IRA ConventionMay 10, 2014

Using a Stepping Stone Approach to Developing the Ability to Read Complex Informational Text

Thomas Gunning, Southern Connecticut State University, Emeritus

Steppingstone Approach

• Use easier books on same topic to prepare for more complex book– 5 books on climate change– 5 books on Kennedy

• Build background & vocabulary with each book. Also build decoding skills, if necessary.

• Start with target text- might be on-level social studies text-analyze skills necessary to read target text and key concepts

• Obtain books leading up to target book• Plan lessons teaching needed skills & background• Used with with fourth- and seventh-graders for 50 to

60 lessons, • Made significant progress- boosted self-esteem-

became experts (Gelzheiser, 2010)

Inquiry or Essential Question Approach

• What special abilities do animals have?

• Assembled range of books that described animals’ special abilities

(Liben, 2013)

Used with Older Students

• Older students used easier to text to prepare for reading of more difficult text

• Use the background and vocabulary developed in the easier texts to enable them to read more difficult texts (Schoenbach, Greenleaf, & Murphy 2012)

Bootstrap Approach

Adams (2010-2011) recommends sequencing readings so that “each text bootstraps the language and knowledge that will be needed for the next” (p. 10).

• Select a topic. •Teach the topic’s key concepts and words. • Have students read texts of increasing complexity on the topic.

Sources of Steppingstone Texts

• Titlewave (www.titlewave.com) can be searched by title, author, subject, maturity level, or readability level. Reviews & look-inside feature.

• Renaissance Learning- Bookfind• MetaMetrics (Lexile Framework) • Scholastic’s Book Wizard• Google Books <http://books.google.com/>• Questar – Booklink software- 38,000 books

Estimating Readability

3-Part ApproachObjective- formula• Lexile- 150, 000 books• Bookfind- grade equivalent• Booklink-DRP units- 38,000• Coh-Metrix Text Easability Assessor (Flesch-Kincaid)

All 4 allow users to paste or place in text• Subjective text factors• Read-task factors

Steppingstone Books on Polar Bears

Climate ChangeEdwards, R. (2008). Polar bears in danger. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. RL 3.2Waters, K. (2009). Earth in danger. New York: Scholastic. RL 4.0Simon, Seymour (2013). Global warming. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Science. RL 4.2Cole, J. (2010). The magic school bus and the climate challenge. New York: Scholastic. RL 4.3Royston, A. (2008). Global warming. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. RL 4.3Nemeth, J. D. (2012). Climate change. New York: PowerKids Press. RL 4.5Collins, T. (2010). Getting to the bottom of global warming: An Isabel Soto investigation. Mankato, MN:Capstone. RL 5.1Faust, D. K. (2009). Global warming: Greenhouse gases and the ozone layer. New York: PowerKids Press. RL 5.6

Discuss Selections

• Build understanding

• Build background

• Build vocabulary

• Assess mastery

Polar Bear Cub What did you learn about polar bears?How long does the polar bear family stay in the den?What animal does the mother bear hunt for food?How does the family get to land?What keeps Cub warm in the cold water?How long will the family stay on land?

Polar Bears

What did you learn about polar bears and how they live?Where do polar bears live?What keeps them warm?What keeps them from slipping on the ice?What helps them to become good swimmers?Why is it important for them to be good swimmers?What camouflage does the polar bear have? How does the polar bear use its camouflage?How do polar bears catch seals?Why do some female polar bears sleep in dens in winter/?How does the mother polar bear take care of her cubs?

Polar Bears in Danger Segment 1What did you learn about polar bears?What is there home like/?How do they get their food?What makes you think that a ringed seal is a large animal?Segment 2Were you surprised to find out that polar bears have black skin?Why is having black skin a good thing for polar bears?How doers the layer of fat help polar bears?What did you learn about how polar bear cubs are raised?Segment 3Why are polar bears said to be in danger?

Polar Bears and Their HomesWhat did you learn about polar bears?What did you learn about their bodies?How do their bodies help them to survive?How do polar bears get their food?”Why are polar bears said to be in trouble?

Where Do Polar Bears Live?

What did you learn about polar bears?What are their homes like? Why does the article say that polar bears are built to survive (p.16)?How does the mother polar bear catch a seal?What problem are polar bears facing?

Source of High-Quality Informational Text

Data Bases- Subscribed to by state, local, or school libraries- EBSCOI-Conn. Org

Free for anyone who has a CT library card

IConn

Resources

Kids Search

603 Articles

Steppingstone Articles on Polar Bears

Great White Sea Bear

Schleichert, Elizabeth

Ranger Rick, Feb2001, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p2, 8p, HTML- may not have illustrations1088 words 760 lexilesOverview of physical characteristics, habitat, and habits of polar bears.

Providing for All Students• Alternative to reading books & articles in steppingstone

fashion• Use the range of levels to match materials with students so

that students are provided with books and articles on the appropriate level of difficulty. Students with diverse reading abilities can investigate the same topic.

• If students read different texts on the same topic, will encounter diverse information. As one teacher noted, when the lowest readers gathered information that no one else knew about, they begin to see themselves as valuable contributors (Stenner, 2013).

Automated Steppingstone

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DELIBERATE PRACTICE AND READING ABILITY by Sean Hanlon (2013)

Study of Oasis Learning

Oasis Learning

Placed according to Lexile score

Chose articles between +100L (66 & 82% expected comprehension)

Completed embedded modified cloze items

Received corrective feedback

Level of articles adjusted according to performance

Received feedback on number of articles & words read, time spent, percentage correct, changes in lexile levels

Oasis Study (Hanlon, 2013)1,369 students grades 2-8Access for average of 1,422 calendar daysRead average 212.2 articles, 151,574 words

Start 780- low practice 1100, avg 1175, high 1200

Start 431-low practice 900, avg 1025 high 1050

Oasis LearningPlaced according to Lexile score

Chose articles between +100L (66 & 82% expected comprehension)

Completed embedded modified cloze items

Received corrective feedback

Level of articles adjusted according to performance

Received feedback on number of articles & words read, time spent, percentage correct, changes in lexile levels

Oasis Study (Hanlon, 2013)

1,369 students grades 2-8Access for average of 1,422 calendar daysRead average 212.2 articles, 151,574 words

Start 780- low practice 1100, avg 1175, high 1200

Start 431-low practice 900, avg 1025 high 1050

Growth in Reading Ability as a Response to Using EdSphere™ by: Gary L. Williamson, Ph.D., Juee Tendulkar, Sean T. Hanlon, Carl W. Swartz, Ph.D.www.lexile.com/about-lexile/research-briefs

392 eighth graders- tracked from grade 2

Gained average of 1L for each session above

& beyond what was expected

DELIBERATE PRACTICE• Targeted practice in which each person is engaged in developmentally appropriate activities•  Real-time corrective feedback that is based on each person’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 and which allows for monitoring growth towards expert performance• Self-directed practice in an activity for times when a coach, mentor or teacher is not available• Progress monitored on a developmental scale that allows educators to monitor growth from novice to expert.Hanlon, S. T. (2013). The relationship between deliberate practice and reading ability. Ph.D. thesis, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Rewordify.com Rewords difficult words

Can enter text

Web sites

Text in their library- classic texts

Aesop embodies an epigram

Aesop represents a clever saying

The felicity which I reflected on has induced me …

The happiness which I reflected on has caused me

5 levels

Reword:1.Almost all hard words2.Top 80%3.Top 60%4.Top 40%5.Only the hardest

Gives a READ level

Customizing

Which words are rewordified- can add & delete words

How original word is shown- tap on easier word to see original

Can speak words

Can print quizzes using words & definitions

For More Information

• Go toBuildingliteracy.org