1. Dr. Nancy Maynes nancym@nipissingu.ca Dr. Jeff Scott jeffs@nipissingu.ca Nipissing University Faculty of Education North Bay, Ontario CSSE Ottawa 2009

2. “A Practical Framework to Maximize the Role of Modeling in Direct Instruction” A writing partnership with three schools in the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic School Board Four classrooms - three were Grade 5 / 6 combined grades - one was a combined Grade 3 / 4

3. Teacher Involvement All teachers were volunteers interested in the concept of writing improvement using complex planning frameworks. Teachers and their principals attended a session with us to explain our research plan before they committed to involvement.

4. Healthy Skepticism All teachers and their principals expressed a healthy but obvious skepticism about what we claimed that we could achieve with students’ writing. The gap between what we knew we could achieve and what each teacher felt was going to be possible with their class became the eventual focus of our interest!

5. Data Pre-post test design Three samples of writing from each student were analyzed; many writing samples were completed for formative purposes. Three writing samples exemplified students’ ability to write in these formats: - definitions - comparative essays - argumentative essays

6. CriteriaCinderellaSnow WhiteGoldilocks How they got their names  Cinder = Ash  Ella is her real name  Cleaning ash  Skin is as white as snow  Real name is Amelia  Hair is curly and Golden Setting  Castle  Home  Garden  Dwarf Cottage  Bears  Cottage in the woods Character  Cinderella  Prince  Mice  Godmother  Stepmother  Stepsisters  Snow White  Doc  Sneezy  Sleepy  Bashful  Dopey  Grumpy  Prince  Mirror  Wicked Stepmother  Goldilocks  Papa Bear  Mama Bear  Baby Bear Theme  Rags to Riches  Jealousy  Friendship  Curiosity

7. Fairy Tales – Sample Writing This essay is about fairy tales. I’m going to talk about only three though, “Cinderella”, “Snow White”, and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” I will compare the stories by how they got their names, the setting, the characters, and their themes. I hope you like it. Every story has a name, and people give the story that name for a reason. The story “Cinderella” got this name because it is about a girl named Ella who always had to clean up ashes in a fireplace, so everyone started to call her Cinderella because Cinder means ash. As for Snow White, she was called this because her skin was as white as snow…….

8. Fairy Tales – Sample Writing (Con’t) Characters are definitely something that you need in a story! In Cinderella there are her little mice friends, her UGLY stepsisters, her EVIL stepmother, and … The Prince, ‘oh he is so dreamy!’ In “Snow White” there’s a Doc, Sleepy,… and Dopey. Of course, there is the wicked Queen, the Huntsman and her Prince, how dreamy!

9. Clothing CriteriaSummer Clothing Fall ClothingWinter Clothing Spring Clothing Footwear Sandals Tennis shoes Shoes Boots Rubber boots Ways to change your body temperature Swimming Skirts Shorts Coat Wind breaker Sweater Hats and mittens Scarf Light coat Short sleeved tops Sun Protection Shaded areas Sun screen Cap style hat Hats and mittens Scarf Hat Beach umbrella Leg wear Shorts Skirt Track pants Long pants Snow pants Long johns Slush pants Capri pants

10. Clothing Clothing is what you wear for protection in all four seasons. Every season requires different clothing and this is what I am going to write about. The topics I will write about are footwear, ways to change your body temperature, ways to protect yourself from the sun, and leg wear which are different for all four seasons. In the different seasons, there are different styles of footwear. In summer you can wear sandals because when it is hot out, you can keep your feet cool.

11. Clothing – Closing Thoughts Clothing is important to you in all four seasons. Not only can clothing protect you from the sun and the cold, they can also express the person you are!

12. What we learned… Our data showed a significant improvement in writing related to 56 qualities of the writing we identified. Analysis was done by a trained research assistant. We were astonished by the teachers’ astonishment!!!

13. So… We started to examine what we were doing differently than what the teachers seemed to be expecting us to do in order to achieve these results. Based on our analysis, we developed both a visual and verbal model to explain our approach to instruction for this writing project.

14. The Visual Model

15. But, we believe how we modeled was also important to achieving our results… We started to identify all of the components we felt were critical to good modeling and described how we had ensured strong modeling in this project. The concept of cavitational modeling was developed. We use the acronym CLEAR to categorize the many characteristics of cavitational modeling.

16. CAVITATIONAL MODELING (C.L.E.A.R.) C = Concrete and Visible L = Learning Goals or Expectations E = Expectations are tied to visual representations A = Action R = Review

17. CAVITATIONAL MODELING INCLUDES… C = Concrete and Visible Students can see (visual learning style) and hear (auditory learning style) what the teacher is demonstrating. The teacher attempts to include many learning styles in the modeling to make the learning easily accessible to students.

18. L = Learning Goals or Expectations Instruction is standards based. Learning expectations are clear. Goals for learning represent noticeable extensions of previous learning (up to 3 years beyond usual grade level goals). High expectations for student achievement are consistent; achievement is challenging and noticeable to students.

19. E = Expectations are tied to visual representations. Organization of ideas precedes tasks. Graphics and frameworks are used when and where appropriate.

20. A = Action New learning is connected to prior learning. Pace of the modeling is brisk. Modeling is accomplished with energy. Modeling is achieved through a variety of learning styles. Students’ interest is created through the style and pace of the modeling (use of humor, exaggeration, active student involvement); this creates excitement and interest (cavitation).

21. A = Action (Cont’d) Modeling uses precise technical language to create metacognitive links. Modeling is literacy connected; language skills are developed in context. Modeling style creates an immediate need to know; students are aware of upcoming tasks they will apply the skill to.

22. A = Action (Cont’d) Modeling includes cyclical advancements in the focal skill; skill advancements are reviewed regularly. Modeling includes compacted incidental teaching. Learning is chunked so that new learning is accessed by students every 3 to 5 minutes.

23. R = Review Lessons provide plenty of practice time to use new skills. Lessons progress through the phases of instruction to match students’ progress (students move ahead when they are ready to move ahead, not on a pre-set schedule). Practice moves from closely scaffolded practice (consolidation) to independent practice (application) as students are ready to take on more independence. Progress is constantly being assessed as students work (not after each product is complete).

24. Thank you! Nancy Maynes nancym@nipissingu.ca Jeff Scott jeffs@nipissingu.ca