English Language Arts Program Update Cambrian School District

Goal of English Language Arts Update  Provide program information  Review student performance  Plan next steps

K-8 English Language Arts Program  Reading Word Analysis Fluency Systematic Vocabulary Development Reading Comprehension  Shift to Informational Text as grades increase Literary Response & Analysis  Writing Strategies Applications  Written & Oral English Language Conventions  Listening & Speaking Strategies Applications – Genres

A day in the life of an elementary student in English Language Arts  7:30 Tutoring before school  30 minutes of explicit whole group skills-based instruction (For example: grammar, writing, comprehension)  60 minutes in menu-driven learning centers  Language activities integrated across the curriculum

Centers are integrated with Lesson Differentiate in Reading Group Journal or Writing Activity Choice Center to Express idea: Journal or Other activity Focused Classworks computer -assisted instruction Menu-driven topics/tasks may include: -Parts of speech -Phonics review -Comprehension builders -Differentiation -Activities that appeal to different learning modalities Menu-driven topics/tasks may include: -Parts of speech -Phonics review -Comprehension builders -Differentiation -Activities that appeal to different learning modalities

Literacy activities occur throughout the day  Integrate reading comprehension skills into social studies  Integrate writing activities into math to describe thinking and write own problems science to describe observations and do “notebooking”  Special Theme weeks feature Poetry work, Author’s week, Author’s Faire  Acknowledgements play an important role in featuring the importance of reading, writing and recognition of good work  Accelerated Reader encourages students to read at their personal challenge level. For example, at Fammatre, 10,000 books in the school are leveled  Special Projects explore where the research on best practices is leading us. For example the Fammatre grade 3 team is learning about and using 5 modalities of reading

A day in the life of a Price Middle student in English Language Arts  All students receive 2 periods/day  English Learners (EL) are placed in a 2 period core that is supplemented with Social Studies for EL  Step-Up-To-Writing is integrated across all subject areas and grades  Intensive Reading uses regular assessments to ensure appropriate placement for struggling readers

How are our students doing?  In addition to our annual California Standards Tests, district benchmark, running records for reading, and informal assessments are used.  The state writing rubric is used on formative writing assessments at the middle school  The district writing rubric by grade- level

What did our district survey reveal about English Language Arts?  Parents believe their child is making satisfactory progress in English LA 93% satisifed with reading progress 90% satisfied with writing progress  Strong support for reading, writing, communications & critical thinking skills

Initiatives taken….  Excel/RtI being implemented to support differentiated teaching/learning  Reading Intervention / Intensive Reading programs target struggling readers  English language acquisition and development programs support English Learners  Step-Up-To-Writing used at all schools

Professional Development  Step-Up-To-Writing training provided for new teachers in August 2007  Differentiation theme central to district-wide PD in October  Two schools received Excel training

What’s next for English Language Arts?  Expand and extend support for Step-Up-To- Writing  District-wide collection and analysis of writing performance data based on recently revised writing rubric  Prepare for future adoption by beginning district-wide discussion on ELA  Continue to develop how common reading records are used to support K & 1 instruction