June

Text Resources on Race &

 Anti-Racism

Thank you to Dr. Jay Marks of Oakland Schools for sharing this organized list. 

Educators:

1. Your Black Colleagues May Look Like They’re Okay — Chances Are They’re Not
2. Books About Race That Everyone Should Be Reading Right Now
3. Anti-Racism Resource     
4. Framing Brave Conversations About Race and Ethnicity
5. Teaching as Activism, Teaching as Care

 

Students:     

1. Teaching About Race, Racism and Police Violence
2. Black Lives Matter Still Matters       
3. Let’s Talk! Facilitating Critical Conversations with Students 
4. Let’s Talk About It!

 

Parents:

1. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. What do we tell our children?
2. Raising Race Conscious Children
3. Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race: Roundup Resources 
4. Talking to Children After Racial Incidents 
5. Books About Race That Everyone Should Be Reading Right Now

Teaching Lessons Learned

On May 19th, both the SOEL & IDLL networks came together via Zoom for one last meeting of the year. Over the 2019-2020 year, our face-to-face meetings included a guest teaching artist from UMS, researchers from UM, visits to Washtenaw County schools, the UMMA and EMU C2W.  When we shifted to distance teaching and learning, we wanted to reflect on where we were and where we are going. 

A theme we noticed from our discussions in May was engagement in literacy. Here:

• a SOEL teacher highlights one way she engaged 3rd graders in a shared text, 
• an IDLL English teacher highlights a way she engaged high school students in storytelling, 
• and an ELL SOEL teacher shares how her teacher research and book study turned into professional learning for her colleagues. 

The Use of an Interactive Storyboard Engaged Third-grade Students in an Asynchronous Read Aloud of Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

by SOEL teacher Stephanie Burnstein

 

As students embarked on this epic journey with the main character, Minli,  through nightly read alouds posted to Seesaw, they posted comments identifying any newly introduced story elements. Their challenge was to make predictions about and connections between characters, symbolic objects, setting changes, and story arcs within the frame story and the embedded folk tales. These would then be added to an oversized storyboard that was organized by chapter and comprised of color-coordinated Post-it notes. Red string was used to show the interwoven connections students identified, and the storyboard eventually included a kite with red strings that led to the Old Man of the Moon perched atop a mountain in the clouds. 

As the journey progressed, students realized that the storyboard’s red strings, or borrowed lines, represented the “strings of destiny” from the novel’s “Book of Fortune” and that many of the symbolic objects and characters showed up again and again in slightly different forms, thus tying together all of the embedded stories into one intricately woven tale. 

Using Flipgrid to Storytell

by IDLL Teacher Shelly Venema

Keeping students engaged in remote learning is challenging. In fact, teaching the way we used to has pointed out what should and should not be done. So, one successful way I taught writing and telling stories involved an authentic experience, Google docs, Flipgrid, and peer critiques. This is a project I would repeat!

Raising Expectations and Instructional Rigor For English Learners Through Effective Instructional Practice

by SOEL Teacher Rhoshawda Miller

For my TESOL program at Eastern Michigan University I created a proposal and powerpoint based on the book No More Low Expectations For English Learners that I read for my for my Teacher Action Research. The materials focus on the topic: Raising Expectations and Instructional Rigor For English Learners Through Effective Instructional Practice, to help classroom teachers best meet the needs of English learners in their classrooms. The powerpoint is for a professional development for teachers and with the  Empowering Diverse Voices for the 2020 MITESOL conference in mind.

December

Everyone Learns from Teacher Researchers

For the last six school years, many SOEL (Study of Early Literacy) educators have guided parts of their professional learning through the process of Teacher Action Research.  

Put simply, Teacher Action Research is a cycle for an educator to:

1. question something in their practice; 

2. situate it in the context of the field;

3. plan and conduct a study; 

4. analyze their data;

5. make change and go public

Now that SOEL has many experienced Teacher Researchers, several have been able to go public with their findings through presentations and publications, meaning other educators in the field are now learning from their research! 

Most recently, SOEL members from YCS and Milan presented at the NCTE conference in Baltimore (see slides below), and an AAPS BLE published her research in the Language Arts Journal of Michigan.  

Reading both will show you not only what SOEL and Teacher Action Research looks like, but you'll learn something new about a specific aspect of literacy instruction. 

The Literacy of Art

For our December meetings, both SOEL and IDLL will have experiences with the literacy of art through our collaborations with UMS and UMMA.

On December 4th, Guest Teaching Artist Melanie Rick from UMS and The Kennedy Center will meet with SOEL at Paddock Elementary to model and teach Reading Art Across the Curriculum: Observe. Infer. Inquire. 

On December 11, IDLL will participate in the Art of Inquiry with the educational coordinators at UMMA to explore more in depth:  

• what art as text and literacies are;

• what this means in all disciplines;

• how inquiry feels and what it looks like;

• how we, as educators, can provide experiences that allow students to explore and make connections; that increase depth of knowledge and desire to learn and connect;
• how we can engage students with opportunities to synthesize information in a meaningful way

Please ask a SOEL or IDLL member about their December meetings to hear more about their experiences with the literacy of art!

Upcoming Learning Opportunities

February 20th- Creating Context for Teaching Night

WISD 8:30-3:30

FREE

*Most applicable to secondary ELA teachers

The Holocaust Memorial Museum presents Creating Context for Teaching Night. 

The workshop will include: 

• How to teach Night within the larger historical framework of the Holocaust 

• A history of antisemitism for context prior to reading Night 

• An exploration of materials and instructional strategies available in Echoes and Reflections to support effective teaching of the memoir 

• The use of interdisciplinary materials including art work, photographs, poetry and personal narratives 

• Identifying significant themes of the memoir 

*SCHECHs Pending. REGISTER HERE

SAVE THE DATES: February 27, March 5, March 26 for Understanding the Social Studies Standards, C3 Framework and Disciplinary Literacy Essentials.

This is a three day training free to all Washtenaw County Educators K-12.

More information, registration and location to come!

The Diverse Lending Library at WISD

Don't forget about the Diverse Lending Library available to all Washtenaw County educators. E-mail me to check out books! 

For questions on anything in this Literacy Newsletter- please contact Melissa Brooks-Yip at mbrooksyip@washtenawisd.org 

January 2019

SOEL Highlights of 2018

As we enter 2019, we look back on SOEL with additional members, more classroom observations for the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy, aligned book studies, our arts integration collaboration with UMS, and considering our past to plan for our future.  Take a look at a few images we captured as part of our school year learning thus far. 

4th and 5th Grade Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy

On December 5th, 30 literacy coaches and teachers came together for a one day overview of the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy, Grades 4&5.  Our theme for the day was "Shifts and Bridges".  Together, we did a close read and review of these Essentials to identify shifts from the K-3 Essentials and bridges to the Grades 6-12 Essentials.  We will host another overview in the spring, date TBD. 

Inquiry Into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning Meets in an Intermediate School

Thanks to IDLL member Melanie Dever for organizing and hosting the December 13th meeting at Creekside Intermediate in Dexter. After reading the grades 4&5 Literacy Essentials and the 6-12 Disciplinary Literacy Essentials, we got a chance to observe in several 5th and 6th grade classrooms. This helped us to see the bridges from upper elementary to secondary literacy practices.

Through a Success Analysis Protocol, we also elevated themes of success in disciplinary literacy instruction from IDLL teachers, and the student learning as a result.

Our next meeting is January 17th as part of the Responsive Teaching Institute. While it is a regular meeting date for us, everyone is welcome to register .

Our guests will be Dr. Ernest Morrell,  Dr. April Baker-Bell, and Dr. Richard Milner. 

Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities

RESCHEDULED: The 4th in our SOEL Teacher Research Webinar Series with Dr. Cathy Fleischer will be on February 13th at 4:00.

No registration is necessary. 

Join us at:  
https://zoom.us/j/189529059

If you missed previous webinars, catch up HERE!

Echoes and Reflections Offerings

Echoes & Reflections is dedicated to reshaping the way that teachers and students understand, process, and navigate the world through the events of the Holocaust. The Holocaust is more than a historical event; it’s part of the larger human story. Educating students about its significance is a great responsibility. We partner with educators to help them introduce students to the complex themes of the Holocaust and to understand its lasting effect on the world.

Join us February 25th or March 5th. Free. Register HERE

December

SOEL Searching for the Essentials in Action!

The November meetings of the Study of Early Literacy (SOEL) network were hosted by elementary schools in our community. We only need to look to our local schools to see exemplary literacy practices in action! 
Our experiences with and connections to teachers and students helps us to see the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy in an authentic way: 

Ann Arbor Northside STEAM hosted our November 7th meeting of SOEL 1- Equity, Engagement and Motivation in Literacy to look at prime examples of Essential #1- Deliberate, research informed efforts to foster literacy motivation and engagement within and across lessons.   In our brief observations across several classrooms, we saw an abundance of bullet #2- provides daily opportunities for children to make choices in their reading and writing in what children read, where in the classroom they read it, how they read it, and their reading partners. 
Thanks to SOEL member Brooke Stidham and teachers at Northside STEAM for our day!

SOEL 2- Reading Instruction in Early Literacy met November 14th at EMU during the Responsive Teaching Institute hosted by the AI Team of WISD. Presentations by Dr. Ernest Morrell and Dr. Laura Jimenez (two of five speakers) highlighted the importance of culturally relevant literacy practices, connected to Essential #8- Abundant reading material and reading opportunities in the classroom, bullet 2, books and other materials connected to children's interests and that reflect children's backgrounds and cultural experiences. See Dr. Morrell's and other presentation slides here for a snapshot of sessions.
 **Save the date for the next Responsive Teaching Institute on January 17th!   

Paddock Elementary hosted the November 15th meeting of SOEL 3- Writing Instruction in Early Literacy.  In our observations of writing instruction, we clearly saw Essential #6- Research- and standards-aligned writing instruction,
bullets #1- Interactive Writing Experiences, #2, daily time for children to write,  and #3, instruction in writing processes and strategies.  
**Thank you to SOEL member Tracy Terris and Paddock staff for hosting!

Grades 4&5 and 6-12 Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy

 On December 5th at WISD there will be an overview of the Essential Instructional Practices for Literacy in Grades 4 & 5.  Register HERE by November 30th!  $25 


6-12 Essentials for Secondary Literacy-
The Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning (IDLL) network will meet at Creekside Intermediate on December 13th to examine the bridges from Grades 4& 5 Essentials and shifts into the draft 6-12 Disciplinary Literacy Essentials for which we are a pilot group for the state of Michigan. 
Our experience in a grades 5 & 6 building will help us understand the progression from literacy instruction in upper elementary into Disciplinary Literacy in the secondary grades. 
*Thanks to IDLL member Melanie Dever and Creekside staff for hosting!

Online Professional Learning Links

Did you know that several SOEL teachers are featured in videos on the LiteracyEssentials.org site?    This is more evidence of authentic examples of the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy Instruction in our county classrooms! See Caroline Jacob in this video, modeling Essential #4, Bullet 5: Listening for sounds in words to estimate spelling.

 Picture Books and Read Alouds are for EVERYONE!

Dr. Ernest Morrell is the director for the Center for Literacy Education at the University of Notre Dame.  In a recent two part blog post, his team at the CLE detailed how to use picture books at every age- also referencing the Essentials! 

See Part 1 for early and upper elementary grades and Part 2 for middle and high school grades. 
How do you use picture books and read alouds in your classroom?

June

SOEL Teacher Research Presentations

On May 22, 23, 24, Study of Early Literacy teachers presented their year long action research projects around an aspect of their early literacy instruction aligned to the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy.  

SOEL impacts teacher motivation and engagement in improving literacy instructional practices.

You can see all teacher presentations HERE and view snapshots of many in the video below. All SOEL teachers and their colleagues should be proud of the work SOEL teachers have done and presented this year! If you are interested in joining SOEL, attend SOEL SI August 1, 2, 3!

IDLL Practices in Disciplinary Literacy 

Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning teachers and guests spent the day on May 16  digging deeper into disciplinary literacy practices in social studies, science, math and ELA.  IDLL will continue work next year by aligning current lesson plans and building new units specific to disciplinary literacy.  If you are interested in joining IDLL, come to our summer institute!  

October

Literacy Networks Start Strong! 

Saline High School Hosts IDLL

The Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning network kicked-off the year by meeting at Saline High School. Through a tour of the school, including the culinary arts and automotive technology programs of the South and West Washtenaw Consortium, our group saw examples of disciplinary literacy in action. Shelly Venema, IDLL member and Saline HS teacher, also presented on the district wide literacy goal of speaking and listening.   

                               

IDLL at Saline HS

Join us when IDLL meets next on October 26th at WISD to host Dr. Troy Hicks on Argument in the Real World: Teaching Adolescents to Read and Write Digital Texts

SOEL 1: Equity, Engagement and Motivation 

  Musical artist, educator and professional vocalist Imani Gonzalez visited the Study of Early Literacy network on October 3rd to present Building Reading Comprehension Through Sound and Rhythm.  Ms. Gonzalez taught SOEL teachers the Soundscape process- using sound and rhythm to explore ways to develop reading comprehension strategies and make connections between music and language. This learning process will help students attend to sensory images, use questioning strategies, respond to inference, and determine importance, helping students develop a better understanding of the text. Through Soundscapes, children will develop listening skills through collaboration, build interpretation and oral presentation skills through communication, and improve reading fluency through creativity.

Upcoming Literacy Professional Learning 

December

The IDLL Network

The Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning met November 19 on the topic of disciplinary writing.  Our article for that day was Teaching with a Disciplinary Stance, examining the difference between content area literacy and disciplinary literacy. This will prepare the group for the Disciplinary Literacy Showcase on January 14, 2016 at EMU with professors and students.   

Teachers have SOEL! 

Classroom Snapshot #1: Study of Early Literacy elements of Vocabulary, Authentic Purposes for Literacy, & Integration

Text Set

In a collaboration between a K and a 1st grade SOEL teacher, their combined classroom spent time on a very intentional, and relevant project of campaigning and the election process.  Students learned to read, write, and speak about the election process using specific vocabulary words such as campaign, polling booth, debate, election, registration, and ballot, all collected in a journal.  The teachers acted as candidates themselves, modeling slogans and announcement speeches in their running for best Pumpkin Baker. After learning about the election and campaign process through modeling, text sets, and real world examples, students were able to sign up for specific jobs to run a campaign and election process, such as debate team, registration team, and being in charge of ballots. 

   At the end of the project, students created brochures to explain the election process which were then made available to voters on election day, since their school was used as a polling location.  This is purposeful and authentic literacy in action with our youngest learners!

Winter 2016 Professional Development 

BLiC-  Blended Learning in the Classroom 

*One face-to-face meeting January 20th 4:30-7:30, followed by 15 weeks online.

 This free Blended Learning in the Classroom course is led by a highly trained instructor and will prepare participants to effectively create their own blended environment. Through active and timely praxis, participants will engage in learning, application, review, and revision of their own blended environment. This course is for classroom teachers of students of all ages, covering the theory, pedagogy, and technical elements of online work in the blended classroom. Please see the informational video here.

*SCHECHS available 

 Register HERE 

Reading Apprenticeship Training:5 Day Cross Content 

This training is a full five days: February 22, 23, 24 AND March 22, 23  REGISTER HERE 

This updated training includes five full days of content with three trained facilitators, a binder of materials to use during and after the training, and a copy of the best-selling and newly updated book, Reading for Understanding, which describes the Reading Apprenticeship framework with examples from many subject area classrooms, ranging from middle school through community college.

 Reading Apprenticeship® is a research-based and research-proven instructional framework for improving the academic literacy of middle school, high school, and college students.

Three recent randomized controlled studies found that students in Reading Apprenticeship classrooms made significant gains in literacy and disciplinary knowledge. They also developed more positive academic identities and dispositions for reading and learning.

$250     SCHECHS Available  

October

The IDLL Network

Our Inquiry into Disciplinary Literacy and Learning (IDLL) group met for the first time on September 24. With our foundation of Reading Apprenticeship and Writing Collaborative, we are coming together to take a deeper dive into the latest work around disciplinary literacy in grades 4-12. We read Collaborating for Success: The Vital Role of Content Teachers in Developing Disciplinary Literacy with Students in Grades 6-12.  Read with us if you'd like to get a taste for what IDLL is all about!

A Network with SOEL

The Study of Early Literacy (SOEL) network welcomed new members on September 30, launching our third year of learning and practice around early literacy instruction in grades PreK-3.  Some of our studies will include Dr. Tanya Wright's (MSU) All About Words and Dr. Nell Duke's  (UM) Information in Action.   

Finding Informational Text

Research has proven that students in all grades should be reading informational text throughout their day, but sometimes it is difficult to find appropriate informational texts outside the textbooks. ReadWorks.org has a collection of K-12 science articles, searchable passages by topic and lexile and grade level articles.

Upcoming Professional Development

SAVE THE DATE for the 4T Virtual Conference!