MTP Seven Steps

Step 1: Planning Step 1: Planning- Planning for Message Time Plus occurs before the lesson and planning notes are recorded on a lesson plan template. The students are not present.  This is where you use the MTP scope and sequence to help you plan for the literacy objective.  The message should also spearhead the learning that will occur during RAP or the Units of Study.

Step 2: Think Aloud Although labeled as step two, this is actually the first step that a teacher would implement in a Message Time Plus lesson (with the students).  The think aloud is to let children know what the message will be about and to tell students the literacy lesson objective.

Step 3: Reading and Writing This step occurs as the teacher is writing the message and the students are simultaneously reading the message. As the teacher writes the message the expectation is that all students are attempting and reading the message.  

Step 4: Predicting and Assessing Step four is occurring simultaneously with step three. During modeled writing and shared reading, students are making predictions, the teacher is offering feedback, and the teacher is assessing students “on the fly.”  This is an opportunity for the paras or in class support teacher to take notes of children reading.

Step 5: Rereading After each sentence is written, the teacher guides the students to reread, allowing them to put all the words they read into a meaningful sentence that “sounds right.” This rereading happens again after the entire message is written. With each opportunity to reread, the students’ reading becomes more automatic, accurate, and smooth.  Make sure to glide pointer under the words as students read instead of pointed to each word to help with fluency.  

Step 6: Analyzing After the message is composed and read, the teacher calls two to four students to the message board for an individualized “scaffolding experience.” During or after the scaffolding of three to four individuals, a brief and focused whole class mini-lesson also occurs.  When students come to the board ask them to find sight words, vocabulary words or phonics taught for the week.  

Step 7: Rereading After analyzing the message, the students are guided to reread the message one final time. The final rereading allows the students to see the individual elements of the message that they focused on during step six in a meaningful context, while further increasing their ability to fluently read the message.