MARESA Literacy Monthly: October 2021 Edition

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Spotlight on the Essentials

Targeting Literacy Essential Practice #3:  Small Group & individual Instruction

The 2021-22 school year is in full swing and MARESA literacy professional learning has set it sights on this year’s goal: Literacy Essential #3 Small Group and Individual Instruction, using a variety of grouping strategies, most often with flexible groups formed and instruction targeted to children’s observed and assessed needs in specific aspects of literacy development.

Throughout this year, the MARESA Literacy Monthly will focus on the many aspects of small group and individual instruction. This component of Tier 1 instruction is truly essential to include in EVERY CLASSROOM, EVERY DAY as research continues to support small group and individual instruction as a means to further EVERY CHILD’s literacy development. “Join” us in this virtual space each month to unlock the potential this form of instruction offers!


Your Voice Matters! Make this year’s learning relevant by completing this short survey! Thank you in advance for your participation and dedication to doing what is best for your students!

For the Love of Reading

Student Purpose for Reading & Writing

We know the more students read and write, the more they grow in their literacy skills and as individuals. As educators, how do we motivate our students to read and write more? That's where the K-3, and 4-5 Literacy Essentials help guide our classroom practices!


Research strongly supports that literacy motivation is connected to authentic purposes for reading and writing. It makes sense, right? When students have a real-life purpose, they are more motivated to read and write. But how can we create more meaningful purposes for students to read and write beyond being assigned or expected to do so?


In the Literacy Essential video below, one of our fellow Michigan teachers shares how students in her classroom write travel blog reviews that are then shared with members of the community.



 go! Go! Gaby!

Supporting readers with technology!

Bitmoji of Gaby reading on top of a mushroom, reads: Supporting readers with Seesaw and Flipgrid
 A lot of you HAD to use Seesaw and /or Flipgrid last year because of the crazy year we had.  I hope you keep using these tools, they can add a new layer to your class and you already know how to use them!

I'm sharing some ideas on how these tools can support independent reading in your class. I hope you like it!  Click here to access it or here to download it!

Engaging Families

Identity Matters:  Building Community and Connection Through Names

As you strive to build both community and connection within the classroom, we invite you to consider the use of student name stories.  In doing so, it is important to acknowledge that for some students, a name story may surface a traumatic experience(s).  For that reason, we share three possibilities for you to explore in order to customize a plan that meets your needs as well as your students':  

  • Invite students to find out their name story with families.  This information can be shared in multiple ways: 
    • Family projects: posters, written reports, etc. 
    • Written interviews
    • Rather than collect all student name histories simultaneously, replace birthday celebrations and acknowledgements with a family visit.  Allow a parent or family member to tell the child's name story or researched name origin to the class in-person or even via Zoom or Google Meet.   
  • Research the origins of names while in school:  Where did this name come from and what does it mean? 
  • Choice Board:  Customize a set of options for your students to celebrate their names.  Perhaps an acrostic poem using the letters to share students' unique qualities, an art project that could serve as classroom decoration, name histories and origins, etc.  This inclusive offering allows all students a safe option. 

Children’s literature is full of beautiful stories for beginning this conversation with students and families. The texts below can be read in class or during a family read-aloud on FaceBook Live, Zoom, or Google Meet. You can find any of the following texts on YouTube if you do not have access to the books. 

                                                     

After reading any of the text above, see the ready-to-go family engagement activities for honoring every child’s background and story.

Managing It all!

Teaching expectations

There is no doubt educators have a lot on their plate but did you know teaching students your expectations is the plate? Effective teachers are highly structured and high structure sets all students up for success.

CHAMPS is one system that research and many MARESA teachers have found effective for establishing classroom environments with high structure. For each activity or transition, teachers review CHAMPS with their students:

Conversation: Can students talk to each other during the activity/transition?

Help: How can students ask questions during this activity/transition? How do they get your attention?

Activity: What is the task/object of this activity/transition? What is the expected end product?
Movement: Can students move about during this activity/transition? Can they sharpen their pencil?

Participation: What does appropriate student work behavior for this activity/transition look/sound like?

*There are many free CHAMPS posters and templates on Teachers-Pay-Teachers.

Even if you use a different system than CHAMPS, check out the short videos below to help support you and your students with creating a classroom environment with high structure so more time is available for reading and writing!


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