dliben@studentsachieve.net
Student Achievement Partners www.achievethecore.org
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WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO ALIGN WITH THE CCSS AND
MINIMIZE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP?
First and foremost it won’t happen without a successful K-2 program.
Hernandez, D.J. (2011)
Why is this and what can we do about it? www.achievethecore.org

TWO PARENTS IN THE SUPERMARKET
Decoding
Fluency
Syntax
Vocabulary
Background Knowledge
Engagement and Choice www.achievethecore.org

CORE KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGE ARTS NEW YORK
EDITION (CKLA - NY)
NY Program does all of this
Purpose of these two days is to learn as much as possible about this
Nothing works unless teachers believe it and understand it
Purpose is not to debate this compared to your existing program www.achievethecore.org

COMPONENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE ELA PROGRAM
“The Three Pillars”
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Components of Comprehensive Literacy Program
Core Knowledge Language Arts New York Edition Program for CCSS Grades P-2
Foundational Skills and Small
Group Instruction
=
CKLA NY Skill Sequence with student readers
Read Aloud and Shared Interactive
Reading
=
Listening and Learning Strand
Additional Book Time, Independent
Reading
=
Guided Reading and
Addresses needs of all students by providing:
• Systematic exposure and reinforcement of reading skills differentially
Engages through: studentfriendly, largely contemporary literature at various reading levels
Builds community of readers
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•
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• Provides lively, content rich readaloud with opportunity to question, discuss, and share ideas
Focuses on academic language
• Develops background knowledge in science, social studies and the
Arts
Provides diverse text
Builds community of readers and learners
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•
Accountable Independent Reading
(GRAIR)
• Occurs outside and in addition to
CKLA NY block
Allows for student and teacher choice from existing leveled libraries based on interest, availability and readability
• Builds reading volume
Develops reading stamina and persistence
• Strengthens community of readers and learners www.achievethecore.org

CCSS FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS - The First “Pillar”
Standards raise the bar by increasing complexity in second and third grade texts.
Increased complexity means longer sentences, more multisyllabic words, more uncommon words.
This presents more obstacles to students who struggle with decoding and/or fluency.
www.achievethecore.org

FLUENCY
Work going back to Chall show as many as 40% students not fluent. Confirmed by Rasinski and others
Although this varies somewhat with methods and programs students with fluency problems at these rates are found in all of them.
Why? www.achievethecore.org

WHY SOME STUDENTS NEED MORE TIME AND
ATTENTION
www.achievethecore.org

HOW CKLA - NY ADDRESSES FLUENCY
What fluency is and is not
Fluency Research
Relation to comprehension
Fluency Packets www.achievethecore.org

SUMMING UP CKLA - NY FOUNDATIONS STRAND:
• Provides abundant, readily available, easily implemented opportunities to provide the necessary time and attention for all students to decode with automaticity
• Does so with a variety of activities as well as engaging leveled readers
• Addresses fluency directly, carefully, and with lots of fun
• All of these activities are grounded in research www.achievethecore.org

ACADEMIC LANGUAGE THROUGH LISTENING
AND LEARNING – The Second “Pillar”
Decoding and fluency is necessary but not sufficient
What is academic language?
What is its connection to reading proficiency?
www.achievethecore.org

HOW CKLA - NY ADDRESSES ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
Listening and Learning provides academic vocabulary and exposure to complex syntax through rich text shared and read interactively
Informational text tends to have more complex syntax and more academic vocabulary www.achievethecore.org

TO LEARN ACADEMIC LANGUAGE, ALL TEXTS ARE
NOT “CREATED EQUAL”
Series of coherent texts that develop knowledge within a topic is far superior.
This is exactly what is called for on page 33 of the Common Core
ELA Standards, and
Is exactly what CKLA -NY does.
www.achievethecore.org

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
Fluency, vocabulary, ability to process complex syntax still not enough
Need to know something about the world
Listening and Learning does this through read-alouds and discussion.
GRAIR does this by increasing volume of reading
Need both! www.achievethecore.org

Guided Reading/Accountable Independent
Reading (GRAIR) – The Third “Pillar”
• Not the time where most reading instruction takes place
• Encourage and support more text selections based on choice rather than ability
• Focused time with teacher with the grade level complex text for students who need it most (CK Readers)
• Teachers can spend some time discussing what students are reading independently www.achievethecore.org

What to do during GRAIR?
1. Small Group Instruction (GUIDED!)
• Formative assessments
• Additional support for any area of reading, particularly decoding and fluency in grades K – 2
• Reinforce and deepen comprehension instruction
• Targeted instruction – vocabulary and syntax
• Materials – Your Reading Libraries www.achievethecore.org
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What to do during GRAIR?
2. Provide Opportunities for Interests
• Students choose texts for independent reading based on interests, regardless of reading level
‒ Materials – leveled libraries, classroom libraries, etc.
• Teacher conferences with students during small group time to check for understanding – students are accountable for learning
• Journal activities, presentation of information
• Opportunity for Speaking & Listening and creative presentation tasks for students www.achievethecore.org
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What to do during GRAIR?
3. Build Background Knowledge
• Think in “sets” – Multi-media, related materials
• Examples:
‒ Video booth, with questions about content
‒ Related Readings – scavenger hunt for vocabulary words or information
‒ Connected to CK Listening & Learning topics www.achievethecore.org
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What to do during GRAIR?
4. Target Vocabulary and Syntax
• Unlimited number of vocabulary activities related to words from complex text
• Examine and manipulate “juicy” sentences from the text
‒ sentence strips and word games
• Materials: words and phrases come from L&L
Supplemental Guide, Skills Assessment & Remediation
Guide www.achievethecore.org
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What to do during GRAIR?
5. Fluency
• Listening Center (pre-record complex text for students to follow along)
‒ CK Readers
‒ Listening and Learning; Supplemental Guide
• Poems or controlled texts (recording station)
‒ CK Readers, independent reading, fluency packet
• Work with teacher during small group time www.achievethecore.org
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What to do during GRAIR?
6. Decoding
• Flash cards – manipulate word families
• Read and identify words in context of high interest controlled text (highlight/underline)
• Variety of other word work/games
• Materials: variety of materials from CK Skills
Assessment & Remediation Guide www.achievethecore.org
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What to do during GRAIR?
1. Small Group Instruction
2. Provide Opportunities for Interests
3. Build Background Knowledge
4. Target Vocabulary and Syntax
5. Target Fluency
6. Target Decoding
7. Literacy Centers and Activities that have been successful in the past www.achievethecore.org
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NEED TO “OVERWHELM” THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE IT
Decoding
Fluency
Syntax
Vocabulary
Background Knowledge
Engagement and Choice www.achievethecore.org

THANK YOU!
www.achievethecore.org
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