Empowering Gen Z... Leading and Learning in the 21st Century

   RTI Why It Matters Response to Intervention (RTI) is a prevention framework for implementing data-driven decision-making. It’s important because it provides necessary stakeholders with timely and specific information about children so that they can improve learning and increase student performance. Middle School: Please review this article . Then, respond to the prompt below. Elementary: After watching Lessons 1-3 and completing your Assessment, please respond to the following prompt : Prompt : Refer to this RTI Reflection Questions Resource . Glance over the questions and identify one area you would like to improve at Empower. Tell us what you selected and why.  Monelle Dalman and Rebecca Minerd

Let's Talk About Writing... Why It Matters Three-quarters of both 12th and 8th graders lack proficiency in writing, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2017). Writing is a critical skill for our students’ self-expression and self-actualization. We know from decades of research how students learn to write and what and how to teach so that the majority of our students can be successful.  Middle School: Please listen to this podcast . Then, respond to the prompt below. Elementary: After watching Lessons 1-3 please respond to the following prompt : Prompt : Writing has a heavy cognitive load, and keeping students motivated is difficult and critical. What are your ideas for giving students opportunities to explore their interests, choices and voices in writing while still developing the writing skills they need AND showing learning of content area? How do you balance these important factors? Monelle Dalman and Rebecca Minerd

  Empowered Teachers Empower Students Middle School: Good news! During effective Reading Comprehension Instruction, your lesson should only target the specific comprehension processes required for students to meet their lesson objectives or purpose. While there are many aspects of language and new concepts to address, only those that further the purpose should be included in the lesson plan. This ensures you maximize the instructional time of your lesson. Please: watch this 4-minute video ; review this framework ; and, this example . Then, respond to the prompt below. Elementary: After watching Lesson 8 and completing your Assessment, please respond to the following prompt : Prompt : These lessons describe a shift to a more in-depth approach to lesson planning that highlights the complex processes readers engage in during a reading of text, instead of reading a text from beginning to end and then hoping for a meaningful product at the end.   Reflect on your own lessons. After...

  Comprehension Continued:) Middle School: As students get older most of the content they read in school is non-fiction text, therefore it is crucial that we expose students to nonfiction texts to improve their reading comprehension. This is perfect for middle school content! :) Please read this and this article, and then respond to the prompt below. Elementary: After watching Lessons 6-7, please respond to the following prompt : Prompt : Review these best practices . Are you currently using any of these practices in your classroom to plan for comprehension instruction? Based on what you’ve learned so far, will you be making any changes? If so, what will you change? Rebecca Minerd and Monelle Dalman

  The Active View of Reading We know about the Reading Rope but did you know there was an Active View or Reading.... And that this Active View of Reading expands the basic concepts of our reading rope for Language Comprehension...... Middle School: Please read this article . Elementary AND Middle School: Please watch this 3 minute video . In order to truly empower students we must consider the holes we have in our own instruction. Fortunately, many strategies for bolstering language comprehension will also improve comprehension in content areas, as well. Which aspects of the Active View of Reading or Scarborough’s Language Comprehension (part of the rope) is not currently facilitated in your classroom? Given your content area and/or grade level, how could you incorporate that into your lessons to bolster reading and academic comprehension?

  Let's continue our conversation from last week... With last week’s assessments and observations of one student in mind, please read the following article: Fluency: Instructional Guidelines and Student Activities . What strategies could you implement for the student that would best support the student’s needs? Monelle Dalman and Rebecca Minerd

  Comprehension.... Our Goal!  Reading Fluency is integral to Reading Comprehension. Assessment is integral to action planning. HOWEVER, when assessing fluency it is IMPERATIVE that you explain to the student the difference between reading rapidly and reading fluently. Think of fluently as reading to others, so that the reader and the listener can understand what is being read . This week, please choose 1 student to assess as follow Have a student cold read a grade-level, content-based passage for one (timed) minute. (Be sure to have your own paper copy so you can record mistakes and mark the last word the student reads when the minute ends.)  1- Provide the Words Correct Per Minute and the number of errors, using the format shown in the Example above;  2- Complete these rubrics for Prosody; and lastly,   3- Have the student complete (or complete together with “young-uns”) this self-reflection on their reading.  Provide this information on your ...

 Components of Effective Vocabulary Instruction Middle School: Please read/watch the following links and respond to the Prompt below. https://www.edutopia.org/article/vocabulary-teaching-strategies-middle-school https://amplify.com/blog/science-of-reading/the-importance-of-vocabulary-in-effective-literacy-instruction/   ( about 35 minutes long) https://youtu.be/9-cEdj9wvek Elementary: Please complete Lessons 6-9 and Assessment and respond to the Prompt below. PROMPT: Please rate your instruction in each of the 4 Components 1 (beginner) - 5 (advanced). Which Core Principles could you apply or improve on to improve your instruction?

  Vocabulary Instruction Read the following text and answer the questions that follow: Were you able to understand the text or answer the questions? How did you feel while reading it or attempting to answer the questions? Along with background knowledge and listening comprehension, vocabulary is a necessary part of language comprehension. Vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of reading comprehension because comprehension depends on knowing word meanings.  Middle School: Please read the following articles: Classroom Vocabulary Assessment for Content Areas Approach #1: Academic Word Frequency Links Academic Word List (Coxhead) Academic Word List with Definitions (Coxhead) Academic Vocabulary Lists (Gardner & Davies) Approach #2: Sequence of Word Acquisition Links Article: Which Words Are Worth Teaching Approach #3: 3 Tiers of Vocabulary Resources Choosing Vocabulary Words for Instruction EVERYONE, PLEASE RESPOND: Which approach would be more appropriate for you to p...

  Who knew a Read Aloud could be so impactful...... This module of the training was the most impactful to me.... I loved the question techniques.... and the true planning involved in CORRECTLY teaching with a read-aloud.  I really look forward to seeing some of these strategies in all of our virtual classrooms! MIDDLE SCHOOL : Please check out these resources that can be used to extend student knowledge after read-alouds: K-3 START Read Lesson Plan Template | Resource Library | Cox Campus Comprehension Strategy Questions | Resource Library | Cox Campus Think-Aloud Stems | Resource Library | Cox Campus Mini-Lesson Framework | Resource Library | Cox Campus Learning Center Activity Ideas | Resource Library | Cox Campus Vocabulary Formative Assessment Ideas | Resource Library | Cox Campus Retell Rubric | Resource Library | Cox Campus Vocabulary Teaching Strategies for Middle School | Edutopia EVERYONE : Please share how you can incorporate read-...

  Meaningful Read Alouds for Vocabulary and Oral Language Comprehension/ Part 1 MIDDLE SCHOOL : Please read this article, then respond to the prompt below. Additionally, here is a resource you might appreciate. :) EVERYONE : Please share how you can best facilitate a read-aloud in a virtual setting. Reflecting on the S tate the Purpose; T each; A sk/ R espond steps of read-alouds, how can we as virtual educators facilitate peer discussion in the A sk/ R espond step without, , disrupting the flow of the book?  Rebecca Minerd and Monelle Dalamn By the End of This Course You’ll Be Able To Describe the relationship between reading aloud to students and listening comprehension, vocabulary, and language skills Model ability to read aloud to students to enhance critical thinking, personal reflection, empathy and imagination Develop a plan for read-alouds using the K3 START Read framework and lesson planning sheet Apply engaging activities that are related to your read-alouds thro...

  Final thoughts on Phonics.... Word Chaining , Writing Words & Phrases , and Making It Work are critical components in systematic and explicit phonics instruction. What are the three actionable next steps you could commit to taking to improve student literacy? Feel free to use AI to create meaningful activities that supplement & complement grade-level subject area instruction. Rebecca Minerd and Monelle Dalman Systematic and Explicit Phonics Instruction By the End of This Course You’ll Be Able To Learners will understand the characteristics of an effective systematic and explicit phonics program. Learners will gain a foundational understanding of English orthography. Learners will be able to name and explain the role of the instructional components of an effective phonics program. Why It Matters The most recent report from our National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, 2019) showed that nationwide 66% of our 4th students scored below proficient in reading. The hig...