From curriculum to instruction: Designing and implementing sound instructional diets

1. From curriculum to instruction: Designing and implementing sound instructional diets

2. Don’t be overly concerned with your weight, it’s just a number!

3. DIBELS Benchmark Test Low Risk Some Risk At Risk CoreCore + Core + Small-GroupIntensive Core InterventionIntervention Core Assessments Core InterventionIntervention Assessments Assessments DIBELS Progress Monitoring Discontinue Intervention Continue Intervention Yes No Low Risk?

4. Goals of this session: • Predict needs based on reading development • Plan for sensible instructional blocks, including whole-group and needs-based time • Establish initial priorities for classroom instructional schedules

5. And in our classrooms . . . • We can do the “teacher-centered” modeling for all children • We can share responsibility during needs-based groups . . . but what are the other children going to do? • We can release responsibility to children to practice and apply what we are teaching

6. But who needs what? We can anticipate that all children will benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in vocabulary (K-3), phonemic awareness (K-1), word recognition and decoding (K-3), fluency (K-3), and comprehension (K-3)

7. The strengths of the new core programs • Explicit: they include teacher talk and modeling of cognitive processes in reading • There is “how to” talk rather than only “what to” • Systematic: they establish a reasonable scope and sequence for each grade level • Review previous grade level’s accomplishments • Introduce, review, and assess new accomplishments

8. Why isn’t that enough? • We can anticipate, based first on knowledge of reading development and then on actual assessment data, certain log jams. Most children will need additional practice. Many children are likely to need additional instruction. A small number of children are likely to need intensive intervention.

9. And in your core • What are the strengths for use in whole-class instruction? • What provisions are made for small-group instruction? Are there any differentiated materials? • What provisions are made for providing children with reading practice?

10. Some pretty safe bets Decoding: Many kindergarten and first grade children and some second grade children will need extra instruction Fluency: Many children will need extra instruction and practice Comprehension: Many second and third grade children will need extra instruction

11. How can we have well managed classrooms and teach small groups? Establish a cycle so that while teachers are providing extra instruction, other children are getting important practice

12. Where’s the teacher?

13. Some other variables • How much time do you have for instruction? • Are other adults available so that you can have two instructional groups at once? • How many groups are indicated in the data? How large are they?

14. And how much time should we spend in each area of the curriculum? • There is no SBRR answer to this question, but think about the concept of a healthy diet • It is harder to get started than to maintain • It allows you to choose specific foods you like within broader categories • The rules change as you get older • Some people need very specialized diets to maximize their good health

15. If there’s no SBRR answer, why ask? • Pacing matters • Even with new materials, teachers choose how much time and emphasis they place on specific activities • In general, we always feel rushed

16. A kindergarten diet

17. A first grade diet

18. A second grade diet

19. A third grade diet

20. School-based scenarios • These are real examples that combine attention to curriculum areas, time, and staffing. • How are you going to use the people and the minutes and the materials you have?

21. Kindergarten • 2 hours for literacy • 1 hour for content (including reading and writing) • 4 heterogeneous classrooms • Paraprofessionals in each classroom • 2 intervention providers

23. First Grade • 2 hours 15 minutes for reading • 45 minutes for writer’s workshop • 4 heterogeneous classrooms • 2 intervention providers

25. Second Grade • 1 hour for needs-based fluency work • 1 hour for whole-group instruction • 1 hour for writer’s workshop • 3 heterogeneous classrooms • 1 intervention provider

27. Third Grade • 20 minutes for read aloud • 30 minutes for writer’s workshop • 30 minutes for content • 90 minutes for needs-based reading

29. What should you do? • Work to understand the possibilities within your core for teacher directed, shared responsibility, and student practice • Watch your teachers and think about the instructional diets that they are providing to children • Help teachers think and rethink their classroom instructional schedules

30. Always try to see the glass half full.