Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Kathie Nunley's Educator's Newsletter---Mid-October 2004 Edition--- (current subscribers: 13,397)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New and updates to http://brains.org and Kathie Nunley'sLayered Curriculum (tm) Site for Educators: http://help4teachers.com Newsletter subscription available at: http://help4teachers.com/newsletter.htmUNSUBSCRIBE information/link at the bottom of this newsletter
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SECTION ONE: Teaching Tips -
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Teaching Tip #1: I have a "student of the day" (S.O.D.)assigned for each day. My S.O.D. is in charge of everything for that day - lunch count, flag, line leader, any errand that needs to be done, etc. The S.O.D.can also bringtheir show and tell that day so we don't spend Friday afternoon with all kinds of stuff. - Teacher, Rockland, Idaho.
Teaching Tip #2: To select partners randomly, I use pairs of different coloredsticks. Every Monday I call out names as I draw sticks until all students have a stick. They partner with the same color. Kim Hall, Pequea Valley, Intermediate School, PA.
Teaching Tip #3: Instead of using needle-nosed pliers to replace the springsof a wood wind instrument, you can bend the end of a paperclip into a hook. Jeramy Neibaum, Rockland, Idaho..
Send your favorite teaching tip to: kathie@brains.org
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SECTION TWO: Hot Topics
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For Hot Topics this issue I'd like to summarize 2 studies from this
month's Journal of Ed Psychology - both on reading. (next issue I
promise to cover the new research on math) I hope decision makers
in education will take the time to look at these new pieces along with
the others that have come out recently which continue to show two
key themes for our schools: 1st - there are some systematic processes
that can be followed to significantly help our struggling readers.
2nd - the typical programs used by many schools including Chapter 1
programs and small group resource room help are NOT all utilizing
these processes and therefore are not making a significant difference
in our struggling reader population. We need to make a change.
HOT TOPIC #1. Benita Blachman at Syracuse University and his
team, including Sally Shaywiitz at Yale released a study comparing
daily systematic reading tutoring with traditional school remedial
programs for struggling 2nd and 3rd graders. Poor readers were
randomly assigned to either their school's remedial reading help -
Chapter 1 or resource pull out - or to a treatment group which
consisted of 50 minute one-on-one reading tutoring using a 5 skill
lesson program based on the currentresearch of the reading process.
They used the Woodcock Reading Test to measure progress. Not
only was the end of the year testing very different between the two
groups, but very significant differences could be seen even a year
later afterall students had returned to their home based school
program. For example, measures of "word reading" after only
one month was 9.11 for the treatment group and 7.66 for the
control group. At the end of the year, the treatment group's mean
score was 26.14 compared to 18.44 for the control. And a year
later the treatment group's mean score was 33.05 compared to
26.78 for controls. The research is fairly strong on this topic now.
Systematic reading instruction needs to include: sound-symbol
associations, phoneme analysis, fluency building, oral reading
practice, spelling instruction. We need all the components, taught
explicitly and systematically. Blachman, B.et al. (2004). Journal
of Educational Psychology, Vol 96(3), 444-461.
HOT TOPIC #2: A research team from the University of Maryland
has studied what would happen in a classroom if you mixed 2
known reading strategies forlarge groups - "strategy instruction"
with "motivation support". The researchers created a paradigm
they call Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI). The program
helped students establish content goals for reading, allowed student
choice of texts, used interesting texts, and encouraged social
collaboration during reading. These were combined with the cognitive
strategies of generating related questions, activating background
knowledge, summarizing text, searching for information, organizing
information graphically, learning the structure of stories and
monitoring comprehension. These two big reading components
were combined and used by whole classrooms of upper elementary
students. Using a variety of tests to measure understanding and
reading strategies and motivation, those classrooms who used the
combined CORI formula did much better on standardized tests than
those classrooms who simply used "Strategy Instruction" alone. So
the researchers found that teaching reading strategies is effective for
improving reading but not near as effective as coupling those strategies
with motivational strategies and support too. This is one of the first
studies to demonstrate reading improvement with large whole-class
approaches in regular classrooms. Guthrie, J. et. al.(2004). Journa
l of Educational Psychology, Vol 96(3), 403-423.
Read more Hot Topics at the websites! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SECTION THREE: Website Updates
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New at Help4Teachers.com:
**** Books: The new 2nd edition of Layered Curriculum as well
as its workbook companion and "A Student's Brain" are all available
at a discounted price at the websites. http://help4teachers.com/books.htm
**** The BRAINS.ORG Shop: We now have an on-line shop which carries
a selection of our recommended reading books as well as hard to find
teaching and learning aides. We are trying to provide some of the items
teachers and parents have been asking for such as phonic phones,
colored notebook paper and various book titles. http://brains.org/shop.htm
*** Sample Units: We have a dozen or so new units at the website this month.
Trainer Stephanie Cox sent units on : Biomes, Fitness, Life Science, Research
and Process Writing. Trainer Brandi Thompson sent units on: Elections
(elementary), Insects (1st grade),Free Enterprise and a Math Graphing Unit.
Pauline Benton from the Atlanta, Georgia metro area sent four units for high
school physical science.
**** Newsletter: Because so many asked, I now post this newsletter
on-line for those of you whose email filters outsmart all of us:
http://www.nunley.blogspot.com/
**** Video Training: I know many of you have had a hard time scheduling
Layered Curriculum workshops at your school, so we now offer video
training packages which allow you to train your teachers at your convenience
and on your own schedule. For more information: http://help4teachers.com/video.htm
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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Dear Kathie,I am a 6th grade social studies teacher, and I am struggling with getting
my students self motivated to complete "C" layer work. I see children that
have been programmed into the mindset that the only way to learn is
rote with open book round robin reading followed by a worksheet and
a chapter test. I can not teach this way, I think I would go insane(along
with most of my students)! I have set up the first three units using your
daily point method, which seems to have helped with motivation, but I
still have over 30% of my classes failing. Can you offer any suggestions
that would help to break this style of teaching down even more? I
think my initial expectations assumed too much and now I need
to go back and start all over again, and I just don't know what to do.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you, Paula T
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Paula, I'm not sure that the kids think that the only way to learn
is with open book reading, worksheets and chapter tests, but I
don't doubt that they find that to be the method that requires the
least energy expenditure on their part! It's always challenging to
move classrooms of these "reluctant learners" but the rewards
when you do so are fabulous! You need to start with what's
familiar to them and move out from there. Try mixing "teacher
mandated" assignments with "student choice" assignments.You
start off the class with a teacher-directed whole class lesson, then
give thema choice between 2 different seatwork activities. In the
beginning you may have to get very creative with the seatwork.
Think of enticing activities....things kids would ratherdo than nothing.
When you're dealing with a lot of learned helplessness (which is what
it sounds like you have) then you often times have to force a success
. Keep at it. Start with a lot of structure and tight deadlines so they
feel secure, then open it up a bit as they gain confidence.
Best of luck to you. - Kathie
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Hi, Kathie! I recently purchased a copy of your latest edition of Layered
Curriculum. I can't thank you enough for the information provided in it!
This is my second year teaching high school biology (and chemistry), and
I have to say that your book and website are two of the best resources that
I have come across. In trying to meet the standards set forth by the No Child
Left Behind Act, today's teachers are scrambling for ways to accommodate
students with different learning styles and with different abilities, as well
as address the modifications for the dreaded (and numerous) IEPs. I'd highly
recommend this method to ANY teacher--new or veteran. My classes have
completed one full unit (albeit short) and already I have received such
positive feedback from students and parents alike.¡ Muchísimas Gracias !
Stephanie R. Henderson, Albuquerque, NM
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Stephanie, Thanks so much for your note. It absolutely made my day!
Please stay in touch and let me know how things go the rest of the year. Best, Kathie.
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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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People keep asking me this month if New Hampshire is as beautiful as
they imagine it is right now. I can assure you - YES. We are in absolute
color right now and I feel blessed to be here. Of course it's also nice that
I'm making my 4th October airplane survey of New Hampshire right
now as I head back to Manitoba for a couple of days with teachers in
the Dauphin area where I expect colors to also be on parade. Let me
start right now reminding those of you who are US citizens to vote.
We have just a couple of weeks left until one of the most important
elections of our generation. As educators we must be the voice of
the children and one of our loudest voices is as voters. If you haven't
registered please do so now. Be vocal about voting. You are a role
model. Make sure you tell your students that you voted and stress
the importance of voting. If you won't be in town on election day,
please do as I did last week and vote absentee.But please, VOTE.
New workshops are in the making for Las Vegas, Columbus (OH),
and Victoria (BC).My spring 2005 calendar is now full. I have some
May and summer dates available as well as several still open for August.
Let me know if you need me to hold something for you. Whether your
colors are showing or not, enjoy the autumn. Keep in touch. As usual,
my best to you and yours. Kathie
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Dr. Kathie F. Nunley
http://help4teachers.com
http://brains.org
Layered Curriculum (tm) - because every student deserves a special education (tm)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Workshop information is available at the website
http://help4teachers.com/workshops.htm
orcall: 603-249-9521
email: kathie@brains.org
Brains.org and Help4Teachers is located at: 54 Ponemah RoadAmherst, NH 03031
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Dr Kathie F Nunley
http://help4teachers.com
http://brains.org
Layered Curriculum(tm) . . .because every child deserves a special education
