Saskatchewan ReadsImplementation Rubrics

(Version 1)

Saskatchewan Reads Rubrics

The rubrics in this document are based upon teachers’ classroom practices described in Saskatchewan Reads, and in-school and central leaders’ leadership and implementation practices described in Saskatchewan Reads for Administrators. These rubrics are designed to describe the steps toward the implementation of these professional practices. They are also designed to assist professionals in reflecting upon their individual and collective practices as they implement the steps necessary to achieving our student reading achievement goals.

The practices described within the rubrics are interconnected and users will notice some overlap. Also worth noting is that many of the classroom practices are closely connected to leadership and implementation practices. The clear connection between the Assessment Rubric and the Analyzing and Responding to Data Rubric is a good example.

Teachers’ Classroom Practices Rubrics

Learning and Classroom Environment RubricAssessment RubricGradual Release of Responsibility Model RubricIntervention Rubric

Leadership and Implementation Practices Rubrics

Compelling Why, Shared Beliefs and Efficacy RubricLeading Professional LearningCultivating Culture and Building Literacy TeamsAnalyzing and Responding to DataFocus and System Alignment

Teachers’ Classroom Practices Rubrics

Learning and Classroom Environment Rubric: Teachers’ Classroom Practice

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningPositive Nurturing Relationships

Awareness that positive personal relationships are important in student development.

Nurtures positive personal relationships.

Develops positive personal relationships that enhance students’ development through meaningful conversations.

Nurtures positive personal relationships that enhance students’ development through meaningful conversations and respect for the uniqueness of each student.

Physical Space Awareness that the physical space is important in student learning.

Organizes the physical space for some of the instructional approaches.

Designs an aesthetically inviting physical space that is organized to support the instructional approaches.

Designs an aesthetically inviting physical space that reflects the interests, cultures and learning of the students and is organized to support the variety of instructional approaches.

Language-Rich Environment

Awareness that oral language is an important foundation in learning to read.

Provides opportunities for students to interact with the teacher and with one another.

Supports and models oral language by engaging students in meaningful conversations and open-ended questions.

Facilitates student oral language development in meaningful conversations, open-ended questions and reflective discussions.

Print Rich Environment

Awareness that a rich print environment that reflects students’ culture and work, and that stimulates their interest in learning.

Creates an environment with a large amount of print that is visible to students.

Creates an environment that reflects all students, including First Nations and Metis students, in the print within the classroomIncludes teacher constructed anchor charts and word walls that reflect students’ literacy development.

Creates an environment that reflects all students including First Nations and Metis in the print within the classroomIncludes co-constructed anchor charts and word walls that reflect students’ literacy developmentContributes to a school-wide print rich environment.

Assessment Rubric: Teachers’ Classroom Practice

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningUsing Reading Assessments

Completes reading assessments required by the division or First Nation education organization.

Uses the required reading data and other assessments to plan for whole group instruction.

Uses methods of meaningful authentic tasks as outlined in Saskatchewan Reads (pg. 24) to plan for some targeted small group instruction.

Skillfully uses multiple methods of meaningful authentic tasks as outlined in Saskatchewan Reads (pg. 24) and triangulates the data to inform day-to-day instructional decisions based on individual student needs.

Providing Feedback

Provides general feedback to the whole class.

Provides feedback to individual students.

Provides descriptive feedback based on criteria and exemplars to students.

Engages in a cycle of observing, analyzing, and differentiating.

Provides information to parents in support of students’ learning.

Uses criteria from the curriculum (Saskatchewan Reads: Appendix A) and exemplars for students to self-assess and provides ongoing descriptive feedback. Engages students in co-constructing criteria for self-assessment.

Engages in a continuous cycle of observing, analyzing, differentiating, and reviewing to determine next steps.

Provides information to parents to support students’ learning.

Gradual Release of Responsibility Rubric: Teachers’ Classroom Practice

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningGradual Releaseof Responsibility

Awareness of the four instructional approaches (pg. 29) within the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model.

Uses the four instructional approaches independently.

Uses the instructional approaches during English Language Arts.

Selects the instructional approach based on the needs of the whole classInforms students of the goals of the lesson.

Uses the instructional approaches during English Language Arts and some other content areas.

Engages students in purposeful instruction designed to meet the needs of individual and small groups of students based on assessment dataGradually transfers increased responsibility to the students.

Ensures students know the goals of the lesson and are supported and prepared for next steps in learning.

Uses the instructional approaches during English Language Arts and across curricula.

Gradual Release of Responsibility Rubric: Teachers’ Classroom Practice

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningModelled Reading Reads a randomly selected text

out loud to students.Selects a text that is connected to a classroom topic.

Builds background knowledge.

Purposefully plans and models the strategy (uses a “think-aloud”).

Builds background knowledge so the text is accessible for most students.

Utilizes a variety of text types.

Purposefully plans, models and explicitly demonstrates strategies and verbalizes thinking; explaining what proficient readers do as they process text.

Builds background knowledge so text is accessible for all students.

Utilizes a variety of text types, fiction and non-fiction, connected to the purpose.

Shared Reading Reads a randomly selected text.

Text is visible to students.

Students are prompted to participate in the reading of a text.

Uses a text that is visible to students.

Builds background knowledge.

Purposefully plans, and invites students to share in the reading.

Intentionally teaches concepts of print, phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency in context.

Uses a text that is visible and accessible for all children in the class.

Builds background knowledge so the text is accessible for most students.

Utilizes a variety of texts including different genres, digital and visual texts connected to the purpose.

Purposefully plans, models and explicitly demonstrates strategies and verbalizes thinking; explaining what proficient readers do as they process text.

Builds background knowledge so text is accessible for all students.

Utilizes a variety of text types, fiction and non-fiction, connected to the purpose.

Scaffolded/Guided Reading

Creates small groups for reading instruction.

Provides students with their own text.

Creates small groups for reading instruction with varying amounts of instructional time.

Provides students with their own text.

Plans lesson based on text.

Creates flexible groupings based on student need.

Ensures that students are practicing reading most of the time.

Provides students with their own text and students read at their own pace.

Utilizes responsive teaching based on observations of the reader and the opportunities offered by the text.

Selects a variety of texts. Purposefully plans based on the needs of the group.

Creates flexible groupings based on student need.

Ensures that students are practicing reading for the majority of the time.

Provides students with their own text and students read at their own pace.

Utilizes responsive teaching based on observations of the individual reader and the opportunities offered by the text.

Selects a variety of texts based on student need.

Purposefully plans to release responsibility toward independent reading for each student.

Independent Reading(Also see Learning and Classroom Environment)

Ensures that texts are accessible to students.

Enables students to individually select own texts.

Develops a classroom librarySupports students to begin selecting “just right” texts.

Involves students in the development and organization of the classroom library.

Guides students in self-selecting “just right” texts.

Confers with students about the books they are reading.

Promotes student ownership in the organization and selection of material in the classroom library.

Monitors students as they independently self-select “just right” texts.

Confers with students about their application of reading strategies.

Supports students in setting reading goals and reflecting on

progress.

Intervention Rubric: Teachers’ Classroom Practice

Compelling Why, Shared Beliefs & Efficacy Rubric: In School/Central Leaders

Beginning/Awareness Developing/Exploring Applying RefiningCompelling Why Becomes aware of the power of

each staff member having a Compelling Why.

Shares personal Compelling Why with some staff.

Has a Compelling Why that is evident in daily practice.

Passionately articulates and exemplifies personal Compelling Why.Demonstrates a sense of urgency for students’ success.

Shared Beliefs Regarding Literacy Learning

Becomes aware that shared beliefs regarding effective classroom and leadership practice helps to create a more consistent and coherent professional practice.

Conducts conversations where individuals share their beliefs and practices regarding literacy development

Engages in conversations where teachers share their knowledge of appropriate pedagogy and leadership practices and explore the development of collective instructional approaches.

Establishes a set of shared and coherent beliefs and practices about literacy development among the staff of a school or division.

Self and Collective Efficacy

Becomes aware that professionals’ belief that their strong pedagogy and leadership practice can make a big difference (sense of efficacy) is a factor in student learning success.

Initiates conversations among staff members regarding the role of pedagogy and leadership in students’ learning success.

Engages in on-going conversations about beliefs regarding improving students’ literacy development.

Challenges teachers’ and leaders’ beliefs that may be negative or that blame students and their parents/caregivers.

Establishes the shared belief among teachers and leaders that their professional collective knowledge and skill is the key factor in improving students’ reading success.

Leading Professional Learning Rubric: In School/Central Leaders

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningLead Learner Aware of Saskatchewan Reads

and has accessed the document.Has read Saskatchewan Reads and reflected on areas for growth.

Seeks professional learning opportunities and connects with reading experts in the division/FN education organization to begin the work of reading improvement within the school.

Has a strong understanding of Saskatchewan Reads and is knowledgeable about current research in reading.

Spends time in classrooms and engages in discussions with teachers about effective instructional practices, especially those identified in Saskatchewan Reads.

Engages in reading focused action research and other professional learning activities with staff members.

Models active participation in professional learning as an essential part of professional practice.

Strongly encourages teachers to engage in effective professional learning related to achieving reading achievement goals.

Building Capacity Organizes occasional professional learning opportunities on a wide variety of educational issues.

Organizes some professional learning aligned with and focused on the school reading plan.

Engages in instructional walks when time permits but does not engage with teachers in feedback or discussion about instructional practices.

Provides regular professional learning designed to address students’ learning needs.

Conducts instructional walks and engages in collaborative discussion with staff that provides feedback supporting reflection about effective instructional practices.

Embeds professional learning into the fabric of the school and ensures that it aligns with division and school goals.

Conducts instructional walks that inspire teachers to reflect on and refine their instructional practice. Engages in collaborative discussion with school teams focusing on school wide literacy improvement.

Ensures that teachers’ professional learning is aligned with the research re: best practice in professional learning.

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningJob-Embedded Professional Learning

Creates professional learning for teachers in workshop settings with intended application to classroom practice.

Encourages teachers to apply what they have learned in workshops to their actual classroom practice.

The focus for teachers’ professional learning moves from meetings and workshops to the school and classroom.

Ensures that professional learning is an everyday occurrence that is woven into the fabric of the school.

Intensive and Ongoing Professional Learning

Creates teachers’ learning opportunities for several learning goals that are extended for brief periods of time.

Creates teachers’ learning opportunities for fewer goals over a more extended period of time.

Facilitates professional learning that takes place on a frequent but not daily basis. Focus on one specific learning goal begins to extend over a longer period of time.

Ensures that professional learning is an integral part of teachers’ professional practice. Learning takes place on a daily basis and is focused upon clear improvement targets. Focus is maintained on an important learning goal for an extended period of time.

Cultivating Culture & Building Literacy Teams Rubric: In School/Central Leaders

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningBuilding Relationships

Leaders and staff members are aware of the importance of collaborative work in achieving high levels of students’ learning success.

Leaders and staff members are aware that strong parental and community support make a difference to students’ reading success.

Staff enjoys increasing levels of trust among their peers and their leaders as they engage in opportunities to work together.

Parents and community members are informed about the reading improvement initiative.

Teachers begin to take some risks that require trust in their colleagues and leaders. Leaders engage in trustworthy behavior.

Parents and community members are informed about the reading initiative. The school and division enlist their support for the initiative through the encouragement of regular reading for pleasure.

Teachers and leaders express trust in each other.

Parents/caregivers and the SCC/FNM advisory group members are engaged in supporting the work of the school. The school actively seeks the input and perspective of parents and the community.

Sharing Responsibility

Teachers take responsibility for the reading success of students in their classes.

Teachers take responsibility with a few colleagues for the reading success of students in their area of the school (primary, etc.).

Teachers and leaders take responsibility for the reading success of all students in their school

Professional staff assumes responsibility for all students achieving success in learning to read and work together to make it happen. They also take responsibility for students’ learning in other schools within their system.

Collaborative Professional Practice in Literacy

Becomes aware that collaborative practice has great potential to advance students’ literacy development.

Provides time at staff meetings for some sharing about instructional approaches in literacy.

Timetables the school to provide for some common planning and assessment time for teachers. Establishes structures to ensure

Creates structures (e.g. data teams, timetables, with common collaborative time, etc.) that ensure teachers work together

Observes lessons and talks to teachers about observations.

Encourages teachers to assess students’ work and plan the next steps together.

collegial work.

Inspires more vigorous collaborative work including co-teaching, coaching, joint assessment, etc. Ensures that teachers observe each other teaching.

on literacy.

Creates the norm of regular, collegial work among teachers.

Building Literacy Teams

Becomes aware that strong, collegial teamwork is a positive factor in students’ learning success.

Involves staff in some decisions regarding the plan to improve learning improvement.

Teachers and leaders make initial attempts to work together on joint work such as reviewing assessments, planning lessons together and co-teaching.

Involves staff in more important decisions regarding the literacy initiative.

Teachers and leaders increasingly engage in joint work from time to time, but not on a regular basis.

Establishes teams that begin to take responsibility for various aspects of literacy improvement.

Teachers and leaders regularly engage in joint work intended to achieve reading success for all students. Structures such as data teams are established that make collegial work a part of the fabric of the school and division.

Encourages and develops leaders among staff members.Takes a leadership role in advocating for reading in the division and province.

Models a collaborative professional practice in daily work.

Analyzing and Responding to Data Rubric: In School/Central Leaders

Beginning Developing Applying RefiningAnalyzing Data Becomes aware of required

reading data.Engages in analysis of individual classroom data with teachers.

Leads staff through planned and purposeful data discussions regarding school wide data.

Engages school teams in analyzing school wide data and applying the results of this analysis to inform instructional decisions.

Responding to Data

Submits reading data required by the division or First Nation education organization.

Engages in initial conversations about the reading data.

Engages in discussions that focus on meeting students’ needs. Reading interventions are in place for some students.

Ensures that a process and structures are in place to address individual student needs and to ensure appropriate reading instruction and intervention.

Engages with leadership colleagues in analysis of division data and the application of this analysis to creating and altering division learning improvement plans.

Focus and System Alignment Rubric: In School/Central Leaders

Beginning/Awareness Developing/Exploring Applying RefinementFocus on Priorities

Becomes aware that focus on fewer priorities is a factor in learning improvement.

Initiates a process to set priorities among the many demands made on schools and the division.

“Weeds” some long existing tasks and goals from the division and school plans. Establishes literacy improvement as one of a small group of overall priority goals.

Establishes literacy improvement as one of only a few clear priorities focused on by school and the entire division. These priorities are clearly visible in the everyday life of schools and the division.

Goal Alignment Becomes aware that goals are necessary for both student achievement and for professional practice (pedagogy and leadership).

Sets long and short term student achievement goals for the school and division that are aligned with the goals of the provincial Education Sector Strategic Plan.

Sets long and short-term goals for student achievement and professional practice (pedagogy and leadership) that are aligned with the goals of the provincial Education Sector Strategic Plan.

Sets long and short–term goals for student achievement and professional practice (pedagogy and leadership) that are aligned with the goals of the provincial Education Sector Strategic Plan and that address student achievement data.

Progress Monitoring

Becomes aware that progress in both student achievement and professional practice (pedagogy and leadership) should be monitored.

Initiates processes that monitor progress toward achieving short and long-term student achievement goals. The data generated is used to plan next steps.

Ensures that frequent and constructive progress monitoring is in place for both student achievement and for the growth of professional practice in pedagogy and leadership.

Ensures that data from progress monitoring is used to formatively assess improvement plans and make course corrections as necessary.

Resource Alignment

Becomes aware of the need to find new or to reallocate existing resources to achieve priority

Finds new resources for priorities, including literacy improvement.

Finds new resources as well as reallocates existing resources toward achieving the priority

Devotes new and existing resources (fiscal, time, professional development, etc.)

goals. goals, including literacy improvement.

to the priorities, including literacy improvement.