1. Balanced Literacy and the Common Core Part II
Pender County Schools

2. What is your definition of Balanced literacy/guided reading?
Topic 1: Strengthening Instruction with Components of Balanced Literacy
Friendly talk probe
Who do you agree with?
What is your definition of Balanced literacy/guided reading?
Why is guided reading so critical within this framework?
Children need opportunities to read for themselves but also receive support
Children learn to read, primarily by reading
This is an assessment-based strategy that provides small group/one-on-one support for students.

3. Management Quick transitions
*Share: guided reading/independent group schedule
Quick transitions
Teacher is able to hold guided reading groups without being interrupted
Students problem solve during centers/rotations without teacher guidance
Time for closure/check in (exit tickets)
Rubrics –self assess, weekly chart, teacher summary chart, signals, routines

4. Independent Activities
Common Core alignment – grade level appropriate
Connected to focus skill of the week and/or prior weeks (spiral)
Accountability – feedback?
Task completion/successful with tasks?
Reflect a balance of all literacy components
Why do non consumable activities make it easier to go deeper?
Share a few strategies and brainstorm additional strategies for rigor (compile list of easy/ go to ccss activities for multiple grades)
Graphic organizers—ccss graphic organizers Laura Candler interactive reading notebooks

5. Independent Reading Monitor progress and level selected
Amount of time each day/per week
Priority
Depth and purpose
Accountability-keep it short and simple
Reflect a balance of fiction and non-fiction
*How often are your students reading independently?
*How do you hold them accountable?
Class chart, reading logs, genre graphs, incentives, graphic organizers, interactive notebooking, lit circles/book clubs, reader’s response/exit ticket, sticky notes, conferencing

6. Creative Ideas for Stations/rotations
Read to Self/Independent Reading: self-selected on their levels, readers response sheet once a week, graphic organizers, reading logs, genre graph, needs to be daily (time in content areas? Require one rotation a day? Use during I and E?) Read to Someone/Partner Work: “practice” part of the mini lesson with partner, “managed choice”, genre study, author study, content (ex: ss weekly readers, Time for Kids, Science A- Z, SS textbook, etc.), book clubs (don’t release until two guided reading groups), Reader’s Theater, poetry Work on Words/Word Study: Words Their Way (sorts), spelling, vocabulary, prefixes/suffixes, phonics, choice boards – limit choice Writing Practice/Work on Writing: reader’s response/ACE strategy, graphic organizers, reading practice (mini lesson skill), free journaling, letter writing, poems, write the room (all the words that start with… A, etc.), finish up writing from writing block, grammar practice Listening/Technology: Reading Eggs, Reading practice online, Tumblebooks, Research in content area (reading or watching video and taking notes), books on tape, wikis or blogs for book clubs
Have teachers brainstorm additional ideas
Share: What common core aligned activities have you found to be successful?
GOOGLE DOC

7. Balanced Literacy Evidence
Anchor charts
Classroom library
Word Walls
Classroom organization including GR table and materials

8. Anchor Charts

9. WORD WALLS

10. Guided Reading Tables

11. Guided Reading Tables

12. How many times do the white t-shirt team pass the basketball?
Topic 2: Assessment
How many times do the white t-shirt team pass the basketball?
“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail.”
-Maslow

13. Formative vs. Summative Assessment
FORmative Definition: on-going assessments and observations used to modify and validate instruction.
“Assessment FOR learning”
Summative Definition: assessment used to evaluate effectiveness of instruction and measure student achievement at the end of a unit, term, etc.
“Assessment OF learning”

14. Purpose of Formative Assessment
Create groups
Refine and change groups
Informs lesson plans
Guides instruction focus
Informal and quick
Not graded

15. Formative Assessment Techniques
Reading 3D (benchmarks/PM) – Ex: FSF, PSF, DORF, etc.
Aimsweb
Running records w/MSV analysis
County benchmarks
Teacher created activities (exit tickets/journal responses, etc)
Anecdotal Notes
Reading Logs/Reading Responses
Writing Samples/Spelling Inventories
Resources:

16. Anecdotal Notes – what should I write??
K-3
Lenses for observing students:
Note areas of weakness in Reading 3D assessments/PM – ex: if FSF is in the “red” – make this your focus area in lessons and record progress in anecdotal notes
Note miscues through MSV analysis – what decoding strategies are they using?
Use classroom assessments – what skills have they mastered?
Use “reading behavior” suggestions for levels as a guide
Use summary charts as a guide
*Share sample note talking forms and summary charts

17. Anecdotal Notes – what should I write??
4-5
Lenses for observing students:
Note areas of weakness in AIMS Web assessments/PM
Note miscues through MSV analysis from Running Records – what decoding strategies are they using?
Use headings from summary charts and “major skills” of the grade
Use classroom assessments – what skills have they mastered?
Use “reading behavior” suggestions for levels as a guide
*Share sample note talking forms and summary charts

18. Anecdotal Notes – Summary charts
Reflect on your guided reading notes:
Look for Patterns/Common Errors
Look for Common Strengths
Select a sample summary chart to evaluate a group of students

19. How will you use your notes?
Guided Reading Lesson Planning – includes text selection, skill focus, word work, etc.
Mini lesson focus
Strategy/Intervention group – could be mixed ability, focus on a SKILL – possibly a teacher assistant group
Don’t just think about the LEVEL of the text, but also about the NEEDS of your students.

20. Using Assessment to Deepen Instruction
Mini lessons throughout the week take one skill and go deeper/apply to other content areas
Guided Reading Teaching Points focus on 1-2 skills providing a scaffold for students
Gradual Release of responsibility and increase in difficulty

21. Review 3 Elements of Guided Reading
Before
During
After
*BDA Guide
Look over your lesson plan and highlight each section - BDA
Handouts from previous planning—share activities that were very successful and lesson templates Ask them to bring highlighters, notebooks, samples asked for,

22. Where are you in the process?
Self-Reflection of Balanced Literacy
Use a different color and mark where you think you are now

23. Observing Readers
Does the reader: Read without pointing? Read word groups (phrases)? Put words together? Read smoothly? Read the punctuation? Make the voice go down at periods? Make the voice go up at question marks? Pause briefly at commas, dashes, and hyphens? Read dialogue with intonation or expression? Stress the appropriate words to convey accurate meaning? Read at a good rate—not too fast and not too slow?