Teaching Integrated Literacy Lessons by Aligning Reading and Writing Standards and Incorporating Reciprocal Processing

Strategies to Improve the Writing of First Grade Students

February 20, 2015

http://gtnpd30.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/About+the+Project

A Race to the Top InitiativeNC Department of Public Instruction

Educator Effectiveness Division

What is theGovernor’s Teacher Network?

Pathway 1 Teachers: Professional Development • Identify problems of practice around instructional

needs and conduct action research projects in their schools.

• Investigate and analyze the effectiveness of strategies and practices on student learning.

• Create professional development sessions and materials to be posted in Schoolnet and the Professional Development System in Home Base.

What is the Governor’s Teacher Network?

• A talented group of 450 outstanding teachers were selected from 1400 applicants for 2014-15.

• Teachers identify instructional needs, create innovative digital instructional resources and design professional development to support key Race to the Top initiatives in Home Base.

• Network Teachers continue their current educator roles in their schools and districts and serve in one of two pathways.

Action Research

Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers and other educators to find solutions for critical, challenging, relevant issues in their classrooms and schools.

Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

What is Action Research?Classroom and school research conducted by teachers to:

•Positively impact student outcomes

•Identify and promote effective instructional practices

•Create opportunities for teachers to become reflective practitioners

•Share research results with other educators

Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

1. Work with grade levels to align Science, Social Studies and Literacy standards

2. Develop units and collect resources

3. Provide PD and model lessons using reciprocal processing strategies to K and 1st grade

teachers

The Original Plan….

The Revised Plan...

Teaching Integrated Literacy Lessons by Aligning English Language Arts Standards and Incorporating Reciprocal Processing Strategies to Improve the Writing of First Grade Students

The Process

1. Shared research about reciprocal reading and writing strategies

2. Teachers collaborated and planned the teaching of reciprocal processing strategies during whole group instruction ● cross checking - Did my sentence make

sense? Do the letters in the word look right?

The Process

3. Decided on a common writing rubric to measure students’ overall baseline in narrative writing as well as various writing skills.

4. Assigned a pre-test, scored the assessments based on the rubric, and entered results in a google form

The Process5. Teachers reviewed the spreadsheet and decided on whole group and small group instructional lessons based on students’ need.

● Teachers used mentor texts and shared writing strategies to teach and model how to stay on topic while adding details.

● Teachers modeled writing a paragraph and included a sentence that did not belong. Students identified the sentence that didn’t fit. Teachers modeled decoding strategies to spell words in their writing

The Process5. Continued

● Teachers practiced retelling orally and then in written form using terms like central message, main idea and key details.

6. Assigned a post test, scored the assessments based on the rubric and entered results in a google form

Two Intentional Instructional Practices Taking Place

1. Reciprocal Processing Strategies - Foundational and Language Standards (CAFE strategies)

2. Using pre-assessment data from the rubric to teach writing standards based on students’ need

The Results...Data shows evidence of explicit instruction

and student learning ● Class A 0% of students received points for transition

words in October compared to February where 100% of students received the full amount of points on rubric.

● Class B had 9% of students who scored the maximum amount of points for "complete and sequenced sentences that focus on a single topic" and increased the amount to 89% in February.

The Results….* Class A had an average baseline score of 12.5 and an average post-assessment score of 14.8 for a growth of 2.2. Class B had an average baseline score of 5.7 and an average post-assessment score of 13.4 for a growth of 7.7.

* Class A increased their overall proficiency from 11% to 44% while class B increased their overall proficiency from 0% to 31%.

Data:https://docs.google.com/a/nhcs.net/spreadsheets/d/1pbEBT1ROlp_I6rUFAZxk1h9Tr4x-aKoR-LFwR3REkcQ/edit#gid=0

Analysis of ResultsClass B - Average baseline score of 5.7 (passing score 16) was able to show a great amount of growth on the rubric by growing 7.7%.

Class A - Average baseline score of 14.4 (passing score 16) was able to show a modest amount of growth of 2.2%

So….why?

Analysis of ResultsWhy? - Rubric assess basic writing skills ● 3 sequenced sentences, capital letters, punctuation, 1 transition

wordThe students who were performing at a basic level of writing were able to demonstrate their learning with basic skills. The students who were almost at a proficient level on the pre-assessment, were unable to demonstrate their more advanced writing on the rubric. The more advanced writers did not receive credit for:● Interesting beginnings● 5 or more complete or sequenced sentences● More than one transition words● Phrases and words that show rather than tell

Impact of Study

● 1st grade Standards Alignment Document○ https://docs.google.com/a/nhcs.net/spreadsheets/d/1Q0YTIQlryBlVnF

SC9tHFKJ1d-66LYfOJqVlybWu3Lbc/edit#gid=0

* District Writing Team● Six writing program publishers presented to

team● 2015-2016 writing pilot ● Standards Alignment Document for K-5????

Book Browse!

Kindergarten1. How Writers Work2. Personal NarrativeFirst Grade3. Personal Narrative4. Nonfiction - Informational/ExplanatorySecond Grade5. Folktales, Fables and Fairy Tales6. Opinion/Argument

Book Browse!

3rd Grade1. Nonfiction - Informational/Explanatory2. Featured Article with Editorial3. Grammar4th Grade4. Opinion/Argument5th Grade5. Opinion/Argument