Literacy Program Analysis

1. Literacy Program Analysis Carolyn Townsend

2. Introduction • Many Lakes School District • Jordan Middle School • Documents used: • K-5 Elementary Framework • Secondary Framework • Interviews with • District reading consultant • Middle school reading teacher

3. District Statistics • Makeup • 18 elementary schools • 18 K-8 programs • 4 middle schools • 7 high schools • Alternative and charter programs • Apx 35,000 students • 70% are Students of Color • 23% are ELL students • Average of 54% of all students met or passed the standards on the MCA II test in reading

4. Literacy Goals • Defined district wide as including reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing in a balanced approach. • Based on State and Core standards, and on the Principals of Learning • District has developed a K-5 framework and a secondary framework to define what the literacy program is and how it should be structured at the district, building and classroom levels.

5. Curriculum • Elementary: • Readers Workshop, 60-90 minute block • Whole group instruction • Small group instruction • Closure activity • Writers Workshop, 30-45 minute block • Same as Readers Workshop • Skills Block, 30 minute block • Whole group direct instruction • Integrated into core subjects

6. Curriculum • Secondary • Meets each day for a 60 minute block on average in most MS and HS • Middle School • Independent reading • Readers and Writers Workshop • Read 180 • High School • Daily independent reading • Use of district and teacher generated curriculum • Readers and Writers materials are in the ELA classes • Achieve 3000

7. Analysis and Evaluation • Literacy Goals: • Balanced approach designed around evidenced and research based best practices • Uses Principles of Learning to include • Academic rigor • A thinking curriculum • Project based assessment • Scaffolded instruction for gradual release of student learning to the student

8. Analysis and Evaluation • Curriculum • Uses authentic activities through inclusion of students in choice of reading materials, student goal setting and self monitoring • Teacher role is to • Assess what students need, develop and implement a curriculum that meets those needs

9. Instructional Practices • Professional Development • Content Focused Coaching • 1 coach per elementary site • 1 coach per middle school site, or use of several coach/reading teachers • No coaches at the high schools • District provided pdonly; funding cut this year • May include a literacy committee on site

10. Instructional Practices • District wide Independent Reading program • 20 minutes per day required in elementary, MS and HS reading classes • Use of Technology • Read 180 • Achieve 3000 • Rubicon Atlas database for teacher and specialist generated curriculum sharing • Moodle classes for teacher generated and blended delivery of some reading curriculum • Reading logs • Readers Notebooks • Reading discussions

11. Readers Notebook Moodle

12. Readers Notebook Moodle

13. Suggestions for Improvement • Secondary Reading Program • Three year old program in place in only 4 schools • Little support, or materials • Focused on 9th and 10th grade for test prep, despite efforts to change that. • Requires more emphasis and funding at the District level. • Elementary • Framework has too little inclusion of various grouping models • There may be an assumption that teachers know this • Framework design is well done, but left to the teachers to implement. • Plan is viewed by some staff as too comprehensive, too inclusive • Leads to little buy in by some staff.