K-12 Literacy & The Common Core

This Session’s Learning Targets:

• I can define literacy.• I can describe the

characteristics of complex text.• I can compare and contrast

teacher and learner strategies.

Standard III: Teachers know the content they teach

Every Teacher is a Reading Teacher

Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students.

Every Teacher is a Reading Teacher

What is Literacy?

Think-Pair-Share:

• Think about and record your definition of literacy

• Pair with a colleague

• Identify common language in definitions

• Share with group

Literacy is...........

“....the ability to read, speak, listen, and THINK in order to learn, communicate and construct

meaning.”-NC Literacy Plan

A Vision for Literacy in NC

NC Literacy Plan

All students in NC will graduate with reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing skills necessary to:ointeract successfully for a variety of audiences and purposes.ounderstand the characteristics of various types of text with an emphasis on reading for information and digital literacy.oread and communicate analytically and thoughtfully.

Time to Reflect:Evaluate your experience with the

literacy initiatives through one of the following:

• Writing• Storytelling• Role Play• Visual

What happene

d?

Where do we go from

here?

What did you notice yourself do as a reader to comprehend this complex text?

Your Turn!

Clarifying Terms

Teacher Strategies are the tools that assist in understanding

what is being read.Learner Strategies allow students

to monitor and assess their understanding what is being read, this is a metacognitive process.

These strategies allow students to access complex

text!

Building the Case for Complex Text

• 43% of students at two-year public colleges and 29% of students at four-

year public colleges had to take a remedial math, reading, or writing

course.• 30% of students drop-out within the

first year of college. This is due to the inability to grasp complex text, the most prominent

monitor of college readiness.

Why Complex Text...........

Anchor Standard #10By the time they complete high school,

students must be able to read and comprehend independently and

proficiently the kinds of complex texts commonly found in college and careers.

Quality:• Meaning • Purpose• Knowledge

Demands

Quantity:• Word Length• Word Frequency• Sentence Length

Who and What:•Reader – Motivation/Background Knowledge and Experiences•Task – What is the purpose of students reading the text?

What Does Complex Text Look Like?

Why Complex Text...........

3rd Grade Released

Form

Why Complex Text...........

8th Grade Released

Form

Why Complex Text...........

English II Released

Form

Text Complexity: According to the Common

Core“The inherent difficulty of reading and comprehending a text combined with

consideration of reader and task variables; in the Standards, a three-part

assessment of text difficulty that pairs qualitative and quantitative measures

with reader-task considerations.”What texts are we exposing our

students to and what are we doing with those texts?

Where Can Complex Text be Found?

• Appendix B: Text Exemplars• Bookroom• Primary Source Documents• Class Texts• Digital Media• Periodicals

What task are you giving to your students when they are reading complex

text?

Learner Strategies that Proficient Readers use when Tackling Complex

Text 1.Connecting2.Inferring3.Questioning

4.Visualizing5.Monitoring 6.Summarizing

7.Synthesizing

These are researched based strategies from:

• NC Comprehensive Literacy Plan,

Appendix A• CCSS

• National Reading Panel

• International Reading Association

ConnectingDescription:

Making connections, based on evidence from the text, with

something in their life, another text or something occurring in

the world.CCSS:

Anchor Standard 1 and 10

InferringDescription:

Combining background knowledge with information from the text to

predict, conclude, make judgments and interpret.

CCSS:Anchor Standard 1, 2 and 4

QuestioningDescription:

Posing and answering questions that clarify meaning and promote deeper understanding of the text.

CCSS:Anchor Standard 3, 5, 6 and 8

VisualizingDescription:

Creating a mental image engaging their imagination

and using their senses. CCSS:

Anchor Standard 10

MonitoringDescription:

Stopping to think about the text and knowing what to do when

meaning is disrupted.

CCSS:Anchor Standard 10

Summarizing

Description:Identifying and accumulating the

most important ideas and restating them in their own words.

CCSS:Anchor Standard 2 and 3

SynthesizingDescription:

Creating an evolution of meaning by combining understanding with knowledge from other texts and/or

sources.CCSS:

Anchor Standard 7, 8 and 9

Who will Train the Teachers?

Criteria for K-12 Alignment Teacher Representatives:

• Teachers who are committed to literacy instruction

• Teachers with strong verbal and presentation skills

• Teachers with strong EVAAS or other assessment data

• Teachers who are comfortable with technology• Teachers who are organized and flexible• Teachers who have strong collaboration skills• Teachers who are currently in the classroom

K-12 Teacher Representative MeetingsWho Where Time Dates

Two Teacher Representatives

Per School

Oak Grove Middle School

12:30-4:00

9/10/13

10/17/13

11/18/13

12/6/13

2/10/14

3/10/14

4/14/14

Elementary Lead Teachers will count as 1

Teacher Representative

Per School

Please email names of Teacher Representatives to Caroline Hedrick by 8-30-

13.

SMART Goals:Overall SMART goals:

By 2015, 100% of the teachers at _____, working through PLCs, will plan and teach

high yield lesson plans for vocabulary instruction and literacy activities for

students to access complex text.

By 2015, 100% of the students at ____, will show mastery in the use of literacy learner strategies for comprehending complex text as evidenced through formative/summative

assessments.

SMART Goal:Target SMART goal:

By 2014, _____% of teachers at _____, working through PLCs will deliver and assess lessons

that incorporate appropriate vocabulary instruction and strategic literacy activities to

access complex text.

Target SMART goal:By 2014, _____% of students will show mastery

in the use of literacy learner strategies for comprehending complex text as evidenced through formative/summative assessments.

Possible Action Steps:• August 14, 2013- All K-12 Administrators receive training

regarding literacy strategies, complex text, and vocabulary.

• August, 2013- All certified teachers receive professional development to include an overview of literacy strategies and complex text.

• Monthly staff development sessions spotlighting literacy strategies, literacy activities, vocabulary instruction and complex text modeled by teacher leaders.

• Monthly walkthroughs to observe lesson plans, classroom activities and student engagement which demonstrate literacy strategies.

• Bi-weekly administrator involvement in school-based PLC meetings.

Possible Evidences:Lesson plans

Walkthrough dataPLC minutes

Classroom observationsTesting data

Professional development documentationStudent workAssessments

Development of lesson plans and assessments to monitor student

understanding of comprehension strategies and complex text.

Learning Target Reflection:

• I can define literacy.• I can describe the

characteristics of complex text.• I can compare and contrast

teacher and learner strategies.

References:• A Vision for Literacy in North Carolina, NCDPI• Too Dumb for Complex Texts?, ASCD• Common Core State Standards• NC Literacy Plan• NC Comprehensive Reading Plan• Images from: http://www.islands.com/articles/win-trip-palau-your-kids-padi http://www.ethicalocean.com/welcome?destination=frontpage www.nationalgeographic.com www.aquahut.net www.theinformationarchives.com www.stuffpoint.com