Literacy Without Limits: Help for the Struggling Students

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2011/12 Program Schedule

101. Whole Group Sharing

The group member responsible for leading the discussion for each job in the poetry circle shares the group's conclusions with the whole class.

102. Prior Knowledge and Generating Questions

After an oral review of key facts from the previous lesson, using a KWL Chart, Sam records what the students know and want to know, providing focus for struggling students in their reading of informational text.

103. Study Squares

The students simultaneously review and preview vocabulary by assembling a puzzle the teacher made. As Brandy circulates, she poses questions or offers help based on the student's level of understanding

104. Graphic Organizer: "We Do It"

After modeling how to record information on the graphic organizer, Tammy and the students work together-she shares her notes and has students record key ideas.

105. Graphic Organizer: "You Do It"

Finally, Tammy has the students read, record, share, and compare their notes with hers. The students read short sections of text so both Tammy and they can monitor their comprehension.

106. Jigsaw Reading: Gist and Structured Note Taking

The students read a small amount of text with the directive to write the gist with their groups and share with the whole class. As scaffolding, they used a structured note-taking guide to record gist statements for the longer sections they read next.

107. Ranking Vocabulary

The students determine which are the key vocabulary terms from the list they have compiled. This activity engages the students with the vocabulary and affords the teachers a chance to assess student understanding.

108. Word Storming A-Z

The students tap into their own prior knowledge by brainstorming vocabulary, writing it on a graphic organizer, and then sharing with a group. They continue to share as "spies" look for additional words from other small groups. They are focusing on multiple encounters with key words they will read in their assignment.

109. Reading for Answers

To engage the class as they read the text sections together, Susan asks students to look for the answers to one or two questions before reading each paragraph. Using a computer program with infrared technology, Susan projects the questions with multiple-choice answers on a screen in the front of the room. Each student answers the question using a keypad much like a television remote. The program instantly shows a graph of how the students answered asa class. Another way students read is in a learning log dedicated to writing to learn activities.

110. Generating Questions During and After Reading

During the reading, students pause to generate and write questions on their graphic organizers. After reading, the students generate questions that may lead to research. Debbie describes a project that requires her students to locate text features in various places.

111. Whole Group (Mullaney and Tandy)

In a whole group sharing session, the students talk about the meaning of synthesizing in reading

112. Grouping Fluidity (Mullaney and Tandy)

Laura explains how she and Jenny form needs-based groups and how they use on-going assessment to group and re-group students.

113. Grouping Considerations (Mullaney and Tandy)

Laura and Jenny talk about considerations in forming groups and working with struggling students.

114. Planning for Struggling Readers (Mullaney and Tandy)

Laura and Jenny use assessment data and teacher observation to incorporate appropriate scaffolding and differentiation into their instruction.

115. Small Group Instruction - Achieving Synthesis (Mullaney and Tandy)

Laura scaffolds specific comprehension thought processes her students need to synthesize what they have read. First, she helps them establish prior knowledge, examine text features, and read a chunked amount of text. She assesses comprehension as they read. The students combine these strategies as they read and share what they have synhesized.

116. Small Group Instruction - Word Attack (Mullaney and Tandy)

Students regroup for explicit instruction in word attack skills. When sounding out the word does not work, students try other strategies such as chunking it, reading on, reading back and using picture clues.

117. Small Group Instruction - Guided Reading (Mullaney and Tandy)

Jenny does explicit comprehension instruction in her guided reading group by encouraging students to use text features and questioning using post-it notes.

118. Read and Respond (Mullaney and Tandy)

Students read self-selected books and respond in writing. They have a list of topics to cue their responses; this also serves as an assessment tool for the teachers.

119. Literacy Work Stations (Mullaney and Tandy)

Student activities include word games, partner reading for fluency, and informational reading.

120. Active Reading Strategies for Marking Text (Mackin)

Lisa's students use active reading strategies and mark the text they are reading to monitor their comprehension. Lisa explains the scaffolding process she uses for her students to learn the active reading strategies.

121. Review of Story Elements (Mackin)

To prepare for writing an open response, Lisa leads an explicit review of the story's problems and outcomes and the changes that took place in the characters; the students summarize the story by focusing on the beginning, middle, and end.

122. Open Response (Lisa Mackin)

Lisa provides explicit, sequential instruction, and practice for her students to successfully complete this writing-to-demonstrate-learning assignment. The students analyze the question and plan a writing strategy using a graphic organizer.

123. Text Features and Generating Questions Before Reading (Clark)

The students brainstorm orally to activate their prior knowledge. They look over the text features to further establish prior knowledge, predict, and write questions that promote active reading.

124. Student Text Feature Project (Clark)

Debbie describes a project in which students independently apply what they've learned about identifying and using text features with newspapers and magazines.

125. Technology-Based Supplemental Reading (Padgett and Russell)

The fourth-graders in the classes do individual reading work determined by pre-testing early in the school year. Dawn and Robin circulate to monitor students and offer explicit instruction as they observe the students' progress.

126. Monitoring Students (Padgett and Russell)

The teachers circulate among the students monitoring and providing explicit instruction where needed.

127. Vocabulary Review (Neal)

Jaime introduces the vocabulary the students need to review for a test and models couplet writing.

128. Writing Science Musical Couplets (Neal)

The students review the directions for the written assignment, Jaime offers cues to help them start, and the students write couplets and illustrate them.

129. Multiple Intelligences, Student Choice, and Students Finding Pathways to Learning (Neal)

Jaime shares insights into his instructional practices.

130. Community Reading: Creating a Classroom Culture (Lakhwani)

Monica establishes a comfort zone for her students by helping them make personal connections before they read.

131. Community Reading: Guided Reading (Lakhwani)

The students do a guided reading of the story, stopping to mark the text at intervals. They predict, question, infer, offer opinions, analyze the author's purpose, and determine the theme. Monica models fluency. The students process the information in small chunks.

132. Touchstone Text; Concept Wall (Lakhwani)

Monica's students mark their texts creating touchstone texts for future reference. The concept wall is an alphabetical reference list.

133. Review of Phonemes (Simpson)

D reviews the class routine and leads the students in a choral review of sounds focusing on letters of the alphabet including short vowel sounds and digraphs as they look at a key word for each sound.

134. Phoneme Segmentation - Cookie Tray Activity (Simpson)

Using magnetic letters for this multi-sensory activity, the students tap out phonemes as they sound them and move the letter magnets.

135. Blending Game (Simpson)

The students must blend the sounds D gives and find the word on one of the game cards.

136. Assessment (Simpson)

D does ongoing formative assessment to determine the next step in planning instruction.

137. Thought Process for Finding the Main Idea (Shriver)

Rhonda reviews the thought process students will use for identifying the topic or subject of a paragraph, and then for stating the paragraph's main idea.

138. Learning Logs and Learning Partners (Christy)

Susan begins class by connecting to prior knowledge of the previous day's key concepts. She questions the students orally and provides a visual element.

139. Vocabulary (Christy)

When planning the unit, Susan selects challenging vocabulary the students will encounter and writes a definition for each word using children's and collegiate dictionaries. She introduces the vocabulary list and provides multiple opportunities for the students to engage with the words before they read the text, including a pre-test, a "sind and guess" activity, and an application activity in which students can demonstrate they understand and can use the selected vocabulary before they encounter the words in the text.

140. Text Preview (Christy)

Susan guides her students in the use of text features to establish prior knowledge and make predictions before they read a section of the textbook.

141. Text Tips for Meeting Literacy Challenges (Christy)

Susan describes the next step in the lesson, guided reading. Working independently, students read a summary of the text they read in class with key words missing. Students review the text read in class and plug in the correct answer in the paraphrased version.

142. Poetry Circles - Giving Students the Tools (Petroze)

Christy describes how she introduces each job of the poetry circle one at a time at the beginning of the school year. She makes connections with core content and is intentional in her selection of poetry for explicit skill and strategy practice.

143. Getting Started with Poetry Circles (Petroze)

Christy reviews the process, the students decide on their jobs, and they begin reading the poem. The students use the packets they have annotated as cues and references.

144. Poetry Circles in Action: Jobs and Discussions (Petroze)

The students use their job descriptions and annotations to guide their analysis of the poem and record their responses on the group packet. Christy circulates, listening and offering cues

145. The Value of Poetry Circles for Struggling Learners (Petroze)

Christy explains how poetry circles allow for differentiation in questioning, scaffolding, and group construction of meaning through peer discourse.

146. Poetry Circles: Planning and Grouping (Petroze)

Christy talks about her planning process, including her analysis of the material to find possible problems students might encounter. She varies her grouping pattern.

147. Explicit Instruction - Preparing for Reading (Parham)

Melita prepares her students for reading by engaging them in multiple experiences with vocabulary. They review affix meanings, do choral reading of words, determine meanings for word wall words, and use structural analysis on several words.

148. Explicit Instruction - During Reading (Parham)

The students track with their fingers to maintain focus as they follow the story. Melita guides the reading with questions.

149. Pilot Math Program (Rohrer)

Melissa describes the pilot program and the rationale for grouping students.

150. Technology/Smart Board (Rohrer)

A video projected on the Smart Board engages the students and introduces the vocabulary for the lesson.

151. Resource Booklet: Note Taking (Rohrer and Howard)

Melissa and Jennifer developed a resource booklet for students to take structured notes in a consistent manner. It also serves as a way for teachers to scaffold the material and differentiate when appropriate.

152. Interactive Activity - Smart Board (Rohrer)

After taking notes, the students enjoy an interactive, engaging content review.

153. Co-teaching/Collaboration/Planning (Rohrer)

Melissa explains the roles the collaborating teachers play.

154. Classroom and Organization (Roberts)

Brandy surrounds students with cultural artifacts as well as vocabulary they may need for reference. Portfolios help students organize, serve as references, and provide visuals and connections for varied learning styles. Other strategies Brandy uses include individual and partner work, transitions with student singing, and guided or scaffolded reading.

155. Entrada Journal (Roberts)

As the students enter the room, they pick up their portfolios and write a cued response in their Entrada (Entrance) Journals. The prompt provides a personal connection to class content. Brandy makes a cultural connection by giving the students pesos.

156. Transition 1 (Roberts)

Using a color review as a transition to the next activity provides focus for students who need it and connections for both visual and auditory learners.

157. Pre-Reading - Scanning and Text Features (Roberts)

The students scan to preview the text. Explicit instructions about what to look for make the text less intimidating for students who struggle.

158. Partner Reading (Roberts)

In pairs, the students alternate reading paragraphs, allowing those who struggle to hear and practice reading, Brandy circulates, gathering information for formative assessment, encouraging students, and rewarding their efforts.

159. Transition 2 (Roberts)

Brandy appeals to visual and auditory learners by reviewing colors using a xylophone and choral response.

160. Transition 3 (Roberts)

The students sing the alphabet song and days of the week as transition and reviews as Brandy collects the study squares and prepares for an authentic reading using vocabulary encountered in the squares. The students have acquired prior knowledge to give them confidence as they read more difficult material.

161. Exit Activity (Roberts)

The students complete a Salida, or exit slip, in which they reconstruct the purpose of the lesson by offering an explanation and supporting details.

162. Reading an Authentic Passage (Roberts)

The students read a more difficult passage from an authentic, non-text book source. They follow a guided reading sequence, the "Functional Literacy Strategy Reading Guide," which Brandy has designed to allow students with varied learning styles to respond confidently and successfully.

163. Overview (Kloeker)

D'Anna describes the Fast Forward program and the benefits to students who are struggling readers.

164. Skills Practiced (Kloeker)

D'Anna describes the skills students are practicing at the various levels of the program.

165. Teacher Monitoring (Kloeker)

D'Anna describes the way in which she monitors student progress and provides individual support as needed.

166. Benefits of Technology (Kloeker)

D'Anna talks about the way in which technology has benefited the students in the Title I reading program.

167. Student Self-Monitoring (Kloeker)

D'Anna describes how students regularly note their progress on individual color-coded charts.

168. Frayer Model for Concept Development (Proctor)

Students draw the Frayer Model, a graphic organizer with both written and nonlinguistic representations of the topic.

169. Technology Assisted Reading Using a Double Entry Organizer (Proctor)

Special software allows Sam to scan an article and highlight it in sections so the students can focus on small amounts at one time as it is read on the computer monitor. This differentiated instruction allows students who struggle with grade level reading to access content. Students take double entry notes, one side for facts from the reading and the other side for questions, thoughts, and ideas.

170. Whole Group Sharing (Proctor)

After the students read and take notes, they share what they learned and record it in the L column of the KWL Chart.

171. Previewing Vocabulary (Dykes, Raleigh-Collins, Wells)

Jessica and her collaborators, Sheri and mandee, introduce vocabulary selected because the words are unfamiliar, archaic, or have multiple meanings. The students write each word on a whiteboard, listen to the definition, and create a visual representation to serve as a mnemonic device. This type of introduction to vocabulary addresses varied learning styles.

172. Journal Entry (Dykes)

Jessica directs the students to write a cued journal entry as a text-to-self connection and a way of tapping into prior knowledge that will help them comprehend the play. She stresses the importance of making connections for students who struggle with literacy.

173. Dramatization (Dykes, Raleigh-Collins, Wells)

Jessica, Sheri, and Mandee perform a dramatic reading to provide background before the students begin reading the play. This is helpful for both visual and auditory learners.

174. Comparison/Contrast Using Venn Diagram (Dykes)

The students do a writing to learn exercise using a graphic organizer to help make text-to-text connections. The exercise also provides more prior knowledge for reading the play.

175. Collaboration in the English III Classroom (Wells)

Mandee talks about her role as a collaborative teacher, explaining how she interacts with the students, assists in planning, and modifies work for students.

176. Modeling "Say Something" (Campbell)

Karen models the Say Something strategy using cues to stimulate responses to a familiar story. She provides scaffolding for the students in the form of cues in the categories of Clarify Thinking, Make a Prediction, Ask a Question, Make a Comment, and Make a Connection.

177. "Say Something" (Campbell)

Each teacher works with a group of students. The students select the first reading. Reading orally, they pause after small chunks, then draw a card, and offer a response.

178. Course Description (Campbell)

Karen talks about the course, which is designed for students who need explicit instruction. She explains how it fits into the school day.

179. Sustained Silent Reading with Writing Connection

Jessica begins her class with sustained silent reading, an important activity for students since research indicates that children need to read in volume to become proficient readers (Allington 2000). The students respond in their journas to a prompt that promises active reading and clarifies their thoughts about the content. The prompt also gives them an opportunity to practice the strategies and skills they've been taught.

180. Before Reading Strategies

Struggling readers often begin reading without preparation. Before her students read an article, Jessica reviews the use of text features and checking prior knowledge, strategies mature readers use to improve comprehension. Questions posted on the wall remind her students to use these strategies consistently.

181. Visualizing Vocabulary

Sheri, the reading coach, and Mandee, the special education collaborator, join Jessica for vocabulary instruction using individual whiteboards. The instructional activity taps into varied learning styles for differentiation as the students form graphic representations of words and make personal connections to remember the meanings.

182. Graphic Organizers

Carol projects a graphic organizer on the board and models note taking and diagramming for the whole group. The graaphic organizer serves as support for the studeents as they do proofs.

183. Proof Puzzles

The students work in groups to organize the puzzle pieces into a proof and write a congruent statement. Carol circulates aong the groups using differentiated questioning as a strategy to help students with varied levels of understanding construct the proofs

184. Compare and Contrast Guided Exercise

The students critique different approaches to doing proofs after they have been exposed to several examples. They use a guided worksheet that cues them to appropriate questions.

185. Real Life Connections

As a culminating project the students go on a scavenger hunt and take pictures of real life examples of the concepts they have studied.

186. Establishing Prior Knowledge

As a prior knowledge foundation the day before this lesson, the students assembled puzzles to develop the concept of borders and pieces that fit together. This type of hands-on activity is especially beneficial for students who struggle.

187. Graphic Organizer: "I Do It"

Tammy guides the students as they record information on graphic organizers. She scaffolds, first by showing the students the key ideas she recorded from the reading.

188. Student Synthesis - Mission Possible Packet

Tammy uses the theme from "Mission Impossible" as a transition to the hands-on activity in which the students use evidence from their graphic organizers to construct meaning. Tammy supplies them with a packet, which includes the tools they need to create a Pangaea. The activity provides for varied learning styles.

189. Skimming and Scanning

Before reading the introductory informational material, students skim and scan to establish prior knowledge of the vocabulary they will encounter.

190. Cinquain

For homework, the students are assigned to write a cinquain, a poem based on a specific number of words and word types for each line. This activity is writing to show knowledge and synthesize ideas, as well as a formative assessment.

191. Collaboration Planning for C-Teaching

Karen shares information about how she and Meg plan for co-teaching. She also points out how they, as co-teachers, incorporate differentiation into their questioning.

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