Ingham ISD English Language Arts Update for January 2013
Posted at
http://www.inghamisd.org/academic-services/mtss/ela/
Please share this update with principals, English language arts chairs and teachers. If you have any
questions please contact:
Amy Kilbridge (akilbrid@inghamisd.org or 244.1273)
Mary Jo Wegenke (mwegenke@inghamisd.org or 244.1249)
Melanie Kahler (mkahler@inghamisd.org or 244.1244)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Month
Title
January
14
Anita Archer-Decoding & Fluency Instruction. Register at http://miblsi.cenmi.org/
15
18
28
Anita Archer-Explicit Instruction: Prevention & Intervention. Register at
http://miblsi.cenmi.org/
Anita Archer-Scaffolding Writing Instruction for Struggling Older Writers. Register at
http://miblsi.cenmi.org/
Coaches Meeting
Literacy Developing Reading Expertise K-5
30
Literacy Developing Reading Expertise 6-8
16
February
1
Literacy Core 9-12
5
Winter Data Review-Elementary
6
Winter Data Review-Elementary
8
Winter Data Review-Middle School
8
Literacy Core 6-8
13
Literacy Core K-1
20
Literacy Core 2-3
22
Winter Data-High School
28
Literacy Core 4-5
March
7
Literacy Tier II/III SBLT K-8
MiBLSi UPDATE
MiBLSi Literacy Core Day 1 Homework Assignment
October
This is the assignment that was given to K-8 teachers who attended the MiBLSi Core Day Literacy trainings in
October. During the MiBLSi Core Day Literacy Trainings in February teachers will be asked to review the data
gathered from the three recorded lessons.
Monitor the opportunities you provide for students to respond during reading instruction
1. Voice record or video tape at least 3 lessons
2. Listen to the recordings
3. Count and record number of opportunities students have to respond
4. Record the types of responses used (verbal, written, action)
MiBLSi Literacy Core Day 1 Homework Assignment
February
At the end of the MiBLSi Core Day Literacy Trainings in February, K-8 teachers will be given this homework
assignment to work on prior to the Literacy Core Day 3 training in May.
1. Work to attain the goal with active engagement that was set at the beginning of MiBLSi Core Day
Literacy Training Day 2.
2. Plan, teach, and record at least one vocabulary lesson using the steps for explicit instruction. Review
the lesson using the Vocabulary Observation Checklist.
3. Record at least one strategy or skill lesson. Review the lesson using the Skill/Strategy Lesson
Observation Checklist
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS
Common Core Standards Updates/Work Day – February 20, 2013 Updates include an in-depth look at
the Smarter Balanced Assessments, new model instructional units, critical instructional strategies for teaching
the Common Core, and new information to help with aligning your curriculum. Work time will be provided for
district teams to continue alignment and gap analysis activities. This is a repeat of the session held on
November 14, 2012. Facilitated by Theron Blakeslee and Amy Kilbridge. To register, contact Wendy Robinson,
517.244.1281 or wrobinso@inghamisd.org.
Link to Smarter Balanced Assessments
Computer-based items similar to what might be on the actual tests. It even automatically scores some of the
items can be found at: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/
Smarter Balanced Digital Library
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium will be developing an on-line digital library designed to be a
one-stop site with professional development opportunities to learn more about balanced assessment systems,
in particular formative assessment practices. The digital library is envisioned to have an extensive selection of
resources necessary to transform classroom instructional and classroom assessment practices in support of
student readiness for college and career readiness.
Michigan is looking to recruit 75 – 90 Michigan educators to be members of the Michigan State Network of
Educators. The goal of the State Network of Educators is to identify and recommend resources for the Digital
Library and to share the purpose and use of the Digital Library to other colleagues.
More information regarding the role of Michigan State Network of Educators including expected time
commitment and reimbursement is included in the application survey link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/StateNetworkofEducators.
Survey applications will be accepted through Friday, January 25, 2013 and notification of acceptance into the
Network of Educators will be via email in mid-spring 2013.
If you have any questions, please contact Kim Young at: YoungK1@michigan.gov
WRITING
Further Information about New Dorp High School and Explicit Writing Instruction
In the November Update I referenced an article about how New Dorp High School in Staten Island,
New York is improving student writing using explicit instruction. Many of you have referenced the
article and want to know more about how they achieved such great results. The article mentioned
that they used an approach called the Hochman Writing program. Here is a link to the website:
http://www.judithhochman.com/
The program is outlined in a book called Teaching Basic Writing Skills and costs $70. There is a
website where you can download free writing worksheets: http://www.teachwritingskills.com/
Another good resource is: They Say I Say With Readings: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing
by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein and Russel Durst. Please email or call me (Amy Kilbridge) with
questions or comments.
Margaret Atwood joins story-sharing website Wattpad
The Booker prize-winning author Margaret Atwood has signed up to share her writing with an online
community of nine million other users. Toronto-based community writing site Wattpad is taking a cue
from Amazon’s Kindle Serials and releasing a new serial story. Author Margaret Atwood (who has
been working with Wattpad since July) and British author Naomi Alderman are writing alternating
chapters of “The Happy Zombie Sunrise Home.” The whole thing is free; Wattpad says Atwood and
Alderman may change it based on online requests and reader feedback. (Similarly, Amazon is eliciting
reader feedback on its Kindle Serials.) This seems like a great opportunity for students to experience
digital literacy and to read, write and give feedback online. Here’s the link:
http://www.wattpad.com/