Using Content EnhancementUsing Content Enhancement

Routines to Ensure MasteryRoutines to Ensure Mastery

of Critical Content Despiteof Critical Content Despite

Poor Literacy SkillsPoor Literacy Skills

Dotti Turner

Certified SIM Professional Developer

Team Lead, Massachusetts Striving Readers Grant

Pam Leitzell

Certified SIM Professional Developer

Team Lead, Massachusetts Striving Readers Grant

CLC Framework

• Researchers at KU – CRL developed a frameworkcalled the Content Literacy Continuum (CLC; Lenz &Ehren, 1999).

• This structure provides a vehicle for

(a) considering the factors that influence the successof secondary literacy efforts.

(b) leveraging the talents of secondary school faculty.

(c) organizing instruction to increase in intensity as thedeficits that certain subgroups of students demonstratebecome evident.

A Continuum of Literacy Instruction

Level 1: Enhanced content instruction (strategic teaching to ensure

mastery of critical content for all regardless of literacy levels)

Level 2: Embedded strategy instruction (routinely weave learning

strategies within and across courses as part of large-group instruction)

Level 3: Intensive strategy instruction (ensure mastery of specific

strategies via research-based instruction in small groups and in tutoring)

Level 4: Intensive basic skill instruction (mastery of entry-level

literacy skills below the 4th grade level)

Level 5: Therapeutic intervention (mastery of language underpinnings

related to curriculum content, learning strategies, and entry level skills)

Level 1: Enhanced content instruction

Level 2: Embedded strategy instruction

Level 3: Intensive strategy instruction

Level 4: Intensive basic-skill instruction

Level 5: Therapeutic intervention

Strategic Intervention

Intensive Intervention

A Continuum of Literacy Instruction

Striving Readers

Criteria– Title 1 School District

– School-wide literacy intervention

– Targeted intervention for striving readers

– Randomized group research design

Eight Projects– Springfield/Chicopee, MA

– Portland, OR

– Danville, KY

– Chicago, IL

– Newark, NJ

– Ohio Dept of Youth Services, San Diego

– CA, Memphis, TN

A Continuum of Literacy Instruction

Level 1: Enhanced content instruction (strategic teaching to ensure

mastery of critical content for all regardless of literacy levels)

Level 2: Embedded strategy instruction (routinely weave learning

strategies within and across courses as part of large-group instruction)

Level 3: Intensive strategy instruction (ensure mastery of specific

strategies via research-based instruction in small groups and in tutoring)

Level 4: Intensive basic skill instruction (mastery of entry-level

literacy skills below the 4th grade level)

Level 5: Therapeutic intervention (mastery of language underpinnings

related to curriculum content, learning strategies, and entry level skills)

Content Enhancement Routines

Planning and Leading LearningCourse OrganizerUnit OrganizerLesson Organizer

Explaining Text, Topics, and Details

Framing RoutineSurvey Routine

Clarifying RoutineLINCS Vocabulary Routine

Teaching ConceptsConcept Mastery Routine

Concept Anchoring RoutineConcept Comparison Routine

Increasing PerformanceQuality Assignment Routine

Question Exploration RoutineRecall Enhancement Routine

ORDER Routine

Integrated Units

• Create a Unit Organizer for the unit.

• Assess what content is critical but

difficult for students to understand and

remember.

• Choose other Content Enhancement

Routines to address those needs, and

weave them together into an integrated

unit.

Learning Disabled Student

Unique needs in thefollowing threeareas:

• Reading and readingcomprehension

• Written expression

• Executive functioning

Reading and Reading Comprehension

• Low fluency rate

• Poor comprehension / retention

• Unable to identify main ideas and

supporting details

• Difficulty integrating new ideas to

existing knowledge

Written Language Expression

• Unable to organize information

• Does not connect facts and details in ameaningful way

• Provides very little elaboration on ideas

Executive Functioning

• Has difficulty sequencing

• Is unable to organize information

• Lacks self-monitoring skills when

planning and executing tasks

Here’s what his teachers

are saying …

• Is often unprepared for class

• Has difficulty understanding concepts

• Does not finish assignments

• Is not working up to ability

• Does not get the “big picture” - seems lost

• Has difficulty organizing time, materials,

belongings, or thoughts.

Social Studies and Science

“There so many facts in social studies and

science. I try to remember as many as I can, but

they just seem to fall out of my brain. I hope to

remember 65% of them since 65% is passing.”

“I try on the essays, but when I write, my mind just

goes blank. They are always telling us to

organize our information when we write.

Organizing is hard for me.”

GUIDES FOR

ESSAY

WRITING

The stock

market crash

a variety of

effects

responses by

Hoover

his treatment

of the Bonus

Army

Ideas of FDR, his

cabinet, and Brain

Trust

relief recovery reform

FACTS

PROMPTS

FOR ESSAY

WRITING

PROMPTS

FOR ESSAY

WRITING

CATEGORIZATION

English

“The books we read in English are so hard. Inever understand them! I always get lost. Inever read the whole thing.”

“When we discuss things in class, I try to lookbusy so that the teachers won’t call on me.”

“Usually we have to write some kind of essayabout each story. I don’t even know where tostart. How do I know what parts of the book Ishould talk about.”

Lord of the Flies

Concept Diagram

Group Project

Lord of the Flies

How did William Golding use symbolism to add depth and interest to this novel?

Big Idea / Concept

Math

“Math just seems to be learning maybe a

hundred different kinds of problems.

They all kind of run together in my mind,

and I can’t keep each of them straight.

Yeah, I don’t do my homework a lot.

Sometimes I take one look at it and

don’t know where to start.”

Expressions

Problem

Solving

Solving

Inequalities

Solving

Equations

STEPSCOMPARE and

CONTRAST

Massachusetts Striving

Readers Grant

• Initial Professional Development

• Coaching

• Teacher sharing and collaboration

• Impact on students

“ A dyslexic student’s route to learning isthrough meaning. Rote memory will not workwell.”

“They need a “top-down, big pictureapproach, teach ideas first, establishcategories for different groups of facts,and point out connections within andbetween categories.”

Sally Shaywitz, MDOvercoming Dyslexia