1. Welcome!
Take a look around the room, browse materials, find a seat – I am so excited to have the opportunity to talk with you tonight!

2. A Bit About Me Master in Teaching from University of Washington
Professional Membership
National Council for Teachers of English, Washington State Council for Teachers of Social Studies
Attendee at the Pacific Coast Literacy Institute, 2017
BA in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from University of Washington (minor equivalents in English and History)
Fifth year at IMS
Seattle Public Schools
Madison Middle School
Aki Kurose Middle School
Teaching reading is my passion!

3. Best Way to Stay Informed
Check the classroom website regularly
me with any questions
Call me or set up a meeting time with any concerns

4. Why I teach?/My Classroom
All students are creative unique individuals with an important voice
Reading/Writing – middle school critical time for literacy
Growth mindset
Meet each student where they are
Mistakes are proof that you are trying
Students are always encouraged to improve their work
We become lifelong learners when we learn to ask critical questions!
Conferencing –we always have a plan for improving our work and growing
Engagement first
Teaching reading is my passion

5. My Goals for Your Student
Become resourceful independent learners
Become stronger readers, writers, speakers and listeners
Learn how to set reading and writing goals and work towards achieving them
Enhance skills and strategies for engaging in academic conversation
Learn how to apply appropriate reading strategies to a variety of text types across content areas
Learn writing strategies and writing forms that support all academic work
Guide students to transfer Read180 skills learned to work from core classes
Know why the reading, writing, speaking and listening we learn and practice in this class are important for you in the real world  We are readers of the world around us.

6. What is Read 180? Blended learning classroom
One class that utilizes many strategies to support your student’s literacy
Fosters skills that students’ will use across their academic day
Focuses on student growth and helping students build a growth mindset

7. Read 180 Blended Learning Introduction

8. Meeting Your Student Where They Are
Explicit skills instruction in whole group
Students’ grouped throughout the year in small groups based on areas of growth, for targeted instruction
Adaptive Read 180 Student App
Guided choice in independent reading to help students’ build stamina and volume

9. The Blended Learning Rotation
Walk parents through each station in class – showcasing options, materials, and focus of each station
optional video of student App

10. Typical Week

11. This class will help your student grow as a reader and writer by focusing on:
VOLUME
CHOICE
FLUNECY
COMPREHENSION
ACADEMIC DISCUSSION
Briefly describe why each aspect is important to building readers AND how the program facilitates that
Volume – the more we read, they better we become at it. Volume of reading predicts school success more than any other indicator. Volume is also achieved through close reading, multiple readings, and vocabulary study.
Choice – builds interest and motivation
Fluency – fluency protocols used in whole group, small group, and practice on the student app. We are building a reader’s ear. Increased volume also increases student flunency.
How many have worked with a student or child who said that they could not hear what they were reading? As we grow as readers, we internalize this. However, I still read something aloud to myself when I am struggling to understand it. Fluency also builds automaticity which leaves room for a reader to focus more on comprehension and analysis. If you can’t visualize or hear a text, you won’t spend long with it.
Comprehension – comes more easily with increased volume and improved fluency. Explicit comprehension skills taught in whole group, and expanded on in small goup
Academic Discussion – the one who is talking is doing the learning. Gateway to better writing!
Some students are going to struggle more in some areas than others – one reason why Read 180 offers so many ways and opportunities to meet students where they are
Add my story as a middle school reader

12. My Role Before we can build competence we must build confidence
Collaborate with your student’s core teachers to help your student transfer skills from Read 180 to other classes
Your student’s literacy coach
Help your student see their growth, track their success, and make new goals
Communicate with you regarding your student’s successes and next steps

13. Successes – The Stats
93% of students last year improved their reading level beyond average growth for their grade level
98% of students said, at the end of the year, they read significantly more books than any previous year in school
89% of students said, at the end of the year, that they had grown “significantly” as a writer
In , 82% of students in Read 180 improved their SBA scores by a level or more

14. Successes – What it looks like
We understand that your middle school student might not feel this way about Read 180 at the beginning of the year. This does replace an elective choice and is an academic class.

15. A Bit on the Research….
Most students in middle school struggle more with applying appropriate comprehension strategies to texts than decoding words. (Conderman, 2010)
Comprehension = making meaning from a text
This means many students “read” without reading or understanding
That’s why we will focus on:
Understanding text types, structures, setting a purpose for reading and applying the appropriate strategies to the text to come to a deeper understanding of the text

16. Whole Group Reading, Writing and Vocabulary
Model active reading strategies
Model fluency
Variety of texts (Science, LA, SS)
Practice and apply appropriate reading comprehension and analysis strategies
SET A PURPOSE FOR READING

17. Instructional Software
Intensive, individualized skills practice
CHOICE OF TOPIC
Program continually adjusts based on students assessed needs
Provides diagnostic reports
Guides teacher’s small group instruction
Helps students target and set goals

18. Independent and Modeled Reading
Read 180 Library
Tested for Lexile Level
Student Choice
Engaging age appropriate materials that promote success
Daily reading response and log
Reading Counts! Quizzes
Students are re-tested for their Lexile level each trimester and at the end of the year

19. Participation Academic conversation
What I say to students: “Students, your success in this class will largely depend upon your perseverance and how seriously you take your personal growth. We are all very different readers and writers and our goal is to help you grow as a reader and writer of the world around you. In order to do this, you will need to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, set goals and reach to attain them – then reset and work towards new goals. You will get to choose topics and books that interest you the most and use those to continually strive to be the best learner you can be.”
Academic conversation
Investigating, learning, scholars, readers

20. Grading Policy
Daily Participation (15% of grade) – Participation Trackers
Whole Class and Small Group Work (20% of grade) – These activities include warm- ups, rBook activities, and other Small Group assignments (including rBook quizzes).
Read 180 Student App (15% of grade) - Through the program, students will track their progress in: reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing.
Independent/Modeled Reading (20% of grade) –
Growth Portfolio (30% of grade) - This grade consists of five assignments, tests, or writing projects that the student chooses which he/she feels best reflect his/her growth in the class. - For more information, please see the syllabus/grading policy letter

21. Growth Mindset
Students will be allowed to continually improve their work and their grade by setting new goals, working to constantly improve their work
I will always allow students to improve their work

22. Parent Communication
My goal – Touch based with the parents/guardians of each student at least once a trimester over the phone (or in person)
Communicate Lexile level scores with you after each interval testing
Unit newsletter
I can meet or talk over the phone at any point in the year