Academic Catch-up Programs: Improving Reading, Writing, and Content Learning Rosemarye T. Taylor

Purpose : To create a failsafe system so that all students have equal access to a standards- based curriculum Result: Joyful, independent readers, writers, and content learners!

The Challenge is for… – teachers to move from compliance to commitment and – students to move from compliance to engagement.

Align reading & thinking expectations with assessment. Nonfiction reading (including mathematics) = nonfiction on assessment Levels of questions = thinking levels of questions on assessment

Literacy is listening, viewing, thinking, expressing through multiple symbol systems, speaking, reading, and writing.

Schools that improve… Research-based intervention is consistently implemented, monitored, and evaluated. All teachers consistently teach, model, practice literacy strategies before, during, and after reading.

Student- Owned Literacy Strategies Predicting: What is it about? What will happen next? Summarizing Visualizing: picturing the story Connecting: self, text, world Questioning: asking/answering Clarifying: answering own questions with context clues, pictures, rereading, etc. Evaluating: before, during, after reading

Comprehension Strategies Using graphic organizers Monitoring comprehension with student- owned strategies Recognizing text structure

Literacy Development Tasks Primary Grades Phonics Phonemic awareness (vocabulary, fluency and comprehension also) Grades 3 and up Vocabulary Fluency Comprehension

Literacy and Mathematics Classroom Community StudentText Academic safety Teach, model, guided practice, independent practice, monitor success Knowledge, content, vocabulary, background Structure, vocabulary Motivation: choice, clear goals Strategies, motivationRelevancy, respect Literacy enrichedCultureRigor, accessibility

Commitment to making gains is… integrated language arts & content print & literacy- rich classrooms research-based technology (mathematical & literacy) reading to and with students daily students reading independently with accountability writing about reading and mathematics daily teaching, modeling, practicing student owned- literacy strategies leading a literacy leadership team Implementing literacy and mathematics coach positions

Daily Literacy Nonnegotiables Use processes of literacy: listening, viewing, thinking, expressing through multiple symbol systems, speaking, reading, writing Read to and with students Read by themselves with accountability Teach, model, practice student owned literacy strategies Provide literacy rich, print rich environment

Periodic nonnegotiables Word study Strategic test preparation

Leadership Creates the expectations for classroom teachers, media specialists, interventionists, literacy and mathematics coaches, assistant principals Collaboratively plans with teacher leaders Monitors implementation Intervenes when necessary Measures results regularly—not at the end of the year.

Resources Taylor, R. T. (2007). Improving Reading, Writing, and Content Learning for Students in Grades Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Moxley, D. & Taylor, R. T. (2006). Literacy Coaching: A Handbook for School Leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press; Reston, VA: NASSP. Taylor, R. & Gunter, G. (2005). K-12 Literacy Leadership Fieldbook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Taylor, R. & Collins, V.D. (2003) Literacy Leadership for Grades Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Williams, R. D. & Taylor, R. T. (2003). Leading With Character to Improve Student Achievement. Chapel Hill, NC: Character Development Publishers