THE LEARNING CONNECTION
The learning connection is a secure web portal provided by the Indiana department of education. It provides access to common core and Indiana standards, curriculum maps, scope and sequence, shared lesson plans, instructional tips, and homework help in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
Instructional strategies
Researchers at Mid-Continent Research For Education and Learning (McREL) have identified nine instructional strategies that are most likely to improve student achievement across all content areas and across all grade levels. These strategies are explained in the book Classroom Instruction That Works by Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, and Jane Pollock.
1. identifying similarities and differences
2. summarizing and note taking
3. reinforcing effort and providing recognition
4. homework and practice
5. nonlinguistic representations
6. cooperative learning
7. setting objectives and providing feedback
8. generating and testing hypotheses
9. cues, questions, and advance organizers
Education researcher Robert J. Marzano suggests that we can help close the achievement gap by explicitly teaching subject-specific academic vocabulary to those students who are lacking the background knowledge to succeed in school. The Metropolitan School District of Steuben County has identified grade level specific vocabulary and uses Marzano’s Six-Step Process for instruction of these words.
Reading Framework For Grades K-5
The purpose of this framework is to ensure all students are proficient readers by the end of grade 3 and that they progress along a positive trajectory in order to remain at or above grade level each year throughout their school careers. Daily uninterrupted 90 minute reading blocks focuses on literature, informational text, and foundational skills using the following instructional components.
Reading Component #1 Recognizing and using individual sounds to create words, or phonemic awareness. Children need to be taught to hear sounds in words and know that words are made up of the smallest parts of sound, or phonemes.
Reading Component #2 Understanding the relationships between written letters and spoken sounds, or phonics. Children need to be taught the sounds individual printed letters and groups of letters make. Knowing the relationships between letters and sounds helps children to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically, and "decode" new words.
Reading Component #3 Developing the ability to read a text accurately and quickly, or reading fluency. Children must learn to read words rapidly and accurately in order to understand what is read. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. When fluent readers read aloud, they read effortlessly and with expression. Readers who are weak in fluency read slowly, word by word, focusing on decoding words instead of comprehending meaning.
Reading Component #4 Learning the meaning and pronunciation of words, or vocabulary development. Children need to actively build and expand their knowledge of written and spoken words, what they mean and how they are used.
Reading Component # 5 Acquiring strategies to understand, remember and communicate what is read, or reading comprehension strategies. Children need to be taught comprehension strategies, or the steps good readers use to make sure they understand text. Students who are in control of their own reading comprehension become purposeful, active readers.
Complete Frameworks for Birth through grade 12- CLICK HERE
RESPONSE TO INSTRUCTION
“Response to Instruction, RtI is a framework for prevention and early intervention for ALL students to ensure that they are learning and progressing adequately when provided with high quality instruction and intervention. RtI, is an integrated, data-based decision making three tier model for Academic and Behavioral Supports. Inclusive in the integrated model is core curriculum, instruction, and learning environment; targeted and supplemental supports; as well as intense, individualized support.
Building Based Core Teams represent a comprehensive support team model that uses a trained team of school-based professionals. Their primary goal is to create and maintain student success within the general education environment by improving instructional support practices.
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
The Metropolitan School District of Steuben County believes that effective technology integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts. Effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals.
New implementations in technology include:
e2020 for credit recovery at grades 9-12
Edmodo for professional learning communities
Teachscape for evaluation and professional development