3-5 Elementary Language Arts Contact Meeting

1. 3-5 Elementary Language Arts Contact Meeting Lora Darden, Elementary Language Arts Coordinator 464-5974

2. Agenda • Housekeeping • Wiki • TAKS • Textbook Adoption • Feedback on ARRC • Small Group Instruction • Discussion Groups • Tier 2 Vocabulary • Writing Camp (see notes) • Nonfiction Text (see notes)

3. Housekeeping • Wiki • Updates Page https://literacy-with-lora.wikispaces.com/ • Applications • Workshops • TAKS • Scoring • TEA Information • Textbook Adoption • Process

4. Share…

5. Responsibilities • Turn around information from today’s meeting • Work with campus administrators to find the right venue to share information • How long will you need? • Who can help? • How can you ensure equitable exposure?

6. Change… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSIkjNaICsg

7. Shock • Happens even if you’ve planned • Feeling disconnected • Self-doubt • Lasts longer if changes are unwelcome

8. Disbelief/Denial • People move on and carry on with every day life • People “box off” this new area – they are aware of it, but put it aside while processing the implications • People usually pass through this stage after given time • People stuck here are not willing to change at this point

9. Self-doubt • This part is uncomfortable • People realized old attitudes/ways of being are not relevant • People feel in limbo until they develop new ways of being/teaching

10. Self-doubt • Doubt creeps in as to whether the right decisions have been made/about whether people are up to the task • People still experience this even when they begin to embrace the change and get excited about it

11. Acceptance • People feel like they’re in the process of scoring a home run and are able to face the future • Letting go of old ways is no longer a challenge • Finding new ways of being is invigorating and no longer feels like a bereavement process • Energy levels go up as confidence builds

12. Experimentation • People feel like they have lots of options • The world feels as if it has opened up a bit • There are times when they will sink back a bit • People need support sticking with a plan before they jump to a new track • Invigorating and disconcerting all at once

13. Searching for Meaning • People spend time reflecting backward • People are able to look at the changes that have been made and acknowledge they are in a different place • People reconstruct the way they view themselves at this point

14. Integration • People feel confident • People feel comfortable • They feel they belong and are capable of making the right decisions www.melanieallen.co.uk

15. ARRC • Work in partners • Review 1st & 2nd 9 weeks • Provide specific feedback – with a suggestion attached

16. It’s all about the conversation… • Figure 19 • Testing Impact • Small Group Instruction • Discussion Groups

17. Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency: Thinking, Talking, and Writing about K-8 • Fountas & Pinnell • 2006

18. Teaching Vocabulary • Tier I – everyday words, typically learned by living • Tier II – high level words, with easily definable meanings, used in children’s literature a great deal • Tier III – content specific words (nonfiction text)

19. Teaching Tier II Vocabulary • Choose words that are… • Easily definable • Can be used a great deal in every day conversation • Are out of the normal realm of a child’s every day language • Have strong examples in the text graphics

20. Tier II • Choose a book the class has already heard/discussed • Choose 5 possible words & cull down to 3 • Vary greatly in meaning • Strong examples come to mind quickly • Illustrate strong action/description • Name a characteristic in a unique way

21. Storyline Online – Screen Actors Guild • http://www.storylineonline.net/, Accessed on October 14, 2009 • Write a short definition that is easily repeated • Think of concrete examples and non-examples & motions • Think of model sentences (starters) http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?book=Student&va=panic, Accessed on October 24, 2009

22. Tier II • Listen the 1st time to enjoy the story • The 2nd time we’ll look for words • Interesting, above natural language • Widely useable across a broad range of experiences • Easily definable

23. Tier II • Copy the cover of the book • Write each word in large print on a sentence strip • Put your notes on the back of the card • When finished, hang words under copy of cover and post on wall in room

24. Procedure • Say the word several times (partner) • Say the definition several times (partner) • Show it in the book to cement the definition • Examples, Non-examples (signal, thumbs up/down, facial expression, hand motion) • Use it in sentences with partner

26. Choose words with high utility • plopped • scorching • strutting • wandered • gaped • slurping • fumbling • clasped • hobbled

27. Which words are • Easily definable? • High utility? • Vastly different? • Clear examples and non-examples? • Motion?

28. Routine • Say the word, show the word, students repeat • Give the definition, students repeat • Take students back into the book to see the word in context and think about the picture • Provide other examples (contextual) • Provide examples/non-examples • Students turn and talk – word in context • Students give examples aloud – provide supportive modeling, if needed • Students define

30. faded To lose color

31. satisfied To make happy

32. panicked To feel scared suddenly

33. Writing Camps… • Developmentally appropriate practices • Too many cooks… • Positivist Psychology • Effort? • Innate Giftedness?

34. Nonfiction Text • Graphic Features • It seems so obvious… • Be overt – give students time to talk and problem solve

35. Resources • Calkins, L. M. (2001). The art of teaching reading. New York: Longman. • Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2006). Teaching for comprehending and fluency. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. • November, A. (2008). Web literacy for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. • Stead, T. (2006). Reality checks: Teaching reading comprehension with nonfiction k-5. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.