English Language Arts 2016-2018

Curricular Revision K-8

Mrs. Kate DeRosa

September 25, 2018

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“When it comes to reading, knowledge is both the chicken and the egg. Our students' ability to read nonfiction texts depends on their prior knowledge, and the act of reading nonfiction adds to their knowledge base and helps them learn more from subsequent reading. As teachers, we need to find ways to weave prior knowledge into our students' reading of nonfiction throughout the process of engaging them with texts.”

Doug Lemov, Literacy in Every Classroom (2017)

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“Engaging kids in word play activities has been cited by many researchers as a crucial strategy in boosting student vocabulary growth. Creating opportunities for children to play with words is vital not only to enhancing their vocabulary but also to increasing their comprehension.”

Jeff Barger, “Building Word Consciousness” (2006)

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“The research base on student-selected reading is robust and conclusive: Students read more, understand more, and are more likely to continue reading when they have the opportunity to choose what they read...at some time every day, they should be able to choose what they read.”

-Richard Allington and Rachael E. Gabriel, “Every Child, Every Day” (2012)

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Our Mission Through its K-8 English Language Arts program, The Franklin Lakes Public School district seeks to provide students with ongoing, authentic reading and writing experiences that are both personally enriching and academically challenging. Utilizing a Balanced Literacy approach to instruction, students will develop strong foundational skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and word study that in turn will allow students to develop as critical thinkers across every discipline. We strive to develop engaged students who are able to listen, understand, appreciate, and communicate ideas effectively.

Students will collaborate thoughtfully and solve problems creatively with sensitivity to diverse perspectives. Through reading, writing, speaking, and listening, students will critically examine texts and media to better understand themselves and the world in which they live. 5

Our Writing Team

KindergartenDenise BonczekCathy Hoogendorn

Grade 1Lesley Kroczynski

Grade 2 Jamie Preziosi

Grade 3Nicole St. Germain Michelle Cifu

Grade 4Francesca LoCascioNicole St. Germain

Grade 5Mayna Rightmire

Grade 6Caitlin BurnupDarlene Marte

Grade 7Nicole MedrzychowskiPerri Hammershlag

Grade 8Gina AielloAndrew Tuttle

InterventionistsJaime Macaluso (Elementary)

Allison Stein (Middle School)

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Context

District English Language Arts Program Evaluation 2016

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of the District’s ELA curriculum and its implementation with regard to student outcomes and perceptions, as well as our curricular design, curricular resources, and fidelity of implementation across the district.

Data Collection: ➔ Student performance data➔ Teacher, Administrator, and Student

Surveys

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Balanced Literacy

Speaking &

Listening

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Writing

Reading

Word Study

Areas of StudyK-8

English Language Arts

Kindergarten

WORD STUDY

1-5 6-8

K-8 ELA Program Evaluation Findings

★ Identified need for more teacher support and guidance.

★ Identified need for a multisensory approach to instruction.

★ Opportunity to support a population of early readers in need of a strong foundation in how words are comprised.

★ Supplementary resources for word study/phonics across elementary schools are not uniform.

★ Opportunity to strengthen teaching points to provide for targeted, articulated instruction at each grade level.

★ Opportunity to deepen student experiences with nonfiction/informational texts

READING UNITS OF STUDY

WORD STUDY

★ Identified need to provide students with vocabulary strategies and tools for word attack to increase fluency and comprehension.

INDEPENDENT READING

WORD STUDY

READING UNITS OF STUDY

★ Opportunity to foster a love a reading and further develop lifelong readers.

★ Identified need to provide students with vocabulary strategies and tools for word attack to increase fluency and comprehension.

★ Opportunity to strengthen teaching points to provide for targeted, articulated instruction at each grade level, particularly with nonfiction/informational texts

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Kindergarten (2018-19)

Grade 1 (2019-20)

Targeted Grade Level Refinements

Fundations© Word Study Program(replacing Words Their Way)

Grades 1-5

➔ Revised Reading Units of StudyNonfiction, research, and fiction book clubs

➔ Revised Word Study Units (3-5)Greek/Latin Affixes

Grades 6-8

➔ Addition of Independent Reading UnitsChoice, goal-setting, reflection

➔ Revised Reading Units of StudyNonfiction, research, and fiction book clubs

➔ Revised Word Study Units Greek/Latin Affixes

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Refined Reading Units of Study: Highlights

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

❖ Building Good Reading Habits

❖ Word Detectives

❖ Learning About the World

❖ Readers Have Big Jobs to Do

❖ Meeting Characters and Learning Lessons

❖ Reading is Thinking

❖ Exploring Nonfiction

❖ Amping Up Reading Power

❖ Nonfiction Research

❖ Series Book Clubs

❖ Building a Reading Life

❖ Reading to Learn

❖ Research Clubs

❖ Character Studies

❖ Folktales, Fables, and Myths

❖ Reading Weather; Reading the World

❖ Poetry

❖ Historical Fiction Book Clubs

❖ Reading History: The American Revolution

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Refined Reading Units of Study: Highlights

Grade 5 Grades 6, 7, and 8❖ Interpretation

Book clubs: Analyzing Theme

❖ Tackling Complexity

❖ Argument and Advocacy

❖ Deep Study of Nonfiction

❖ Literature Circles/Book Clubs

❖ Interdisciplinary Connections

❖ Project-based Learning

❖ Multimedia, Research-based projects

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Essential Questions

➔ What is the relationship between a word and its root?

➔ What is the relationship between words that share the same root?

➔ How can the knowledge and understanding of word roots (prefixes, bases, suffixes) help me uncover the meaning of an unknown word?

➔ What strategies can help me identify roots and build connections between words?

➔ How can I be word detective when I am reading?

Word Study:Highlights (3-8)

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Independent Reading:Highlights (6-8)

Key principles that guide year-long unit:

★ Students need to learn the skill of selecting books that interest them and are at an appropriate independent reading level. These are teachable skills that teachers can and should explicitly address and revisit where appropriate.

★ Social interactions energize independent reading.

★ Students need to be accountable, through the creation of personal reading goals, for their daily/weekly reading process and as they finish books.

★ Launching a successful independent reading program takes class time--to teach it, to check-in, to motivate students, and for students to actually read.

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What does this look like for students?

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Independent Reading: Goal Setting within Student Portfolios 16

Independent Reading: Goal Setting within Student Portfolios

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Let’s play with words!

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Four square challenge

How many words can you think of for each prefix.

Remember...the prefix has to mean “NOT.”

un il

ir im

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Developing Peer Mentors at FAMS

Noteworthy

Professional

Development

Experiences

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Thank you

Questions ?

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