This post is applicable to all content areas.

This post is applicable to all content areas.

How to Bring Instructional Shifts Into Practice - Focus on Complex Text

 .

There are 6 key instructional shifts that are at the center of Ohio's Learning Standards for literacy and math.   Do you know them? Could you identify them if you saw them in action in classrooms?  What do students sound like, write like, reason like if they are learning standards through these shifts?

  As you read through the  reflection on each shift, think about your own classroom, building or district.  What does this shift look like and sound like?  What actionable step might you take that might have a direct impact on student learning? How will you share what you have done with your colleagues?

Literacy Shift 1 : Regular Practice With Complex Text And Its Academic Language.



Key resource: Understanding Text Complexity (achievethecore.org)

Complexity is determined holistically by looking at these three features of the text:

• Quantitative Measure 
• What is the academic & content vocabulary demand of the text? 
• Qualitative Analysis 
• What is the structure of the text?
• What is the language demand?
• What prior knowledge of content or culture does the text demand? 
• Matching Reader and Task 
• How is the text to be used by the reader? 
• What is the purpose for reading/listening to the text?

There are a number of tools that can help you to look at the Quantitative Measure of the texts you are using in your classroom. Teachers who are mindful of vocabulary demand will Close Read texts prior to assigning them to students to look for words that may need to be pre-taught, words that may be used uniquely in the context, or words that are keys to a student's ability to unlock the content of the text.  Students might use Frayor Models to help construct meaning for key words.  Interactive word walls in the classroom may contain examples of words being used in context, and images that illustrate meaning or usage. 

• Academic Word Finder - Achievethecore.org    This tool can be used as part of the Close Reading process the teacher utilizes prior to assigning passages to a student.  Look for passages that have a balance of words at, below and above grade level.  Passages with many words above or below grade level may still be appropriate to use with students depending on the purpose for reading the passage and the Qualitative Features of the text. 
• Create a free account on achievethecore.org  to use this tool
• Cut and paste text or type text into the Word Finder.
• Select a target grade and run the tool
• The Word Finder tool will highlight in colors words that are below, at, and above grade level within the text passage. Listed below the passage will be possible definitions of the word. The complete passage is visible with words highlighted in context.
• Lexile Analyzer - Lexile.com  Lexile is one way to look at the Quantitative Measure of a text. Approximate Lexile ranges for each grade level have been included in the literacy standards.   Lexile can be compared to other quantitative measures like AR scores.  
• You can cut and paste text into the Lexile Analyzer, but it needs to have all formatting removed.  
• WordSift.org  WordSift looks more closely at academic vocabulary and content vocabulary. 
• Cut and paste or type text into the tool
• A word cloud will be created, showing the highest frequency words. This is a good way to identify words that may be key to unlocking the content of the text.
• The word lists tool will highlight in colors words that are specific to science, math, social studies and ELA.
• A set of related images will appear for each word that is clicked on in the word cloud. You can use these images to add to your word wall or make visual dictionaries for ELL students or at risk readers.
• Paired Texts by Lexile Range from Readworks.org can be found HERE

Qualitative features of a text can be looked at using a rubric or a checklist.  There are 4 areas to consider.  First, is the text structure simple or more complicated? Remember that text can also be a graphic, so look at the graphic features as well.  Are there text structures that are normally found in a particular content area writing style or in a genre?  When skimming the text on a first Close Reading, is the language more conversational or formal? Are terms contemporary or more unfamiliar? Teachers being mindful of the Qualitative features of the text will also take into consideration the knowledge that a text expects a reader to bring with them into the reading.  This can be cultural or regional experiences, content specific background or individual life experiences.  This particular aspect of text complexity requires the teacher to think carefully about how to scaffold texts for students who may be lacking some or all of the background knowledge a more complex text might require.  Ideally, the text is the expert and students will not need to bring large amounts of prior knowledge into their reading and discussion of the text. 

• Qualitative Measures Rubrics for Informational and Literary Text can be found HERE
• Book excerpt on Qualitative Measures from ASCD 
• Determining Text Structures  Resource List from the West Virginia Dept of Education

Matching reader to task is often overlooked as the third component of complexity.  A text may be moderately or slightly complex, but be a primary source document that is important to helping a student understand the context of an historical event.  On the other hand, a text that is exceedingly complex may be a scientific paper a student is reading to get background information for a project.  All children should be given the opportunity to read a range of complex texts throughout the year. Texts should be high quality, be worth the instructional time to read them, and help students to build knowledge and vocabulary.   One strategy a teacher might consider when selecting informational and literary texts to use in a classroom would be to build expert text sets.  Students build content vocabulary and knowledge when they have an opportunity to read, listen too, or analyze multiple texts on the same topics.  

• Expert Packs grade K-12  achievethecore.org
• NEWSELA Text Sets
• Creating Classroom Text Sets  from Louisiana Believes  
• Guidance and Resources for Text Selection from EngageNY
• Resources for literacy and ELL from Colorin Colorado

Tips to Help Teachers Survive the Final Weeks of School

Listed below are a few good tips for wrapping up the school year. Thanks to all teachers and staff for making 2015-2016 school year a great one.


Here are some tips to help you survive these final weeks:

• Get into a project you've wanted to do all year. Take out the art supplies, construction materials, music, food, and novels. Do something hands on, project based, and fun. They'll get into anything you're passionate about. You'll have the energy to get through the days. 
• But don't abandon all the routines and structures you've used all year. Kids of all ages need those routines to continue. If you start showing movies all day, every day, or have a whole lot of parties, kids are likely to get a little wacky. 
• Give kids time and tools to reflect on their school year. They can write, make scrapbooks, record a video piece, or create drawings. Prompt them to think about what they learned, how they learned, what was challenging, how they dealt with those challenges, what they feel proud of, how they changed, what advice they have for kids entering that grade next year, and so on. You'll need to provide a lot of scaffolding for this activity, model the process, and have them share their pieces as they develop them. 
• Give yourself time to reflect. Read all their reflections, and talk to the kids about what they've learned and how they have changed. Answer the same questions you ask kids to reflect on. It's critical that you see how you changed, where you have grown, and what you learned. You did grow -- and you learned a whole lot. The biggest mistake we make is not taking the time to recognize and acknowledge that. 
• Celebrate with your students and their parents, with your colleagues, and with your loved ones. With students, you can have a kind of awards ceremony where every kid is honored for something positive. This approach provides an opportunity for kids to recognize each other and themselves. You need to help them wrap up their year, giving them closure and a sense of accomplishment.

Performance Level Descriptors for ELA and Math Now Available

Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) are the link between Ohio’s Learning Standards and performance standards. They were developed by Ohio educators and other content experts to recommend the most appropriate implementation of content and skills for Ohio’s State Tests for English Language Arts and Mathematics as part of the State Test Standard Setting process. The Ohio Department of Education and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) assembled panels of Ohio stakeholders to review actual test questions to define what students should know or be able to do at each performance level. The feedback from the Ohio stakeholders during the standard setting process was compiled and analyzed to determine the cut scores to rank student performance. The Ohio stakeholder recommendations for cut scores were shared with the State Board of Education and approved at the January 2016 board meeting.

Click the link below to view the PLD information.

Performance Level Descriptors link

Graduation Requirements for 2018 and Beyond

The Ohio Department of Education has released Graduation Requirements for 2018 and Beyond.  For each of the seven end-of-course state tests, a student earns one to five graduation points. Students have the potential to earn a total of 35 points. To meet this graduation option, a student must earn a minimum number of 18 points from all tests.

This graduation option gives the student flexibility in accumulating 18 points. A high score on one test can balance a low score on another test. A student must earn a total of at least four points on English tests, four points on math tests and six points on science and social studies tests.  

Click the link below to read how points can be accumulated.

18 Points on State Tests

AIR releases NEW testing materials and revised test specs

On 1/5/16, the Ohio Department of Education released new AIR testing materials and revised test specifications for the upcoming Ohio State Tests.  Please click the link below to read and access the updated information.

New testing materials and revised test specs

PARCC released test items for ELA and Math

PARCC has released sample test questions for ELA and Math. Even though, we no longer are testing with PARCC, these test questions could be used to prepare for upcoming state assessments. Please click the link below for further information.

PARCC released test items

Google Classroom now makes it easier to attach a Google Form!

Google has recently made Google Forms integration easier when using Google Classroom. Not only is it easier to attach a Google Form, but Google Classroom will also mark the form as "done" when a student completes the form. Click this LINK to view a tutorial on how this new feature works.