1. Click here to add text Click here to add text. Instructional Focus Groups Narrowing the Focus of Intervention Lynna Butler & Anna McMullen “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, or the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” -Charles Darwin

2. Many times we have students enter our classrooms reading like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8VAUxeQX9I Create a video link here But sometimes they come in reading more like this…

3. Vocabulary Activity Using the following word: Dysgraphia Rate your knowledge of the word on the index card.

4. Vocabulary Activity : Dysgraphia a deficiency in the ability to write primarily in terms of handwriting but also in terms of coherence.

5. Objectives : Content: We will be introduced to a systematic way for determining a student’s instructional focus group during a Tier II intervention that is provided in addition to the Tier I comprehensive reading program. Language: We will develop a plan for implementation of instructional focus groups within grade-level teams throughout our schools.

6. Sacajawea’s Story :  6,200 students in the Caldwell School District — CSD, 2010  480 students attend Sacajawea Elementary  60 percent are Latino  86.9 percent live below the poverty line  Our students follow a strict dress code

7. Reading ISAT 3 rd Grade Piloted IFG School-Wide Implementation

8. Language ISAT 3 rd Grade Piloted IFG School-Wide Implementation

9. 3 rd Grade Successes: Created Team Agenda Collaboration Sign-Up Student Name Cards (color-coded) Student Folders (color-coded) Team Norms

10. What are Instructional Focus Groups? Instructional Focus Groups are aimed at moving students through mastery of the scope and sequence of the Mechanical Skills and Mental Schema of Reading.

11. Comprehension of Text Mental Schema Vocabulary Skills & Knowledge Comprehension Skills & Prior Knowledge Mechanical Skills Phonemic Awareness Phonics Fluency Mental Schema vs. Mechanical Skills Source: National Reading First Regional Technical Assistance Center

12. Why are Instructional Focus Groups Important? Teachers: Become a master at one focus group Time-management Lesson planning Provides a Tier-II Intervention before RTI Initial meetings Knowledge of students’ needs

13. Students: Clear focus of instruction at their level Not intimidated, pressured, or frustrated by peers at different levels Feeling successes of skill mastery Why are Instructional Focus Groups Important?

14. What is needed to implement IFG in your school? Focus Group 1 = Advanced Focus Group 2 = Benchmark Focus Group 3 = Strategic Focus Group 4 = Intensive (still in Core Program) Focus Group 5 = Intensive (Replacement Core Program) Focus Group 6 = Intensive (SPED) Knowledge of Focus Groups:

15. What is needed to implement IFG in your school? Weekly Collaboration Time Positive Collaboration Team Clear and Concise IFG Plan EA Placement Support Staff “Buy-In” Assessment Guide

16. Flow Chart for Placement Source: National Reading First Regional Technical Assistance Center

17. What are the benefits? Protocol for groupings Students will have a fair and due process for receiving intervention Interventions that can be used for RTI qualification forms Less Lesson Planning time required for teacher More knowledgeable of grade-level instruction and student growth Targets advanced and grade-level movement to benefit STAR rating system per school Instructional level teaching meets students’ needs

18. After Break: Work time for planning FG implementation How to break students up into Focus Groups using Data Driven Analysis Dive into Focus Groups Ideas of skills to be taught in each group Ideas for the use of Aides Assessment and fluidity Work time for planning FG implementation

19. Steps of Implementation: 1 st Step: Set up Focus Group Descriptors 2 nd Step: Student Screening 3 rd Step: Sort students according to focus group descriptors When we sorted we had a priority grid: Priority 1: Fluency Priority 2: SIPPS Challenge/Extension Placement Priority 3: Lesson/Unit Assessments Priority 4: Accommodations

20. Relax…we understand…

21. IFG Activities: SIPPS Challenge Systematic Instruction In Phoneme Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words Novel Units (with a focus on vocabulary development) Reciprocal Teaching (handouts available upon request) Research Projects Inquiry based writing activities Nonfiction skills and strategies *Aide not required for any of FG 1 instruction *Highest Number of Students Focus Group 1:

22. IFG Activities: SIPPS Challenge Systematic Instruction In Phoneme Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words Novel Units (with a focus on vocabulary development) Reciprocal Teaching (handouts available upon request) Research Projects Inquiry based writing activities Nonfiction skills and strategies *Aide not required for any of FG 1 instruction *Highest Number of Students Focus Group 1:

23. IFG Activities: SIPPS Challenge/Extension 26+ Read Naturally Fluency Practice (Fry Phrases, Reader’s Theatre, Poetry, Rapid Word Wall, Sight Words, Reread of weekly story) Discussion Circles for weekly comprehension checks Vocabulary/Word Work Mid-End of year, based on placement in FG, add writing activities *Aides are great for Read Naturally/fluency/vocabulary groups, but not required or needed for this FG *Next Highest Number of Students Focus Group 2:

24. IFG Activities: SIPPS Extension Read/Spell/Read of sight words, Fry Phrases, High Frequency Words Pre-teach/Re-teach of current story, skills, and strategies within Reading Program Dictation Making Words 1 grade level below instruction of: read naturally, poetry, reader’s theatre, fluency passages *With an Aide, this is the best fit for the use of their skills *Without an Aide, whole group instruction can be done if numbers permit *No more than 3 groups/21 students Focus Group 3 : (AKA Movers & Shakers)

25. IFG Activities: SIPPS Extension Dictation Blending Boards Making Words Read/Spell/Read of sight words, Fry Phrases, High Frequency Words *With an Aide, students can receive pre-teach/re-teach of current story, skills, and strategies within Reading Program *Without an Aide, whole group instruction can be done easily *No more than 15-18 students Focus Group 4:

26. IFG Activities: To be discussed with school specialists as FG 5 is a pull-out group for a Core Reading Program Replacement Focus Group 5: Students receiving SPED services Focus Group 6:

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