Welcome

1. Welcome Literacy for Learning Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6

2. The team: • Catherine McVie – Superintendent of Program • Donna McMillan – Education Coordinator • Alison Craig – Vice Principal, Chimo • Melody Stanton – Teacher, Front of Yonge • Lianne Swann – Teacher, Linklater • Judy Wilson – Teacher, Plantagenet • Patricia Baker – Teacher, Maynard • Tracy Staples – SAT Rideau Education Centre

3. Overview • Day 1 (lead teacher) • One day collaboration at school • Day 2 (lead teacher & junior teacher DECEMBER 1 or 2) • One day collaboration at school • Day 3 (lead teacher & junior teacher FEBRUARY 8 or 9)

4. In School Collaboration after Day 1 December Critical Literacy Comprehension Strategies Carousels: Mining the Text Literature Circles Reader’s Theatre Comprehension Strategies Gradual Release Model Read Aloud Shared Reading Guided Reading Independent Reading October February Literacy for the 21st Century Junior Writer Shared Writing Lesson Guided & Independent Writing Word Work (spelling) & Vocabulary Development Multi-literacies Reciprocity of Literacy Processes Speaking & Listening, Reading & Viewing, Writing & Representing 4 Roles of the Literacy Learner Meaning Maker, Text User, Code User, Text Analyzer Critical Literacy Knowingthe Learner Assessment informing instruction The Learning Environment Effective Literacy Instruction Gradual Release of Responsibility, Instructional Approaches Teacher Collaboration The Junior Learner Knowing Ourselves as Learners (MI) Assessment & Planning Visual Literacy Activities In School Collaboration after Day 1 In School Collaboration after Day 2

5. It’s finally our turn!!! These training sessions will: • validate; • challenge; • stretch; and • support.

6. These training sessions: • are based on Literacy for Learning The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario; current research and best practice; • reflect the information in the junior Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction; and • present material designed with the target audience in mind.

7. So much to share… So little time… During these training sessions, we will examine • literacy in the 21st century • the junior learner, and context • effective literacy instruction • resources

8. That’s Me/That’s Us Activity Building a Community of Learners

9. That’s Me/That’s Us • A number of criteria will be read (e.g., Like to write poetry.) • If the criteria fits an individual stand and respond “That’s Me”. OR • If the criteria fits the group, members stand and respond with “That’s Us”. • Determine your similarities and differences.

10. What It Means to Be Literate “Literacy is defined …as the ability to use language and images in rich and varied forms to read, write, listen, speak, view, represent, and think critically about ideas. It enables us to share information, to interact with others, and to make meaning. Literacy is a complex process.” (Literacy For Learning,The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004 )

11. Activity: • What does it mean to be literate? • Working in groups of 3 or 4. • Write 3 ideas on chart paper to complete the sentence stem, “Being literate means…”. (5 minutes) • Table share

12. What It Means to Be Literate • Debriefing the activity “What it means to be literate...” • Seven Guiding Principles (refer to handout in package)

13. Guiding Principles: Literacy learning in the junior grades can transform children’s lives. The goal of all literacy instruction is to enable students to make meaning from and in the wide range of texts they will encounter and produce at school and in the world. All junior students can develop as literate learners when they receive scaffolded support that prepares them for higher learning and growing independence. Students are motivated to learn when they encounter interesting and meaningful texts on topics that matter to them. Teachers continually assess the literacy learning of their students in order to design classroom activities that will promote new learning for each student. Teachers continually develop their professional knowledge and skills, drawing on lessons from research to improve their classroom practice. Successful literacy learning in the junior grades is a team effort, acquiring the support of the whole learning community – including teachers at all grade levels, school administrators, support staff, the board, the parents, and community members.

14. What It Means to Be Literate “Literacy is about more than reading and writing – it is about how we communicate in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture. Literacy…finds its place in our lives alongside other ways of communicating. Indeed literacy itself takes many forms: on paper, on the computer screen, on TV, on posters and signs. Those who use literacy take it for granted – but those who cannot use it are excluded from much communication in today’s world. Indeed, it is the excluded who can best appreciate the notion of literacy as freedom.” (UNESCO)

15. Big Ideas - Overview Multi-literacies Reciprocity of Literacy Processes Speaking & Listening, Reading & Viewing, Writing & Representing 4 Roles of the Literacy Learner Meaning Maker, Text User, Code Breaker, Text Analyser Critical Literacy Knowing the Learner Assessment informing instruction The Learning Environment Effective Literacy Instruction Gradual Release of Responsibility, Instructional Approaches Teacher Collaboration

16. Using the puzzle pieces in the envelope, construct the four roles of the literate learner. What are the implications of the four roles for teachers and students? Activity: 4 Roles of the Literate Learner

17. Text User Understands that the purpose and audience help to determine the way a text is structured, the tone, the degree of formality, and the sequence of components, and uses this knowledge to read, write and speak. Meaning Maker Code User Uses prior knowledge and experience to construct and communicate meaning when reading, writing, and speaking. Recognizes and uses the features and structures of written, visual, and spoken texts, including the alphabet, sounds in words, spelling, conventions, sentence structure, text organization, graphics and other visuals to break the “code” of text. Text Analyser Understands that texts are not neutral, that they represent particular views and perspectives may be missing, and that the design and messages of texts can be critiques and alternatives considered. 4 Roles of the Literate Learner • Students must learn to make meaning of texts, break the code of texts, use texts functionally and to analyze and critique texts. • Students integrate all four roles as they read, write, listen, speak, view and represent. Literacy For Learning, The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004, p. 9

18. Reading (and viewing) Writing (and Representing) Thinking Making Meaning Thinking Thinking Talking And Listening Literacy For Learning, The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004, p.14

19. 4 Roles of the Literate Learner • Implications for teachers: • explicit and systematic teaching of the 4 roles; • appropriate resources to demonstrate the roles. • Implications for students: • multiple opportunities to practise the 4 roles; • exposure to texts of many types.

20. Activity: Code Breaker • Read the text entitled “Meager Maroon Capuchin”. • Note (record on sticky notes) the strategies you used to help “crack the code”.

21. Code Breaker • Draws on a repertoire of known words • Continuously develops a reading vocabulary • Uses word-solving strategies • Uses language conventions and text features • Recognizes and uses visual information

22. Activity: Meaning Maker Say Something • Work with a partner. • Listen to the text being read aloud. • When reading stops, say something to your partner about what has been read (make connections, predictions, inferences).

23. Rules for Say Something 1. With your partner, decide who will say something first. 2. When you say something, do one or more of the following: make a prediction ask a question clarify something you had misunderstood make a comment make a connection 3. If you can’t do one of those five things, then you need to reread. Source: When Kids Can’t Read - What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers p. 107, 108

24. Say Something • Make a connection • text-to-text • text-to-self • text-to-world

25. Make a Connection • This reminds me of... • This part is like... • This character (fill in name) is like (fill in name) because... • This is similar to... • The differences are... • I also (name something in the text that has also happened to you)... • I never (name something in the text that has never happened to you)... • This character makes me think of... • This setting reminds me of...

26. Make a prediction – What do you think is the cause of Sergei’s change? • Make a Prediction • I predict that... • I bet that... • I think that... • Since this happened (fill in detail), then I bet the next thing that is going to happen is... • Reading this part makes me think that this (fill in detail) is about to happen... • I wonder if...

27. Meaning Maker • Recognizes that reading always involves a search for meaning • Knows and applies a variety of comprehension strategies • Self-monitors when reading, recognizes when comprehension breaks down and takes steps to restore it

28. Meaning Maker Continued • Sustains comprehension and maintains interest over extended periods of time • Demonstrates a continuous awareness of personal reading strategies and processes (metacognition) • Responds to texts in a variety of ways

29. Activity: Text User Use your knowledge of the comic strip format to generate a thought that could be running through the teacher’s mind.

30. Text User • Recognizes and understands the structures of a variety of text forms • Writes for a variety of purposes • Matches the text form to the audience and to the purposes for writing • Effectively uses the language features and conventions of a variety of text forms • Recognizes and conveys voice

31. Activity: Text Analyser • While viewing the video-clip, consider two perspectives to analyse.

32. Video-clip

33. Activity: Text Analyser • Draw two head silhouettes. • Represent one perspective in the first head and another perspective in the second head. • Share your mind and alternative mind portraits with a partner.

34. Activity: Text Analyser Mind and Alternative Mind Portraits • This technique allows readers/viewers to examine two different points of view. • Each perspective is represented on a “mind” graphic organizer through words, drawings or collages.

35. Text Analyser • Is aware of and can identify how texts are crafted to represent the views and interests of the writer. • Understands that information, ideas and language in texts influence the reader’s perceptions and texts empower or disempower certain groups

36. Text Analyser: • applies higher-order thinking skills to deepen understanding and to deconstruct the author’s message • analyses ideas, information and perspectives in texts • engages in critical literacy/inquiry • recognizes bias, omission and multiple perspectives.

37. Text User Code User Meaning Maker Text Analyser Wrap up

38. Break • Snacks and washroom break… • Be back on time for a door prize!