ARI Literacy Leadership
January 2024
The Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) is a statewide K-3 initiative committed to supporting the development of high-quality instruction that will prepare all students with the literacy skills needed to meet or exceed grade-level standards. The goal of the ARI is to significantly improve reading instruction and ultimately achieve 100% literacy among public school students.
ARI Wishes You More in 2024!
Happy New Year from the Alabama Reading Initiative! We wish you a year of more in 2024. ARI is here to support you as you provide more high quality reading instruction that includes the appropriate interventions that will prepare all students with the literacy skills needed to meet or exceed literacy expectations. ARI wishes you more opportunities to support literacy through family and community outreach. We look forward to strengthening literacy partnerships across the state.
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader."
- John Quincy Adams
Let's go, 2024!
Leaping Into a New Year!
WELCOME BACK! The Alabama Reading Initiative wishes you a smooth transition into second semester. We know you are excited to be back in your schools and that your students are happy to be back with you. As you know, school is a safe haven for so many of our students. We are so happy to welcome you back to a successful year. Let's start the semester off strong so we can FINISH STRONG TOGETHER! Are you ready to take a LEAP?
Lead the work.
Equip the staff.
Act on data information.
Prepare the students to reach their goals.
Leaping Forward with Goals
As leaders, many of you are in the process of reflecting and adjusting the goals that were set at the beginning of the year. Now, what? Are you ready to LEAP forward? 2023 is in our rearview mirrors, and we are now looking forward to 2024. We encourage you to take a LEAP into unlimited possibilities. Start by using your mid-year data to plan for your desired end results.
"The new year stands before us like, a chapter in a book, waiting to be written."
-Melody Beattie
Leaping Forward with Leadership
Your leadership makes a great impact on literacy achievement in your school. How will your leadership continue to move your school forward this semester? How will you increase your leadership support? What steps will you take to stay focused on chosen instructional areas this semester? YOUR LEADERSHIP MATTERS. YOU MATTER.
Leaping Forward Utilizing Assessments
As we move into the new year, completing mid-year assessments should be a priority. Trust the process! Your faculty, staff, local reading specialist, and students have worked extremely hard. Be confident that you will see growth and gains from your mid-year data. After your testing window closes, the Alabama Reading Initiative will support each of you in planning your data meetings and/or attending your data meetings.
"Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing."
-Sarah Ban Breathnach
Happy New Year,
Your ARI Family
January Leadership Tasks
- Schedule a data meeting. Review the data tools shared in this edition and the December edition for planning purposes.
- Purposefully plan the data meeting with your local reading specialist.
- Facilitate the mid-year data meeting to analyze data and effectiveness of instruction and interventions.
- Utilize mid-year data results to guide Tier 1, 2, & 3 instructional adjustments.
- Determine Summer Reading Camp support needed (funding, parent notification, staffing).
- Provide intervention services (community support, 60+hours, resources).
- Develop strategies and resources for the parent or legal guardian to use at home to help the student succeed in reading with consideration of home language.
Journey to Success: Mid-Year
Journey to Success: Circles of Influence for Improved Student Achievement
- How has your leadership impacted each of these areas?
- Has your school experienced growth in each of these areas?
- During the fall semester, in which of the five circles of influence has your district/school witnessed the greatest growth/accomplishment? Which circle was the most challenging?
- How will you plan to improve in each circle of influence as you move forward?
- How can the ARI support you? Your school?
Our work this semester will consist of digging deeper into each Circle of Influence as we use the mid-year data to inform our actions. It is important to remember the circles do not operate in isolation. All circles should be in motion simultaneously to improve student achievement.
It is hard to believe that winter is here, and we are halfway through the current school year. As we begin second semester, it is important to remember that just as every snowflake is unique and different, so are our students. What does their mid-year data reveal about their progress? Keep this in mind as we take a deep dive into mid-year data. What implications do you identify school-wide? Are there unique needs in specific classrooms and individual students? As school leaders, we play a vital role in these important conversations. As you lead your teams while data driven adjustments are made, don’t forget to focus on the accomplishments as well. Remember to keep the focus on students and student growth.
These conversation starters are great reminders that there is POWER in our words.
· “Let’s analyze how our students are doing on__________.”
· “How did the students do compared to the last benchmark assessment?”
· “What practices helped students become successful?"
For more great conversation starters, take a moment to review this data tool guide.
Implementing Structured Data Meetings: Full_Handbook.pdf (meadowscenter.org)
We express our sincere gratitude to the Loachapoka Elementary School team for their invaluable contributions of time and talent, which played a significant role in the success of this project. All video vignettes will be accessible on our ARI YouTube channel.
https://youtu.be/0Cv7i1YMd7w?si=XyHYxqdc7wm5E7VD
Unified Insights Regional Trainings
Unified Insights Regional Training opportunities are now open for registration. A total of four LEA representatives from each district should attend the designated session(s) in their region. Session attendance is limited to twenty-five participants per session. Participants will need to have completed a successful login to Unified Insights prior to the session. PSPL Course #313517
Spotlight on Comprehension
We know that reading comprehension is the goal of a skilled reader. As we revisit the Simple View of Reading, we are reminded that reading comprehension is the product of both word recognition (decoding the print) and language comprehension (comprehending spoken English). Instructional time in K-1 classrooms for ELA should be at least 50% foundational skills instruction (oral language, phonological awareness, and phonics). In 2nd and 3rd grade, it may shift to somewhat less than 50% as it meets the needs of the students.
There are several things to consider when planning for meaningful comprehension instruction.
Be certain to choose high-quality text. In the LETRS Vol. 2 manual, there is a list of questions for consideration on page 155 when determining if the text is a good fit.
Consider the comprehension strategies that are supported by research. There is a list from LETRS Vol. 2 found on page 158, which is abbreviated in the bullets below.
Be sure that instruction is incremental and follows a series of steps that results in a gradual release of responsibility (I do, WE do, YOU do). Use informal assessments to determine when students are ready to move to the YOU do.
Be sure to take into consideration the role that background knowledge and vocabulary play in reading comprehension. This may be something that you need to intentionally plan scaffolds or front loading for depending on the text and the needs of your students.
- Comprehension monitoring
- Question answering
- Question generation
- Summarization
- Cooperative learning
- Story structure
- Multiple-strategy instruction
For more information about ways to structure your comprehension instruction, LETRS Volume 2 Unit 7, Session 2 has wonderful resources, tools, and ideas!
Winter Literature: A Frosty Feast for Bookworms!
Winter literature provides an avenue for keeping students engaged and entertained during the chilly days. The timeless and enriching activity of reading perfectly complements the season. Beyond the warmth of a cozy blanket and a cup of hot cocoa, books can transport children to magical winter worlds, fostering their imagination and cognitive development.
1. Nurturing Creativity and Imagination:
Winter-themed books provide an excellent opportunity for children to explore their creativity and imagination. Titles like The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats or Owl Moon by Jane Yolen introduce children to the wonders of snowy landscapes and the joy of winter adventures. These stories not only entertain but also stimulate children's minds, encouraging them to envision and dream.
2. Developing Language Skills:
Reading during winter break contributes significantly to a child's language development. Engaging with diverse vocabulary in books like The Mitten by Jan Brett or Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner enhances language skills and enriches their communication abilities. The rhythmic flow of words and engaging narratives play a crucial role in expanding a child's vocabulary.
3. Cultivating a Love for Learning:
Winter can be an ideal season to instill a love for learning. Books like Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer or The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg not only entertain but also offer educational elements, teaching children about nature, animals, and the joy of discovery. Such experiences can pave the way for a lifelong love of learning.
4. Fostering Diversity and Inclusion:
Winter-themed books come in a variety of genres and often feature characters from diverse backgrounds. Titles like The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett or The Nutcracker in Harlem by T.E. McMorrow provide opportunities for children to encounter different cultures and perspectives. Reading such stories fosters an appreciation for diversity and promotes inclusivity.
5. Bonding Through Shared Stories:
Reading together creates valuable bonding moments between parents, caregivers, and children. Choose books like The Biggest Snowman Ever by Steven Kroll or Snow Sisters! by Kerri Kokias for delightful, shared experiences. These stories not only entertain but also strengthen the emotional connection between family members.
6. Increasing Knowledge of Our World:
Winter-themed non-fiction books provide students with knowledge of plants, animals, and various habitats. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson features photos of real snow crystals in their beautiful diversity and explains how snow crystals are formed. Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard Van Gelder explains animal migration and hibernation as these creatures prepare for winter. In Arctic Lights, Arctic Nights, author Debbie Miller introduces students to the Alaska wilderness, where some of the world's greatest temperature extremes and light variations occur every year.
Winter provides a golden opportunity to inspire a love for reading in children. Through captivating winter-themed books, students can embark on literary adventures, enhance their language skills, and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. So, snuggle up with a good book this winter, and let the magic of storytelling warm both hearts and minds.
Upcoming Conference Opportunity
Literacy Reimagined: Where Research Meets Practice
Date: March 6-8, 2023
Location: University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
Flyer Details: This 2024 conference will unite educators, researchers, and advocates to forge a future where literacy is reimagined and revitalized. The speaker lineup includes a talented group of experts who are transforming literacy throughout the nation. Sessions will address early literacy, adolescent literacy, and learning differences, including dyslexia, assessment, higher education, and administration.
The Importance of Coaching Conversations
As local reading specialists, the Results Based Coaching Tool is the narrative for the work we do with our teachers to improve instructional practices and student achievement. Diane Sweeney’s Coaching Logs contain guiding questions, which can guide for our collaborative conversations when using the Results Based Coaching Tool. When these conversations are focused around measurable goals, data, and learning targets, our words can impact the partnership and student learning!
A New Year, New Coaching Opportunities
In this new year, a new semester brings new opportunities for coaching! This is the perfect time to look back over the first semester and reflect on the things that worked and the things you would like to tweak to ensure another successful semester of supporting teachers through student-centered coaching. Diane Sweeney provides us with a wonderful tool to do just that in her book The Essential Guide for Student-Centered Coaching. She identifies 7 domains of effective coaching.
Effective coaches....
- Understand and implement the core practices for Student-Centered Coaching.
- Design systems and structures to engage teachers in coaching cycles.
- Understand effective instruction and help teachers implement it.
- Build trusting and respectful relationships with teachers.
- Provide skilled facilitation during collaboration.
- Maintain a learning stance.
- Engage in reflective dialogue with teachers.
This would be a great time to take a look at the rubric (Resource D, pp. 153-157) to determine where you feel you are in each domain (novice, developing, or accomplished). After reflecting, set 1-3 goals for your coaching in the new year. Be sure to include your regional literacy specialist in this process to support and cheer you on to reach your coaching goals this semester!
LETRS Resources
As a reminder, a LETRS FAQ document and session calendar (linked below) are available to all LETRS participants. These documents are also located in the ARI Padlet.
The following topics are covered in the FAQ document:
- Points of Contact
- Expectations for Participants
- Pacing
- Attendance
- CEU Credits
- Stipends
- Make-up Sessions
- Technology Troubleshooting
- New Hires
- Materials
- License Expiration/ Extensions
- Certificates
- Post-Test Resets