Up Close with Close Reading: Principal Professional Development Session Michele Carpinteri Presented to Santa Fe Public Schools September 19, 2013
Session Objective Principals will develop an understanding of. The instructional routine of Close Reading and how it connects to Common Core Literacy Frameworks Text Complexity and Text Dependent Questions and their role in Close Reading
WELCOME! Introductions and M&M Activity Red What is a strength you have as an educator? Yellow Your favorite thing about Santa Fe? Brown What is your favorite place you have ever visited or traveled to? Blue What is your favorite book? Orange What professional achievement are you most proud of? Green What is the most challenging thing about being a school leader?
Agenda The Three Instructional Shifts in ELA and Literacy RI/RL Standard 10 Close Reading and the CCSS Text Complexity Text Based Questions Culminating Writing Task The Making of a Scientist (Feynman)
Three Shifts in English Language Arts & Literacy 5 1. Building knowledge through content rich informational texts 1. Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence 1. Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary 5
TRUE OR FALSE? Close Reading discourages teachers from helping students when they hit a roadblock in their understanding of a text Close Reading gives all students access to grade level texts without relying on students having background knowledge. Close Reading with ELL students encourages teachers to support students with a simpler source of information Close Reading dismisses reading strategies and instead asks students to make meaning of the text by analyzing words, phrases and sentences Close Reading allows students to discuss the passage with their teacher and classmates with the goal of moving students toward independence. 6
Close Reading Careful and purposeful rereading of a text (Fisher) Asks students to find evidence from the text and make logical inferences from what they have read Through discussion and writing students gain an understanding of the text as a whole Allows access for all students and does not privilege background information
Close Reading includes Using short, or chunked passages and excerpts Diving right into text without pre-reading activities Focusing on the text itself Reading and rereading Reading with a pencil Discussing the text with others Responding to text-dependent questions A culminating writing assignment connected to a standard
Close Reading Exemplar Checklist Identify complex text to use for close read Connection to CCLS Determine amount of days for the lesson Daily lesson structure Gradual Release Model Read aloud days portion of the text Spell out a series of text based questions Assign formative or on the last day, cumulative writing assignment connected to CCLS
Scaffolding in Close Reading Close Reading may be scaffolded through these teaching practices Shared Reading Interactive Read aloud Literature Circles Reciprocal Teaching Post-Its Think Sheets Jigsaws
Three-Part Model for Measuring Text Qualitative dimensions of text complexity Aspects of a text best measured by an attentive reader, levels of meaning, purpose, structure and knowledge demands Quantitative Dimensions of text complexity Word & sentence length usually measured by a computer Reader and Task Considerations Knowledge & Experience Demands, Purpose and complexity of task and questions. Complexity
Qualitative Measures (Appendix A, page 6) Levels of Meaning or Purpose Multiple, implicit, ambiguous Structure Organization: complex, unconventional. Graphics: Sophisticated or essential Language Conventionality &Clarity Figurative or ironic, academic or domain specific Knowledge Demands: Life Experiences Complex or multiple themes; unfamiliar experiences, multiple perspectives Knowledge Demands: Cultural/Literacy (literary) Knowledge Demands: Content/Disciplinary (informational) Extensive or specialized discipline specific content knowledge required
Quantitative Measures Measured by algorithm, not human reader Lexile and other formulas for measuring readability of texts
Quantitative Measures and the CCSS New Lexile Ranges from elementary to high school Grade Band Old Lexile Ranges CCR Lexile Ranges 2-3 450-725 420-820 4-5 645-845 740-1010 6-8 860-1010 925-1185 9-10 960-1115 1050-1335 11-CCR 1070-1220 1185-1385
Reader and Task Considerations Professional judgment to match texts to particular students and tasks Knowledge demands: Life Experiences Knowledge Demands: Cultural/literacy (literacy) Knowledge Demands: Content/disciplinary (informational)
Whole Group Reflection: Think-Pair-Share What implications does this work on text complexity have for. Professional Development Curriculum planning Classroom Instruction Assessment
Text Based Questions Questions that can only be answered with evidence from the text Can be literal, but can also involve analysis, synthesis, and evaluation Focus on a word, sentence and paragraph as well as larger themes, ideas or events Focus on difficult portions of a text in order to enhance reading proficiency
Text Based Questions Yet an equally important feature of text based question is that they should be framed as open ended and not leading questions, as genuine learning only happens when students can engage in an authentic conversation about the text instead of the questions (or teachers) providing the right answer immediately. David Pook
Text Based Questions The sequence of questions should not be random but should build toward more coherent understanding that build gradual understanding of its meaning. Achievethecore.org
Reading: Alice s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice s Adventure s In Wonderland Non-Text dependent Are books without pictures or conversations useful? How would you react if you saw a talking rabbit? Would Alice have followed the rabbit down the hole had she not seen it look at a watch? What do you know about Lewis Carroll, the author? Text Dependent What kinds of books does Alice find useful? How did Alice react when she saw a talking rabbit? Why did Alice follow the rabbit down the rabbit hole? What does the reader know about the rabbit?
Text Based Questions Connected to Standards Why wasn t Alice burning with curiosity when she initially saw the rabbit? (Standard 4) In the opening paragraph Alice states, what is the use of a book without pictures or conversation? What does this sentence reveal about her? (Standard 6) What details about the rabbit catch Alice s eye in the third paragraph? (Standard 2)
Criteria for Creating Text Based Questions Identify the standards that are being addressed Determine the key ideas of the text Create a sequence of questions that orient students to the text Target text structures and academic vocabulary Craft questions that support students with difficult sections of the text
Implications of Text Based Questions Students Learn to go back to text to find evidence to support their argument in a thoughtful, careful, precise way Develop a fascination with reading Create own judgments and become scholars, rather than witnesses of the text Engage with the author and what the author states Teachers Spend more time preparing for instruction by reading deeply Facilitate evidence based conversations Ask students where in the text they found evidence, where they saw certain details, where the author communicated something, why the author may believe something Keep students in the text Plan and conduct rich conversations about what the writer is writing about. Identify questions that are text-based, worth and asking/exploring Provide students the opportunity to read the text, encounter references to another text, another event and dig more deeply into the text to try and figure out what is going on
Culminating Writing Assignment Connected to CCLS Addresses the key ideas and understandings of the text Asks students to draw evidence from the text and explain their thinking Completed by students independently
Reading and Thinking about Complex Texts Independently read and annotate The Making of a Scientist In groups of four, write 3-4 text based questions about The Making of a Scientist on Post-It Notes Gallery Walk: Provide feedback on questions Reflect: Compare your questions to the questions developed by Student Achievement Partners Debrief: What did you notice? Process? Product?
TRUE OR FALSE? (Round 2) Close Reading discourages teachers from helping students when they hit a roadblock in their understanding of a text Close Reading gives all students access to grade level texts without relying on students having background knowledge. Close Reading with ELL students encourages teachers to support students with a simpler source of information Close Reading dismisses reading strategies and instead asks students to make meaning of the text by analyzing words, phrases and sentences Close Reading allows students to discuss the passage with their teacher and classmates with the goal of moving students toward independence. 27
Staying in touch! www.edmodo.com Join group Santa Fe CODE: cgxjzv
Reflection/Exit Slip What are the implications of close reading and text based questions for your work as a school leader? What questions do you still have? What resources do you need to begin this work in your schools? What ideas do you have for follow-up in future sessions?
Follow-Up Sessions & Contact Information Follow-up Sessions: November 21 th, January 22 nd, March 5 th, April 16 th Michele Carpinteri michelec31@gmail.com