Literacy Design Collaborative LDC Todd County Middle School November 30, 2012

What is the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC)? LDC is a framework for implementing the standards. LDC is a structure to allow teachers and students deeper engagement with the standards leading to highly effective teaching and learning. LDC

State Strategy BMGF Prichard Grant Pilot Districts (LDC/FAL) Leadership Networks Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Partnership Work Literacy in the CC Grant National Writing Project Kentucky Writing Projects (LDC) 3

Scaling LDC/MDC Work-Partnership Pilot Districts 4 Leadership Networks

What is required in an LDC? Using an LDC as a means of instruction requires close read of texts, both print and non- print, and requires students to pull content from texts in order to write for an authentic purpose.

Writing Focus Centers around 3 types of writing that are congruent to the Common Core State Standards: –Argumentative –Informative/ Explanatory –Narrative

Higher Level Thinking Tasks 29 Task Templates in all Choose the task that best meets the needs of your students and the standards/concept Organized by Writing Type as well as Level of Thinking Skills

Template Tasks All LDC tasks require students to: –READ, analyze, and comprehend texts as specified by the common core –WRITE products as specified by the common core (focusing on argumentation, informational/explanatory, and narrative) –APPLY common core literacy standards to cocntent (ELA, social studies, and/or science) The tasks are designed to ensure that students receive literacy and content instruction in rigorous academic reading and writing tasks that prepare them for success in college by the end of their high school career.

Template Tasks Teachers use the template tasks to design their own teaching, starting by selecting: –CONTENT STANDARDS to address (for example, state science, history, or English standards for the class they are teaching) –TEXTS students will read (or which issues students will research) –THE ISSUE students will address in their writing

Sample Task 2: Background Info Students will understand that electromagnetic waves, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays and gamma rays result when a charged object is accelerated. This information gives students a context as they begin thinking about the upcoming task. LDC: First Instructional Ladder 10

Sample Task: Essential Question  Do cell phones have the potential to impact our health in a negative way?  The essential question focuses students on the argument LDC: First Instructional Ladder 11

Sample Task: The Task LDC: First Instructional Ladder 12  (Do cell phones have the potential to impact our health in a negative way?)  After reading the articles from Scientific American and Time as well as viewing the chart from Prevention, write a report that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the texts. Be sure to acknowledge competing views and give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.

To Create a Task… 1.Choose Your Template Task 2.Choose Your Topic 3.Choose Text Students Will Read 4.Choose Text Students Will Write 5.Combine To Create Your Teaching Task LDC: First Instructional Ladder 13

What’s Critical in your Task? Template task, text(s), content, and product are a good fit Requires students to delve deeply into content Requires students to demonstrate a range of critical thinking skills Text is intellectually challenging, but accessible to all students

What’s Critical in your Task? Text requires students to apply literacy skills to comprehend and analyze content Product is sufficiently challenging Product is multi-paragraph and appropriate for content Product authentically engages students and targets realistic audiences.

Common Task Problems Task doesn’t follow the template Task isn’t worth that much instructional time The topic is too narrow Question is not rigorous/relevant The question asks for personal reflection instead of engagement with academic content (standards) Makes weak use of the material students are to read; doesn’t demand a close reading Text isn’t adequate to support an argument Text is too simplistic LDC: First Instructional Ladder 16

Content Task should address a major issue in your content A full module is expected to take 2-4 weeks ELA teachers use built-in standards (and others that apply to content) Other Content teachers use the Literacy standards and applicable Core Content Logically fit your pacing guide

Text Selection Appropriate for topic Short enough to be closely read, but at appropriate level of complexity Include lower lexile texts, as needed for differentiation Multiple texts (literature, informational, opinion pieces, reference works) Don’t forget non-print text, charts, tables Contains academic vocabulary Include at least one text that is the same type students will write

Student Products Think outside the box Instead of an essay: –Review, article, editorial, speech, proposal Instead of a report: –Article, lab report, manual Instead of a narrative: –Article, account, biography, story, script

LDC Task Requirements

LDC Task Flexibility

Literacy Matters  What was the teacher’s role in this lesson?  What was the student’s role in this lesson?  How was this LDC lesson different from what you normally see in an English/Language Arts Lesson?

Let’s try a task!

Background Carol Dweck believes that the biggest indicator of student motivation to learn and grow is their fixed or growth mindset. Could this be true of our own mindset? Do you, as the model of learning culture in your classroom, only attempt that which you know you will succeed at OR are you willing to let your students see you “productively struggle” through difficult work?

*Productive Struggle* “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison

Task 14 Informational/Explanatory How can having a growth mindset improve the instructional culture of your classroom? After reading “The Ideal Learning Culture,” by Shirley Clarke, and viewing Derek Siver’s video, write a paragraph that explains fixed and growth mindset and addresses the question. support your discussion with evidence from the text(s).

Preparing for the Task Anticipation Guide Quick Write— What is the task asking you to do?

Reading Process In Groups of 4, assign CHUNKS 1-4 of text. Read your chunk of the text, annotating points related to the Essential Question in the task. Record your annotations, thoughts, concerns, summary on the butcher paper in front of you. Walk around your table and read your colleague’s comments. Respond to comments when appropriate. Return to your seat to read and discuss your colleague’s responses. As a group, identify evidence from the text that will help you answer the Essential Question.

Reading Process As you watch the video, record any evidence you might use to answer the Essential Question. After the video, discuss your evidence, as a group.

When you’re green you grow. When you’re ripe you rot.

Transition to Writing As a group, organize your annotations to support your argument.

Writing Process How can having a growth mindset improve the instructional culture of your classroom? Make sure you have a claim statement. Make sure your product follows your line of thought. Revise, as needed.

Reflection Exit Slip—Write your claim statement in the box on your tablecloth.

Your Turn!  Step 1. Create the Task o Start work on creating a task you can teach during a course (using your state/district standards, curriculum map and texts you brought) o Refer to the LDC task requirements and design process for guidance o Flag your facilitator as you develop questions  Step 2. Check the Task o Individually, spend 5-10 minutes writing an opening paragraph that addresses the demand. o Now share your opening with your colleagues o If you found it difficult to address the task, use the experience to discuss what might need to be adjusted to help students succeed and revise. Revise as necessary. o If you found that the demand can be addressed by students, go to Step 3.  Step 3. Complete the Task o If you found the prompt works, complete the rest of your Task 2 Template including adding a background that sets the stage for the prompt and the optional extension, if you choose to do one. o Double check with the LDC task requirements and design process o Once you are finished, add your prompt to the poster and post for sharing. Take a look at what your peers have created.

Resources if you’d like to give it a try