ELA/Literacy Shifts of the PA Core Standards Addressing the Standards with Close Reading, Text Dependent Questions and Complex Text West Shore School District September 12, 2014 Kathleen Eich Capital Area Intermediate Unit

Essential Questions 1.What are the critical shifts as we move to the Core Standards in ELA? 2.How do we determine if a text is complex? 3.What is meant by “Close Reading?”

Collaborative Pairs

A Framework for Teaching: Components of Professional Practice Domain 1: Planning and PreparationDomain 2: The Classroom Environment Demonstrating Knowledge of Content & Pedagogy Demonstrating Knowledge of Students Selecting Instruction Goals Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources Designing Coherent Instruction Assessing Student Learning Creating an Environment of Respect & Rapport Establishing a Culture for Learning Managing Classroom Procedures Managing Student Behavior Organizing Physical Space Domain 4: Professional ResponsibilitiesDomain 3: Instruction Reflecting on Teaching Maintaining Accurate Records Communicating with Families Contributing to the School and District Growing and Developing Professionally Showing Professionalism Communicating Clearly and Accurately Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques Engaging Students in Learning Using Assessment in Instruction Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness

Introduction to the ELA/Literacy Shifts of the PA Core Standards

The Background of the Core Standards Initiated by the National Governors Association (NGA) and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) with the following design principles: Result in College and Career Readiness Based on solid research and practice evidence Fewer, Higher and Clearer 6

The CCSS Requires Three Shifts in ELA/Literacy 1. Regular practice with complex text and its academic language 2. Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational 3. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction 7

8 achievethecore.org Shift #1: Regular practice with complex text and its academic language 8

Regular Practice With Complex Text and its Academic Language: Why? Gap between complexity of college and high school texts is huge. What students can read, in terms of complexity is the greatest predictor of success in college (ACT study). Too many students are reading at too low a level. (<50% of graduates can read sufficiently complex texts). Standards include a staircase of increasing text complexity from elementary through high school. Standards also focus on building general academic vocabulary so critical to comprehension. 9

What are the Features of Complex Text? Subtle and/or frequent transitions Multiple and/or subtle themes and purposes Density of information Unfamiliar settings, topics or events Lack of repetition, overlap or similarity in words and sentences Complex sentences Uncommon vocabulary Lack of words, sentences or paragraphs that review or pull things together for the student Longer paragraphs Any text structure which is less narrative and/or mixes structures

Scaffolding Complex Text The standards require that students read appropriately complex text at each grade level – independently (Standard 10). However there are many ways to scaffold student learning as they meet the standard: Multiple readings Read Aloud Chunking text (a little at a time) Provide support while reading, rather than before. 11

Close Analytic Reading Requires prompting students with questions to unpack unique complexity of any text so students learn to read complex text independently and proficiently. Not teacher "think aloud“. Virtually every standard is activated during the course of every close analytic reading exemplar through the use of text dependent questions. Text dependent questions require text-based answers – evidence. 12

13 achievethecore.org Shift #2: Reading, Writing, and Speaking Grounded in Evidence From Text, Both Literary and Informational 13

Reading, Writing and Speaking Grounded in Evidence from Text: Why? Most college and workplace writing requires evidence. Ability to cite evidence differentiates strong from weak student performance on NAEP Evidence is a major emphasis of the ELA Standards: Reading Standard 1, Writing Standard 9, Speaking and Listening standards 2, 3, and 4, all focus on the gathering, evaluating and presenting of evidence from text. Being able to locate and deploy evidence are hallmarks of strong readers and writers 14

Content Shift #2 15 In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote? What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? What can you infer from King’s letter about the letter that he received? “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech? Not Text-DependentText-Dependent Text-Dependent Questions

High school students read an excerpt of James D. Watson’s The Double Helix and respond to the following: James Watson used time away from his laboratory and a set of models similar to preschool toys to help him solve the puzzle of DNA. In an essay, discuss how play and relaxation help promote clear thinking and problem solving. 16 Sample Informational Text Assessment Question: Pre-Core Standards

From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Have the students identify the different methods of removing warts that Tom and Huckleberry talk about. Discuss the charms that they say and the items (i.e. dead cats) they use. Ask students to devise their own charm to remove warts. Students could develop a method that would fit in the time of Tom Sawyer and a method that would incorporate items and words from current time. Boys played with dead cats and frogs, during Tom’s time. Are there cultural ideas or artifacts from the current time that could be used in the charm? 17 Sample Literary Question: Pre-Core Standards

Sample Text Dependent Question: Core Standards From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Why does Tom hesitate to allow Ben to paint the fence? How does Twain construct his sentences to reflect that hesitation? What effect do Tom’s hesitations have on Ben? 18

19 Shift #3: Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction

Content Shift #3 Content-Rich Nonfiction 50/50 balance K-5 70/30 in grades 9-12 Students learning to read should exercise their ability to comprehend complex text through read- aloud texts. In grades 2+, students begin reading more complex texts, consolidating the foundational skills with reading comprehension. Reading aloud texts that are well-above grade level should be done throughout K-5 and beyond. 20

Grade Literary (stories, poetry, drama) Informational (Non-fiction) K-550% Middle School45%55% High School30%70%

Building Knowledge Through Content- Rich Nonfiction: Why? Students are required to read very little informational text in elementary and middle school. Non-fiction makes up the vast majority of required reading in college/workplace. Informational text is harder for students to comprehend than narrative text. Supports students learning how to read different types of informational text. 22

Content Shift #3 Sequencing Texts to Build Knowledge Not random reading Literacy in social studies/history, science, technical subjects, and the arts is embedded 23

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Webb’s Depth of Knowledge

Close Reading of Complex Text Addressing the Standards with Close Reading, Text Dependent Questions and Complex Text

Ramping Up for Complex Texts Just giving students complex texts doesn’t mean they will read and understand them.

Anchor Standard 10: Complex Text Examine the learning progressions: How might teaching and learning be affected? Why is Anchor Standard 10 so important? Rigorous Reading: Professional Learning Guide

Text Complexity Quantitative evaluation Qualitative evaluation Matching readers with texts and tasks Rigorous Reading: Professional Learning Guide

Anyway, the fascinating thing was that, I read in National Geographic that there are more people alive now than have died in all of human history. In other words, if everyone wanted to play Hamlet once, they couldn’t, because there aren’t enough skulls! (p.3) Foer, J. S. (2005). Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. New York: Mariner.

Text Complexity In Doug Fisher’s words…

Qualitative Evaluation Standard English and Variations Register Vocabulary Prior Knowledge Cultural Knowledge Background Knowledge Genre Organization Narration Text Features Graphics Density and Complexity Figurative Language Purpose Levels of Meaning and Purpose Structure Language Conventions and Clarity Knowledge Demands Rigorous Reading: Professional Learning Guide

Close Reading  What Is the Intention?  Foster Critical Thinking  Begin in Kindergarten  Assumption-Worthy Text Rigorous Reading: Professional Learning Guide

Close readings should be done with texts that are worthy and that are complex enough to warrant repeated reading and detailed investigation.

It is not new practice Texts that are worthy. Not for all texts Texts should be complex enough to undergo repeated readings for deep comprehension Foremost, reader is focused on the author’s meaning Directed in all content classes Implemented for K–12 Close Reading

Closing in on Close Reading by Nancy Boyles

Anchor Standard 1 Close Reading Examine the learning progressions: How might teaching and learning be affected? Why is Anchor Standard 1 so important? Rigorous Reading: Professional Learning Guide

Six Practices of Close Reading First Practice: Select Short, Worthy Passages Second Practice: Student Rereading Third Practice: Limited Frontloading Fourth Practice: Text-Dependent Questions Fifth Practice: Annotation Sixth Practice: After-Reading Tasks

41 In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote? What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? What can you infer from King’s letter about the letter that he received? “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech? Not Text-Dependent Text-Dependent Text-Dependent Questions

Practice with Close Reading