1. Common Practices to Promote Literacy
Park City Prep
August 26 & 27
Jennifer Chomiak & Pat DeCoster
C.E.S.

2. Rationale: What are we doing and why?
Consistency – a powerful tool
Role of C.E.S. at Park City
Overview of Game Plan
Development
Implementation
Keep It Simple Sam
Pat – overview with emphasis on KISS

3. What does it look like in your content area?
Non-Fiction Reading
What does it look like in your content area?
What (reading) skills do students need to have to be successful in (your) content area?
Pair share-written response

4. Explicit Small Group Instruction:
Non-Fiction Reading
Explicit Small Group Instruction:
The Key to Success
Jenn -

5. Understanding Explicit Instruction
Building Background—setting the stage
Explaining the strategy—what to do
Modeling—how to do it
Guided practice—opportunity for student practice in groups or with partners
Gradual release of responsibility—students do more, teacher does less
Independence—students successfully complete task

6. Gradual Release of ResponsibilityTO BY
WITH
Independent Practice
Modeling
Demonstration
Gradual Release of Responsibility
Guided Practice
This graphic illustrates Margaret Mooney’s TO-WITH-BY
TO: The teacher does the modeling
WITH: This is a joint responsibility between the teacher and the students. Teachers scaffold instruction and allow students ample opportunities to practice their skills and strategies. As students assume more responsibility they are ultimately approaching independence.
BY: Independent Use of the skill or strategy
Joint Responsibility
Source: Margaret Mooney

7. Why work with small groups?
Skill instruction can be tailored to students’ needs
Learning styles may differ
Teachers can observe students’ use of skills and strategies taught in a large group and reteach/reinforce information immediately

8. Where Do I Find Materials?
National Geographic books
Teacher resources
Leveled books
Magazine or Newspaper Articles (short)
Science News for Kids
Time for Kids, National Geographic for Kids
Sports Illustrated for Kids
Scholastic (SCOPE, Action, Junior Scholastic, Math, Science World, Choices)
Pat/Jenn
Pass out National Geographic materials and have participants practice strategies individually. Then share in small groups before coming back together.

9. Nancy Boyles’ Six Kid-Friendly Comprehension Strategies
Connecting
Picturing
Wondering
Guessing
Noticing
Figuring Out
Look at cards, review each strategy, give participants opportunity to practice using short text

10. Three—Two—One
What are three new ideas/understandings you gained from today’s session?
What are two things you will try out as a result of today’s session?
What is one thing you are mulling over or thinking about?

11. Debrief - Impressions
Reflection sheet - discussion

12. Vocabulary The Frayer Model Tier I, Tier II and Tier III Words
Word Sorts
Pat – Gallery walk/Jenn

13. Choosing Words to Teach
Word Tiers 3 2
Tier one consists of approximately 8000 words.
Tier two words are of high frequency use. About 7000 words fall in this category and are necessary for mature language. 1

14. Three Tier Vocabulary Tier One: Tier Two: Tier Three: basic vocabulary
(rarely requires instructional attention)
(ex: clock, happy, baby)
Tier Two:
high frequency/academic vocabulary
(more precise or sophisticated terms to describe what students already know)
(ex: absurd, fortunate, industrious)
Tier Three:
limited use vocabulary
(content specific words)
(ex: stalactite, peninsula, vertex)
Dr. Mary Curtis , a professor at Lesley College, presented at the 2004 International Reading Conference.
Dr. Curtis (2004) succinctly summarized the three tiers by stating that Tier one consists of words that children typically hear orally. While we may teach to decode, we usually do not have to teach meaning. Tier two words cut across all content areas and are considered universal academic vocabulary. Tier three words are usually content specific words. Usually young English Language Learners have Tier one in their native language but not a large bank of Tier two and three words.

15. Word Sorts Extension activities
Choose words from your lesson/unit that are critical to student understanding of your objective
Write Key words on index cards, post-its
Have students work individually, in pairs, or in small groups to categorize words
Extension activities
Sorting words is a strategy used to reinforce new vocabulary within a subject area. This strategy is most effective when introducing new vocabulary, assessing student understanding of difficult concepts and helping students to recognize common relationships between core concepts that are critical to the understanding of content material.

16. Writing Strategies Writing journals – the mechanics of use
Implementation
What to include
How to assess
Using Graphic Organizers – help student organize their thoughts
Thinking Maps – metacognition
Other graphic organizers
Use of the 6 point CMT-like rubric
Pat

17. Next Steps Modeling and Coaching in the classroom with Pat and Jenn
Literacy maps will be modified throughout the year
Evaluating resources for future use