PAFPC – Improving School Performance “Highlights”

How Increasing Focus on Independent Reading Improved a Population of Title I Students

Rallying Readers Through Independent Intervention

Explore data that shows the importance of focusing on independent reading

Share conferencing strategies for implementing a successful and meaningful independent reading workshop

Explore materials and resources that will help teachers facilitate and manage a successful and meaningful independent reading workshop

Today’s Objectives:

Independent reading is defined as “the reading students choose to do on their own. It reflects the reader’s personal choice of the material to be read as well as the time and place to read it.”

We will define independent reading as “reading students do on their independent reading level, however, within the confines of leveled text, there is student choice.

What is independent reading?

Students’ reading achievement has been shown to correlate with success in school and the amount of independent reading they do (Greaney 1980; Anderson, Fielding and Wilson 1988).

Students who read independently become better readers, score higher on achievement tests in all subject areas, and have greater content knowledge than those who do not. (Krashen 1993; Cunningham and Stanovich 1991)

Longitudinal data in studies done by TCRWP and In House, show independent reading levels is the strongest correlation with state assessment success.

“We regard the Independent Reading Workshop as a central part of the Reading Curriculum and teach actively into it.” –Lucy Calkins

We combined strategies learned at The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and established practices from the 100 Book Challenge Program led to:

A change in intervention strategiesHeavier focus on an independent reading

programMore meaningful and effective conferences

with studentsTeacher modeling and collaboration within the

classroom

How did this all start?

Independent Reading Conference

The Research, Support, Decide, Teach, Send-off model is helpful when conferencing with readers.

Research where the child is as a reader. They learn more about the child’s strengths and weaknesses

Support the reader and compliment what the student is already doing well.

Decide what the teaching point will be and how it will be taught

Teach the reader something, in a minilesson format (modeling, guided practice, independent practice)

Send-off and document students with a specific goal to work on for the week.

How is this similar to what is already being done in your school?

How could you make this work for you?

Conferencing is an integral part of the Independent Reading Workshop

5th graders as TutorsFormative Assessment IdeasBully Nation by Susan Porter–Ten Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn-E-Pals .Com

Ideas Brought Back to GV

Pittsburgh “Highlights”