Welcome to the English SBAC Parent Information Session

1. Welcome to the English SBAC Parent Information Session Cutler Middle School February 4, 2014

2. English Language Arts • Andrea Davis, Coordinator of English 6-12 • Leslie Forbes, Language Arts teacher, grade 6 • Jennifer Carter, Language Arts substitute teacher, grade 6 • Betzy Farnsworth, Language Arts teacher, grade 7 • Nancy Stankiewicz, Language Arts teacher, grade7

3. What is SBAC? • Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium • Designed to measure student achievement of the recently adopted Common Core State Standards for English/language arts and Mathematics. • www.smarterbalanced.org

4. What is “computer adaptive”? • Based on student responses, the computer program adjusts the difficulty of questions throughout the assessment. • These assessments present an individually tailored set of questions to each student • This approach represents a significant improvement over traditional paper-and-pencil assessments used in many states today, providing more accurate scores for all students across the full range of the achievement continuum.

5. What are the big shifts in English with the Common Core State Standards? There are six major shifts in the focus of English instruction with the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for College and Career Readiness (CCSS)

6. The Six Shifts in CCSS for English • Increased text complexity • Evidence- based writing ( writing arguments) • Academic vocabulary • Reading nonfiction • Reading and writing across content areas • Text-referenced reading response (close reading)

7. English Language Arts/Literacy Key Assessment Changes • Assessments are composed of reading, writing, listening and research. Assessments include a shift in: • •Text complexity across literary and informational texts; greater exposure to informational texts • •Writing for multiple purposes and to different audiences (i.e. narrative, informational/expository, and opinion/argumentative across all grade levels) • •Writing to source materials • •English Language Conventions • •Performance Tasks (PT)

8. Two Parts to the SBAC • 2 Hour non-performance section of test that includes assessment of reading and responding in short and multiple choice answers, as well as listening to podcasts and answering questions about what was listened to. Questions about editing and revising are included. • 2.5 Hour Performance Assessment that includes a 30 minute in-class teacher-whole class activity. • Next slides will show sample for grade 7. Day One Day Two

9. Sample Performance Task • Performance tasks measure a student’s ability to integrate knowledge and skills • Depth of understanding, research skills, and complex analysis • Some scored automatically; many will be hand-scored by professionally trained readers.

10. Sample Performance Task Grade 7 • Napping Argumentative Performance Task • Issue: • There has been much debate about the role of sleep and the role of napping. How many hours of sleep is enough? What is too much sleep? What is too little sleep? How do naps fit into sleep cycles?

11. Performance Task • The issue of “napping” will be one of the topics for an upcoming school debate club. To prepare for this debate, and to decide which side of “napping” you are on, you have been conducting research on the topic. As part of your research, you have found two articles and a newspaper column about sleep.

12. Performance Task • After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. • Then, go back and read the sources carefully to gain the information you will need to answer the questions and finalize your debate stance.

13. Performance Task • In Part 2, you will write an argumentative essay on a topic related to the sources. • Directions for Beginning: • You will now examine several sources. You can re-examine any of the sources as often as you like.

14. How GPS is Preparing Students for the SBAC • Using SBAC released rubrics to assess student work throughout the school year • Increasing opportunities to read nonfiction texts and practice close reading • Embedding Academic Vocabulary across the disciplines ( as part of the team approach) • Practice with listening and responding • Research writing that requires reading multiple sources

15. Addressing the Common CoreGeneral Academic Vocabulary Own the Word • Word detectives • Word Study graphic organizers • “Owner” of word: Teach their peers; explain meaning when needed; create posters; encouraged to use in their verbal responses and writing.

16. CCSS Shift: Speaking & Listening we practice these skills: “Podcasts”listening; note-taking; evaluating an argument

17. Argumentative Writing • CCSS shift: • Students need to: • include a paragraph that refutes opposing viewpoints (Concession paragraph) • acknowledge valid points of the opposing argument • show that they thoughtfully considered both sides of the argument • be able to counter by providing evidence that their claim is stronger

18. In our classrooms we practice these skills: • Through skits/role playing • By debating an issue in class (Verbal & listening skills) • Working in small groups to practice how to find supporting evidence and how to counter opposing arguments • Writing an argumentative paper with support from Mrs. Strickland with research skills and how to cite their sources. • Practice typing and note-taking on the computer (Split-screen)

19. Non-fiction Text • “Time for Kids” Magazine • Articles related to topics being discussed in class • Classroom centers: Reading various non-fiction texts that relate to novels being read in class; Researching, reading, collecting information to create various artifacts such as travel brochures

20. CCSS Shift: Research Skills • Students use the Media Center once a week . • Co-teach lessons with media specialist on research skills using various sources; citations; typing skills; note-taking on the computer using split-screens • iPads used in class • Research paper due in late Spring

21. Increasing Opportunities for Students to Read Nonfiction Texts and Practice Close Reading • Close Reading-  careful and purposeful reading • rereading • students focus on what author has to say • students attend to author’s purpose •                 students focus on word • meaning  (embedded vocabulary • activities) •                 students attend to text structure •                 students have opportunities to provide • evidence and justification • Students react and interact with a variety of texts. •                 poetry •                 nonfiction articles (cross curricular) •                 short stories •                 chapter books •                 persuasive materials •                 advertisements, etc.

22. Preparing for SBAC: • Using fiction as a springboard to increase opportunities to read nonfiction texts • Teaching research skills through formal debate • Opportunity to practice oral presentation, responding, and listening skills • Research writing that requires reading multiple sources Research Skills Speaking and Listening

23. Students practicing speaking skills while timing themselves on the iPads in preparation for the debate

24. Students were listening to their fellow classmates’ debates. Their job, to be listening for details that will help them determine who they feel won the debate. Students took notes during each debate in order to record talking points and facts. They would need this evidence to support their written responses.

25. While the judges confer, students begin writing their written responses. They must tell who they thought won the debate, justifying their decision with specific evidence from the debate.

26. Questions? • Please take a • flyer with you