So Little Time… So Much to Do! Presented by ~ Donna Whyte thesmartiezone.com

Home/School Connections Independence Environment Transitions Framework Assessments

Paying Attention Minimize distractions Seating (where and who near?) Signals Breaks Self-Evaluation ______________________ Attentiveness Place student in an area of the classroom where there is a minimum of distractions. Seat student near good role models which may have a positive effect on the student. Develop a private cueing system which reminds the student to attend to the task. Develop an awareness of the student's preferred learning style and plan adaptations to accommodate the student's needs. Break time periods into smaller blocks of time or vary the activities to increase attention span. Provide a student evaluation sheet at the beginning of the assignment or tasks so the student can see how he is evaluated and can check of components for an assignment as they are completed. Pair the student with a peer. Teach active listening strategies.

Getting the Work Done Clear Directions Big Tasks…Small Steps Clear Expectations Aids (V – A – K) Organizational Tools Frequent “Check In” _____________________ Completing assignments Break longer tasks into smaller steps with due dates for the various stages of the task or assignment. Make sure the students understand the expectations of the assignment. Display visual aids around the room that show end examples of products and processes for students to model. Use personal planners or homework books. Monitor progress frequently and keep parents informed about assignment expectations and ways they can help their child at home. Maintain a classroom calendar of assignments and due dates in a prominent place in the classroom that the student can refer to when needed.

Things to Think About in Grouping… Reading Levels Time Commitment Learning Styles Ability to Handle Frustration Ability to Handle Interaction Problem Solving Skills Work Habits Organizational Skills Behavior Patterns Content or Subject Area ___________________ Grouping: If there is a specific student for whom adaptations will be required in several subject areas, it is much easier to plan adaptations if the student has as few teachers as possible. Otherwise, there may be insufficient time to communicate with teachers or to provide sufficient adaptations for the various classrooms on a regular basis. Sometimes there is a distinct group within a grade level for whom adaptations will be required. You will need to consider the needs of that grade level group as you decide the grouping that best suits your situation and will be manageable. A. Analyze each student's strengths. This will assist you with the grouping of students. B. Cluster four or five students per classroom. With this grouping, the communication time will increase as will the amount of direct service you will be able to provide to the individual. Planning for a group is more likely to occur than planning for an individual. C. Consider when grouping students into classrooms. Academic needs Reading levels Learning styles Math placement Problem solving skills Work habits Organizational skills Behavioral goals and objectives Content or subject area

Questioning Kids What do you notice? Can anyone tell me anything about this ______? Has anything on the chart, in the picture, in the writing made you think of something in your life? What part did you spot? What do you think? Do you see something __________? (Different, Familiar, Weird, etc.) What do you recognize? Can you tell me what you see? Can you show me something on the chart? What do you know about this _________? Does anyone have any ideas about ________?

Effective Intervention The most valuable instruction for students “at-risk” for reading difficulties: More instructional time Smaller groups Targeted Skills Increased Modeling Detailed Explanation and Practice All this brings us to a consideration of the most important things that Reading First is designed to help schools accomplish. Here are three of the most important. Sequential Instruction of Skills Additional Guided Practice On-going Assessment of Skill

What skills are required to be a good reader? Reliable strategies for identifying unknown words in text (Code) Must know many thousands of words “by sight” to be a fluent reader (Code & Fluency) Must know the meanings of many thousands of words (Vocabulary & Comprehension) Must know how to “think” while reading – reading strategies (Comprehension)

Phonemic Awareness The understanding that spoken language is comprised of individual sounds strung together to form words that hold meaning from speaker to listener.

Steps of Phonemic Awareness Skills Phoneme Manipulation Phoneme Segmentation Phoneme Blending Sound Isolation First~Last Onset~Rime Blending /Segmenting Blending/Segmenting Compound Words Words within a Sentence Rhyme

Small Steps ~ Big Difference Attendance Rhymes Do you hear “individual sounds”? Magic Spoon “Stretchy” Strap Real ~ Nonsense Words

What does this mean? Name of Letter Letter Formation Identifying the Letter Sound Creating the Letter Sound Word Associated with the Letter The Letter within Words

How do Children Acquire Vocabulary? Verbal interaction Reading They are TAUGHT

References Donna J. Whyte Ginsberg, M.B., and Wldkowski, R.J. (2000). Creating Highly Motivated Classrooms for All Students: A Schoolwide Approach to Powerful Teaching and Diverse Learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc. Goodman, G. (2008). Interventions for Struggling Learners. Peterborough, NH: Crystal Springs Books. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Title 1: Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged, 107th Congress, 1st Session. Prepared by the National Clearinghouse of Bilingual Education, The George Washington University. Snow, C.E., Burns, M.S., and Griffin, P., eds. (1998). Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Walpole, S. and McKenna, M. (2004). The Literacy Coach's Handbook: A Guide to Research-Based Practice. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. Wright, J. (2007). RTI Toolbox ~ A Practical Guide for Schools. Port Chester, NY: Dude Publishing.