March 2011 Clark

 Discuss the importance of retelling.  Write the prerequisite skills for retelling.  Understand how to scaffold retelling instruction.  Discuss available tools and strategies to use in the classroom.  Understand the students’ role in retelling.

“It is restating the essence of text or an experience in as few words as possible or in a new, yet efficient, manner. It can be done in writing, but also orally, dramatically, artistically, visually, physically, musically, in groups, or individually. Summarization is one of the most underused teaching techniques we have today, yet research has shown that it yields some of the greatest leaps in comprehension and long-term retention of information.” from Summarization in Any Subject by Rick Wormeli

Categories of Instructional Strategies that Affect Student Achievement

 Adult – Summary report for a boss  Student – Retelling the basics of the latest movie seen over the weekend or the latest music video

STATE STANDARDS: Standard 1 - Reading: The student reads and comprehends text across the curriculum. Benchmark 4: The student comprehends a variety of texts (narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive). KindergartenFirst GradeSecond GradeThird GradeFourth GradeFifth GradeSixth GradeSeventh Grade Eighth GradeHigh School Retells or role plays important events and information from the text. ▲ Retells or role plays important events and main ideas from narrative and expository texts. ▲ Retells or determines important events and main ideas from narrative and expository texts. ▲ Retells main ideas or events as well as supporting details in narrative and expository texts. ▲ Retells main ideas or events as well as supporting details in appropriate- level narrative, expository, and technical texts. ▲ Retells main ideas or events as well as supporting details in appropriate- level narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts. ▲ Uses paraphrasing and organizational skills to summarize information (e.g., stated and implied main ideas, main events, important details) from appropriate- level narrative, expository, persuasive, and technical texts in logical order. ▲ Uses paraphrasing and organizational skills to summarize information (e.g., stated and implied main ideas, main events, important details) from appropriate- level narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts in logical order. ▲ Uses paraphrasing and organizational skills to summarize information (stated and implied main ideas, main events, important details, underlying meaning) from appropriate- level narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive texts in logical or sequential order, clearly preserving the author's intent. TREASURES: Grades K- 3.1 = Retell Grades 3.2 – 5 = Summarize

Primary Modeling Think Alouds Discussion Oral Retelling Scripting Drawing Group Writing Intermediate Compares and Contrasts BEST retellings Creates Look-Fors Writes retellings

Listening Speaking Reading Writing Receptive Expressive

 Experiences with text  Vocabulary  Skills:  Sequence  Determining the importance of information (Main idea/details)  Elements of Fiction  Text Structure of Expository Text

vs

 Beginning, Middle, End  Signal Words ~then ~next ~finally  Time Order Words ~first ~second ~last

 Cause/Effect  Compare/Contrast  Description  Sequence  Problem/Solution Main Idea Details

Listening Speaking Reading Writing Receptive Expressive

- Oral retelling - Develop academic language

 Treasures Retelling Cards (K-2)  Overhead picture prompts  Character posters  Creating picture cards

Story Frames Story Summary with one character included Our story is about _________________________________. _________ is an important character in our story. _____________ tried to _________________. The story ends when __________________. Important idea or plot In this story the problem starts when _________________ __________. After that, ______________________. Next, __________. Then, ________________________. The problem is finally solved when ________________________. The story ends ___________. Setting This story takes place ________________________. I know this because the author uses the words “____________________”. Other clues that show when the story takes place are _____________________________________. Character Analysis ____________________ is an important character in our story. __________ is important because ____________. Once, he/she ___________________. Another time __________________________. I think that _________________ (character’s name) is ____________________ (character trait) because ________________________. Character comparison _______________ and ______________ are two characters in the story. ___________________ (character name) is _________________ (trait) while ___________________ (character name) is _________________ (trait). For instance, __________________tries to ___________ and _______________ tries to ______________________. _______________ learns a lesson when __________________________________________________.

Story Frames Story Summary with one character included Our story is about _________________________________. _________ is an important character in our story. _____________ tried to _________________. The story ends when __________________. Important idea or plot In this story the problem starts when _________________ __________. After that, ______________________. Next, __________. Then, ________________________. The problem is finally solved when ________________________. The story ends ___________. Setting This story takes place ________________________. I know this because the author uses the words “____________________”. Other clues that show when the story takes place are _____________________________________. Character Analysis ____________________ is an important character in our story. __________ is important because ____________. Once, he/she ___________________. Another time __________________________. I think that _________________ (character’s name) is ____________________ (character trait) because ________________________. Character comparison _______________ and ______________ are two characters in the story. ___________________ (character name) is _________________ (trait) while ___________________ (character name) is _________________ (trait). For instance, __________________tries to ___________ and _______________ tries to ______________________. _______________ learns a lesson when __________________________________________________.

 Color coding paragraphs in the article to match the color coded sentences in the retelling.  Numbering or using Linking cubes instead of color coding.  Kagan retelling cubes.

Categories of Instructional Strategies that Affect Student Achievement

Reading Across Texts

Is the written information accurate? Does the retelling provide the “gist” of the author’s message? Is there a topic sentence that represents a big idea with details that support that idea? Are the details in the proper sequence? Do the sentences hang together or are they just random details from the text? Do the details represent the whole passage in narrative text instead of being from just one paragraph or part of the selection? If narrative text, are the main characters represented? Does the retelling explain what the character(s) experienced? SAMPLE Retelling Look-Fors

 Read the selection  Students write retellings  Teacher analyzes student papers and pulls sample papers to discuss  With students:  Compare and contrast papers  Determine needed improvements  Create/review criteria (Look-Fors) for best retellings  Students improve the retellings

 Read the selection  Students write retellings  Teacher analyzes student papers and pulls sample papers to discuss  With students:  Compare and contrast papers  Determine needed improvements  Create/review criteria (Look-Fors) for best retellings  Students improve the retellings

Is the written information accurate? Does the retelling provide the “gist” of the author’s message? Is there a topic sentence that represents a big idea with details that support that idea? Are the details in the proper sequence? Do the sentences hang together or are they just random details from the text? Do the details represent the whole passage in narrative text instead of being from just one paragraph or part of the selection? If narrative text, are the main characters represented? Does the retelling explain what the character(s) experienced? Retelling Look-Fors

 Read the selection  Students write retellings  Teacher analyzes student papers and pulls sample papers to discuss  With students:  Compare and contrast papers  Determine needed improvements  Create/review criteria (Look-Fors) for best retellings  Students improve the retellings

Classroom created Look-For Chart

 Read the selection  Students write retellings  Teacher analyzes student papers and pulls sample papers to discuss  With students:  Compare and contrast papers  Determine needed improvements  Create/review criteria (Look-Fors) for best retellings  Students improve the retellings

Topic Main Idea Details Thinking about what you have already done with retelling instruction, what will you add or change when you return to the classroom?