738 Literacy Partnership Grant for SY 14-15

Part III – Required Program Information (Narrative ) and Instructions

Keys to Literacy

NOTE: Words in italics are for guidance about responding to the grant. Words NOT in italics can be lifted and copied.

1.District(s) and Schools Participating – All schools must have at least one of grades PK-6

2. Critical Issue: Curriculum and Instruction – As the DESE explained to us, if your district is using or plans to use any DESE Model Curriculum Unit in any classroom gr PK-6, check the first box. By choosing to work with us as your Literacy PD partner, check the second box, too.

If your district has developed your own Model Curriculum Units and is therefore not using the DESE MCU’s and you want to use the grant for PD, check only the second box.

The PD is supposed to address underlyingliteracy skills with best instructional practices so teachers can implement the MCU’s as effectively as possible. This is exactly what our PD is intended to do. The PD does not have to show teachers how to use the MCU’s, but it should show teachers how to provide quality instruction for literacy skills embedded in the MCU’s.

3. Organizations Participating

Keys to Literacy

319 Newburyport Turnpike, Suite 205

Rowley, MA 01969

4A.Since the focus for this grant is on Model Curriculum Units for gr PK-6, the schools chosen should cover any of those grades. Provide data supporting the need to focus on the specific schools, such as MCAS results, etc.

4B. Keys to Literacy is responsible for providing literacy professional development for administrators and teachers as they implement the Model Curriculum Units. Keys to Literacy meets the MA Standards for High Quality Professional Development (HQPD)and is an approved state professional development provider. KTL has 12 trainers, all of whom have at least a Master’s degree in Reading or a related field and years of experience in the classroom as teachers and administrators and in PD as teacher trainers and literacy experts.

4C. XXXXXX District will be working on both priority areas: implementing MCU’s and providing intensive professional development to administrators and teachers as they implement the MCU’s.

The DESE wants each district to identify the MA Curriculum shifts they want to address via this grant and how our PD will support the teachers:

  • See the chart in 4F below about the shifts and choose 1-2 shifts on which to focus.
  • Work with Sue Nichols(978-948-8511 ext 205or ) at KTL to choose amongour PD programs (Comprehension, Close Reading, Vocabulary, Writing (Content and Argument) andANSWER Key to Extended Response) to support those shifts.
  • Then, work with Sue Nicholsto develop the best plan for your schools.

Here is verbiage to use for a description of the content of the training:

The Key Comprehension Routine (grades 4-12) embeds comprehension strategy instruction in all content areas, using existing reading and instruction material. The routine includes these skills and activities: main idea and text structure, top-down topic webs, two-column notes, summarizing, and generating questions. When adopted by a school or district, students will learn a routine for active reading and writing that is consistent as they move from grade to grade and subject to subject.

The Key Comprehension Routine for Primary Grades has been adapted for use in grades K-3. The skills and strategies of the routine have been modified to be introduced through oral language, the use of pictures in addition to words, and more age-appropriate application of the strategies.

The Key Vocabulary Routine (Grades K-12) is a program for embedding vocabulary instruction in all content areas, using existing reading and instruction material. The program combines direct and indirect instruction into a routine of five components: previewing, activities for teaching related words, selection of content words to teach in-depth, using context and word parts, and promoting word consciousness. When adopted by a school, students will learn a routine for increasing vocabulary knowledge that is consistent as they move from grade to grade and subject to subject.

The Keys to Close Reading (Grades K-12) shows participants how to plan and conduct a close reading lesson. The Common Core literacy standards emphasize the use of challenging text at all grade levels and for students to apply close reading skills. Close reading is figuring out what a text says by thinking critically about the words and ideas in the text.

The Keys to Content Writing(Grades 3-12) focuses on best practices for helping students learn to write in all subject areas. Participants learn to address the writing requirements of Common Core Standards, including frequent writing in all content areas with both short and longer writing tasks. This training focuses on information writing but information about argument and narrative writing is included. Participants receive sample writing templates, graphic organizers, and checklists.

The Keys to Argument Writing(Grades 3-12) focuses on how to teach students to write opinion/argument pieces in all content areas. Aligned to the Common Core Argument Writing Standards, this session emphasizes students’ ability to write sound arguments using text evidence to support a position in a reasoned, logical way.

The ANSWER Key Routine for Extended Response (Grades 3-12)shows participants how to teach a student routine for answering extended response question prompts (i.e. constructed or open response) and how to use extended response writing as a classroom tool to help students learn and remember content. Students can also use the routine for on-demand writing assessments.

4D. To be provided by the district.

4E. The number of sessions and the format depend on the scope of the professional development. Please work with Sue Nichols to develop this plan.

4F. Keys to Literacy professional developmentcompletely aligns with the shifts in the 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for ELA and Literacy. Specifically:

Shift / KTL Strategy to Meet the Common Core Goal
1.Gr PK-5: Students read a true balance of Informational and Literacy Texts / KTL comprehension, close reading, vocabulary, and writing programs teach students about informational text structure, strategies to comprehend and write about informational text in all subjects, and ways to learn academic vocabulary found in informational text
2.Gr 6-12: Knowledge in the Disciplines / The focus for all KTL programs is on training teachers of all subject and all grades how to embed literacy instruction into content classroom teaching using authentic reading material that is both narrative and informational.
3. Reading on a Staircase of Increasing Complexity / KTL’s comprehension, close reading, and writing programs teach students a set of foundational literacy skills that are consistent as students move from grade to grade and subject to subject. KTL programs also train teachers to scaffold and differentiate their instruction to meet individual student needs.
4.Text-based Answers / All KTL programs focus on teaching students how to closely read text and respond to that text through class discussion or writing assignments. All programs include opportunities for students to work collaboratively to practice using newly learned literacy strategies.
5. Writing from Sources / KTL’s comprehension and writing programs provide explicit instruction, with modeling, on writing about text. The writing routines in particular emphasize how to write arguments with supporting text evidence, and they teach about language structures at the sentence, paragraph, and text levels.
6. Academic Vocabulary / KTL’s vocabulary and close reading programs helps students grow their academic vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction, and reading. The vocabulary program has the same strategies detailed in the CCSS: use of context clues, word parts, reference materials, word relationships, and nuanced understanding of words gained through rich classroom discussion.

4G. The follow up plan includes several components that both experience and research show are needed for implementation to be successful:

  • Administrator training, so building leadership can know what to expect from teachers, what to look for in the classroom, and how they can support the use of effective instructional practices with the MCU’s.
  • Coach/building facilitator training, where educators receive advanced training to help with programstrategies, modeling, and acting as a resource for their peers.
  • Small group meetings and/or classroom modeling, co-teaching and observations from KTL trainers and coaches/building facilitators to ensure the program strategies are being applied with fidelity and in the most effective way possible.

4H. There are various indicators of success. Keys to Literacy fields a survey to assess knowledge of the strategies after the training is complete. In addition, KTL fields a pre- and post-survey to determine how usage of the strategies in the classroomand opinions about the program’s effectiveness changeover time. Evaluation reports are provided after initial training and after every follow up session. In addition, administrators are given Walkthrough Forms and Guides about Evidence of Use which can provide a method for tracking progress over time.

4I. The principal can provide leadership by using the strategies personally on a regular basis when communicating with faculty or students, by carving out time for Coaches to meet with and support their peers and for teachers to work together on the MCU’s, by sharing the Walkthrough criteria with faculty, and by stating that the use of the KTL strategies and the MCU’s is a priority.

4J. This initiative will be sustained beyond the life of the grant because the district will continue to support building facilitators/coaches as they work with teachers to implement the MCU’s using KTL strategies. We plan to bring teachers and administrators new to the district up to speed about the MCU’s and the professional development strategies aligned with the shifts.

4K. Keys to Literacy meets the MA Standards for High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) and is an approved MA professional development provider. Keys to Literacy PD meets the Guiding Principles for HQPD, in that our professional development: 1)is intentional, with clear goals related to student outcomes and alignment with relevant goals; 2) is an on-going process, based on data analysis, continuous assessment, and promoting collaboration; 3) is evaluated regularly for effectiveness; 4) models good pedagogical practice and advances educator’s ability to apply learnings from the PD; 5)makes use of resources, is taught by experts, and builds upon other KTL PD; and 6) requires strong leadership at the building and district level to be successful.

5. Using Best Practices:

Here is research in general about our Professional Development model:

Research on the Keys to Literacy Professional Development Model

In order to have a lasting, sustainable impact on instruction, quality professional development must be more than individual workshops or training days. The Keys to Literacy professional development model includes hands-on initial training that shows teachers how to apply research-based instruction. The model also includes follow-up professional development provided by Keys to Literacy trainers AND building-based peer coaches, with an emphasis on peer collaboration.

Here is a review of the related research findings about effective professional development:

Snow-Renner and Lauer (2005) conducted a meta-analysis of effective professional development for teachers. In doing so, they found that “professional development that is most likely to positively affect a teacher’s instruction is:

  • Of considerable duration
  • Focused on specific content and/or instructional strategies rather than general
  • Characterized by collective participation of educators, in the form of grade-level or school-level teams
  • Infused with active learning rather than a stand-and-deliver model.” (p. 6)

Sailors (2009) reviewed the literature about professional development of teachers and concluded the following:

  • Professional development that focuses on specific instructional practices increases the use of those practices by teachers in their classrooms (Desimone et al., 2002)
  • Teachers need proof that the topics and practices of professional development activities actually work with students (Butler et al, 2004)
  • Teachers describe “one shot” models of professional development (i.e., a single in-service day without follow up) as boring and irrelevant and report that they forget 90% of what was presented to them (NCES, 1999)
  • Teachers report they want more and better in-service support (Anders, Hoffman, & Duffy, 2004)

In 2009, the National Staff Development Council issued a report (Wei et al, 2009) summarizing all of the research on effective professional development for teachers. Here are some of the findings that support the Keys to Literacy model of PD:

  • School-Based Coaching: Coaches are used to tighten the connection between formal training and teachers’ application of instructional practices in their classrooms. Coaching models recognize that if PD is to take root in teachers’ practice, on-going and specific follow-up is necessary to help teachers incorporate new knowledge and skills into classroom practice both in the short and long term. Successful coaching should be offered by accomplished peers and should include ongoing classroom modeling, supportive critiques of practice, and specific observations. (p. 14)
  • Focus on Instructional Content: PD is most useful when it focuses on concrete tasks of teaching rather than abstract discussions of teaching. PD affects teacher practice when it focuses on enhancing teachers’ knowledge of how to engage in specific instructional methods and how to teach specific kinds of content to students. It should also focus on student learning – providing an understanding of the skills that students will be expected to demonstrate. (p. 3)
  • Make it School-Wide: PD is more effective when it is a coherent part of school reform plans rather than “one-shot” workshops. (p.5) When whole grade levels, schools or departments are involved, they provide a broader base of understanding and support. Teachers create a critical mass for improved instruction and serve as support groups for each other’s improved practice. (p. 6)
  • Provide Opportunities for Collaboration: Effective PD highlights the importance of teacher collaboration and communities of practice in schools that focus on teachers’ own practices. Collective work in trusting environments provides a basis for inquiry and reflection into teachers’ own practice, allowing teachers to take risks, solve problems, and attend to dilemmas in their practice. (p.6)

Teachers learn best by working with their colleagues in professional learning communities, engaging in continuous dialog and examination of their practice and student performance to develop and enact more effective instructional practices. (p. 9)

  • Make the Training Active: Opportunities for active learning are important, including modeling the sought after practices and constructing opportunities for teachers to practice and reflect on the new strategies. (p. 6)
  • PD Must Be Sustained and Intense: Intensive PD sustained over a period of time is more effective than intermittent workshops with no follow-up mechanisms. This includes a substantial number of contact hours spread out over multiple months. (p. 7-8)
  • Provide Opportunities for Peer Observation: Teachers’ instruction becomes more student-centered and focused on ensuring that students gain mastery of skills or the subject when they participate in peer observations. Teachers also have more opportunities to learn and a greater desire to continuously develop more effective practices. Videotapes of teaching can be used as an alternative to observation as a way to make aspects of teacher practice public and open to peer critique, learn new practices, and analyze aspects of teaching practice. (p. 12-13)

References

Sailors, M. (2009). Improving comprehension instruction through quality professional development. In S.E. Israel & G.G. Duffy (Eds). Handbook of research on reading comprehension. New York: Routeledge.

Snow-Renner, R., & Lauer, P.A. (2005). Professional development analysis. Denver, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education Learning.

Wei, R. C., Darling-Hammond, L., Andree, A., Richardson, N., Orphanos, S. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession: A status report on teacher development in the United States and abroad. Dallas, TX. National Staff Development Council.

Choose the sections associated with the PD your district will be using, or choose multiple sections:

The Key Comprehension Routine for Grades 4-12

Effective Comprehension Instruction: What the Research Says

Researchers agree that the goal of comprehension is more likely attained when students are actively involved in seeking, organizing, and reformulating information in their own words. Written responses demand the mental transformation of ideas and foster ownership of learning (Stotsky, 2001; Duke, Pressley & Hilden, 2004). The Key Comprehension Routine teaches students to actively read about and listen to content information and then apply a set of research-based strategies to organize and write about that information.

Several reviews and syntheses of research offer key information about effective comprehension strategy instruction. These reviews by Alvermann and Moore (1991), The National Reading Panel (2000), The RAND Reading Study Group (Snow, 2002), Carlisle and Rice (2002), Curtis (2002), Meltzer, Smith and Clark (2003), and others examine hundreds of scientific and quasi-scientific studies and conclude that comprehension can be enhanced by teaching a relatively small set of comprehension strategies.

Effective Comprehension Strategies

The Key Comprehension Routine provides a consistent set of foundational strategy activities, including how to find main ideas, using and generating top-down topic webs, taking notes, generating questions, and summarizing. The National Reading Panel (2000) identified several comprehension strategies as being most effective for improving comprehension. They are described below, followed by a brief description of how each strategy is embedded in The Key Comprehension Routine.

  • Comprehension monitoring. Readers approach text with a sense of purpose and adjust how they read.
  • The Key Comprehension Routine teaches students how to identify main ideas and relevant details while reading and then enter them into two-column notes.
  • Use of graphic organizers (including story maps). Readers create or complete graphic or spatial representations of the topics and main ideas in text.
  • A major Key Comprehension activity is the use of a top-down topic graphic organizer that is used before, during and after reading.
  • Question answering and generation. Readers ask and answer questions before, during, and after reading. They learn to consider what type of question is being asked according to a framework and to anticipate test questions they may be asked.
  • The Key Comprehension Routine teaches students how to generate questions at all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. There is also a focus on learning key question terms.
  • Summarization. Readers select and paraphrase the main ideas of expository text and integrate those ideas into a brief paragraph or several paragraphs that capture the most important propositions or ideas in the reading.
  • A major activity of The Key Comprehension Routine is summarizing. Students are taught a process for generating a summary and use a summarizing template to scaffold their thoughts before writing.
  • Cooperative learning. Students learn strategies together through peer interaction, dialogue with each other, and with the teacher in whole-group activities.
  • After teachers have introduced and modeled strategy activities, The Key Comprehension Routine emphasizes providing opportunities for students to practice application of the activities in small, cooperative groups.

Using More Than One Strategy at a Time

Research has also shown that although each of the strategies is beneficial when used alone, instruction is even more effective when several strategies are combined together (Gaskins, 1998; Pressley, 2000; Duke, 2004). The National Reading Panel (2000) found that when used in combination, the use of strategies can improve the results of standardized comprehension tests. The Key Comprehension Routine trains teachers to use several strategies at a time (e.g., using a topic web to generate a summary, generating questions from two-column notes).