1. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 1 Conferring with Readers Marcia Uretsky CACD, Tufts University July, 2008

2. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 2 Workshop Goals- Day 2 Dual Roles of Reading Conferences Reading Surgery Support Focus Lessons Language to Support Comprehension Conferences to Help Students Select Just Right Books Small Groups Based on Conference Notes

3. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 3 Focus Lesson -Interactive Read Aloud (Whole Class) -Shared Reading Read and Confer -Independent Reading (Individual and -Small Group Reading Small Group) Group Share/ -Share Wrap-up -Reinforce (Whole Class) -Celebrate -Discuss The Architecture of Readers Workshop

4. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 4 Dual Role of Reading Conferences Reading Surgery Teach the reader, not the text Support Curriculum Coach student to apply strategy taught in Focus Lesson

5. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 5 C onference goals for the teacher: To coach the student to think actively To assess what the student knows and needs to learn To teach the reader To motivate the student to read more and to apply the strategies taught

6. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 6 Conference goals for the student: To apply reading strategies. To develop metacognitive skills To talk about books in a variety of ways, (e.g. authors craft, character development, preferences).

7. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 7 Focus Lesson Planning Sheet Focus Lesson Topic Materials Connection Explicit Instruction Guided Practice Send Off [for Independent Practice] Conferring questions to help students actively apply focus lesson topic. Group Wrap Up

8. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 8 Unit of StudyFocus Lesson Topic(s)Possible Conference Questions Launching Readers Workshop We are all readers! (building community) Procedures and Routines for Independent Reading Review: Just Right Books & Genres Reading is Thinking (strategy) Reading IS Thinking; Readers monitor their inner conversation. Readers think in different ways Readers create sensory images Thinking changes as you gather more information Readers use information from the text to support their thinking Readers talk to develop their thinking Making Connections (strategy) We all have schema We use our schema to make connections to our reading We connect to how characters feel We connect to understand a situation Folktales (genre) Immersion: (Develop schema for genre) Definition of genre Characteristics of folktales Noting characteristics in texts Study: Making connections between texts Folktales are stories that reflect a culture Inferring theme Reading Like a Writer- structure/language Synthesizing what we learned about folktales Talking like an expert about a genre with a partner Reading a folktale like an expert to an audience Yearlong Unit of Study Calendar For _____ SAMPLE (p. 1)

9. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 9 MonthUnit of StudyFocus Lesson Topic(s)Possible Conference Questions January nonfiction strategies February Poetry March April author study May-June SAMPLE (p. 2) Yearlong Unit of Study Calendar For _____

10. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 10 Small Group Action Record units of study you currently teach on curriculum map. List focus lesson topics. Brainstorm conference questions that would encourage students application of lesson.

11. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 11 Conference notes are a source of information to organize small group instruction.

12. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 12 What are the strategies strong readers use? What strategies do the students need to learn? How many students need to learn that strategy? What component of the Balanced Literacy Model will I teach through? What does the focus lesson look like? What text will I use? Ongoing Assessment Running Records Conferencing Observation Planning for Strategy Instruction

13. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 13 Conferences as the source of information to organize small groups. Partner work: Think about students at your grade level. What are typical patterns of need you find in your students? Identify patterns for small group instruction.

14. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 14 Ways to Organize Conference Notes What is Important User friendly. Not unnecessarily complicated. Record and reflect over time. Way to keep track of who to confer with. Access for support staff who also confer with your students. Space to record information you need.

15. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 15 Sharon Taberskis Notes

16. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 16 Debbie Millers Notes

17. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 17 Research, Decide, Teach and record Date/Title/LevelWhat does the student know? What does the student need to learn? How can I teach this?

18. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008 18 Take Away Messages 1.Reading conference have dual purposes: Reading surgery To support focus lessons 2. Both types of conference follow a RDT,R structure. 3. In reality, conferences flow between supporting the Unit of Study and supporting each reader. 3. Teachers synthesize patterns from conferences to organize small group instruction. 4. Readers Workshop is a structure that allows for differentiation.