PLC+Meeting+8-25-09

===media type="custom" key="4337783"This page will serve to keep track of the decisions we make about EL CAHSEE course. Other teachers may be added to the CAHSEE Prep. group, so we must establish goals, grading practices, curriculum and strategies for the CAHSEE Prep course in order to facilitate a smooth transition for additional teachers.===

From notes on the July EDGE training:

"Looking at which standards are assessed most heavily on the CAHSEE
 * Reading Comprehension (specifically evaluating the credibility of arguments, 2.8) is assessed heavier than writing--however the CAHSEE also has an essay portion (lower percentage of writing question, but there is an essay--which the CST doesn't have)
 * Many questions on revising--so we really need to push the writing process"

CAHSEE Prep: CAHSEE Prep Survey 1. What is the overall goal for this course? Better academic English literacy and CAHSEE scores 2. How can we make grading more equitable for students? multiple assessment forms, common student goals and grading rubrics, multiple "safety nets" to help students demonstrate competency 3. How can we make the course more effective in raising students' exit exam scores/passage rates? practice materials and tutorials (ie StudyIsland.com) aligned with CAHSEE subtests, student practice focused on individualized areas of need as gleaned from past performance (Performance Profile)
 * Step 1: Survey responses**

Review CAHSEE Results page on ELDPLC Wikispace

From [|Robert Marzano's web site:] Also from Marzano: When first learning how to set specific goals, we recommend that you state them in one of the following two formats: The reason for the two formats is that content knowledge can be organized into two broad categories: declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge (Anderson, et al., 2001; Marzano & Kendall, 2007). Marzano, R. (2009). //Designing & teaching learning goals & objectives// (p. 15). Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
 * Step 2: Learning outcomes**
 * Research shows that __good teaching begins with clear learning goals__.
 * Goals are the reason classroom activities are designed. Without clear goals, classroom activities are without direction. Researchers Joseph Krajcik, Katherine McNeill, and Brian Reiser (2007) explain that __good teaching begins with clear learning goals from which teachers select appropriate instructional activities and assessments that help determine students’ progress on the learning goals__.
 * Marzano, R. (2009). //Designing & teaching learning goals & objectives// (p. 4). Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory.
 * Specific learning goals should be stated in one of two formats to represent declarative knowledge or procedural knowledge.
 * Students will be able to.
 * Students will understand.

Learning outcomes for the first term: (based on standard frequency on CAHSEE) Test taking skills Vocabulary Grammar CAHSEE prep Reading Writing Speaking
 * SWBAT achieve higher test scores through usage of various general strategies
 * SWBAT explain the meanings of an ever-expanding number of academic words pulled from course content and general vocabulary
 * SWBAT describe and use correct English grammar conventions
 * SWBAT earn progressively higher scores through focused practice of CAHSEE content
 * SWBAT articulate the main idea(s) of a passage
 * SWBAT improve their correct pronunciation of English over time
 * SWBAT score higher over time on comprehension tasks
 * SWBAT analyze and interpret various literary elements
 * SWBAT correct grammatical/structural errors in sentences
 * SWBAT better incorporate effective sensory language and other literary devices in their compositions
 * SWBAT generate longer written pieces through increased fluency
 * SWBAT give a 1-2 minute oral presentation and respond to three follow-up questions

What are our grading categories? Reading 35%, Writing 35%, Speaking 15%, Participation 15% What is the role of the grade? an indicator of mastery achieved to focus enrichment activities; a measure of improvement in successful completion of CAHSEE subsections
 * Step 3: Grading practices**

//Measuring Up// Free Online Practice Questions. Samples from one source: From the California Department of Education: StudyIsland.com on-line test preparation tutorial Glencoe's //Grammar and Composition// Hampton-Brown's //Edge//
 * Step 4: Curriculum/Resources**
 * [|Basic Reading Comprehension]
 * [|Reading for the Main Idea]
 * [|Advanced Reading Comprehension]
 * [|Sentence Correction]
 * [|Sentence Correction 2]
 * Released ELA Test Questions [[file:ela08rtq.pdf]]
 * ELA Study Guide [[file:studyela08guide.pdf]]

What strategies will we use to help students learn and assess their learning? study skills training, guided instruction/practice, independent/group activities, tutorials/conferencing; student progress charting, frequent class grade posting, speedy grade feedback, individual/group end of unit informal assessment
 * Step 5: Strategies**


 * Step 6: Scope and sequence, Term 1**

Generally speaking, a two-week unit of instruction can address somewhere between two and three goals without taxing the resources of individual teachers and the capacities of students. The curriculum over the course of a year is composed of individual units of instruction. Within a single unit of instruction a teacher typically addresses a few academic learning goals and even fewer noncognitive goals. Exactly how many goals should be identified is indeterminate. That noted, it makes some intuitive sense that a two-week unit of instruction can address somewhere between two and three goals without taxing the resources of individual teachers and the capacities of students. Thus, on average, a unit of instruction could handle 2.5 learning goals. If one extends this thinking, the entire year can address some 45 learning goals because the school year is typically thirty-six weeks long. Marzano, R. (2009). //Designing & teaching learning goals & objectives// (p. 79). Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory. source for this text: http://www.marzanoresearch.com/products/tips.aspx?product=1#tip21


 * 45 learning goals per year ~ 11 or 12 learning goals per quarter**

(Learning Outcomes) ||~ A (Assessments) ||~ S (Supports) ||~ I (Input) ||
 * ~  ||~ L
 * **Sequence** || What do we want our students to be able to do or understand? || How do we know the students achieved the learning outcome? || What strategies/best practices will we use to help our students achieve the learning outcome? || Through what curriculum (cite when possible) will we deliver our instruction? ||
 * 1 || SWBAT achieve higher test scores through usage of various general strategies || practice test results || guided practice, small groups, individual practice || CDE released ELA test questions; StudyIsland.com online tutorial ||
 * 2 || SWBAT generate longer written pieces through increased fluency || gradual increase of passage length over a given timeframe || teacher modeling, oral sharing of written responses || personal writing journals, quickwrites ||
 * 3 || SWBAT better incorporate effective sensory language and other literary devices in their compositions || concrete details used in responses, "showing vs telling" writing, departmental rubric || guided reading/analysis, guided writing practice, small group/individual practice || sample passages, comparing/contrasting pairs, writing exercises ||
 * 4 || SWBAT articulate the main idea(s) of a passage || oral/written responses from guided readings, small group/individual practice assessments || read-alouds, outlining/charting/marking text, analytical reading || sample thematic passages, on-line practice materials, //Measuring Up// ||
 * 5 || SWBAT improve their correct pronunciation of English over time || oral reading, short oral presentations || flexible opportunities, low-risk options, sample sentence starters || sample passages, journal/quickwrite responses, selected sharing of formal writings ||
 * 6 || SWBAT explain the meanings of an ever-expanding number of academic words pulled from course content and general vocabulary || Quizlets, oral/written responses, practice tests || Quizlets, contextual clues, graphic organizers, partner review, translation tools || sample passages, assigned readings, sample tests ||
 * 7 || SWBAT describe and use correct English grammar conventions || practice grammar tests, oral/written responses || guided instruction/practice, exercises || //Edge Language and Grammar// transparencies, Glencoe's //Grammar and Composition// ||
 * 8 || SWBAT correct grammatical/structural errors in sentences || on-line sample items, practice handouts/quizzes, Quizlets || group review of student writing samples, Quizlets, practice tests || Testprepreview.com, Glencoe's //Grammar and Composition// ||
 * 9 || SWBAT score higher over time on comprehension tasks || oral/written responses, practice tests || guided practice, small group/individual practice, study skills training || assigned readings, //Measuring Up//, StudyIsland.com online tutorial ||
 * 10 || SWBAT analyze and interpret various literary elements || oral/written responses (Narrative Formative Assessment), practice tests, student progress charting || guided instruction/reading, marking text, study aids, practice tests, Quizlets || assigned readings, sample passages, //Measuring Up//, StudyIsland.com online tutorial, released ELA test questions ||
 * 11 || SWBAT earn progressively higher scores through focused practice of CAHSEE content || oral/written responses, practice test results || guided practice, small group/individual practice, focus on individualized needs || //Measuring Up//, StudyIsland.com online tutorial, released ELA test questions ||
 * 12 || SWBAT give a 1-2 minute oral presentation and respond to three follow-up questions || timed presentation with responses || teacher modeling, outlining instruction, practice impromptu responding, responding from seat and front of class || Narrative Formative Assessment Unit ||


 * Ideas from Sophia Jacoub:**

-The first unit should be all about test taking skills (both for multiple choice and preparing to write an essay) Scanning the questions, elimination, etc. -There needs to be a strong focus on marking the text...taught explicitly. -Students need to be learning academic vocab weekly (these can be pulled from the readings/questions of upcoming units) -Students also need specific grammar instruction possibly focusing on 1 major grammar rule/week -I believe the English department has approved buying more Measuring Up books, so it would be a good idea to go through that by each strand. I think it's a good idea to do one week of the reading type chapters and then the next week on one of the essay types. -Another thing that could work (for students who have already attempted the HSEE) would be to print out their strand summaries and have a tutorial day in class where they work specifically on that, esp. before a school-wide test day. They could also be paired up with students who have the same issues. -Finally, Study Island (if we still have it) can generate questions that can be printed for supplemental materials as well as the CDE website's released test questions. (I used to make a packet of these for in class guided practice and also use them for formative assessments)