Using Collaborative Classroom Research to Implement the Standards ‘shifts’ in your classroom 1

Understanding the ‘shifts’ 2

The Shifts How these standards are different from our previous standards “Big picture” implications There are three ‘shifts’ in English/Language Arts 3

Grade 5 Standard 10 for Reading Literature CC – By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently. Alaska – By the end of the year, read and comprehend a range of literature from a variety of cultures, within a complexity band appropriate to grade 5 (from upper grade 4 to grade 6), with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. 4

What hasn’t changed… Strong foundational reading skills in the early grades Print concept Phonological awareness Phonics and word recognition Fluency Specific standards for Foundational Skills for grades K - 5 5

Shift #1: Building Knowledge Through Content-Rich Nonfiction and Informational Text 6

The Why: Shift One Much of our knowledge base comes from informational text Informational text makes up the vast majority (80 percent) of the required reading in college and the workplace Yet, students are asked to read very little informational text (7 to 15 percent) in the elementary grades and in middle school Informational text is harder for students to comprehend than narrative text 7

The What: Shift One Reading Standards for Literary Text and for Informational Text Increase in reading of non-fiction, informational text 50/50 balance K-5 of informational and literary text 55/45 balance in middle school of informational and literary text 70/30 balance in 9-12 of informational and literary text Coherent set of non-fiction texts that support building knowledge For grades 6 – 12: Standards for Literacy in Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 8

What is Informational /Content-Rich Nonfiction Text in ELA ? Literary nonfiction. For purposes of Alaska ELA Standards Biographies, memoirs, speeches, opinion pieces Essays about art, literature, journalism, etc. Historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts written for a broad audience Historical text ( Gettysburg Address, Letters from the Birmingham Jail, or The Preamble and First Amendment of the United States Constitution) 9

Shift #2: Reading and Writing grounded in Evidence From Text 10

The Why: Shift Two Most college and workplace writing requires evidence The ability to cite evidence differentiates strong from weak student performance on NAEP Being able to locate and deploy evidence are hallmarks of strong readers and writers Approximately 80 percent of Reading Standard in each grade expect text dependent analysis 11

The What: Shift Two For reading, students must grasp information, arguments, ideas and details based on careful attention to the text For writing, students must write to present analyses, well-defended claims, and clear information using clear information For teachers, crafting good text-dependent questions achieve these objectives. 12

In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. In “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. In “The Gettysburg Address” Abraham Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote? What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? What can you infer from King’s letter about the letter that he received? “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech? Not Text Dependent Text Dependent 13

James Watson used time away from his laboratory and a set of models similar to preschool toys to help him solve the puzzle of DNA. In an essay discuss how play and relaxation help promote clear thinking and problem solving. Example? 14

Good Text-Dependent Questions Linger over specific phrases and sentences to ensure careful comprehension of the text Help students see something worthwhile that they would not have seen on a more cursory reading Is a question that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text being read. 15

Shift #3: Regular Practice With Complex Text and Its Academic Vocabulary 16

The Why: Shift Three The gap between the complexity of college and high school text is huge. What students can read, in terms of complexity, is the greatest predictor of success in college (ACT study). Too many students are reading at a low level. (Less than 50 percent of graduates can read sufficiently complex text to succeed at the college level.) The Alaska ELA Standards focus on building the general academic vocabulary so critical to comprehension. 17

The What: Shift Three Subtle and/or frequent transitions Multiple and/or subtle themes and purposes Density of information Unfamiliar settings, topics or events Lack of repetition, overlap or similarity in words and sentences Complex sentences Uncommon vocabulary Lack of words, sentences or paragraphs that review or pull things together for the student Longer paragraphs Any text structure which is less narrative and/or mixes structures 18

Defining text complexity 19

Text complexity is defined by w of Text Complexity Quantitative 1.Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software. 20

Text complexity is defined by w of Text Complexity Qualitative 2.Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands often best measured by an attentive human reader. Quantitative 1.Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software. 21

Text complexity is defined by w of Text Complexity Qualitative 2.Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands often best measured by an attentive human reader. Quantitative 1.Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software. Reader and Task 3.Reader and Task considerations – background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned often best made by educators employing their professional judgment. 22

Features of Complex Text Subtle and/or frequent transitions Multiple and/or subtle themes and purposes Density of information Unfamiliar settings, topics, or events Lack of repetition, overlap, or similarity in words and sentences Complex sentences Uncommon vocabulary Lack of words, sentences, or paragraphs that review or pull things together for the student Longer paragraphs Any text structure that is less narrative and/or mixes structures 23

Complex Text Scaffolding… The standards require that students read appropriately complex text at each grade level (Standard 10) However, there are many ways to scaffold student learning as they meet the standard: Multiple readings Read Aloud Chunking text (a little at a time) Prove support while reading, rather than before 24

Vocabulary Vocabulary is one of two features that is most predictive of student future difficulty in reading. (Chall 1996, Stanovich 1986, Nelson et al 2012) Vocabulary is difficult to catch up Academic vocabulary is the vocabulary critical to understanding the concepts of the content taught in schools. 25

Your collaborative classroom research project will focus on the implementation of the new Alaska English Language Arts standards with an emphasis on the three important shifts 26