A grant has been awarded to OSU & CCS for a research project called Teaching and Learning Argumentative Writing and Informational Writing in Secondary School Classrooms. The goal of two-year partnership will be to improve CCS students’ writing performances in the classroom and on the OST writing assessments by creating one informative and one argumentative writing unit for grade 9 and one informative and one argumentative writing unit for grade 10 using the dialogic approach to argumentative/informational writing. These units will be added to StudySync and use the StudySync texts/platform to make them available to all English 9 and English 10 teachers in the district.

Five teachers from CCS are currently part of this research fellows project, but the study requires three more. If you teach English 9 or English 10 at a high school in Region 2, 4, or 6, and have a commitment to improving students’ writing performances in the classroom and on the state writing assessments, please consider participating. The first meeting for the project is happening on Tuesday, September 13th. Participants will receive up to $850 stipend and CEUs are available.

To participate fill out this form as soon as possible.

NOTE: If you teach English 9 or English 10 and are interested in the research project, but your school is in Region 1, 3, or 5, you may also fill out the form in case the spots are not filled by teachers in Regions 2, 4, and 6.

Use Your Classroom Books to Create Spine Poems with Your Students!

Showcase Your Creativity and Enter to Win a $75 Gift Card from Gramercy and a copy of Spine Poems: An Eclectic Collection of Found Verse for Book Lovers!

Contest Details:

• The contest deadline is September 15th

• Email your spine poems to info@gramercybooksbexley.com

• The entries will be judged by Bexley poet Maggie Smith

• Limit 3 entries per person

• Winner will be notified Sept. 28th

• Winning poem to be featured in Gramercy's Oct.1st newsletter

Book Giveaway for Secondary Educators

NCTE will award 50 NCTE members a complimentary bundle of six books courtesy of the National Council of Teachers of English and MacMillan Publishers.

Titles in the book bundle include:

• Beowolf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley
• Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min
• Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford
• Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler
• Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher
• Unbound by Tarana Burke

This opportunity is open to NCTE members only. If your membership expires prior to the deadline, we encourage you renew your membership to ensure you're eligible! NCTE partners with publishers throughout the year to provide members exclusive opportunities for book giveaways!

Complete the form to be entered into this giveaway by 11:59 p.m. PT, Sunday, September 25, 2022. If you have any questions, email Sarah Miller at smiller@ncte.org.

-If you are an English coach with CCS and have not joined the StudySync Coaches Community, you can do so here: Register.

-One of the upcoming events for the coaches' speaker series happens on Sept. 20th with Dr. Doug Fisher. Learn from thought leader, Dr. Doug Fisher on Tuesday, Sept. 20th about guiding an intentional focus on close reading at 12pm ET. Register for Session.

The AMLE conference happens from November 3-5 in Orlando, Florida. Conference Site

Early Bird Registration – Deadline Extended to September 16

Don’t miss out on our lowest registration rate! Register

Conference Hotel Raffle – Deadline to Book is September 6

By reserving your room through our official housing site, you’ll save and be entered into our amazing prize drawing! Book Hotel

Second Call for Presentations – Proposals due September 16

Share your amazing ideas with colleagues and enjoy discounted presenter registration if selected! Submit Proposal

NEW! NCTE Position Statement

How writing is conceptualized has consequences, especially in educational settings. Yet, despite decades of research and scholarship on writing, writing instruction, and writing assessment, misperceptions about writing and its purpose in schools persist.

In NCTE's new position statement, they provide recommendations for administrators, educators, policymakers, and school faculty to mitigate narrow definitions and limited practices of writing. The position statement asserts, "Writing is an important form of self-expression and communication as well as a tool for thinking, reflecting, and learning. Its use as a process, a practice, and a product is essential in the classroom and beyond.”

Read the NCTE Position Statement on Writing Instruction in School

"What Teachers Need to Know about Sentence Comprehension" from Shanahan on Literacy

"Teaching Kids to Interpret Theme -- You Really Can Teach Comprehension" from Shanahan on Literacy

NOTE: ALL DISTRICT SECONDARY ENGLISH COURSES HAVE CURRICULUM MAPS AND COURSE FOLDERS:) They will prove very useful in planning your year. Each Curriculum Map contains a pathway through the course using the adopted curricular resource for that course that will aid you in supporting student learning as they grow their literacy and master standards.

-Curriculum Guides: Visit the Curriculum/Instructional Resources Quick Links on the ELA 6-12 Webpage or the Google docs below for all Secondary English Curriculum. At these links, you will find your COURSE FOLDERS that have everything you need for your courses including Curriculum Maps, Course Introduction Pages, Standard docs, digital novels, adopted resource trainings/tutorials, etc. To access many curricular and district items, you must be logged into Google using your CCS credentials and not a personal account.

• Curriculum/Instructional Resources 6-8 Quick Link or
• Middle School Curriculum Google Doc
• Curriculum/Instructional Resources 9-12 Quick Link or
• High School Curriculum Google Doc

-Course Resource Lists: Here are the Resource Lists for Secondary English. They list the Secondary English and Elective courses showing/detailing which core resources are used in each.

• Course Resource Spreadsheet with Visuals

• CCS Adopted, Supplemental, and Intervention Resources List

Visit the "Curriculum Resources" section of this newsletter located further down the page for additional information about and links for these Secondary English Resources.

1. The Tier I Instructional Resources are StudySync (English 6-12, Alternate English courses, and some Electives) and the Bedford Texts/Launchpad (Honors and AP English).
2. The Tier II/Tier III Intervention Resource is Achieve3000. The contact person for this resource is Sonja Dill.
3. The Supplemental Resource is TeachingBooks.

StudySync (Tier 1 Adopted Resource for English 6-12, Alternate English Courses, and Some Electives)

• Access: You AND your students access StudySync via the Clever icon or http://clever.com/in/columbuscity. Click on the McGraw Hill icon. Then, launch the StudySync App. You can use this guide to set up a "sample" class in StudySync for access prior to your classes being loaded by the district: StudySync: Create “Sample” StudySync Class.
• Demo Code: Here is the demo code for StudySync in case you have a student teacher, building coach, or admin that wants to see the platform and they do not have a class aligned in Clever/IC. DEMO: https://my.mheducation.com, UN: 612studysync, PW: elaMH2022
• Students Reading & Writing Companions: For the English 6-12 courses, student consumables have been sent to the buildings this summer. Be sure to locate these and distribute them to students in these courses. They must be given out to the students.The six units for each grade at StudySync online are included in the consumables and can increase modality options and provide equity for students.
• Change Course Names: Inside StudySync, your classes are marked with X and Y. The X classes are for first semester and the Y classes are for second semester. If you want to change the names of your classes in StudySync, follow this guide: StudySync-How to Change Course Names
• Integration with Canvas: You will be able to open up StudySync right inside of Canvas and assign items as you normally do. Orientation to English Courses in Canvas (video) & Canvas/StudySync Integration Guide

• FREE PD: Weekly FREE Webinars Several Available Each Week

• Help Center: Finding the Help Center in StudySync (video): You can find self-paced Training in the Help Center.
• Tutorials & Trainings: StudySync Tutorials (Some of the most popular tutorials)
• CCS Trainings: StudySync Trainings (Recorded CCS StudySync trainings from 2020 and 2021)
• Errors: If you notice an error in a StudySync assignment, send an email to Carla Mae cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh.us. She will let both McGraw Hill and StudySync know so that they can make corrections.
• Mailing List: For the latest information at StudySync, sign up for the SyncUP monthly newsletter. Opt-in here: studysync.com/subscribe
• Coaches Community: Become a Member. Anyone who mentors StudySync teachers is invited to participate—from instructional coaches and teachers on special assignments to lead teachers and curriculum coordinators and administrators.
• Curriculum Support Videos: Video-Using the Curriculum Maps with StudySync, Video-StudySync is Your Adopted Curriculum Resource, Not Your "Program", Video-Close Reading of Complex, Grade-Level Texts: Research & Practice, Video-StudySync and Vocabulary Acquisition

Bedford/Launchpad (Tier 1 Adopted Resource for Honors and AP)

• Access: To get to Launchpad through Clever http://clever.com/in/columbuscity, click the Launchpad icon and click on the name of class/textbook. This gives you access to the text online and resources. To get hard copies of the text, order them from the CCS Warehouse.

• Support: HELP CENTER FORM: https://macmillan.force.com/bfwhighschool/s/

• Trainings & Tutorials: Bedford Overviews, Slideshows, Trainings, and Tutorials
• Curriculum Support Videos: Video-Using the Honors Curriculum Maps with Launchpad, Video-Using AP Pacing Guides with Launchpad

TeachingBooks (Supplemental Resource)

• Access via the Clever icon or http://clever.com/in/columbuscity. Click on the TeachingBooks icon. You may also go directly to TeachingBooks.net on a CCS Computer. Log in with your CCS email credentials.
• Novel Lists: This is the tool that houses the lists of novels we have in the warehouse and in the Secondary English Curriculum Office. Use this document TEACHINGBOOKS: ACCESSING COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS’ NOVEL LISTS and/or this video TeachingBooks Tutorial to learn how to access the CCS book lists.
  

CCS-Novels Available in the English 6-12 Curriculum Office A-L

CCS-Novels Available in the English 6-12 Curriculum Office M-Z

CCS Middle School Curriculum: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS High School Curriculum: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 6: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 7: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 8: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 9: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 10: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 11: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

CCS English 12: Novels in Warehouse, Course Folder, or Adopted Resource

• Author/Text Resources: TeachingBooks also is a place to get additional novel and author resources. These Overview videos/trainings from TeachingBooks can help you understand the resources: Introduction video I Slide Presentation and Training Script.
• Some Upcoming 20-Minute Webinars:

TeachingBooks Updates & New Features September 15 2pm
Community Partnerships with TeachingBooks September 29 2pm
Early Childhood Resources from TeachingBooks October 13 2pm
Book Clubs & Reading Circles with TeachingBooks November 17 2pm
Engage Readers with Graphic Novels & TeachingBooks Resources December 15 2pm

• Recorded Trainings : October 16th PD Session for CCS: Virtual and Blending Learning Recording, February 3rd PD Session for CCS: Booklists, Virtual Ideas, and More on TeachingBooks
• Highlight: Explore all TeachingBooks in Action posts

As you are beginning your school year, you may come across bags or boxes of novels that you need to return to the curriculum office. These would be ones borrowed from the curriculum office, not ones from the warehouse. Books borrowed from the warehouse may remain in your building's book room for reuse. Items being returned to the curriculum office can be sent through school mail or CCS delivery services to Southland Center, Suite 125, 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207 to the attention of Carla Mae Phillips. Thanks:)

Here are the English Chair meeting dates for 2022-23. They are from 3:30-5:30pm

• September 14, 2022
• October 12, 2022
• November 9, 2022
• December 14, 2022
• January 11, 2023
• February 8, 2023
• March 15, 2023
• April 19, 2023
• May 10, 2023

If you are the English Chair for your building and have not confirmed it on the chart, please do so HERE.

Most of the English curriculum sessions on the District PD Days this year will have a literacy focus. That is because CCS has developed the CCS Secondary Literacy Plan, which you can access here: CCS Secondary Literacy Plan. The plan is rooted in Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement and guided by the Adolescent Simple View of Reading. The plan spans from intermediate literacy that crosses curricular areas to disciplinary literacy that reflects the demands of specific disciplines while allowing for individualized intensive interventions, as needed. Inherent in the plan is that students are reading, writing, and discussing every day in classrooms. The components of the plan are: Academic Language, Reading Comprehension, Writing Competency, Classroom Discussion, and Collective Efficacy.

If you want to dig deeper into any of the main components of the secondary literacy plan, here are some sites, resources, strategies, recordings, and articles that may offer insight and enrichment. Note: The list below is not inclusive of everything you currently have in your adopted resources (e.g. StudySync) which are the MAIN items for instruction and support of the literacy components.

Literacy

• CCS Secondary Literacy Plan
• Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement-FULL DOCUMENT
• Ohio’s Plan-Adolescent Literacy Based on Simple View of Reading-SECONDARY SECTION
• SHANAHAN ON LITERACY (site with innumerable resources, blogs, publications, etc.)

• Don't Confuse Reading Comprehension and Learning to Read -- Rereading (recent lit. blog)
• What Is Disciplinary Literacy? (Annenberg Learner -20 Self-Paced Modules for PD on Reading & Writing in the Disciplines)

Academic Language

• Vocabulary: Vocabulary and Literacy Guiding Document/Activities/Lists (LETRS Workshop), Critical Vocabulary of the Standards, Essential Academic Words, Morphology Lists, Common Content Roots & Affixes, Core Vocabulary Grade Lists (Used by Ohio Department of Education)

• Morphology Activities/Collections: https://www.vocabularyroots.com/home/, https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/morphology-and-roots/

• WordGen Weekly (Free Middle School Intermediate Vocabulary Program)

• Academic and Signal Words: Generative Sentences, Word Study, Transitional Words and Phrases, Connectives Chart

• Grammar Guides/Activities Online: Juicy Sentence Guidance, Working with Mentor Sentences, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl_exercises/index.html, https://www.noredink.com/curriculum/

• Fluency: Reading Fluency Chart Grades 1-8, Ohio Literacy Alliance High School Fluency Protocols, Fluency Intervention, Building Fluency Guide

Reading Comprehension

• Before/During/After Reading Guides & Scaffolds: Literacy Template (from Mike Schmoker’s Focus), Scaffolding Complex Text, Quarter Turns, Strategies for Supporting Readers

• Comprehension Strategies: 39 Strategies for Accessing Complex Text

• Questioning: Text-Dependent, Anti-Bias Text-Dependent

• Close Reading: Close Reading Guide, Close Reading Annotation Guide, Unlocking Informational Texts, A Close Look at Close Reading, Juicy Sentence Guidance, Working with Mentor Sentences

Writing Competency

• TIP the Prompt, Writing Acronym, They Say/I Say, Writing/Speaking Scaffolds
  

Classroom Discussion

• Socratic Seminar, Scored Discussion, 20 Discussion Protocols, Speech Rubric, Speech Rubric Persuasion, Presentation Rubric
  

CCS 2022 PD Days

• Secondary Curriculum PD 1/18, English Sessions, Literacy Sessions, Keynote
• Secondary Curriculum PD-2/2, English Sessions, Literacy Sessions
• Secondary Curriculum PD-3/9, English Sessions

Free Issues of Literacy Journals

• Explore a free issue of The Reading Teacher Transforms literacy research into ready-to-use teaching tips and engaging classroom strategies for educating all students up to age 12
• Explore a free issue of Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy Delivers actionable ideas for instructing older learners and reflects on current literacy trends and issues
• Explore a free issue of Reading Research Quarterly Presents the latest in global, multidisciplinary scholarship on literacy among learners of all ages

BOY

• District Mandate: I-Ready Grades 6-10; Window 8/24- 9/30 NOTE: I-Ready assessments for Grades 9 & 10 are currently on hold as of 9/1/22.

• LevelSet for Achieve3000 Users: Window opens 8/29 (Students prompted on platform)

• Optional for Classroom Use: StudySync Assessments Grades 6-12 (Varied options from Diagnostics to Benchmarks to Test Prep)

MOY

• District Mandate: I-Ready Grades 6-10: Window 12/5/22- 1/20/23

• Optional for Classroom Use: StudySync Assessments Grades 6-12 (Varied options from End-of-Units to Benchmarks to Test Prep)

EOY

• State Mandate: OSTs Grades 6, 7, 8, and 10

• District Mandate: I-Ready Grades 6-10 (This has not been approved as of publication.)

• LevelSet for Achieve3000 Users

• Optional for Classroom Use: StudySync Assessments Grades 6-12 (Varied options from End-of-Units to Benchmarks to Test Prep)

As the Learning Tech department rolls out Canvas, you may find that you have some or all of your courses loaded in Canvas. The latest information I was given is that English 6-10 courses have been loaded in Canvas and may be used by teachers if they choose. Although the English 11, English 12, and all other alternate English courses have been created in Canvas, I have been told that they will be rolled out at a future date. If you have courses loaded in Canvas and want to use them, you will need to pair them with StudySync. Then, StudySync will populate inside Canvas and it will look just as if you opened it from Clever and work the same way. Use the orientation video (below) to get an idea of what your English courses look like inside of Canvas and use the guide (below) to learn how to access StudySync via Canvas, pair your courses, create/sync assignments, put assignments in modules, and export grades. It also contains a student-facing video for students new to using StudySync inside Canvas.

• Orientation to English Courses in Canvas (video)
• Canvas/StudySync Integration Guide

If you are new to teaching a secondary English course and did not attend the new teacher orientation sessions, here are some links for you to the items you may have missed.

• New Teacher Orientation Folder (Secondary English)
• Recording: Getting to Know Your Secondary English Resources
• Recording: StudySync for New Users

Below are the StudySync webinar offerings for August and September. If you register and cannot attend, you will be sent a recording. StudySync is the core Tier 1 Resources for Secondary English. The CORE ELA Units are used in English 6-12. Items from the StudySync Library are used in all alternative English courses (Humanities Language Arts 8, Humanities English 9 & 10, African American Literature, Major British Writers Seminar, Shakespeare's Literature, and Women's Literature) and many of the elective courses (e.g., Essay Writing 6, 7, and 8). Here is the PAGE FOR ALL UPCOMING STUDYSYNC WEBINAR DATES showing offerings through December.

Wednesday September 7, 2022

• 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM EDT Basic Training: Create and Grade Assignments Register Now

Monday September 12, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Guest Teacher Guidance: How to Seamlessly Jump Into StudySync Register Now

Wednesday September 14, 2022

• 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM EDT Basic Training: The Reading Routine - Reading & Rigor in StudySync Register Now

Friday September 16, 2022

• 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM EDT Keep Calm & Observe On: Supporting Classroom Evaluation for Administrators Register Now

Monday September 19, 2022

• 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM EDT Resources for Professional Development and Support Register Now

Tuesday September 20, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Deeper Dive: Backwards Planning with Close Reading Register Now

Wednesday September 21, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Basic Training: How to Navigate Your New StudySync Account Register Now

Thursday September 22, 2022

• 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM EDT ASSESS 101: Back to School Assessments Register Now

Monday September 26, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Spotlight Skills: Build a Solid Foundation in Any Standard Register Now

Tuesday September 27, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Your First 100 Days with StudySync: Year One Materials to Keep You Afloat Register Now

Wednesday September 28, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Use Write Precise to Keep Writing Feedback Efficient and Meaningful Register Now

Thursday September 29, 2022

• 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EDT Accelerate with StudySync: Fast-Paced and Targeted Instructional Strategies Register Now

THURBER HOUSE ADULT WRITING WORKSHOPS

Here is the Fall Writing Workshop Schedule.

• Adult Writing Workshop | Write What You Know In Fiction MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshops | Tips For Creating Authentic Characters MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshops | Go Rogue: Plotzing About Plot THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2022,
• Adult Writing Workshop | From Hook to Resolution: Writing a Short Story MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | Go Rogue: Graphic Novel And Comics THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022, 6:00 PM 7:30 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | Writing Believable Dialogue MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | Woo Your Muse: Reclaiming Your Pre-Pandemic Mojo and Jumpstarting Your Writing Practice MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | Here’s the Pitch: Successfully Sell Freelance Articles to Editors MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | From Memories To Memoir MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, IN-PERSON AT THURBER CENTER OR VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | So You Want to Write Middle Grade or Young Adult Fiction MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, VIRTUAL ON ZOOM
• Adult Writing Workshop | Revision: Approach It Like Triage, MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022, 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, VIRTUAL ON ZOOM

THURBER HOUSE LITERARY ARTS SEASON

Get tickets for any of the following author talks/literary events here: https://www.thurberhouse.org/fall-2022-events.

• September 22, Barbara Fant, Mouths of Garden, 7-8pm
• October 5, Cate Holahan, The Darkness of Others, 7-8pm
• October 18, Sloane Crosley, Cult Classic, 7-8pm
• October 21, Paranormal Investigator, James A. Wills, Strange and Spooky Tales, 7-8pm
• October 29, Kids: Boos and Books (1-4pm)
• October 29, Adults, Booze 'n' Books (5-7pm)
• November 1, Hanif Abdurraqib, 7-8pm

COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY CARNEGIE AUTHOR SERIES

• Sunday, Oct. 23 | 2 p.m. Rumaan Alam, author of Leave the World Behind Registration details will be released in the weeks leading up to this program on the Special Events page.

GIVEAWAYS

• TeachingBooks August Contests & Giveaways
• Bulk Bookstore Discounts & Contests
• We Are Teachers Contests & Giveaways