S UPPORTING B ALANCED L ITERACY THROUGH THE TEACHERS COLLEGE MODEL August 21, 2013

T ODAY ’ S GOALS Share framework / components of Teachers College Model for Units of Study Begin with Interactive Read Alouds (What is it? How do I plan for it?) Don’t freak out!

90 M INUTE READING BLOCK Interactive Read Aloud Word Work / Word Study Readers Workshop Model a variety of strategies Teach students how to talk about books (accountable conversations) Develop reading partnerships Vary texts and lessons to support unit of study Provide exposure to vocabulary, concepts and text structures Teach phonics, spelling and vocabulary Base instruction on spelling inventory (see Words Their Way) Provide mini-lesson followed by skill based, small group work and independent practice Mini lesson Student Reading time with Conferring and Small Group Work Mid-Workshop Teaching Point Teaching Share/Partner/Book Clubs

H OW WILL WE GET WHERE WE NEED TO GO ? August / September Interactive Read Alouds OctoberInteractive Read Alouds November / DecemberMini lessons JanuaryMini lessons FebruaryConferring MarchConferring AprilWord Work? May/JuneAssessments? Professional Development will support elements of Teachers College Model Book Studies Planning PD sessions

I NTERACTIVE READ ALOUDS Aim for minutes daily. Use quality informational and narrative texts. (Integrate your subject areas and promote intertextual connections!) Deliberately plan which skills and strategies you will focus on with each text. Incorporate think-alouds into your instruction. Build in a day for rereading a text and incorporating skill extension (writing-based retelling, compare-contrast texts…). Goal: engage students in actively using specific reading strategies while teacher guides and coaches.

H OW D O I NTERACTIVE R EAD A LOUDS WORK ? Choose Texts that are: High interest & address standards For your target audience (gr. level, length…) Diverse and encourage multicultural connections Clear and accurate Created by same author or illustrator (create connections) Choose Vocabulary that is: Functional and meaningful Rich, varied, interesting without compromising text’s overall meaning Important to the story

I NTERACTIVE R EAD A LOUDS Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! (K-2) Gorillas (3-5) What do you notice about management? Instruction? Students? Teacher?

P OSSIBLE STRUCTURE FOR AN INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD - Book Intro - Think Alouds (at least 2) - Turn and Talk - Think Alouds - Turn and Talk - Grand conversation Let’s try it out!

P ARTNER T ALK P ROGRESSION  Partners looking away from each other  Partner’s conversations running out of steam quickly  One partner speaks, then the other, then they are “done”  One partner engaged and dominating conversation  One partner nudges the other to speak  The other partner may be disengaged  Partners only agreeing with one another  Partners repeating each other’s ideas  Partners talk without referring to text  Partners actively listen to one another  Partners reflect on what the other said  Partners talking about and referring to text  Partners repeating each other’s ideas and using prompts to build new ones  Partners grounding all ideas in the text  Partners are prepared with questions, ideas, favorite parts marked  Partners building on what the other says  Partners keeping the conversations going longer than required  Partners speaking about books with passion

P OST R EAD A LOUD Writing Whole Group Discussion with accountable talk (Grand Conversation) Partner work Reference strategies again during workshop mini lessons, conferences, small group instruction Create an anchor chart

G ATHERING ASSESSMENT DATA (a.k.a… What do I do with all those darn post it notes?) What am I assessing? Engagement Comprehension Use of strategies Collect for quick pulse and to guide small group work Use as journal starter

Y OUR T URN ! With your teammates, choose an engaging text that you can use for a read aloud next week. What CCSS will you address? Create post it notes that show your teacher modeling and opportunities for guided student discussion.

W HAT SHOULD I DO FROM NOW THROUGH THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL ? Become a reading professional!! Read Unit 1 of Units of Study Review your Yearlong map from time to time (look ahead!!) Continue planning for Read Alouds Be prepared for planning Organize your library Do you know how to access Intranet resources?

W HAT SHOULD I DO FROM NOW THROUGH THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL ? Get to know your readers!! Interest inventories, conferences, observations Start individual bags of books Reading Logs (2 nd -5 th ) Reading Response journals Start building anchor charts to help students visualize strategies

W HAT SHOULD I DO FROM NOW THROUGH THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL ? Create a Reading Environment Establish reading partnerships Start individual bags of books Reading Logs (2 nd -5 th ) Reading Response journals (all) Start building anchor charts to help students visualize strategies Interactive Read Alouds

R ESOURCES The Continuum of Literacy Learning Book studies Me! (available for modeling lessons, co- planning…) Any experts in the building?? Elementary Literacy Grade Level Pages (Intranet  Departments  Humanities  Literacy  Elementary Literacy)