Elementary Instructional Support and Intervention Curriculum
Language Arts and Math
Part 1: Language Arts Description and Philosophy
The Elementary Instructional Support Program offers academic support for students who demonstrate weakness in Reading. The curriculum focuses on remediating the essential components of elementary language arts instruction including phonemic awareness, letter knowledge and concepts of print, the alphabetic code, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, written expression and spelling. In addition to strategy instruction in these areas, students are gaining confidence and independence in their reading skills to help them in all areas of a traditional classroom setting.
The Instructional Support Program offers academic support for students who demonstrate a weakness in an area of Reading/Language Arts and/or Math. Students are eligible for Instructional Support by scoring low on achievement tests, as well as receiving teacher and/or parent recommendations for help in one or both subjects. Support is offered in many different forms such as meeting in a small group setting or individually outside of the classroom or support can be given in the classroom. The classroom teachers and the Instructional Support teachers work together to determine what works best for the student. The program is an option that parents may decline for their child, however, most parents readily accept the extra support.
The NCREL identifies broader 21st century skills as achieving 21st century learning through digital age literacy, inventive thinking, effective communication, and high productivity. The Instructional Support Program supports these skills by working on the foundation skills needed to obtain information. It also supports reading and writing for effective communication. Often these support skills are taught using Ipads and other technology, which gives students practice using 21st century informational tools.
Activities are differentiated and varied according to grade level and developmental needs. In grades k-2, the Instruction Support curriculum focuses on helping students develop strategies for phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency. These word attack skills will help students comprehend text and better use the comprehension strategies being taught. A wide variety of activities and games emphasize these phonological and word attack skills. In grades 3-5, the Instructional Support curriculum focuses on fluency and comprehension strategies as well as their written expression. Reading materials, including trade books, textbooks and online articles, are utilized in lessons on improving comprehension skills and responding to text.
Text Reference:
Harvey, Stephanie, Goudvis, Anne. Strategies that Work, 2000 by Stenhouse Publishers, Portland, Maine.
Burkhardt, Gale, Monsour, Margaret, Valdez, Gil. enGauge 21st Century Skills, 2003 by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. http://pict.sdsu.edu/engauge21st.pdf
REVISED 2015
Unit I: Phonemic Awareness and Concepts of Print
Essential Question: How does phonemic awareness impact learning to read? How does understanding directionality and how letters and sounds go together build reading skills?
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Objectives: Students will be able to:
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· Build on previous knowledge of concepts of print such as directionality, basic use of punctuation, and differentiating between letters, words, and sentences
· Build on previous knowledge of concepts of print such as basic letter recognition and ability to pick out discrete sounds in words
· Use titles, tables of contents and chapter headings to locate information
· Discriminate between different words and sounds
· Identify and produce rhymes
· Orally blend syllables and phonemes
· Identify initial, medial, and final sounds
· Segment individual sounds and phonemes in words
· Recognize and name all letters of the alphabet
· (For 3rd Grade and above)
· Recognize that printed materials provide specific information
· Recognize purposes for print conventions such as end punction, paragraphing and bold print
· Use a glossary or index to locate information in text
Differentiated Learning Activities
· Pre-assessments will allow for individualized instruction.
· Hands-on practice using manipulative reading and phonics materials allows for individual challenge and reinforcement of word-building skills.
Ethical Decision Making/Character Education
· Working in small groups and playing games provides opportunities for development of social skills such as group decision-making, cooperation and sharing.
· Discussions of literature based scenarios incorporates real-life situations to explore such as problem/solution and personal dilemmas faced by characters.
· Discussions of strengths and weaknesses in reading helps to encourage empathy for others who are having trouble, pride and determination to work on problems, and courage to admit difficulties.
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Topic/Content Skills / Assessment / Resources / Instructional Method / Tech Infusion / CCCSTopic 1 : Concepts of Print
· Purpose of a paragraph
· Purpose of punctuation
· Basic concepts of print and directionality
· Letters, Words, Sentences
· Use of nonfiction text features
· Modeled reading by teacher and peers / In class assignments / In class library / Small Group Lessons / Smartboard / CCSS ELA – Literacy RF K.1, K.2, 1.1, 2.1
Topic 2: Phonemic Awareness and Letter Recognition
· Review and practice of letter naming
· Games and center activities / Direct Observation
DRA testing / Teacher Created Materials / Individual Instruction / Internet Research tools to find literature information
Participation in Discussion / Teacher Selected Literature / Learning Centers / Ipad apps for phonemic awareness
Participation in Hands-on Activities / Orton Gillingham Materials / Use of Manipulatives
Classroom Teacher Feed back / Words Their Way books and materials
Parent Feedback / Good Habits, Great Readers
Orton – Gillingham Sound Assessments
Informal Reading Inventory
Unit II: Alphabetic Principle and Decoding
Essential Question: What role does alphabetic principle play in a student’s process of learning to read?
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Objectives: Students will be able to:
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· Identify letters and sounds
· Produce letters and sounds
· Recognizes and produces letter-sound relationships of consonants, blends, and digraphs
· Recognizes and produces letter-sound relationships of vowels (short, long, diphthongs and variants)
· Recognizes and produces letter-sound relationships of phonograms
· Blends letter sounds
· Blends letter sounds with blends and digraphs
· Reads words with common word parts
· Reads multisyllabic words
· Look for known chunks or small words to attempt to decode an unknown word
· Use phonetic cues to decode words when reading a passage
· Use semantic cues to ehlp decode words when readiing a passage
· Use structural cues to help decode words when reading a passage
· Use reasonable substitutions when unable to sound out actual word
For 3rd grade and above
· Know letter sounds for a range of prefixes and suffixes
· Use letter-sound knowledge and structural analysis to decode words
· Use context to accurately read words with more than one pronunciation
Differentiated Learning Activities
· Hands-on practice using manipulative reading and phonics materials allows for individual challenge and reinforcement of word building skills.
· Miscue and running record assessments provide feedback about individual learning needs so lessons can be tailored accordingly
Ethical Decision Making/Character Education
· Working in small groups and playing games provides opportunities for development of social skills such as group decision-making, cooperation, and sharing
· Discussions of literature based scenarios incorporates real-life situations to explore such as proble/solution and personal dilemmas faced by characters.
· Discussions of strengths and weaknesses in reading helps to encourage empathy for others who are having trouble, pride and determination to work on problems, and courage to admit difficulties.
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Topic/Content Skills / Assessment / Resources / Instructional Method / Tech Infusion / CCCSTopic 1: Breaking down words
· Letter-sound relationships
· Word Families
· Chunking Games / In class assignments / In class library / Small Group Lessons / Online research tools for information and teaching ideas / CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RF K.3, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3, 5.3
Topic 2: Decoding Strategies
· Blending sounds
· Recognizing Patterns in Words
· Identifying Base Words / Direct observation
DRA Testing / Teacher created materials / Individual Instruction / Smartboard
Topic 3: Using Clues to Aid Decoding
· Applying Phonological Skills
· Using Semantic Cues
· Using Syntax Cues / Participation in Discussion / Teacher selected literature / Learning Centers / Ipad spps for letter sounds and decoding
Participation in Hands-on Activities / Orton Gillingham materials / Use of Manipulatives
Miscue Analysis / Words Their Way books and materials / Literature Studies
Running Records / Good Habits Great Readers
Classroom Teacher Feedback
Parent Feedback
Unit III: Fluency
Essential Question: How do I become a fluent reader?
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Objectives: Students will be able to:
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· Pause at appropriate end points
· Use appropriate pace; not ‘choppy’ or word by word
· Use appropriate inflection
· Read silently without finger or lip movement
· Self-monitor when text does not make sense
· Employ learned strategies to determine if text makes sense without being prompted
· Skip over difficult words in an effort to read on and determine menaing
· Return to the beginning of a sentence and try again
· Activate prior knowledge
· Visualize oral and written information
· Use decoding and vocabulary strategies
· Use phonological, semantic and syntactical cues
For 3rd grade and above
· Set purpose for reading and check to verify or change predictions during/after reading
· Monitor comprehension and accuracy while reading in context and self-correct errors
· Use pictures and context clues to assist with decoding of new words
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Topic/Content Skills / Assessment / Resources / Instructional Method / Tech Infusion / CCCSTopic 1: Strategies Before Reading
· Picture Walk
· Discuss the topic
· Make Predictions / In-class assignments / In class library / Small Group Lessons / Smartboard / CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RF. K.4, 1.4, 2.4, 4.4, 5.4
Topic 2: Strategies During Reading
· Using Phonological, Semantic, Syntax, and Illustration Clues
· Visualizing story events
· Skipping and coming back to unknown words
· Make Predictions
· Reread for understanding / Direct Observation / Teacher created materials / Individual Instruction / Online research tools to find information on literature and teaching strategies
Topic 3: Strategies After Reading
· Self-checking
· Questioning for Understanding
· Recognizing Challenges / Participation in Discussion / Teacher selected literature / Learning Centers / Websites such as www.newsela.com
Topic 4: Reading Aloud
· Small Group Reading
· Partner Reading
· DRA Assessments and Running Records
· Poetry, Songs, Word Lists / Participation in Hands-on activities / Grade level texts / Literature Studies / Ipad apps for sight words and fluency
DRA / Sight Word Lists / Use of Manipulatives
Running Records / Sight Word Review Games
Classroom Teacher Feedback / Leveled word lists and reading passages
Parent Feedback / Good Habits Great Readers
Differentiated Learning Activities
· Miscue and running record assessments along with the DRA provide feedback about individual learning needs so lessons can be tailored accordingly.
· Fluency word lists and leveled passages are kept at each student’s level and area of need.
Ethical Decision Making/Character Education
· Working in small groups and playing games provides opportunities for development of social skills such as group decision-making, cooperation and sharing.
· Discussions of literature based scenarios incorporates real-life situations to explore such as problem/solution and personal dilemmas faced by characters
· Discussions of strengths and weaknesses in reading helps to encourage empathy for others who are having trouble, pride and determination to work on problems, and courage to admit difficulties
Unit IV: Improving Vocabulary Development and Comprehension
Essential Question: How does the use of vocabulary impact reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension?
Why is it important to understand what I read?
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Objectives: Students will be able to:
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· Use words to describe
· Learn and use new vocabulary introduced stories and instruction
· Increase knowledge of word meanings and uses new vocabulary in speaking and writing
· Answers text based questions after listening or reading a text
· Tells the main idea of a story or informational passage
· Identify and answer questions about the characters, settings and events
· Answer what-if, why and how questions
· Identify correct sequence of events
· Draw conclusions based on content
For 3rd grade and above
· Answer literal, inferential and evaluative questions
· Answer questions about main characters, setting, theme and plot
· Distinguish main idea/details, fact/opinion, cause/effect
· Use structure of informational text to aid understanding
· Use information in tables, graphs, diagrams, maps and charts
· Retell the main ideas of stories or information text
· Identify specific words that cause comprehension difficulties
· Infer word meaning from taught roots, prefixes, and suffixes
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Topic/Content Skills / Assessment / Resources / Instructional Method / Tech Infusion / CCCSTopic 1: Vocabulary / In-class assignments / Teacher created materials / Small Group Lessons / Online research tools / CCSS.ELA-Literacy. RL. K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
· Identifying unfamiliar words in texts
· Using Context to learn new words / Direct observation / Teacher selected literature / Individual Instruction / Website resources for lesson plans and passages such as:
www.readwritethink.org
www.newsela.com
www.readworks.org
· Finding the Base word
· Words their Way word sorts / Participation in discussion / Word Wall Words / Learning Centers / Ipad apps
Topic 2: Comprehension Skills / Participation in Hands-on activities / Grade level texts / Literature Studies
· Self-questioning
· Visualizing the story / Reading Responses / Words Their Way materials / Use of Manipulatives and Classroom Reading Materials
· Retelling the story with sufficient details
· Summarizing main ideas / Graphic Organizers / Good Habits Great Readers
Topic 3: Practicing Vocabulary and Comprehension Strategies / DRA
· Graphic Organizers
· Making inferences / Classroom Teacher Feedback
· Drawing Conclusions
· Book Responses / Parent Feedback
Differentiated Learning Activities
· Response logs require individual reflection and responses reflecting personal skills and abilities
· Some students need specific help with a homeroom assignment, so differentiation of class work will take place in an Instructional Support group either in the classroom or pulled out of the classroom