Lenawee Literacy
June/July 2019
In this edition, you'll find:
- KRA Updates and Reminders
- Professional Learning Opportunities
- "Coming Soon"
- Newly Released GELN Documents
- Reading by Third Grade Updates
- Summer Pop-Up Schedule
- Additional Reading and Resources
- Coaches Corner with Ruth Benge
KRA Refresher for Teachers and Coaches
The KRA Refresher Course is designed for all Kindergarten Teachers and Literacy Coaches who are in the second year of administering the KRA. The KRA is a developmentally appropriate assessment tool designed to measure school readiness of incoming kindergartners across four domains (Language & Literacy, Mathematics, Social Foundations and Physical Well-Being & Motor Development). During a half day PL, teachers will review the testing items for administration of the KRA, practice analyzing and interpreting KRA data so to implement timely interventions using the resources available on KRA website.
Register for either 8:30-11:30 or 12:30-3:30 on August 19, 2019 on WisdomWhere.
KRA for NEW Kindergarten Teachers
Classroom teachers will gain an understanding of what the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment is, its purpose, and ways to use their observations to inform their instruction. KRA teacher materials will be distributed during this session, with time to explore example test items, scoring, and observation, as well as time to view the online system. Teachers will leave today's session with the tools necessary to implement the KRA in their classroom in the fall.
Registration for KRA & the Power of Observation on August 15, 2019 from 9:00-4:00 is now open.
Pre-K Essential Trainings
The Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy, Prekindergarten identifies a small set of research-supported instructional literacy practices that improve children’s literacy outcomes in preschool. The training is supportive of developmentally appropriate practices and aligns with Michigan Core Knowledge and Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Workforce, as well as the State Board of Education Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten. As a result of this workshop series, participants will be able to analyze, plan, and discuss the implementation of each of the ten PreK Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy.
This is a 4 day workshop
August 13 and 14, 2019
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
LISD TECH Center
1372 N. Adrian Hwy.
Adrian, MI 49221
August 20 and 21, 2019
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Stubnitz Environmental Education Center
3241 N. Adrian Hwy.
Adrian, MI 49221
REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON MI REGISTRY SOON!
6-12 Book Study - Disciplinary Literacy in Action
Participants will read and discuss in person and virtually the book Disciplinary Literacy in Action by by Releah Cossett Lent and Marsha McCracken Voigt. This will be the first step in building a Disciplinary Literacy network in the County.
Participants will become more knowledgeable about disciplinary literacy, Michigan's 6-12 Essentials and help inform the creation of the Disciplinary Literacy Network.
This series is available for Lenawee County educators only. Books will be provided at no cost for participants.
Educators may also attend virtually if they are unable to attend the face-to-face sessions. Sessions will be held between June 26 and August 8, 2019.
Interested educators can register here.
Literacy Essentials
Links for all Essentials are available here.
The 6-12 Essentials are currently available for download.
4-5 Essentials Remote Training
Join us, at the LISD as a remote site, as we partner with MAISA and MDE to offer a professional learning event on August 1st and 2nd. The focus will be on the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy, Grades 4-5 with connections to science and social studies. Participants will be able to register to attend August 1st only or they may register to attend both August 1st and August 2nd (day two will be a planning and support day). This session will be a fit for teachers, leaders and coaches who are new to the Essential Instructional Practices in Literacy, Grades 4-5 AND for those who may have been a part of the previous sessions in the 2018-19 year.
Registration will be available on Wisdomwhere soon!
This training is being held in Lansing as well.
Newly Published GELN Documents
You may be interested in reviewing the two attached documents recently published regarding GELN Literacy initiatives.
- Communication Points for the Essential Instructional Practices in Early, Elementary, and Disciplinary Literacy
- Essential Instructional Practices in Language and Emergent Literacy: Birth to Age 3
These resources will be posted soon to literacyessentials.org
Cut Scores
In 2016, the Michigan legislature passed what is now referred to as the “Read by Grade 3” (RBG3) legislation. This law requires that students who are more than one year behind grade-level in reading are subject to retention and additional support to improve their reading level. This component of the law takes effect for the 2020-2021 school year, using assessment data from the spring 2020 assessments. This communication is provided as a courtesy heads up for schools and districts in advance of the actual implementation of this component of the law.
Cut scores and retention guidelines have been released. Further information can be found here.
Additionally, approved assessments lists for 2019-2020 can be found here.
Recommended Reading and Resources
Children's Literature to Support Critical Literacies Engagement. In this column, we feature quality children’s literature that supports critical literacies engagement in the classroom and for the independent reader.
Reading by Third Grade: How Policymakers Can Foster Early Literacy - In this article, Duke argues that “teaching reading to a class of first graders is akin in complexity to being an emergency room physician”.
Reading to Learn from the Start: The Power of Interactive Read Alouds - In this article
Dr. Tanya Wright makes the case for children “reading to learn” while they are still learning to decode text independently by using interactive read alouds.
Writing Matters with Dr. Troy Hicks - Writing Matters brings together bestselling
authors, veteran teachers, and thought leaders in both education and writing to share their unique advice, perspectives, and experience from the field. This podcast is perfect for professional development and personal learning
100 Days of Reading
Join "Save the Children" for 100 Days of Reading
Today, Save the Children is launching its inaugural summer reading campaign in the United States – Read a Story, Change Their Story – in celebration of the global nonprofit’s 100th anniversary. The 100-day campaign, which will conclude on September 8, World Literacy Day, encourages all children, parents, teachers, librarians, caregivers and adults to log their summer reading minutes at SavetheChildren.org/READ. Participants can positively impact the lives of children growing up in rural America who do not have adequate access to early education or children’s books, while also promoting literacy in all communities. Every minute logged helps raise awareness and supports Save the Children’s work to improve literacy and change lives.
Additional information regarding hoe to participate can be found here.
MiRead: Michigan's Early Literacy Portal
MiRead Going Live - Summer 2019
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is pleased to support the launch of the MiRead application. This tool supports the Read by Grade 3 (RBG3) law and the Individual Reading Instruction Plan (IRIP) process. MiRead supports the work of the Literacy Essentials by providing a clear and compelling view and a focus on Tier-I, ensuring that every student has access to high-quality literacy instruction every day. The MDE's commitment to work collaboratively to support literacy efforts at the local, regional, and statewide levels meets our Literacy Priority and Top 10 in 10 Goals 2, 5, and 7. The MiRead application is powered by MiStrategyBank, when intervention is needed for focus on best practices and is enabled by MiDataHub to make data into information you can use.
Ruth Benge
Something to Check
Ruth's Read
I’m so excited to have a “corner” of the Lenawee Literacy Newsletter!! We are full swing into summer so take time to focus on self-care - meeting with friends, playing games with your family, take a bike ride, read books for enjoyment, or get outside and bask in the sun with a lake or pool nearby!! Our District Literacy Coaches are due a well deserved break!! Try to find time to chill in between your Summer Lit Lab Pop Ups:)
Reminders/Announcements:
➤Yearlong (June 2019-May 2020) Book Club Onwards: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators. It’s not too late to join our Onwards Book Club. We are learning how to strengthen our resilience so we can have more energy to direct toward participating in and leading transformational school change. Please join us and discover your inner strength!! https://www.solutionwhere.com/ww/Aspx/Public/Search/SearchCourses.aspx
Did You Know: Research supports student achievement gains are linked to literacy coaching!! Essential Coaching Practices for Elementary Literacy #1 sites the study: Examining the Relationship between Literacy Coaching and Student Reading Gains in Grade K-3 by Laurie Elish-Piper & Susan K. L’Allier.
Amanda morris, LISD Curriculum Consultant
Email: amanda.morris@lisd.us
Website: https://www.lisd.us/instruction/school-support-services/lenawee-literacy/
Location: 2946 Sutton Rd, Adrian, MI, USA
Phone: 517-266-6983
Twitter: @amorris425