www.ncwiseowl.org/kscope/theatre/left_behind.html Behind the Scenes Reflection Activities Recommended Reading: Keene, Ellin, & Zimmerman, Susan. (1997). Mosaic of Thought. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (The authors organize this text around seven powerful cognitive strategies students can use for boosting comprehension.) Routman, Reggie. (2003) Reading Essentials: The Specifics You Need to Teach Reading Well. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. (The author uses detailed lessons, teaching tips, doable ideas and practical suggestions to help us become fully informed about the research, best practices and the social aspects of learning and reading.) Workshop Paperwork Attendance Roster to Document Workshop RTF Format   |   PDF Format Before/During/After Quick-Reference Workshop Preparation Checklist RTF Format   |   PDF Format Articles for Discussion Groups In You Can't Learn Much from Books You Can't Read, Richard Allington reminds us that the mismatch between reading levels of content-area textbooks and students’ reading abilities is one of many reasons so many students in grades 5-12 struggle with content area learning. Richard Vacca, in From Efficient Decoders to Strategic Readers, points out that as students enter grades 6-12, many of them do not receive the support they need to be strategic readers. Handouts Powerhouse Reading Strategies (.pdf) Known Ways to Employ Technology to Strengthen Reading, Writing, and Thinking (.pdf) Workshop Activities Reading Comprehension Read and Reflect Powerhouse Reading Strategies (.pdf) Known Ways to Employ Technology to Strengthen Reading, Writing, and Thinking (.pdf) Book: Mosaic of Thought, by Keene and Zimmerman TechKnow Park - Grade 5 Note that a new “powerhouse” reading comprehension strategy is introduced at the beginning of each six weeks. (Source: Mosaic of Thought, by Keene and Zimmerman) The Text Transformer Use these printable graphic organizers to complement reading comprehension strategies and to help students organize their thoughts, reflect upon reading material, and look for organizational patterns in online text. Guidelines for Note-taking (Source: Dr. Lynn Warren’s Research) **Students need instruction on effective ways to read and use electronic text. For example, demonstrate how to use the find or search features to search for text strings, how to use dictionaries, or how to take notes digitally. The Memory Components of Reading Comprehension, Dr. Mel Levine, www.allkindsofminds.org “As students read, they must hold important information and concepts in their minds. They must process words, sentences and paragraphs together in order to gain full meaning. In addition, readers must call up relevant information they already know. Memory, the storage and filing system of the mind, is essential in helping students comprehend as they read, make associations between prior knowledge and new information, and remember that same information at a later time, such as during a test.” Source: www.allkindsofminds.org The Memory Booster We need to teach and model strategies that make it easier for students to process information and store it away for later use. Regina Richards, an educational therapist, states that an overall goal for students is to help them develop automatic strategy use, as this increases their efficiency when learning and studying. Ms. Richards also recommends that teachers ask students to hand in a memory plan prior to a test or learning activity, in much the same way a pilot would hand in a flight plan. “Memory Matters” - www.KidsHealth.org. Teachley’s Amazing Talking Brain: Pick and choose from a collection of quick, effective teaching and learning strategies pulled from the field of brain research. Example: The Bob and Weave Technique. An Interdisciplinary Approach Curriculum Cork Boards Looking for Books?   "...we've learned that helping kids find out who they really are---what they are good at and what they love to do---is the most important way of maintaining natural curiosity and an eagerness to learn. We need to stop drawing attention to what kids can't do and start emphasizing what they can do." (Willis/Hodson, 1999) Relevance and a Learner-Centered Environment At the very heart of reading is a child’s DESIRE to read. When we build lessons and provide books on students’ favorite things they will spend more quality time with the activity or project, and they will most likely feel that it has real purpose for them. They expect to be successful and will feel motivated to persist in the assignment because they are dealing with something that is truly relevant. Book Adventure Learner Profile (Informal information-gathering tools designed to make teachers and students more aware of their different strengths, interests, learning modalities, and personalities.) "Learner-centered environments attempt to help students make connections between their previous knowledge and their current academic tasks. Parents are especially good at helping their children make connections. Teachers have a harder time because they do not share the life experiences of all of their students, so they must become familiar with each student’s special interests and strengths." National Research Council. (1999) How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, D.C.:National Academy Press. Sample UNITS & Activities Grade 6: Reading Goes to the Movies Grade 7: Language Arts Steps into the Future Grade 8: The Knowledge Flow Critical Evaluation Skills Grade 8: Web Savors for Teachers Content Coliseum – English Language Arts All Grades: READ – WRITE - THINK Student Material Comic Creator Compare and Contrast Guide Technology Applications for "Classroom Instruction that Works" (Marzano)