Volume 14, Number 14 The Source

August 15, 2014

Reading Comprehension Strategies You Can Use in Any Content Area!

TEACHTHOUGHT.COM offers the above infographic as well as 25 strategies that can be used in various content.

Reading is reading. By understanding that letters make sounds, we can blend those sounds together to make whole sounds that symbolize meaning we can all exchange with one another. Without getting too Platonic about it all, reading doesn't change simply because you're reading a text from another content area. Only sometimes it does.

Science content can often be full of jargon, research citations, and odd text features. Social Studies content can be an interesting mix of itemized information, and traditional paragraphs/imagery. Literature? Well, that depends on if you mean the flexible form of poetry, the enduring structure of a novel, or emerging digital literature that combines multiple modalities to tell a story.

This all makes reading strategies somewhat content area specific.

Stopping (maybe the most undervalued strategy ever) and Rereading might make more sense in science, while Visualization and Text Connections may make more sense reading literary works. Questioning the Text may make equal sense in both. But if you'd like to start with a basic set of strategies, you could do worse than the elegant graphic above from wiki-teacher.com. It lists 12 basic reading comprehension strategies.

For related reading, see

25 Reading Strategies That Work In Every Content Area

1. Reread

2. Activate Prior Knowledge

3. Use Context Clues

4. Infer

5. Think Aloud

6. Summarize

7. Locate Key Words

8. Make Predictions

9. Use Word Attack Strategies

10. Visualize

11. Use Graphic Organizers

12. Evaluate Understanding

To the above list, we'd add:

13. Question the Text

14. Stop!

15. Monitor & Repair Understanding (While Reading)

16. Paraphrase

17. Annotate the Text

18. Adjust Reading Rate

19. Prioritize Information

20. Use Graphic Note Taking

21. Predict

22. Set a Reader Purpose

23. Text-connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world)

24. Skim

25. SSQ (Stop, Summarize, Question)

Fall Institute Features Dr. Nell Duke on September 19 - Register Now! Save a Seat for You and Your Team!

Mark your calendars now for a great day on September 19 with Dr. Nell Duke at Olmsted on the Drake University Campus.

"K-3 Literacy: Implementing the Core"

Learn how to:

increase student motivation in literacy
help K-3 students demonstrate the Iowa Core literacy standards
organize reading and writing around real purposes for kids, including project-based learning

Where: Drake University

When: September 19, 2014

Time: 9:00 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.

Mark your calendars now! September 19, 2014! Register for the Conference on the Iowa ASCD web site. The fee is $125 for members and $170 for non-members.

All participants will receive the book which is being published in August, Inside Information: Developing Powerful Readers and Writers of Informational Text through Project-Based Instruction.

Opportunities for registering include the following:

Register on line at the Iowa ASCD events website.
Mail a check/purchase order with date/name of conference and names and e-mail addresses of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith, Drake University School of Education, 3206 University, Des Moines, IA 50311.
E-mail a purchase order with name/date of conference and names and e-mail addresses of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith at bridget.arrasmith@drake.edu.
FAX purchase order with name/date of conference and names and e-mail addresses of participants to Bridget A. Arrasmith at 515.271.2233.

"Nell Duke - a favorite of the State Wide Reading Team!! She shares both practical information on best practices and the

literacy research behind them. You'll come away from the institute with real-world solutions and a deeper understanding of what's needed to bring the Iowa Core standards in reading, writing, and language to life in K-3 your classrooms." Rita Martens, Iowa Department of Education

We encourage you to register now! Space is limited!

"Common Core" Merits the Support of Iowans by Iowa Educator Shannon Vesely

The Common Core State Standards may be the most controversial issue in education today. That's unusual for a set of education standards adopted by Iowa (as part of the Iowa Core) and 44 other states to provide educators with grade-level goals for mathematics and language arts.

Some opponents claim these standards were adopted with too little transparency and democracy. Others claim they are a federal power grab that infringes on local control of states and districts. Still others argue that standardized tests associated with the standards will lead to data mining that erodes student privacy or that the standards are a moneymaking ploy by education companies.

As a 37-year educator who has seen many educational initiatives

come and go, I regard each new initiative critically and I'll admit, more than a little skeptically. So after the Common Core was drafted, I closely read the English/language arts standards. I can still recall my amazement and joy at what I saw.

For decades, reading and writing instruction has focused on the thoughts and feelings of the individual student. At their heart, these new English/language arts standards return educators and students to close reading and evidence-based reasoning - to classical argument and the rigorous thinking that it requires.

And while reading and writing instruction has traditionally been left to English/language arts teachers, the Common Core and Iowa Core standards broaden this responsibility to include teachers from other disciplines. Reading and writing in science, technical subjects and social studies look very different from reading in English/language arts, and the new standards identify the reading and writing skills that are unique and essential to each content area. By doing so, the new standards ensure that the acquisition of literacy is embedded throughout students' entire school day - and not confined to a single English/language arts class period.

My job is to help children and adolescents become the types of students, and citizens, who can prosper beyond the walls of our schools. But the number of remedial and non-credit courses offered on college campuses is a painful reminder of how poorly equipped many of today's students are to read deeply, write clearly and think rigorously.

I've seen how the Common Core standards push student beyond memorizing facts and basic understanding and into higher-order thinking. I believe they will help create tomorrow's leaders and creators, philosophers and philanthropists.

The Iowa Core standards offer clear guidelines for careful reading, writing, speaking, listening and thinking. They also help students learn to use traditional literary genres such as argument and exposition.

These standards do not dictate the curriculum or instructional pedagogy that educators use to meet learning goals. Neither the Common Core nor the Iowa Core standards prescribe what literacy works, units or teaching methods teachers must use. Those decisions are left, as they should be, to teachers and their districts.

Because of the Iowa Core, I've already begun to see significant changes in my district. Teachers in all courses are helping students become better readers and writers, and they are designing lessons that include daily opportunities for students to collaborate. The rewards have been undeniable and valuable.

As debate about the Common Core persists, I hope opponents give the standards the careful consideration they deserve. If they do, I believe they will find more to value than to criticize.

**************************************

Shannon Vesely is a school improvement leader in grades 7-12 in the Ottumwa Community School District. This article appeared in The Des Moines Register on June 14, 2014.

School on the Move: Lakeview Elementary in Solon Community School District - One of about 200 Schools to Receive This Honor in Canada and the United States

Lakeview Elementary in the Solon Community School District was recently recognized by Solution Tree for its sustained success in

raising student achievement. Lakeview Elementary's successful implementation of the Professional Learning Communities at Work process was a major contributing factor to the improved achievement of its students.

PLCs in schools and districts in which educators recognize the key to improved learning for students is ongoing, job-embedded learning for the adults who serve those students. The three big ideas of a PLC call upon educators to 1) focus on learning, 2) build a collaborative culture, and 3) create a results orientation.

Responding to the news of the recognition, Elementary Principal Jodi Rickels said, "While it is nice to be recognized for our staff's hard work, our staff strives to improve every day so that our students can benefit. We are honored and feel we are on the right track to helping all students achieve at high levels."

Schools are recognized by Solution Tree based on strict criteria, including demonstration of a commitment to PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three years, and clear evidence of improved student learning over that period. Once measurable results can be the seen, the school must explain its practices, structures, and culture and submit its application for consideration by the PLC Review Committee.

According to Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker,and Mike Mike Vattos, visionaries of PLC at Work, educators in the schools and districts selected for this recognition have shown "a sustained commitment to helping all of their students achieve at high levels. They have been willing to alter the structure and culture of the organization to reflect their commitment. We applaud them and congratulate them for achieving this very significant milestone on the never-ending PLC journey."

Recognized model PLC schools are listed on http://www.allthingsplc.info/ , including the data of Lakeview Elementary Schools in the Solon Community School District, where they share implementation strategies, structures, and performance with other educators interested in improving their schools.

Congratulations to the Lakeview Elementary team for their hard work and their impact on their learners.

How to Assess Higher-Order Thinking Skills in Your Classroom by Susan M. Brookhart

Don't settle for assessing recall and comprehension only when you can use this guide to create assessments for higher-order thinking

skills. Assessment expert Susan M. Brookhart brings you up to speed on how to develop and use test questions and other assessments that reveal how well your students can analyze, reason, solve problems, and think creatively. Her practical framework takes you through the steps of

Identifying clearly the type of thinking that you want to assess.
Designing a task or test item that requires students to demonstrate the type of thinking you're looking for.
Determining how to interpret, evaluate, or score the results.
Providing the right kind of materials to help students demonstrate their thinking.

Discover how to make an assessment blueprint for any grade or subject that includes multiple-choice and constructed-response (essay) items plus performance assessment tasks. Whether you want to create formative or summative assessments, this book has what you need to create well-designed assessments that can bring thinking out of your students' heads and make it visible in their words and actions.

Related Products:

Seeking Grades PK-K-1 Presenters for December 4 Conference - Share Your Learnings in Implementing the Iowa Core!

Grade PreK, K, 1^st Grade Practitioner Conference - December 4, 2014 - Holiday Inn in Des Moines, IA

Focus on Impacting Student Learning with the Iowa Core and Characteristics of Effective Instruction

Apply to share your expertise in one of the conference strands.

Teaching for Understanding - Curriculum Strand- What do all students need to learn, know and be able to do? How do we in our building/grade level connect our teaching with the students' learning expectations identified in "the core"? Share what's happening in the classroom to achieve the Iowa Core.
Assessment for Learning - Assessment Strand - How do we know that students have learned? How are formative assessments being used to diagnose students' progress in learning, determine areas of strength and plan for differentiated instruction? How do we adjust our instruction based on the results of the formative assessments? Tell your story!
Teaching for Learner Differences - Instruction Strand - How do we plan and deliver instruction so that we meet the needs of all learners in our classroom? How do we respond if students struggle or don't learn and how do we respond when students have already learned? Share your experiences, success stories and lessons learned!

WE need YOU to tell your story, share your strategies, ideas and success stories!

Explain to your colleagues your ideas and practices for integrating the Iowa Core into your classroom. Share your strategies for using formative assessment to inform your instruction. How is your classroom environment focused on differentiated instruction? How do your integrate technology to accelerate your students' learning? Share your examples and classroom management processes!

Click on the proposal form for more details!

Proposals due September 1, 2014. Complete and return the proposal form soon!

Registration is opened for participants as well. Register now!

Check Out Iowa's Conservation Education Grant Opportunities

Got an idea to advance environmental literacy, but lack funds?

Mini-grants for up to $3,500 are available from Iowa's Resource Enhancement and Protection Conservation Education Program (REAP CEP). Standard grants, averaging $22,000, are also available.

The CEP annually awards $350,000 for conservation education in Iowa, and grant reviewers are seeking applications for innovative projects that need start-up funds. Plan now for the November 3 grant deadline.

For more information about the application process and the types of programs funded, go to the REAP Conservation Education website For a quick overview, go to http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/REAP/files/facts.pdf.

Register Now - November 12 - 13 - When Jay McTighe Will Be Back in Iowa to Deepen Teams' Understanding and Practices of Understanding by Design.

Join us this next fall on November 12-13 as we feature Dr. Jay McTighe with Understanding by Design in Imple save the date

menting the Iowa Core.

Please come learn and network with Dr. McTighe and other educators in Iowa.

Date: November 12-13, 2014
Location: Olmsted on the Drake Camputs i Des Moines.
Fee: $250 for members; $295 for non-members of Iowa ASCD.

Watch for registration details, which will be available soon.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science). Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education.

Since 1983, more than 4,200 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession. If you know grea t teachers, nominate them to join this prestigious network of professionals. Nominations for mathematics and science teachers of grades 7-12 will open in Fall of 2014.

Congratulations to the K-6 Iowa Science Finalists for 2013-2014 school year: Joshua Steenhoek, Pella Community Schools, Pella, Iowa and Jessica Watson, Downtown School, Des Moines Public Schools, Des Moines, Iowa.

Check It Out!

Check out the following:

Are you a school on the move - and willing to share your story with other educators across state? If so, contact Lou Howell or one of our directors to assure your story is told. Their e-mail addresses are in the right-hand column of this publication.
Are you interested in working on one of the conferences of Iowa ASCD - being on the advisory team, working at the conference, sharing resources to support the conference? If so, please contact the chairs of the conferences:
- Fall Academy: Veta Thode
- Grade-Level Conference: Kym Stein
- Advocacy and Influence: Susan Pecinovsky, Pam Vogel
- Curriculum Leadership Academy: Sue Wood, Pam Zeigler
- Summer Institute: Kym Stein
Do you have a content area or educational approach for which you are passionate and would like to help Iowa ASCD maintain a board on Pinterest and/or extend our website with resources that make a difference for teachers and leaders? If so, contact Amy Wichman, Chris Welch, or Lou Howell.

Grant Wood AEA is hosting standards-based grading conference on March 30, 2015, from 8:30 - 3:30 P.M. Dr. Cathy Vatterott is the keynote speaker.
Attention Math and Science Instructors: The ISU Scheman Center in Ames, IA, is the site for the October 21-22, 2014, Math and Science Conference.

Webinars for Your Learning

Iowa ASCD seeks to keep you informed about webinars for your webinar

learning and the learning of those with whom you work. Check out the following; many of these support the work in your collaborative time and definitely help with implementation of The Core!

Title: Flipped Learning - Gateway to Student Engagement

Presenter: Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams
Provider: ASCD and Adobe Presenter
Date: August 26, 2014; 2:00 - 3:00 P.M. CDT
Register Here

Title: Embracing Flipped Learning Tours

Presenter: Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams
Provider: ASCD and Adobe Presenter
Date: September 3, 2014; 2:00 - 3:00 P.M. CDT
Register Here

Title: Engaging Students in Textual Analysis

Access ASCD's archived webinars here.

Stay current with learning! Follow Iowa ASCD on Twitter! We would like to follow you on Twitter as well. If you are willing to share your "Twitter Handle" with us, please leave your information on this site.

Join the Iowa ASCD Twitter Team: http://twitter.com/#!/IowaASCD

Iowa ASCD is the source for developing instructional leadership and translating research into daily practice. Serving more than 1400 educators - teachers, principals, superintendents, directors of curriculum, technology specialists, college professors, AEA staff - Iowa ASCD strives to develop the collaborative capacity to impact the learning of each and every student in Iowa.

Be Sure to Check Out . . .

Reading Comprehension Strategies for All Content Areas

September 19 - Nell Duke

Advocating for the Core

School on the Move - Lakeview Elementary

Assessment of Higher-Order Thinking Skills

We Want YOU - Teachers of PK, K, 1

REAP Grants Available!

November 12-13 - Jay McTighe

Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching

Check It Out!

Webinars for Your Learning