Stevenson
Elementary School
Literacy Professional
Development Resources
Dr. Pam Petty
Assistant Professor of Literacy, Western Kentucky University
http://www.pampetty.com
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Click
HERE to see PHOTOS from July 22-26 Professional Development
Click
HERE to get information on
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new as of 1/04//05
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Question: This resource provides interactive stories and then READS
them to students, highlighting words as they are read. Use headphones
and conference with these students just as you would students who are
reading independently.
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Question: Where can I find
some very good language arts strategies for using quality children's
literature? Cornerstone® developed
three complete units of study over Click, Clack, Moo, Joseph had a
Little Overcoat, and The Fox and the Crow.
With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the WGBH
National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) has researched and developed a
technology-focused, research-based approach to literacy for deaf and
hard-of-hearing children. The resulting Cornerstones curriculum units offer
Web-based materials customized for deaf students, built around book-based
animated stories drawn from WGBH's award-winning children's television
program, Between the Lions. These units are FANTASTIC for ALL
learners! You have got to see these to believe them! |
| Question: How can I determine
if I have a classroom that support Balanced Literacy Instruction? This is a checklist developed by the Tuscon School District that allows teachers and administrators to determine if the components are present for balanced literacy instruction. http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/balancedlit/handbook/blhs/blselfhs.htm |
Question:
I had a question about the Guided
Reading block. If we are using the same story over a 2 day period, do we
need to have a pre, during, and post for both days? If we begin the story on
Monday, could we have the during at the end of Monday, and then pick up
where we left off on Tuesday? That would make the post on Tuesday. If not,
what suggestions do you have on post for the middle of the reading? You are exactly right - if you are reading over two days you would do pre on Monday, perhaps end that day with during ... Then do a BRIEF recap on Tues - perhaps revisiting predictions, making new predictions, and making SURE to set a new purposes for reading/listening - and then do post after finishing the story. Any small adaptations to that would likely not negatively impact learning/comprehension, but as closely as you can stay with that the better. |
| Question: What do you do if
you have 3-4 students in your class that are reading way ABOVE grade level? Students can read books at their independent reading level during SELF-SELECTED READING and in science, social studies, and possibly math instruction. However, it is best if you can include all students in comprehension instruction AT grade level during GUIDED READING. There are several good reasons - here are a couple: 1) Being able to read independently above grade level still may not mean that those students have sound comprehension strategies in place. Students need to be included in direct instruction at grade level - even it they get it quickly and are ready to move on. We have a nation of "word callers" who do not know what they read. If we err, let's err on the side of providing TOO much comprehension instead of ASSUMING that students have sound strategies in place and know how to adjust them according to text, purpose, and context. 2) Your top readers serve as models for both at and below grade level readers. If you always keep them separate from the rest of the class during guided reading, then where do at grade level and below grade level ever get to see how accomplished peers handle text - specifically as it concerns discussing and making sense of print? 3) Guided reading is the ONLY one of the FOUR blocks that is not multi-leveled - above grade level students get PLENTY of opportunities in the THREE other blocks to work at their independent levels and really stretch. I do not think that 30 minutes AT GRADE LEVEL is going to negatively impact student learning for above grade level students and the benefits of ensured comprehension strategy instruction and the modeling they can do are enormous. The learning curve on showing someone else HOW to do something is 90% - the highest possible learning curve we can reach. |
Question:
During the 3-ring circus reading variation, how will the small group with
the teacher read? I'm afraid of using that variation, even though I really
like the concept of it, because I don't want to go into a round robin
reading group. In 3-ring-circus, you would do guided reading (pre-reading, get initial predictions, set purposes for reading (or listening), ask students "Who found ... (the purpose you set) and then talk, talk, talk, ... What do you think is going to happen next? (prediction) and then you set another purpose ... Predict/purpose throughout. Get it? In the other groups you can have an advanced reader do the same thing with the group they are with.
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How do I level my books for self
selected reading??? Ah, yes! That is a tricky one, isn't it? There might be several different ways to do this - if they are AR books, then you can use that leveling. You might also look the books up at different libraries to see if they have them leveled in any way. You can always do a Fry Readability (info on-line) and level the books yourself (you won't likely enjoy doing that). Most logical (and easiest) - get a large selection of books (need at least 5-7 per child) and just stack them by YOUR call into stacks of high/med/low - of course, you have to read the books first. Then make sure each tote (if you are using totes as recommended) contains a variety of books at all levels. Pay very close attention (especially at the first) to make sure that ALL students have good choices at levels at which they can read independently. You do not have to be so specific as to KNOW that you have a tote with 5 1.6 books, 5 2.4 books, etc. Knowing that every child has as CHOICE and that the choices allow him/her to be able to read independently with comprehension is your goal. |
Question:
I am using Harcourt Brace Signatures series for my guided reading and doing it whole group (pre- during- after). Is that right or should I be working with smaller groups in something else. I have some sets of other books, but there are only 5 or 6 copies of each title and the other books are old basals. You are RIGHT ON TRACK!! I think it is always easier to get you groove going with one book (text) and then get fancy with different books/groups after everyone has the routine down and you find your comfort level. You will know when the shift is ready - one thing that they really emphasize is that you add lots of VARIETY to the way you do guided reading so that kids don't find it drudgery to do.
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1/11/03: Dr. Petty, Could you
please add websites for grants to the Stevenson Elementary PD website? Do
you know where the "good" sites are? Thanks bunches! WWW Links for Grants
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50
Way to Improve Reading
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An
Alphabet of Snakes |
Watson's
Word Wall |
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Puzz.com |
 30 books for you to download, print and assemble |
Stories |
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Grammar
Glossary |
Games |
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K-3 Theme Units at Enchanted Learning These themes have links
to simple crafts, nursery rhymes, coloring book printouts, information,
and/or quizzes based on the topic. |
Book Adventure is a FREE reading motivation program for children in grades K-8. Children create their own book lists from over 6,000 recommended titles, take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read offline, and earn points and prizes for their literary successes. Book Adventure was created by the Sylvan Learning Foundation and is a non-profit organization. |
Suggested for ESL and early readers. Interactive. |
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Many interactive games. Check the "Word" section. |
The page features printouts. In each, the student reads a few paragraphs with missing words, and must fill in the blanks (using a word bank).These activities test reading comprehension and teach the student about a topic. |
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Rebus
Rhymes Rebus Rhymes is designed for children who are learning how to read. Preschoolers and Kindergartners enjoy picking out the words they can read in their favorite nursery rhymes. |
Enchanted Learning |
On-line storytime, coloring and interactive games, and printable activities. |
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Free interactive lessons, exercises and
worksheets, educational games, open-ended questions in Math and Language
Arts, and more.. |
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MoJo's
Musical Mouseum |
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The
Instruction Zone |
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Dolch
Words |
ABC
Activities |
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OnLineNewspapers.com |
Aesop's Fables On-line Collection
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Internet
School Library Media Center |
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The
Cinderella Project (WebQuest) |
The
Cinderella Project |
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Pogo.com Recommended word games: Jumble Bees |
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Bookmaking
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Weekly Guided Reading Form |
Web Sites that Focus on WORD PLAY |
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Summer
Planning for the |
Book Ideas for Parents or Classroom (a list of books with activities ... keep clicking "next page" until you see the "how to" for the activities) Go HERE to read about this entire project. |
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MANY resources for literacy learning. (one of Pam's favorites) |
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Information for Parents on Helping their Children Learn to Read |
(You are going to LOVE this site! Be sure and click on the "Funny Forty.") |
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Language Arts Lessons Elementary (K-5) |
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Whootie Owl's Stories to Grow By (many of these stories are also featured as "plays" and all contain positive messages) |
Judy and David's On-Line Songbook (also their fairytale/folktale tapes are fantastic ... another of Pam's MUST HAVE'S!) |
Brainteasers, Puzzles, and Riddles (these are great ... check out the one for storybooks) |
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(this is the file I left off your CD ... it is a Word document) |
Beginning of School |
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Ideas for Teaching Literature and Reading (highly recommended by pam) |
(fantastic) |
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Create free educational worksheets such as flashcards, game boards, and quizzes to print directly from your browser. Simply choose a word list and an output style. |
OK, this is the coolest thing EVER! Click below to create a TIMELINE of your (or your student's) life. Tremendous applications for social studies and for literature studies that are set in the past! (historical fiction, history information books) |
Achievement Award Certificates These are free. You can follow the links to the homepage and find out how for $24.95 you can get TONS more with more options. Either way (free or per membership) these are really NICE! |
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Vocabulary Practice by Grade Level Not bad to get you started. Could easily be adapted for group work or game format. |
Spelling Practice by Grade Level Same comment. |
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(students enter parts of speech and the website builds a story for them ... good practice for parts of speech and reading high interest text) |
Back to School Printables Galore! Neat site with lots of good "ready made" resources. |
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Great, great, great! |
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More VOCABULARY ideas! Ideas for Previewing Vocabulary
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Poems with clues ... you guess WHAT is "talking" in each poem. GREAT for sight word recognition and higher order thinking.
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Costume Alphabet
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(3rd - 4th Grade) Very well done! |
Helps remind teachers of the essential elements of sound literacy instruction |
at bigchalk.com You have GOT to see this! |
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Already DEVELOPED! All levels. Check it out. |
Making Sense of Pre/During/Post Reading Strategy Instruction |
Writing Topics |
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visit this site to do an author study ... be SURE and see this page: http://www.robertmunsch.com/storytime.cfm |
Folk and Fairy Tales (over 1000) |
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Link added 10/19/02 |
Literacy Strategies and Resources Link added 10/19/02 |
Managing an Integrated Spelling Program Links added 10/19/02 |
Articles
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Picture
Book Read-Alouds |
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Why aren't children forging stronger connections with literature, despite a national emphasis on reading? |
What
do I do with my spelling books? |
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Helping
Parents Understand |
Children's Literature Links
Click,
Clack, Moo Cows That Type
by
Doreen Cronin. Simon & Schuster, 2000
Activities ©2001 Nancy Polette
12/30/2007 10:40:30 AM
© 2002-2007 Pam Petty. All Rights Reserved.
Teacher's Desk 
NCTE's
Email Dr. Petty at HOME