1. Shifting to Informational Text: Deepening Our Understanding
Professional Development Institute
January 10th, 2012
UFT
52 Broadway
New York

2. Please make a foldable!

3. WELCOME!

4. Outcomes 1. Explore Shift # 3: The Staircase of Complexity
What makes a text complex for our students?
How do we scaffold up the staircase of complexity to support comprehension of informational text?
2. Add to Our Toolbox for Scaffolding Academic Language and Comprehension of Informational Text
3. Apply our Learning

5. Agenda

6. TOOLBOX FROM DECEMBER Word Of The Day Marzano Square
Vocabulary Quilt/ Thematic Word Wall
Text Structures For Sequence
Collaborative Vocabulary Grid
Gist Statement
Personal Vocabulary Journal
Semantic Map
I See, I Think, I Wonder
Narrative Input Story
Unison Reading
Collaborative Reading: Text Sequencing With Signal Words

7. Share What We’ve Tried
At your table, share one strategy that you tried with
your students.
What was the strategy?
How did you adapt it?
What was the outcome?
Recommendations?
Decide at your table who will share.
If your strategy has already been used.

8. What did you tell us? Thumbs Up Would Like to See
Vocabulary strategies: especially
semantic map, Marzano square, quilt
Time to plan lesson, unit
Narrative Input Story
Text Complexity
Text Structures
Incorporating CCLS in class lessons
Strategies for beginners
Online resources
Breaking down complex sentences

9. Narrative Input Strategy: Revisit
Why do we revisit?
Today’s focus:
Explicit language instruction: Past tense
Review and Reinforcement of Signal Words

10. Break

11. Stages of Language Acquisition and Learning
Without Scaffolding
With Scaffolding:
Frames, visuals, repetition, collaboration
Beginners
Pre-production
early production
speech emergence
Nods, yes, no, draws, points,
uses present tense, key words, phrases
Simple sentences
Speak chorally, repeat, label
Simple sentences, use academic structures
Form questions, use further academic structures
Intermediate
Speech emergence
Intermediate fluency
Advanced
Why are we revisiting, looking back, using it differently?
What are the benefits?
What is typical at this stage?

12. Narrative Input Story
How is the participation of each level of student addressed?
Beginners
Intermediate
Advanced
Why are we revisiting, looking back, using it differently?
What are the benefits?
High process: low content we can now add the new layer.

13. RAN strategy: Tony Stead

14. CCLS for ELA: A Study in Text Complexity Staircase of Complexity
Shift 3
Staircase of Complexity
In order to prepare students for the complexity of college and career ready texts, each grade level requires a “step” of growth on the “staircase”. Students read the central, grade appropriate text around which instruction is centered.
Teachers are patient, create more time and space in the curriculum for this close and careful reading, and provide appropriate and necessary scaffolding and supports so that it is possible for students reading below grade level. 14

15. Reading Standard 10: Range and Complexity of Text
Read and comprehend complex literacy and informational texts independently and proficiently

17. Measuring Text Complexity:
Three-Part Model 17

18. Let’s Look at the Target Text
Compare the two texts:
How do the text structures for Sequence and Cause & Effect differ in the two texts?
How does knowing the text structures scaffold the reading of the more complex text?
Look at how we used the first text, and consider how we focused your attention on the SIGNAL words. NOW you’re more prepared to
take on the complexity of this TARGET text, If we had NOT focused on signal words and raised your consdciousness about text structure, imagine how hard it would have been if we’d asked you to put it in order. , Would you be able to do so? Why/why not?

19. Qualitative Complexity: Informational

20. Steps for ELL Lesson OVERVIEW of content. CONNECT to prior knowledge
FRONTLOAD key vocabulary, concepts
READ and COLLABORATE
TALK AND WRITE to consolidate meaning.
SHARE by publishing or presenting
Adapted from CREATE: Center for Research on the Educational Achievement of English Language Learners

21. Academic Language Frames for:
Re-telling
Summarizing

22. Sentence Generator