Day 2 (AM): Foundational Literacy
Creating a Language Rich Classroom
Foundational Literacy: the ability to read words and bring meaning to text.
Session Focus Question: How can we intentionally create meaningful opportunities for students to develop the critical oral language skills necessary as the foundation of literacy
Moonshot Mindful Morning Routine
As part of morning reflection, participants did a gallery walk and perused the cordels. They had conversation about their learning from the day before.
Attendees made connections with one another by pairing up and sharing what they would do if they had a magic pencil.
SESSION OBJECTIVES:
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To know that oral language skills are foundational to developing the ability to read and comprehend text
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To understand the role of storytelling in developing both foundational and social emotional literacy - we are wired for story
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To learn and be able to implement strategies to develop oral language skills in students
A Moonshot Talk with Liz Remington: Creating a Language Rich Classroom
Liz Remington explained why oral language skills are foundational to developing the ability to read and comprehend text. She unpacked the academic language linguists use so educators can better understand why students need rich oral language experiences to become literate.
The Four Arts of Language Arts: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. Oral language is the foundation of literacy. Early oral language development is essential before reading and writing can develop.
Entering Text Through Conversation
Leslie Connelly took the group through Zoom In, a visible thinking routine. Looking at a small section of a picture from the book, participants discussed with their connection partners what they see, think, and wonder about the image. Then, as the image "zoomed out," they shared their new observations and discussed how their thinking may have changed.
My goal was to learn more strategies. Yes! - Participant Feedback
Call and Response. Kurt Wootton took the group through a preview of the text with the Call and Response strategy developed through the ArtsLiteracy Project at Brown University. This powerful technique is a great way to engage students, preview vocabulary and peak interest prior to reading the text. It is also a way to emphasize the main idea and key details of the book.
I feel confident that I can keep students engaged by using the many activities we learned.
- Participant Feedback
An Exercise in Listening
Participants were asked to annotate and respond to a quote from professor and author Karl Pribram. With a partner, they shared their thoughts on these ideas. They took turns talking and listening to one another, feeding back what they heard. Listening is a critical skill for comprehension.
Why Read Alouds?
Why Read Alouds? Being read to is the biggest predictor of reading ability. Liz Remington unpacked the six things being read to develop: Phonology, Empathy, Attachment, Executive Functioning skills, Print Concepts and Thinking.
Students need to experience both Structured and Unstructured Read Alouds, as exposure to rich vocabulary is a big factor in early literacy development.
Interactive Read Aloud.
Fran McDonough, TLA Educational Consultant took attendees through an interactive read aloud of the book Malala's Magic Pencil.
Fran introduced the CROWD Strategy:
C-Completion Questions
R-Recall Questions
O-Open Ended Questions
W-"Wh" Questions
D-Distancing Questions
Participants were introduced to another visible thinking routine called Color, Symbol, Image as a way to respond to the text.
Transfer Time
Participants take time after lunch to meet in groups and plan how they might transfer their learning to their own context. They were asked to bring a text that they plan to use in the coming school year.
Each day I embraced the commitment at the beginning of the day. For example, I wanted to become bold in meeting new people. I embraced my tasks throughout the week.
- Participant Feedback
Day 2 (PM): Foundational Literacy
Rhythm, Rhyme, Rap and Repetition
Session Focus Question: How do we grow awareness of how language develops so that we can support the development of phonological skills?
Session Objectives:
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learn direct, explicit, and multisensory strategies to develop phonological awareness (blending & segmenting, rhyming & alliteration)
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understand the role of phonemes in foundational literacy development
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know how to identify and address breakdowns in understanding at the sound level
Liz Remington presented on the importance of phonological awareness and how to support and grow phonological skills to help students to read. The Phonological Processing chart above anchored the afternoon sessions.
Strategies for the Classroom
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Rhyming and Alliteration
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Snowball Words
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Squish the Syllable
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Snap, Crackle, Pop
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Going on a Sound Hunt
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Name that Sound
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One Card Out
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A Diner called ET
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Body Talk
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Guess a Name
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Ta Da
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Worm ate his homework
The Phonological Processing chart was unpacked by giving educators strategies they can use in the classroom to assess and teach these skills.
The Beauty of Phonemes, Kim Oglethorpe
Speech Pathologist Kim Oglethorpe was a guest presenter for the afternoon session. Participants had the opportunity to play with phonemes to better understand their students' struggles.
End of Day Reflection
"I'm so grateful for the people in the room. . . . We were able to create a lesson and will take what we learned back to the classroom." - Participant Comment
Pictures from Day 2
