Professional Development Workshop
Choosing “Just Right” Books & the
Literacy Connects' Lending Library
Introductions
Thank you for joining us today!!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Housekeeping & Welcome
Introductions
Importance of Appropriate Book Selection
Ideal Characteristics of Books for Beginning &
Struggling Readers
5. Categorized Book Lists
6. Strategies to Assess if Books Are “Just Right”
7. Benefits of a Leveled Literacy System
Welcome & Agenda
Please introduce yourself with:
• Your name
• How long you’ve been a Coach/Tutor
• School where you coach & grade(s) you
work with.
• The one characteristic you believe is
most important in a book for beginning or
struggling readers.
Workshop Learning Goals
•
•
•
Coaches/Tutors will learn about the
importance of using “just right” books and
the ideal characteristics of books for
beginning and struggling readers.
Coaches/Tutors will learn strategies for
selecting (and helping their students select)
books that are “just right.”
Coaches/Tutors will understand the benefit
of a Leveled Literacy System and how to
best utilize the Literacy Connects Lending
Library.
Book Selection is Important
Research shows that tasks completed with high
rates of success are linked to greater learning &
improved student attitudes:
• easy tasks are linked to more learning
• harder tasks are linked to less learning
• tasks that are too difficult lead to disruptive
learning behaviors and a negative attitude
Therefore, appropriate book selection is
essential for the success of our students!!
Book Selection is Important
“Lots of easy reading is absolutely
critical to reading development and
to the development of positive
stances toward reading.”
(Richard Allington, 2001)
Neurophysiology &
Beginning Readers
Neurophysiology
• Adult eye span is typically 2-3 letters to
the left & 15 letters to the right of where we
fixate
• A beginning reader’s eye span is
symmetrical, 1-2 letters to the right and left
– Shorter words!
– Adequate space between words!
Important Physical
Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
Space between words
Picture clues
Location of text on page
Line spacing
Size and readability of the text
Ratio of text to pictures and/or
illustrations
Important Stylistic Elements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rhyme
Rhythm
Repetition
Reinforcement of difficult vocabulary
Credible, interesting characters
Straightforward plot development
Simple sentence structures
– Tom said, “I like candy”….. NOT “I like
candy,” said Tom.
Rock Star Books
•
Can you identify which physical &
stylistic elements make these books
great?
Categorized Book Lists
Key Categories:
• Picture Clue Books
• Rhythm and Rhyme Books
• Sight Word Books
• “Rock Star” Books
Choosing the Right Book
•
•
•
Aim for 95-99% student accuracy when
reading aloud
Students are more likely to be able to
choose an appropriate text when they
know a variety of ways to evaluate it
Students who can effectively choose
appropriate texts will be less likely to
abandon the books they choose and
more likely to spend time engaged in
reading
Assessment Strategy #1
The Five Finger Rule is an easy way for students
to assess whether or not they CAN get through
the book. With each book they choose, they count
the number of words per page that they do not
know.
•
0-1 fingers – Too Easy
•
2-3 Fingers -- Just Right
•
4-5 Fingers – Too Hard
Students need to learn how to be honest with
themselves about which words they do not know.
Assessment Strategy #1
.
Assessment Strategy #2
Assessment Strategy #3
The Goldilocks Method gives students
an easy to understand method of finding
“Just Right” books.
Books are either Too Easy, Too Hard, or
Just Right. Each category has standards
that students can check off to determine
if the book is right for them.
Assessment Strategy #3
Goldilocks Method
Assessment Strategy #3
Goldilocks Method
Assessment Strategy #3
Goldilocks Method
When a Book is Too Hard
Do not deny your student the privilege of reading
the book. You can still read the book and avoid
giving your student feelings of frustration.
Instead of saying, “That’s too hard for you.” Say…
• “Let’s read this book together or I can read it to
you.”
• “This is a book you will enjoy more if you save it
for later.”
Interest & Motivation!!
If a student isn’t interested in or excited by a
book, then it is NOT a good fit!!
• Find books that connect students with a topic they
are passionate about or a character they can relate
to (or aspire to be), and that engage their emotions.
• Choice is imperative! Make sure you are letting
them choose which book they want to read each
session.
• Classwork and assignments should not be read
during coaching sessions.
Table Talk
•
•
•
At your table create a list of books that
YOU have had good luck using with
beginning readers (as a coach, teacher,
tutor, parent, etc.).
Everyone has to contribute at least one
book title, but you can list more if you want
to. Be sure to mention why it worked well.
What similarities do you see in the books
your table chose? What differences?
Break Time!!!
We will begin again in 10 minutes.
Why use a Leveled
Literacy System?
•
•
•
•
It helps coaches/tutors to easily find
books which students can read with
95% fluency & at least 75%
comprehension (a “good fit” book).
It allows coaches/tutors to tailor reading
instruction to meet individual student
needs.
Success generates learning!
The best way to become a better reader
is to read more.
Fountas & Pinnell
•
Program rooted in their own classroom
teaching, work with teachers & research
studies
Matches books to readers to provide
differentiated instruction in reading
Books are organized by analyzing 10 text
characteristics:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Genre
Text structure
Content
Themes & ideas
Language & literacy features
•
•
•
•
•
Sentence complexity
Vocabulary
Word difficulty
Illustrations
Book and print features
A to Z Gradient Scale
Stage
Early
Emergent
Upper
Emergent
Early
Fluency
Fluency
Proficiency
Grade
K
K
K
K
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
6
6
Fountas & Reading
Pinnell
Recovery
A
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
A, B, 1
1
2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
11-12
13-14
15-16
17-18
19-20
20
20
20
22
22
24
24
26
27
28
28
27
28
30
32-24
DRA
A-1
A-1
2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
11-12
13-14
15-16
18-20
24
24
30
30
34
38
38
40
40
44
44
44
50
60
Reading
a-z
Wright
Group
aa
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
A
A
B
C-D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K-L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Lexile
200-299
200-400
300-500
500-700
600-800
700-900
800-1000
Efficacy of F&P System
•
Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) students
make significant progress in literacy
compared to students who receive regular
classroom literacy instruction
– LLI students: 1 ½ - 5 ½ benchmark levels
– Control group: 1 – 3 benchmark levels
– DIBELS corroborated the results of the benchmarks
•
LLI can still be effective even if practiced for
short durations
Examples of F&P
Leveled Books
Level A: Colors in the Desert, by Susan
Canizares & Betsey Chessen
Level B: Snow Joe, by Carol Greene
Level C: Elk Yelps!, by Nora Gaydos
Level D: Chatty Chipmunk’s Nutty Day, by
Suzanne Gruber
Level E: Super Fly Guy, by Tedd Arnold
Level G: Are You My Mother?, by P.D.
Eastman
Organization of the LC
Lending Library
•
5 main sections:
– Emerging (A-D)
– Beginning (E-I)
– Early (J-M)
•
•
– Intermediate (N-R)
– Advanced (S-Z)
-- Educators Resource
Books alphabetized by title in each section
Online catalog allows you to search by subject/
title/keyword AND level to find books that are
right for your students.
Logging into the Literacy
Connects Lending Library
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
Holds and Lending Library
Policy
• Holds May be picked up in the Literacy
Connects Lending Library or sent through
the Inter-Office Mail to the school where you
coach.
• Check out period is 60 days.
• Please allow 7-14 days after holds were
placed for books to arrive if using inter-Office
Mail.
• To retrieve your holds on site, please allow
48hrs after placing holds to pick up.
41
Summary
•
•
•
•
Student choice is paramount to a successful
reading intervention program.
Students are more motivated to read and
improve when the book is “Just Right”.
Involve your student in the process of
selecting a “Just Right” Book. Practice one of
the Assessment Strategies with him/her
regularly.
Keep their abilities and interests in mind when
selecting books from the Lending Library.
Follow-up Information
• All workshop materials will be emailed to
group.
Questions? Contact Violet Kennedy at
[email protected] or Jessica
Dennes at [email protected] or
call 520-798-0700.