1. LANGUAGE! 4 TH EDITION FAQ

2. How do you keep track of assessments?  Print a blank recording sheet  My Class/Enter Scores/Book C/Content Mastery  Enter scores at point of administration per TE  Reteach when necessary; record retests on same sheet  Enter scores into VPORT when entire unit is finished, including reteaching.

3. What do you grade on VPORT?  VPort is used for data management, not grading students.  Scores entered in VPORT can also be added to your grade book: content mastery, writing, technology participation points, etc.

4. What do I do if I have trouble adding a new student to VPORT?  “I added a new student, but could not get her into V- Port. She has a password too.”  Call or email Customer Service. I call often!  support@voyagerlearning.com support@voyagerlearning.com  Support Tab in Vport  Need a Voyager Support Specialist? Click: Request Help | Call: 1.888.399.1995Request Help

5. Perky Pace??  Thoughts on teaching steps 1 and 2, lessons 1-10, then 2 and 3, lessons and 1-10 to increase pacing  Hazards of “silo teaching”  Recommendations to keep up with pacing?  Perky pacing of first unit is dependent upon fidelity of the previous year. For example, unit 13 takes forever when fidelity is inconsistent at feeder schools.

6. Sharing  Language! blocks for 9 th graders? Love it!  Printing notes to add to binders (Royal Oak)  Lexiles for parents?  Google Lexile Measures at Home (PDF) Awesome documentLexile Measures at Home  More reading  Readworks.org http://www.readworks.org/take-tour  Newsela.com  Students self rating? (Lamphere)  Suggestions for flipping back and forth between IT and ST?

7. Where do Sortegories and VocabJourney fit into the lesson?  In my classroom, each activity in Sortegories needs to be completed with 80% mastery before continuing with VocabJourney.  Both can be done at home, I don’t worry about students getting help to get on the leader board.  Implementation with less than 90 minutes per day, 5 days a week limits, or even restricts, class time for these tech tools.

8. How can teachers monitor progress on Sortegories? View class progress: My Results/Sortegories/Unit Number View individual progress: My Results/Sortegories/Unit Number/Student Name

9. How can students monitor their own progress on Sortegories? means completion at or above 80% Means completion below 80%

10. How do you incorporate VocabJourney? Whole group: long enough to get them “hooked.” Provide parents with usernames and passwords. Reward high flyers like Hannah, Megan and Kyle. Have students share their success, how points work, tricks to the “game.” Good for students with vocabulary and comprehension goals/deficits.

11. Elementary Implementation Stories  We used to go to the lab once a week and children choose between Sortegories between VocabJourney. Now that I started Daily 5, it is an option to choose Sortegories/VocabJourney as a rotation for word work.  I utilize VocabJourney for at least 10 minutes a day in computer lab and/or using laptop carts. I do use Sortegories for reteaching 3 rd graders. One student, in particular, has decoding problems, no fluency and has a DRA level of 10! I use the Sortegories for their Sound count, Sort it and Build it.  I use my classroom computers for Vocab Journey and my students do it for 15-20 per day. I also use the Sortegories on my student computers as it comes up in the lessons (a few times a week). LOVE it all!  L! below grade 3? Success? Thoughts?

12. How do you access the individual student scores on Vocabjourney? My Results/VocabJourney/(Scroll down)Student Performance/Student

13. Is there a place in Vport to record fluency activities? Record Fluency in 3 rd and 6 th Unit of each book. For example, in Book C fluency is recorded for units 15 and 18. My Class/Enter Scores/Book C/Unit 15/ Interactive Text

14. How good is the data if the book is not completed within the year?  End of Book Content Mastery should only be given when all six units of instruction have occurred.  At end of year, progress Indicators can be administered regardless of book completion.  Districts that are interested in Benchmark Assessments (governed by the calendar, not pacing or completion of a book) should see Benchmark tip sheet at http://ferlito.weebly.com/vport.htmlhttp://ferlito.weebly.com/vport.html

15. What is Benchmark Testing?

16. How do you get the older students to participate with the phonemic awareness drills?  Teach expectations; accept nothing less  Since language is processed in left hemisphere, students use right hand  Students move from their left to their right  Student cross their midline to activate both hemispheres  Honor the learning environment  Close the door; allow students to close the door  Pause when visitors enter  Allow students to lead when appropriate  Perky pace  Leave them hungry for more; 10-15 minutes per session – no more!  Do Reversal! It is a favorite year after year.  Many kids start out hating drills, then loving them. Leave them hungry for more.  Consider Growth –vs- Fixed Mindset  Test your own Mindset at http://www.mindsetonline.com/http://www.mindsetonline.com/  Do you believe that effort = success? If yes, teach students to believe.

17. What does a negative lexile score mean? Lexiles match readers with text. Texts below 190L are considers BR or “Beginning Reader.” Lexile scores accessed on VPORT may show a negative number. The negative lexile number is used for research and evaluation purposes and should not be shared with students. For more information, see Assessment TE: Converting LRS Forms A and B BR Lexiles to Research Lexile Measures.

18. How do you use and store file folder games? Label each folder with Unit number, Lesson Number and TE Page number. Make 4-6 copies of each folder Store folders in “paper” box in unit number order Color code according to Books A-F. My colors are blown due to 3E and 4E. Students work in groups of 2-3 Use for word building, reteaching, Differentiation of instruction

19. Let’s Do This! What are your needs?  Make and Take  Time to input scores/review, analyze data  Hands on help with smart notebook

20. Activity Requests:  Chain It  Dictate words from TE or Unit word list  BME= beginning, middle, end (sounds or syllables)  Have students chain words (partners or independent)  Use words with prefixes, suffixes and roots Form, inform, informed, informing, conforming, conformed, confirmed, etc.  Change “cat” to “dog” in as few moves as possible Only real words are allowed  Step 6 masterpiece sentence? Book A Unit 1?  Video: Vport/Support/Video/Step 6

21. Tips and Tricks?  High expectations for all  Messages to students:  “Show me, don’t tell me.”  “Use your own brain.”  “Listen with your eyes.”  Low tolerance for learned helplessness, excuses, passiveness  Make kids aware of their data; keep it real, but respectful  High Engagement with a perky pace  Use ITW activities and / or document camera.  No Smartboard? Go to express.smarttech.com  instant access to some of the same editing and delivery features found in SMART Notebook software.  Your Turn! What works for YOU?

22. Contact information  Sheryl Ferlito, Ed.S.  sherylferlito@me.com sherylferlito@me.com  ferlito.weebly.com ferlito.weebly.com  Facebook www.facebook.com/sortegories LIKE us today!