19 Jun 2024

Understanding our Literacy Data

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We have lots and lots of data in education, especially when it comes to reading. Gathering that data is often easier than making use of it. Here are some things to keep in mind as you sort through your literacy data. 

 

Testing circumstances impact performance. 

Many assessments are administered to students in a large group setting and on the computer. Are students truly set up to do their best in this environment? We don’t want to make excuses, but we do want the data to give us information about reading, not about behavior, focus, or level of engagement with the task. 

 

Low comprehension scores don’t necessarily mean there is a comprehension issue. 

Students can’t comprehend if they can’t decode. Students also struggle to comprehend when their reading isn’t fluent, or if they are unfamiliar with the vocabulary in a piece of text. We’ll need to look at decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension data to determine the source of a comprehension challenge.

 

Low fluency scores don’t necessarily mean there is a fluency issue. 

Students who can’t read fluently, could have a decoding issue.  It is important to gather more diagnostic information before isolating the problem. 

 

Data is only helpful if we do something about it. 

Our data gives us information to use as we plan instruction. If we aren’t using it, we’re wasting our time and our students’ time. Do teachers need support in accessing and applying the data to their instruction?

 

Does your district have a Literacy Decision Tree? If so, use it. If not, create one. 

The tree is a guide that helps us figure out who needs which assessments. Using it will decrease the amount of testing for each student, and it will lead us from the screening measures to the diagnostic information that we need in order to make instructional decisions.

9 Jun 2024

5 Ways to Support Schools as They Make the Shift to the Science of Reading

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Link Education Project has been working with schools in Northeast Ohio for the past 12 years to make connections among new learning, current research, and powerful classroom practices that make a difference for kids. Today, teachers all over Ohio are working hard to learn about literacy instruction based on the science of reading, and we know that additional support is needed to translate that new learning into the life of every classroom. Here are five ways to support schools as they shift literacy practices:

1 – Work with administrators at monthly or quarterly meetings to:

  • Learn together and reflect on that new learning
  • Highlight science of reading concepts from the principals’ perspective
  • Develop clear expectations and priorities for teacher learning and implementation of practices
  • Analyze data in a way that provides clarity and direction for instruction
  • Share observations and questions about teacher implementation 

2 – Work with leadership teams at monthly or quarterly meetings to:

  • Support schoolwide implementation of practices and to promote a culture of learning, reflecting, sharing and risk-taking
  • Help develop realistic goals, action plans and timelines
  • Support working groups as they plan and deliver professional development
  • Provide materials to use for school presentations and model lessons

3 – Work with grade level teams at monthly meetings to:

  • Reflect on new learning
  • Connect new learning to classroom practices
  • Share, model and demonstrate routines and strategies 
  • Provide materials for instruction and interventions
  • Share student data and plan for instruction based on the data

4 – Work with teachers and coaches individually to: 

  • Model instructional practices
  • Review data and determine next steps
  • Troubleshoot needs and strategies for particular students
  • Co-plan and team-teach 
  • Coach teachers during instruction

5 – Share tools and resources that make implementation of new practices impactful, focused and teacher-friendly. Here are some of our favorites:

  • Link Literacy Toolkits – As we work with teams, we build toolkits based on our shared learning.  Each toolkit is aligned to the primary literacy domains (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing). These easy-to-access resources provide teachers with routines and strategies to meet the needs of their students.  
  • One-Pagers – Big Ideas and Terms from the Science of Reading With all the new learning, sometimes it’s nice to review a topic at-a-glance. We create summaries of the latest research for easy review and quick access. Examples of our one pagers are:  What do I Need to Know about Syllables? and What do I Need to Know about Phonics?
  • New Learning and Expectations – This tool is used to guide leadership teams through a process of clarifying expectations for teacher learning and implementation of practices over a three-year period. 
  • District Literacy Plans – While all school districts create plans for the state, some districts feel the need to create an additional brief, working document that clarifies specific action steps and strategies for reaching their literacy goals. This plan is used to guide and focus all literacy leadership meetings.

 

“Link is priceless! In a time when tasks keep getting added to our plate, they take things off our plate. They provide strategies that are easy to implement, prepare materials for us, and look into questions we have and follow up with answers. I truly think they play a large factor in the success our team and students have had.” – Bedford Teacher
24 May 2023

We’re Hiring!

by | posted in: Education, Leadership, Literacy, Schools, Uncategorized | 0

We’re hiring!

Link Education Project is hiring a part-time Literacy Coach to work with our team in schools in the Greater Cleveland area. This is a one-year, independent contractor position for the 2023-24 school year. 

The Literacy Coach will work on-site with teachers, principals, and students to develop and deliver a comprehensive professional development program that supports school and district goals. The coach will facilitate grade level meetings, model literacy instruction in classrooms, analyze student data, and collaborate with teams of teachers and coaches to provide high quality professional development. 

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Build effective working relationships with principals and teachers
  • Develop teacher knowledge and skill related to collaboration and effective teaching and learning through:
    • Facilitating team meetings
    • Modeling classroom literacy strategies
    • Consulting/coaching one-on-one with teachers
    • Using Link frameworks to develop and deliver support and professional development.
  • Participate in school-wide planning as requested
  • Remain current in instructional research and practices
  • Participate in monthly collaboration
  • Take on additional responsibilities as needed

The ideal candidate will possess most of the following:

  • 7 or more years of classroom experience 
  • 3 or more years of experience leading adult, school-based professional development
  • Strong content knowledge and experience in early literacy instruction, science of reading, and disciplinary literacy
  • Experience leading professional learning communities, peer collaboration, and developing positive school climate
  • Experience working with groups of adult learners to bring about meaningful change 
  • A growth mindset
  • Ability to analyze student data, clarify instructional implications, and develop learning plans in response to the data
  • Masters degree in Education
  • Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills
  • Broad knowledge of child development and literacy instruction
  • Ability to work with a variety of stakeholders and personalities
  • Ability to work effectively with both adults and children
  • Values collaboration and understands what it means to be part of a team
  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Ability to take initiative, work independently, and follow through with commitments 

To apply, send cover letter, resume, and contact information for references to linkeducationproject@gmail.com [References will not be contacted until after the interview.]

11 Dec 2022

Creating a Framework for Literacy Instruction

by | posted in: Education, Literacy, Reading, Uncategorized | 0

As educators, we are always learning more about teaching literacy. We know that right now, research from many disciplines is impacting our field and changing the way we all think about teaching reading. It’s huge. It’s exciting. And it’s challenging. This research offers us new possibilities for reflecting on our practices and for improving the ways we support growing readers. It invites us to rethink our frameworks for literacy instruction.

As a learning organization, Link Education Project’s Literacy Framework is always a work in progress. Our most recent version uses simple language to capture the work teachers do in classrooms every day to grow skilled, curious, and joyful readers. It brings together the elements of Scarborough’s Reading Rope, important aspects of writing instruction, and an emphasis on oral language as the foundation for reading. It can be used as a tool for teachers and administrators to guide their thinking around classroom practices, resources and supports. We’d love to hear your feedback about our framework. What works? What’s missing? How does it compare to the framework you currently use?