Implementing Common Core: A Focus on Early Literacy Module 1 – Overview of ELA Common Core State Standards for Elementary Administrators Presenters: LaRae Blomquist, Geri Keskeys, and Arthetta Meeks April 2013

Outcomes: Participants will understand the: 1.Connection between reading-foundational skills and reading comprehension 2.Foundation of speaking/listening standards 3.Reading-literature and reading- informational text standards 4.Connection between reading and writing

Module Design Administrative perspective Balance between information and application Depth vs. breadth Take-away (and bring back) resources

Logistics Contents of binder: CCSS Resources/notes Shanahan on Literacy blog post!! Possible resources for PLC work Handouts for the training Please bring your binders to each meeting.

Parking Lot Please write questions that tangentially relate to this module 1 training (e.g., will you be addressing structured student interaction during the K-2 training?) on a post-it note, and place it on the parking lot at an appropriate time.

Logistics Continued Handouts/powerpoints found on the EGUSD website for CCSS

Purpose of Modules  Provide intense CCSS curricular training for elementary administrators  Support individual sites with a variety of resources that may be strategically used NOTE: This is not meant to be a TOT-approach to CCSS early literacy.

Purpose of THIS Module  Provide an overview of CCSS to set the context for upcoming modules  Address some immediately applicable CCSS issues from an administrative perspective with a focus on grades K-3

One Early Literacy CCSS Shift Simultaneous work of learning to read AND reading to make meaning +

“The low-level literacy work of sound-letter correspondence and so on—work that dominated the National Reading Panel report (2000) that has undergirded NCLB for years— has been, thankfully, marginalized in its own separate section of the CCSS. That work doesn’t even qualify as part of the reading and writing standards. Reading, in the Common Core, is making meaning.” --Dr. Lucy Calkins (p.24 Pathways to the Common Core)

Reading-Foundational Skills 1.Print Concepts 2.Phonological Awareness 3.Phonics and Word Recognition 4.Fluency

“Accomplishment of foundational standards in the early grades should not be thought of as a prerequisite to other aspects of the ELA standards. Instruction in foundational skills should occur in concert with instruction related to Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language” (Overturf & Shanahan et.al., 2012).

READING in CCSS - Activity Blocks represent R-FS + specific reading standards and corresponding intervention

READING in CCSS - Activity Size of blocks = Proportionate amount of time

READING in CCSS - Activity White background = reading comprehension

READING in CCSS – Activity DIRECTIONS – In partners: 1.Examine the 4 color-blocked pages 2.Physically arrange handouts from K-3 rd based on content and proportionate amount of time 3.Be prepared to discuss rationale ( 3 minutes)

Discussion Questions: How do the size and presence of the colored blocks graphically inform your understanding of Reading- Foundational Skills? As you analyze the areas that decrease and in some cases drop off, what are the implications for you as an administrator? What interventions are currently in place or need to be in place? READING in CCSS – Activity

Points to Ponder: As you visit classrooms, do the blocks of time represent instructional minute allotment? Speaking/Listening boxes remain the same size; what is the significance for classroom instruction?

Outcome #1 – “Big Ideas” Connection between reading-foundational skills and reading comprehension Targeted intervention Explicit instruction for both foundational skills AND comprehension Prominence of Speaking & Listening

Speaking and Listening Standards Comprehension and Collaboration  Standards 1-3 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas  Standards 4-6

Examination of S/L Standards RESOURCES NEEDED: Standards document Progression of Speaking & Listening handout BLUE HANDOUT IN BINDER

Compare CCSS Verbiage to Progression Handout

Examining the Standards Activity DIRECTIONS 1.Read through the standards progression handout horizontally. 2.Once complete, read the document vertically 3.Note the use of common terminology and expectations between S/L and Reading standards. PURPOSE: Familiarity with S/L standards Recognition of “building” up through grades Understanding of explicit tie between S/L and R Table Discussion: What type of student interactions do you most often observe in classrooms?

Structured Student Interaction Speaking/Listening - CCSS Gradual Release of Responsibility Explicit Direct Instruction (TAPPLE) ELD Modes of Communication BUILDING SHARED KNOWLEDGE OF SSI

Components of SSI Read and Discuss: What components of SSI are most absent in the average classroom?

Assessing Structured Student Interaction Consider the components of exemplary SSI. View the video to determine which components exist. If the SSI viewed was typical of all teachers at the school, what predictions could be made about which students would be able to demonstrate learning?

Connection to ELD

Outcome #2 – “Big Ideas” Foundation of speaking/listening standards Parallel S/L and Reading expectations Structured student interaction expectations S/L connection to ELD modes of communication

Outcome #3 – Understanding the Reading Standards

Evaluating Quality Reading Questions DIRECTIONS:  Examine Exhibit A (green handout)  Exhibit A lists the Open Court questions for each selection.  In partners, evaluate the rigor of the questions based on your understanding of Bloom’s Taxonomy, Costa’s Levels of Questions, and/or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

Elevating Rigor As a table group, use your prior knowledge of the story, “Cinderella,” to write 1-2 questions that require higher- level thinking. (4 minutes) Be prepared to share your best question with the group.

“Map” the Reading Standards for Higher-Level Questions Created  Examine the standards on p. 1 to determine the CCSS alignment. What is the result of developing questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy (et al) versus basing a question on a CCSS reading standard?

AH-HAs A focus on critical- thinking without an emphasis on standards alignment will present an obstacle to implementing the CCSS.

A Look at CCSS-Aligned Questions But first… a reminder of the organization and relationship of the reading standards.

Inter-relationship of Reading Standards 1-10 CCSS #1 Reading Comprehension– cite evidence (explicit & inferential) CCSS #1 Reading Comprehension– cite evidence (explicit & inferential) CCSS #10 Comprehend grade-level literature CCSS #2-9 Specific standards w/expectations

Text-Dependent Nature of Reading Standards

Differences Between Text Dependent vs. Text Related vs. Text Inspired Questions Text Dependent Text Related Text Inspired WARNING: Text-Dependent Questions are not literal, “right there” questions. They are questions that require an examination of the text and ask students to critically think.

Avoiding Implementation Pitfalls Design questions by looking at the standards rather than starting with the text selection. Recognize that not all selections will be appropriate vehicles for some standards.

Compare/Contrast Exhibit A & C As an administrator, you will not need to craft reading questions, but you WILL need to recognize if the questions you observe in classes are aligned to CCSS. DISCUSS: What makes the Exhibit C questions discernible as aligned to CCSS? How do they vary from the former standards?

Anchor Standards - Reading YELLOW HANDOUT IN BINDER

Using the Anchor Standards to “Own” Big Picture One set of reading anchor standards Notice Subheadings NOTE: The anchor standards about to be addressed are NOT to be confused with what we think of as power standards. Not in legal-size document Intended to define intent of each standard Exist for all 4 ELA strands: reading, writing, speaking/listening, and language

Drilling Down for Key Standards PINK HANDOUT

Drilling Down for Key Standards DIRECTIONS:  Examine Reading-Lit standard 5 and Reading-Info Text standard 7.  Trace how those key standards build.  Compare how they relate to the anchor standard.

Debrief How might the anchor standards aid you as an administrator? Would it be valuable to share anchor standards with your site at this time? Why or why not?

Additional Resources Thank you, Delaware Department of Education!

Additional Resources Legend for graphic organizer Literary concept organizer Grade-specific question frames/examples

Additional Resources Legend for graphic organizer

Additional Resources Literary concept organizer

Additional Resources Grade-specific question frames/examples

Outcome #3 – “Big Ideas” Understanding the reading-literature and reading-informational text standards Anchor standards provide intent of standard Reading #1 – umbrella for reading comprehension #2-#9 require purposeful questioning

Outcome #4 – Connecting Reading to Writing

Organization of Standards (pp. 4-5) Text Type and Purposes (1-3) 1.Opinion/argument 2.Informational Explanatory 3.Narrative Production and Distribution of Writing (4-6) Research to Build and Present Knowledge (7-9) Range of Writing (10)

Sort Activity PURPOSE: 1.Clarify what is meant by “connecting reading to writing.”

SORT Activity Sort the writing prompts into two piles—those prompts that demand critical thinking from students vs. those prompts that are more likely to require recall/literal reading comprehension

Debrief “Answers” Critical-Thinking Prompts: A, B, F, G, H Recall/Literal Reading Comprehension: C, D, E Recall/Literal Reading Comprehension prompts tend to be created by starting with the text rather than a reading standard!

“Map” Critical-Thinking Prompts to Reading Standards In partners: 1.Look at the prompts that are deemed as needing more critical thinking. 2.Identify which reading standard corresponds to each writing prompt.

Reflection/Discussion Questions What AH-HAs did you have? As an instructional/curriculum leader, what steps would you need to take to determine where your staff is with regard to connecting reading to writing? Where might you start to gather such information?

Outcome #4 – “Big Ideas” Connection between reading and writing Consider writing task AS the assessment Start with a reading standard. Next, determine purpose of writing (W 1-3).

Evaluations Please fill out the evaluation forms provided. Specific feedback is greatly appreciated in the comment section to better address the needs of administrators.