Empowering Teachers, Building Writers September 16 th (3 rd Grade) Selma Unified School District Presenter: Raquel Velasco, District Literacy Coach

Short Clip on Writing Mishaps video.mp4

Agenda Welcome Fluency Follow Up Reflection: Foundations of Writing BREAK Genre/Writing Focus: Paragraph Writing / Personal & Formal Letters LUNCH Scoring Practice Using the Rubric – Writing Samples Planning/Material Creation/Resource Search Questions/Content Evaluation

Goals for Today FLUENCY – Better understanding of fluency instruction & how it would look in a class setting (getting started) FOUNDATIONS OF WRITING (Reflection) – Review the last weeks of writing instruction (add, delete, change, successes, challenges, etc.) GENRE – Letter Writing / Paragraph Writing SCORING PRACTICE – Using the new rubric

Fluency

Take a moment to think and write about… What does it mean to you (definition)? How does fluency instruction look like in your classroom? Why is fluency important? Share out with a partner…

Fluency “freedom from word identification problems” – Dictionary of Reading and Related Terms “phrasing like spoken language…the reader can read for meaning” – Clay (1993) “…lack of trouble with word identification or comprehension” – Leu and Kinzer (1987) “reading smoothly, easily, and quickly” – Carnine and Silbert (1979)

Fluency Combines rate (speed) and accuracy Requires automaticity (quick, accurate recognition of letters/words) Includes reading with prosody (reading in a manner that sounds like normal speech – intonation & expression) RateAutomaticity / AccuracyProsody Fluency Reading Comprehension

Fluent Readers… Focus their attention on making connections among ideas in the text and their background knowledge Recognize words and are able to focus their attention on understanding the text Divide words into meaningful phrases so that they are able to read with prosody Score higher on comprehension assessments

Fluent Readers… Attention – cognitive processing Decoding – process by which the letters of a printed word are converted to their spoken representation Comprehension – production of meaning from decoded words Attention Decoding Comprehension

Non-Fluent Readers… Focus their attention on decoding individual sounds or words Spend their energy trying to ‘figure out’ the words not the meaning Read in a slow, deliberate, and labored manner often pausing at inappropriate places Score lower on comprehension assessments

Non-Fluent Readers… Attention – cognitive processing Decoding – process by which the letters of a printed word are converted to their spoken representation Comprehension – production of meaning from decoded words Attention Decoding Comprehension

Building Fluency What Students Need to Learn How to decode words (both in isolation and in connected text) How to automatically recognize words (accurately and quickly with little effort) How to increase rate of reading while maintaining accuracy – while also understanding that their reading should slow down at times (monitoring for understanding)

Building Fluency How We Teach It Be a fluency model – and explicitly discuss it with them Provide opportunities for guided, oral, repeated reading that includes support and feedback from teachers, peers, parents Match reading texts and instruction to individual students

Building Fluency Measuring Student Fluency Assess fluency regularly and systematically Use formal and informal measures  District Assessments  Data Wall Monitor Progress  One-on-One  Fluency Logs

Building Fluency Steps to Providing Fluency Instruction 1. Assess/measure student’s fluency 2. Set individual fluency goals 3. Select appropriate text for fluency-building instruction  Independent level (no more than 1 error in 20 words)  Relatively short passages: 50 – 200 words  Variety of reading material: stories, nonfiction, poetry, etc.

Building Fluency Steps to Providing Fluency Instruction 4. Model fluent reading (read aloud) Different approaches to practice:  Partner reading  Choral reading  Reader’s theatre  One minute quick reads  Repeated reading 5. Monitor students’ progress

So how do I start fluency instruction in my classroom? Table Talk: What type of fluency instruction are you already doing?

So how do I start fluency instruction in my classroom? Automaticity/Accuracy (Word Decoding) : Word List Phrases Prosody: Phrases Use of various reading materials: stories, nonfiction, poetry, etc.

Example of Fluency Instruction Fluency Reading – with HFW List..\My Documents\My Pictures\Demo Lessons\Fluency 001.avi Fluency Writing – with HFW List..\My Documents\My Pictures\Demo Lessons\Fluency 002.avi Fluency Reading – with HFP List..\My Documents\My Pictures\Demo Lessons\Fluency 003.avi Fluency Writing – with HFP List..\My Documents\My Pictures\Demo Lessons\Fluency 004.avi

Fluency Assessment 2 nd Grade Student - English Language Learner  One minute timed reading Reading.m4a  One minute timed retell Retell.m4a

Fluency Next time, we will discuss…  Fluency Partners  Use of various reading materials: stories, nonfiction, poetry, etc.  Fluency Logs  Lessons to address specific needs  Please look at copies of fluency practice…write your name down if you would like a copy

Reflection: Foundations of Writing Skills - 3 rd Grade

Reflection: Foundations of Writing Take a moment to think and write about… How’s it going with writing? What’s working? Did the writing samples of your current class match the skills selected as a grade level team? Did other needs arise? What lesson/activity was powerful in your class?

Calendar

BREAK TIME 15 Minutes

Genres: Paragraph Writing & Personal / Formal Letter Writing

Letter Writing Review all materials to be added to the WTA binder Discuss effective teaching lessons within our classrooms for Letter Writing Hand out District Prompt

Paragraph Writing Review all materials to be added to the WTA binder Discuss effective teaching lessons within our classrooms for Letter Writing

LUNCH TIME See you back promptly at 12:30

Scoring Practice using the Rubric – Friendly / Formal Letter

Rubric

Sample Papers Writing Situation A pen pal is a person you write to in another town, state, or country. Writing to your new pal can begreat fun. Pen pals may live in different geographical areas, eat different foods, and participate in different after- school activities. Through letters you can learn how you and your new friend have many things in common. Directions for Writing Pretend you are going to write a letter to a pen pal in another state and introduce yourself to him or her. Include information about your school and community that would interest another third grade student. When you are finished writing, be sure to check for all the elements of a friendly letter.

Planning / Material Creation / Resource Search Time

Time can be used to… Plan the next 8 weeks Create posters, lesson materials, etc. for upcoming writing lessons Review the resources handed out to you today Use the computer lab to locate more resources

Questions / Content Evaluation * Feedback helps guide the next WTA session which will be on: Friday, October 23, 2009

On a final note, remember we are all the…