Joy of Reading for LS Conference 2 06

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Drasch/10/05/04 The Joy of Reading Donna Drasch Service-Learning Coordinator EASTCONN Windham Mills Building 1, 3rd Floor 322 Main Street Willimantic, CT 06226 860-445-0707 ext 3047 ddrasch@eastconn.org A Language and Literacy Skills Program Stephanie Morton Learn & Serve Liaison New London Public Schools 134 Williams Street New London, CT 06320 860-447-6018 mortons@newlondon.org Chris Morello Extended Learning Coordinator NORWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS Kelly Annex Norwich, CT 06360 860-823-4213 ext 6 Cmorello@norwichpublicschools.org PowerPoint of program available for download @ www.eastconn.org/JoyofReading

Why Reading Aloud is Important : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Why Reading Aloud is Important The single most important activity for building skills required for successful reading is reading aloud to children. Reading aloud enriches a child’s background knowledge, develops a child’s vocabulary and comprehension, and increases a child’s interest to read and write. Reading aloud to children provides opportunities for listening, interpreting, and discussing text relationships. Reading aloud increases word recognition and fluency. It also influences word knowledge, reading speed, oral accuracy, and comprehension. Reading aloud creates a mental dictionary for the child and an opportunity to learn many words that are not routinely spoken. ELLM Orientation Material

“Reading aloud and talking about what we’re reading sharpens children’s brains. It helps develop their ability to concentrate at length, to solve problems logically, and to express themselves more easily and clearly.” - Mem Fox; Reading Magic : 

Drasch/10/05/04 “Reading aloud and talking about what we’re reading sharpens children’s brains. It helps develop their ability to concentrate at length, to solve problems logically, and to express themselves more easily and clearly.” - Mem Fox; Reading Magic

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Drasch/10/05/04 Why this program?

55 % of the fifth grade students participatingin this program are intervention readers currently reading at the first or second grade level. : 

Drasch/10/05/04 55 % of the fifth grade students participatingin this program are intervention readers currently reading at the first or second grade level. Typically, these students also have self-esteem issues and do not feel important, needed, or valued by their school or extended community.

Community Demographics : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Community Demographics 50% of Windham Public School students are Hispanic 28% of Windham Public School students first language is not English 30% of the adults residing in Windham do not have a high school diploma 31.4% of the children under age 5 live in poverty

Intended Fifth Grade Outcomes : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Intended Fifth Grade Outcomes Intervention reading students will increase their confidence in reading aloud and their reading fluency Participating students will increase their reading scores on the CT Mastery Tests and the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) Students will increase their positive self-concept and social competence by viewing themselves as positive role models and by making a contribution to their community

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Drasch/10/05/04 From the Connecticut Mastery Test, Grades 4, 6, and 8 Constructing Meaning: To develop an initial understanding and interpretation. The student will demonstrate the ability to construct meaning with a variety of types of text: Identify or infer the central idea, purpose or theme within a written work. Identify important characters, settings, events, relationships and details within a written work. Infer important characters, settings, events or relationships within a written work. Select and use relevant information from a written work in order to summarize. Draw conclusions about the author’s purpose in including or omitting specific details in a written work. (Grades 6 – 8) Fluency: the ability to read, write, speak and view accurately and rapidly without an interruption in one’s understanding or processing. Text: for the purposes of this framework, “text” refers to materials containing words. Our definition of “text” goes beyond written materials and includes oral and visual materials.

Developmental Reading Assessment Characteristics of a Successful Reader : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Developmental Reading Assessment Characteristics of a Successful Reader Selects appropriate books Sustains reading Previews & predicts Engages in fluent & expressive reading Uses a variety of strategies Reads for meaning Reads within a literacy community

Developmental Reading Assessment Insights : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Developmental Reading Assessment Insights 85% of everything children read should be easy for them 15% should be a bit of a challenge 0% at the difficult level because it provides no purpose for learning

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Drasch/10/05/04 “No person should be deprived of one of life’s real pleasures, the joy of reading.” - Bruce and Betty Alberts

Big Ideas : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Big Ideas Students need to feel important, valued and useful. Using picture books with middle school students and preschoolers is a good fit. Picture books can be used to address middle school literacy objectives. Program allows for differentiated instruction so that individual student goals and objectives can be met.

Reading and Responding: Use a variety of monitoring and self-correcting methods (skimming, scanning, reading ahead, rereading, using resources, summarizing, retelling, readjusting speed) : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Understands and participates in an extended conversational exchange Reading and Responding: Use a variety of monitoring and self-correcting methods (skimming, scanning, reading ahead, rereading, using resources, summarizing, retelling, readjusting speed) Addresses Skill Needs of Students

Preparing the 5th Grade Students : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Preparing the 5th Grade Students Classroom workshop facilitated by EASTCONN with teambuilding activities that focus on respect, responsibility, perspective and attitude Classroom workshop facilitated by the town’s children's librarian covering book selection, reading aloud and how to extend a story Classroom workshop facilitated by EASTCONN to explain the preschool goals and objectives, share teaching strategies and model a reading activity Classroom teachers model the whole procedure from choosing a book to reading to preschoolers. In small groups, students fill out story activity form and practice reading aloud to one another. Preschool teachers visit the 5th grade classrooms and discuss age appropriate and expected preschool behavior along with some strategies to help the 5th grade students engage their preschoolers.

Student WorkshopCreating a classroom community : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Student WorkshopCreating a classroom community

Student WorkshopIntroduction to benchmarks : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Student WorkshopIntroduction to benchmarks

Story Reading and Activity Checklist for 5th Grade Students : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Story Reading and Activity Checklist for 5th Grade Students Questions asking why, how, what if …, what happened when …, what do you think will happen …: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wrap up questions that have the preschoolers thinking and connecting to their own experiences: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Extended activities: Examples: Ask preschoolers to draw a picture of their favorite part of the story or their favorite character. Have the preschoolers re-tell the story using the book and it’s pictures as a guide. Have preschoolers tell a story using puppets (try to have them use some of the vocabulary from the story) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Story Reading and Activity Checklist   Title of Book: ________________________________   Author’s name: _______________________________   Illustrator’s name: ____________________________   Main ideas: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Main characters: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ List of vocabulary words/unfamiliar topics from the story: Word Meaning ___________ ________________________________ ___________ ________________________________ ___________ ________________________________ ___________ ________________________________

Observe growth in students ability to understand learning objectives and use critical thinking to implement creative strategies to promote learning : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Observe growth in students ability to understand learning objectives and use critical thinking to implement creative strategies to promote learning

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Drasch/10/05/04 select a book, read it to themselves and decide to use it develop and use predicting and questioning skills practice reading aloud with a peer, small group or whole class give constructive feedback to peers create extended activities set and monitor goals for themselves as well as those for their preschool buddies On-going through out the program students will:

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Drasch/10/05/04 Student Reflection

How Did We Make This Happen? : 

Drasch/10/05/04 How Did We Make This Happen? Formed a partnership with our local children’s librarian Created partnerships with the local preschool programs Designed a plan with manageable logistics and flexible schedules Encouraged student buy-in – students felt valued Had teacher and administrator buy-in - teachers believed time spent was worthwhile All participants were motivated because there was something for everyone!

5th Grade Teacher Feedback : 

Drasch/10/05/04 5th Grade Teacher Feedback Student Motivation and Empowerment Now, whenever there is an unscheduled period, students beg to use the time to practice reading their books aloud to one another and to work on creating extended activities. Student Ownership and Commitment Students are asking to read aloud to their class and fill out of the Student Activity Form. Classmates are contributing by making positive, productive comments and discussing how much they like the book selected, often asking if they can use it next. Student Responsibility and Appreciation A student made this comment to his teacher after his first interaction with the preschoolers; “It was fun. The preschoolers made me feel good, but they are very active and it is hard to keep their attention. Being a teacher is hard work! I’m exhausted!”

Lessons Learned : 

Drasch/10/05/04 Lessons Learned Administrative commitment/support Committed teachers – Eye on outcome for children Importance of preparation Flexibility Involvement of public library Importance of good recruitment Understanding of commitment and participation Other applications of this program Availability of resources Leveraging resources/finding other resources

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Drasch/10/05/04 Donna Drasch, EASTCONN Service Learning Coordinator 322 Main Street, Willimantic, CT 06226 860 455-0707 ddrasch@eastconn.org