the Student Does… Builds Builds content knowledge content knowledge

through textthrough textFinds evidenceFinds evidenceGains exposure to the world through Gains exposure to the world through

readingreadingHandles Handles primary sourceprimary source documents documents

What the Teacher Does… What the Teacher Does… Balances Balances informationalinformational & literary & literary

texttextScaffoldsScaffolds for informational texts for informational textsTeaches Teaches “through” and “with”“through” and “with”

informational texts by allowing informational texts by allowing students to read the text instead of students to read the text instead of summarizingsummarizing

The Thinking Behind the ShiftThe Thinking Behind the ShiftMuch of our knowledge base comes Much of our knowledge base comes

from informational text.from informational text. Informational text makes up a vast Informational text makes up a vast

majority of required reading in majority of required reading in college/workplace.college/workplace.

It is harder to comprehend than It is harder to comprehend than narrative text.narrative text.

Yet… students are asked to read very Yet… students are asked to read very little of it in elementary and middle little of it in elementary and middle school.school.

ELA/Literacy Shift 2:ELA/Literacy Shift 2:

Reading and Writing Reading and Writing Grounded in Evidence Grounded in Evidence from the Textfrom the Text

Examples of what you will observe Examples of what you will observe in the classroom.….in the classroom.….

Shift Two:Shift Two:Teachers asking questions that make Teachers asking questions that make

it necessary for students to return to it necessary for students to return to the text to find answers and the text to find answers and evidence to support their ideas.evidence to support their ideas.

Students reading text closely to find Students reading text closely to find evidence and draw inferences.evidence and draw inferences.

Students supporting opinions with Students supporting opinions with evidence from the text.evidence from the text.

What the Student Does… What the Student Does… Finds evidence to Finds evidence to support their support their

argument and writes using evidenceargument and writes using evidenceForms own Forms own judgments and createsjudgments and creates

informational textsinformational textsReads texts closelyReads texts closelyEngages with the Engages with the author and his/her author and his/her

choiceschoicesCompares multiple sourcesCompares multiple sources

What the Teacher Does… What the Teacher Does… Facilitates Facilitates evidence based conversationsevidence based conversations

and presents opportunities to write about and presents opportunities to write about multiple textsmultiple texts

Keeps students in the textKeeps students in the text and gives them and gives them opportunities to analyze, synthesize ideasopportunities to analyze, synthesize ideas

Identifies questions that are text-dependent, Identifies questions that are text-dependent, worth asking/exploringworth asking/exploring, delivers richly, delivers richly

Develops students’ voice so that they can Develops students’ voice so that they can argue a point and articulate their own argue a point and articulate their own conclusions using evidenceconclusions using evidence

Spends much more time preparing for Spends much more time preparing for instruction by reading deeplyinstruction by reading deeply

The Thinking Behind the ShiftThe Thinking Behind the ShiftAbility to cite evidence differentiates Ability to cite evidence differentiates

student performance on NAEP.student performance on NAEP.

Most college and workplace writing is Most college and workplace writing is evidence-based and expository in evidence-based and expository in nature (not narrative).nature (not narrative).

ELA/Literacy Shift 3:ELA/Literacy Shift 3:Regular Practice with Complex Regular Practice with Complex

Text and its Academic Text and its Academic VocabularyVocabulary

Examples of what you will observe Examples of what you will observe in the classroom.….in the classroom.….

Shift Three:Shift Three:Students grappling with challenging, Students grappling with challenging,

rich text – often independently.rich text – often independently.Teachers discussing academic Teachers discussing academic

vocabulary with students.vocabulary with students.

What the Student Does… What the Student Does… RereadsRereadsTolerates frustrationTolerates frustration when when

engaged with challenging textengaged with challenging textUses Uses high utility wordshigh utility words across across

content areascontent areasBuilds Builds “language of power”“language of power”

databasedatabase

What the Teacher Does… What the Teacher Does… Spends more time on more Spends more time on more complex textscomplex texts

at every grade levelat every grade level Gives students Gives students less to readless to read, lets them , lets them

rereadreread Provides Provides scaffolding & strategiesscaffolding & strategies Develops students’ ability to Develops students’ ability to use and use and

access wordsaccess words Is Is strategic strategic about the new vocabulary wordsabout the new vocabulary words Teaches fewer wordsTeaches fewer words more deeply more deeply

The Thinking Behind the ShiftThe Thinking Behind the ShiftThe gap between complexity of The gap between complexity of

college and high school texts is huge.college and high school texts is huge.What students can read in terms of What students can read in terms of

complexity is the greatest predictor complexity is the greatest predictor of success in college (ACT study).of success in college (ACT study).

What Is A Text Dependent What Is A Text Dependent Question?Question?

A text-dependent question forces students to A text-dependent question forces students to go back to the text.  It is a question they go back to the text.  It is a question they could not answer if they did not read, and could not answer if they did not read, and even if they did read, they will still need to even if they did read, they will still need to refer back to the text to answer the refer back to the text to answer the question.  In his research in both Texas and question.  In his research in both Texas and Vermont, [David] Coleman found that 80% of Vermont, [David] Coleman found that 80% of the questions students in grades the questions students in grades kindergarten through twelve were asked to kindergarten through twelve were asked to answer did not require them to go back to answer did not require them to go back to the text.the text.

Text Dependent QuestionText Dependent QuestionTo help teachers understand text-To help teachers understand text-

dependent questions, dependent questions, achievethecore.org, created by the , created by the Student Achievement Partners, has Student Achievement Partners, has created exemplar lesson plans and has created exemplar lesson plans and has published its “published its “Guide to Creating Questions for Close Analytic Reading.”  Good text-dependent questions, .”  Good text-dependent questions, according to the guide, cause students according to the guide, cause students to do at least one of the following tasks:to do at least one of the following tasks:

Analyze paragraphs on a sentence by sentence basis and Analyze paragraphs on a sentence by sentence basis and sentences on a word by word basis to determine the role sentences on a word by word basis to determine the role played by individual paragraphs, sentences, phrases, or played by individual paragraphs, sentences, phrases, or wordswords

Investigate how meaning can be altered by changing key Investigate how meaning can be altered by changing key words and why an author may have chosen one word over words and why an author may have chosen one word over anotheranother

Prove each argument in persuasive text, each idea in Prove each argument in persuasive text, each idea in informational text, each key detail in literary text, and informational text, each key detail in literary text, and observe how these build to a wholeobserve how these build to a whole

Examine how shifts in the direction of an argument or Examine how shifts in the direction of an argument or explanation are achieved and the impact of those shiftsexplanation are achieved and the impact of those shifts

Question why authors choose to begin and end when they doQuestion why authors choose to begin and end when they do Note and assess patterns of writing and what they achieveNote and assess patterns of writing and what they achieve Consider what the text leaves uncertain or unstatedConsider what the text leaves uncertain or unstated The Story of Ruby Bridges (Activity)The Story of Ruby Bridges (Activity)

The Story of Ruby BridgesThe Story of Ruby BridgesThink Pair ShareThink Pair ShareChoose a partner to complete Choose a partner to complete

activity with text dependent activity with text dependent questionsquestions

Choosing Vocabulary to Teach: Choosing Vocabulary to Teach: Three Tiers Of WordsThree Tiers Of Words

Tier 1- most basic words of oral Tier 1- most basic words of oral language and rarely require language and rarely require instructional attention. (80%of text)instructional attention. (80%of text)

Tier 2- words that are more Tier 2- words that are more sophisticated and used often sophisticated and used often across disciplines.across disciplines.

Tier 3- words that are very rare or Tier 3- words that are very rare or apply to specific domains.apply to specific domains.

Questions to Consider when Questions to Consider when choosing a textchoosing a text

Which standard am I teaching?Which standard am I teaching?What is the task for using text?What is the task for using text?What are my students’ interest?What are my students’ interest?Will I be connecting to serve all the Will I be connecting to serve all the

learners?learners?

CourageCourageThere once was a curious bird who There once was a curious bird who

wondered, What can a small bird be?wondered, What can a small bird be?

Which words are worthy of instruction?Which words are worthy of instruction?

Students are likely to see the word often in Students are likely to see the word often in other texts and across domains. other texts and across domains.

The word will be useful in student’s writing. The word will be useful in student’s writing. The word relates to other words or ideas that The word relates to other words or ideas that

the students know or have been learning. the students know or have been learning. Word choice has significance in the text.Word choice has significance in the text.The context does not provide enough The context does not provide enough

information for students to infer the meaning.information for students to infer the meaning.

R i c h V o c a b u l a r y I n s t r u c t i R i c h V o c a b u l a r y I n s t r u c t i o no n

The goal of vocabulary instruction is The goal of vocabulary instruction is for students to know words well, be for students to know words well, be able to explain them, and use them able to explain them, and use them in multiple contexts. in multiple contexts.

We want students to “own” the word. We want students to “own” the word.