Sadlier School PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES · Sadlier School Professional Development Series | Literacy and Learning Centers: Not Just for the Primary Grades 3 SUPPORTING THEORIES

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIESSadlier School

Dr. Katherine McKnight

www.SadlierSchool.com

Literacy and Learning Centers: Not Just for the Primary Grades

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Supporting Theories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Structure of Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Tips for Successful Centers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

About the Author. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

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INTRODUCTION

When most teachers think of learning centers, they think of “stations” in K–3 classrooms. While that’s certainly a useful application, the early elementary classroom isn’t the only place where learning centers can be used to build literacy skills and content knowledge.

Don’t believe me? I’ve used learning centers in middle school and high school classrooms all over the country—in public, private, and parochial schools; in rural, urban, and suburban districts. I’ve used them with gifted students, high-poverty students, students with special needs, ethnically diverse students, and English language learners. I have yet to find a situation where learning centers aren’t effective. It may be tempting to dismiss them as something new and difficult to set up in your classroom, but please don’t assume that centers won’t work for you!

There are some tangible advantages to including learning centers in the classroom. Experience has shown that students actually tend to be more engaged in their learning when they work in centers. The combination of self-directed activities and short, specific tasks lends itself to the natural strengths of the developing adolescent. Students with special needs, in particular, report that they feel “safer” in these small groups. They are often able to learn from and with their peers while finding it easier to concentrate—especially in inclusive classrooms.

Teachers find that using learning centers enables them to cover more content and skill development material in the same amount of class time. Plus, it’s easy to give individual attention and personalized instruction to the students who need it.

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Sadlier School Professional Development Series | Literacy and Learning Centers: Not Just for the Primary Grades 2

SUPPORTING THEORIES

WHY LITERACY AND LEARNING CENTERS WORKImplementing Literacy and Learning Centers is an effective strategy for developing content knowledge and literacy skills for several reasons. The strategy aligns with several pedagogical approaches including:

• GradualReleaseofResponsibility

• BalancedLiteracy

• FormativeAssessment

• DifferentiatedInstruction

• Multi-TieredIntervention

Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR)TheGradualReleaseofResponsibility(GRR)modelhasbeenlatelypopularized asaresultoftheworkofDouglasFisher,Ph.D.andNancyFrey,Ph.D.(2008), and as a consequence of college and career readiness standards that promote greaterstudentindependence.Inshort,thismodelpromotestheteacher modelinganinstructionalstrategy,thestudentsengaginginpracticeandpeer collaboration,andthenthestudentstransitingtoevengreaterindependence. Inthecentersmodel,GRRistheframeworkforinstruction.Hereistheoutline foraLiteracyandLearningCenters-focusedlesson:

I DO IT Teacher-Led Mini Lesson or Whole Group Instruction Theteachermodelsaparticularskill,usuallythroughathink-aloudorread-aloud.

WE DO IT Pairs/Small Group Insmallgroups,thestudentspracticetheskillthatwasdemonstratedduringtheTeacher-LedMiniLesson/WholeGroupInstruction.

YOU DO IT Centers The Literacy and Learning Centers include clearly focused activities that foster skilldevelopmentandcontentknowledge.Developmentallyappropriatecentersare introduced as the final component.

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SUPPORTING THEORIES

TheLiteracyandLearningCenters-focusedframeworkshiftsthefocusoflearningontothestudent,whiletheteacherprovidesmodelingandguidancethroughstructuredactivities.WhenLiteracyandLearningCentersarealignedwiththeGRRmodel,studentscanworktowarddevelopingagreaterrangeofskills in order to increase more independent learning.

Balanced LiteracyThe focused instructional framework for Literacy and Learning Centers is alsobuiltonaBalancedLiteracymodel.Substantialliteracyresearchhasestablishedtheimportanceofintegratingreading,writing,speaking,listening,vocabulary,andlanguageinasynergeticinstructionalapproach.Inthismodel,students are provided with ample opportunities to develop their literacy skills inmultiplecontexts—throughintegration,notisolation.

Formative AssessmentDevelopedthroughtheworkofJamesPophamandMargaretHeritage,theFormativeAssessmentmodelprovides an instructional approach to determining how andwhatstudentsarelearning.Whenteachershavemeaningfulfeedbackfromandinsightintotheirstudents,theyareabletoadjustinstructiontoensurethattheirstudents are developing skills and content knowledge. This is usually accomplished through conferencing with studentsandprovidingon-the-spotdescriptiveandsupportivefeedback.IntheLiteracyandLearningCentersmodel,studentshavetheopportunity,throughthe teacher-ledcenter,toreceivethiskindoffeedbackon aregularbasis.

Differentiated InstructionWeknowthatallofourstudentsarenotthesameandarewonderfullydifferent.Yet,whenteachersarefacedwithlargeclasses,howcanweprovideindividualinstructionandchoiceastheDifferentiatedInstructionalmodelpromotes?ThroughLiteracyandLearningCenters,teacherscancreatelearningactivitiesthatallowforstudentchoice,flexiblegrouping,andmodification of skills.

Developed through the work of James Popham and Margaret Heritage, the Formative Assessment model provides an instructional approach to determining how and what students are learning.

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STRUCTURE OF CENTERS

Multi-Tiered InterventionsAsakeycomponentforclosingthestudentachievementgap, multi-tieredinterventionsareofferedinresponsetostudentdataorotherclassroomperformanceinformation.Wheneducatorsareabletotargetindividualstudentsandprovidespecificinterventionstoimproveskilldevelopment,studentsarelesslikelytofallbehind.IntheLiteracyandLearningCentersmodeltheseinterventionscanbeaddressedintheteacher-ledcenteras well as in the individual centers.

Asteachers,weoftenattendprofessionaldevelopmentworkshops where many or all of these pedagogical approaches are the focus. There are so many mandates and requirements that it can beoverwhelmingforteachingprofessionals.TheLiteracyandLearningCentersmodelprovidesastrategyforimplementingtheverybestoftheseinstructionalapproaches,whilesimultaneouslyraisingstudentachievement in the classroom.

STRUCTURE OF CENTERSAsstatedearlier,theLiteracyandLearningCentersmodelbeginswithateacher-ledminilesson.Inthisinstructionalsegment,theteachermodelsaskill,usuallythroughathink-aloudoraread-aloud.Next,studentsaregiventhe opportunity to practice that modeled skill in pairs or small groups. In thelastcomponentoftheLiteracyandLearningCentersmodel,studentsindependentlypracticeavarietyofskillsinclearlyarticulatedcenters.Tostart, IrecommendthefollowingfourcenterstobethefoundationforaLiteracyandLearningCenters-focusedclassroom.

Teacher-Led Theteacher-ledcenterprovidestheopportunityforstudents to meet with the teacher and to go over a particularskill.Inaddition,thiscentercanprovidethe opportunity for teachers to assess a student’s understanding or mastery of a skill. This center can alsobeusedforinterventions.

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STRUCTURE OF CENTERS

VocabularyAsstudentsareimmersedinricherinformationalcontent,their academicvocabularygrowthiscriticaltothedevelopmentof content knowledge and comprehension. Use this center to provide students with the practice that they need to expand theirvocabularies,improvetheirvocabularyskills,and internalizenewlyacquiredvocabulary.

Reading TogetherInthiscenter,studentsshouldreadatextthatisattheirparticularreadinglevel.Together,thestudentscanreadanddiscusstheir assignedtext.Studentscanbeassignedatextinthiscenterbased ononethattheychooseorthroughabilitygrouping.

WritingTheabilitytoexpresswhatweknowandunderstandisfoundationalforcollegeandcareerreadiness.Inthiscenter,studentscanengageinavarietyofwritingactivitiesthathonetheirabilitiestoexpressideasandunderstandingsinanorganizedwrittenform.Studentsshouldbeexposedtothedifferenttypesofwritingincludingexplanatory/informational,opinion,narrative(bothfictionandnonfiction),andresearchreports.

Sincemostteachershaveclasseswithmorethan20students,Isuggestusingthefollowingcentersinadditiontothefourfoundationalcenterslistedabove.

Additional Centers for Different Content Areas• EnglishLanguageArts:grammar,speakingand

listening,viewing,literarydevices

• SocialStudies:maps,graphs,primarysource documents

• Science:charts,graphs,lab/observation,viewing,speaking and listening

• Mathematics:additionalproblemsolving,criticalthinking,application

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TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL CENTERS


Give Students a ChoiceStudentsexhibitmoreenthusiasmwhentheyhaveasayintheiractionsorachoiceintheirreadingmaterials.Grantingthemsomeindependence means they’re more likely to complete their tasks. Sowheneverpossible,givestudentsachoice—evenasmallone—abouthowtoexecuteanactivity.Lettingstudentschoosebetweentwoorthreetextsaboutthesamecontent,forexample,yieldsgreatbenefitsandisastepinthegradualreleaseofresponsibilityweallworktoward in our classrooms.

Keep the Team Size SmallIt’sacommonscenario:theteachersetsupthreeactivities,dividestheclassintothirds,andmovesthemthroughthreecenters.Butlargegroupshavedifficulty staying focused and avoiding distractions. They chatter. Tasks aren’t completed. This results in a frustrated teacher who is convinced that Literacy andLearningCentersjustdon’twork.Ifthissoundsfamiliar,tryworkingwithsmaller groups and see the difference it makes. Come up with as many centers asnecessary,ORsetupmultiplecycles(twoofeachcenter)sothateachgroupconsistsofonly3–5students.Trustme,thingswillgomoresmoothly!

Offer Written Instructions for Each CenterThoseofuswhoworkwiththemonadailybasisknowthat adolescentsexhibitmanycharms,butthey’renotalways abletolistento,remember,andapplyverbalinstructions whenneeded15or30minuteslater.I’vefoundithelpful topostwritteninstructionsateachcenteraswell.Ideally, you’llgivejustabriefoverviewoftheinstructionsfor eachcenteratthebeginningoftheclassperiod

Studentsthenhavetheoptionofconfirmingtheinstructions byreadingthembeforebeginningtheactivity.Howyou provide the written instructions is up to you. Try hanging signsonthewallateachcenter,tapinghandwritten instructionsontopofeachtable,ordisplayingallthe instructionsonthewhiteboardorviatheLCDprojectorfor easy reference. Experiment until you find something that works for your classroom.

Center 5:Read Chapter 3 in the book, Omnivore’s Dilemma, and use the sticky notes to write a comment, question, and connection to what you have read.

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End with a “Catch Up Center” or “Make-Up Center”Timing is one of the trickiest parts of creating and running LiteracyandLearningCenters.Trytodevote10–15minutesforeachcenter.Then,becauseit’ssometimesimpossibletobalancetimerequirementsamongthecenters,I’vefoundit’sbesttoendwithamake-upcenter.Oncestudentshavecompletedtheircircuitofallthecenters,allow5–10minutesforthemtoreviseorfinishanycenterwork.Unliketheothercenters,“catchup”workcanbedoneanywhere.Iusuallyaskstudentstojuststayintheirlastpositiontocompletethemake-upcenterworkunlessthere’saneedtomove(tore-listentoarecordingorre-examineamap,forexample).

Clearly Label Each CenterMakesurestudentsknowwherecentersarelocatedintheclassroom.Italsohelpstocreatearoutine.Forexample,ifit’spossible,haveallgroupsmoveonepositionclockwiseeachtimethetimergoesoff.Hanghandwrittensignsonthewall oronthesideoftables—whateverworks!

Rehearse!WhenIintroducelearningcenterstoanewclass,Ispendaboutfiveminutesthefirstdaydirectingstudents.Iletthempracticemovingbetweencenters,listeningforthetimer,andsoon.Movingthroughlearningcentersisasimple process once students understand what’s expected of them—and 5–10minutesofhands-onpracticearemoreeffectivethan30minutesofexplanation.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr.KatherineMcKnightcurrentlyservesasaDistinguishedProfessorofResearchatNationalLouisUniversity.Sheisanauthor,speaker,consultant,andpassionateliteracyadvocate—butmostofall,she’sateacher.

Dr.McKnighttravelsworldwideasaprofessionaldevelopmentconsultantandisaspeakerinthefieldsofelementary&adolescentliteracy,inclusiveclassrooms,statestandards,interdisciplinaryliteracy,andintegratingtechnologyinthe21stcenturyclassroom.Sheiscompletelycommittedtothedevelopment,sharing,and promotion of strategies that develop student literacy. That’s why she spends manydayseachyearinclassrooms,workingwithteacherstohelpstudentsgrowintoproductive,creativeadults.

BecauseDr.McKnight’sworktakesherintoallkindsofschools(public,private,parochial;rural,urban,andsuburban),she’sabletocomplementhervastexpertise with relevant classroom experience.

Dr.McKnightregularlypublishesinprofessionaljournalsandistheauthorofmanyaward-winning,professionalbooks.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIESSadlier School

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Sadlier School PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES · Sadlier School Professional Development Series | Literacy and Learning Centers: Not Just for the Primary Grades 3 SUPPORTING THEORIES