School Change in Reading:

Action Plan for AKMICAN School

by

Nell Gardner, Ashley Ingram, Sean Karsten, and Alison Rosseau

http://groupbed573.weebly.com/

What is going well?• Our teachers have been participating in grade-level meetings to discuss student

data (standardized, progress-monitored, formative, summative) and to find

research-based interventions to improve student outcomes.

• Our teachers have been studying the CCSS for ELA in preparation for the Smarter

Balanced testing in 2015, increasing the focus on informative text and using

specific examples to support a claim.

• Our teachers supplement their packaged curriculum materials to best meet the

needs of their students.

• Our students have been increasing their reading fluency and have consistently

increased their Aimsweb R-CBM scores.

What will change in light of current research on literacy education and new expectations in

the CCSS?❏ There is a gap between our highest-achieving and lowest-achieving students, which means we need to focus on

strategies to specifically help our lowest-achieving students become more successful.

❏ More time needs to be allotted for professional development and full implementation of professional learning

communities (PLCs). Our school is consistently bringing in new programs to try, but the amount of time given to

learn about the program through professional development and discussion through PLCs have often been limited.

❏ More focus needs to be given to areas of reading other than fluency. Since fluency is so easily tested, it seems to

dominate the strategies given to teachers to help students. We need to look further at areas such as comprehension

and writing to help prepare our students to be successful in several areas as they go through school.

❏ Our minority and ELL students need more specific interventions to help improve their literacy abilities. Also, a more

concentrated effort needs to be given to parental involvement for these students, especially regarding the new CCSS.

In the primary grades, teachers are interested in using the following research-based practices:

*Word Sorts

*Previewing/frontloading texts, including leveled readers, for vocabulary and contextual information

*Providing time to read on one's own, followed by individual coaching

*Incorporating writing after reading

What will change in light of current research on literacy education and new expectations in

the CCSS, continued...

❏ Use student data regularly to inform instruction (by the skill, by the student) and meet regularly to analyze data

❏ Begin training, coaching, and practicing of research-based instructional reading methods

❏ Support one another through sharing experiences, student work, and student data at whole group staff meetings, shared planning times among grade levels, study groups, and with literacy coaches

❏ Grade level meetings, whole school meetings, study groups❏ Grades K-3, 120 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction; Grades 4-6, 90

minutes❏ Students will focus on more informational text, especially as they progress through

the grades.❏ Students will focus more on writing to persuade and explain as they progress

through the grades, including undertaking research.

What will change, K-5❏ Students read a true balance of informational and literary texts; informational texts become more

prevalent as students reach middle school and beyond in order to prepare students for college and careers.

❏ To prepare students to be able to read texts at the college and career levels, students are required to move a "step" on the "staircase" each year in text complexity.

❏ Classroom discussions are rigorous and focus on the texts being read; students develop the ability to use evidence to make arguments about texts in person and in writing.

❏ Being able to use evidence to inform others or make an argument in writing is emphasized over writing personal narratives.

❏ Students continuously work on building their vocabulary in order to be able to read increasingly complex texts. Teachers' instruction is focused more on real-world words and less on literary vocabulary.

What will change, 6-8❏ Students will read a balance between non-fiction, authentic texts and literary texts.

❏ Increasing text complexity (staircase of complexity) throughout specific grades, while working towards becoming an independent and proficient reader

❏ Citing specific evidence from text to support argument, claims, position, and point-of-view

❏ Writing informational, argumentative, and research papers, students should be using sources to construct their writing and support answers to their questions, point-of-view, and positions

❏ Building academic vocabulary using a variety of strategies that are domain specific and found throughout academic texts in order to improve comprehension

❏ Shared responsibility of reading and writing (literacy) in history/social studies, and technical subjects--all teachers are responsible for teaching how to read and write within their classroom, enabling students to use all their courses to exhibit mastery in the standards.

What will change, 9-12❏ Increasing instruction of informational and non-fiction texts

❏ Sharing responsibility for literacy instruction--since a literature teacher also needs to teach different forms of literature other than informational and nonfiction texts, the CCSS require that other disciplines, namely social studies and science, share responsibility for literacy instruction. The standards have a specific section pertaining to social studies and science/technical literature.

❏ Writing to persuade or explain--the CCSS modify the amount of student writing related to persuasion and explanation as students progress through school. The idea is that persuasion and explanation fit more with the skills needed to be college and career ready.

❏ Analyzing and researching using various texts and media--according to the CCSS, students in grades 9-12 need to be able to find and analyze texts in various formats. Research is a major focus, which places emphasis on evidence from multiple sources.

❏ The use of a 'staircase of complexity;’ as students move through high school, the CCSS require that they be able to read and understand more complex texts. Being able to do so is thought to lead to a higher degree of college and career readiness. The standards even include names of selected texts that fall within each grade band.

Why Implement Change:Highlights of a Professional Learning Community (PLC)/School

Change in Reading(SCR) Process:

❏ Focus on data-driven instruction

❏ Not a top-down approach

❏ Teachers determine instructional methods (supports research on teacher effectiveness)

❏ Shared vision among staff

❏ Collaborative and supportive

❏ Results backed by research

❏ Focus on research-based instructional practices

❏ Sustainable--staff implements changes at manageable pace

Examples of Research-Based

Reading Instruction ❏ Higher-level thinking

❏ Motivational learning activities

❏ Formative and summative assessments to guide instruction

❏ Differentiated instruction

❏ Writing about texts

❏ Balanced reading instruction

❏ Explicit phonemic awareness instruction

❏ Systematic phonics instruction

❏ Oral reading for fluency

❏ Comprehension strategies

❏ Challenging vocabulary instruction

❏ Common language and instructional methods among teachers

Explicit examples this way!

Examples of Writing about TextsWriting about literature:

• Students create questions based on a reading selection.

• Have students discuss the questions in groups.

• Have students then write a response to one of the questions based on the reading and their discussion with other students

• Students should include specific examples from the text

Writing about informational text:

• Have students summarize a piece of informational text.

• Students can begin by summarizing sub-sections, and then work towards a summary of an entire section.

• Students could include a graphic organizer or more structured note organizer to summarize.

• Students could also be given a selection of vocabulary to use to write a summary of a section.

Examples of Vocabulary Instruction

• Connecting a new word to prior knowledgeo Discuss the meaning of a word with students in context,

and then ask them to talk about their experience with that word. Example: Have students talk about a time they saw

someone being generous after discussing the meaning of generous in a story they read.

• Teaching vocabulary as students encounter ito Have students track unfamiliar words as they read

independently. Come together to create definitions and discuss words. This gives students context to learn the meaning of new words.

Examples of Comprehension Strategies

• Monitoringo Have students list the strategies they use and when and why

they use them. Share strategies that you have used and have found helpful. You may model separate strategies specifically.

• Reciprocal Teachingo Students use four strategies: asking and answering

questions about text; summarizing important ideas; clarifying; and making predictions.

o The teacher starts by leading students through use of the strategies and then students lead each other through the cycle. Lastly students use the strategies while reading independently.

Examples of Phonics Instruction

Explicit-explicit phonics means that we start with the simplest sound in a word and then build out from there - from patterns to syllables and then the whole word.

Systematic-systematic instruction guides students through each phonetic and decoding skill using a step-by-step, logical sequence.

Students have ample opportunity to practice and review.

Examples of Instruction

For more examples of reading instruction that will mirror changes in our

school, please see the following links:

❏ Response to Intervention: A video that provides background information on RTI and shows its implementation in various classrooms

❏ 5 Components of Reading: One of AKMICAN’s website pages that gives ideas and brief explanations of research-based instructional practices for each of the five pillars of reading

❏ Explicit Phonemic Awareness Instruction: Reading First in Virginia’s Professional Development guide on phonemic awareness instruction with downloadable activities and information

❏ Motivational Strategies: Reading Rocket’s links to the “Top 10 Resources on Reading Motivation”

❏ Higher-level Thinking: Another Reading Rocket link that gives examples of different levels of questioning as well as strategies for enhancement

Starting the Change

• Specific information will be given to staff about why the school is undertaking the reform effort. Research on schools that have undergone similar efforts and shown gains will be shared.

• Staff will be given time to decide on their commitment to the reform effort. We will aim for a minimum of 75% staff commitment to the reform, which will be measured through a survey.

• A meeting early in the year will be geared to a brainstorming effort so staff can list what they like about the current literacy program along with concerns, which can lead to priorities for Year One of the reform effort.

• The staff will take part in creating a shared vision of literacy instruction. This will help increase collaboration, which will be a large piece of the reform effort.

• The role of the literacy coordinator will be explained, so the position is seen as being one of resource and support, not as an evaluator of teachers.

• Schedules will be created to ensure time for professional development, data review, study group meetings, and leadership team meetings.

• Staff will work on creating common grade-level assessments to improve data sharing capabilities.

• Protocols will be created for observing staff, coaching staff, and modeling lessons for the literacy coordinator and teaching staff.

Opportunities for Teachers to Learn and Be Supported as They Make Changes

❏ Study groups that meet 2-3 times per month

❏ Monthly staff meetings focused on data analysis (by the skill, by the student)

❏ Monthly grade-level meetings focused on data analysis (by the skill, by the student)

❏ Professional development time allotted

❏ Peer Observations

❏ Peer Coaching

❏ Sharing examples of student work

❏ Video Sharing of Teaching

❏ Data Retreats

Clip art retrieved on 4/24/14

from: http://www.windowsonlinesupportnow.com

Key Roles Literacy Specialists Will Play

➔ Modeling research-based instructional lessons for teachers (at least ⅔ of coordinators’ time should be spent modeling and coaching).

➔ Observing teachers’ classrooms/lessons and offering support/guidance

➔ Planning and leading parental-partnership meetings and creating handouts for meetings

➔ Assisting in building of formative and summative assessments➔ Assisting and modeling in data analysis➔ Planning grade level meetings, whole school meetings, and study

groups➔ Supporting new teachers➔ Setting up protocols for video sharing and data sharing➔ Creating a school share site for data analysis, common

assessments, video uploading, etc.➔ Setting up roles and responsibilities of group members

Clip art retrieved on 4/24/14from: http://createyournextcustomer.techweb.com

Timeline for ImplementationSpring 2014

Learn About the School Change in Reading (SCR) Process:

➢ Get more information➢ Ask questions➢ Learn roles and responsibilities➢ Analyze current reading program strengths

and weaknesses➢ Analyze current delivery models for all

students➢ Identify areas of need➢ Vote on implementation

School Year 2014-15

If a staff votes in favor of implementation, they will:➢ Develop a shared vision and commit to working

on change over time➢ Identify leadership roles—literacy leader,

leadership team, principal support➢ Use student data regularly to inform

instruction and meet regularly to analyze data➢ Begin training, coaching, and practice of

researched instructional reading methods

➢ Form and implement study groups; determine processes and protocols

➢ Support one another through sharing experiences, student work, and student data at whole group staff meetings, shared planning times among grade levels, study groups, and with literacy coaches

➢ Increase time for uninterrupted reading instruction: Grades K-3, 120 minutes; Grades 4-6, 90 minutes

Beyond the First Year

➢ Videotaping/Sharing Lessons➢ Partnerships with other schools➢ Data Retreats➢ Peer-Coaching➢ Focus on best delivery methods for different grade

levels. ➢ Focus on best reading interventions in place➢ More confidence in roles, leading to stronger

leadership roles among all

More or less can be tackled within the first year and beyond, depending upon the staff’s comfort level.

Additional Resources

The links below are for educators looking for more support with

research-based reading instruction:

➢ What Works Clearinghouse

➢ Early Intervention in Reading

➢ Catching Schools: An Action Guide to Schoolwide Reading Improvement by Barbara M. Taylor

➢ Question-Driven Classroom (Podcast) by Jim Burke

➢ Effective Practices for Developing Reading Comprehension by Nell K. Duke

➢ Classroom Strategies: Reading Rockets

➢ Florida Center for Reading Research

➢ RTI Action Network

Resources

Fullan, M. G. (1994). Coordinating top-down and bottom-up strategies for educational reform.

Systemic reform: Perspectives on personalizing education. Retrieved from

http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/SysReforms/fullan1.html

Louis K. S., Marks, H. M., & Kruse, S. (1996). Teachers’ professional community in restructuring

schools. American Educational Research Journal, 33(4), 757-798.

Taylor, B. M. (2011). Catching schools: An action guide to schoolwide reading improvement.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Teachers matter: Understanding teachers’ impact on student achievement. (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.rand.org/education/projects/measuring-teacher-effectiveness/teachers-matter.html