Peg Isakson Legacy of Reading, LLC February, 2013

 A thread of communication exists, with interpretations along the way:  Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)- University Professors – Publishers - Consultants – Curriculum Support – Teachers – Students – Community  So many documents, powerpoints, “pdbytes”, webinars, etc. online!!

 Do you sense the different in levels right away?  What were your clues?  Which reading would have the higher Lexile score?  What do you think that?

 Reading (A) has a lexile of 870.  The mean sentence length is  Reading (B) has a lexile of 550.  The mean sentence length if 9.73.

 According to Metametrics, Inc, the founder and researcher of the Lexile Framework:  A Lexile of 870 currently would fall within band for grades 6 – 8.  With the new “stretch” bands, a lexile of 870 would fall within the band for grades 4-5.

 Quantitative – Readability level. Reading A (550L) is in the 2 nd -3 rd grade range. Reading B (870L) is in the new “stretch” band for 4 th -5 th grade.  Qualitative – Level of meaning, structure, language conventions, clarity, knowledge demands.  Reader and Task – Reader variables are motivation, experiences, knowledge background. Task variables refer to interactions with content and assigned expectations.

 Caution: Metametrics uses the phrase “Text Complexity Grade Bands.” This is NOT about a student assessment NOR a cut score for student placement.  This IS about the level of text that might be used in a classroom and how a teacher would use the lexile of a text to determine the choice of instructional strategy and/or scaffolding.

 Use Range of Reading and Complexity of Text to:  Grade Four: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.  Grade Five: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

 Use Range of Reading and Complexity of Text to:  Grade four: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies/ science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.  Grade five: …………………., at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

 What does “high end of the range” or “high end of the text complexity band truly mean? Metametrics did not mean the band or range to be a cut score.  Current Lexile Band CCSS “Stretch” Band cde.org L-725L420L- 820L ( ) L–845L740L –1010L ( )

 How do you “change up” or differentiate the levels of reading for your students?  How do you “change up” the tasks you ask your students to do?  How do you “change up” the way you, the teacher, support and teach (scaffold) your students?

 Read-aloud  Modeled reading  Shared reading  Guided reading  Interactive reading  Paired reading  Independent reading  Scaffolded - wait!! What does that mean?

 Four examples today:  Vocabulary routine to introduce new vocabulary  Cloze activity for brainstorming vocabulary possibilities  Graphic Organizer for vocabulary connections  Vocabulary Stretch with students to use Tiered Vocabulary – show tiers in word walls?

Tier One Words: Basic words commonly used and heard in daily language.  Tier Two Words: More descriptive or informative words used by more effective language users and can be used across content areas. Teacher direct instruction often needed.  Tier Three Words: Words that are specific to a particular topic, subject or domain. They have low frequency use and may be called “academic vocabulary.” Most often will require direct instruction.  Beck, Isabel, Bringing Words to Life, The Guilford Press

 How will you share this info at your school?  How will this information on text complexity impact your second and third grade teachers?  How will this information influence the 6 th and 7 th grade teachers?  Brainstorm the vocabulary activities you currently use – share thoughts on how to incorporate the “Three Tier” approach to these activities.