DSAC Grant for SY 14-15
Part III – Required Program Information (Narrative ) and Instructions
Keys to Literacy
NOTE: Words in italics are for guidance about responding to the grant. Words NOT in
italics can be lifted and copied.
Section A
1.
Describe the collaboration process you engaged in with your DSAC team.
2. List numerically the activities, strategies, and initiatives that you propose.
For example, if you are proposing Keys Professional Development, you would list the topic(eg
Key Comprehension, Key Vocabulary, Keys to Close Reading, Key Content Writing, Keys
Argument Writing, ANSWER Key to Extended Response) and the kind of support (eg initial for
teachers, follow up for teachers, coach or building facilitator, administrator)
Section B
In this section, there are four topics that must be addressed for each initiative, strategy or activity you
are proposing. You will find verbiage below for the four topics as they relate to each Keys to Literacy
Professional Development offering.
Topic 1: Description of the activity, strategy, or initiative
The Key Vocabulary Routine(Grades 3-12
The Key Vocabulary Routine (Grades 3-12) is a program for embedding vocabulary instruction in all content
areas, using existing reading and instruction material. The program combines direct and indirect instruction
into a routine of five components: previewing, activities for teaching related words, selection of content
words to teach in-depth, using context and word parts, and promoting word consciousness. When adopted
by a school, students will learn a routine for increasing vocabulary knowledge that is consistent as they move
from grade to grade and subject to subject.
This professional development will build educator capacity by teaching best instructional practices, giving
educators the tools they need to implement the MA Curriculum Frameworks, aligning with the MA Teacher
Evaluation Rubric, and providing opportunities for ongoing support, collaboration, modeling, and guided
practice for teachers, building-based facilitator/coaches, and administrators.
The core instructional strategies taught in the Vocabulary Routine directly relate to improving student
performance by enabling them to better access, understand, and write about the content they are reading,
hearing about in a lecture, or encountering digitally.
Educators who are trained in Vocabulary will be doing and learning the following:
Learning Outcomes - During this professional development, participants will:
 Become familiar with research about effective vocabulary instruction and how students learn new
words.







Learn to teach vocabulary embedded in classroom instruction using content reading material.
Learn how to develop lesson plans that use previewing activities and activities for teaching words in
relation to other words (i.e., semantic mapping, categorizing, semantic feature analysis, scaling).
Learn a three-tiered model for identifying specific content words to teach in-depth using activities
such as the Frayer model, the Concept Definition model, and the Two-Column model.
Learn how to teach use of context and word parts to learn new words.
Learn how to develop a word-conscious classroom.
Receive guided practice and feedback for developing lessons using these skills and strategies.
Share and learn from peer teachers during small-group sharing meetings facilitated by a trainer.
Syllabus - Participants should bring classroom reading materials to use during initial training.
Day 1
 Review of essential teaching principles: gradual release of responsibility, scaffolding, differentiated
instruction modeling
 Overview of the five components of reading; the role of vocabulary in comprehension
 Review of the research on effective vocabulary instruction and how students learn words
 Previewing for difficult vocabulary: how to identify words, student rating checklists, how to preview
 Using activities to teach words in relation to other words
o Developing a schema to connect new words with background knowledge
o 4 research-based activities: Semantic Mapping, Categorizing, Semantic Feature Analysis,
Scaling
o Practice using the activities with classroom content words
Day 2
 Selecting words to teach in-depth
o Three-tiered model for selecting words
o Rich vocabulary instruction; teaching everything about a word
o Research-based activities for teaching specific words: Frayer, Concept Definition Map, 2Column
o Instruction for Academic Vocabulary
o User-friendly definitions; use of dictionaries
 Practice selecting and teaching content specific words
 Word Learning Strategies
o Teaching use of context
o Word families and teaching word parts (suffixes, prefixes, roots)
 Practice use of context and word parts using content specific words and reading material
 Promoting word consciousness
o Word rich classrooms and word play
o Word walls
o Classroom reading materials
In order to have a lasting, sustainable impact on instruction, quality professional development must be more
than individual workshops or training days. The KTL professional development model includes hands-on
initial training that shows teachers how to apply research-based instruction. They also include follow-up PD
provided by KTL trainers AND building-based peer coaches, with an emphasis on peer collaboration. Follow
up support follows the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model, also known as I-We-You, where KTL trainers
demonstrate the PD skills early in adoption, then work with educators to develop lessons together and apply
the strategies, before finally turning responsibility over to teachers for independent use. In addition, district
and building administrators are trained to recognize and set expectations for program usage and to support
teachers and coaches as they implement the strategies.
Timeframe, Participants, & Funding – see the chart below, including the sample.
Schools
Involved &
Their Level
Number of
Participants
per School
Keys PD
Topic
Eg Powers
Middle School
– Level 3
Powers: 35 SS,
Science, ELA,
Math & Special
Ed teachers.
Key
Vocabulary
Type of
Support/
Provided by
Whom?
Initial
Training/KTL.
Coach
Training/KTL.
On-going
Teacher
Support/KTL &
building
coaches.
Timeframe
DSAC Funds
Needed
Initial: Jan,
2015 two
days.
$XXXX for
consultants
Coach: Feb
2015 two
days
On-going:
Three days
Mar-June,
2015
$XXXX for
substitutes
$XXXX for
stipends
$XXXX for
materials
$XXX for
travel
PD Provider/Facilitator Name:
Keys to Literacy
319 Newburyport Turnpike, Suite 205
Rowley, MA 01969
www.keystoliteracy.com
978-948-8511
Keys to Literacy is responsible for providing literacy professional development for administrators
and teachers in grades K-12. Keys to Literacy meets the MA Standards for High Quality
Professional Development (HQPD), is an approved state professional development provider, and
has been pre-qualified to offer PD from the DSAC PD menu. KTL has 11 trainers, all of whom have
at least a Master’s degree in Reading or a related field and many years of experience in the
classroom as teachers and administrators and in PD as teacher trainers and literacy experts.
Resumes are available on request.
Topic 2: Rationale for selecting this activity, strategy, or initiative
Here, they want you to address:
 The strategic goals the activity supports
 The educator, school and/or district needs being addressed
 How the activity addresses and supports these goals. Possible verbiage to include:
o This PD addresses needs identified from standardized testing and supports better
instructional practices on the part of our teachers. It is research-based and is
evaluated continually to ensure it meets the stated needs. In addition, Keys PD
promotes collaboration among educators, is taught by knowledgeable professionals,
and provides a coherent and cumulative learning experience for educators.
 How the activity connects to one or more of the indicators in ESE’s Conditions for School
Effectiveness. Possible verbiage to include:
o KTL PD supports the following Conditions for School Effectiveness: 1) developing
effective school leadership via administrator and coach training; 2) developing
effective instructional practices using research-based strategies and support; 3)
providing the opportunity for a variety of informal assessment tools of student
literacy; 4) professional development with a job-embedded approach that is
content-oriented and has multiple opportunities for collaboration; and 5)support
for Tier I and Tier II instruction.

What makes the activity a high-leverage strategy that will contribute to turnaround efforts.
Possible verbiage could be:
o (If this plan is to provide more support for PD in which teachers have already been
trained): Our teachers have already been trained in these strategies and they need
more on-going follow up support in their classrooms to ensure they are using the
skills often and with fidelity. Teachers have reacted favorably to the PD, stating that
it is practical and easily adaptable, so we expect it to be used and to impact
turnaround efforts. Also, KTL has MA state survey data showing that 90% of trained
teachers say “the PD enhances my students’ ability to understand the reading and
learn my subject area content,” which bodes well for improved achievement.
o (If this plan is to provide new PD): We have had positive results with other Keys to
Literacy PD and we expect this program to similarly contribute to turn around
efforts.

How the activity, strategy or initiative will ultimately reach the classroom. Possible verbiage:
o Keys to Literacy strategies are practical and immediately adaptable for classroom
use. During initial and follow up training, KTL trainers help educators apply the
strategies to their own content to be used right away. KTL will also model lessons
or observe teachers in their classrooms, and administrators are encouraged to hold
teachers accountable for the strategies. Finally, building coaches are on hand to
facilitate classroom use.

Use of supporting evidence. They want to see the information and evidence you used to
identify and select this activity and the process you used to analyze and reflect on this
information. Be sure to say who was involved in this selection process.
Topic 3: Anticipated changes
We expect to see changes in educator knowledge and instructional practices and, ultimately, in
students’ ability to independently use the strategies. Early Indicators of change are teacher use of
any of the following: Implementation Folders, lesson plans with Vocabulary strategies embedded,
and evidence in the classroom of previewing difficult vocabulary before reading, using activities to
connect vocabulary to background knowledge and related words, selecting specific words to teach
in depth, teaching word learning strategies, and promoting word consciousness. The graphic
organizers are a quick visual indicator of changes in instructional practice. Over time, teachers will
combine multiple strategies and enable students to use the strategies on their own, with evidence
shown in student notebooks. The Walkthrough Guide below shows evidence of use for Key
Vocabulary:
The Key Vocabulary Routine
Administrator Walk Through
Are teachers implementing the Key Vocabulary instructional practices in order to address state literacy
standards and meet the needs of their students?
Place a check in the column for each indicator observed during the visit. Use the space provided to make any notes or reflections
to facilitate follow-up discussion with the teacher.

Instruction Indicators
General Vocabulary Instruction
Provides students with explicit instruction about a
vocabulary activity or word-leaning strategy, including:

set clear goals and directions

modeling

guided practice

independent practice, including opportunities
to work in small, collaborative groups to
practice use of strategies
Embeds vocabulary instruction in content teaching
throughout the period/day
Avoids identifying a specific time of the week to teach
vocabulary
Previewing Vocabulary
Generates a list of words to preview before students read
Uses a Student Knowledge Rating Checklist to have
students identify how well they know a word
Connecting Vocabulary to Background Knowledge
and Related Words
Uses any of the following activities:
 Semantic mapping
 Categorizing words
 Semantic feature analysis
 Scaling
Presents and discusses new words in relation to the
background knowledge about a topic and other related
words
Notes and Reflection
Selecting Words to Teach In-Depth
Uses a framework for selecting a small group of essential
content words to teach in-depth
Uses any of the following activities to teach a word indepth:
 Frayer/Four Square
 Concept Definition Map
 Two-Column Notes
Provides multiple exposures to essential words over time,
in meaningful situations
Using the Context
Identifies opportunities in content reading to demonstrate
how use of context may help to determine the meaning of
an unfamiliar word
Explicitly teaches use of content
Teaching Word Parts
Explicitly teaches that words have meaningful parts
(prefixes, suffixes, roots)
Models identification of word parts using content
vocabulary
Promotes Word Consciousness
Encourages students to share new and interesting words
Provides access to a wide variety of reading materials
Embeds word play activities during classroom instruction
Avoids having students memorize dictionary definitions
Uses vocabulary word wall lists and changes the words on
a regular basis
Topic 4: Monitoring implementation and assessing change
We will monitor implementation in a variety of ways that align to SMART criteria. First, we will
field a pre- and post-survey to assess teachers’ knowledge about the Vocabulary strategies,
determine if their usage of strategies is increasing or not, and learn their opinions about the PD’s
effectiveness. We will also gather informal feedback from KTL trainers and building coaches about
overall evidence of use for the strategies, which can be gained by working with small groups of
teachers or observing in classrooms. In addition, Walkthroughs by administrators should be used
to track progress. As the follow up sessions progress, we can adjust the focus, frequency or the
teachers participating in the sessions to address any issues.
Responsibility for monitoring:
Identify the person responsible for coordinating this process.
The timeline for collecting pre-and post-survey data will be before the first training and after the
last, with at least 4-6 months in between. Keys trainers will meet with teachers XXXX times based
on the proposed plan, after which KTL will provide a written report for district and building
administrators noting general themes or trends. In addition, building coaches will meet with their
peers regularly to support use of strategies and understand general progress and themes.
Vocabulary-specific Walkthroughs should happen at least twice per 6 months. Results of the
surveys, trainer and coach reports, and Walkthroughs with trends will be shared with the teachers
as they are available.