Thursday, March 20, 2014

Text Books and the Common Core: A Simulated Adoption


Simulated Adoption of Textbook Task: You are a teacher of Reading, serving on a committee to adopt new texts for your reading/language arts class.  Take a look at the texts and make a recommendation.

Explore these questions while looking through the new texts that claim to be Common Core.

  1. How rich is the content?
  2. How organized and accessible is the material?
  3. Do the texts allow for a range of user strengths?
  4. Do the texts support several different methods/strategies for teaching?
  5. Are they aligned and rich in Common Core standards?
Keep a chart of your impressions of each text and be prepared to discuss your recommendation for adoption.

Common Core Claims by Publishers
Boasts about Common Core and Texts a Sham

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Orton Gillingham Multi-modal Teaching

Taken from the website

Why Orton-Gillingham?
“Children in the bottom 20% are clearly ‘below grade level’ in reading and are unlikely to improve their relative standing without expert, intensive instruction (Moats & Dakin, 2008).” The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education’s proprietary professional development provides direct, systematic and sequential instruction that empowers educators to teach the foundation of the English language. Our revised and expanded research-based Orton-Gillingham training provides exceptional staff development. The Institute’s instructional approach is ideal for: general education, special education, reading teachers, and learning resource room specialists.
In the 1930’s neurologist Dr. Samuel T. Orton and educator, psychologist Anna Gillingham developed the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction for students with Dyslexia. This theory combines multisensory techniques along with the structure of the English language. Those items taught include: phonemes and morphemes, such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Common spelling rules are introduced as well. Multi-sensory education incorporates the three learning pathways, which are: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. This approach is beneficial not only for students with dyslexia, but for all learners. It can be implemented in a large group setting as well as with individuals, small groups and at-risk populations. The methodology allows for implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) at all levels while allowing for differentiation of instruction.
Often Orton-Gillingham is interpreted as a methodology only meant for reading remediation. Undoubtedly the multisensory component impacts all children. The uniqueness of this type of instruction is that it allows the educator to capitalize on an individual student’s dominant learning modality while delivering instruction that will strengthen the remaining learning pathways.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Resources

Invaluable Resources for the Reading Teacher 


Flocabulary - hip hop vocab

NCTE - Read, Write Think 

Edutopia 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Friday, December 14, 2012

MAS/MEE 7998 Lesson Plans, Outline and Assignments

         

     MAS/MEE 7998   Practicum III  Plans, Course Outline and Assignments
S
Topics and EQ’s
Class Activities
Assignments
1
Class Welcome and ground rules: class times, breaks, expectations, cell phones
Written work: APA style with citations, revision and editing at Graduate level
Overview of Course
Responsibility of Teacher Candidates: scheduling of observation and review of the Course Assignment points (pg 6) and due dates
EQ: What is to be included in the Case Study?
Discuss Chapter 1 of Johns
Handouts:
1.     Reading Interest Inventory
2.     Blooms Taxonomy
·      Class Blog and Student Blogs – demo and creation
·      Prezi demo

For the next session…
·      Read Johns chapters 2-4
·      Read and write a paper for the Articles/Research Report about Language Arts Assignment. Research paper due next class.  Create a presentation on Prezi to share.
·      Learning Theories - select one theory to summarize. Place this on your blog and share
·      Suggested: visit your local library and get acquainted with children’s books

2
EQ: What are the Fundamental Beliefs about Reading/Language Arts? 5 Core Components pages 7-9
EQ:  What are the Four Interrelated Domains of Language? Reading, writing, speaking, listening
School Placements, Reading Discussion Section 2: rapport, word lists, passages
BRI/ ELA and Case Study- View BRI video, discuss and practice administering, miscue marking analysis
What is lexile?

·      YouTube Video: BRI administration
·      Partner practice BRI
·      S. present Article Research about Language Arts Assignment as a Prezi Presentation
·      S. share Learning Theories Summaries off blogs
·      Lexile Literature activity

For the next session…
·      Draw 5 conclusions about Logan’s graded word lists and performance on comprehension passages as seen in pages 99-111 in the Johns text. Post on your blog for class discussion.
·      SEA - Research formal and informal reading diagnostic assessments and begin to create a table of comparison.  Due Session 7. Print and post table on your blog.
·      Suggested: think about children’s literature and how it can fit into your tutoring.
3
STAR and AR Reading Levels and Tests
Delaware Teacher Evaluation DPAS2, use of STAR for accountability – Component 5
EQ: What qualitative (pg 98) and quantitative (99-110) information can be gained from a BRI?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of a BRI?
EQ: How is the BRI scored and interpreted?
Summarize both qualitative and quantitative information- review chapters 3 and 4



·      Read about STAR and AR Reading, compare to Lexile
·      S share blog entries about Logan’s results from pages 99-111
·      S share blog entries about formal and informal reading diagnostic assessments
·      School placement questions and sharing

For the next session…
·      SEA: Reading Assessment Data Table due – complete, print out and post on blog
·      Research and write a critique of five resource/instructional materials.  Starting with Johns page 87. Print your critique to submit session 6 and post on your blog.
·      As you prepare and administer the BRI, write reflective journal entries on your blog and post.
4
EQ: What is the difference between assessment and evaluation?
The Teacher as evaluator
Compare/contrast formal and informal testing
EQ: What does a lesson plan for remediation consists of? Wilmington University lesson plan and discussion of BRI tutoring program
Overview of lesson plan for remediation. Present Wilmington University (WILMU) lesson plan
Remediation strategies for
·      Decoding
·      Fluency
·      Vocabulary
·      Comprehension
·      Example of a short lesson plan
·      Remediation Teaching Channel videos
·       
For the next session…
·      Research reading strategies that relate to your level of tutoring. Choose one and post the article and link on your blog. Prepare to share with the class.
·      Administer BRI and interest inventory. Complete record sheets and look for areas of instructional need. Bring completed record sheets to next class
·      Design and implement instructional intervention
·      Continue to write reflective journal entries on your blog
·      Work on Case Study
·      Observation must be completed using WILMU lesson format
5
What is the Common Core?
EQ: What are the best methods and materials for teaching children to read?
Research reading instructional materials and come up with three recommendations for appropriate tutoring level. Post on blogs and share.
EQ: What significant problems arose during testing?
Group discussion using completed BRI record sheets and information
Observations, testing, case study
Recommendations
·      Common Core video
·      Common core Treasure Hunt
·      S. share reading strategies posts
·      Handout: Best Way to Teach Children to Read
For the next session…
·      Locate two examples of children’s literature suitable for your tutee in the clinical setting. Bring them to Session 6. Post a synopsis of each on your blog. Tell how you utilized these in your tutoring.
·      Prepare your final critique of the 5 resource/instructional materials to share. Post and print.
·      Continue to post your reflective journal entries on your blog.
·      Work on Case Study

6
Research/instructional materials to teach reading skills shared
Discuss primary and adolescent literature characteristics
Engage in book leveling activity taking into consideration that student’s prior knowledge impacts leveling
·      Share critique of 5 resource/instructional materials from blog. Submit. 
·      Share 2 examples of children’s literature appropriate to your setting from blog.
·      Primary and adolescent videos and discussion
·      BRI Case Study - write final copy including analysis and synthesis of results, design and implementation of the tutoring program, and your evaluation of the success. Include your reflective journal entries.
·      Print and post.
·      Practicum III Evaluation – write a final blog post that describes your experience. Include items that were helpful and those you would like to see changed. 

7
Explore advantages and disadvantages of SIT, SORT, test of psychological processes of reading, visual discrimination, and auditory discrimination. 
Answer final questions about the case study
Discuss making recommendations for parents and teachers. (Individual conference about case study as requested)
Discussion of Practicum III
Review class journals
Share case studies
Evaluations and all assignments due
Sharing success: summarize using one word as an exit strategy

·      SEA – share and submit your chart and findings about formal and informal reading diagnostic evaluations.
·      BRI Case Study – sharing successes