Designing a Literacy Lesson:

Explicit Strategy Instruction, Independent Practice, and

Diverse Response Activities

Objectives

Review Cornett’s Seven Main Literacy Events

Describe the important instructional routines included in explicit strategy instruction (with framework for modeling the what, why, and how of strategy use)

Introduce the Lesson Plan Assignment

Review the Homework Assignment

Moving through the semester with your graphic organizer

3 of 8 Big Ideas about teaching comprehension

and response in elementary school

What do you notice about how we’ve spent 1/3 of our semester?

WHY???

????????

??????????

7 Main Literacy Events (according to Cornett)

Opening Literacy Routines

Interactive Read Aloud (IRA)

Daily Engaged Independent Reading (DEIR)

Small Group/Independent Work

Writing Workshop

Embedded Comprehension Instruction in content areas

Performances and Exhibits

Which of these are non-negotiable?

Interactive read-aloud/think-aloud

Small group instruction/independent work

Independent reading (engaged and purposeful)

Writing (does not have to be writing workshop)

Embedding comprehension instruction in content areas

What about the other ones?

Opening Literacy Routines (OLR)– We always have routines to both organize instruction

and prepare students for the day’s learning. The instruction does not have to be singing/chanting, etc., as in Cornett’s examples

Performance and Exhibits– It is always a good idea to allow students to showcase

their work, but there are more ways to do this than presented in your text, and their focus is not always on comprehension (e.g. may be focused on writing)

So, where does Explicit Teaching fit in?

And what does it look like?

Explicit Teaching

Explicit: Clear, detailed, and obvious (reading is a process and sometimes it’s hard work)

Implicit: Implied or hidden (reading is a mystery…)

Noticing Good Teaching (p. 120-123)

MODEL (what, why, & how) – DEFINE: (WHAT) label the strategy and define in kid terms

– EXPLAIN: • (EXPLAIN WHY) why is it useful and when

• (EXPLAIN HOW) Think-aloud: How do you do this? Make your inner voice explicit and obvious.

SCAFFOLDED PRACTICE (I do, we do, you do, redo)

This modeling touches on all three types of strategic knowledge

DEFINE: (WHAT) label the strategy and define in kid terms > DECLARATIVE KNOWLEDGE

EXPLAIN: – (WHY) why is it useful and when

• CONDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

– (HOW) Think-aloud: How do you do this? Make your inner voice explicit and obvious.

• PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE

Example of Explicit Strategy Instruction: Classroom Snapshot Ch. 5 (p. 119-123)

MODEL (what, why, & how) > gradually release– Define What: Today we’re going to learn about another ‘during

reading’ strategy called Image. Image starts just like a word you know: imagination. It means to make pictures in your heads.

– Explain Why: Good readers make images to help connect with characters and to make reading more interesting.

– Explain How: Let me show you how. When I read dog, I make an image in my head of a dog…reddish fur…silky…so big…floppy ears…brown eyes… Notice how I was thinking as I visualized…what were the visual images I made in my head? Call attention to the chart (color, line, shape, size, texture, smell)

– Model again with another example (cat) and walk children through the categories of visual elements.

– Try another word – this time with a partner (but in group).

I DO

I DO

I DO

WE DO

Another example of Modeling Phase of Explicit Strategy Instruction

MODEL Analyze Strategy (what, why, & how) Define What: To analyze something is to zoom in and examine its parts very closely and then zoom out to see how everything fits togetherExplain Why: In a story, zooming in on the main character’s problems at the beginning and how they are resolved at the end can help you better understand the author’s theme. Explain How: Let me think-aloud as we revisit Chapter 3…, Chapter 5…and Chapter 9 to zoom in and notice the problem and how the main character deals with the problem. Let’s see how his actions begin to change across the chapters in a way that highlights a message the author is trying to send us about how people deal with the challenges life presents .…(use boxes and chart the problems each chapter….)

Interactive Read-Aloud

After Modeling, Scaffolded Practice

I DO (MODEL = define and explain, then give a think-aloud example or two)

WE DO = scaffolded group practice with teacher coaching, listening, offering suggestions, asking questions, cueing, more examples, descriptive feedback

YOU DO = scaffolded independent practice with coached directions and then try yourself (with peers, partner, alone) and then questions, cues, feedback

RE DO = cued independent use/debriefing (reminder to use strategy elsewhere during the day)

Key Principles of Strategy Instruction

Teach strategies at all ages and stages (young children are capable of using 4-5 strategies at the same time)

Teach a repertoire of strategies (Strategy Packs – p. 35 in your text) RT, QAR, CORI, QtA, etc.

Differentiate: vary instruction to “make skillful adjustments to learner characteristics” (all those things we noted in the LEAD21 series… PARTICULAR)

Resources to Support Your Strategy Instruction

Cornett Chapter 2, p. 128-132, and Appendix B

Your strategy assessment assignment

Article by Cathy Collins Block about “Think-Aloud Models” for each strategy (see wiki)

Chapter by Jan Richardson about differentiating strategies with “literal, interpretive, and evaluative” levels of thinking for each strategy (see wiki)

Where does explicit strategy instruction fit into a literacy lesson?

Modeling Strategy Use Where is think-aloud in the process?

THINK-ALOUD SCRIPT

part of…

I DO: Model/Think Aloud– Introduce, Explain, and Define Strategy

Components– Notice and apply strategy components– Clarify strategy purpose before send off to practice

WE DO (small group practice)YOU DO (peer/independent practice in center work or seatwork) RE DO (apply later in the day in other readings and content area studies)

LESSON PLAN

Model, think-aloud, and SCAFFOLD your strategy support

Promote Independence by Gradually releasing Responsibility

I DOYOU WATCH

WE DO I DO

YOU HELPYOU DO

I HELPYOU DO

RE DO

What about Guided Reading?

We hear the term guided reading, what does that mean?– The teacher works with a small group of students and

« guides » them through the reading process.– Usually, students are reading books that are

appropriate to their reading level, rather than everyone reading the same book

– Focuses on problem solving (difficult words, structure, comprehension) teaching students how to monitor their reading and adjust when necessary

Guided Reading Across the Grade Levels

K-1: Concepts of print; early phonics (letter-sound relationships); intro to genres

Grades 2-3: Integrating reading comprehension and vocabulary strategies across multiple genres

Grade 4-6: Deeper understanding of story elements (plot, characters, theme) & informational texts (key ideas and supporting details)

Where does Guided Reading fit into a balanced literacy program?

Whole Group (Read Aloud/Shared Reading): experience literary work they cannot yet decode and participate in higher level text discussions

GUIDED READING (Modeling > Practice with books at their reading level)

Independent Reading: Center

Activities/Response Journals/Discussion Circles: Revisit & think more deeply about text and co-construct new understanding

What happens during guided reading? TEACHER’s role

Before: Select appropriate text; introduce (activate background knowledge & introduce challenging vocab, ideas, themes); Set a purpose for reading

During: Listens in; observes strategy use; interacts when having difficulty; teaches a mini-lesson that addresses challenge; makes notes

After: Invites personal response/discussion, assesses understanding of what is read

What happens during guided reading? STUDENT’s role

Before: Engage in conversation about text; ask questions; build expectations; notice info in text

During: read the whole text or a certain section for a certain purpose (silently or softly when younger); NOT ROUND ROBIN! monitor understanding & apply strategies/request help when problem solving

After: Talk about text; revisit the text; engage in extending and responding to the text (reading and writing)

How does guided reading differ from reading workshop?

Reading workshop usually means that students are reading a book at their level (you might hear something like “a just right book for every student all the time”)

The teacher usually instructs the whole group via a “mini-lesson” before students read

As students read, the teacher serves as a facilitator, checking in with students and instructing when needed

Students usually keep some record of their reading (a journal perhaps) and have the opportunity to discuss their text with others (who did not read it)

What about a basal program?

A “basal reading program” sometimes called a “core reading program” is a series of student anthologies and teacher’s editions that move sequentially through skills and strategies

In most basal programs, students are reading the same text at the same time

In small groups, students may then be reading a different text (easier or harder)

Lesson Plan Assignment

Let’s look at Sample Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan Assignment Handout

Lesson Plan Template

Questions??

Writing Learning Objectives for your Lesson Plans

Three Criteria for a Learning Objective

Clear – Usually just one sentence

Precise– Precise verbs that reflect the thinking your students

will be doing – Set a context (Given…; After…; Before…)

Measurable – How will you measure the “quality” (%age or criteria

met)– Start with the top level and work backwards through

average and below average

Writing Learning Objectives

Given _____, students will _____ (verb and specifics) with (measurable) ____% accuracy or to a certain level

Reading Process: What strategy will students apply as they interact with this text?

Response: How will students respond to the deeper meaning within the text? (theme, character development)

Examples

Students will use a three-column “prediction journal” to make and revise at least two meaningful predictions in chapters 43 & 44 and state the clues they used to make those predictions.

Students will use a “Character Summary” worksheet to describe the personality and physical attributes of an assigned character as well as his/her relationship with Maniac Magee and his/her feelings toward racial segregation.

Reading strategy objectives

The student will– Predict and confirm– Summarize the key issues– Monitor their understanding– Ask questions/reflect– Show the relationship between concepts– Make inferences and support with evidence – Draw conclusions– Make connections between – Visualize

Use your Cornett text and handouts for examples and ideas

Reading Response Objectives

Discuss change/growth in character

Respond to/reflect on “big ideas” or optimistic message

Respond by connecting to…

Noticing author’s craft (plot, language, etc.)

Extend with interdisciplinary connections (art, poetry, drama, Internet workshop, journaling)

See Cornett Ch. 9 for other response ideas!

Use your textbook for examples and ideas

Homework

Thursday: Book Activity 3 (Cinderella Pre-Class Activities – bring to class with book)

For Tuesday, October 20: – Finish Post-Class reflection for Book Activity 3

(about 30 minutes) – Read Magic Treehouse (about one hour) – Book Activity 4 (Five Minute Strategy Script from

Magic Treehouse) (one hour)