Print Rich/Literacy Rich Environment Citrus: Literacy, Learners, & Leaders Staff Development Module #2 Authors: Kay Harper and Mary Perrin 1

The Seven Processes of Literacy are… Listening Viewing Thinking Expressing through multiple symbol systems Speaking Reading Writing (Taylor) Remind participants that this is how language naturally develops. (Think of a baby in the womb.) Symbols systems examples: editing, music, math, maps, charts, graphs Citrus County Schools, Florida

Daily Non-Negotiables: Each teacher will: Have a print-rich/literacy-rich environment Use the seven processes of literacy Read to and with students Teach, model, and practice strategies of expert readers and writers. Have students read independently with accountability Instruct phonics and phonemic awareness in K/1, and for others who have not reached mastery. Citrus County Schools, Florida

What is a print-rich/literacy-rich environment? A classroom that is print-rich/literacy–rich, exposes and engages students in the seven processes of literacy for a variety of authentic, everyday purposes across the content areas. Authentic – real, genuine – for the purposes of this definition, the term “authentic” varies depending upon the situation. 4

Citrus County Schools, Florida Research says… “Immersion in language has an effect on students’ writing, on their reading, and on their thinking and talk.” (Janet Allen, 2000) “ Print-rich environments are necessary for children to learn literacy.” (Allington and Johnston,2001) Janet Allen’s Yellow Brick Roads is a great resource. (Have book available to share to participants.) Citrus County Schools, Florida

Citrus County Schools, Florida What Does It Look like? A print-rich/literacy-rich classroom should include the following: Printed materials Non-print materials Technology Student created products Title comes automatically. Pause to do activity. Think-Pair-Share Activity: “What do you think a print-rich/literacy-rich classroom looks like?” (As a time saver, have each group only share 1 item.) You may opt to only share orally, or post groups’ responses on a large sheet of chart paper with marker. Click to show 4 categories. Comment re “student generated”: After August, students should be the ones who decorate the room with their work! (Student Owned Classroom vs Teacher Owned Classroom) Citrus County Schools, Florida

Print Examples in a print-rich/literacy-rich classroom Classroom libraries Novels Trade books Textbooks Non-fiction books Picture books Poetry Art/music books School yearbooks Teacher’s personal reading materials Try to have some examples to display ( especially content area reading materials for math, science, social studies - fiction and non-fiction.) Discuss “Teacher’s Personal Reading Material” and how it should be on display – not just teachers, but all staff. An example of such as display is a single bookstand with a sign saying, “Look what Mrs./Mr. _______________ is reading!” (DEAR time) The example above comes from a 7th-grade math class. This teacher changes her library display with each unit. 7

More Print Examples… in a print-rich/literacy-rich classroom Charts/graphs - instructional Charts/graphs - organizational Student journals Student/teacher published work Student work displays Magazines Word walls – student generated Posters/advertisements This picture shows a “Collective Noun/Fraction” activity done in a 7th grade math class at IMS. Show example and have participants quickly complete 1 “collective noun/fraction” example. (The first 1/6 of flight + the last 3/5 of swarm = farm) This is a great way to make a content area connection. 8

Word Walls Student generated Evolving – change it periodically Connected to content Organized in a useful way Used as an instructional resource There are no set rules for setting up a word wall. But research shows that we should keep the above things in mind. (Taylor) When organizing word walls, use some sort of system. (Example: prefixes, root word, suffixes) Instructional resource - they are not just decorations. Students need to interact with the word wall. (The picture above is from a business class at LHS - a first-year teacher) 9

What does a classroom library look like? Organized in a way that makes sense to kids Purposefully organized Lots of non-fiction Various levels Various genres Organization – If you are studying Asia, group all those books together in a bin or on a display easel. Put all the car books together. Use bins, baskets, easels – not just DEWEY! You can still have books on a shelf, but group them by subjects. Also make displays that you can change frequently. Have students organize your library and make displays! 70% (elementary) and 80% (secondary) of FCAT is non-fiction. 10

Non-print Examples in a print-rich/literacy-rich classroom “Rich” talk (academic language) Book Talks Games/puzzles Art/music Student work Read alouds Free reading time Independent reading with accountability 1. Use academic language- use the correct term for something, not an alternative. (ex. numerator and denominator; predicting vs. guessing) 2. Discuss the difference between “free reading” and “reading w/ accountability.” It is not usually expected in middle and high, but Taylor and Collins believe that it should be a feature of all schools and for all students, with responsibility (accountability) assigned to specific teachers (reading and language arts) For students to maximize their literacy development and content learning, they must apply literacy processes, use the strategies of expert readers and read independently w/ accountability ALL on a daily basis. Accountability does not always have to be an “end of the book test”! (See photo.) Photo shows a media specialist conducting a one-on-one book talk. 11

Alternatives for Accountability Book talks Reading logs Advertisements Projects Readers’ Theatre Book Clubs Journals Character Portrayals Graphic Organizers Remember: Accountability needs to offer choice. Choice is a motivator. Projects - story quilt, murals, newspapers, mobiles Graphic organizers need to be used as a bridge to writing and speaking Ask participants, “Can you think of any other examples for alternative accountability?” (biography parades, visiting authors) 12

Read Alouds RISK FREE for students Models fluency Stimulates discussion Exposes students to a wide variety of literature Helps students develop interest for later self-selection Builds & extends content area knowledge Develops observation and listening skills Builds mental models Gives access to on grade-level texts When asked to recall what inspired their love of reading, people seldom say, “I remember this great textbook..” However, they often recall a parent, grandparent, or teacher who read aloud to them.! Can you remember such a time?” Allow time for sharing a few memories of read alouds. Remind participants that this is one of the easiest instructional practices to incorporate into any subject area. 13

Easy Preparation for Read Alouds Not just for “extra time” – it is instructional! Practice BEFORE you read to students Know your audience and choose selection accordingly Choose a consistent time – great for transitions Show passion! Choose a good stopping place Set student expectations Be prepared to extend the read aloud Maya Angelou says, “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper reading.”, Sample read aloud from 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny (Phillip Done) Depending on the time of year this module is presented, select accordingly. Suggestions, “Out of Proportion,” “Testing,” “French Lessons,” “New Definitions,” and “Why Do I Teach.” Things to remember to mention: Good stopping place might be a cliffhanger. Student expectations - what students are doing when you read aloud Extending the read aloud - sharing, discussing, connecting to text 14

Technology in a print-rich/literacy-rich classroom Listening station Interactive software On-line research Video Clips – not an entire movie! Example:unitedstreaming.com Books on tapes/cd; music; text; ESOL; student taping of self for fluency practice. Unitedstreaming.com – Offers video clips that can be downloaded and viewed in the classroom on a projector for ANY CONTENT AREA!!! It offers over 16,000 clips (4000 full videos)! Tell participants, “We should try to anchor instruction as much as possible to a visual – a mental model!” and to build background knowledge and interest. Point out that “visual” is 2nd on the list of the 7-processes of literacy. Remind teachers that , of course, they should always preview video clips BEFORE they use it in a classroom to make sure the content is age appropriate. Citrus County Schools, Florida

How do I know if a classroom is print-rich/literacy rich? It should have displays with books of all genres and a plethora of student work. “You can tell what the kids are learning from the artifacts in the room.” (Taylor) Citrus County Schools, Florida

An “A-Ha Moment” “It’s impossible to sleep in here. Your head falls back and you open your eyes and there are all these words staring at you from the ceiling.” - Warren , a high-school student Your Commitment??? Pass out index cards. 1. Ask participants, “ What will you commit to doing in your classroom?” Write down one thing. 2. Also “Write down how I can help you with that commitment?” 3. “How can I improve this staff development module?” Collect cards. 17