Best Practices for Adolescent Literacy Secondary Alabama Reading Initiative ARI Content Literacy 2010

Key Leaders will:  Gain understanding of Strategic Teaching Content  Develop a plan of action for practicing Strategic Teaching in their building with a teacher  Prepare for aiding facilitation of Strategic Teaching in their system ARI Content Literacy 2010

Teachers will be able to describe the necessary components of strategic teaching in order to improve student achievement. Teachers will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses of a lesson. ARI Content Literacy 2010

Parameters: 1. All participants - no observers. 2. Use time wisely. 3. Stay focused. 4. Respect others ’ opinions. 5. Cell phones on vibrate. ARI Content Literacy 2010

To provide the standards, resources, and support needed to ensure all students graduate college and/or career ready ARI Content Literacy 2010

Increase Student Achievement Collaborative Leadership Assessment Professional Development Accelerated Intervention Strategic Teaching ARI Content Literacy 2010

Visualize the best teacher you had in school. Describe that teacher on a note card. Turn and talk. Visualize the worst teacher you had in school. Describe that teacher on a note card. Turn and talk. ARI Content Literacy 2010

Strategic teaching is the process of incorporating purposeful planning, connected strategies, and explicit instruction to maximize the understanding and retention of content material. ARI Content Literacy 2010

As educators, we are ineffective when our students are actively engaged in a meaningless task or passively involved in a meaningful one. ARI Content Literacy 2010

THERE ARE FIVE COMPONENTS OF STRATEGIC TEACHING ARI Content Literacy 2010

ONE or More Daily Outcomes with Daily Assessment ARI Content Literacy 2010

Two Instructional Practices in Every Lesson 1. Chunking 2. Student discussion ARI Content Literacy 2010

THREE Parts to a Strategic Lesson Before During After ARI Content Literacy 2010

FOUR Steps to Explicit Instruction Independent Practice Guided Practice Tell and Explain Model Teacher Partners Groups Students Teams Self ARI Content Literacy 2010

FIVE Components of Active Literacy TalkWrite Investigate Read Listen ARI Content Literacy 2010

1. We develop and refine our content knowledge. 2. We assess our own teaching, as well as our students’ learning. 3. We differentiate our instruction. 4. WE ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS! ARI Content Literacy 2010

One or More Daily Outcomes Two Daily Instructional Practices: Chunking ; Student Discussion of Concepts Three Parts of Strategic Lessons: Before; During; After Four Steps in Explicit Instruction: “I Do”; “We Do”; “Y’all Do”; “You Do” Five Daily Components of Active Literacy (Engagement): T-Talking; W-Writing; I-Investigating; R-Reading; L-Listening ARI Content Literacy 2010

 Happens on a regular basis ? Not so sure ! Area of Focus ARI Content Literacy 2010

BRAIN RESEARCH AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

Outcomes: Participants will make connections between the developing brain and adolescent learning. Before: Anticipation Guide During: Jot Notes After: Anticipation Guide AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

 Read each statement.  Mark in the left-hand column whether you agree or disagree with the statement.  When directed, locate your “brainy” partner A and discuss your predictions.  Prepare to share whole group. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

“Jot” notes are based on key points, concepts, or ideas as the text is read. Use single words and/or phrases to keep notes brief and to the point. This may include:  brief notes about the important points in the text;  sketches of images constructed as the text is read;  connections to the text;  questions about the text; and  first reactions to the text. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

7 to 10 percent of brain is pruning away lacks reasoning and judgment hormones are not completely responsible acts childishly physical appearances deceiving Connection: Adolescent students look mature, but act childishly. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

Read the text. Write jot notes that are short and to the point. Sketching is encouraged. Share notes with a partner. Share notes with the whole group. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

 Read Chunk 3 with a partner.  Take jot notes. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

 Read text.  Reflect individually.  Take jot notes.  Meet with your “clock” partner B and reflect on your jot notes. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

Reread the statements from the beginning of the lesson. Mark new responses in the right-hand “After” column. Justify any corrections made after reading. Write justifications under the appropriate statements. AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

Outcomes: Participants will make connections between the developing brain and adolescent learning. Before: Anticipation Guide Purposes: activate prior knowledge; establish a purpose for reading; make predictions During: Jot Notes Purposes: organize information; summarize and practice note taking; make connections After: Anticipation Guide Purposes: reflect and correct predictions; integrate new information with prior knowledge AR I Co nte nt Lit era cy 20 10

Step by step guide to implementing strategic teaching in the content areas ARI Content Literacy 2010

Daily outcome: Participants will use the components of purposeful planning to analyze two classroom lesson plans. Before: Conversation Stem During: Graphic Organizer After: “We Think” Statement ARI Content Literacy 2010

Conversation Stem 1 When a teacher tells the students, “I want you to learn…” what is he/she really saying? ARI Content Literacy 2010

Conversation Stem 2 What is the difference between learning and memorizing? ARI Content Literacy 2010

 Examine the steps for planning.  Use what is known about strategic teaching to critique the scenario. ARI Content Literacy 2010

 Decide what it is the students will be able to do TODAY as a result of this lesson.  The outcome(s) of the lesson should move the students closer to mastery of content standards.  Decide on assessment(s) that will be used to determine if outcome has been met. ARI Content Literacy 2010

Consider the purposes of before strategies :  activate prior knowledge  build background knowledge  generate questions  make predictions  discuss vocabulary  establish a purpose for reading Choosing a Strategy:  Is it a new concept? Plan a strategy that will build some background knowledge.  Is it a review or continuation? Plan an activity that will activate prior knowledge.  Is there new or unfamiliar vocabulary? Plan a strategy that will involve discussion of unfamiliar words.  Are there particular parts of the content that need to be emphasized? Plan a strategy that draws attention to important concepts. ARI Content Literacy 2010

Before Strategy: *List, Group, Label *List, Group, Label ARI Content Literacy 2010

Think about the strategy and purpose(s) of this part of the lesson. How are the strategies connected and related to the daily outcome(s)? ARI Content Literacy 2010

Consider the purposes of during strategies:  engage with the text  verify and formulate predictions  summarize text  self-monitor comprehension  construct graphic organizers  use mental imagery  integrate new information with prior knowledge Choosing a Strategy:  Is the text challenging to comprehend?  Choose a strategy that will require students to stop periodically as they read and self-monitor comprehension.  Is the text structure unfamiliar or challenging?  Consider using a graphic organizer to help students organize information from the text.  Is there a large amount of text to be read?  Consider chunking the text and choosing a strategy that will allow small groups of students to read portions of the text and share important information with the entire class. ARI Content Literacy 2010

During Strategy: ARI Content Literacy 2010

Think about the strategy and purpose(s) of this part of the lesson. How are the strategies connected and related to the daily outcome(s)? ARI Content Literacy 2010

Consider the purposes of after strategies:  reflect on the content of the lesson  evaluate predictions  examine questions that guided reading  respond to text through discussion  respond to text through writing  retell or summarize Choosing a Strategy:  Does the content of the lesson build upon previous learning?  Consider a strategy that makes connections and evaluates new information.  Does the content lend itself to visual representations?  Consider graphic organizers as a format for organizing information and concepts.  Does the content contain challenging vocabulary?  Consider a strategy that will lead to student ownership of important vocabulary.  Is the content open to interpretation?  Consider a strategy that will promote discussion and critical thinking. ARI Content Literacy 2010

Think about the strategy and purpose(s) of this part of the lesson. How are the strategies connected and related to the daily outcome(s)? ARI Content Literacy 2010

Ultimately, how will we know the lesson outcomes have been met? Consider:  work products  separate assessments  exit slips  observational data ARI Content Literacy 2010

One or More Daily Outcomes Two Daily Instructional Practices: Chunking ; Student Discussion of Concepts Three Parts of Strategic Lessons: Before; During; After Four Steps in Explicit Instruction: “I Do”; “We Do”; “Y’all Do”; “You Do” Five Daily Components of Active Literacy (Engagement): T-Talking; W-Writing; I-Investigating; R-Reading; L-Listening ARI Content Literacy 2010

 Examine the steps for planning.  Use what is known about strategic teaching to critique the scenario.  Take notes on the planning graphic organizer. ARI Content Literacy 2010

Complete the following statement: “After comparing and contrasting the two scenarios, we think ________ lesson was more strategic because______________.”  Use ‘5 components of a Strategic Lesson’ (pg. 3) to guide your conversation around the ‘We Think” statement above.) ARI Content Literacy 2010

Daily outcome: Participants will use the components of purposeful planning to analyze two classroom lesson plans. Before: Conversation Stems Purposes: activate prior knowledge; set a purpose During: Graphic Organizer Purposes: organize information; engage with text After: “We Think” Statement Purposes: reflect on content through writing and discussion ARI Content Literacy 2010