Secondary Literacy Juley Harper, ELA Education Associate, DOE Denise Weiner, ELA Teacher in Residence, DOE

Who are you?? I am a Special Education Teacher or Coordinator I am a Special Education Teacher or Coordinator I am a Content Area Teacher I am a Content Area Teacher I am a Secondary ELA Teacher I am a Secondary ELA Teacher I am a Reading Teacher/Specialist I am a Reading Teacher/Specialist I am an Administrator I am an Administrator I am a School Psychologist I am a School Psychologist I have a good understanding of RTI I have a good understanding of RTI RTI is completely new to me RTI is completely new to me The RTI process makes me apprehensive The RTI process makes me apprehensive Our district has elementary RTI in place for Reading Our district has elementary RTI in place for Reading Our district has a Universal Screening Tool in place at the Secondary Reading Level (GATES, DAR, SRI) Our district has a Universal Screening Tool in place at the Secondary Reading Level (GATES, DAR, SRI) My district uses NWEA/MAP Assessment My district uses NWEA/MAP Assessment My district has block scheduling My district has block scheduling I have had PD in Learning Focused Strategies I have had PD in Learning Focused Strategies I have had PD in CRISS strategies I have had PD in CRISS strategies

Think about this… Ensuring adequate ongoing literacy development for all students in the middle and high school years is a more challenging task than ensuring excellent reading education in the primary grades for two reasons: 1. Secondary school literacy skills are more complex, more embedded in subject matter and multi-faceted. 2. Adolescents are not universally motivated to read better or as interested in school- based reading as younger children.

Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

High School Literacy Differs from Elementary School Literacy ELEMENTARY Focus on basic skills (learning to read) Focus on basic skills (learning to read) Elementary: 90 minute block every day Elementary: 90 minute block every day One to Two teachers One to Two teachers Typically enjoy reading Typically enjoy reading Write creatively Write creativelySECONDARY Secondary: Focus on content (reading to learn) Secondary: Focus on content (reading to learn) 45 class daily, 90 min. every other day 45 class daily, 90 min. every other day Five to Seven teachers Five to Seven teachers Typically DO NOT enjoy reading Typically DO NOT enjoy reading Write essays and research Write essays and research

Struggling Readers in middle and high school… Are usually less fluent readers Are usually less fluent readers Have much smaller sight word vocabularies Have much smaller sight word vocabularies Are less familiar with word meanings Are less familiar with word meanings Have less conceptual and content knowledge Have less conceptual and content knowledge Have less practice with text structures and genres Have less practice with text structures and genres Have fewer and less-developed comprehension strategies Have fewer and less-developed comprehension strategies

Read The Passage Below: The Batsmen were merciless against the Bowlers. The Bowlers placed their men in slips and covers. But to no avail. The Batsmen hit one four after another along with an occasional six. Not once did their balls hit their stumps or get caught.

Answer these questions… Who were merciless against the Bowlers? Who were merciless against the Bowlers? Where did the Bowlers place their men? Where did the Bowlers place their men? Was the strategy successful? Was the strategy successful? Who hit an occasional six? Who hit an occasional six? How many times did the Batsmens balls hit a stump? How many times did the Batsmens balls hit a stump? Subjects Matter- Every Teachers Guide to Content- Area Reading-Harvey Daniels and Steven Zemelman

Interventions You May Already Be Implementing Strategic tutoring Strategic tutoring Peer tutoring Peer tutoring Extended day opportunities Extended day opportunities Pre Teaching Pre Teaching Re Teaching Re Teaching Reading Logs Reading Logs SSR/DEAR SSR/DEAR KWL KWL CRISS Strategies CRISS Strategies Remediation/Enrichment Classes Remediation/Enrichment Classes

Collaboration Time Interdisciplinary Teams Interdisciplinary Teams PLCs PLCs Content Area Teams Content Area Teams Creative Scheduling Creative Scheduling M,F-Content Meetings M,F-Content Meetings T,TH-Team Meetings T,TH-Team Meetings W-6,2,2 Calls W-6,2,2 Calls

Hurdles/Problems Need more research at the HS level Need more research at the HS level Financial Concerns Financial Concerns Time for Interventions Time for Interventions Staff to provide Interventions Staff to provide Interventions Literacy in the Content Areas-I dont teach reading???? Literacy in the Content Areas-I dont teach reading???? Time to plan and collaborate Time to plan and collaborate What do we do about grading? Credits? GPA? What do we do about grading? Credits? GPA? Viewing Purchased instructional programs as Silver Bullets rather than aids to help well- trained teachers make informed decisions Viewing Purchased instructional programs as Silver Bullets rather than aids to help well- trained teachers make informed decisions Moving too quickly-taking on too many grade levels, tiers, or buildings in the first year Moving too quickly-taking on too many grade levels, tiers, or buildings in the first year Lack of Parental involvement Lack of Parental involvement PUBERTY! PUBERTY!

Instructional Scheduling The use of double instructional blocks The use of double instructional blocks Skinny Skinny Extended day opportunities Extended day opportunities Class within a class Class within a class The practice of interventions in lieu of electives The practice of interventions in lieu of electives

Professional Development Content Teachers learn selected strategies (e.g., paraphrasing, self- questioning, visual imagery, word identification, textbook usage, sentence development) Content Teachers learn selected strategies (e.g., paraphrasing, self- questioning, visual imagery, word identification, textbook usage, sentence development) Learning Focused Strategies-PD is free Learning Focused Strategies-PD is free CRISS training CRISS training DE Reading and Writing Project (UD) DE Reading and Writing Project (UD)

Content Literacy Continuum (CLC Model) Used in VA state wide Used in VA state wide Builds off powerful instructional planning and delivery within the core academic areas Builds off powerful instructional planning and delivery within the core academic areas Provides a continuum of research-validated, increased intensive intervention options through the use of ongoing assessment and monitoring Provides a continuum of research-validated, increased intensive intervention options through the use of ongoing assessment and monitoring Secondary Literacy Intervention Program Guide Secondary Literacy Intervention Program Guide Targets middle and high school grades (5-12) Targets middle and high school grades (5-12) Based on research from University of Kansas Center for Research and Learning Based on research from University of Kansas Center for Research and Learning

The Florida Center for Reading Research Walk Through rubrics for administrators Walk Through rubrics for administrators Webcasts and podcasts Webcasts and podcasts Power points Power points Assessment Tools Assessment Tools Assessment Research Assessment Research Strategies/Resources Strategies/Resources Research Articles Research Articles

Major Points Intervene early Intervene early Match interventions to student need Match interventions to student need Base all decisions on evidence Base all decisions on evidence DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS! DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS!

Questions? Gripes? Angst?