The document provides strategies and ideas for supporting striving secondary readers. It discusses establishing relationships with students, maintaining high expectations, scaffolding reading skills, uplifting students through meaningful feedback, and engaging students through choice, collaboration and relevance. Specific strategies mentioned include building community through interest surveys, name tents and shared work displays, alternative activities to round robin reading, using a comprehension continuum, giving feedback on strengths, and allowing choice in text selection and social construction of meaning.

1. SUPPORTING SECONDARY STRIVING READERS SORLA 2010 JEN MCCARTY & JESSICA CROOKER READING SPECIALISTS EASTVIEW HIGH SCHOOL APPLE VALLEY, MN R.E.SC.U.E.

2. Let’s Get to Know Each other On one sheet of paper, create an illustration that best represents a current frustration you have when it comes to meeting the needs of striving readers.

3. Let’s Get to Know Each other—Example www.fotobabble.com http://www.fotobabble.com/m/endWOGdIMFFCRFk9

4. R.E.SC.U.E. R is for Relate E is for Expect SC is for Scaffold U is for Uplift E is for Engage

5. Pre-reading Strategy www.wordle.net

6. Pre Teach Vocabulary The Genteel Unteaching of America’s Poor by National Council of Teachers of English President Kylene Beers Example: Genteel (adj) belonging or suited to polite society. well-bred or refined; polite; elegant; stylish. affectedly or pretentiously polite, delicate, etc.

7. 6 steps of vocabulary instruction Marzano and Pickering, 2005 Demonstration Lesson from Building Academic Vocabulary Step 1: Explanation of essential vocabulary by instructor. Choral repeat of pronunciation of the word. http://wordcentral.com Step 2: Pair/Share—turn to your neighbor and either explain opine in your own words or give an example. (Don’t simply repeat what I said) Step 3: Non-linguistic activity--photo Steps 1-3 would be done in 10-15 minutes of first day. Do with each essential word.

8. 6 Step Process cont. (Marzano and Pickering, 2005) Step 4: Periodically during the week, ask students to ‘play with’ or do a short activity with the essential vocabulary. Examples: Word in context: On a sheet of paper/Exit card—do the following: Write down a synonym or antonym of opine. What is one topic you can OPINE about with passion? Step 5: Periodically during the week ask students to discuss the terms with each other. Examples: Think/Pair/Share Think of whether you think this is a word that has positive or negative connotation—explain and model. Pair with a partner and discuss what you have thought about. Allow some students to Share with the whole class. Step 6: Play games and have fun with the term. Example: Create a poem—cinquain Play Jeopardy http://www.vocabulary.com/

9. During Reading Purpose As you read, choose one short phrase (a sentence or two) that struck you. Be prepared to read it aloud and explain why it hit you. As you read, consider who “those” kids are In our society. . . In our school . . . In our classrooms. . . (Be prepared to share along with your passage with the group)

10. Post Reading: Think Pair Share With your table group: Share your excerpt (read it, don’t paraphrase) (RR alternative) Share why it struck you Share your views of “those” kids? Who are they in our society, our school, and our classrooms?

11. “ R” is for Relate Do you know these students? Tardy Tracy—isn’t there a clock on your cell phone? Absent Abigail—MIA… a lot. Bobby Belligerent—the answer is always “NO!” Jack Jokester—lots of jokes; often inappropriate Sleepy, Dopey, Droopey… wait, are those dwarves? Sneezy Sally—frequent visits to Nurse Peggy Charlie Charmer—everybody’s buddy Forgetful Fay—no pencil, no notebook, no problem Billy Bladder—suspiciously well-hydrated Celine Cell—so many texts, so little time Messy Melissa—something could be living in that backpack I-could-care-less Chris—surprisingly indifferent about everything

12. “ R” is for Relate “ Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, Make Me Feel Important . Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” -Mary Kay Ash (1908-2001), entrepreneur

13. “ R” is for Relate Personal connections with students Especially the ones who bug you  Students who struggle are masterful hiders (ex. 24 hiders in 1 room) Pull, poke, and persistently pry them out of their shells Don’t take it personal. . .striving readers tend to deflect. . . Community Building within the class Create a sense of belonging & ownership Striving students sometimes view themselves as outsiders at EVHS—pull them IN Give them a place to feel included—your classroom! (ex. the coffee shop)

14. “ R” is for Relate Personal connections with students Start the year with a “What do you know…” trivia ex. Are you a true bookworm? Interest surveys—lots out there, no need to recreate Student create “walls”—favorite quotes, fav/least fav words Display student work Popsicle sticks with names—student aid/study hall kid task Exit cards—use scrap paper from your Staff Resource Room Digital conversation—forums and chat rooms on Moodle Share your writing, reading, work, frustrations, successes, etc… Create a class work-time playlist on iTunes

15. “ R” is for Relate Community Building Consider a room arrangement not in traditional rows Attendance questions— “Say your name and your favorite…” Name tents—4 corners; each contains a personal detail Team Classroom Management—calendar updates, attendance, collect today’s assignment, entrance cards, RESPECT 100 . . .

16. Say cheese! Pictures make it feel like home Birthday calendar—school calendar or get creative Games & Contests Loaded Questions, newspaper puzzles/riddles, trivia games Create teams and keep track of points on a board/poster Free prize idea: “1 extra day” on an assignment coupons “ R” is for Relate

17. “ R” is for Relate Build Community (but add a curricular connection) Goal Setting Ball Toss Synergy Magic Carpet Ride

18. “ R” is for Relate On your R ESCUE note sheet, write down one idea you can take and implement in your classes right away.

19. “ E” is for Expect (great things) Maintain high expectations for all students Can be tempting to lower expectations for struggling students Don’t want to embarrass them or make the vulnerable Alternatives to the dreaded “Round Robin” reading Activity—alternative to RRR from opening text (Beers) Paired/Tri Reading Activity with “Why Couch Potatoes Can’t Read” by David Walsh Striving readers actually need to do MORE not less Change their self-perception—Growth Mindset A, B, C or Do it Over Fair isn’t Always Equal – Rick Wormeli

20. “ E” is for Expect We need to remember: To not confuse expectation with enabling To empower instead of making the content “easy”

21. “ E” is for Expect (great things) On your R E SCUE note sheet, write down one idea you can take and implement in your classes right away.

22. “ SC” is for Scaffold Striving readers are often mistaken as lazy They choose to give up because of past failure and their Performance Mindset Scaffold reading by establishing purpose and giving background ( OMM scaffold example) Allot some class time for reading You can model how you approach a new reading assignment Gives students an “in” to the text Can do an exit card as they leave to check for understanding Don’t forget the POWER in pre, during, and post reading strategies. Google for many many ideas.

23. “ SC” is for Scaffold Comprehension Continuum

24. “ SC” is for Scaffold Comprehension Continuum

25. “ SC” is for Scaffold On your RE SC UE note sheet, write down one idea you can take and implement in your classes right away.

26. “ U” is for Uplift Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize.” Elizabeth Harrison (1897-1955), investor, author Meaningful feedback. . .so crucial: In an answer to “When have you felt like a strong writer?” One of our striving 9 th grade readers said, “ When Mr. F. had us write about an important person to us. I wrote about Amanda J.. . .Mr. F. gave me feedback that pointed out all of the good things I was doin’ with my writing.” “Like how I used precise word choice that gave him a picture in his head.”

27. Give some Feedback “ I like this book because it makes me think about what is going to happen like it a mistory book and every time I have read the book I have gottin in to it. like I hate reading, but this book is making me wanna keep reading it. I wish I would have found some books like this one before because then I think I would probably read a little bit more when I was younger.” ~Jon, grade 10, September, 2008

28. Mindset “After seven experiments with hundreds of children, we had some of the clearest findings I’ve ever seen: Praising children’s intelligence harms their motivation and it harms their performance.” by Carol Dweck

29. “ U” is for Uplift Lack of confidence can paralyze students— Pair up with someone kind, patient, and knowledgeable. . . Scaffold Give purpose for reading Reward hard work with meaningful activity Avoid spotlighting insecurities (yet keep standards high). Tricky, we know. (fluency example, RR alternatives) Appreciative Inquiry. Capitalize on students’ strengths. “ Describe a time when you felt most confident as a reader, writer, historian, mathematician, scientist, student, musician, etc.” Ask students to WRITE. . .striving readers will tell you more in writing (typically) than verbally (AW ex.). “Who do you admire as a reader, writer, student. . .Why?

30. “ U” is for Uplift On your RESC U E note sheet, write down one idea you can take and implement in your classes right away.

31. “ E” is for Engage Guthrie (2007) and Engagement Theory says, Choice is crucial! Choice of text, choice of passages to read, choice in where to begin, in questions that need answering. . . Relevance at all costs Constructing meaning (learning) is SOCIAL! Collaboration is key. (D. Beuhl partner example) Control over one’s own learning (master’s thesis vs. freshman English lit. paper, ex.) “ If a student feels this is my question, and I read my selection to answer it, and I have my answer , he owns the reading event. For his own question, he will read deeply, persevere, and gain an elaborated understanding” (Guthrie, 2007, p. 121).

32. Students’ Reading Motivations Meaning is Motivating Control and Choice Reading is Social Self-Efficacy Interest in Reading

33. Meaning is Motivating Students must be motivated to be literate We must move them from performance-minded to mastery-minded Focus of our teaching must be mastery goals Discourage obsession with grades

34. Meaning is Motivating 7 practices of mastery motivation Provide mastery goals Make tasks relevant Use hands-on activities Transform text to meaning Scaffold mastery motivation Provide re-teach opportunities Reward effort over performance

35. Control and Choice Seek to balance teacher vs. student centeredness 6 practices that cultivate motivation: Ownership of text Options for how to learn Input into curriculum Self-selection of knowledge displays Voice in standards for evaluation Inquiry projects

36. “ E” is for Engage Get Digital! Experiences with 100% engagement: Moodle, book trailers, podcasts, poll everywhere, i-tunes, glogster, wordle, . . .list is endless. . . Glogster example. . .

37. http://s001.drmccarty.edu.glogster.com/glog/

38. Book Trailer

39. “ E” is for Engage On your RESCU E note sheet, write down one idea you can take and implement in your classes right away.

40. The polls you downloaded are embedded on the next slide. You may view them by running the slideshow. Feel free to copy the poll slides to another presentation or build up your presentation starting from this one. - The Poll Everywhere Team Poll Everywhere

41. Poll Everywhere

42. R.E. SC.U. E. Throw your striving students a life line. . .you may save their academic lives!