Best Practices for Adolescent Literacy

Secondary Alabama Reading

Initiative

ARI Content Literacy 2010

Key Leaders will:

Gain understanding of Strategic Teaching Content

Develop a plan of action for practicing Strategic Teaching in their building with a teacher

Prepare for aiding facilitation of Strategic Teaching in their system


Teachers will be able to describe the necessary components of strategic teaching in order to improve student achievement.

Teachers will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses of a lesson.


Parameters:

1. All participants - no observers.2. Use time wisely.3. Stay focused.4. Respect others’ opinions. 5. Cell phones on vibrate.


To provide the standards, resources, and support needed to ensure all students graduate college and/or career ready



Visualize the best teacher you had in school.

Describe that teacher on a note card.Turn and talk.

Visualize the worst teacher you had in school.

Describe that teacher on a note card.Turn and talk.


Strategic teaching is the process of incorporating purposeful planning, connected strategies, and explicit instruction to maximize the understanding and retention of content material.


As educators, we are ineffective when our students are actively engaged in a meaningless task or passively involved in a meaningful one.


THERE ARE FIVE COMPONENTS

OF STRATEGIC TEACHING


ONE or More Daily Outcomes with

Daily Assessment


Two Instructional Practices in Every Lesson

1.Chunking2.Student discussion


Before

During

After


Self Self



1. We develop and refine our content knowledge.

2. We assess our own teaching, as well as our students’ learning.

3. We differentiate our instruction.

4. WE ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS!


One or More Daily Outcomes Two Daily Instructional Practices: Chunking ; Student Discussion of ConceptsThree Parts of Strategic Lessons: Before; During; After Four Steps in Explicit Instruction:“I Do”; “We Do”; “Y’all Do”; “You Do”Five Daily Components of Active Literacy

(Engagement): T-Talking; W-Writing; I-Investigating; R-Reading; L-Listening


Happens on a regular basis

? Not so sure

! Area of Focus


AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

Outcomes: Participants will make connections between the developing brain and adolescent learning.

Before: Anticipation GuideDuring: Jot NotesAfter: Anticipation Guide

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

Read each statement.Mark in the left-hand column whether you agree or disagree with the statement.

When directed, locate your “brainy” partner A and discuss your predictions.

Prepare to share whole group.

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

“Jot” notes are based on key points, concepts, or ideas as the text is read.

Use single words and/or phrases to keep notes brief and to the point.

This may include: brief notes about the important points in the text; sketches of images constructed as the text is

read; connections to the text; questions about the text; and first reactions to the text.

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010


• 7 to 10 percent of brain is pruning away• lacks reasoning and judgment• hormones are not completely

responsible• acts childishly• physical appearances deceiving

Connection: Adolescent students look mature, but act

childishly.

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

• Read the text. • Write jot notes that are short and to the point.

• Sketching is encouraged.• Share notes with a partner.• Share notes with the whole group. AR

I Content Lit

eracy 2010

Read Chunk 3 with a partner.

Take jot notes.

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

Read text.Reflect individually.Take jot notes.Meet with your “clock” partner B and reflect on your jot notes.

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

• Reread the statements from the beginning of the lesson.

• Mark new responses in the right-hand “After” column.

• Justify any corrections made after reading.

• Write justifications under the appropriate statements.

ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

Outcomes: Participants will make connections between the developing brain and adolescent learning.

Before: Anticipation GuidePurposes: activate prior knowledge; establish a purpose

for reading; make predictionsDuring: Jot NotesPurposes: organize information; summarize and practice

note taking; make connections After: Anticipation GuidePurposes: reflect and correct predictions; integrate new

information with prior knowledge ARI

Content Lit

eracy 2010

Step by step guide to implementing strategic teaching in the content areas


Daily outcome: Participants will use the components of purposeful planning to analyze two classroom lesson plans.

Before: Conversation Stem

During: Graphic Organizer

After: “We Think” Statement


Conversation Stem 1

When a teacher tells the students, “I want you to

learn…” what is he/she really saying?


Conversation Stem 2

What is the difference between learning and

memorizing?



Examine the steps for planning.

Use what is known about strategic teaching to critique the scenario.


Decide what it is the students will be able to do TODAY as a result of this lesson.

The outcome(s) of the lesson should move the students closer to mastery of content standards.

Decide on assessment(s) that will be used to determine if outcome has been met.



Consider the purposes of before strategies:

activate prior knowledge

build background knowledge

generate questions make predictions discuss vocabulary establish a purpose for

reading

Choosing a Strategy:

Is it a new concept? Plan a strategy that will build some

background knowledge.

Is it a review or continuation? Plan an activity that will activate prior

knowledge.

Is there new or unfamiliar vocabulary?

Plan a strategy that will involve discussion of unfamiliar words.

Are there particular parts of the content that need to be emphasized?

Plan a strategy that draws attention to important concepts.


Before Strategy:Before Strategy: *List, Group, Label*List, Group, Label


Think about the strategy and purpose(s) of this part of the lesson.

How are the strategies connected and related to the daily outcome(s)?


Consider the purposes of during strategies:

engage with the text verify and formulate

predictions summarize text self-monitor

comprehension

construct graphic organizers

use mental imagery integrate new

information with prior knowledge


Is the text challenging to comprehend?

Choose a strategy that will require students to stop periodically as they read and self-monitor comprehension.

Is the text structure unfamiliar or challenging?

Consider using a graphic organizer to help students organize information from the text.

Is there a large amount of text to be read?

Consider chunking the text and choosing a strategy that will allow small groups of students to read portions of the text and share important information with the entire class.


During Strategy:During Strategy:





Consider the purposes of after strategies:

reflect on the content of the lesson

evaluate predictions examine questions

that guided reading respond to text

through discussion respond to text

through writing retell or summarize


Does the content of the lesson build upon previous learning?

Consider a strategy that makes connections and evaluates new information.

Does the content lend itself to visual representations?

Consider graphic organizers as a format for organizing information and concepts.

Does the content contain challenging vocabulary?

Consider a strategy that will lead to student ownership of important vocabulary.

Is the content open to interpretation? Consider a strategy that will promote

discussion and critical thinking.ARI Content Literacy 2010




Ultimately, how will we know the lesson outcomes have been met?

Consider: work products separate assessments exit slips observational data


One or More Daily Outcomes Two Daily Instructional Practices: Chunking ; Student Discussion of ConceptsThree Parts of Strategic Lessons: Before; During; After Four Steps in Explicit Instruction:“I Do”; “We Do”; “Y’all Do”; “You Do”Five Daily Components of Active Literacy

(Engagement): T-Talking; W-Writing; I-Investigating; R-Reading; L-Listening


Examine the steps for planning. Use what is known about strategic teaching

to critique the scenario. Take notes on the planning graphic

organizer.


Complete the following statement:

“After comparing and contrasting the two scenarios, we think ________ lesson was more strategic because______________.”

Use ‘5 components of a Strategic Lesson’ (pg. 3) to guide your conversation around the ‘We Think” statement above.)


Daily outcome: Participants will use the components of purposeful planning to analyze two classroom lesson plans.

Before: Conversation StemsPurposes: activate prior knowledge; set a purpose

During: Graphic Organizer Purposes: organize information; engage with textAfter: “We Think” Statement

Purposes: reflect on content through writing and discussion



Documents

Best Practices for Adolescent Literacy