The When, What, How & Why’s
of Literacy Interventions at
Michael Collins School
Priscilla Piecyk- 5/6 teacher
Erin Tosch – Literacy Coach
Purpose of Interventions
• 45 minute block on each grade level team’s master
schedule where:
– All NEW INSTRUCTION stops.
– Students are regrouped by need across the grade
level team.
– Student Support Teams (special services teachers,
literacy coach, bilingual resource teacher, reading
instructional assistant, gifted resource teacher) “flood”
the grade level team with support.
– Students below 40th%ile (Tier 2 and Tier 3) on MAPMeasure of Academic Progress- are grouped in
intervention small group settings that never exceed
the 1 to 8 ratio
– Proficient students receive enrichment and extension
instruction in a whole-class setting.
WHEN
•Scheduling
•Support Staff
•Common Plan Time
Master Schedule
Our master schedule is designed in a way
that provides teams with:
– Common blocks of instruction time for
interventions (parallel block)
– Common planning time with intervention
teams or grade level teams
– Uninterrupted blocks of core instruction in
literacy (shared and guided reading, and
writing) and math
Parallel Block Schedule
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
8:45-9:30 3/4 Team A
9:30-10:15 3/4 Team B
10:15-11:00 5/6 Team A
11:00-11:45 5/6 Team B
12:30-1:10 1/2 Team A
1:10-1:50 1/2 Team B
2:15-2:45 Kindergarten
Kindergarten Parallel Block
2:15-2:45
Kelly Boynton
Melissa Beuchel
Cheryl Mills
Allison Yucius
Erin Tosch
Michelle Shanahan
Myndi Casey
Agnes Chmielewski
Sue Graw
1/2 Parallel Block
12:30-1:10
Natalie Snow/ Jenny Abraham
Beth Carrion
Diana Cooper/ Nancy Lurquin
Rochelle Doty
Sue Graw
Myndi Casey
1/2 Parallel Block 1:10-1:50
Agnes Chmielewski
Mariann Hyrcko
Kelly Boynton
Jenene Serafini
Kelly Phillips
Lisa Bochat/ Tricia Kaszewicz
Erin Tosch
Sue Graw
Parallel Block Support
3/4 Parallel Block 8:45-9:30
Rochelle Doty
Mary Getty
Agnes Chmielewski
Marla Garman
Eric Wiklund
Rhonda Starr
Jen Dietmeyer
Erin Tosch
Julie Quinn
Allison Yucius
Marie Taraszka
3/4 Parallel Block 9:30-10:15
Cassie Zingler
Shannon Farris
Kim Feck
Mary Getty
Karen Mueller
Erin Tosch
Rochelle Doty
5/6 Parallel Block 11:0011:45
Rochelle Doty
Brittany Abruzzo
Kim Savino
Kelly Boynton
Agnes Chmielewski
Myndi Casey
5/6 Parallel Block 10:1511:00
Rochelle Doty
Mary Getty
Gina Wirth
Patty Kazeos
Priscilla Piecyk
Emily Thielen
Janna Howard
Scheduling- Common Plan
Time Grade Level Team
Team
Intervention
Team Planning Hours
Hours per Week
3/4 A
4 hours
3/4 B
4 hours
5/6 A
4 hours
5/6 B
3 hours
1 hour
1/2 A
3 hours
1 hour
1/2 B
4 hours
Twice a month Wednesday staff development is also
designated as additional grade level team common plan
time (2 hour and 30 minutes total)
WHAT
•Structure of Common Planning
Time
What does
Common Plan Time
look like?
Group students based
on MAP data
Who is in need of intervention
and who is in need of
enrichment?
Divide
support staff
for effective instruction
Who will deliver the
instruction?
Plan for instruction
based on data from
Common Assessment
Create a
Common Assessment
Discuss and determine
exactly what ALL students need to learn
What interventions do our students
need to attain proficiency?
What enrichment activities will further
develop the skills of our proficient students?
HOW
•Instructional Practices
•What does it look like?
Guiding Questions for Instruction
(Intervention Team Checklist)
Does Your Intervention…
• Meet the needs of all students?
• Group students appropriately based upon MAP data?
• Utilize support staff effectively to best meet the needs of the students in the group?
• Follow guidelines for Tiered students?
• Follow a balanced literacy model, having students engaged in all the components:
guided, shared and independent reading and writing as well as vocabulary and word
study activities?
• Directly align with the same skills and concepts being addressed during core literacy
instruction?
• Use district approved and appropriate materials to meet the needs of all students?
• Use best practices that were shared as a PLC?
• Utilize the information from common assessments when planning with your PLC?
These points were created based upon district guidelines and suggestions for creating
effective intervention practices.
A Balanced Literacy Framework
within Intervention Time
Balanced Literacy Framework
Time is flexible based on the needs of the students.
5 mins. Vocabulary/Word Work
5-10 mins. Shared Reading (teacher models)
15-20mins. Guided Reading (student
application)
10-15mins. Writing/Written Response to
Reading
35-45min Intervention Period
Interventions for Tier 1
• Enrichment activities
from our core literacy
series.
• Literature circles using
on-level texts and
novels.
• Extension lessons led
by our Gifted Resource
Teacher.
• Independent research
projects.
Interventions for Tier 2
• Mirrors the Balanced
Literacy Model: shared
reading, guided reading,
word work, writing
• Instruction in groups 8 or
less
• Highly structured
environments
• Extra dose of instruction
aligned with the core
curriculum
• Re-teaching concepts
not mastered on grade
level common
assessments.
Interventions for Tier 3
• Mirrors the Balanced
Literacy Model: shared
reading, guided reading,
word work, writing
• Instruction in groups 4 or
less
• Highly structured
environments
• Extra dose of instruction
aligned with the core
curriculum
• Re-teaching concepts
not mastered on grade
level common
assessments.
WHY
•Transparency
•Data
Transparency
• All teachers have access to student data through the use
of the school share folders
• Intervention teams and support staff meet to discuss
student data
– Results are reported out by the intervention group leader
Kelly/Miller – 64%, 7 out of 11 students
Beth/Sidra – 100%, 1 went down in score, 2 stayed the same
out of 18 students
Diana Cooper – 80%, 1 out of 5 students
Erin – 100%, out of 3 students
Rochelle – 100%, 2 went down in score, 1 stayed the same out
of 8 students
Suzanne – 100%, out of 2 students
• Collaboration meetings to discuss student data with
Principal and Literacy Coach
Grade
level
Total # of
Students
Total # of Students
in 40%ile or lower
on Fall MAP
% of students above
40th %ile on Fall
MAP
Total # of Students in
40%ile or lower on
Winter MAP
% of students above
40th %ile on Winter
MAP
Total # of Students in
40%ile or lower on
Spring MAP
% of students above
40th %ile on Spring
MAP
K
44
20
54.5%
14
(0)
68%
3
44
93%
1
49
5
90%
10
(1)
80%
5
48
90%
1/2
51
11
78%
18
(9)
65%
18
54
67%
2
50
12
76%
10
(0)
80%
8
50
84%
3
43
7
84%
8
(1)
81%
10
47
79%
3/4
51
9
82%
10
(1)
80%
6
52
88%
4
39
9
77%
3
(0)
92%
4
39
90%
5
44
7
84%
8
(0)
82%
3
44
93%
5/6
52
16
69%
13
(3)
75%
8
53
85%
6
52
10
81%
13
(1)
75%
11
51
79%
Sample Reflection Questions
• What percent of the students met the standard on the pre-test?
• What percent of the students met the standard on the posttest?
• What conclusions can you draw from the data the common
assessment offers?
• How did you feel about the common assessment you
designed/used? Was it an accurate reflection of student
learning for the essential outcome?
• Describe the success of your grade level plans for
intervention/enrichment. How did each group perform? What
was the impact of your interventions?
• How does this work contribute to the students’ overall
academic success?
• What will you do differently?
• How can we (Laura, Erin Hall, or Erin Tosch) support you
better?
Collins School MAP Reading Performance
Over Time
100
80
% of Students
Exceeding 60
40th
40
Percentile
20
0
% of Students
Exceeding the 40th
Percentile
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
82
81.4
84.4
80
80
84
Comparison of READING MAP 2009-2010
% of students above the 40th%ile
Grade
Spring 2009 Spring 2010
K
88%
93%
1
78%
81%
2
73%
79%
3
85%
80%
4
76%
91%
5
78%
91%
6
83%
80%
Reading Over Time
ISAT Total % of Students Meet/Exceed
Why is it all worth it?
• “Sometimes in the big group I can’t
concentrate. I hear papers rustling and all
that stuff. I wish this could be my
classroom.” (In response to working in a small
group)
• “Do you remember last year? I was all
mushy. Then you met with me in the
mornings and straightened me out.” (In
response to working together and building a relationship)
• “Wow! That is a lot of checks. I didn’t use
to get all those checks.” (In response to a
running record, where checks mean he is reading the
words correctly)