In response to how we are meeting the needs of our struggling readers, I will give you the short version and provide more details if requested. I will outline the components to our program first....Teachers in grades K-5 have an 80 minute, uninterrupted guided reading rotation. Prior to this rotation there is a whole group instructional mini-lesson (much the same as a reader's workshop model). Our guided reading rotations differ in that we have a reading teacher and special education teacher in classrooms for minimally 60 minutes of the 80 minute block, most classrooms have two teachers for the entire 80 minutes and three teachers for some of the time (this is determined by classroom needs). So our neediest students could participate in four 20 minute guided reading rotations daily. We also have an intensive time built into the reading teacher's schedules where no more than three students are seen for Intensive remediation, this could occur between 2-5 times per week for 30 minutes. Classroom teachers also have a phonics instruction and word study, which occurs outside of the reading rotations. Most teachers have also built in independent reading time where teachers can conference with students. In most cases this is done outside of the guided reading rotations because our neediest students would never get to read independently and gain the practice they need using material at there own level. Lastly (I think) most of our teachers are utilizing the Writer's Workshop model. The plan at this point, is to map our units of study next year. This year we are really trying to get our reading program working well. You might be wondering where we find time to teach SS/Science? Both content areas are fully integrated into literacy K-2 and many of our units in 3-5 are also integrated.
--- On Sat, 2/5/11, Vickie Julka <[email protected]> wrote: From: Vickie Julka <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Phonics program To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, February 5, 2011, 5:56 PM Kelly, I am especially interested in the various supports you put in place for your struggling readers. We also are a mid sized urban district using a guided reading/balanced literacy approach but looking for ways to fill some of the gaps we are seeing with our struggling readers. Some of our teachers are beginning to use Cafe, which is powerful in that it lets the kids be part of their learning discussions/directions. We are trying to be thoughtful about the task of meeting the needs of all with the resources we have, while staying true to our core beliefs about how children learn. * Phonics and Word Study are by no means the bulk of our curriculum, but it IS a piece. *Andrea, We've known for awhile that it is a piece that we need to address in a* *more systematic manner for some of our teachers, but what we are finding is that it is a huge political piece that is taking the current discussions in an unbalanced direction in our district. We as leaders need to share our experiences to keep the balance for our fragile learners, so any thoughts are not only appreciated but essential. On Sat, Feb 5, 2011 at 8:38 AM, Kelly Alexander <[email protected]>wrote: > Just a quick response....I am the curriculum specialist in a mid-sized > urban school district. We have completely revamped our literacy instruction > over the past three years. We use a guided reading instruction and have > various support models built into our program for struggling readers. I > could go into much more detail about the program and what has worked and > what hasn't, but what I really wanted to share was that we have implemented > the CAFE approach in grade 5 this year and it seems to be working well. It > made a lot of sense for us to begin with our older students....and so far, > so good. This does NOT mean that it won't be successful for your younger > students, in fact I believe that it will be!. I just thought it might be > nice for us to share our challenges and successes as we go through the > transition process at different grade levels this year. Good Luck! :) > > --- On Fri, 2/4/11, Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Phonics program > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" < > [email protected]> > Date: Friday, February 4, 2011, 4:23 PM > > First, I want to think everyone who responded to my post about phonics > programs. It was extremely helpful and has given me, as the Language Arts > academic team leader, some direction in helping to lead my team. > > But I want to address why I asked the question in the forum in the first > place. I believe COMPLETELY in teaching reading strategies. I have read > Mosaic numerous times and it was transformative for me in both my philosophy > and instruction. Teaching the explicit use of reading strategies is a huge > part of our academic team's reform of our language arts program. > > So, why would I ask a question here about phonics? Well, because I feel > that if I share the same philosophy as all of you about reading > comprehension, then chances are, we would have similar philosophies about > what works with phonics instruction. Phonics and Word Study are by no means > the bulk of our curriculum, but it IS a piece. And it's a piece that we need > to get right. I originally learned about Daily 5/CAFE from this listserv, so > I figured many of you who were teaching reading strategies, and using the D5 > structures, would also have sound advice about what phonics programs blend > well with this type of instruction. > > Thank you for allowing me to pick your brains! I work at a small private > school. We have the beauty of selecting any curriculum we want, but it also > means we start from scratch on selecting programs. It's so wonderful having > a community of experienced, knowledgeable educators to turn to for sage > advice. > > Andrea > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "MaryJo Costello" <[email protected]> > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" < > [email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Sent: Friday, February 4, 2011 7:14:59 AM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Phonics program > > "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" < > [email protected]> writes: > >Does anyone have any thoughts about reading and teaching kids the > comprehension strategies, or are we all so > >pressured by RTI, phonics instruction, and standardized testing of > discrete skills that we've forgotten about real reading? > > In our district we are all about comprehension...thankfully. Every new > teacher or new to our district participates in staff development. When asked > the question, "What is reading?" our kids respond ,"Understanding" We > certainly have a phonics/word study > component of our balanced reading framework, but comprehension is still in > the forefront. As teaching resources we use, Strategies That Work, > Comprehension Connections and Reading With Meaning. For me personally I have > also read and use The Book > Whiperer, To Understand and Comprehension form the Ground Up. > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > -- Vickie Julka Literacy Instructional Resource Teacher Curriculum & Assessment Madison Metropolitan School District (608)663-1974 _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
