Reading Frameworks and Instructional Strategies

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1 Reading Frameworks and Instructional Strategies Balanced Literacy Balanced literacy is an approach to teaching reading and writing that has gained widespread acceptance in recent years. Aligned with Reading First; a balanced literacy program includes explicit instruction in decoding, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing. A balanced literacy classroom includes teacher modeling, guided practice, collaborative group work, independent practice, and the use of authentic literature (anthologies and novels). The district supports a particular model of balanced literacy based on Pat Cunningham s Four Blocks. The four blocks, or components of the model are: guided reading, writing, self-selected reading and word study. Project CRISS Developed by Dr. Carol Santa, Project CRISS (Creating Independence through Studentowned Strategies) focuses on teaching students how to learn through reading, writing, speaking and listening. The program includes: Author s craft Discussion Background knowledge Metacognition Writing Organization Teachers may use Project CRISS strategies as part of a balanced literacy program during guided reading as well as across the curriculum. Core Literature List In addition to the Houghton-Mifflin and Harcourt Brace Reading Series, teachers may use trade books or novels for reading instruction in a balance literature program. Developed by a committee of teachers, a Core Literature List is available for teacher use in each school. The purpose of the Core Literature List is to insure that all students will be taught a variety of literary text including current publications and multicultural titles. Teachers are expected to honor the Core Literature List. This means that the novels on the list are not to be taught and/or assigned to students in any other grade other than the grade listed. This does not prevent students from self-selecting these books at any grade level for independent reading or from teaching excerpts from these novels from anthology materials. Teachers are not required to teach all the novels on the list, and are encouraged to add additional titles. Teachers may add or delete books by contacting the District Language Arts Supervisor. 15

2 Core Literature List for Grade 4 Novel Babe the Gallant Pig The Borrowers Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Chocolate Touch The Enormous Egg Freckle Juice *Friendship and the Gold Cadillac How to Eat Fried Worms *Indian in the Cupboard *Justin and the Best Biscuits In the World Misty of Chincoteaque The Plant that Ate Dirty Socks *Sato and the Elephants *Save by Rainforest The Skates of Uncle Richard Stone Fox Stuart Little *Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Tales From Gold Mountain: Stories of the Chinese in the New World A Taste of Blackberries *Yang the Youngest and his Terrible Ear Author Dick King-Smith Mary Norton Roald Dahl Patrick S. Catling Oliver Butterworth Judy Blume Mildred Taylor Thomas Rockwell Lynne Reid Banks Mildred Pitts Marguerite Henry Nancy McArthur Juanita Havill Monica Zak Carol Fenner John R. Gardiner E.B.White Judy Blume Paul Lee Delores Buchanan Smith Linsey Namioko * Multicultural Books 16

3 Core Literature List for Grade 5 Novel *Boat Girl Bridge to Terabithia The Cay Dear Mr. Henshaw Fantastic Mr. Fox From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwriler Hatchet *The Hundred Penny Box *In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson James and the Giant Peach Kid in the Red Jacket The Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe The Mouse and the Motorcycle Phillip Hall Likes Me I Reckon *Sadako and the thousand Paper Cranes Sarah, Plain and Tall *Sign of the Beaver Skylark *Sounder *The Story of Women who Shaped the West The Trumpet of the Swan Whipping Boy The Witch of Blackbird Pond Author Bernard Ashley Katherine Paterson Theodore Taylor Beverly Cleary Roald Dahl E.L. Konigsburg Gary Paulsen Sharon Bell Mathis Bette Boa Lord Roald Dahl Barbara Park C.S. Lewis Beverly Cleary Bette Greene Eleanor Coerr Patricia MacLachlan Elizabeth George Speare Patricia MacLachlan William Howard Armstrong Mary Virginia Fox E.B. White Sid Fleishman Elizabeth George Speare * Multicultural Books 17

4 Core Literature List for Grade 6 Novel Author The Black Pearl Scott O dell Bunnicula Deborah and James Howe *Colin Powell: Straight To The Rose Blue and Corinne Naden Top *Famous Asian Americans Janet Morey and Wendy Dunn The Great Gilly Hopkins Katherine Paterson *Hello, My Name is Scrambled Jamie Gilson Eggs Island of the Blue Dolphins Scott O Dell *A Jar of Dreams Yoshiko Uchida *Maniac McGee Jerry Spinelli Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Robert C. O Brien *Number the Stars Lois Lowry The Phantom Tollbooth Norman Juster The Pinballs Betsy Byars *Rosa Parks: My Story Rosa Parks *Rooftop Astronomer: A Story Stephanie Sammartino McPherson About Marie Mitchell Shiloh Phyllis Reynolds Naylor *Space Challenger: the Story of Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson Guion Bluford Strider Beverly Cleary Summer of the Swans Betsy Byars Tales Mummies Tell Patricia Lauber Tuck Everlasting Natalie Babbitt The Westing Game Ellen Raskin Where the Red Fern Grows W.Rawls Wrinkle in Time Madeline L Engle * Multicultural Books 18

5 Direct Instruction Siegfried Engelmann pioneered the Direct Instruction method of instruction in the 1960s. This method is based on a careful analysis of different content areas to determine the sequence of skills and concepts needed to master a wide variety of academic subjects. The SRA reading programs, Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading, have been adopted by the Christina School District s Special Services office for special needs students in grades K-12. Special needs students are expected to receive services in Direct Instruction intervention in addition to daily exposure to the District s core reading program. These programs provide consistent methods of instruction using certain principles. First, all concepts are broken into sub-skills. Second, each skill is taught so that students fully understand it. Then each skill is practiced until it is completely mastered. Specific skills addressed in the programs are decoding, fluency and comprehension (literal and inferential). Common to the various Direct Instruction programs developed under Engelmann s direction are: 1. Field-tested programs 2. Tightly scripted lesson plans that leave no guess work 3. Interactive lessons requiring frequent verbal responses 4. Lessons presented to small groups of students 5. Immediate monitoring and correcting of errors by teachers 6. Students are grouped by performance level 7. Frequent assessment of student progress 8. Presentation books provide for maximum effectiveness and efficiency during instruction 9. Totally integrated skill books, textbooks, and authentic literature. The Special Education teacher is responsible for providing this method of reading instruction for their students. Training and coaching in these methodologies are expected, and provided by the cadre or outside consultants. 19

6 Direct Instruction Frequently Asked Questions 1.When do I use Direct Instruction as opposed to the regular reading program? In the case of special education instruction, the IEP is always the guide, keeping in mind that special education students should receive Direct Instruction on a daily basis as well as exposure to the core reading program. If students are working in the intermediate grades more than 2 years below grade level, the teacher needs to choose the Decoding series. If students are working only a year below, the regular Reading Mastery program at the student's reading level is an appropriate choice. 2. How can I best balance using the Direct Instruction programs and expose students to the regular curriculum? To answer this question, it would depend on the student s instructional level and the IEP goals/objectives. For example if a student is academically within a year of his/her chronological grade level, limited Direct Instruction exposure coupled with participation in the core reading program should be expected. A student functioning 2 or more years below his/her chronological grade level is expected to receive rigorous instruction in the Decoding series in addition to participation in the core reading program. The teacher needs to look at each student s needs and provide an appropriate level of instruction to help the student meet the standards. 3.How do I know where to place students within Direct Instruction programs? Each Direct Instruction program has a placement test that should be administered prior to placement in any program. The tests are straight forward and usually quickly administered. 4. Do Direct Instruction programs help students work towards meeting the standards in Language Arts? The research (which is substantial over many years) has shown that students make gains in this type of instruction. These programs can be a very effective part of Language Arts Instruction. 20