Principals Training Center PTCnet Survey Summary

Transcription

1 Principals Training Center PTCnet Survey Summary TOPIC: Reading/Writing resources - inquiry based schools What primary resources do you use for teaching reading? QUERY: What primary resources do you use for teaching writing? Gareth Jacobson QUERY SUBMITTED AND COLLATED BY: American International School Dhaka TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONSES: Responses: See attached. 1 P a g e P T C n e t s u r v e y w w w. T h e P T C. o r g

2 READING / WRITING RESOURCES USED IN INQUIRY BASED SCHOOLS. PTC survey (February, 2015) What primary resources do you use for teaching reading? We use the Reading workshop structure Growing Readers by Kathy Collins Units of Study by Lucy Calkins for the upper elem. We have a balanced literacy approach and use the Teachers College Readers and Writers Workshop model and Units of Study. We use levelled readers for guided reading and operate the Daily Five method. We test all readers either using PM Benchmarks or Fountas and Pinell to get the independent and instructional level and group according to strategies required. Each class has a varied library to cover level and interest. Multiple copies for guided reading in groups. Also use RAZkids on line where students can record themselves and teacher can listen after. Then answer questions. We use the Bonnie Campbell Hill continuum and do not have a primary resource. We have boxes of books for each level of the continuum. Some teachers use the Daily 5 7 Keys to Comprehension Beginning stages of Guided Reading implementation 1. We have a resource room with about 11,000 books (mutliple copies of about 1000 titles) all levels according to the Fountas/Pinnell system. 2. Leveled Literacy Intervention (Fountas and Pinnell) 3. Phonics / Word Study guides for each teacher (but no student consummables) all mini lesson/activity based as a support to the reading program. We do not use a basal series instead we assess students' reading levels and then design small group lessons around their levels sometimes crossing over classrooms and sometimes within the same room. We are ordering more phonics based readers for next year. We have a professional library to assist teachers with strategies. Guided Reading at present (Gr. 1 5) with a mix of workshop model using a variety of comprehension strategies. Possibly moving to Calkins Reading Units of Study/workshop model for we use guided reading as our approach to reading. we also use literature circles as our model in grades 3 5. We test all students, grades 1 5 three times with the DRA for groupings and internal data gathering. We also test students in grades 2 5 with MAP testing, Math, Reading, and Language Use to guid reading groups. We are a PYP school Guided Reading Fountas & Pinnell/Lucy Calkins Reading Workshop Fountas and Pinnell guided reading Oxford Reading Tree series Daily 5 CAFE Looking at Readers workshop

3 We do not use a primary resource at this time. We are following the TC reading and writing workshop model and waiting for the new reading units of study (Lucy Calkins) to be published (hopefully the summer 2015). Lucy Calkins Units of Study Fontas and Pinell Guided Reading Strategies That Work Reading Workshop We use the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Reading program. We also use some Caribbean literature books as a part of our program. In yr 6, we have a lot of reading time in class when students choose their own books. We also have Book Club where students read the same novel in groups of 3 or 4, they read for 4 sessions and have a role each for which they prepare a task for discussion day on the 5th day. We also have a class novel connected to two of our units, sometimes we follow this up with reading response activities that are connected to our writing strand. Balanced reading approach Guided reading Some use Daily 5 Developmental Continuums Lucy Calkins units of study Fountas and Pinnell K 8 Continuum of Literacy skills PM and Sails leveled readers for guided and shared reading Levelled Readers/ Large levelled library High interest books online programs Reading A Z, RAZ Kids Library resources We have a leveled book room for K 2 and 3 5 based on Fontis and Penell and will be moving to the use of the reading workshop model through Teachers College at Columbia We use poems, biographies, autobiographies, novels Guided reading books Books from a z Raz kids Daily 5 Tumble books Biblionasium Read, Write, Gold used by learning supporthttps://

4 What primary resources do you use for teaching writing? We use the Writing workshop structure Units of Study by Lucy Calkins See above. Writing is all done thorough the units of inquiry, journal writing etc. We use Words Their Way for spelling. Teaching is mainly done through conferencing with individual students or through mini lessons during Daily 5. We use a lot of graphic organizers to help with planning and organizing ideas for writing. We use a text types resource book from South Wales. If you are interested I can share it with you. It gives descriptions and samples of each text type at various levels. Some teachers use Write Source. I have personally found this to be really valuable. 6+1 Traits Words Their Way Genre based writing units (developed by teams) based on the 6 traits many integrate with social studies and science and are planned with the librarian as well. Definitely moving to Calkins Writing Units of Study for K 5 for we use First Steps Writing as our primary source to writing instruction. Lucy Calkins Writing Workshop Writers workshop The primary resource we use is (Lucy Calkins) TC Writing units following the workshop model. This year we have implemented our writing units for each grade level and have revised the rubrics that go along with the writing units. Lucy Calkins Units of Study 6+1 Traits of Writing Write Source Writing Workshop Spectrum Writing and many other writing resources. Writing is integrated with other subject areas also. Writing for purpose, we connect the strands to our units. During HTWW we teach procedural writing, during WWAIPAT we teach persuasive writing as our unit is about migration and the global refugee crisis comes up naturally. etc. For learning outcomes we use the PYP scope and sequence and we have Lucy Calkins books and First Steps as additional resources. We use a weekly journal for reflective or free writing. (yr 6) 6+1 traits rubrics Text Types Resource Book (adapted from New South Wales English K 6 modules) Developmental Continuums Lucy Calkins grade level units of study Fountas and Pinnell K 8 Continuum of Literacy skills Lucy Caulkins First Steps 6 Traits

5 We use the Writing Workshop model and the units of study based out of Teachers College at Columbia We use videos, biographies, news articles, novels First Steps Writing 6 Traits of Writing Additional Comments Additional comments We area bi lingual school French/English and we have the same practices in both languages. We are bringing reading and writing workshop training to the school beginning next year. We see it as an important component of a Balanced Literacy approach, yet want to ensure literacy doesn't become a stand alone subject. I'd be eager to see if your research turns up anything in this regard. I am happy to send you any docs that we have. I am very interested in the results and findings. I am also interested to see which school have literacy or reading benchmarks or agreements by grade level. We have adopted the common core state standards for ELA. We are finding that the Reading Workshop Model is truly allowing our teachers to teach with a learning target focus. giving students time to practice, explore and inquire, as well as ensuring valuable learning is happening when students are able to share their thoughts and findings. We also continue with a balance literacy philosophy of guided reading, shared reading, interactive reading, literacy circles, conferring and word study. For writing, each grade level is concentrating on the 3 basic units of study, Narrative, persuasive and informational. We also use Words Their Way for additional word study. I have found that the teachers use a wide range of resources in addition to those that are provided by the school. They research and locate materials that are best suited to the group(s) of students they have. As teacher teams they determine what the objectives are and how best to met them.

6 We also use the following: Words Their Way elements of Peter Bower's structured word inquiry Jeff Anderson's work on grammar