1. Literacy Design Collaborative
Overview for Administrators

2. Welcome District and School Leaders
Put an ice breaker here.
At your table share a quick back to school student story that made you smile.

3. What is the Literacy Design Collaborative?
Background on LDC and how it fits with the Colorado Legacy Foundation Integration Project
The privilege, the responsibility and the opportunity of the pilot
History of cohort one, two and two point five and teacher trainers

4. The Vision and the Opportunity
Design a tool that would…
Support teachers implementing the CCSS
Address adolescent literacy in our country
Be bounded by few “rules of the road”
Balance the creative tension
Encourage the participation of practitioners
Have possibilities for scale

5. Essential Questions
How does LDC assist students in developing content knowledge through reading and in demonstrating understanding of the content through writing?
How does LDC fit within the district’s framework for learning and how will the process support standards-based teaching and learning?
How will LDC support teacher effectiveness?
What is my role and the role of the teacher trainers in leading and sustaining LDC?
What are the next steps?
Go over outcomes for the day.

6. Collaboration for Results
Insert relevant photos of district faculty

7. Sharing Expertise

8. Creating Standards-Based Lessons

9. Jigsaw on the What and Why of LDC:
“Teaching to the Common Core by Design, NOT Accident”
Colorado Integration Project Brochure
Participants will each become an “expert” in their assigned text. You could use teams of at least three, but four/five would work as you could divide the article into 2 or 3 sections. They will then teach one another about the main points of their text. Together, they create a visual representation of ideas gleaned from the three texts and put their illustration on butcher paper. The paper is posted on the wall and left up throughout the duration of the training.
All participants should receive the article and brochure for future reference.

10. Instructions
Select a team leader from your group of four, who will assign individual group members to become “expert” on:
pp. 1-3, “Teaching to….” (stop before Literacy Collaborative)
pp. 3-5, “ Teaching to…” (beginning with Literacy Collaborative and ending before Math Collaborative)
pp. 6-8, “Teaching to…” (beginning with Math Collaborative and completing the article)
Colorado Integration Project Brochure
Leave this slide up during activity

11. After Reading Teach each other about what you read
As a group, create a visual representation of the concepts gleaned from the reading and your response to: “Why LDC and why now?”
Post your visual on the wall and be prepared to share

12. Share and Explain Visuals
Why LDC and Why Now?
Each group chooses a representative to explain the visual representation that is posted on the wall. This visual will serve as a graphic organizer for the writing task that follows.

13. Vision for the Future
Students will have the literacy skills that create a solid foundation for succeeding in college and the workplace.
The reading and writing skills embedded in LDC are key elements of Post-Secondary and Workforce Readiness skills.
Discuss post secondary skills

14. A Teacher’s Perspective
Invite one or two teachers who have taught a module to reflect on their experience and the results

15. Instructional Shifts Rigor and relevance Shared responsibility
Content-rich nonfiction and informational text
Complex text and academic vocabulary
3 modes of academic writing
Increase complex text and informational/nonfiction
Increase informational argumentative writing/less narrative
Close and active reading

16. The LDC System Supports the Shifts Found in Common Core
Literacy skills are critical in the lives of students; therefore, they must be intentionally and frequently taught in all grades K-12
The LDC system is intended to assist secondary teachers in ALL disciplines deliver quality literacy instruction in all classrooms
LDC considers teachers as partners and co-designers in transforming LDC templates into quality teaching tasks and modules
Example Talking Points:
The requirement for all teachers to be literacy teachers.
Examples of failure rates in college based on writing skills.

17. CCSS Challenges
Unlike mathematics, secondary literacy is not a discipline. It is “homeless” in that it belongs to everyone and no one
Literacy is used in secondary classrooms, but often it is not taught in a systematic way
Example Talking Points:
This is a major shift
In many secondary schools—literacy may be used in classrooms, but it is not taught in a systematic way
Literacy is everyone’s responsibility i.e. In science, students read about a scientific experiment and then record/write about their findings. In social studies, students read maps and historical text to learn about a country’s expansion and write a summary explaining how the country’s geography impacts expansion
Reading and writing are intentionally addressed through content

18. Vocabulary
There is a handout in your packet of materials that includes a list of vocabulary terms related to LDC. It may be helpful to have this list in front of you today as we go through the discussion as the simple terms take on new meaning in the context of LDC.
Note: instructional plan on this list is the same as the instructional ladder that you will see referenced in the LDC guidebook.

19. The Module Process An instructional system that is:
Hard-wired to the Common Core State Standards
Minimalist as an approach – it’s a lean model with powerful software
Interested in local choice and teacher decision making

20. Modules
The LDC Module supports teachers in developing instruction to use over 2-4 weeks
It helps teachers design instruction – their choice – focused on guiding students to complete a single literacy task linked to content
Example Talking Points:
(Read slide)
Modules help teachers ensure the reading, writing, and thinking skills students need to complete the task are intentionally taught, along with the content that is so important to each discipline.

21. LDC Module System
This system starts with selecting tasks – identifying the skills it will take to perform the task – implementing instructional strategies to scaffold skill development and finally seeing the results of the product.

22. The Literary Design Collaborative Approach
Common Core Standards
Aligned, Distributed Instruction
Formative & Summative Assessments
Tasks
LDC is a collaborative process – it utilizes the CCSS as the foundation and uses best instructional practices to develop skills that lead to success for students. Formative assessments occur along the path and teaching tasks may serve as formative or summative assessments. TASKS are at the core! The emphasis on the task is based on the findings of Richard Elmore and his colleagues from Harvard. Studies found that the consistent factor in all classrooms where there was a high level of student achievement was what the teacher asked students to do (the assignment). “…and the degree to which the teacher was able to engage students in the work by scaffolding their learning up to the complexity of the task she was asking them to do.” R. Elmore.
(May want to insert info from Eleanor’s book here too).
Intro video/next slide
© 2009 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

23. Colorado Integration Project
Integration project video with testimonials

24. LDC and Teacher Effectiveness
Standard 1:
Teachers demonstrate mastery of and pedagogical expertise in the content they teach
The elementary teacher is an expert in literacy and mathematics and is knowledgeable in all other content that he or she teaches
The secondary teacher has knowledge of literacy and mathematics and is an expert in his or her content endorsement area(s)
Ask for discussion on SB 191 and experiences evaluating teachers.

25. Literacy and the Proficient Teacher
The Teacher
Provides literacy instruction that enhances:
critical thinking and reasoning
information literacy
collaboration
self-direction
innovation
Focuses lessons on the reading of complex texts

26. Accomplished and Exemplary
Accomplished Teacher: Students communicate orally and in writing at levels that meet or exceed expectations for their age, grade, and ability level
Exemplary Teacher: Students apply literacy skills
Across academic content areas
To understand complex materials

27. LDC and Teacher Effectiveness
How does the Literacy Design Collaborative connect with educator effectiveness in Colorado?
Read over Evaluating Colorado’s Teachers and the LDC Framework, Standard 1: Teachers demonstrate knowledge of the content they teach. With a colleague, discuss this standard and how LDC can support you with teacher evaluation.
What are your comments and questions?

28. Systems Thinking and LDC
Considering your district vision, mission and strategic goals, how will LDC and teacher effectiveness fit into the overall learning and accountability framework?
What tools, processes and resources are needed to make the complex shifts to standards-based teaching and learning based on the Common Core and Colorado Academic Standards?
Table discussions and debrief big ideas. Admins need to contemplate the sustainability of LDC and where it fits with other reforms.

29. This is one example of a district’s framework that embeds LDC into the literacy goals.
Note how LDC is called out in literacy.

30. Module Creator
The vision behind the software to support the collaborative and going to scale with the published modules:
A quick walk through of the program
Taking a look at your teachers’ modules
Teachers need to add Admins as authors prior to the meeting.

31. Template Tasks
Template tasks are the beginning point for the LDC strategy. An LDC template task is a fill-in-the blank assignment or assessment:
With the CCSS for literacy “built in”
That will “drive” the development of the LDC Module

32. Teacher Decision-Making
Teachers use additional “plug and play” flexibility within the template to adjust:
Task level: Select level 1, 2, or 3 task
Reading requirements: Vary text complexity, genre, length, familiarity, etc.
Writing demands: Vary product, length, etc.
Pacing requirements: Vary workload and time allowed to complete

33. The Teaching Task
The teaching task is the critical foundation for the module, and the quality of the work that your teachers will inspire from students will be the result of a well crafted teaching task.

34. Template Tasks All LDC template tasks require students to:
Read, analyze, and comprehend texts as specified by the Common Core
Write products as specified by the Common Core focusing on argumentation, informational/ explanatory, and narrative
Apply Common Core literacy standards to academic content (ELA, Social Studies, Science, and others)

35. Think about the Kind of Writing
Argumentation
Informational or Explanatory
Narrative
Definition
N/A
ELA, social studies, science
Description
ELA, social studies
Procedural-Sequential
social studies, science
Synthesis
Analysis
Comparison
Evaluation
Problem/Solution
Cause/Effect
science, social studies
Example Talking Points:
The LDC template tasks are organized around writing type – argumentation, informational/explanatory and narrative—and text structure
Both the text structures and writing type are related to the critical thinking demands and the interdependence of reading and writing outlined in the Common Core Standards.
It also makes explicit what text structures/writing types lend themselves to being taught in different subject areas.
We have 29 template tasks in the initial LDC collection for teachers to choose from…this is a start. Others will be developing additional ones that people can choose from if they want.

36. The Basic Format
After researching _____(informational texts) on ___________(content), write __________(essay or substitute) that argues your position on __________ (content). Support your position with evidence from your research. L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position. Complete Template Task Collection is the back section in your binder.

37. The Basic Format with Essential Question
[Insert Question] After reading __________(literature or informational texts), write_________ (essay or substitute) that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the text(s). L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.

38. Informational Teaching Task Example: Science
After researching the following articles on various organisms, write a report that defines “organisms” and explains what Domain and Kingdom you would classify each organism. Support your discussion with evidence from your research.
Template Task 11 – After Researching

39. Informational Teaching Task Example: Social Studies
After researching secondary sources on ancient India or China, write a report that explains the geography, culture/customs, and government of these civilizations. What conclusions or implications can you draw? Cite at least three sources, pointing out key elements from each source.
Template Task 18 – Informational or Explanatory/Synthesis

40. Argumentation Teaching Task Example: Science
After researching technical and academic articles on the use of pesticides in agriculture, write a speech that argues your position on its use in managing crop production. Support your position with evidence from your research. L2 Be sure to acknowledge competing views. L3 Give examples from past or current events or issues to illustrate and clarify your position.

41. Argumentation Teaching Task Example: Social Studies
L1: Was the Treaty of Versailles a fair one for Germany? After reading various primary and secondary sources on the Treaty of Versailles write an essay that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the text(s).
L2: Be sure to acknowledge competing views.
Template Task 2 – “Essential Question”

42. Activity Find a leader from another school or district
As district or school leader, share your insights and observations on how teachers in your district or school have implemented LDC and the results
Explain how your teachers are organized into collaborative teams (they teach the same kids or the same grade level/subject area content); and brainstorm how you can foster and support collaboration within your school and with neighboring districts
Spend time debriefing with 3-4 teams and capturing big ideas.

43. The Classroom Context Video: Literacy Matters
Literacy matters…great example from a Middle School.
Choose the video length that works for your training.

44. Table Talk
After viewing the video, do a quick write on three observations that you have about the literacy design process
Share your comments and observations as a table group and be prepared to share out
Checking in: What questions and concerns do you have?

45. After designing a teaching task, the LDC system requires teachers to define the multiple, discreet skills students need in order to successfully complete the task. This is the LDC Skills List. It will drive the instructional decisions and experiences students will need as they work toward successfully completing the task.

46. Beginning with the End in Mind
LDC has developed rubrics for scoring the student writing products
These rubrics can be helpful in determining the specific skills that you want to focus on during the module

47. Background on Rubrics
Are your teachers using a rubric to score writing?
What are the advantages of common rubrics for the district?

48. Why Common Rubrics?
Shared rubrics support teacher collaboration across grades and subjects, including:
Shared scoring to develop common expectations and language
Joint analysis of student work
Collaborative planning around instructional strategies and improvements

49. Template Task Rubrics Argumentation rubric
Informational and explanatory rubric
Narrative rubric
Example Talking Points:
Each task includes an already developed rubric See notebook pages 34-37
The shared rubric cuts across grades and subject areas and allows for shared scoring, joint analysis of student work and collaborative planning

50. Skills to Instruction- What Instruction?
Selecting the skills that your students will need to accomplish the task is the next step in the process, which is followed by developing an instructional plan to teach the skills. These instructional plans are called mini-tasks.

51. What Instruction?
The LDC system is anchored by a standards-based teaching task, but it is the Instructional Plan that allows teachers to design their teaching for the task. It is the difference between assigning a task and teaching a task. Teachers create instructional activities based on the diverse learning needs of students. The mini-tasks are formative in nature as the results on the mini-tasks guide instruction and provide feedback for the path needed for “results”.

52. Core Elements of a Mini-task
What Instruction?
Core Elements of a Mini-task
Prompt that addresses students and asks them to practice and demonstrate an “in-process” skill
Product that students will produce that can be evaluated for success on the skill that has been taught
Scoring guide with a stated criteria for what students will be expected to show as evidence of learning
Pacing and timeframe that is needed to teach the skill
Scoring guides are optional for each mini-task, but may be as simple as Meets Expectations or Does Not Meet Expectations.
Use the mini-tasks as formative assessments. This may be a good point to pause and handout LDC Module Requirements and options – give time to review and highlight.

53. Mini-Task on Controlling Idea
Prompt: Write a draft claim in 1-3 sentences (this claim may be modified or expanded)
Product: Draft claim is completed in 1-3 sentences
Scoring guide: Yes: completed and credible based on task; No: incomplete or not credible or not connected to the task

54. What Results?
Student work produced in response to the teaching task is the greatest evidence of student learning.
Handout LDC Teaching Task Scoring Guide and explain how module will be reviewed using this form.

55. Leadership for LDC
At your tables, discuss these essential questions and be prepared to share:
As a district or school leader what strategies could you implement to expand the use of LDC with the goal of increasing rigor, student engagement and literacy?
What is the role of PLCs in supporting LDC and increasing results in writing?
This activity is important to get to. Capture table group ideas on chart paper to share.

56. LDC Teacher Expectations
Each cohort teacher is expected to:
Complete the development of a module, including tailoring of the mini-tasks
Implement one module each semester
Collect and bring copies of 3 examples of student work from their modules and scoring collaboratively with other teachers

57. Future Plans for Training and Support
(Fill in future training dates here) Additional support will be provided on site by teacher trainers, cohort one and two colleagues and LDC Consultants.
This slide is optional depending on the audience.

58. Professional Learning Support
Are you interested in learning more about….
Close Reading
Vocabulary Development
Creating Essential Questions
Scaffolding Skills for Writing
Differentiation for EL and Special Needs
Text Complexity
Formative Assessments
Participate in…
On-line modules
Socratic Seminars
PLC sessions in your district
This slide may need to be deleted or changed depending on the timing of this presentation. We are in the process of developing professional development sessions to expand the instructional strategies that support your teaching task.
The learning sessions will cover the the topics listed above. The current plan is to offer four online sessions that will be interspersed with two socratic seminars each semester. .5 credit for each semester will be offered through Adams State College and some school districts also have district credit as an option. As the dates and offerings are finalized your project managers will have details. We do need to know if you may be interested in univerisity or district credit.

59. Essential Questions
How does LDC assist students in developing content knowledge through reading and in demonstrating understanding of the content through writing?
How does LDC fit within the district’s framework for learning and how will the process support standards-based teaching and learning?
How will LDC support teacher effectiveness?
What is my role and the role of the teacher trainers in leading and sustaining LDC?
What are the next steps?

60. Checking in Questions and feedback on the presentation
Have a one minute discussion with someone at your table about your greatest hopes and also your trepidations regarding LDC
Review outcomes from the morning agenda (have them actually look at the agenda).
Share feedback from the morning.
Answer questions posted on the Parking Lot.

61. Future District and School Support
Given the unique circumstances in your district or school, what types of support would you request to support you and your teachers, and to embed LDC into your framework for learning?
Consider your own leadership role, and that of the LDC consultants, teacher trainers, cohort one and two teachers.