Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Through Deliberate Practice

Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Through Deliberate Practice Carl Swartz cswartz@lexile. com Sean Hanlon shanlon@lexile. com

As ses sm en ve Deliberate Practice t en Fo rm ssm se As ati ve ati mm Su t Blending Learning, Assessment, and Instruction College and Career Readiness

Components of the Lexile Framework for Reading Lexile Analyzer® Lexile Map Linking Technology Reading Test 3

The Lexile Frameworks for Reading and Writing § Developmental scales § Instructional resources – 130, 000 books – 400 million digital articles § Oasis – A student-centered web application – Reading, writing, and vocabulary activities 4

College and Career Ready 5

Preparing for College and Career: Observed vs. Stretch Text Complexity Through the Grades Stenner, A. J. , Koons, H. , & Swartz, C. W. (2009). Closing the text complexity gap: Reconceptualizing the text complexity continuum. 6

Components of the Lexile Framework for Writing Lexile Writing Analyzer® Writing Activities Linking Technology Prompts 7

Prompt: Describe a favorite object (4 AI) My Picture Book My picture book is speaical of it's shape. It is round. My picture book is pink and blue. It is big. My family is in there. I got it in Wal-Mart. I would not lose it, because it is in my heart. My family picture is in there. I love it. It is my favite book to me. It have my Uncle Bobby, Uncle Sam, my grandmother, and my sister Claudette. I got my dad and my anat. Me and my mom is in there. My sister and brother. My grandmother is nice my grandfather is nice. My picture book is my favite book it is so, big. I love everyone in the world. My picture book is the speacil thing. My picture book is in my heart it is beatyful if you see it you look at it for a longtime if you pick it up. I love it so, so much. Autograph Transcription Writing Analyzer Machine Measure = 345 W Human Ratings FACETS Measure = 320 W 8

The Reading-Writing Connection Cross-sectional Reading and Writing Lexile Means 1400 1200 Lexile 1000 800 Reading 600 Writing 400 200 Reading/Writing Correlations r =. 78 Disattennuated for Measurement Error r” =. 866 r” 2 =. 75 0 4 6 8 10 12 Grade 9

College and Career Ready Writing: Observed vs. Stretch Text Complexity 10

The Beginnings of a Classroom-based Formative System 11

“Find a Book” 12

Find-a-Book: Everyone Will Read About Civil Rights 13

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DISCUS: Everyone Will Read Articles About Civil Rights Using On-line Periodicals 15

EBSCO Databases § MAS Ultra - School Edition § Middle Search Plus § Primary Search 16

Total Number of EBSCO Articles by Lexile Text Complexity Zone 17

Total Number of Oasis Articles by Lexile Text Complexity Zone 18

Oasis § A student-centered literacy platform – Does not require teacher direction § Differentiated activities § Formative assessment in the background § Web-enabled with minimal bandwidth requirement § Built on the principles of deliberate practice… 19

Research 1 suggests that a novice develops into an expert through an intricate process that includes: § Targeted practice in which one is engaged in developmentally appropriate activities § Real-time corrective feedback that is based on one’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 (i. e. , 5– 10 years), which allows for monitoring growth towards expert performance § Self-directed practice for those times when a coach, mentor or teacher is not available 1 Glaser, 1996; Kellogg, 2006; Shea & Paull, 1996; Wagner & Stanovich, 1996 20

Irmo Middle School How did the educators and parents at Irmo Middle School use Web-based technology and the Lexile Framework for Reading to promote daily deliberate practice in reading at school and at home? 1. We developed a Literacy Plan – Get R. E. A. L. 2. We integrated OASIS to target instruction in the literacy plan. 3. We tracked student reading progress and provided incentives for reading utilizing OASIS. 21

Creating a Literacy Plan - Purpose § Increase independent reading for pleasure for all students. § Increase independent reading for all students in content areas. § Create a portfolio of a student’s growth as a reader in the amount of material read and the reading level. § Use the portfolio for identifying student progress and school progress. 22

Creating a Literacy Plan – Goals (2008 -2011) § Increase amount of reading resources available for students at § § § their reading level. Accessible at school and at home Provide reading materials based on student interest. Nurture students in areas where they may need additional support. Provide parents a tool Students share with each other articles and books they have enjoyed reading 23

Creating a Literacy Plan - Assessment § Measure student interest in topics available § Obtain feedback from faculty as to how the program assists with instruction § Analyze data regarding amount of time spent reading, amount of words read, and growth of students’ lexile level 24

Creating a Literacy Plan – School Management § Meta. Metrics loads all student data for teachers § Teachers do not have to do any paperwork § Student datasheets are individualized with student progress § We can track progress by student, teacher, class, grade, and school § Articles support our need for nonfiction resources. § Teachers have access to materials at all reading levels. They do not have to search for them, they just make an assignment. § Monitors amount of time spent reading the article and whether the student is actively engaged § Could be looked at as a component for summer reading § Vocabulary tiered instruction § Opportunity to practice response to text connections through writing 25

Implementing the Literacy Plan Vision: To Foster and Enrich Literacy in all lives at Irmo Middle School Purpose: § Increase independent reading for pleasure for all students. § Increase communication/sharing of reading lives among staff, teachers, and students § Increase independent reading for all students in content areas. § Create a portfolio of a student’s growth as a reader in the amount of material read and the reading level. § Use an electronic portfolio for identifying student progress and school progress. 26

Implementing the Literacy Plan - Oasis Increase amount of reading resources, especially non-fiction materials accessible at school and at home for students at their reading level and their interest level. Expectation: Within all classes, students will be assigned 2 topics/articles per nine weeks to read independently at some point within the school day or on the internet after leaving school. By the end of the year, each student is expected to have read a minimum of 8 articles for Language Arts, 8 articles for Math, 8 articles for Science, 8 articles for Social Studies, and 8 articles for Exploratory classes. Participants: All students and all teachers. 27

Demonstration of Oasis 28

Irmo Middle School Oasis Reading Usage (2008 – 2010) Number of Students in Oasis 1, 084 Words Read (Articles) 46, 985, 928 Words Read (Classics) 17, 930, 887 Total Words Read 64, 916, 815 29

Irmo Middle School Results (2008 -09 and 2009 -10) 7 th 8 th Literary Texts Informational Texts Building Vocabulary grade 3. 6 – 2009 3. 6 - 2010 3. 2 – 2009 4. 1 - 2010 3. 0 – 2009 5. 1 - 2010 grade 2. 0 – 2009 5. 1 - 2010 2. 7 – 2009 4. 6 – 2010 3. 2 – 2009 5. 6 – 2010 These numbers show the increase in MEAN RIT scores on MAP from Fall to Spring. 30

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Expected Aspirational Observed by Cohort 33

Contact Info Carl Swartz Sean Hanlon cswartz@lexile. com shanlon@lexile. com www. alearningoasis. com 34