The Literacy Design Collaborative A Framework to Move to Higher Level Thinking in Reading and Writing in All Texas Classrooms

TX CCR = Clear Goals “The Texas College and Career Readiness State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn... The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers.”

CCR = literacy taught in content areas “While the English language arts classroom has often been seen as the proper site for literacy instruction, this document acknowledges that the responsibility for teaching such skills must also extend to other content areas.”

CCR, STAAR, EOC’s = a new challenge Unlike math, secondary literacy is not a discipline.. It is “homeless” in that it belongs to everyone and no one.

Now We Need to Move … From blueprint… …to action!

Where are We Starting From? If students are not proficient when they enter a course, what is the chance that teachers will “stop, drop and teach them to read and write?” ReadingWriting English U.S./World History Math Science PE/Health Spanish Elective (Fine Arts) Elective (CTE)

Too Often, the Common Answer is … Grade 9ReadingWriting EnglishLowMedium-High U.S. HistoryLow MathLow ScienceLow PE/HealthLow World LanguageLow ElectiveLow Elective (Reading)HighLow

Historically… a typical approach might be READ WRITE PLEASE? PLEASE! READING & WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM HISTORICAL TIMELINE

LDC Offers a Different Choice! So teachers don’t have to “move from blueprint to action” alone.

What is The Literacy Design Collaborative? 10

11 Goals of LDC  To engage students in reading, comprehending, analyzing, interpreting, and responding to complex texts  To align assignments to the College and Career Readiness Standards within the TEKS and to promote collaboration among teachers and students  To help teachers personalize learning so that every student can master the CCRS and TEKS  To develop students who are independent learners and ensure that all students can be college and career ready

What does LDC look like? An example from New York City 12 username:crwviewer password:2crwviewer95

Guiding Questions for Video:  How is this classroom different from those you have seen?  How is reading and writing used as a tool to learn social studies in this classroom?  What is the teacher’s role in this classroom?  What is the student’s role in the classroom?  What has the teacher done to support/ensure student success? Activity 1 in Participant Packet. 13

How is LDC Different? Common Instructional PracticesLDC Practices  Scanning for facts—who, what when, where  Reading and writing for deeper understandings  Accepting that students cannot read and write  Supporting reading and writing skills with appropriate instructional tools  Covering material  Embracing the concept that less is more  Assuming students don’t know anything  Using prior knowledge to build new knowledge and understandings 14

What are the LDC tools?  The bank of 29 reading/writing tasks  The module template  Tasks  Skills  Instruction  Results  Scoring rubrics  Local and national collaboration  Access to a community of educators with LDC modules aligned to course content and to CCSS 15

A simple frame…

What are the three types of writing tasks? 1. Argumentation (Persuasive) 2. Informational/explanatory 3. Narrative 17 LDC Framework

LDC Writing Task vs. Traditional Writing Prompt As you view the next slides, jot down the differences between the LDC writing tasks and the traditional writing prompts.  Which one is more rigorous?  Which one is more engaging? See Activity 2 in the Participant Packet. 18

Task Prompt 11: After researching speeches which use persuasive techniques, write a report that defines persuasion and explains its impact on an audience. Support your discussion with evidence from your readings.. Using the notes in your journal, write an essay in which you explain the techniques writers use to persuade their audience. LDC Writing Task Previous Writing “Assignments” ELA LDC Task vs. Traditional Writing Prompt

Career/Technical Task LDC Task vs. Traditional Writing Prompt After researching selected sources on green technological advances in the automotive industry, write an analysis report that relates how these changes have affected the environment. Support your discussion with evidence from your research. Informational Write a report on how automotive technology has changed. LDC Writing Task Traditional Writing Prompt

Science LDC Task vs. Traditional Writing Prompt After researching the article on invasive species, write an essay that defines invasive species and explains how these organisms impact an ecosystem, economy and people. Support your discussion with evidence from your research. Informational Explain what humans are doing to negatively impact the environment, using examples we discussed in class. LDC Writing Task Traditional Writing Prompt

After researching primary and secondary sources on problems facing the United States in the 21st century, write a speech that identifies what you believe to be the biggest problem facing American society today and argues for a solution. L2 Be sure to examine competing views. L3 Give examples from past and current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position. Informational Write a speech that discusses a problem facing America today. What are the possible solutions to this problem? LDC Writing Tasks Previous Writing “Assignments” Social Studies LDC Task vs. Traditional Writing Prompt

Tools in the form of templates for standards-based reading and writing assignments Task 2 Template (Argumentation/Analysis L1, L2, L3): [Insert question]. After reading _____ (literature or informational texts), write an _________(essay or substitute) that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the text(s). L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position. An Example

Practitioner knowledge and skill …. An Example: Step 1: What Task? Task 1 Template (Argumentation/Analysis L1, L2, L3): After researching ___________(informational texts) on ____________(content), write __________ (essay or substitute) that argues your position on_____ (content). Support your position with evidence from your research. L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.

Social Studies Teaching Task (Argumentation/Analysis) After researching on _________, write an _________that argues your position on ___________________. Support your position with evidence from your research. L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position. academic articles editorial the use of filters by schools censorship

ELA Teaching Task (Informational Explanatory) How do poets breathe life into their words? After reading The Road Not Taken, Mother to Son, My Grandmother Would Rock Quietly and Hum and 2 examples of poetry analysis, write an essay that defines poetic devices and explains their effect on the author’s purpose and meaning in one of the three poems. Support your discussion with evidence from the text(s). L2 What implications can you draw?

Tasks All LDC tasks require students to:  Read, analyze, and comprehend texts as specified by the TEKS  Write products as specified by the TEKS/CCRS (focusing on argumentation, informational/explanatory, and narrative)  Apply CCRS literacy requirements to content (ELA, social studies, and/or science) The tasks are designed to ensure that students receive literacy and content instruction in rigorous academic reading and writing tasks that prepare them for success in college by the end of their high school career.

28 Developing Essential Questions What is an essential question?

29 Key Traits of Essential Question...  Focus on the big picture  Is open ended  Usually begins with the interrogatives what, how, or why  Poses a student learning objective as an inquiry  Invites the student to search for an answer through critical thinking  Should be important five years from now

30 Standard: Biology Explain the cellular basis of life 3.1 Describe traits which distinguish living from nonliving things 3.2 Identify the cell as the basic unit of structure and function 3.3 Recognize that cells originate from other cells of like kind 3.4 Define biological terms used in identifying general cell functions 3.5 Compare/contrast structure & function 3.6 Identify common cell organelles and describe the function of each What makes a cell a cell? Where do cells come from? What do cells do? Why are cells important?

Let’s give it a try.  Design a Task using Task 2 or 12 Template that covers 2-4 weeks of material that you will teach in the first quarter.  Pay special attention to the essential question, the reading assignments and the writing assignments.  Be prepared to present your completed work to the group. See Activity 3 in the Participant Packet. 31

Practitioners as co-designers…       ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ LDC Field Test Districts  LDC State/Large District Initiatives          Emerging LDC Partner Networks and Individuals ★

Partners with expertise and networks… ASCD Aspen Institute Battelle Center for Inspired Teaching CRESST ConnectEd Intermediate Unit 13/Lancaster-Lebanon, PA Jobs for the Future Measured Progress MetaMetrics National Paideia Center National Writing Project New Tech Network New Visions for Public Schools Research for Action SCALE: Stanford Center for Assessment. Learning and Equity Southern Regional Education Board WestED

The Literacy Design Collaborative … A humble beginning with a “scrappy” team of practitioners

Imagine the Possibilities!

THANK YOU! For further info: www. mygroupgenius.org or the up-coming site: