From curriculum to instruction: Designing and implementing sound instructional diets

Don’t be overly concerned with your weight, it’s just a number!

DIBELS Benchmark Test Low Risk Some Risk At Risk Core Core + Core + Small-Group Intensive Core Intervention Intervention Assessments Assessments DIBELS Progress Monitoring Low Risk? Continue Intervention Discontinue Intervention No Yes Core Assessments

Goals of this session: Predict needs based on reading development Plan for sensible instructional blocks, including whole-group and needs-based time Establish initial priorities for classroom instructional schedules

And in our classrooms... We can do the “teacher-centered” modeling for all children We can share responsibility during needs- based groups... but what are the other children going to do? We can release responsibility to children to practice and apply what we are teaching

But who needs what? We can anticipate that all children will benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in vocabulary (K-3), phonemic awareness (K-1), word recognition and decoding (K-3), fluency (K-3), and comprehension (K-3)

The strengths of the new core programs Explicit: they include teacher talk and modeling of cognitive processes in reading There is “how to” talk rather than only “what to” Systematic: they establish a reasonable scope and sequence for each grade level Review previous grade level’s accomplishments Introduce, review, and assess new accomplishments

Why isn’t that enough? We can anticipate, based first on knowledge of reading development and then on actual assessment data, certain log jams. Most children will need additional practice. Many children are likely to need additional instruction. A small number of children are likely to need intensive intervention.

And in your core What are the strengths for use in whole- class instruction? What provisions are made for small-group instruction? Are there any differentiated materials? What provisions are made for providing children with reading practice?

Some pretty safe bets Decoding: Many kindergarten and first grade children and some second grade children will need extra instruction Fluency: Many children will need extra instruction and practice Comprehension: Many second and third grade children will need extra instruction

How can we have well managed classrooms and teach small groups? Establish a cycle so that while teachers are providing extra instruction, other children are getting important practice

Where’s the teacher?

Some other variables How much time do you have for instruction? Are other adults available so that you can have two instructional groups at once? How many groups are indicated in the data? How large are they?

And how much time should we spend in each area of the curriculum? There is no SBRR answer to this question, but think about the concept of a healthy diet It is harder to get started than to maintain It allows you to choose specific foods you like within broader categories The rules change as you get older Some people need very specialized diets to maximize their good health

If there’s no SBRR answer, why ask? Pacing matters Even with new materials, teachers choose how much time and emphasis they place on specific activities In general, we always feel rushed

A kindergarten diet Phonemic awareness10 minutes Phonics/Decoding20 minutes Fluency and automaticity 20 minutes Vocabulary Comprehension 40 minutes

A first grade diet Phonemic awareness15 minutes Phonics/Decoding25 minutes Fluency25 minutes Vocabulary Comprehension 25 minutes

A second grade diet Phonemic awareness Phonics/Decoding10 minutes Fluency40 minutes Vocabulary Comprehension 40 minutes

A third grade diet Phonemic awareness Phonics/Decoding10 minutes Fluency30 minutes Vocabulary Comprehension 50 minutes

School-based scenarios These are real examples that combine attention to curriculum areas, time, and staffing. How are you going to use the people and the minutes and the materials you have?

Kindergarten 2 hours for literacy 1 hour for content (including reading and writing) 4 heterogeneous classrooms Paraprofessionals in each classroom 2 intervention providers

Class A, Class BClass C, Class D 8:15 - 9:15 Whole Group Core Phonemic Awareness Read Aloud Fluency Small group rotation Reading (intervention) Guided writing (parapro) Word study (teacher) 9: :15 Small group rotation Reading (interventionist) Writing for sounds (parapro) Phonics (teacher) Whole Group Core Phonemic Awareness Read Aloud Fluency 1:00 - 2:00 Content area vocabulary Content area reading Content area writing Content area vocabulary Content area reading Content area writing

First Grade 2 hours 15 minutes for reading 45 minutes for writer’s workshop 4 heterogeneous classrooms 2 intervention providers

Class A, Class BClass C, Class D 8:00 - 9:30 Small group rotation (with help) 2 groups with teachers for phonics and fluency 1 group in phonics and fluency center Whole group basal Phonemic awareness Read aloud and dictation Vocabulary and comprehension Phonics Writer’s Workshop 9: :15 Whole group basal Phonemic awareness Read aloud and dictation Vocabulary and comprehension Phonics Small group rotation (with help) 2 groups with teachers for phonics and fluency 1 group in phonics and fluency center 10: :00 Writer’s Workshop

Second Grade 1 hour for needs-based fluency work 1 hour for whole-group instruction 1 hour for writer’s workshop 3 heterogeneous classrooms 1 intervention provider

Class AClass BClass C 8:00 - 9:00 Small group rotation (with help) 1 group in phonics 1 group in reading 1 group in fluency center Whole group core Comprehension strategies Vocabulary Fluency Whole group core 9: :00 Whole group basal Small group rotation Writer’s Workshop 10: :00 Writer’s Workshop Writer’s Workshop Small group rotation

Third Grade 20 minutes for read aloud 30 minutes for writer’s workshop 30 minutes for content 90 minutes for needs-based reading

Whole GroupSmall GroupIndependent 8:10 - 9:30 Core instruction Read aloud Writer’s Workshop Content 9: :00 Reading group #1 Reading group #2 Reading group #3 Writing about reading Fluency center Listening center

What should you do? Work to understand the possibilities within your core for teacher directed, shared responsibility, and student practice Watch your teachers and think about the instructional diets that they are providing to children Help teachers think and rethink their classroom instructional schedules

Always try to see the glass half full.