Session 4: Understanding the Listening and Learning
Strand in Depth
Sequence of Sessions
Overarching Objectives of this May 2013 Network Team Institute
1. The purpose of this May 2013 Pilot Training/Network Team Institute is to provide a general understanding of CKLA-NY program, how it
fits towards the comprehensive view of language arts, as discussed by the State, (i.e., the Three Pillar Model), and to provide a good
understanding of the design principles driving the structure of the Listening and Learning and Skills strands of materials. This training
will also serve as the primary training for participants in the use of the Listening and Learning strand.
High-Level Purpose of this Session

This session is designed to give participants a deeper understanding of the guiding instructional design principles around which the
Listening and Learning domains and lessons were created. The three key principles include:
1. The connection between oral and written language development must be supported.
2. Background knowledge is essential to strong comprehension.
3. Vocabulary learning is most efficient when it is content-based, contextualized, and constant.
Related Learning Experiences
2. This training is the first in a series of trainings on the use of CKLA-NY. It provides background knowledge that will be relevant to
upcoming trainings on implementing the Skills strand to occur at a future date.
Session Outcomes
What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of this session?
How will we know that they are able to do this?
In this session participants will be able to:
Participants will demonstrate knowledge and skills
related to the learning objectives through completed
activities and in-session discussions.
1. Identify connections between the oral language support provided within the
Listening and Learning strand and student writing.
2. Articulate how the domain structure of the Listening and Learning strand
supports children’s comprehension and background knowledge
3. Identify at least two or three ways the Listening and Learning materials
support vocabulary learning
3.
Session Overview
Section
Time
Overview
Prepared Resources
Transition
10
minutes
Participants will reflect on
key take-aways from
previous session.
Design Principle
1:The connection
between oral and
written language
must be
supported
15
minutes
Participants will investigate NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_PPT.ppt
how oral language learning Slides 2 to 13
from Listening & Learning is
evident in student writing.
Design Principle
2: Background
knowledge is
essential to strong
comprehension
30
minutes
Participants will consider
the value of background
knowledge to
comprehension.
NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_PPT.ppt
Slides 14 to 23
NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_Material
s.zip
Handouts:
1. Filling in Gaps: What Do You Know?
(14_Session4_WhatDoYouKnow.pdf)
2. Listening & Learning Sequence Connections
(15_Session4_L&LSequence.pdf)
Design Principle
3:
Vocabulary
learning is most
efficient when it is
contextualized,
content-based
and constant
30
minutes
Participants will consider
NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_PPT.ppt
the value of content-based Slides 24 to 42
and contextualized
vocabulary learning
NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_Material
s.zip
Handouts:
3. Kings and Queens Read-Aloud Sample
(16_session4_kingqueenreadaloud_two.pdf)
4. Kings and Queens Word Web (17_session4_kingqueenWordWeb.pdf)
Facilitator
Preparation
5. Blank Word Web Template (18_session4_Blank Vocabulary
Template_Legal.pdf)
Session Roadmap
Section 1: Transition
Time: 10 minutes
[10 minutes] In this section, you will…
1. Reflect on key take-aways from the previous session.
Materials used include:
Section 2: Design Principle 1: The connection between
oral and written language must be supported.
Time: 15 minutes
[15 minutes] In this section, you will…
Materials used include:
1. Investigate how oral language learning from Listening & Learning is 2. NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_PPT.ppt
evident in student writing.
(Slides 2 to 13)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions: (Please Note: Here we provide key
ideas per slide. A full script is provided within the power point
slides in the “Notes” view).
GROUP
15
minutes
Slide 2
Key Point:
Session 4: Understanding the L&L strand in depth: Key design principles of L&L
1. This session is designed to give participants a deeper understanding of the
guiding instructional design principles around which the Listening and
Learning domains and lessons were created.
WG
Slide 3
Key Point:
1. Design Principle 1: The connection between oral and written language must be
supported
Slide 4
Key Point:
1. Use this slide if participants need a review of oral to written language
development.
Slide 5
Key Points:
1. Text complexity is more than “difficulty.”
2. Text complexity is a factor of the language and knowledge demands of a
particular text.
Slide 6
Key Points:
1. Read-alouds hold tremendous value for building language capacity.
2. Remind participants of this quote from the Liben and Liben paper to frame our
discussion on how read-alouds support language development.
Slide 7
Key Point:
1. Language comprehension outpaces reading comprehension through the
middle school years.
Slide 8
Key Point:
1. Review of the Comprehension Question” and “Word Work” Sections of a
Listening and Learning lesson will highlight ways in which oral language and
vocabulary skills are supported.
Slide 9
Key Points:
1. Participants will investigate how oral language learning from Listening & Learning is
evident in student writing.
2. Even though Jason is writing about a different topic, his writing reflects the language,
listening, and speaking skills reinforced in the Listening and Learning strand of CKLA.
Slide 12
Key Point:
1. Elements of language expressly practiced in Listening & Learning appear in Jason’s
writing.
Slide 13
Key Points:
1. The connection between oral and written language must be supported.
2. A key goal of writing instruction is to foster children’s ability to create coherent
writing.
Section 3: Design Principle 2:
Time: 30 minutes
Background knowledge is essential to
strong comprehension
[30 minutes] In this section, you will…
1. Consider the value of background
knowledge to comprehension.
Materials used include:
3. NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_PPT.ppt
(Slides 14 to 23)
4. NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_Materials.zip
Handouts:
1. Filling in Gaps: What Do You Know? (14_Session4_WhatDoYouKnow.pdf)
2. Listening & Learning Sequence Connections (15_Session4_L&LSequence.pdf)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions: (Please Note: Here we provide key ideas
GROUP
per slide. A full script is provided within the power point slides in the
“Notes” view).
30
minutes
Slide 14
Key Points:
1. The standards MUST be paired with a content-rich curriculum.
2. In this section we will look at design principles that inform how content is used in
the Listening & Learning strand.
Slide 15
Key Point:
1. During this activity, participants will see how background knowledge helps them
comprehend what they read.
Handout:
5. Filling in Gaps: What Do You Know? (14_Session4_WhatDoYouKnow.pdf)
Slide 16
Key Points:
1. Simple texts, like those on reading tests are filled with gaps—presumed domain
knowledge—just like the gaps in the Betsy Ross passages.
2. The author assumes the reader knows something.
Slide 17
Key Point:
1. Knowledge helps resolve ambiguity—as in the case of multi-meaning words.
Slide 18
Key Point:
1. Even simple or common words can be ambiguous in a text.
I
Slide 19
Key Points:
1. The Listening and Learning Strand is comprised of content-rich, knowledge
building read-alouds.
2. This content knowledge will help students “fill in gaps” and “resolve ambiguity.”
Slide 20
Key Points:
1. The CCLS call for systematic building of knowledge within and across grades.
2. In this section, we will investigate what it means to build knowledge
systematically.
Slide 21
Key Points:
1. The example in the CCLS demonstrates what it means to build knowledge
systematically across grades.
2. Being systematic and, more importantly, coherent within a grade provides support
for student learning that doesn’t rely on past experiences.
Slide 22
Key Points:
1. The Listening and Learning domains are systematically and coherently arranged to
build knowledge both within and across grades.
I
2. This attention to sequence leaves nothing to chance with regard to prior
experiences students may or may not have had.
3. Activity: On Listening and Learning sequence chart, document any other domain
connections
Handout:
6. Listening & Learning Sequence Connections (15_Session4_L&LSequence.pdf)
Slide 23
1 minute reflection:
Participants consider the value of coherence in support of language and vocabulary
development
I
Section 4: Design Principle 3: Vocabulary Time: 30 minutes
learning is most efficient when it is
contextualized, content-based and constant
[30 minutes] In this section, you will…
1. Consider the value of content-based and
contextualized vocabulary learning through
content-rich domains
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
30
minutes
Slide 24
Slide 25
Materials used include:
7. NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_PPT.ppt (Slides 24 to 42)
8. NTI_May2013_Day1_Session4_UnderstandingtheLandLstrand_Materials.zip
Handouts:
1. Kings and Queens Read-Aloud Sample (16_session4_kingqueenreadaloud_two.pdf)
2. Kings and Queens Word Web (17_session4_kingqueenWordWeb.pdf)
3. Blank Word Web Template (18_session4_Blank Vocabulary Template_Legal.pdf)
Script/ Activity directions: (Please Note: Here we provide key ideas
GROUP
per slide. A full script is provided within the power point slides in the
“Notes” view).
WG
Key Points:
1. Vocabulary learning takes place primarily through implicit exposure rather than
explicit instruction.
2. This example serves as an expedited model of how word learning
Slide 26
Key Points:
1. It is not enough to be able to decode words. We must know what they mean.
2. Word learning occurs slowly, over time.
Slide 27
Key Points:
1. Repetition is key to vocabulary learning.
2. Learning words in context makes word learning more efficient.
3. Staying on topic, as the Listening and Learning strand does, facilitates word
learning.
Slide 28
Key Point:
1. Hobbies, like domain topics, have a specific vocabulary associated with them.
Slide 29
Key Point:
1. There is an inextricable link between the words we know and the knowledge we
have.
I
Slide 30
Key Points:
1. A network of words makes it easier to process what you hear or read.
2. The power of vocabulary is not in familiarity with the individual word itself, as it is
in the web of connections you build towards that word.
Slide 31
Transition: We looked at how the content of the Listening and Learning strand is
connected, let’s see how the language and vocabulary of the Listening and Learning strand
is connected.
Slide 32
Key Point:
1. In this activity we will investigate the text of a read-aloud to see how the language
and vocabulary are connected.
Handout:
 Kings and Queens Read-Aloud Sample
(16_session4_kingqueenreadaloud_two.pdf)
Slide 33
Key Point:
1. In this activity we will investigate the text of a read-aloud to see how the language
and vocabulary are connected.
WG
Slide 34
Key Points:
1. Words about a topic are connected in a network.
2. Connections among words are facilitated by materials, like the Listening and
Learning strand that are written explicitly to tell a story for the purpose of
knowledge and vocabulary building.
Slide 35
Have participants continue to read.
Slide 36
Key Point:
1. The story, while interesting, is also very clearly designed to start building
connections of the idea of king to broader concepts of power, money, and royalty.
Slide 37
Let’s read one more paragraph.
Slide 38
Key Points:
1. The value of non-fiction read alouds is very explicitly the knowledge and
vocabulary building that we see visualized here.
2. That the value of non-fiction is these sorts of webs are impressive within a single
story.
Handout:
 Session4_kingqueenwordwebv2
Slide 39
Key Point:
1. Participants will read another related story to see how the network of words
builds.
Handouts:


Kings and Queens Read-Aloud Sample
(16_session4_kingqueenreadaloud_two.pdf)
Kings and Queens Word Web (17_session4_kingqueenWordWeb.pdf)
Slide 40
Key Points:
1. An intentional focus on materials within a single domain can make for powerful
vocabulary-building.
2. That the materials in Listening and Learning weave these word webs within and
across domains, within and across grade levels.
Slide 41
Key Points:
1. Equity is an additional value to staying on topic.
2. Jumping from topic to topic privileges those kids who already know something
about the topic.
SG
Slide 42
Key Points:
1. 1 minute reflection
2. Participants will be asked to reflect on the value of staying on topic to support
language and vocabulary with regard to the Listening and Learning strand
Use the following icons in the script to indicate different learning modes.
Video
Reflect on a prompt
Turnkey Materials Provided
Additional Suggested Resources
Active learning
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Turn and talk