ELA Curriculum Review

June 8, 2011

GARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Charge to the Committee

• Conduct a comprehensive review of existing practices in ELA/Reading

• Analyze English Language Arts testing data

• Draw conclusions

• Make recommendations

Who’s WhoPrimary/Elementary: Secondary:Audrey Bellovin Bernadette ArnoneSamantha Bennett Maria CafaroMary Ann Bliss Nanine CuttittaJenny Campbell Diane DolanMichelle Ciquera Alison FasuloJane Emmett Carmine FilosaMary Freese Kathleen Giannotta Janet Gonzalez Kim GreenwaldKeri Hand Susan LeeJane Jordan Peter OsroffBrenda McCarthy Niki PaloubisMarilyn Prager Samara SkolnikJean Ricotta Amanda TaraziSuzanne Viscovich Julie ZafiropoulosEileen Vota

NYS ELA StandardsMay 2005

STANDARD 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding

STANDARD 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression

STANDARD 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation

STANDARD 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction

What’s new?

• Changes to the NYS Assessments

• Adoption of Common Core State Learning Standards(CCSS) for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects

ELA Best Practices

National Council for Teachers of English (Position Statements)

Students should have opportunities for:

Balanced literacy to establish reading as a function for pleasure and knowledge acquisition.

Writing to provide the development of effective communication.

Consistent units of study that foster a community of learners.

Opportunities in the spirit of open inquiry to research/write/present.

Reading support to strengthen skill sets.

Writing Instruction: What We Do

Expose students to varied writing experiences as a key component of the curriculum

Strengthen skills that foster individual growth

Our Instruction includes:

Research / writing

Portfolio/journaling

Writing Units of Study

Grammar, vocabulary and conventions

Content work through UbD units of study

Writing Center support, 9-12

Literacy Framework

K-5

Word Study: Letters, Words, and How They Work

Documentation of Progress: Formative and Summative Assessments

Extension of Themes: Content Area Integration

Reporting to Home and Community

Shared Writing and Language Experience

Interactive

Writing

Guided Writing and Writing Workshop

Independent Writing

Interactive Read Aloud

Shared Reading

Guided Reading and Reading Workshop

Independent Reading

Balanced Literacy Framework

Reading Workshop

•Independent

Reading

•Guided Reading

•Literature Study

Writing Workshop

•Independent

Writing

•Guided Writing

•Investigations/

Research

•Genre Studies

Language Word Study

•Interactive Read Aloud

•Modeled and Shared

Reading/Writing

•Handwriting

•Word Study

•Readers’ Theatre /

Process Drama

•Choral Reading

•Poetry Sharing /

Response

•Current Events

•Interactive Edit

•Interactive Vocabulary

•Test Reading and

Writing

Writing

Grade Units of Study

K Launching Writer’s Workshop

Picture Books: List Books

All About Books

Poetry Writing About Reading

1 Launching Writer’s Workshop

Personal Narratives:

Small Moments

Writing for

Authentic Purposes

Revisit Small

Moments:Authors

as mentors

Nonfiction Poetry Fiction Choice

2 Launching Writer’s Workshop

Personal Narrative Functional Writing

All About Expert book Poetry

3 Launching Writer’s Workshop

Personal Narrative Realistic Fiction Feature Article Poetry

4 Launching Writer’s Workshop

Personal Narrative Realistic Fiction Responseto Literature

Nonfiction: Research

5 Launching Writer’s Workshop

Personal Essay Realistic Fiction Memoir Nonfiction: Research

Poetry

Reading K-12

Reading Support

The mission of the Garden City Reading Department:

To promote reading by continuously improving the quality of literacy instruction. Reading and effective literacy are fundamental to social cohesion, individual opportunity and personal growth.

To encourage students to connect, think, judge, decide, in order to contribute to fostering lifelong literacy habits. Reading provides an array of endless possibilities.

To enable students to become intellectually reflective individuals.

To expose students to technology-based programs: Reading Horizons and Achieve3000 (6-12)

Reading Support

Objectives for Program:

Comprehension:• Students will demonstrate understanding of skill sets through a variety of reading

comprehension texts.

• Students will demonstrate orally and in written assignments, their understanding of a text.

Decoding/Encoding:• Students will understand concepts taught from multisensory approaches (PAF,

Wilson, Reading Horizons)

• Students will demonstrate knowledge of encoding strategies through dictation exams.

Criteria is determined by assessment scores and teacher recommendation

Secondary

Grades 6-12

GC Practices –What we do (findings)

• Teach core titles in support of NYS Standards and best practices• Scaffold reading instruction to allow students to become active,

independent readers, supported by essential questions and “big Ideas”• Include diversified writing genres to promote student mastery• Implement interdisciplinary research/writing initiative (6-12)• Conduct collaborative curriculum-based discussions for seamless practice

o Common Core literature discussions (grade level articulation)o Curriculum map planning (6-12)o Inter-rater reliability – rubrics, etc.o Assessment development/scoring

• Improve skill sets througho Vocabulary Workshop Series grades 6-11o Grammar Language Network Series grades 6-8• Support reading skills through Reading Horizons, 9-12 and

Achieve3000, 6-12• Maintain the culture of the Writing Center, 9-12 through growth and

student participation

English Course Offerings, 6-12

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9English

Grade 10 English

Grade 11English

Grade 12English

ELA ELA ELA Regents Regents Regents Speech & Exposition & Elective

Honors Honors Honors

10-11H 11AP Language

12AP Literature

Elective Elective Elective Elective Elective Elective

Middle School Electives: Creative Writing, Film & Theater,

Journalism, Mystery Fiction, Mythology, Speech & Debate,

Grammar

Study Skills Grade 6Support Classes Available grades 7-8

High School Electives: Creative Writing, Journalism, Reading for Support, Theater Arts I, II, III, IV,

Ethics in Print, Film Appreciation, Myths & Legends, Culture of the

Sixties, Greece & Rome Rediscovered

Secondary Literature Samplings

Pictures of Hollis WoodsWhere the Red Fern GrowsTrouble with LemonsNightJohnA Christmas CarolThe Giver Inherit the WindOf Mice and MenThe PearlThe OutsidersGulliver’s TravelsSeedfolksWhite MountainWhere the Red Fern GrowsWolf by the Ears

Animal Farm

Catcher in the Rye

The Color of Water

The Crucible

Ethan Frome

The Great Gatsby

Heart of Darkness

Lord of the Flies

To Kill a Mockingbird

A Separate Peace

The Scarlet Letter

Siddhartha

The Things They Carried

Romeo and Juliet

Julius Caesar

Macbeth

King Lear/The Tempest

Writing Units of Study 6-11

Grade Level Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter3 Quarter 4

6 Personal Narrative Persuasion Create a myth Reflective Essay

7 Analytical Paragraph

Vignette Persuasive Essay

Quotation Analysis

8 Descriptive Writing

Response to Literature

Research Analytical Paragraph

9 Personal Identity Profile

Key Passage Analysis

Poet Study Research

Critical Lens

10 Reflection Essay PersuasiveEssay

Causal Analysis Critical Lens

11 Poetry Analysis Research Critical Lens Paired Reading Short Response

Grade Content Areas Research Assignments

6 Science/ELA Current Environmental Issues

7 Social Studies/ELA Leaders of the Early Republic and Slavery

8 English/Social Studies To what extent do individuals shape history?

To what extent was the Irish immigrant a success?

To what extent do music & literature reflect history?

9 Living Environment

English

Invasive Species

Poet Study Assignment

10 Global History

AP Global History

To What Extent do Individuals Shape History?

Analyze The Impact Of A Social Issue On A Nation

11 English

AP Language/AP US

History

Literary Research Paper-Two Literacy Criticisms & Primary Documents

Joint Research Paper in 11AP English and APUSH

12 Social Studies Gov’t

AP Macroeconomics

English

AP Literature

Position paper on a Contemporary Issue

Senior Project

Research Project & Oral Presentation

Literary Research Paper- To what extent do cultural context and

writer’s background contribute to meaning in a literary text.

GARDEN CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLSResearch Assignments

What We’ve done

• Implemented vocabulary series to improve verbal skills 6-12

• Increased the amount of research/writing 6-12

• Improved the functionality of the Writing Center 9-12

• Developed curriculum guides & course outlines K-1; 6-12

• Implemented new grammar series 6-8

• Implemented new reading programs 6-12

• Created/revised quarterly writing benchmarks grades 6-12

• Refreshed student writing portfolios practice 6-12

• Increased student participation in writing competitions

How do we measure

up?

2009-10 Student Achievement Data:Grade 3-8 English Language Arts

School District Gr. 3 Gr. 3 Gr. 4 Gr. 4 Gr. 5 Gr. 5 Gr. 6 Gr. 6 Gr. 7 Gr. 7 Gr. 8 Gr. 8

% Rank % Rank % Rank % Rank % Rank % Rank

East Williston 85.6 2 90.7 3 78.4 8 86.9 5 85.7 3 86.6 6

Garden City 81.6 7 88 7 81.3 5 88 4 85.8 2 89.8 3

Great Neck 84.2 3 82.1 11 79.3 7 83.7 8 79.3 9 87.6 5

Herricks 75 9 87.3 8 85.4 1 86.5 6 82.2 5 85.7 7

Jericho 88.6 1 90.1 4 85.1 2 88.7 3 83 4 91.5 2

Locust Valley 82.7 5 83.7 10 75.2 9 81.2 11 67.2 13 79.4 9

Manhasset 85.6 2 91.1 2 82 4 92.5 1 90.1 1 93.1 1

North Shore 65.9 12 75.5 13 72 12 70 13 70.1 12 68.5 12

Port Washington 72.2 11 88.8 5 74.7 11 79.7 12 73.2 11 69.4 11

Rockville Centre 76.3 8 91.5 1 79.7 6 82.5 9 75.1 10 79.5 8

Roslyn 83.7 4 84.4 9 75.1 10 89.6 2 81.2 7 88.3 4

Syosset 82.6 6 88.2 6 82.5 3 86.1 7 81.7 6 79.5 8

Cold Spring

Harbor 74.2 10 78.6 12 71.8 13 81.8 10 80.9 8 74.5 10

English Regents Exam Results:Comparative Districts

2009-10

English Regents

2008-09

English Regents

District Passing Mastery Passing Mastery

Garden City 99% 87% 100% 75%

Cold Spring Harbor 99% 77% 99% 83%

East Williston 100% 93% 99% 85%

Great Neck 95% 68% 96% 65%

Herricks 97% 78% 97% 67%

Jericho 100% 83% 97% 78%

Locust Valley 99% 73% 97% 63%

Manhasset 99% 86% 96% 78%

North Shore 98% 69% 98% 73%

Port Washington 93% 58% 95% 57%

Rockville Centre 97% 69% 96% 71%

Roslyn 97% 78% 98% 80%

Syosset 99% 74% 100% 70%

Advanced Placement English

English Language - 11

Year Student Enrollment

Average Score

2011 131 N/A

2010 91 3.74

2009 92 3.65

2008 53 3.30

English Literature - 12

Year Student Enrollment

Average Score

2011 139 N/A

2010 164 2.98

2009 116 2.73

2008 161 2.62

Achievements

NYSEC – Educator of Excellence

NCTE – Achievement Award in Writing

Ranking of Excellent/Superior for Literary Magazines - MS and HS

Nassau Reading Council Young Author’s Contest Winners

Adelphi Poetry Festival rating of superior

Elementary Writing Awards

Recommendations

• Review/align curricula/maps with the Common Core State Standards for ELA & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

• Increase core titles to include more informational reading• Create reading/writing curriculum maps to include new

units of study• Increase parent communication regarding guided reading

levels, K-5• Refine research assignments grades 2-5• Implement grammar series on the elementary level• Enhance primary/elementary teachers’ knowledge of the

writing conference process to strengthen students’ writing

Recommendations

• Develop scope and sequence to support a horizontal/vertical alignment, K-12

• Establish vertical articulation to support/scaffold existing practices, K-12

• Revisit entrance/exit criteria for Reading Support

• Revise course sequences at the high school to increase rigor and AP participation

• Review PSAT results toward improving critical reasoning/inference skills

• Align 9th and 10th grade core literature to parallel global studies