Professional Development Workshop Choosing Just Right Books & the Literacy Connects' Lending Library
Introductions Thank you for joining us today!! 1. Housekeeping & Welcome 2. Introductions 3. Importance of Appropriate Book Selection 4. Ideal Characteristics of Books for Beginning & Struggling Readers 5. Categorized Book Lists 6. Strategies to Assess if Books Are Just Right 7. Benefits of a Leveled Literacy System
Welcome & Agenda Please introduce yourself with: Your name How long you ve been a Coach/Tutor School where you coach & grade(s) you work with. The one characteristic you believe is most important in a book for beginning or struggling readers.
Workshop Learning Goals Coaches/Tutors will learn about the importance of using just right books and the ideal characteristics of books for beginning and struggling readers. Coaches/Tutors will learn strategies for selecting (and helping their students select) books that are just right. Coaches/Tutors will understand the benefit of a Leveled Literacy System and how to best utilize the Literacy Connects Lending Library.
Book Selection is Important Research shows that tasks completed with high rates of success are linked to greater learning & improved student attitudes: easy tasks are linked to more learning harder tasks are linked to less learning tasks that are too difficult lead to disruptive learning behaviors and a negative attitude Therefore, appropriate book selection is essential for the success of our students!!
Book Selection is Important Lots of easy reading is absolutely critical to reading development and to the development of positive stances toward reading. (Richard Allington, 2001)
Neurophysiology Neurophysiology & Beginning Readers Adult eye span is typically 2-3 letters to the left & 15 letters to the right of where we fixate A beginning reader s eye span is symmetrical, 1-2 letters to the right and left Shorter words! Adequate space between words!
Space between words Picture clues Location of text on page Line spacing Important Physical Characteristics Size and readability of the text Ratio of text to pictures and/or illustrations
Rhyme Rhythm Repetition Important Stylistic Elements Reinforcement of difficult vocabulary Credible, interesting characters Straightforward plot development Simple sentence structures Tom said, I like candy.. NOT I like candy, said Tom.
Rock Star Books Can you identify which physical & stylistic elements make these books great?
Categorized Book Lists Key Categories: Picture Clue Books Rhythm and Rhyme Books Sight Word Books Rock Star Books
Choosing the Right Book Aim for 95-99% student accuracy when reading aloud Students are more likely to be able to choose an appropriate text when they know a variety of ways to evaluate it Students who can effectively choose appropriate texts will be less likely to abandon the books they choose and more likely to spend time engaged in reading
Assessment Strategy #1 The Five Finger Rule is an easy way for students to assess whether or not they CAN get through the book. With each book they choose, they count the number of words per page that they do not know. 0-1 fingers Too Easy 2-3 Fingers -- Just Right 4-5 Fingers Too Hard Students need to learn how to be honest with themselves about which words they do not know.
. Assessment Strategy #1
Assessment Strategy #2
Assessment Strategy #3 The Goldilocks Method gives students an easy to understand method of finding Just Right books. Books are either Too Easy, Too Hard, or Just Right. Each category has standards that students can check off to determine if the book is right for them.
Goldilocks Method Assessment Strategy #3
Goldilocks Method Assessment Strategy #3
Goldilocks Method Assessment Strategy #3
When a Book is Too Hard Do not deny your student the privilege of reading the book. You can still read the book and avoid giving your student feelings of frustration. Instead of saying, That s too hard for you. Say Let s read this book together or I can read it to you. This is a book you will enjoy more if you save it for later.
Interest & Motivation!! If a student isn t interested in or excited by a book, then it is NOT a good fit!! Find books that connect students with a topic they are passionate about or a character they can relate to (or aspire to be), and that engage their emotions. Choice is imperative! Make sure you are letting them choose which book they want to read each session. Classwork and assignments should not be read during coaching sessions.
Table Talk At your table create a list of books that YOU have had good luck using with beginning readers (as a coach, teacher, tutor, parent, etc.). Everyone has to contribute at least one book title, but you can list more if you want to. Be sure to mention why it worked well. What similarities do you see in the books your table chose? What differences?
Break Time!!! We will begin again in 10 minutes.
Why use a Leveled Literacy System? It helps coaches/tutors to easily find books which students can read with 95% fluency & at least 75% comprehension (a good fit book). It allows coaches/tutors to tailor reading instruction to meet individual student needs. Success generates learning! The best way to become a better reader is to read more.
Program rooted in their own classroom teaching, work with teachers & research studies Matches books to readers to provide differentiated instruction in reading Books are organized by analyzing 10 text characteristics: Genre Text structure Content Themes & ideas Language & literacy features Fountas & Pinnell Sentence complexity Vocabulary Word difficulty Illustrations Book and print features
A to Z Gradient Scale Stage Early Emergent Upper Emergent Early Fluency Fluency Proficiency Grade Fountas & Pinnell Reading Recovery DRA Reading a-z Wright Group K A A, B, 1 A - 1 aa A K A 1 A - 1 A A K B 2 2 B B K C 3-4 3-4 C C-D 1 D 5-6 5-6 D E 1 E 7-8 7-8 E F 1 F 9-10 9-10 F G 1 G 11-12 11-12 G H 1 H 13-14 13-14 H I 1 I 15-16 15-16 I J 1 J 17-18 18-20 J K-L 2 K 19-20 24 K M 2 L 20 24 L N 2 M 20 30 M O 2 N 20 30 N P 2 O 22 34 O Q 3 P 22 38 P R 3 Q 24 38 Q S 3 R 24 40 R T 3 S 26 40 S U 4 T 27 44 T V 4 U 28 44 U W 4 V 28 44 V X 5 W 27 50 W Y 5 X 28 60 X Z 6 Y 30 Y 6 Z 32-24 Z Lexile 200-299 200-400 300-500 500-700 600-800 700-900 800-1000
Efficacy of F&P System Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) students make significant progress in literacy compared to students who receive regular classroom literacy instruction LLI students: 1 ½ - 5 ½ benchmark levels Control group: 1 3 benchmark levels DIBELS corroborated the results of the benchmarks LLI can still be effective even if practiced for short durations
Examples of F&P Leveled Books Level A: Colors in the Desert, by Susan Canizares & Betsey Chessen Level B: Snow Joe, by Carol Greene Level C: Elk Yelps!, by Nora Gaydos Level D: Chatty Chipmunk s Nutty Day, by Suzanne Gruber Level E: Super Fly Guy, by Tedd Arnold Level G: Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
5 main sections: Organization of the LC Lending Library Emerging (A-D) Intermediate (N-R) Beginning (E-I) Advanced (S-Z) Early (J-M) -- Educators Resource Books alphabetized by title in each section Online catalog allows you to search by subject/ title/keyword AND level to find books that are right for your students.
Logging into the Literacy Connects Lending Library
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Holds and Lending Library Policy Holds May be picked up in the Literacy Connects Lending Library or sent through the Inter-Office Mail to the school where you coach. Check out period is 60 days. Please allow 7-14 days after holds were placed for books to arrive if using inter-office Mail. To retrieve your holds on site, please allow 48hrs after placing holds to pick up. 41
Summary Student choice is paramount to a successful reading intervention program. Students are more motivated to read and improve when the book is Just Right. Involve your student in the process of selecting a Just Right Book. Practice one of the Assessment Strategies with him/her regularly. Keep their abilities and interests in mind when selecting books from the Lending Library.
Follow-up Information All workshop materials will be emailed to group. Questions? Contact Violet Kennedy at library@literacyconnects.org or Jessica Dennes at Jdennes@literacyconnects.org or call 520-798-0700.