CITY OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS
MALDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Revised Literacy Block Non-Negotiables (K-5)
The literacy block is a 90 or 120 minute block that incorporates the essential components of literacy—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and oral language development. The block is broken into whole group for 15-30 minutes, small group centers or work stations for 60 or 90 minutes, and 5-10 minutes of wrap up. This list encompasses the strategies and best practices expected within the Malden Public Schools. Teachers are expected to select the strategies for lessons that best fit the needs of the lesson objective and students’ needs; not all strategies need to be included in every lesson.
When writing daily/weekly objectives, refer to the Preview the Week, Skills Overview, or Monitor Progress page in the Teacher Edition.
Whole Group:
· Two to four mini-lessons, may include the following:
o Vocabulary Strategies
§ K-5 Build concept vocabulary connected to weekly/unit concept/Amazing Words
§ K-2 Build high frequency word vocabulary and Amazing Words
§ K-1 Guided practice in using context clues to understand word meaning in read alouds, songs, & poems
§ 2-5 Model how to use strategies, including Word Structure (i.e. suffixes, prefixes, root words, homonyms), Context Clues (i.e. multiple meaning words, synonyms, antonyms), and Glossary Skills
o Comprehension Strategy/Skills
§ Model/Think Aloud skill and/or strategy
§ K-5 Comprehension strategies include sequence, compare & contrast, identify literary elements, cause & effect, identify main idea/details, draw conclusions, study genre, identify author’s purpose, summarize, fact vs. opinion, and using text features
o Conceptual/Building Background Discussion/Activity
§ KWL, RAN Charts, Concept Map, ELL Poster, Poems & Songs (K-2)
§ Top-down webs
o Word Study grades K-5
§ Introduce/Review weekly phonics concepts & spelling patterns verbally and in writing
§ K-2 phonemic awareness daily
o Gr 3 and up, introduce comparing multiple means of literature: stories, articles, nonfiction videos, etc
*All mini-lessons align with the targeted skill for the week & unit.
*Comprehension and vocabulary skills and strategy for each week must be posted & referred to during
whole class mini-lessons and then again in small group.
*All centers should align with goals and objectives of whole class lesson.
*K-3 whole group is done on the rug area or with students gathered on the floor.
*Turn and Talk is done 2+ times during whole group.
Small Group:
· Teacher Directed Center (following Reading Street core) w/ Reciprocal Teaching is done every day, including Friday.
o K & 1 Phonemic Awareness activities, specifically Say It & Move It
o K-2 Guided practice with Phonics skill and/or spelling pattern; gr 3-5 as needed
§ See CCSS Language Standards for grade level expectations.
o K-5 Guided practice applying vocabulary & comprehension skills & strategies
o K-5 Partner reading, choral reading, and/or echo reading with teacher monitoring & supporting
o 3-5 Independent reading (in a 1 foot voice for teacher to monitor) or partner reading (in 3 foot voice for partner to hear & teacher to monitor)
o Guided practice of Reciprocal Teaching/Literature Circles to improve comprehension with core & leveled texts
o If teachers choose to give the weekly Selection Test, it must be done in a small group(center), not in whole group
o K-5 Reciprocal Teacher terminology is used daily
o All groups must be seen by the teacher everyday for small group instruction
Independent Small Group Work (not with teacher)
· Word Study (K-2) Center(3-5 as needed) / Vocabulary Center
o Practice/apply phonics skill and/or spelling patterns with word building
o Interact with lesson, concept, and high frequency word vocabulary applying Blooms
o Word Study activities must match the students’ needs in terms of independent applications, such as: phonics rules and white boards.
· Vocabulary Center
o Interact with lesson, concept, and high frequency word vocabulary
o Opportunity to read across all genres and content areas will build vocabulary
· Reciprocal Teaching/Literature Circles
o Groups of 2 to 6 students reading same text. Engage in reciprocal teaching discussions daily. Record thoughts in writing 2-3 times a week.
o Upper grades will flourish into Literature Circles.
· Writing in response to reading
o Done in response to reading ONLY. Emphasis on supporting evidence and details.
o Writing in the content area works well
o Needs to include comparing different literature, linking passages, media, and multiple forms of text
· Independent Reading Center
o Student/teacher selected, level appropriate book to improve fluency and comprehension. Written responses should happen 2-3 times a week.
o Each student needs to have a level appropriate book bag with multiple genres
o Independent reading should only be done with close teacher monitoring to ensure the students are reading and responding. These students must have met the reading fluency benchmark.
· Partner Reading
o K-1 Students will work towards partner reading 30 minutes daily using appropriate leveled text and a variety of genres
o 2-5 Students will partner read 30 minutes daily using leveled readers and a variety of genres.
o Top readers ONLY can read independently in lieu of partner reading.
· Lexia should not be used during the literacy block if student is receiving another intervention during the literacy block.
*Centers should be differentiated to meet the needs of groups (i.e. book bins with level appropriate readers, word work reflecting student needs).
*Not all students need to go to the same/every center.
Interventions:
Student placement in literacy intervention is data driven, based on DIBELs benchmark and progress monitoring data, GRADE comprehension and vocabulary, and Reading Street Unit Benchmarks for vocabulary and comprehension. Interventions are based on Instructional Plans developed with the Literacy Coach.
· Lexia—web-enabled literacy program that focuses on the essential reading skills of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students take a placement test and are placed in one of three programs, Early Reading, Primary Reading, or Strategies for Older Students. Student progress is monitored by the teachers and literacy coach online at www.mylexia.com
· Early Reading Intervention (ERI)—intensive reading intervention program that accelerates reading development (Kindergarten and some first grade)
· Project Read—systematic approach to teaching phonics and fluency with explicit instruction and guided practice
· Wilson-- systematic approach to teaching phonics and fluency with explicit instruction and guided practice
· Quick Reads—intervention program used to improve students’ fluency with phrasing and timed readings as well as their comprehension of connected text.
· Great Leaps- fluency interventions
Assessments:
· If Selection Test is used it must be an independent center, so that small groups, led by the teacher can continue.
· Fresh Reads provide a more authentic assessment requiring students to apply the taught strategies in a new text. Fresh Reads is the preferred assessment.
· Selection tests are ALWAYS given open book.
· Benchmark Assessments from Reading Street (copies are made and will be given to teachers by literacy coaches)
Writing:
· Open Response must be done as a center and not in lieu of centers and literacy instruction.
Classroom Requirements
· K-3 Workboard
· K-5 Focus Wall to refer to during lesson
· Essential questions of unit/week
· Vocabulary
· Skill and strategy of week
· ELL poster
· Genre
· Tier 2 (Title 1)Intervention during literacy block should be push in.
· Scanning the room from the teacher led table.
· All centers up and running by October 1st.
Does not improve literacy instruction and should not be part of literacy block.
· Cutting and pasting
· Coloring sheets
· Round robin reading( pop corn reading)
· Story on tape for the whole class
· Writing that is not related to reading (Over the weekend I……)
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