Teaching Our Readers

When They Struggle

Laura Adams, Literacy Consultant
Barb Novak, Literacy Consultant

Reading Proficiency in WI

See Data Snapshots: Reading Proficiency in

Wisconsin for additional information.

Todays Agenda
Mindset
Overview of Materials to Use
Systemic Thinking
Matching Supports to Needs

WORDS MATTER
Teaching Our Readers
When They Struggle

Mindset - Close Reading

PART 1. Read and Think.
1. Read the excerpt by yourself.
2. Write notes about your thinking in the margins.
---------------------------------------------PART 2. Discuss.
1. Someone will read the passage slowly aloud.
2. Say STOP on a word to share your thinking.
3. Continue reading aloud and stopping to share thinking.

Definition

Examples

Characteristics
Growth
Mindset

Non-Examples

More about Mindset

Dweck in EdWeek
Dweck in Educational Leadership
100% is Overrated from The Atlantic
Barbs thinking about mindset

Build a Growth Mindset by. . .

Noticing and naming
Developing identity and
agency
Prompting flexibility,
transfer, generalization
(Dweck, 2006; Johnston, 2004)

http://dpi.wi.gov/reading/professional-learning/readers-who-struggle

Goals
1.

2.
3.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Consider ways to

immediately improve outcomes for individual students,
while also strengthening a multi-level system of support
ASSESSMENT: Understand a process for developing a
profile of a reader when he/she struggles
INSTRUCTION: Develop a process for personalizing
instruction to meet the needs of a reader who struggles

Culturally Responsive
Multi-Level System of Support
Immediately
improve outcomes
for individual
students
Strengthen your
multi-level system
of support

Systemic and Systematic Practices

Systemic
thinking

Relating to the system

as a whole

Systematic
practices

According to a plan;
methodical

Multi-Level System of Support for the

WHOLE Child
Academic
Task
Academic
Set Skills

Behavior
Set Skills

Discuss: Multi-Level System

What does your multilevel system of support
for reading look like?
Handout:
Note-taking Sheet: Improving Outcomes through a
Culturally Responsive Multi-Level System of Support

High Quality Instruction

Instruction
Standards Based
Curriculum

Assessment
High Quality
Instruction
Strong multi-level
system of support

Discuss: Universal Reading

Instruction
What does universal reading
instruction look like in your school?
What do engaging literacy-rich
classrooms look like in your school?
How do you ensure that ALL
students have meaningful access to
universal curriculum?
Handout:
Note-taking Sheet: Improving Outcomes through a
Culturally Responsive Multi-Level System of Support

What could/should be assessed?

Comprehension

Concepts of Print

Phonological
Awareness

Phonics

Fluency

Motivation and
Engagement

Past and Present:

Environment and
Successes

Match Supports to Needs

Develop a process for personalizing instruction
to meet the needs of a reader who struggles:
Identify a learners strengths and needs
Set reading-related goals
Plan actions to meet/exceed goals
Engage with grade-level text and content
Remain motivated to learn
Monitor progress and adjust accordingly

Examples: Student Strengths

Strength

Supporting Data

Possible Next Steps

GRADE 1
Jamal recognizes lower case letters.

He scored 24 on the alphabet

recognition task on PALS (fall grade
1).

Increase familiarity with letter

sounds (12 correct, PALS, fall grade
1).

GRADE 5
Tamaya is a leader in small group
discussions.

Observation of discussion of
photographs during social studies.

Provide opportunities for textbased discussion.

GRADE 10
Maria is actively involved in the
schools choir.

Reported in motivation interview.

Use song lyrics or texts about

music, when possible.

Examples: Student Needs

Need

Supporting Data

Short-term Success

Long-term Success

GRADE 1 - Jamal
Letter sounds

12 correct, PALS
(Fall grade 1)

Recognize each lowercase letter and produce

its sound

Develop concept of word

GRADE 5 Tamaya
Decoding words with
multiple syllables

Accuracy on grade 3
passage (with MSV
analysis)

Increase accuracy on
grade 3 passages

Increase accuracy and

rate on grade 4 passages

GRADE 10 Maria
Comprehension

Comprehension
Conversations

Increased comprehension
on fiction (Marias
preferred text)

Increased comprehension
on all text types

MAPS scores

Relate Strengths and Needs

Progression of literacy development

Jamal can recognize his letters and will

work next on producing their sounds.

Response to instructional strategies and

techniques

Tamaya is a leader in discussion.

Discussion could motivate her to struggle
with difficult text.

Motivation and Engagement

Maria is motivated by music. Using texts

related to this area may motivate her to
struggle with difficult text.

Take Action to Exceed Goals

Through universal instruction and intervention:

Engage with grade-level texts and content
Develop understanding (at instructional level)
Remain motivated to learn

Todays Agenda
Mindset
Overview of Materials to Use
Systemic Thinking
Matching Supports to Needs

Commitment to Action
What will you do as a
result of todays
learning?

For questions and comments,

please contact:
Kay Guberud, Literacy/Special Education Consultant
608-267-9160 | kay.guberud@dpi.wi.gov

Barb Novak, Literacy Consultant

608-266-5181 | barb.novak@dpi.wi.gov