1. ACTIVE LITERACY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
Strategies for Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
The work of
HEIDI HAYES JACOBS

2. Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs
National & internationally renowned educational consultant to thousands of schools.
Works pertain to curriculum reform, assessment analysis and strategic planning.
Columbia University, NYC since 1981
President of Curriculum Designers, Inc.

3. Seminar Attendees: Principals and following Teachers
PRIMARY
Mandie Weber
Donna Chiles
Jennifer Warner
INTERMEDIATE
Cindy Babcock
Kortni Harris
Jerri Davis
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Michelle Swan
Melissa Smith
Robin McCarter
HIGH SCHOOL
Theresa Tindel
Shannon Davidson
Vikki GoDair

4. ‘WINNING’ CONCEPTS TO REMEMBER
NASSP article, March % OF ALL MATH TEST ERRORS ARE ACTUALLY READING ERRORS.
‘INDEPENDENTLY’ – The missing adverb at the end of every state standard.
STUDENTS MUST DO IT WITHOUT YOU!

5. A Fact: EVERY TEACHER AT EVERY GRADE AND IN EVERY SUBJECT IS A LANGUAGE TEACHER.
A learner’s language capacity is at the root of all performance.
Language capacity can be improved in any learner with ongoing review of assessment data.
Cumulative precision skill instruction integrated into all curriculum areas is critical for language development.

6. EVERY test we give in EVERY subject is language based.
Interdependence of the four language skills
→ READING
→ WRITING
→SPEAKING
→ LISTENING ↑

7. Linguistic Patterns Any test item with more than 4 sentences ---
student will nosedive.
Any prompt or directive that has a qualifying conjunction ( if, there, however) ---
scores drop
THREE TYPES OF LANGUAGE
- Friends
- Home
- Classroom - ‘Queen’s English’

8. Seven School Wide Essential Literacy Strategies
Strategy #1 – Employing Bi-Level Analysis of test data.
Strategy #2 – Replacing the old way of developing vocabulary with THREE distinct approaches to words in EVERY class.
Strategy #3 – Elevating CREATIVE note taking and note making skills as evidence of text interaction.
Strategy #4 – Using essential questions as a literacy comprehension tool by making it ‘mental Velcro’.
Strategy #5 – Developing a school wide consistent editing and revision policy for every class K-12.
Strategy #6 – Formally developing and assessing speaking skills through Discussion Types Model and speaking genre.
Strategy #7 – Mapping the strategies into the curriculum.

9. Strategy #1 – Employing Bi-Level Analysis of Assessment Data
All educators in the school community examine student work and performance data on two levels:
The subject matter concepts and skills needing attention.
The requisite language capacity necessary to carry out tasks:
-Linguistic patterns,
-Three types of distinctive vocabulary, Editing/revising strategies

10. Skills are always… Stated as a VERB Best stated as an ACTION VERB
Even better stated as a SPECIFIC TECHNIQUE in VERB form

11. SKILLS ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES
Editing and revising skills in ALL written work.
Reading for decoding and sight vocabulary.
Reading and listening for text interaction through active note taking.
Speaking/listening skills in assessable formats.

12. Strategy #2 - Replacing the old way of developing vocabulary with THREE distinct approaches to words in EVERY class.
Central key to improved reading and writing in every class:
Key HIGH-FREQUENCY words
SPECIALIZED TERMS
EMBELLISHMENTS

13. KEY HIGH-FREQUENCY WORDS- A Big Step
The entry words that are commonly seen in all manner of texts and life situations.
High-frequency words that are verbs are critical prompts or requests for action--- tell,show,explain,draw.
High-frequency words appear again and again for students.

14. - Second Grade Math test item
Freddie has five coins in his pocket. The coins add up to 66 cents. Explain or show the coins Freddie might have in his pocket.

15. Many of the students had difficulty understanding what the test item required of them because the word explain was an unfamiliar term. In this instance, some students thought that the prompt was asking them to choose which directive was the correct response, explaining or showing in pictures.

16. -Third Grade Social Studies
After examining the rainfall chart and the map of Hawaii, draw conclusions about the type of animals and plants that will grow there.

17. Many students literally ‘drew’ their conclusions.

18. -Seventh Grade Science
Distinguish the difference between flora and fauna in a paragraph.

19. Many students thought ‘distinguish’ meant ‘extinguish’.

20. -Tenth Grade English Literature
After reading the two reviews of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, opine on the bias of the reviewers in a written paragraph.

21. “Opine” is a verb that probably no high school in the history of the country has ever used voluntarily.

22. DOWN WITH SIMPLY LOOKING UP WORDS
Traditional approach- “Look up words”, write down the definitions, and use them in a sentence.
Copying words from a dictionary to a piece of paper is passive.
You can’t read a word you can’t say.

23. High-frequency word strategy
Each grade/subject develops list of high frequency words. Share and align with other grade levels.
Make sure students understand meanings.
Post lists in classrooms.
Have students keep a set of student-developed and personal translations for high-frequency words in their notebooks. (Marzano –illustrate and create personal dictionary)
ex. Select = pick, Determine= think about, then
make the best choice, Reasons = the ideas that tell why something happened or why something should happen.

24. SPECIALIZED TERMS
Words taught within context in specialized discipline.
These words and phrases are not used commonly among students in everyday speech.
Specialized terms describe concepts or ideas that require definition in a context.
Ex. – photosynthesis is a specialized term in the field of biology. Oligarchy is specific to social studies.

25. Teaching Specialized Terminology -Bildungsroman
All students repeat the word aloud: ‘Okay, kids, let’s all say this one loudly, clearly: bildungsroman. Again, with real feeling. Spell bildungsroman. Everybody, say it again.”
Give definition orally. Have a student repeat it.
In pairs, paraphrase the definition without using one word the student used. Two minutes.
Call upon the pairs to present their definitions –agree or disagree, clarify questions.
Write the word and definition.

26. EMBELLISHMENTS– A Gift to Students
Not high-frequency or specialized terms
VIVID, PRECISE, ENGAGING WORDS that give power to thinking in print and in speech.
Adjectives-adverbs appropriate to topic/subject.
Write on word wall in classroom. Add/revise for units as appropriate. Students add to wall.
Students rewrite reports incorporating embellishments.

27. Strategy #5 – Developing a school wide consistent editing and revision policy for every class K-12.
Dr. Jacobs termed this as the biggest
‘Do Over’ of her 30 + year career.
DO NOT DO IT FOR THEM!!!
Our focus should be on teaching editing and revising in every class with specific, selective, and publicly shared developmental strategies.

28. Editing and revising across the disciplines
The student needs to edit, NOT the teacher.
Teach specific editing techniques.
Revision should be TAUGHT in all subjects for all types of working: writing, drawing, computing, building, etc.
Editing itself should be assessed.
Set a common visible policy:
- for editing
- for revising

29. Implementation Develop grade specific skills.
Focus on one or two revision strategies at a time across disciplines.
Ex. In all subjects, edit and revise for complete sentences and correct punctuation.
Focus on Quality of work rather than Quantity.
Do not mark corrections on student’s papers.
“You have 10 sentences in your story. Two are incomplete. Can you find them? Work with partner – read aloud.

30. Strategy #3 – Elevating CREATIVE note taking and making skills as evidence of text interaction.
What is noteworthy?
Taking notice; lifting it off the page
pulling it out of speech
Students need to create – not just copy.
Students should know the point of taking notes. Ask the essential question students are to focus on in instruction.

31. EXTRACTION AND REACTION
Interactive note taking asks students to extract meaning from written, aural, or visual sources and create their personal and selective reaction.
Copying notes from the board written by the teacher is just that – copying. There is little or no interaction – just words.
Underlining with highlighters is underlining- not note taking.

32. Five Sources for NOTES WRITTEN TEXT AURAL TEST VISUAL LIVE PERFORM
VISUAL & AURAL
Formal and
Informal
Speech
Charts,
Graphs,
Paintings
Sports,
Music,
Drama,
Dance
TV,
Computer

33. FOUR NOTETAKING FORMS
Creating notes through Gathering and Categorizing
Creating notes through Commenting and Questioning
Creating notes through Organizing Graphically
Creating notes by Outlining and Sequencing sets

34. GATHERING AND CATEGORIZING The Velcro Effect
Info from range of sources, sift through details and main ideas , and group and regroup finding into categories.
Using essential questions to focus
Group and label your notes – compare in class
The Velcro effect – use real Velcro
TAKING NOTICE – Noticing - Noteworthy
Practice with viewing a video, text material or
listening to a teacher presentation

35. COMMENTING AND QUESTIONING
Use “Post-Its” to generate questions and comments when reading.
Compare and answer questions as a group.
Split page technique
Extracted Key Ideas
Comments and reactions

36. ORGANIZING GRAPHICALLY
Identify relationships in visual form
Graphic organizers for the learner should be personal and act as a kind of conceptual real estate.
Excellent prewriting activities

37. OUTLINING AND SEQUENCING SETS
Key concept to be taught in outlining is
larger to smaller
Provides students with a direct form or organizing sets of ideas in a natural sequence.
Don’t worry about the Roman numerals till the end

38. Quick Write : making it easier
Use of shorthand – (photosynthesis = p___)
Icons and images
Determining what to leave out
Determining what helps the individual
Making sure the quick-write STICKS to the essential question… to the Velcro

39. Strategy #4 – Using Essential questions as a literacy comprehension tool by making it ‘mental Velcro’
To set direction
To increase text interaction and retention
To focus content
To meet standards
To work within time constraints
To avoid coverage

40. Essential Questions as an Organizer
(Book title)
(Chapter
Titles)
Lessons

41. Essential Questions
Essential Questions are not ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions.
Ask Essential Questions before assignments.
Ancient Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs
- What were major contributions of the Ancient Egyptians?
How can I become a more effective reader, writer, speaker and listener of English?

42. Strategy #6 – Formally developing and assessing speaking skills through Discussion Types Model & speaking genre
Teachers initiate about 80% of all classroom questions.
Furthermore, 80% of all of the questions that teachers ask are on the recall level, the lowest level of questioning.
Do not give a direct question if you want to have students elaborate.
Purpose of model is to improve the performance of our learners and to increase their confidence as speakers and listeners.

43. Recognizing the voice as an individual instrument
Volume
Tone
Cadence
Pace
Articulation
Word choice
Eye contact
Body movement
Presence

44. Speaking and Listening assessments
Feedback phrasing
Forums
Round tables
Debates
Question posing
Speeches to persuade
Speeches to dissuade
Joke telling
Sharing folklore
Interviews
Discussion groups
Dialogues
Paraphrasing
Lectures

45. Discussion Types Quadrant#3
Low Teacher
High Student #2
High Teacher #4
Low Student #1
Low TEACHER DIRECTED High

46. Quadrant #1 High Teacher/Low Student
Instructional Discussion
Teacher as Director – highly teacher dominated
Student as Follower
Puppet on a String
Question and short response.
Most commonly used type

47. Quadrant #2-High Teacher/High Student
Dialogue Discussion
Teacher as coach
Student as mutual player
Give and Take
Both initiate
Dialogue
Clear focus to discussion
Questions serve purpose of guiding students toward analysis.
Students are encouraged to raise genuine questions.

48. Quadrant #3-Low teacher/High Student
Forum Discussion
Teacher as counselor not a primary participant
Student actively directing discussion
More student to student interaction with occasional teacher intervention

49. Quadrant #4-Low Teacher/Low Student
Rap Discussion
Teacher as observer
Students in more free flowing format
Lessening of directed purpose
Both the teacher and the students vent ideas and emotions.
Students must have a high level of trust in teacher.
Genuine learning moments and opportunities.

50. Strategy #7 Mapping the Strategies into the Curriculum
Curriculum Mapping as a central tool in the revision process.
Calendar based to reflect the operational curriculum.
Opportunity to efficiently and effectively improve and invigorate curriculum.
Maps show the Three Elements of Curriculum Design: Content, Skills, Assessment
(As we know it in Texas-Written,Taught,Tested)

51. OUR GOALS Key HIGH-FREQUENCY words for grade
With your group, develop
Key HIGH-FREQUENCY words for grade
Specialized terms (minimum of 30 per subject)
Embellishments (minimum of 5 per subject per six weeks) – Post in classroom.
Editing and Revising skills per grade

52. 2007 Accountability Standards
INDICATOR
ACADEMICALLY ACCEPTABLE
RECOGNIZED
EXEMPLARY
TAKS ( )
ALL STUDENTS and each student group
African Am.
Hispanic
White
Econ. Disadv.
Meets each standard:
Rdg/ELA %
Writing %
Soc.St %
Math %
Science %
Or meets Req. Imp.
Meets 75% standard for each subject
Meets 90% standard for each subject
SDAA II
All students
Meets 50% standard
(Met ARD Expectations)
Meets 70% standard
(Met ARED Expectations)
Meets 90% standard

53. 2007 Accountability Standards
INDICATOR
ACADEMICALLY ACCEPTABLE
RECOGNIZED
EXEMPLARY
Completion Rate
(class of 2006)
All Students
Meets 75.0% Standard
Meets 85.0% standard
Meets 95.0% standard
DROPOUT RATE
(Grades )
Meets 1.0% standard
Meets 0.7% standard
Meets 0.2% standard

54. WebCCat – Reg. X ESC
Web based Comprehensive Curriculum Assessment Tool
Offers over 28,000 TEKS/TAKS correlated assessment items with which to generate teacher made tests.
Items are categorized by Cognitive level (Bloom’s) and Level of Difficulty (Erickson’s Structure of Knowledge.

55. Reminded that the TEKS are tested at level they were written.
Majority are written and tested at the application level or above.
Our instruction, pre-posts tests, unit tests, etc. should reflect those levels.