Literacy Plan

Lisa GrandizioLongwood University

July 11, 2015

Background and Literacy Need

• Annandale Terrace is a Title I school, with 78% of the students on free and reduced lunch.

• 61% of the students have limited English proficiency

• School has been accredited with warning for failing to meet 75% benchmark on reading SOL in Hispanic subgroup

Literacy Need

Reflection Score Number of Students

4 22

3 100

2 156

1 2

Total Number of Student Scores 280

Average Score 2.88

Fourth grade spring scores on the Developmental Reading Assessment:

Data

1 2 3 4

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

4th Grade Reflection Scores on the DRA

Percentage of 4th Graders

Based on the DRA, fourth grade students need support with comprehension in the area of reflection.

Literacy Need

Sample Reflection Questions on DRA:

• What is the most important event in the story? Tell why?

• What do you admire most about____________?

Possible Solutions

• Lessons on determining importance and synthesizing

• Determining what a text is really about

• Whole group instruction

Possible Solutions• “After Reading”

strategies that encourage inferring

• “Question, It Says, I Say, And So”

• Whole or small group instruction

Possible Solutions• Teach comprehension

strategies

• Small Group instruction

Possible Solutions

Pitfalls• Teacher attitudes and

potential lack of interest in participating in professional development

Requirements• Books purchased for

teachers

• Professional Reading

• Coverage for teachers to be away from classroom

Solution:Implement small strategy groups into reading workshop in order to meet a specific group of readers’ needs.

Structure:

1. Connect

2. Teach

3. Engage

4. Link

Key Point:

• Teaching is scaffolded to meet the needs of students (less support to more support)• State strategy • Provide explanation/example of strategy• Practice strategy together• Demonstrate strategy

• Engagement has students reading in own independent reading books and teacher coaching

Key Point: Explicit Language

Strategy“Read a chapter knowing that a significant event is likely to happen to a character. At the end of the chapter think about what event made your character change, or act differently.”

Not a StrategyState the most important event of the chapter.

Key Points:

• Students used their own independent reading books to practice the strategy.

• Teachers conference or coach students as they practice strategy.

• This is not a replacement for guided reading.

Professional Development

1. Team and literacy coach discuss data and coach share idea for small group strategy work instruction

2. Teachers are given a copy of Teaching Reading in Small Groups

3. Teachers read chapter 4

Professional Development

1. Team and coach co-plan strategy lessons for group of students who need support.

2. Literacy coach models instruction in a classroom.

3. Teachers practice and reflect

Professional Development

Coach offers support:• Co-plan lessons• Observe teacher teaching lesson• Create prompting language• Identify groups of readers• Model more instruction• Reflect with teacher and create plan for next steps• Consider different anecdotal record taking sheets

Timeline for Implementation

Middle of September

Week 1• Discuss data and rationale for strategy group instruction, pass

out books, and assign professional reading

Week 2• Identify group of readers, plan instruction• Coach models lesson• Teachers tryout teaching in own classroom

Timeline for Implementation

End of September/ Beginning of October

Week 3• Reflection• Coach offers support

Week 4• Reflection• Consider trying new strategy

Assessment/Monitor

• Monitor success of strategy groups by reassessing students in the winter using the DRA

• Discuss strategy groups periodically during team meetings focusing on teacher language, teacher prompts, and student progress