Transcript Using a Stepping Stone Approach to Developing

IRA Convention
May 10, 2014
Using a Stepping Stone Approach to Developing the
Ability to Read Complex Informational Text
Thomas Gunning, Southern Connecticut State
University, Emeritus
Steppingstone Approach
• Use easier books on same topic to prepare for
more complex book
– 5 books on climate change
– 5 books on Kennedy
• Build background & vocabulary with each
book. Also build decoding skills, if necessary.
• Start with target text- might be on-level social studies
text-analyze skills necessary to read target text and
key concepts
• Obtain books leading up to target book
• Plan lessons teaching needed skills & background
• Used with with fourth- and seventh-graders for 50 to
60 lessons,
• Made significant progress- boosted self-esteembecame experts (Gelzheiser, 2010)
Inquiry or Essential Question Approach
• What special abilities do animals have?
• Assembled range of books that described
animals’ special abilities
(Liben, 2013)
Used with Older Students
• Older students used easier to text to prepare
for reading of more difficult text
• Use the background and vocabulary
developed in the easier texts to enable them
to read more difficult texts (Schoenbach,
Greenleaf, & Murphy 2012)
Bootstrap Approach
Adams (2010-2011) recommends sequencing
readings so that “each text bootstraps the
language and knowledge that will be needed for
the next” (p. 10).
• Select a topic.
•Teach the topic’s key
concepts and words.
• Have students read texts
of increasing complexity
on the topic.
Sources of Steppingstone Texts
• Titlewave (www.titlewave.com) can be searched by
title, author, subject, maturity level, or readability
level. Reviews & look-inside feature.
• Renaissance Learning- Bookfind
• MetaMetrics (Lexile Framework)
• Scholastic’s Book Wizard
• Google Books <http://books.google.com/>
• Questar – Booklink software- 38,000 books
Estimating Readability
3-Part Approach
Objective- formula
• Lexile- 150, 000 books
• Bookfind- grade equivalent
• Booklink-DRP units- 38,000
• Coh-Metrix Text Easability Assessor (FleschKincaid)
All 4 allow users to paste or place in text
• Subjective text factors
• Read-task factors
Steppingstone Books on Polar Bears
Climate Change
Edwards, R. (2008). Polar bears in danger. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. RL 3.2
Waters, K. (2009). Earth in danger. New York: Scholastic. RL 4.0
Simon, Seymour (2013). Global warming. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Science.
RL 4.2
Cole, J. (2010). The magic school bus and the climate challenge. New York:
Scholastic. RL 4.3
Royston, A. (2008). Global warming. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. RL 4.3
Nemeth, J. D. (2012). Climate change. New York: PowerKids Press. RL 4.5
Collins, T. (2010). Getting to the bottom of global warming: An Isabel Soto
investigation. Mankato, MN:Capstone. RL 5.1
Faust, D. K. (2009). Global warming: Greenhouse gases and the ozone layer. New
York: PowerKids Press. RL 5.6
Discuss Selections
• Build understanding
• Build background
• Build vocabulary
• Assess mastery
Polar Bear Cub
What did you learn about polar
bears?
How long does the polar bear family
stay in the den?
What animal does the mother bear
hunt for food?
How does the family get to land?
What keeps Cub warm in the cold
water?
How long will the family stay on land?
Polar Bears
What did you learn about polar bears and
how they live?
Where do polar bears live?
What keeps them warm?
What keeps them from slipping on the ice?
What helps them to become good swimmers?
Why is it important for them to be good
swimmers?
What camouflage does the polar bear have?
How does the polar bear use its camouflage?
How do polar bears catch seals?
Why do some female polar bears sleep in
dens in winter/?
How does the mother polar bear take care of her cubs?
Polar Bears in Danger Segment 1
What did you learn about polar bears?
What is there home like/?
How do they get their food?
What makes you think that a ringed seal is a
large animal?
Segment 2
Were you surprised to find out that polar bears
have black skin?
Why is having black skin a good thing for polar
bears?
How doers the layer of fat help polar bears?
What did you learn about how polar bear cubs
are raised?
Segment 3
Why are polar bears said to be in danger?
Polar Bears and Their Homes
What did you learn about polar
bears?
What did you learn about their
bodies?
How do their bodies help them to
survive?
How do polar bears get their
food?”
Why are polar bears said to be in
trouble?
Where Do Polar Bears Live?
What did you learn about polar bears?
What are their homes like?
Why does the article say that polar bears are
built to survive (p.16)?
How does the mother polar bear catch a seal?
What problem are polar bears facing?
Source of High-Quality Informational Text
Data Bases- Subscribed to by state, local, or
school libraries- EBSCO
I-Conn. Org
Free for anyone who has a CT library card
IConn
Resources
Kids Search
603 Articles
Steppingstone Articles on Polar Bears
Great White Sea Bear
Schleichert, Elizabeth
Ranger Rick, Feb2001, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p2, 8p,
HTML- may not have illustrations
1088 words 760 lexiles
Overview of physical characteristics, habitat,
and habits of polar bears.
Providing for All Students
• Alternative to reading books & articles in steppingstone
fashion
• Use the range of levels to match materials with students so
that students are provided with books and articles on the
appropriate level of difficulty. Students with diverse reading
abilities can investigate the same topic.
• If students read different texts on the same topic, will
encounter diverse information. As one teacher noted, when
the lowest readers gathered information that no one else
knew about, they begin to see themselves as valuable
contributors (Stenner, 2013).
Automated Steppingstone
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DELIBERATE
PRACTICE AND READING ABILITY by Sean
Hanlon (2013)
Study of Oasis Learning
Oasis Learning
Placed according to Lexile score
Chose articles between +100L (66 & 82% expected
comprehension)
Completed embedded modified cloze items
Received corrective feedback
Level of articles adjusted according to performance
Received feedback on number of articles & words
read, time spent, percentage correct, changes in lexile
levels
Oasis Study (Hanlon, 2013)
1,369 students grades 2-8
Access for average of 1,422 calendar days
Read average 212.2 articles, 151,574
words
Start 780- low practice 1100, avg 1175,
high 1200
Start 431-low practice 900, avg 1025
high 1050
Oasis Learning
Placed according to Lexile score
Chose articles between +100L (66 & 82% expected
comprehension)
Completed embedded modified cloze items
Received corrective feedback
Level of articles adjusted according to performance
Received feedback on number of articles & words
read, time spent, percentage correct, changes in lexile
levels
Oasis Study (Hanlon, 2013)
1,369 students grades 2-8
Access for average of 1,422 calendar days
Read average 212.2 articles, 151,574 words
Start 780- low practice 1100, avg 1175, high
1200
Start 431-low practice 900, avg 1025 high 1050
Growth in Reading Ability as a Response to
Using EdSphere™ by: Gary L. Williamson,
Ph.D., Juee Tendulkar, Sean T. Hanlon,
Carl W. Swartz, Ph.D.
www.lexile.com/about-lexile/research-briefs
392 eighth graders- tracked from grade 2
Gained average of 1L for each session above
& beyond what was expected
DELIBERATE PRACTICE
• Targeted practice in which each person is
engaged in developmentally appropriate activities
• Real-time corrective feedback that is based
on each person’s performance
• Intensive practice on a daily basis that
provides results that monitor current ability
• Distributed practice that provides
appropriate activities over a long period of time
and which allows for monitoring growth towards
expert performance
• Self-directed practice in an activity for times
when a coach, mentor or teacher is not available
• Progress monitored on a developmental scale
that allows educators to monitor growth from novice to
expert.
Hanlon, S. T. (2013). The relationship between deliberate practice
and reading ability. Ph.D. thesis, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Rewordify.com
Rewords difficult words
Can enter text
Web sites
Text in their library- classic texts
Aesop embodies an epigram
Aesop represents a clever saying
The felicity which I reflected on has
induced me …
The happiness which I reflected on
has caused me
5 levels
Reword:
1.Almost all hard words
2.Top 80%
3.Top 60%
4.Top 40%
5.Only the hardest
Gives a READ level
Customizing
Which words are rewordified- can add
& delete words
How original word is shown- tap on
easier word to see original
Can speak words
Can print quizzes using words &
definitions
For More Information
• Go to
Buildingliteracy.org