“How do I know they’re getting it??” Quick & Easy Checks for Understandings!

Great teachers use a wide variety of assessment systems to know whether or not their instructional methods and procedures are working (Fisher   & Frey, 2007). Long gone are the days where we could say “I taught that”.

If they haven’t LEARNED it, you haven’t TAUGHT it! 

One type of informal  assessment is to check for understanding. Various ways to check for understanding provides teachers with important information to ensure that students are “getting it”.  The more you do this, the more your students will become aware of how to monitor their own understanding, which is vital in them becoming life-long learners.

It has been said that teachers need to informally check for students’ understanding every 10 minutes.  What does that look like??  Below I have complied some awesome ideas that can be used during whole group, small group, or independent time to help you do it…

Happy Checking!!!

J.

Use the Stages of Learning to define and meet students’ needs

The Learning Hierarchy as defined by Haring, Lovitt, Eaton, & Hansen (1978) has 4 stages: acquisition, fluency, generalization, and adaptation.  Understanding these stages can help you determine how to instruct your students in the most effective and efficient way.

AQUISITION

The student is…	The teacher should…
just starting to learn the skill  not able to perform it independently  not performing the skill with accuracy	model performing the skill  think-aloud while demonstrating  give student constant feedback for redirecting errors, correct performance, and effort

FLUENCY

The student is…	The teacher should…
accurately performing the task, but slowly with too much wait time	create activities for the student to respond actively while you observe offer opportunities for repetitive practice if possible, document speed and/or number of correct responses and set goals for increasing both give feedback on fluency and accuracy and encourage effort

GENERALIZATION

The student is…	The teacher should…
accurately and fluently responding unable to apply skill in various contexts confusing the skill with similar skills	create tasks that require the student to  use the skill regularly in various assignments/activities work with parent to share ways to apply the skill outside school if confusing the skill, create practice activities that require the student to discriminate between the similar skills and when each should be used give feedback to reinforce accuracy and redirect errors

ADAPTATION

The student is…	The teacher should…
accurate and fluent able to apply task, but unable to modify the skill when necessary to fit new situations	assist the student in understanding the core element(s) of the task and possible situations for modification create assignments/activities that require slight modifications initially, leading to greater modifications when appropriate continue praise, corrective feedback, and encouragement

Once you have determined the stages your students have mastered, you can successfully cycle them through to the highest level of learning. The more frequently the students move through the stages, the more accelerated their learning will be!

J.

Brain Research + Intervention = SUCCESS!!

I have to admit, I am obsessed right now with learning about brain research and how it can impact student learning in a positive way.  Now,  teaching and learning have gone through MANY changes over time and the truth is that there is no perfect way to teach.  What we know about the realities of teaching today, we have to find is right for each student- and that varies of course tremendously.  What I do know is we definitely need to learn more about teaching according to the best way the brain receives and retains information.

After all, ALL students have a brain!!

Brain research done by Trachtenburg ( 1990) asserts using a whole-part-whole approach is the best way to connect the skills you need to teach to literature.  According to him, there should be NO isolation.  Unless students are connecting the skills to actual text, they will be less likely to make the transfer themselves.

So the whole-part-whole process can be used with any skill  for any small group or individual instruction/intervention and looks like this..

Start with a whole text.  Grounding your literacy experiences this way is the foundation of meaningful instruction.  The selected text could meet one of 2 goals.  (1.) It could be a book used previously for another skill that students are rereading for fluency and/or for running record information.  (2.) It could be the text you are using to teach the new skill, and you will have the skill or strategy rise from the book.

Focus on the reading skill you want to teach.  This should be a planned, explicit way of highlighting the specific reading skill the students need to learn.  For example, you may zero in on a phonics skill, text feature, or literary device students need to know.

Return to the text to apply the newly learned skill.  Now, students have the opportunity to immediately apply/practice/identify the newly learned skill in context.  This could be a new text, or a familiar one students have experience with.  The goal is to take everything you teach students about reading back to the text!  After all, that’s where they will need to use it, right?

This whole-part-whole method is ensures reading skills are taught in a meaningful, strategic way that takes into account the best way the brain receives and retains information.

Winner!!

J.

Modification, Accomodation, or Intervention? HELP!!

These terms represent various ways we address the learning needs of our struggling students.  They are especially important when planning for Small Group instruction and Center activities.  It is vital to know the shades of differences between these terms to ensure you are maximizing your instruction without minimizing learning.

Notice the instructional purpose for each method…

Modification…WHAT content is taught

Modifications involve adjusting the content of your lessons in order for struggling students to be successful.  This may include lowering the degree of the challenge by adapting the complexity, length, or amount of learning.  BE CLEAR…this should only be done for students identified as Special Needs, and ONLY according their IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  Struggling students should be expected to accomplish MORE- not LESS- if they are ever going to make up for their deficiencies each year.  So in the case of a Regular Education students this is a NO-NO!!

Accommodation…HOW content is taught

Unlike modifications, accommodations do not change or lower the standards or expectations.  An accommodation can be a physical change or other support feature that the student needs to be successful.  This could include  learning breaks for students having a hard time staying on task, frequent repetition, alternating seating, extended time frames, tape recorded lessons, enlarged print, sequential instructions in smaller segments, adjusting the pacing, or oral assessments in place of written ones when appropriate.  For example..if students are asked to write an opinion piece with reasons and examples, you may accommodate by having strugglers write one reason/examples at a time, then bring to you to read over, offer feedback before having them complete the next one.  In this way, the student still has to complete the same assignment as everyone else, but with more support and feedback to increase their success along the way, and in the end.

Intervention…Targeted, intensive instructional strategies

As a key feature of RTI, interventions refer to specific actions that are taken as preventative measures or support for strugglers.  Interventions allow teachers to adjust the intensity of instruction by increasing the instructional time and/or decreasing the group size for a more targeted approach.  For example, instead of meeting with a group of 5 or 6 students 3 times a week, the intervention groups should be between 1-4 students- daily.  Preventative interventions involve introducing new concepts to strugglers prior to the class in order to build their background knowledge of the skill and give them a head start in practice, in hopes that when the concept is introduces to the class those students should be more successful.  Interventions ideally include setting short term goals for students and constantly monitoring students’ progress towards meeting those goals.  Interventions like these are at the heart of the RTI Framework.

In a nutshell….

Modifications CHANGE the playing field
Accommodations LEVEL the playing field
Interventions ENHANCE the playing field

J.

The STATIC-FREE Classroom!!

 NEVER put static labels on students…and NEVER EVER create static groups!!

The DIY RTI classroom must be a dynamic  space where flexibility is the rule rather than the exception.

Let’s compare the definitions of static and dynamic.

Static:  Having no motion; being at rest; quiescent.   Fixed; stationary.  Social characteristic of  a society that has reached a state of equilibrium so that no changes are taking place.

Wow…sound like any classroom you’ve ever seen??  Me either!!  No changes taking place must also refer to growth right??  What an awful disservice to children everywhere!

Dynamic:  Of or relation to energy or objects in motion.  Marked by intensity and vigor.  Characterized by continuous change, activity, or progress.   From the Greek dunamikos meaning powerful. 

Need I say more??

The performance of your students will vary continuously by skill, subject, and even by days at times.  You must create a dynamic environment that is flexible and changes according to the needs of your students.

Long gone are the days of the Redbirds, Bluebirds, and Yellowbirds grouping. Flexible grouping allows your students to be appropriately challenged and reduces the chance that you may label students’ ability or potential. It is vital that you permit movement between your groups and especially across subject areas. Just because a student may be below-level in Reading, doesn’t necessarily mean the same will be true for Math or other subjects. Remember students talents or personal interests can have a huge effect on their readiness to learn something.

Even your above-level students can benefit from flexible grouping. Just as they can profit from working with their intellectual peers, they can also gain experience from acting as a leader in a mixed group. Peer tutoring is a beneficial strategy in any classroom.

So keep those definitions in mind when you are tempted to take wide path, which is definitely easier, but detrimental to those minds that rely on you to do what’s best for them!

Happy grouping!!
J.

The most important focus for Guided Reading instruction!

Teach the READER, not the text!!

During your small group lessons, guided reading will most likely be your plan….there are other options, but we’ll start with guided reading.

The first and most important focus for guided reading is to teach your readers, not the text.   Many leveled  books used for guided reading have lessons and activities all ready for you, and  of course you can use those.  BUT all the information you collect while observing and noting reading behaviors will be essential for guided reading instruction.

Ultimately your goal will be to develop the reading behaviors and strategies of your students to allow them to read and process texts of increasing levels of difficulty.

So don’t get bogged down with the text itself…it is just the vehicle! And just as someone learns to drive, they will need some minimal information about the vehicle…but their driving ability is the focus. With those skills, the driver can drive ANY vehicle. And so it is with reading ability. Focus on building the readers’ toolbox of reading behaviors and strategies…give them the keys….and let them DRIVE!!

J.

What does research say about Literacy centers?

Research is a fundamental part of RTI.   This is a time to put- what you’ve always done- on the back burner and make sure you are providing learning experiences that have been PROVEN to be effective!!

• Literacy centers are defined as small areas within the classroom where students work alone or in small groups to explore literacy activities while the teacher provides small- group guided reading instruction (Diller, 2003)

• Literacy centers within a learner-centered environment are also consistent with the work of Piaget (as cited in Deboer, 2002) who believed that children develop meaning through their direct experiences and through conversations with others regarding those experiences.

•  Deci and Ryan (as cited in Deboer, 2002)  found evidence that children put more effort into their school work when they are intrinsically motivated rather than teacher motivated.

•  In his book, Teaching with the Brain in Mind (2005), Eric Jensen writes that students learn when teachers provide choices, make learning relevant and keep it engaging,

•  Ford and Opitz (2005) suggest that the teacher gradually introduce the centers by modeling the activities for the students and giving the students clear, accountable expectations for work produced in each center.

• Social interaction, found by Johnson and Johnson (1981) to increase productivity and achievement, and the use of more than one language system (reading, writing and discussion) are also important elements of an effective center.

•  Effective centers require students to transfer meaning and reconstruct it in other contexts such as a center where a student reads a book and then creates a board game based on the plot.   Also, an effective center offers a range of acceptable responses (Cambourne & Labbo, 2001).
• Ford and Opitz explain that, “routines provide a predictable way for children to engage in learning”. Establishing routines allows for more independent learning to occur. If students understand the routine and their expectations, there will be fewer interruptions and more independent learning (2002).
• Activities should be open-ended to meet all levels of developmental ability. Sloane (2000) states “open-ended materials are those that children can use in many different ways, and that support learning from initial explorations to mastery levels”
• Lanning (2002) states, “incorporating content area concepts into guided reading lessons, allows teachers to develop integrated units that provide more opportunities to create meaningful literacy extensions for the rest of the class to complete on their own”
• Fountas & Pinnell (1996) gave an idea on how to manage literacy centers. Centers must engage class members in meaningful literacy activities. The students must be able to function without teacher assistance, maintaining and managing their own learning.
• Instruction away from the teacher needs to be as powerful as instruction with the teacher (Ford & Opitz, 2002). The ultimate goal of literacy centers is for children to experience success and view themselves as independent learners.

I love research!!

J.

References

Deboer, G.E. (2002). Student-centered teaching in a standards-based world: Finding a sensible balance. Science and Education, 11, 405-417.

Deci, E., & Ryan, R. (1987). The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024-1037.
Diller, D. (2003). Literacy work stations; Making centers work. Portland, ME: Stenhouse

Ford, M.P., & Opitz, M.F. (2002). Using centers to engage children during guidedreading time: Intensifying learning experiences away from the teacher. The Reading Teacher. 55, 710- 717.

Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development: Alexandria, VA

Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R.T. (1981). Effects of cooperative and individualistic learning experiences on interethnic interaction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 444- 449

Kersten, J., & Pardo, L. (2007). Finessing and hybridizing: Innovative literacy practices in Reading First classrooms. Reading Teacher. 61, 146-154.

Piaget, J. (1963). Origins of intelligence in children, Norton, New York.

Vygotsky, L.S. (1967/1933). Play and its role in the mental development of the child. Soviet Psychology, 5(3), 6-18.

Powerful resource for small group instruction!!

Another great addition to our Book Club is a power-packed easy read by Debbie Diller…

• 

In this book, you will find answers to ALL your questions on implementing or improving your small group time.  Some of the topics include…

• Scheduling
• Organizing
• Forming groups
• Differentiating
• Connecting to whole group

Debbie includes many helpful tips, useful templates, and research based practices that will give you powerful tools to make your small group instruction meaningful.

Trust me…it’s a goodie!!

J.

The most valuable resource for Literacy instruction!!

This to me is the #1 guide for Literacy instruction!  This comprehensive resource contains grade level expectations for interactive  read aloud and literature discussions, shared and performance reading, writing about reading, writing, oral visual, and technological communication, and phonics, spelling, and word study. In each of those areas there is information for how to select appropriate texts and appropriate goals for planning your small group instruction. Additionally there is specific information and appropriate goals for each of the reading levels to assist in planning your guided reading lessons.

If you do not already have this resource, it’s a must have for every educator. That is why I am adding it to the Book Club!

You will never plan another small group or guided reading lesson without it!

 

Check it out on Amazon by clicking here

How do I organize my classroom for small groups??

Well that’s a loaded question…but let’s start with some basics!

First and foremost…you MUST have your table in an area where you see the ENTIRE classroom….all the little nooks and crannies where students will be working in their centers.  This way students will know that although you are working with your group, you are also being mindful of what THEY are doing!

Next, in your area around your table you MUST make and keep it organized!  When you only have 15-20 minutes for each group, the last thing you need to spend time doing is looking around, or moving around the  classroom to get your materials.  No time for that!!

Make sure you have a place to hang or place anchor charts for students to be able to refer to as they are working.

You MUST have a sign, special hat, or symbol to remind students NOT to disturb you while you are working with a group…unless they are bleeding or the building is on fire.  This will also require you to have a procedure in place for students to do when they have a problem in their center.  This may be the “Ask three before me”, or center captains who will help with computer or other issues they may come accross.  Aslo for behavior issues, have alternative seatwork for any students you have to tell to leave a center.

Last but not least, do yourself a favor and create some form of a center chart that will show where each students will go each day ahead of time.  Even if students are choosing (which does improve motivation) let them choose before starting your groups.

Have some to add?  Leave a comment below!!

J.