Literacy Information Night A Parent Workshop

1. Literacy Information NightA Parent Workshop Thursday, November 4, 2011 Prepared and Presented by: Jamee Callahan, M Ed K-5 Literacy & Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator Medfield Public Schools

2. Welcome! • We are so glad you are here!

3. Tonight’s Agenda: • Overview of MPS Literacy Curriculum & Assessment • Helpful Hints for Home Support: Presented by K-3 Reading Specialists Memorial School Librarian, & Memorial School Learning Specialist • Questions from YOU!

4. Literacy Defined • Reading • Writing • Listening & Speaking • This is reflected in the new Common Core Standards

5. Curriculum Goals in Literacy • In Medfield, we work hard to ensure that all students: • Achieve proficiency in reading, writing and oral language development • Are actively engaged in and enjoy literacy learning • View themselves as readers, writers, listeners and speakers • Reflect on their progress as literacy learners

6. Our Instructional Philosophy

7. The Gradual Release of Responsibility • “I Do, We Do, You Do”/ “To, With, By” • Teacher Modeling (I Do…To) • Guided Practice (We Do…With) • Independent Practice (You Do…By) • Application in Real Life Situations

8. Instructional Approaches • Whole Group Instruction • Small Group Instruction • Independent Application

9. Instructional Approaches: Whole Group Instruction • Read Aloud/Think Aloud (I do…To) • Interactive Read Aloud (We do…With) • Shared Reading (We do…With) • Modeled Writing (I do…To) • Shared Writing (We do…With) • Interactive Writing (We do…With) • Word Study

10. Instructional Approaches: Small Group Instruction • Guided Reading (We/You Do…With/By) • More in-depth information to follow • Guided Writing (We/You Do…With/By) • Word Study

11. Instructional Approaches: Independent Application • Independent Reading (You do…By) • Independent Writing (You do…By) • Word Study

12. Guided Reading • Teachers identify students with similar instructional needs and places them in a small group • Teacher provides reading instruction at each group’s instructional level • Students read the same text • Texts are carefully chosen by the teacher • The small group setting allows teachers to know students strengths and needs very well and continually regroup as instructional needs change

13. 3 Reading Levels • Independent (easy) • Instructional (with adult support) • Frustrational (too hard)

14. Reading Defined • Involves more than just being able to “read” the words • Must understand the message of the text • Must be able to talk about the text…share thoughts, opinions, reactions, questions, etc…

15. Assessment • All students are formally assessed 3 times per year (coincides with conference times) • Our assessments include: • Individual reading assessment • Individual phonics assessment • High frequency word assessment • We gather informal assessment data throughout the school year • These assessments include: • Anecdotal notes from small group instruction • Anecdotal notes from individual conferences

16. Progression of Grade Level Reading Expectations • Kindergarten © ReadingA-Z.com

17. Progression of Grade Level Reading Expectations • First Grade © ReadingA-Z.com

18. Progression of Grade Level Reading Expectations • Second Grade © ReadingA-Z.com

19. Progression of Grade Level Reading Expectations • Third Grade © ReadingA-Z.com

20. Medfield’s K-3 Reading Team • Laura Singer, Kindergarten • Suzanne Cooney, Grade 1 • Judy Myers, Grades 2 & 3 • Jean Duffy, Grades 2 & 3 • Randie Groden Memorial School Librarian • Mary Salamone Memorial School Learning Specialist

21. Essential Components of Reading Five essential components of reading instruction have been identified by the National Reading Panel. The NRP reviewed thousands of pieces of research and determined the following to be the key components of quality reading development.

22. Phonemic Awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Each of these components is important. No one component is more important than the others. If any one of the areas is weaker or lacking, then the reader will not be as effective as he or she could be in processing text. All components need to be strong in order for solid reading skills to develop. Essential Components of Reading

23. Phonemic Awareness • Is the ability to notice, think about, and work with individual sounds in spoken words • The best way to describe this is it can be done with the ‘lights out’. Students do not need to see letters or print in order to do this skill. • Activities to support Phonemic Awareness: • Rhyming • Segmenting & Blending of words

24. Phonics • Phonics is the sound/symbol relationship of letters and the combination of letters to make particular sounds – “attaching” a sound to a letter(s). • It is important that phonics be taught in an explicit, sequential, developmentally-appropriate manner. • Activities to support Phonics: • Tap & Sweep • Word Chunks

25. Fluency • Fluency is the ability to read accurately, effortlessly, and automatically. • Fluency involves attending to punctuation, reading dialogue, phrasing appropriately, and regulating speed of reading. (Fluent does not = fast) • Research shows that fluent reading positively impacts comprehension. • Activities to support Fluency: • Rereading Text • Sight Word Study • Modeling Fluent Reading

26. Vocabulary • Vocabulary knowledge refers to the words we must know to communicate effectively, both orally and in print. • If you can read the word but don’t understand its meaning, you are not fully comprehending the text. • Vocabulary is closely tied to prior knowledge. • Activities to support Vocabulary: • Jump Start & Thumbs Up • Clarifying Bookmark

27. Comprehension • Comprehension, the ultimate goal of reading, is the ability to understand the story or text read. • Comprehension requires ACTIVE engagement with the text. • Good readers use a variety of strategies to assist them in making sense of their reading, including: making connections, predicting, questioning, monitoring, visualizing, & summarizing. • Activities to Support Comprehension: • Read aloud to your child and TALK about books • Asking questions: generated by both the adult AND the child. Ask “thin” and “thick” questions.

28. Randie Groden, Memorial School Librarian Reading With Your ChildrenHow to Make the Most of Read-Aloud Time “There is no time limit for reading a book but there is a time limit on a child’s inquisitiveness.” --Jim Trelease

29. Benefits of Reading Aloud • You spend time with your child – a win-win situation! • Great bonding experience • Fosters meaningful one-on-one communication • Shows children they are important to us • Builds listening skills and increases attention span • Molds our children into becoming readers • Children learn to read by being read to • Increases potential for academic success • It’s fun!

30. Did you know? • A true shared reading experience is more than picking up a book and reading it aloud. • Shared reading experiences are interactive, thought-provoking, exciting and educational. • Reading together engages children in active, analytic talk during shared reading.

31. Quick tips for sharing books with your children: • Keep a variety of reading materials at home • Have a reading routine if possible • Be a reading role model • Try parallel reading – read books on same topic at the same time, each at your own level • Continue reading aloud together even if your child is reading

32. Techniques for Reading to Children • Chose books you are excited about or your child is excited about. • Position yourself so both you and the children are comfortable. • Make sure everyone can see the illustrations. • Allow your listeners a few minutes to settle down to get ready to hear the story. • Show the cover of the book.

33. Techniques Continued… • Read with expression! • Change the tone of your voice to fit the dialog • Read at a moderate pace, not too fast • Create voices for different characters (optional!) • Feel free to stop and discuss the book • Answer questions as they come up • How often you stop is up to you and your child • If your child wants to read to you sometimes, great! • You can trade off pages or chapters, or just sit back and listen

34. Even More Tips… • Where and when to read? • Just about anywhere and anytime • Not sure what to read? • Ask librarians, teachers, friends. Also check the library webpage • Try reading a few poems together • Start with light verse • How to read? • Read at a pace that allows your child to absorb both words and pictures. Developing visual literacy is an important part of storytime • If possible, try to create a distraction-free environment when reading.

35. Screen Time(This includes TV, computer, iPads, video games, etc.) “The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends children older than two should watch no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality entertainment media per day.” From the study, “Influence of Limit-Setting and Participation in Physical Activity on Youth Screen Time,” published in the July 2010 print issue of Pediatrics.

36. And finally….. The main message from our library is… READ FOR FUN! • Our goal is to foster a love of reading and a love of books. • It is important to allow children to choose their own library books. Let their interests be their motivation about what they read. • Ask yourself – what kind of reader are you?

37. Why Read to Your Kids?Here are 12 Important Reasons • Build a lifelong interest in reading. “Getting kids actively involved in the process of reading, and having them interact with adults, is key to a lifelonginterest inreading,”said BeAnn Younker, principal at Battle Ground Middle School in Indiana. • Children whose parents read to them tend to become better readers and perform better in school, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. • Reading to kids helps them with language and speech development. • It expands kids’ vocabulary and teaches children how to pronounce new words.

38. Why Read to Your Kids?Here are 12 Important Reasons • Reading to toddlers prepares them for school, during which they will need to listen to what is being said to them (similar to what they do while being read to). • Reading to older kids helps them understand grammar and correct sentence structure • Kids and parents can use reading time as bonding time. It’s an excellent opportunity for one-on-one communication, and it gives kids the attention they crave. • Being read to builds children’s attention spans and helps them hone their listening skills.

39. Why Read to Your Kids?Here are 12 Important Reasons • Curiosity, creativity and imagination are all developed while being read to. • Being read to helps kids learn how to express themselves clearly and confidently. • Kids learn appropriate behavior when they’re read to, and are exposed to new situations, making them more prepared when they encounter these situations in real life. • When read to, children are able to experience the rhythm and melody of language even before they can understand the spoken or printed word.  

40. Final Thoughts… “Reading aloud has a host of educational benefits, but it works best if it isn’t approached as an educational exercise (where parents have children repeat each word after them)…. Just enjoy the books together; the increased vocabulary, understanding of story structure, exposure to correct grammar, and other benefits will follow naturally.” Kathleen Odean Expert on children's & young adult books

41. Helpful Literacy Websites compiled by: Mary Salamone, M.Ed., Ed.S., Learning Specialist Memorial School • *Starfall http://www.starfall.com • *Internet 4 Classrooms http://www.internet4classrooms.com • Literactive http://www.literactive.com • Guided Reading and Reading Games with Roy the Zebra http://www.roythezebra.com/index.html • Also…www.scholastic.com; www.readingrockets.org; www.pbskids.org; • A Wikipage with info and resources for ipad use: http://ipadforlearners.wikispaces.com

42. Upcoming Events… • Spring Parent Night to discuss changes in our Progress Reports • Be on the look-out for more information in the months to come…

43. Thank You For Coming! • Questions?