K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Facilitator’s Guide
Boston Public Schools
Mapping Assessment to Instruction
Location:
Date:
Time:
Overview
The purpose of this grade-level team meeting is to think deeply about evidence-based instruction for
kindergarten in light of the student needs that surfaced from the fall assessments. Teachers are asked
to identify instructional priorities and look closely at core instruction. Filling out a matrix of instructional
practices generates discussion and reflection on how three specific literacy skills—print awareness,
phonemic awareness, and vocabulary—are built through the literacy block.
Objective
Teachers will identify the evidence-based instructional strategies that correspond to the skills measured
in the DIBELS and EVT-2 and assess their own instructional practices in light of these proven instructional
strategies.
Preparation
 Invite teachers to bring the “Instructional Needs by Literacy Component” sheet from the last team
meeting
 Agenda written / typed
 Copy materials:
 Mapping Assessment to Instruction
 Matrix of Literacy Instructional Practices
Resources
Put Reading First
1
This document is written by teachers and for teachers, synthesizing the five “big ideas” of the National
Reading Panel as they relate to practice. Available at no cost from Ed Pubs, the U.S. Department of
Education’s free educational publications website: http://edpubs.ed.gov/Product_Detail.aspx
Created by Sky Marietta | Three to Third
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Facilitator’s Guide
Boston Public Schools

Evidence-based vocabulary instruction is the focus of pages 29 – 39

Evidence-based phonemic awareness instruction is the focus of pages 1- 10
Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children by Catherine Snow, Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin
(1998)
The definitive book on effective, evidence-based reading teaching in kindergarten through grade three.
Instructional strategies for kindergarten are covered in pages 178 – 194 The executive summary is
available at http://www.readingrockets.org/article/389
Focusing on Special Populations:
 Often Ell’s and students with disabilities have more intensive
instructional needs. However, good instructional practices—
including evidence-based teaching strategies—are effective for
all students.
2
Created by Sky Marietta | Three to Third
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Facilitator’s Guide
Boston Public Schools
Team Meeting Activities
Key:  = quick discussion/overview;  = discussion item;  = involved discussion
Make sure that participants have with them the “Instructional Needs” sheet from the last gradelevel team meeting
1.
Identify Instructional Priorities 
a.
2.
Identify Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies 
a.
3.
Pass out the “Mapping Assessment to Instruction” sheet. Go over what skill each
assessment measured and point out the evidence-based instructional strategies for
kindergarten that are listed. Spend time discussing what this looks like in Reading Street.
For example, at what point in the lesson plan is there vocabulary instruction? When do oral
language activities occur? What are examples of instructional strategies that would
strengthen children’s knowledge of the alphabetic principle, their phonological and
phonemic awareness, their speaking vocabularies, for whole group vs. small group
instruction? How might these be different for English monolingual children in the risk
category vs. ELL children in the risk category? Have teachers come up with concrete
strategies in the context of Reading Street.
Map Instruction to Student Needs 
a.
4.
Begin with a discussion of the “Instruction Needs” sheet from the prior meeting, the “Fall
Data Debrief” meeting. Ask each teacher to identify which literacy component has the most
students with intensive instructional needs. Was this a surprise to teachers? Do they agree
with the results?
Pass out the “Matrix of K2 Instructional Practices.” As a group, spend time discussing the
time spent teaching each component, the materials used, and the methods for teaching and
developing literacy and oral language skills. Based on the previous discussions (above),
guide teachers in filling in the matrix. How and when in the day to teacher’s reinforce these
skills for students who already appear to need extra support? Encourage collaboration and
idea sharing as teachers walk through their instructional practices, especially from veteran
teachers.
Closing and reflection 
a.
Point out the instructional priority that they each identified at the beginning of the team
meeting. When they look at their current practices, does this feel sufficient? Are there
areas they would like to change or reinforce? Are there places where they feel like they are
still learning to master the curriculum? Allow teachers to share their ideas about instruction
Created by Sky Marietta | Three to Third
3
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Facilitator’s Guide
Boston Public Schools
in the priority area. Brainstorm with them about challenges and how they might be
overcome. Highlight and reinforce specific instructional practices that are likely to be most
important in developing a particular skill.
4
Created by Sky Marietta | Three to Third
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Facilitator’s Guide
Boston Public Schools
Furthering the Conversation
The following optional activity is designed to involve teachers in looking more closely at instructional
practice.
Communities of Practice:
 Improving instruction can be easier if teachers are able to observe excellent instruction. Help
teachers find coverage so that they can observe a talented colleague within the building or at
another school. Alternatively, invite a teacher with experience and success with Reading Street
to model a lesson within the school.
5
Created by Sky Marietta | Three to Third
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Teacher Handout
DIBELS LNF
DIBELS ISF
A child's understanding of
the alphabetic principle
A child’s ability to
recognize initial sounds
in words, a measure of
phonemic awareness
A child’s speaking
vocabulary
•
•
•
•
Word-directed
activities for helping
children to acquire a
basic sight vocabulary
and to understand
and appreciate the
alphabetic principle
Print-directed
activities for
establishing children’s
ability to recognize
and print the letters of
the alphabet
Phonemic analysis
activities for
developing
children’s
phonological and
phonemic
awareness
EVT-2
•
•
Oral language
activities for
fostering growth in
receptive and
expressive language
and verbal reasoning
Reading aloud with
children to foster
their appreciation
and comprehension
of text and literary
language
Directly teach
vocabulary words
Instruction in Reading Street
Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies
for K2*
What it
Measures
Mapping Assessments to Instruction
*Evidence-based instructional strategies from Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children by
Catherine Snow, Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin (1998)
Created by Sky Marietta
Three to Third
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Teacher Handout
Matrix of K2 Literacy Instruction Practices
Instructional
Component
Phonemic
Awareness
Time spent
teaching
Daily
Weekly
Word- and
printdirected
activities
Daily
Weekly
Vocabulary
Materials you use
Methods you employ
Whole group:
Small group:
Whole group:
Small group:
Daily
Whole group:
Weekly
Small group:
Created by Sky Marietta
Three to Third
Reinforcement/ Double Dose
K2 Data-Driven Literacy Instruction
Teacher Handout
Created by Sky Marietta
Three to Third