Ensuring Your School Becomes a “no ... - rti-innovations · Literate Engagement -RTI Innovations 2017 Dr. Kevin Feldman [email protected] 1 Ensuring Your School Becomes a “no

Literate Engagement - RTI Innovations 2017

Dr. Kevin Feldman [email protected] 1

Ensuring Your School Becomes a “no chill zone”: Robust-Literate

Student Engagement in EveryClassroom, Every Lesson, Every Day!

Dr. Kevin [email protected]

RTI Innovations in Education 2017 Conference

Milwaukee, WI

robust, adj.1. Full of health and strength; vigorous

1. Powerfully built; sturdy

1. Requiring or characterized by much strength or energy

1. Active or dynamic

5. Working in an effective way; productive

6. Marked by richness and fullness

7. Substantial in amount

Shared Focus on Improving Literacy: Every Grade & Content Area

√ Reading, writing AND speaking, listening - THINKING√ Across the grades, content area disciplines – shared ownership√ Each discipline has a unique lexicon students must master



Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson

“One of the biggest problems with the world today is that we have large groups of people who will accept whatever they hear on the grapevine, just because it suits their worldview—not because it is actually true or because they have evidence to support it. The really striking thing is that it would not take much effort to establish validity in most of these cases… but people prefer reassurance to research.”

― Neil deGrasse Tyson

Yes – No – Why?

Academic Literacy is NOT Simply Reading and Language Arts!

All disciplines prize reading/speaking/listening/writing – All require THINKING to do this well…

Helpful to frame “academic literacy”: across the disciplines/grades:

√ Scientific Literacy√ Artistic Literacy√ Mathematical Literacy√ Historical Literacy

and so forth…

What Are a Few Salient Distinctions Between “Turn & Talk” and

Structured or Precision Partnering?

u One student can’t dominate/do all the work

u Mutual accountability/equity of participation

u Structured language/thinking of students

u Structure the “job” of the listener (e.g. agree/

disagree + why, add to, provide examples, etc.)

u Developing sophisticated peer discussion skills

(e.g. active/responsive listening)



Precision Partnering: Teaching the 4Ls

“Precision Partnering” Structures for SuccessDetermine/Assign who will be partner #1 and #2 no #3s (second #2 will share after first #2).

Teach the “4 Ls” for working with a partner:v Look - Make eye contact.v Lean - Lean toward your partner.v Low Voice - Use your private or Library voice. v Listen - Demonstrate active listening/responding/

“accountable talk” (building on partner’s idea, agree/disagree & why, etc.)

What is Student Engagement? What are themost important things WE can do to support,foster and otherwise CAUSE “robust” studentengagement across our schools?1’s - Tell 2’s What you think w/examples

2’s - Paraphrase 1’s answer, compare, elaborate,provide examples, question/probe/explore…

Paraphrasing Anchor Chart“So in other words, you think that …”“If I understand your correctly you believe…”“What I hear you saying is ….”



The Power of Paraphrasing: Why Do YouThink Research Consistently Points to Paraphrasing as a “Evidence Based Practice”?

u Requires active/engaged learners – Visible Thinking/Visible Evidence of Learning

u Accountable or “close” listening – listeners have a “job”u “Active Cognitive processing” – transforming/representing

information – not simply passive reception

u Checking for understanding – receive feedback that “feeds forward” (specific & actionable)

u Builds relationships; understanding, empathy, rapport…

How could you boost the quantity/quality of paraphrasing (text/video/peers/teacher/etc) in your class/school?

Accountable or “Close” Listening: The Key?Listeners Have a Clear “job” – Visible Evidence

For Example:u Paraphrasingu Agreeing/Disagreeing + why (justification)u Correcting & prompting the correct responseu Build upon/elaborate/extendu Make Connections (“this reminds me of__ because”)

u Identify similarities/differencesu Identify critical attributes/informationu ETC – any focused response…

Key CCSS Shift ~ Academic Listening Needs to be Explicitly Taught, Not Simply Assigned

u Clearly modeled

u Specific “job” or visible listening task

u Provide academic language support

u Practice/Practice/Practice + Actionable Feedback



Gr. 1 PALS – Peers Assisted Learning Strategies (Each student has a clear “job” or role)

PALS resources:Vanderbilt University: http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/pals/ SoprisWest Publishers: http://www.sopriswest.com

The power of structured peer teaching knows no age/content area bounds – e.g. Dr Mazur, Physics Prof, Harvard University

Data obtained in my class and in classes of colleagues worldwide, in a wide range of academic settings and a wide range of disciplines, show that learning gains nearly triple with an approach that focuses on the student and on interactive peer learning.

- Dr. Eric Mazur, Harvard UniversityPeer Instruction

Does Peer Instruction Work?

WHY???High Levels of Robust-Literate ENGAGEMENT – Visible Participation



Engagement – Formative Assessment Nexus

Formative assessment is an essentially interactive process, in which the teacher can find out whether what has been taught has been learned, and if not, to do something about it. Day-to-day formative assessment is one of the most powerful ways of improving learning in the classroom.

- Dylan Wiliam, 2007http://www.dylanwiliam.org/

Engagement of EVERY student in EVERTHING provides “formativeassessment” – concrete evidence to guide our instructional moves.

Wow, in this class Inot only have to think,

I’ve got to EXPLAINmy thinking !!

Goal: Make Thinking Visible

EVERY student explains their thinking & receives feedbackthat “feeds-forward” from peers and the teacher – multiple times in Every lesson!



Structuring Visible Participation of saying/writing/doing all Students i.e. visible thinking

Engagement expands Our View of Formative Assessment

Teachers continually “evaluating learning” are:- adapted from Dylan Wilams, 2010

Adapting/modify teaching based on student responses including

students’ self-assessment

Minute-to-minute and day-by-day “Never more than 2-10” brief formative assessment

Instructional follows a thoughtful lesson design that changes -adapts in “real time” based on how students are responding…

Michelle Johnson: 4th Gr. Draper Elem – 34 studentsTuned up her partnering on Tues, afterreflecting and choosing strategic enhancements:From “turn and talk” to “Precision Partners”

- 4 Ls- A’s Tell Bs _____, B’s paraphrase and add something

to this….- Challenged to use key Academic vocabulary from

the unit so far in their partner/group response, etc.

Informal data: more students talked with more detailedcontent using more sophisticated language (becausea skilled teacher “upped her game” & kids responded!)

The Common Core State Standards tell us the destination (not how to get there!)

“We are off to see the Wizard….”

(“But how do we get to the Emerald City?”)

- thanks to Anita Archer for the metaphor



CCSS Raises the Bar….

which, of course, is the Easy Part !

Teaching/Coaching/Supporting Students in Jumping OVER the Bar is the Challenging Part

1. Participate in collaborative conversations withdiverse partners about grade 2 topics and textswith peers and adults in small and larger groups.

a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g.,gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening toothers with care, speaking one at a time aboutthe topics and texts under discussion).

b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by linkingtheir comments to the remarks of others.

c. Ask for clarification and further explanationas needed about the topics and texts underdiscussion.

21st Century Literacy: Explicit Standards for Speaking AND Listening Gr. 2



CCSS: Explicit Standards for Speaking AND Listening

Gr. 8: Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

Gr. 11/12: Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.

Establishing ENGAGEMENT as an “Instructional Norm”

norm, n. Latin norma date: 16741. a widespread or usual practice2. a pattern or trait taken to be typical

?

Encouraging teachers within a school to observe each other, to plan together, and to adopt shared teaching methods can dramatically improve teaching and learning in a school. Effective practices in one classroom can become school wide shared practices…

The Power of CoherenceA Common or Shared Focus

Pathways to the Common Core, 2010How? What can schools do tointentionally make this happen?



“Whatever their intended major or profession, high school graduates will depend heavily on their ability to listen attentively to others so that they are able to build on others’ meritorious ideas while expressing their own clearly and persuasively.” - 21st Century Literacy

The Critical Role of Discussion

Are ALL students in your system (not just AP classes)explicitly being taught how to speak/listen/discussat this level of sophistication? Evidence? Implications?

Speaking/Listening Explicitly Taught: Oracy in the Classroom is Literacy Lynchpin

What we must do…….“Double down” on evidence-based instructional practices to get to the destination.

Don’t be seduced by simplistic quick fixes such as; “ipads for all,Block schedules, More projects, and so forth… Follow the data – ask for best evidence research (e.g. IES Practice Guides)… Keep your “BS” detector charged & at the ready!!



Practical Wisdom

There are two ways to improve results: redesign the school based on best instructional practices or get new kids.

- Tim Westerberg, former high school principal in Littleton, CO

How do we adjudicate “best”? A requirementwithout which coherence is impossible !

Meta-AnalysisMeta + Analysis = ? Meta-cognition = thinking about your thinking...

Meta-Analysis is…

What is the “gold standard” for best evidencein education?

Road map for Improving K-3 Comprehension

FREE: www.ies.ed.gov



IES Research Summary:Improving Adolescent

Literacy (Gr. 4 and above)

1st Step? Begin w/thebest research evidence available...

FREE: www.ies.ed.gov

Improving Academic Literacy - IES Synthesis/Practice Guide: Pathwayto the Reaching the CCSS Gr. K-12

1) Provide explicit vocabulary/academic English instruction2) Provide direct & explicit comprehension strategy/critical

thinking skills instruction3) Provide opportunities for extended discussion/writing re:

text/content meaning and interpretations4) Increase motivation and engagement in literacy

learning (e.g. connections, choice, applications, etc)5) Make available intensive individualized interventions

for struggling struggling students based on their assessedliteracy/academic needs (RTI)

Tier 1

Tier 2 & 3* my additions - academic English & writing inferred, kf

I do it - modeling (including thinking aloud)

We do it - teacher guided

Y’all do it - partner practice/smallgroup IF task/topic warrants

You do it - independent practice (w/feedback)

Explicit or Guided Teachingto Ensure Visible Learning !

heart & soulof effectiveinstruction...

- Anita Archer



Teacher Responsibility

Student Responsibility

Focused Instruction

Guided Instruction

“I do it.”

“We do it.”

“You do it together.”Collaborative

Independent “You do italone.”

“Gradual Release” Model

Pearson, 1986Fisher & Frey 2006

Teacher Led – Student Focused

Human Learning atthe Core Has ALWAYSbeen about…

Time/Practice – active“doing” PLUS ActionableFEEDBACK

Apprenticeship

How Can Teachers “Lead”?

“A leader is a person others want to follow, emulate, learn from…”

u Open their doors to peer observation

u Serve on the Building Leadership Team

u Volunteer to “go first” (Obser./Video/etc) model

risk taking/stretching beyond our comfort zones

u Video tape their teaching & share w/colleagues

u Speak up/advocate during PLC/Faculty meetings

u Co-plan, co-teach with colleagues, etc etc

u “BE the change we want to see… (Gandhi)



Visible Participation

-Thanks to Bend HS(Go Lava Bears!”)

Foundational engagement is:

Engagement is Very ComplexFoundation: Visible Participation

Everyone saying/writing/doing Everything!“I can do this”

Social EngagementIdentification/affiliation

with school/peers, sense of belonging, social support“I belong/am needed”

Relational EngagementPersonal connections,emotional investment, “I will do it for you”

Psychological EngagementPersonal investment in

learning, self-regulation, goal setting and self- monitoring/executive function

“I want to do this ”

Curricular EngagementThis is interesting, I wonder…New connections, Wow, cool…

“I want to know/learn/do more”

Cognitive EngagementThinking is stretched, higher

levels of Bloom/Webb, disciplinebased thinking, etc.

“I’ve never thought about itlike that before!”



In two words; Engagement at it’s core is:

“Visible Participation”

① NOT a Choice – it’s how we play the “game” – we make ALL studentsan offer they can’t refuse!

4 Key Engagement Principles

§ safe§ prepared§ supported/scaffolded§ obvious you “have their back!”§ YES! is the only possible response

But in the classroom, Max, like many students, looks for the ZME...

Z – Zone of...

M – Minimal

E – Effort !!

Bad News - WE taught himthat “chilling” is OK –acceptable…

Good News – WE can change the game – push “re-set” at any time!

4 Key Attributes of Meaningful Student Engagement:

The Bottom Line…

① NOT a Choice – it’s how we play the game

② Observable – you can see it!

③ Requires Student Action; saying/writing/doing

① Intentional – not by chance, Teachers“make it happen” by design - Structure



Academic Engagement at its Coreis the Quantity & Quality of Student:

q Saying - Oral Language

q Writing- Written Language

q Doing - pointing, touching, demonstrating, etc.** NEVER more than 2-10 Rule **

We know discussion is critical, but Houston,we have a ...

20/80 Dilemma Decades of research clearly demonstratesapproximately 20% students are responsiblefor 80% of the “doing (answering, asking, volunteering etc)... We Must “flip” this equation... shooting for 100%,and routinely producing at least 80%...

What percentage of students actively participate in typical

classroom discussions ??



The Effects of Weaknesses in Oral Language on Reading Growth/Academic Achievement

(Hirsch, 1996)

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

1615141312111098 765

Rea

ding

Age

Lev

el

Chronological Age

Low Oral Language in Kindergarten

High Oral Language in Kindergarten

5.2 years difference

Schools have not caused the gap...sadly, we unintentionally exacerbate it...

Normative Discourse Structure

Normative Discourse Structure



Changing Normative Discourse Structures

How does this UNintentionally exacerbate the “gap”?Implications for our work to improve literate engagement?

Changing Normative Discourse Structures

How does this UNintentionally exacerbate the “gap”?Implications for our work to improve literate engagement?

Goal: Ensure Every Classroom in Our School is a Chill-Free Zone !



Give One/Get One * Think-Ink-Link1) Pose an Open-Ended Question

2) Specific think-time (set a timer) “the think”

3) Specify write-time (set a timer) “the ink”

4) Stand up/Match Up/Hands Up – “the link”

- Share ideas w/classmates using complete sentences,and key lesson vocabulary (may provide sentence frames and/or a vocabulary word bank)

5) Record any new ideas plus your partner’s name shouldyou choose to use their idea

6) Randomly (or faux random) call on various students toshare ideas then ask for volunteers w/anything new to addas the discussion wraps up.

Or Engagement is NOT a Spectator SportEngagement, of course, is a Participatory Sport !!

Reflect & DiscussHow did these different teachers, withdifferent ages, content areas, and goals ALLensure EVERY student was RESPONDING & Making Their Thinking Visible?

How did they STRUCTURE or Cause student engagement?

Take aways for you & your colleagues?



Structured Engagement “tool kit”:Ensure ALL Are Responding

4) Individual Responses (AFTER rehearsal/practice)- random/strategic call on individuals (NO hands up)- use complete sentences, use new vocabulary/AL

1) Choral Responses - do “it” together (verbal or physical)- teacher cues students to respond (e.g. hand signal, voice, eyes)- physical responses too; fingers under the word, chart,etc.- “thumbs up when you know”/fist of five (metacognition)

2) “Precision” Partner & Small Group (IF task warrants) Responses- teacher assigns - provide a label/role “1’s tell 2’s”- alternate ranking (high with middle, middle with lower)- thoughtful questions/prompts/up & down Bloom’s taxonomy

3) Written Responses: Brief non-fiction writing- focused prompts increase thinking, accountability, focus- structure academic language (e.g. sentence starters)- e.g. power sentences, 5 min. papers (summarize, defend)

- adapted from Anita Archer

How Well We Structure =

How Engaged They Are

An Engagement Bottom Line:

*including doing it wrong, saying “I don’t know”…



Numbered Heads Together

1. Students umber off 1-4/5 in their groups

2. Pose a Question + think time (may write too)

3. Group discussion – find best answer, students check one another to ensure ALL are ready

4. Randomly select one number to report out for each group (often stand up to report out)

v Initially often helpful to assign roles (e.g. facilitator, checker, recorder, encourager etc.)

1 2

3

4

5

Ambassadors (AKA Numbered Heads Plus)1. Groups of 4-5 just like Numbered Heads (think/write/discuss)

2. Check the understanding of each other to ensure each member can represent the group (as in Numbered Heads)

3. “Ambassadors” are Chosen Randomly to visit a foreign country (e.g. “#2s Get up and move the closest group clockwise to your group)

5. Orally summarize the discussion, key findings, evidence,examples, etc. of your group with the new group (i.e. ”foreign country”)

6. Bring “home” to your group something different from the “country”you’ve visited - a different opinion, example, point of view, etc.

7. Return “home” (“visa has expired!”) and share what you’ve learnedwith your group (your “native country”)

8. Whole class discussion & wrap up* May choose to do 2 or more rotations

Quality of Student Responding + TeacherFeedback – that “Feeds Forward”

√ Language used- complete sentences, increasingly complex phrasal

constructions- target academic vocabulary (topic specific + general academic)

√ Thinking demonstrated (including mistakes)- explaining (why questions), demonstrating,

connecting, comparing, elaborating, evaluating etc.- students becoming resources to one another

√ Feedback provided – that “feeds forward” to hone, extend,correct & otherwise bolster student competence - peers &teacher (Question / Prompt /Cue / Provide )



Goal Every Lesson: More “academicmiles” on Every Tongue!

Lecture/Discussion – Ensuring EVERYONEis Listening/Thinking – Onboard w/Learning

Eliminate: hands up to talk/answer/respond unless youhave a question or T is asking for volunteers

Replace: All Call– Could be ANYONE/ANY TIME!u sticks/names in a canu deck of cards w/names linkedu students pick the next “victim” u random number generatoru teacher choice (appears random but is not!)

* replace stick/card/etc – so S are “never done” or off the hook!

Power of Choral Responses

Verbalq effective when answers are short/sameq prompt students with the cue “everyone...”q provide thinking timeq introduce the routine; provide rationale

- keep everyone alert & engaged- practice pronouncing difficult / new terms- prepare students to use AL independently

q prompt as needed - “I need all voices”q move around the room – proximity matters



Power of Choral ResponsesNon-Verbalq physical signals – touch this, eyes up etc. q voting, gestures/movement, etc etc

Teaches Metacognition – Self Monitoring“do I get it?”, rating my understanding/grasp

q “fist of 5” – 0-5 rubric for any topicq thumbs up – sideways – down (3 pt. rubric)q use to check understanding & teach students

to “fix it up” when not getting it

Response cards/ClickersHave students write possible responses on cards or paper or provide them with prepared cards.

Examples:q Various responses: Yes, No; Agree, Disagree; True, False;

a, b, c, d for multiple choice Q’sTypes of Rocks: Igneous, metamorphic, sedimentaryVocabulary Terms: perimeter, area

Process:q Ask a question.q Provide think time as students select best response q Then ask students to hold up response card.q Carefully monitor responses and provide feedback.

- peer teaching/feedback/explanation to teacher provides

Response Cards/ClickersProvide students with a set of cards to represent answers.

Example Cards:q Various responses: Yes, No; Agree, Disagree;

True, False; a, b, c, d for multiple choice Q’s

Process:q Pose a question.q Provide think time as students select best response q Then ask students to hold up response card.q Carefully monitor responses and provide feedback.

If students disagree, structure a brief discussion encouraging students to justify answers, compare evidence and otherwise debate as they figure out which answer is best and why.



Peer Instruction Can Work in HUGE Classes

- Dr. Ed Prather’s Astronomy Class, U of Arizona

Response cards, leading to explaining,arguing, debating + teacher feedback

Written responses

q White Boards – dry erase

q Sticky notes (e.g. “exit tickets”

q Graphic organizers

q Notebooks/Tablets/Laptops

q One sentence summaries or “tweets”

Breaking Old Habits That Don’t Work!



Common QuestioningTactics That AreLess Effective

Inclusive – “ALL Call”Tactics to Raise the Bar,Increase the Rigor

√ T asks questions & Sraise hands to answer

√ T asks “does anyone know?”

√ T asks “who can tell me ?”

√ Who would like to share?

√ Who has an idea?

√ John, why was ….?√ Etc…

Everyone, ª stop and think- pose Qª visible evidence of thought

(e.g. write/signal, etc)ª partner share/compare/explainª precision partner talk (A/B, etc)ª “strategic calling on - no

hands up - “faux random”ª volunteers add new infoª scaffold/prompt as needed

ALL means ALL !

Levels of Engagement Beyond SimplyResponding in Mathematics

Engagement Level Description Example

Low references another’s * “I agree with __”idea in a general way

- Franke et al. Elementary Journal, Student Engagement w/Others’ Mathematical Ideas, Sept. 2015

Medium references details * explains anotherof another’s idea student’s strategy

High builds upon the details * provides a correctionanother’s idea or adds further detail

to another student’ssolution

None sitting quietly watching, * silent……..maybe be listening? who knows?

HS History teacher’sreminder poster …With a sense ofhumor!!



7th Gr. Classroom: Reminder (seat-belt beeper!)

Faculty Room: Enterprise Middle SchoolRichland WA

Take the Robust LiterateEngagement Oath !!

“I will ensure that EVERY single student in my class speaks, and often also writes, at least one meaningful academic sentence EVERY day !”

* K~5 this is every lesson!



Changing the “Game” – Helping Our Student to… “push reset”

Change the “schema” or mindset for learning

Make mistakes, “give it a go”, don’t worryabout being right (we’ll get you right but oftenit requires being wrong along the way!)

Disrupt the discourse/change the “game”!

Create a NEW Engagement “mindset”

Grasp concept of neuro-plasticity -“Smart is something you get, not something you are”

A brief reminder...

Ensuring student responsiveness is, of course, thebeginning not the end of creating a fully engagedclassroom/school... it creates the foundation thatfosters spontaneous student sourced engagement...

u students getting “smarter” every day – competencebegets engagement/interest/energy/passion

u students owning their learning, becoming moreand more independent & interdependent

u students taking risks, having fun, being curious... etc...

When the class is really humming – we have a struggleto turn them off! Get them to UN-engage!! This is a problemwe all want to have !

Here’s to the ContinuedImprovement of Your

RTI/MTSS Project

Thanks for Being Here!

Please send along any questions; [email protected]

Kevin Feldman

Documents

Ensuring Your School Becomes a “no ... - rti-innovations · Literate Engagement -RTI Innovations 2017 Dr. Kevin Feldman [email protected] 1 Ensuring Your School Becomes a “no