Let’s Get REAL: An Overview of Reading and Writing Initiatives at ZHS Charlotte Blanchard ZHS English Department Chairperson Literacy Leader

Overview of Session WHY READING MATTERS ZHS READING AND WRITING PROGRAMS COMMON CORE STANDARDIZED TESTING WHAT PARENTS CAN DO TO HELP 2

3 WHY ALL STUDENTS NEED TO BE GOOD READERS Better readers are better students in all subject areas (NAEP, 2003; 2007) Better readers are more successful in their personal lives (Hofstetter, Sticht, & Hoffstetter, 1999) Better readers are more successful in their professional lives (Sum, 2007) Standardized achievement tests and college entrance exams require high levels of traditional print literacy (Johnston & Costello, 2005)

4 WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO DEVELOP STUDENTS’ LITERACY ABILITIES The English language arts and reading teachers can’t do it alone (Langer, 2001) The overall school culture needs to be supportive of literacy (Brozo & Simpson, 2007; Brozo & Hargis, 2005) Students need opportunities for sustained print encounters as well as practice and application of literacy strategies throughout the school day (Montero, Alvermann, & Swafford, 2004)

NOT JUST A ZHS THING… Every school in the district has a team of trained literacy leaders. Literacy strategies are implemented from pre-K through 12 th grade. Our future students will be more proficient readers because they will share common knowledge of these effective strategies for processing information.

ZHS INITIATIVES SSR/AR/REAL TIME COMMON CORE UPGRADES IN ALL CORE DISCIPLINES STANDARDIZED TEST PREPARATION IN ALL CORE DISCIPLINES LITERACY STRATEGIES IN ALL DISCIPLINES 6+1 WRITING TRAITS IN ALL DISCIPLINES

SSR/REAL TIME “Sustained Silent Reading” refers to the educational concept or idea of providing daily, uninterrupted reading time to students “REAL TIME” refers to our on-site program for SSR implementation (Reading Empowers All Learners) Students receive 15 minutes daily in designated classes to read silently. Students choose reading material; however, in English class, the teacher has the option to require that the student read an AR book.

AR (Accelerated Reader) Same program used in ZCSD elementary schools, but ZHS makes it an academic requirement, not just an incentive program STAR test (administered in first six weeks) determines the student’s reading goals for the first semester; students are retested at midterm and new goals are set; students are tested at the end of the school year to determine progress made AR can be worth up to 15% of a student’s grade, so it is critical that you monitor your child’s progress carefully.

How can I monitor my child’s progress in AR?

How can I help to insure my child’s success in AR? Explore! Help your child to find books that appeal to his interests. Encourage reading at home. Don’t rely on 15 minutes of daily class time. Provide quiet time/area specifically for reading. Check progress often. Communicate with your child’s English teacher, the school librarian or the English department chairperson

LITERACY STRATEGIES What are they?  Instructional practices that braid reading, writing, and thinking with content material from the disciplines  Instructional practices that teach students independent strategic reading and writing processes for content area learning  Teacher modeled and prompted  Student initiated

Brozo08 12 Literacy Strategies Why are they advocated and employed?  To help students use reading and writing in the service of learning  To help students see that content knowledge and the ability to communicate that knowledge are one in the same  To provide students opportunities to learn and use literacy processes throughout the school day  To elevate reading and writing achievement  To build independent, strategic reading skills

13 A FRAMEWORK FOR LITERACY STRATEGY INSTRUCTION  Readiness Phase  Interactive Comprehension Phase  Extending New Learning Phase

Content Literacy Strategies in the Comprehensive Curriculum Readiness Interactive Comprehension Extending New Learning SQPL Word Grid Professor Know-It-All Opinionnaire/Anticipat ion Guide Process Guide RAFT Vocabulary Self- Awareness Reciprocal Teaching Story Chains BrainstormingGISTing Learning Logs Questioning the Author (QtA) Vocabulary Cards Split-Page Notetaking SPAWN Graphic Organizer DR-TA 14 Brozo08

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM ZCSD uses a writing philosophy called “6+1 Writing Traits” The premise of the program is that all good writing effectively incorporates six very specific traits: 1.strong ideas and content 2.precise word choice 3.accurate use of conventions of language 4.clear and compelling organization 5.individual and powerful voice 6.varied and natural sentence fluency

COMMON CORE All upgrades in our curriculum are aimed at making the student a more proficient reader and writer who can actively engage with a rigorous text, respond to it in a variety of ways, learn from it, and formulate questions for further research and study. Reading and writing are NOT isolated classroom activities.

STANDARDIZED TEST PREP  8th/9th grade—Preparing for high school studies (EXPLORE test)  10th grade—Planning and preparing for college and the workplace (PLAN test)  11th/12th grade—Being ready for life after high school (ACT) Preparing for the ACT begins long before the spring of your child’s junior year, and the ACT score is a critical factor in your child’s post-secondary future.

SO WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? Visit Quick Links, Literacy Support Toolbox for detailed information and videos on reading and writing instructionhttp:// Stay actively involved with your child’s reading progress Ask for help when you need it. We are here to serve you.

QUESTIONS?????