Conferring with Readers

1. Conferring with Readers Marcia Uretsky CACD, Tufts University July, 2008 Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

2. Workshop Goals- Day 2 • Dual Roles of Reading Conferences • Reading Surgery • Support Focus Lessons • Language to Support Comprehension • Conferences to Help Students Select “Just Right” Books • Small Groups Based on Conference Notes Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

3. The Architecture of Readers’ Workshop Focus Lesson-Interactive Read Aloud (Whole Class) -Shared Reading Read and Confer-Independent Reading (Individual and -Small Group Reading Small Group) Group Share/-Share Wrap-up-Reinforce (Whole Class) -Celebrate -Discuss Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

4. Dual Role of Reading Conferences Reading Surgery • Teach the reader, not the text Support Curriculum • Coach student to apply strategy taught in Focus Lesson Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

5. Conference goals for the teacher: • To coach the student to think actively • To assess what the student knows and needs to learn • To teach the reader • To motivate the student to read more and to apply the strategies taught Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

6. Conference goals for the student: • To apply reading strategies. • To develop metacognitive skills • To talk about books in a variety of ways, (e.g. author’s craft, character development, preferences). Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

7. Focus Lesson Planning Sheet Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

8. Yearlong Unit of Study Calendar For _____ SAMPLE (p. 1) Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

9. SAMPLE (p. 2) Yearlong Unit of Study Calendar For _____ Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

10. Small Group Action • Record units of study you currently teach on curriculum map. • List focus lesson topics. • Brainstorm conference questions that would encourage students application of lesson. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

11. Conference notes are a source of information to organize small group instruction. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

12. Planning for Strategy Instruction What are the strategies strong readers use? What does the focus lesson look like? What text will I use? Ongoing Assessment Running Records Conferencing Observation What strategies do the students need to learn? How many students need to learn that strategy? What component of the Balanced Literacy Model will I teach through? Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

13. Conferences as the source of information to organize small groups. Partner work: • Think about students at your grade level. • What are typical patterns of need you find in your students? • Identify patterns for small group instruction. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

14. Ways to Organize Conference NotesWhat is Important • User friendly. Not unnecessarily complicated. • Record and reflect over time. • Way to keep track of who to confer with. • Access for support staff who also confer with your students. • Space to record information you need. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

15. Sharon Taberski’s Notes Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

16. Debbie Miller’s Notes Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

17. Research, Decide, Teachand record Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008

18. Take Away Messages • Reading conference have dual purposes: • Reading surgery • To support focus lessons • 2. Both types of conference follow a RDT,R structure. • 3. In reality, conferences flow between supporting the Unit of Study and supporting each reader. • 3. Teachers synthesize patterns from conferences to organize small group instruction. • 4. Readers Workshop is a structure that allows for differentiation. Uretsky, CACD Tufts University, July 2008