Connected Learning Experiences Taffy E. Raphael University of Illinois at Chicago International Reading Association Preconvention Institute 2003

Connecting Across our Dual Obligations Talking Points 1 - 4

Key Talking Points #1 Students who struggle to read in 3rd grade and above tend to read a year to several years below their age levels Students who struggle to read in 3rd grade and above tend to read a year to several years below their age levels Most instructional programs designed for struggling readers 3rd grade and above focus on continuing to help students build world level skills and fluency Most instructional programs designed for struggling readers 3rd grade and above focus on continuing to help students build world level skills and fluency This creates an artificial dichotomy of “learning to read” and “reading to learn” This creates an artificial dichotomy of “learning to read” and “reading to learn”

Key Talking Points #2 Instructional programs designed for struggling readers 3rd grade and above rarely emphasize interacting critically (reading, talking about, writing in response to) age-appropriate materials. Instructional programs designed for struggling readers 3rd grade and above rarely emphasize interacting critically (reading, talking about, writing in response to) age-appropriate materials. Peers of struggling readers who read at or above grade level have more years of experience interacting with age-appropriate materials. Peers of struggling readers who read at or above grade level have more years of experience interacting with age-appropriate materials.

Talking Points #3 When students do not think about, talk about, and write in response to age-appropriate materials, they fall further and further behind their same-grade peers. When students do not think about, talk about, and write in response to age-appropriate materials, they fall further and further behind their same-grade peers. When (optimistically) skills, strategies, fluency abilities “kick in,” students are not successful in comprehension and critical thinking (i.e., “my students can read the words, but they don’t have a clue what they mean!”) When (optimistically) skills, strategies, fluency abilities “kick in,” students are not successful in comprehension and critical thinking (i.e., “my students can read the words, but they don’t have a clue what they mean!”)

Talking Points #4 Thus, effective literacy instruction involves the dual commitments of Thus, effective literacy instruction involves the dual commitments of teaching students to read using high quality materials appropriate to their instructional level teaching students to read using high quality materials appropriate to their instructional level AND AND Teaching students to think about, write in response to, and talk about high quality literature that is appropriate to their age level. Teaching students to think about, write in response to, and talk about high quality literature that is appropriate to their age level.

Designing Curriculum to Meet Our Dual Obligations The Michigan Teachers Learning Collaborative: Connecting Across Borders

Linking across communities = TLC Network Participant School District Location

The Questions We Addressed Why are many of our children -- especially 2nd & above able to read words but do not understand what they are reading? Why are many of our children -- especially 2nd & above able to read words but do not understand what they are reading? Why do some of our students seem to fall further and further behind instead of catching up with their peers? Why do some of our students seem to fall further and further behind instead of catching up with their peers? What can we do about it? What can we do about it?

Designing Curriculum: What did we need? An instructional framework that would help accelerate our struggling readers’ progress An instructional framework that would help accelerate our struggling readers’ progress An instructional framework that would help us: An instructional framework that would help us: use our time well use our time well include writing in meaningful ways include writing in meaningful ways teach skills and strategies teach skills and strategies have many opportunities to practice what has been taught have many opportunities to practice what has been taught focus on important ideas, not just process focus on important ideas, not just process motivate and engage our students motivate and engage our students

The Goal of Book Club Plus Meet our Dual Obligations!

age-appropriate text access student-led discussion within instructional context created by teacher students apply taught strategies within student- led book clubs reading-level appropriate text access teacher-led discussion around specific skills/strategies/words to be taught students learn new strategies within guided reading group

Book ClubLiteracy Block ReadingWriting Book Club Community Share Guided Reading Unit Work Working with Words Journaling Process Writing Read Aloud Sustained Silent Reading Book Club Plus: Maintaining Our Dual Commitments

Scheduling Blocks: 75 or 120 Minutes MondayTuesday Wednesday ThursdayFriday Book Club [75 minutes]: opening community share reading writing fishbowl or book clubs closing community share Guided Reading [45 minutes] group #1group #3 group #2group #1 [Independent Work during Guided Reading: journals, skills work, independent reading, unit project work, writers workshop Guided Reading [75 minutes] group #1 group #1 group #2 group #2 group #3 group #3 [Independent Work during Guided Reading: journals, skills work, independent reading, unit project work, writers workshop Book Club [45 minutes]: opening community share reading writing fishbowl or book clubs closing community share “Swing” day

Connecting Ideas and Processes through Literature Study The Theme: Storied Lives The Unit: Family Stories

Rich Literature for ALL Students And... Babushka's Doll The Keeping Quilt Thank You Mr. Faulker The Bee Tree Book Club Guided Reading Viewing: Read Aloud

How Does Writing Fit In? Writing Into the Unit: Build theme/content Writing Through the Unit: Comprehension/Analysis Writing Out of the Unit: Applying What We’ve Learned

Writing Into: Life-Timeline

Writing Through Character Development Over Time

Writing Through #2: Tripod Format - Choice and Variation

Writing Out: Memory Books Grade 8

Writing Out: Alternative Forms of Expression

Connecting Instruction and Assessment Using standard district-mandated measures, how did our students do? Using standard district-mandated measures, how did our students do? Using project-specific measures, how did our students do? Using project-specific measures, how did our students do?

Standard Assessments: ð On Metropolitan Achievement Test: Equal performance to control group, but spent half the time in traditional skills/strategy program Equal performance to control group, but spent half the time in traditional skills/strategy program ð On Quality Reading Inventory: 100% made at least 1 years growth 100% made at least 1 years growth 83% made >1 years growth 83% made >1 years growth 42% achieved independence at grade level 42% achieved independence at grade level

Rikki’s Response Log Entries When I was litel I When I was litel I Owes was afad of Sperts. But Im still afrad Of sperts. I covered My Self at night. I have a queshten on the end of chapter 3. Was litel Willy in the race or was he pracising? Thats the reason I was getting comefused. I like the book alot so far. I wonder what's going to happen next. This book is so exicting so far. it's like you are in the book. I'm getting comfused thogh. Was litel Willy's granfather alive or dead? Because litel Willy is talking to his granfather. Dous he have any parints arond? dous litel Willy have any frenids? Well I don't know!" Early Fall Late Spring From Language Arts, Nov 01

Owning Literacy Book Club Grade 3: Stone Fox

Stone Fox Grade 3: Video Clip Not Available on www.

Concluding Comments Content Knowledge Curriculum Content Knowledge Curriculum There is value-added in substantive content in the texts and tasks required for early literacy learning and development There is value-added in substantive content in the texts and tasks required for early literacy learning and development Agency Agency Students benefit from “finding” and “having” a voice, something often unavailable to young and poor children Students benefit from “finding” and “having” a voice, something often unavailable to young and poor children Building Cultural Capital Building Cultural Capital Thematic focus from “Self” to “Family” to “Culture” built students’ cultural capital in the classroom Thematic focus from “Self” to “Family” to “Culture” built students’ cultural capital in the classroom

Concluding Comments (cont.) Engagement Engagement Students worked in patterns of “coming together - going apart - coming together,” a pattern reflected in the teachers’ professional development experiences Students worked in patterns of “coming together - going apart - coming together,” a pattern reflected in the teachers’ professional development experiences Professional Development Professional Development Teachers from Grades 1 through 8 engaged in meaningful conversation, betting understanding where their curriculum work fit Teachers from Grades 1 through 8 engaged in meaningful conversation, betting understanding where their curriculum work fit