· web viewa collaborative effort between elementary and secondary elar unveiled nine belief...

Humble Independent School District

English, Language Arts, and ReadingGrades K-12

Literacy Plan2015-2017

Proposed by

Livia Callahan Deborah Perez Elementary ELAR Coordinator Secondary ELAR Coordinator

Table of Contents

Executive Summary.......................................................................................2

Background...........................................................................................2

ELAR Belief Statements........................................................................3

Introduction to Plan...............................................................................3

ELAR Belief Statements Overview...............................................................4

Belief Statement 1.................................................................................4

Belief Statement 2 ................................................................................7

Belief Statement 3.................................................................................9

Belief Statement 4 ..............................................................................11

Belief Statement 5...............................................................................14





Humble ISD ELAR Action Plans..................................................................25

Elementary ELAR................................................................................25

Secondary ELAR.................................................................................28

References....................................................................................................31

Proposed 3/2015 Page 1

Humble Independent School DistrictLiteracy Plan Proposal

Executive Summary

BackgroundHumble Independent School District is committed to providing students with a positive academic and affective learning experiences, a commitment clearly outlined the district’s mission statement:

Our purpose, in partnership with families and community, is to develop each child intellectually, artistically, emotionally, physically, and socially so that all students are life-long learners, complex thinkers, responsible global citizens and effective communicators.

The Humble ISD Board of Trustees has adopted five goals to achieve the mission of the district. These goals apply for the year 2014-2015, when this literacy plan was proposed.

District Goal 1: Each student is on track to be college and career ready by graduation.

District Goal 2: HISD learning communities will provide students with a safe and nurturing school environment.

District Goal 3: HISD will attract, develop, and retain world-class educators committed to serving each student.

District Goal 4: HISD will develop and promote positive internal and external relations through effective communication and the involvement of stakeholders.

District Goal 5: HISD will support the district’s vision and mission through operations that are effective, efficient, and accountable

The English, Language Arts, and Reading Department in Curriculum and Instruction has, furthermore, outlined its goals and plans to help achieve the district goals and to ensure all students develop literacy and critical thinking skills that will help make them become life-long learners, complex thinkers, and effective communicators.

A collaborative effort between Elementary and Secondary ELAR unveiled nine belief statements that serve as the research-based foundational concepts that drive the district’s work with curriculum, instruction, and professional growth. The Department is committed to sustaining student growth in all areas of English and Language Arts— reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The foundation of that ambitious goal is insurance that every student develop proficient literacy skills among all of our students.


ELAR Belief Statements

Belief Statement 1: We believe in the gradual release model when teaching new/complex skills

Belief Statement 2: We believe that formal and informal formative assessments should guide instruction

Belief Statement 3: We believe differentiation in the ELAR classroom helps address the literacy needs of all learners

Belief Statement 4: We believe that initial guided writing instruction leads to the implementation of writer's workshop

Belief Statement 5: We focus on the elements of organization, idea development, and written language conventions within writing instruction

Belief Statement 6: We believe in writing weekly, if not daily, as a way to help students process new information or showcase mastery of content and skill

Belief Statement 7: We believe guided reading instruction helps prepare students for success in a reader's workshop environment

Belief Statement 8: We believe in specific genre studies that lead to multi-genre integration within reading and writing

Belief Statement 9: We believe in the integration of reading and writing

Introduction to Plan

Belief Statements Overview: This first section of this plan delineates the curriculum and instruction vision for Humble ISD ELAR Department. It provides an overview of each belief statement, outlining instructional practices that correspond with the belief statements. Each section, in addition, provides a brief description of district support and teacher resources which can aid in implementation of suggested strategies or can serve as further reading to build pedagogy in each area.

Three-Year Action Plan: The second component of this plan includes a three-year action plan that maps out the district's steps to address the literacy needs of our students in Humble ISD. This action plan, additionally, depicts the correlation between the ELAR Belief Statements and steps so that a clear alignment of the work and the vision becomes evident.


English, Language Arts and Reading Belief Statements Overview

Belief Statement 1We believe in the gradual release model when teaching new/complex skills

Overview: The gradual release of responsibility model is an instructional framework that proposes that a lesson move from direct teaching, to guided instruction, and then to independent student practice (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983). Also referred to as the “I do, We do, You do” model, this lesson cycle allows for the responsibility of learning and performing to be gradually placed on students with structured supports along the way, first through demonstration and then through guidance from the teacher or peers. Figure 1.1 illustrates the various components of the lesson, while denoting the degrees of and shifts in teacher and student responsibility.

Figure 1.1

(Fisher & Frey, 2007)

This instructional framework can be described as a continuum of learning and support (Figure 1.2) in which the task, the complexity of learning, and student’s need determine the level of support needed. Michael Graves and Bonnie Graves state that it is “through this process of gradually assuming more responsibility for their learning that students become competent, independent learners” (qtd in Fisher & Frey, 2007).


Figure 1.2

(Pearson & Gallagher, 1983)

The ELAR Department’s goal is that through the gradual release of responsibility, students are able to apply their new learning with little to no assistance from the teacher. Figure 1.3, furthermore, showcases the actions that can take place in the classroom during the varying components of the lesson.

As Humble ISD teachers work to embed appropriate levels of rigor and relevance in instruction, this support system offers a scaffolding tool to guide students through higher level thinking and rigor. These explicit levels of support offered through the gradual release of responsibility model ensures that complex thinking and tasks can be experienced, practiced, and then independently achieved by all students.


Figure 1.3

(Fisher & Frey, 2007)

District Support: Available professional development within the ELAR department models the gradual release of responsibility framework so that teachers can experience and implement the process. The gradual release model also serves as the foundational element of balanced literacy among Elementary ELAR classrooms.

Teacher Resources: Better Learning Through Structured Teaching: A Framework for the Gradual

Release of Responsibility by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey Scaffolded Writing Instruction by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey


Belief Statement 2We believe that formal and informal formative assessments should guide instruction. Overview: Carol Ann Tomlinson argues that “informative assessment isn't an end in itself, but the beginning of better instruction” (Dodge, 2011, p. 4). The purpose of formative assessments is to monitor student learning by providing ongoing feedback that can be used by the classroom teacher to drive instruction and to improve learning for all students (Sadler, 1989). Formative assessment is the most powerful type of assessment for improving student understanding and performance and can be as informal as observing the learner's work or as formal as a written test. Unlike the summative assessment, which is used by the teacher to evaluate student learning at the end of a unit, formative assessment is ongoing and is used to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses while also providing important data for classroom teachers to address problems immediately with struggling students.

Figure 2.1 provides examples that serve as standard formative assessment practices that can be utilized by Humble ISD ELAR teachers.

Figure 2.1FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT EXAMPLES

Informal Formal

Observations Student Writing Conferences Student Reading Conferences Exit Slips Questioning and Discussions Learning Logs Summaries or Reflection Writing Graphic Organizers or Visual

Representations Collaborative Activities

Essays Short Answers Portfolios Quizzes Projects Presentation or Speech

It is important to remember that when formative assessment data is used to plan the instructional needs of students, the “corrective instruction designed to help students must present concepts in new ways and engage students in different learning experiences that are more appropriate to them” (Dodge, 2009, p. 7).

District Support: The implementation of performance indicators within the curriculum encourages teachers to embed formative assessments within instruction. The


professional development offered within the ELAR Department also reinforces and models formative assessment instructional tools to be utilized in the classroom.

Teacher Resources: Check for understanding strategies

○ http://www.levy.k12.fl.us/instruction/Instructional_Tools/60FormativeAssessment.pdf

○ Lead4Ward Instructional Strategies from PLC Menu Student interactive response systems

○ https://www.plickers.com/○ https://getkahoot.com/○ http://www.socrative.com/

Online tools for formative assessments○ https://padlet.com/my/dashboard ○ https://www.edmodo.com/○ http://www.humbleisd.net/gafe - Google Forms

Book resources○ Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right - Using It Well by

Chappuis, Stiggins, Chappuis, and Arter


Belief Statement 3We believe differentiation in the ELAR classroom helps address the literacy needs of all learners.

Overview: Differentiation occurs when instruction is intentionally designed to meet the diverse needs of all learners. Differentiated instruction provides an alternative to the “one size fits all” lesson cycle that may not consider the needs of students who may need additional support or enrichment experiences. John Hattie provides further clarification of differentiation when he argues that it "relates more to addressing students' different phases of learning from novice to capable to proficient rather than merely providing different activities to different (groups of) students” (qtd in Tomlinson & Moon, 2013, p. 1). A differentiated classroom will, thus, be evidenced by a variety of scaffolding techniques that help increase rigor and help produce an appropriate learning outcome for all students.

Figure 3.1 is a concept map that demonstrates the varying elements of effective differentiated instruction. Within ELAR, teachers may differentiate in a variety of ways, including: strategically developing small groups where each group has a task that collectively addresses the appropriate skill-level; providing a variety of fictional and non-fictional pieces that encompass a range of reading levels and interests; providing student choice in learning venues (i.e., written text, audio, video when available and applicable); scaffolding the length and expectations of assignments; and offering student choice in a final product to illustrate mastery of a given concept. These suggestions help address components championed by Tomlinson & Moon (2013).

As Humble ISD teachers continue to incorporate the components of the Collaborative Instructional Rounds (CIR) Rubrics to increase rigor, relevance, and learner engagement for all students, planning for the diverse needs of all learners becomes essential. Differentiated learning opportunities, therefore, provide an avenue in which all students’ needs can be met while achieving varying levels of rigor and relevance.

District Support: Reading and Writing professional development offers examples of scaffolding or enrichment support to be implemented by teachers. Targeted SIOP trainings, GT trainings, and content differentiation professional learning opportunities are also offered. In addition, teachers are exposed to differentiated instructional tools to address the needs of learners within the Bilingual, ELS, Dyslexia, Read 180, or Reading Strategies classes.

Figure 3.1


(Tomlinson & Moon, 2013, p. 2)Teacher Resources:

● Assessment and Student Success in the Differentiated Classroom by Carol Tomlinson and Tonya Moon

● Making the Most of Small Groups Differentiation for All by Debbie Diller● The Differentiated Classroom by Carol Tomlinson● Twenty Five Quick Formative Assessments for a Differentiated Classroom by

Judith Dodge● Lead4Ward Instructional Strategies from PLC Menu

Belief Statement 4


We believe that initial guided writing instruction leads to the implementation of writer's workshop.

Overview: The purpose of initial guided writing instruction is to give students an opportunity to observe and learn a specific, targeted writing skill that they can practice and incorporate into their own writing. As students progress in their writing journey, they will participate in writer’s workshop. Within the writer’s workshop, modeled lessons are delivered in the form of a mini lesson, or a short, direct lesson focused on a specific procedure or technique. In a writer’s workshop, students write independently and undergo the varying stages of the writing process on different pieces of writing at different rates while the teacher monitors progress and confers with students. Each component of the writer’s workshop is briefly outlined in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1



Figure 4.2 - The Writer’s Workshop Organizer

District Support: Humble ISD ELAR Department emphasizes the implementation of writer’s workshop within curriculum documents, available district professional learning, team planning support, and instructional coaching feedback.

Teacher Resources: Guiding Readers and Writers by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C Fountas Enhancing Writing Instruction by Bonnie Campbell Hill and Carrie Ekey Writing Workshop by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi The Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy McCormick Calkins In the Middle by Nancy Atwell Write Beside Them by Penny Kittle Teaching Adolescent Writers by Kelly Gallagher Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher


Belief Statement 5Writing instruction focuses on the elements of organization, idea development, and written language conventions.

Overview: Teachers are responsible for delivering direct, modeled writing instruction as part of the writer’s workshop. While the mini lessons can cover any aspect of the writing process, the skills of focus should be centered on the elements of organization, idea development, and language conventions. These skills can be taught individually or within a small group, whole group, or a student/teacher conference. These writing skills center around the rubrics used to measure the success of a STAAR Composition in grades 4, 7, 9, and 10. These skills are also supported in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for each writing mode.

Figure 5.1 denotes the elements of organization, idea development, and language conventions as they relate to the assessed writing modalities: personal narratives, expository essays, and the persuasive essay.

Figure 5.1

(Humble ISD, 2015)


Organization. Effective writers must be able to organize a written text in a manner consistent with the purpose, topic, and audience. The information in the writing must be fluent and easy for the reader to understand. Students will revise their drafts to ensure the sentences are coherent and irrelevant details are omitted. All the ideas of the piece must flow in a logical sequence.

Idea Development. Students should be exploring the world around them as a source of ideas for their writing. It is important to notice events, people, and objects that could lead to a piece of writing. Teaching should encourage students to reflect on their experiences or real world events for ideas, as well as record their thoughts and observations. Exploration is vital in developing a purpose, finding and focusing on a topic, and fully developing their idea into a piece of writing. As illustrated in Figure 5.1, the ideas needed for each mode of writing vary per genre.

Language Conventions. Writers should use standard spelling, punctuation, and grammar to ensure the message of the writing is not hidden from the reader. When teaching students appropriate editing techniques, it is important to focus on sentence fragments, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. The goal should be to teach students that conventions can help them communicate their writing more clearly. However, students should not be so initially focused on conventions that they lose their creativity and flexibility as a writer.

The TEKS additionally call for other forms of writing aside from the assessed writing modes. These include literary or imaginative stories, literary response essays, dramatic scripts, poetry, research synthesis papers, and argumentation essays. Within these genres, teachers should also focus on the salient characteristics within organization, idea development, and written conventions, as denoted by the standards.

District Support: Revised curriculum documents emphasize the importance of writing modality skills which include organization, idea development, and written conventions. Additional support is provided within STAAR Writing professional development, online resources, and instructional coaching.

Teacher Resources: Guiding Readers and Writers by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C Fountas Crunchtime by Gretchen Bernabi Enhancing Writing Instruction by Bonnie Campbell Hill and Carrie Ekey Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi The Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy McCormick Calkins Teaching Adolescent Writers by Kelly Gallagher


Belief Statement 6We believe in writing weekly, if not daily, as a way to help students process new information or showcase mastery of content and skill.

Overview: Daily writing is as necessary as daily reading. It is difficult for inexperienced writers to conceptualize and finish a piece that is left unattended for days (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001). Students need the opportunity to build momentum and skill. To build writing fluency, students must develop a daily routine for writing, instead of experiencing a series of isolated assignments. The U.S. Department of Education offers suggestions about how often students should be writing in the classroom (Figure 6.1). Furthermore, it is imperative for students to receive feedback during writing conferences and sharing sessions while the writing is fresh in their mind.

Figure 6.1

HOW TO CARRY OUT THE RECOMMENDATION

The panel recommends a minimum of one hour a day devoted to writing for students, beginning in 1st grade (For students in kindergarten, at least 30 minutes each day should be devoted to writing and developing writing skills.). The hour should include at least 30 minutes dedicated to teaching a variety of writing strategies, techniques, and skills appropriate to students' levels, as detailed in Recommendations 2, 3, and 4 of this guide. The remaining 30 minutes should be spent on writing practice, where students apply the skills they learned from writing-skills instruction.Time for writing practice can occur in the context of other content-area instruction. In science, for example, lab reports require detailed procedural writing and clear descriptions of observations. Students also can write in kindergarten, at least 30 minutes each day should be devoted to writing and developing writing skills. imaginary diary entries of people from the time period they are studying in social studies. Additionally, students can write before, during, and/or after reading, to articulate what they already know, what they want to know, and what they learned. When teachers integrate writing tasks with other content-area lessons, students may think more critically about the content-area material

(Graham, 2012)

Embedding daily writing assignments will not only support writing skills, but it also serves to document a student’s learning experiences. Writing as a formative assessment can demonstrate a student’s level of mastery of skills or content. Figure 6.2 documents a list of ways that teachers can easily embed writing activities in the


classroom based on the intended purpose: to learn by writing or to demonstrate knowledge of concepts.

Figure 6.2

Writing to Learn Writing to Demonstrate Knowledge

Write-Pair-Share Exit Slip Journal Writing Dialectical Journaling Main Idea Statements Summary Writing Cornell Notes Graphic Organizers Learning Logs Quick Writes

Process Writing Expository Essays Persuasive Writing Research Papers Narrative Writing Poetry Response to Reading Short Answer Writing

(Humble ISD, 2015)

District Support: Curriculum instructional framework demands writing skills be practiced every unit. In addition, writing across the curriculum efforts encourage writing in all content areas.

Teacher Resources: Guiding Readers and Writers by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C Fountas Enhancing Writing Instruction by Bonnie Campbell Hill and Carrie Ekey Writing Workshop by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi The Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy McCormick Calkins Write Like This by Kelly Gallagher Twenty Five Quick Formative Assessments for a Differentiated Classroom by

Judith Dodge


Belief Statement 7We believe guided reading instruction helps prepare students for success in a reader’s workshop environment.

Overview: As students’ progress through grades kindergarten through 12th grade, they experience a variety of reading needs and approaches to reading. Whereas students in elementary are learning to read and require a specific reading approach as it applies to balanced literacy, students in secondary ELAR classrooms undergo a close-reading experience when interacting with text which allows them to reflect, make connection, and think critically about their reading.

Guided Reading Elementary Protocols. Students engage with texts in flexible small groups as the teacher provides explicit, differentiated instruction based on students’ individual needs as assessed from on-going data and evaluation collections. The teacher facilitates student learning through a gradual release model in which he/she supports reading increasingly more difficult text with accuracy, understanding, and fluency. The ultimate goal is for the student to monitor and adjust their own reading by implementing the use of multiple reading strategies as they learn to decode and comprehend texts (Clay, 1994). The common elements of guided reading instruction as well as strategies to implement are listed in Figure 7.1 and Figure 7.2 below.

Figure 7.1


Figure 7.2

(Burkins & Croft, 2010; Clay, 1994)


Guided Reading Secondary Protocols.Within Secondary ELAR, students are exposed to close-reading strategies that allow them to think critically and meaningfully about the text. The reading process, therefore, demands that teachers expose students to before, during, and after-reading practices that help readers solidify and extend the thinking of the text.

Before Reading. The teacher sets the purpose for reading as he/she asks the students to make predictions, discuss connections, and consider new or unknown vocabulary or ideas. Journal writing, anticipation guides, questioning strategies, or providing historical or cultural context for the reading help ensure before-reading activities have taken place. Beers (2003) defines the purpose of before-reading as more than just introducing text when she suggests the following purposes:

● Access their prior knowledge● Interact with portions of the text prior to reading● Practice sequencing, find cause and effect relationships, draw comparisons,

make inferences, and predict● Identify vocabulary that might be a problem● Construct meaning before they begin reading the text

(Beers, 2003, p. 94)

During Reading. The teachers guides students as they experience the text, asking questions, providing think alouds that showcase connections to background knowledge or other text, highlighting reading skills like literary elements and writing devices, and checking for comprehension. Beers (2003) suggests the following as the purposes for engaging in during-reading activities:

● Predict what will happen next● Question what they don't understand or what is confusing in the text● Monitor their understanding of the text● Identify ways to fix up what has confused them in a text● Clarify what has confused them● Comment on the text or their understanding of the text● Connect what they are reading to other texts or personal experiences● Visualize the text

(Beers, 2003, p. 105)

Text is read as a class, independently, in peers, or in groups. Students have a purpose for reading and are held accountable for learning taking place while reading. Suggested activities that accomplish this include a guided reading graphic organizer like text maps fishbone concept maps, dialectical journals, or Cornell notes. Provided study guides to


gauge reading should emphasize particular elements of text that address skills relevant for the reading only.

After Reading. The teacher provides an opportunity for students to process their reading and strengthen the intended skills within the reading. The teacher asks questions to check for comprehension and extend critical thinking. After-reading activities keep students engaged in the classroom while requiring them to revisit the text to support their conclusions about the text. After reading activities can include analytical essays, short-answer responses, reading projects, or RAFT writing activities.

In Figure 7.3, Beers (2003) proposes strategies for each step of the reading process that help students truly interact with text:

Figure 7.3Before Reading During Reading After Reading

Anticipation GuidesK-W-LProbable PassageTea Party

Double-Entry JournalsLogographic Cues - Marking TextBookmarksComparing-and-Contrasting Graphic OrganizersPost-it Notes - Marking TextCharacter Bulletin BoardsSyntax Surgery

Somebody Wanted But So - Summary WritingRetellings - Reader’s TheaterText Reformation - Alternate EndingsIt Says-I Say - Making Inferences

(Beers, 2003)

District Support: The offered foundational courses for new teachers stress the importance of the reading process. In addition, the Humble ISD offers resources, online tools, and coaching in the area of reading instruction.

Teacher Resources: Books by Debbie Miller

Making the Most of Small Groups Differentiation for All Reading With Meaning

Books by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C Fountas Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children The Continuum of Literacy Learning Grades PreK-8, Behaviors and Understandings to

Notice, Teach and Support The Continuum of Literacy Learning Grades K-2, A Guide to Teaching The Continuum Of Literacy Learning Grades 3-8, A Guide to Teaching Genre Prompting Guide for Nonfiction, Poetry and Test Taking Genre Prompting Guide for Fiction

Books by Kylene Beers Notice & Note


When Students Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do Belief Statement 8We believe in specific genre studies that lead to multi-genre integration within reading and writing

Overview: ELAR reading curriculum emphasizes the study of genres and their critical components, defined by the reading strands and reading student expectations. Students are encouraged to read a variety of authentic genres to solidify their understanding of the text, including its structure, purpose, language components, and devices that help the writer achieve his/her purpose. Through the progression of genre studies, students will be able to make comparisons across genres and analyze the effect on the ascertained similarities and differences. Humble ISD curriculum, furthermore, aligns genre studies with Figure 19 components in order to ensure alignment with the Reading State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) in grades 6 through 10. The following list comprises the essential genres to be studied in all ELAR classrooms.

Literary Texts:● Fiction – flash fiction, short stories, novellas, novels (including excerpts) with an

emphasis on characters, plot, point of view, and literary/structural elements● Poetry – lyrical ballads, narrative, epics, prose poems, free verse with an

emphasis on language and literary/structural elements● Drama – dramatic scripts, screenplays, plays (including excerpts) with an

emphasis on dramatic structures that enhance the plot and literary elements● Literary Nonfiction – autobiographies, personal essays, memoirs (including

excerpts) with an emphasis on language, context, and literary/structural elements● Embedded Media – photographs and visual graphics, embedded or paired with

informational texts , with an emphasis on tone, purpose, and message

Informational Texts:● Expository Texts – reports, biographies, newspaper and journal articles with an

emphasis on message, structure, author’s purpose, and main ideas/summaries● Persuasive Texts – editorials, articles, opposing view journals with an emphasis

on position, types of evidence, structural elements, language, and main ideas/summaries

● Procedural Texts – charts, graphs, how-to’s with an emphasis on embedded informational graphics that enhance message of informational piece

● Embedded Media – photographs and visual graphics, embedded or paired with informational texts, with an emphasis on tone, purpose, and message


Teacher Resources: Frayer Models for Genre Mastery and Comparisons Lead4Ward Genre Bookmarks Secondary ELAR Protected Reading List Mentor Texts that coincide with genre:

o Teentribune.com and tweentribune.como Teenink.como scholastic.como Flashfictiononline.como Poetry.com


Belief Statement 9Humble ISD ELAR believes in the integration of reading and writing.

Overview: The integration of reading and writing ensures accelerated learning in both areas. As students explore texts and topics of interest when reading, they develop skills and content knowledge as well as experience an author’s style. This allows the students to model the writing process and present their experiences or research in an organized manner. Teachers should teach reading and writing through the use of mentor texts with the students as actively, engaged participants. Academic discussions should take place pertaining to both the craft of the written word (e.g., noting connections to other texts, noticing how an author used words to convey a message, etc) as well as the thought processes the students are having (what are connecting to, inferring, questioning, wondering etc). By connecting a student’s reading and writing experiences, they are provided with a wide range of tools to help them build models in order to recognize and reflect on the structure of a text and connections among words.

Writing about Literature Reading for Writer’s Craft RAFT Writing Activities Dialectical Journals Journal Responses Quick-writes Analytical Essays Short Answer Responses Summary Writing

Mentor Text Reading Author’s Craft Analysis Strategies,

such as TPCASTT, TWIST, SOAPSTone, DIDLS

(Humble ISD, 2015)

District Support:Curriculum Documents illustrates the integration between reading and writing. Support in team planning sessions emphasizes the need for reading and writing connections.

Teacher Resources: Nonfiction Mentor Texts Teaching Informational Writing Through Children’s

Literature by Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose Cappelli Make It Real: Strategies for Success with Informational Texts by Linda Hoyt Teaching for Comprehension and Fluency: Thinking, Talking and Writing About

Reading, K-8 by Irene C Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell Guiding Readers and Writers: Teaching Comprehension, Genre and Content

Literacy by Irene C Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell


Humble ISD ELAR Action PlansElementary ELAR Action Plan: 2015-2017

Belief Statement Action Steps

Year 1(2014-2015)

Year 2(2015-2016)

Year 3(2016-2017)

Persons Responsible

Evidence of Implementation

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Curriculum Writing and Revisions that lead to curriculum implementation

Roll out New Curriculum documents(2014-2015)

New Curriculum Document ALT Training, Administrators, and New Teachers(August 2014)

Video on Revised Documents (October 2014)

Support with Team Planning using Curriculum Documents(2014-2015)

Update/revise curriculum documents training with performance indicators and technology infused

Continue to provide update trainings and edit documents according to feedback

ELAR Department

Curriculum Writers

Classroom teachers

Lesson plans

STAAR data

Observations

Feedback

5, 6 Expository Writing Professional Development

January 2015Emphasis is placed on the writing process including audience analysis, topic selection, development, editing and revision

Integrate Expository and Narrative Writing Professional Development

Integrate Expository and Narrative Writing Professional Development

ELAR DepartmentAcademic Lead Teachers and Classroom Teachers

Assessment data, rubrics, calibrations sessions, classroom walk throughs, and writing artifactsSTAAR Scores

5, 6 Interactive WritingSharing of the pen between teacher and children.

1/2015Direct and explicit instruction in phonology and word analysis. Teach students how written text works. Teach students the connections between what we write and read.

7/27/20159/12/2015Direct and explicit instruction in phonology and word analysis. Teach students how written text works. Teach students the connections between what we write and read.

7/28/20169/13/2016Direct and explicit instruction in phonology and word analysis. Teach students how written text works. Teach students the connections between what we write and read.

ELAR DepartmentAcademic Lead Teachers

Spelling inventory assessmentWriting samples


Elementary ELAR Action Plan: 2015-2017


Year 1(2014-2015)

Year 2(2015-2016)

Year 3(2016-2017)

Persons Responsible


9 Testing as a Genre

Analyze the genuine underlying skills that students need in order to be able to perform well on comprehensive tests.

2/2015This session will help teachers understand how to bridge test reading and strategy instruction.

1/2016This session will help teachers understand how to bridge test reading and strategy instruction.

1/21/17This session will help teachers understand how to bridge test reading and strategy instruction.

ELAR Department

Academic Lead

Teachers

STAAR DataObservationsWalk Throughs

3, 4, 5, 6 Professional Development using the work of Ralph Fletcher to advance the Writer’s Workshop process in all classrooms.

6/10/2015Kinder-Second Grade TeachersAssist teachers with setting up Writers Workshop routines, lessons, and writing time

September 2015-2016 Follow-up sessions for primary(K-2) grade band as well as intermediate(3-5)

Continue the work of implementing Writer’s Workshop

Dr. Sheri Pentecost(Consultant) and the ELAR Department

Trend data gathered from walking classrooms (observable writing opportunities, writing process in action, written work, assessment data).

3,4,5, 6 Professional Development using the work of Ralph Fletcher to advance the Writer’s Workshop process in all classrooms.

7/15/2015Third-Fifth Grade TeachersAssist teachers with setting up Writers Workshop routines, lessons, and writing time

September 2015-2016 Follow-up sessions for primary(K-2) grade band as well as intermediate(3-5)

Continue the work of implementing Writer’s Workshop

Dr. Sheri Pentecost(Consultant) and the ELAR Department

Trend data gathered from walking classrooms(observable writing opportunities, writing process in action, written work, assessment data).

2,3, 4, 5, 6 Expository and Narrative Writing Professional Development. Emphasis is placed on the writing process including audience analysis, topic selection, thesis support and development, editing and revision.

June 2014-June 2015Understand the “must haves” for the Expository and Narrative writing. Develop a central idea-elaborate supporting details to create depth.

January 2015-16Understand the “must haves” for the Expository and Narrative writing. Develop a central idea-elaborate supporting details to create depth.

January 2016-2017

Understand the “must haves” for the Expository and Narrative writing. Develop a central idea-elaborate supporting details to create depth.

ELAR DepartmentAcademic Lead Teachers and Classroom Teachers

Assessment data, rubrics, calibrations sessions, classroom walk throughs, and writing artifacts


Elementary ELAR Action Plan: 2015-2017


Year 1(2014-2015)

Year 2(2015-2016)

Year 3(2016-2017)

Persons Responsible


1,3, 7, 8 Foundations Level1 Guided Reading“live sessions” in Humble ISD classrooms.

Sept 2014-April 2015Provided new teachers/new to the grade level teachers the opportunity to experience and observe a” live “session of guided reading practices in a classroom.

March-April Walk the classrooms of those teachers who attended Level 1 Foundations to provide support, answer questions, offer resources

Sept 2015April 2016Provided new teachers/new to the grade level teachers the opportunity to experience and observe a” live “session of guided reading practices in a classroom.March-April Walk the classrooms of those teachers who attended Level 1 Foundations to provide support, answer questions, offer resources

Sept -April 2016-2017Provided new teachers/new to the grade level teachers the opportunity to experience and observe a” live “session of guided reading practices in a classroom.

March-April Walk the classrooms of those teachers who attended Level 1 Foundations to provide support, answer questions, offer resources

ELAR DepartmentClassroom TeachersAcademic Lead Teachers

Running RecordsReading GroupsPlanning SessionsWalk throughs

1,3, 7, and 8 Foundations Level 2Guided Reading “live sessions” in Humble ISD classrooms.

Upcoming for the 2015-16 School Year

Oct 2015Provide support and “live” experiences for any teacher who would like support.

Oct 2016Provide support and “live” experiences for any teacher who would like support.

ELAR DepartmentClassroom Teachers

Running RecordsReading GroupsPlanning SessionsObservations and Feedback from ”Live” sessions

1, 3, 4, 5, and 6

Support campuses with writing planning sessions

January 2015 September2015-16(ongoing sessions)provide additional resources and continue to support campuses in the area of writing.

September2016-17(ongoing sessions)provide additional resources and continue to support campuses in the area of writing.

ELAR DepartmentFacilitators and Specialists

Notes from planning sessions. Classroom walk-throughs, writing artifacts

6 Writing Across the Curriculum Efforts

Continue collaboration with Elementary Coordinators in the infusion of Writing Across the Curriculum (ongoing)

Ensure connection with Writing Across the Curriculum in provided relevant professional development (ongoing)


Content Coordinators

Academic Lead Teachers

Professional Development

Professional Development Goals

WAC Efforts in Curriculum and/or provided PD


Secondary ELAR Action Plan: 2015-2017


Year 1(2014-2015)

Year 2(2015-2016)

Year 3(2016-2017)

Persons Responsible


4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Curriculum Writing and Revisions that lead to curriculum implementation

Roll out of New Curriculum(2014-2015)

New Curriculum Document ALT Training(August 2014)

Webinar on Revised Documents October 2014

Support with Team Planning using Curriculum Documents(2014-2015)

Curriculum Revision and Technology Trainings (August 2015)

Performance Indicator and Resource development (Summer 2015)

Curriculum Writing for English IV and Electives (Fall 2015 and Spring/Summer 2016)

Continue Revisions of Curriculum Documents after feedback and data

Roll out new Curriculum for English IV and English Elective Courses (August 2016)

ELAR Coordinator

ELAR Facilitator

Curriculum Writers


Completed and Revised Curriculum Documents

Coordinator, Facilitator, and ALT Walkthrough Data of Classroom Observations

DBA and STAAR Scores

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 New ELAR Teacher Training and Support

New Writing Teacher Cohort - Writing calibration, professional development, classroom observations (November 2014)

Cohort Classroom Observations of other grade level members with reflection and next steps (February 2014)

New Teacher Cohort Job-Embedded Observation and Coaching (March 2015)

New ELAR Teacher Foundations Cohort II - professional development on reading and writing approach and writing calibration (August 2015)

Cohort I observations and online collaboration (September 2015)

Cohort II - Classroom observations of grade-level teachers (October 2015)

Cohort II - job-embedded observations and reflections (December 2015)

Online collaboration and support of Cohort I and Cohort II - Book Study and Lesson Reflections (Online January-March 2016)

New ELAR Teacher Foundations Cohort III - professional development on reading and writing approach and writing calibration (August 2016)

Cohort I and II observations and online collaboration (September 2016)

Cohort III - Classroom observations of grade-level teachers (October 2015)

Cohort III - job-embedded observations and reflections (December 2015)

Online collaboration and support of Cohort I - III - Book Study and Lesson Reflections (Online January-March 2017)

ELAR Coordinator

Lead New Teacher Cohort Support

ELAR Facilitator


New ELAR Teacher Cohort members

Meeting Agendas

Writing Calibration Sets

Veteran teacher observation forms

New Teacher Observation Logs

New Teacher ELAR Webinars and Website Resources and Collaboration




Year 1(2014-2015)

Year 2(2015-2016)

Year 3(2016-2017)

Persons Responsible


4, 5, 6, 9 STAAR Writing Training and Support

Expository Training (October and November 2014)

Expository Training with MS PLCs (December 2014)

Grammar Matters Series (December 2014)

Writer’s Workshop - Beyond the Basics - Title Campuses (January 2015)

Writing Crunch Time Title 1 Conference - (February 2015)

Expository Training - Beyond the Basics (June 2015)

Persuasive Essay Basics (July 2015)

Personal Narrative (August 2015)

May the Fours be With you - Achieving 4s on STAAR (June 2015, Jan 2016)

Revision Decisions (June 2015)

Grammar Matters Series (July 2015)

Expository Training - Beyond the Basics (June 2015)

Persuasive Essay - Beyond the Basics (Summer 2016)

Grammar Matters Series - Topics will vary depending on data and student needs

ELAR Coordinator

ELAR Facilitator


Teacher Session Presenters

Writing Consultants

Eduphoria Sign-In Sheets

Session surveys

Observation and Walkthrough Data

Online Resources and Webinars

7, 8, 9 STAAR Reading Training and Support

lead4ward Figuring Out Figure 19 Volume 2 (November 2014)

Short Answer Strategies and Support HS Teacher Training (January 2016)

Short Answers Strategies- Moving Beyond ACES(July 2015)

lead4ward Figuring Out Figure 19 Volume 2 (June 2015)

Cooling the Hot Spots (Fall 2015)

Figure 19 and Genre Studies Webinars (Before Bundles 2015-2016)

Short Answer - Showing Deep Understanding of Texts (July 2016)

Figure 19 and Genre Studies Additional Webinars (Before Bundles 2015-2016)

ELAR Coordinator

ELAR Facilitator



Reading Consultants


Session surveys

Observation and Walkthrough Data


1, 2, 3 Instructional Strategies Training and Support

Secondary ELAR ALTs Meetings featuring High-yield Strategies

Differentiation in the ELAR Classroom (August 2015)

Differentiation Strategies within Reading and Writing: Webinars & PLCs (2015-2016)

Additional Differentiation Session offered using Rigor, Relevance, and Learner Engagement Strategies (2016-2017)

ELAR Coordinator

ELAR Facilitator



Reading Consultants including ICLE


Session surveys

Observation and Walkthrough Data with campus feedback





Year 1(2014-2015)

Year 2(2015-2016)

Year 3(2016-2017)

Persons Responsible


1, 2, 3 Provide Focus Standards Lesson Samplars based on Data and Teacher Feedback

Initial TEKS-based Reading Lessons provided on website for teacher reference and use (January 2015)

Focus TEKS Lesson Samplars Writing (June 2015)

Lesson Samplars Roll Out (Prior to Relevant Bundles 2015-2016)

PLCs Lesson Design to Accommodate Rigor and Relevance (2015-2016)

Continue building R&R Lesson Samplars based on needs, feedback, and data

Video implementation of effective lessons to share with other teachers / campuses (2016-2017)

ELAR Coordinator

ELAR Facilitator


Teacher Lesson Plan Writers

Lessons available on website

PLC training on lessons agenda and sign-in sheets

Webinars

Online Videos of lessons

1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 Instructional Reading Best Practices Training and Support

Simple to Complex Inferences (July 2015)

Simple to Complex Inferences (Fall 2015)

Extending Complex Inferences (Spring 2016)

Close-Reading Strategies that Work at the Secondary Level (Fall 2015)

Simple to Complex Inferences (June 2016)

Close-Reading Strategies that Work at the Secondary Level (Summer 2016)

ELAR Coordinator

ELAR Facilitator



Reading Consultants

Book Study Forums


Session surveys



1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Instructional Writing Best Practices Training and Support

Implementing Writer’s Workshop in Secondary Classroom (June 2015)

Troubleshooting Writer’s Workshop - PLCs (Spring 2016)

Kelly Gallagher - Teaching Adolescent writers (Summer 2016)

ABYDOS Writing Sessions - (Summer 2016)

ELAR Facilitator



Writing Consultants


Session surveys


Writer’s Workshop Student Portfolios


6 Writing Across the Curriculum Efforts

Continue collaboration with Secondary Coordinators in the infusion of Writing Across the Curriculum (ongoing)



Content Coordinators


Professional Development

Professional Development Goals

WAC Efforts in Curriculum and/or provided PD


References

Allington, R. L., & Cunningham, P. M. (2002). Schools that work: Where all children read and

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Beers, K. (2003). When kids can’t read: What teachers can do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Burkins, J.M., & Croft, M.M. (2010). Preventing misguided reading: New strategies for guided

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Clay, M. (1994). Reading recovery: A guidebook for teachers in training. Portsmouth, NH:

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Dodge, J. (2009). Twenty-five quick formative assessments for a differentiated classroom. New

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Fisher, D. and Frey, N. (2007). Better learning through structured teaching: a framework for the

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