LETRS Training

Another week down! Thank you all for collaborating and working so hard in your classrooms and throughout the school! 

With our up and coming LETRS training, I feel like it is a good time to blog about the program and what we can hope to expect.  

This video is a great example of why the state chose LETRS.  I am excited to get started with this program! I also LOVE that in the video, the teachers state that it can by layered over most all programs.     

What is LETRS Training?

Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, which is a product of Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. (VSL, Inc.)

LETRS addresses four critical outcomes for effective literacy instruction: understanding the science of reading, converting research to practice, enhancing teacher effectiveness, and transforming instruction. By understanding the “why” behind science and evidence-based research, educators can effectively know how to aid students in learning to read.

Who is required to attend LETRS Training?

The state is providing funding for the following staff members to participate in LETRS® training:

• homeroom classroom teachers working with pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students, including CTE preschool teachers,

• one administrator per school who will support/evaluate for alignment,

• one instructional coach per school

• lead teachers working with children in the NC Pre-K program and onsite administrator (including NC Pre-K in child care and Head Start settings)

• elementary EC Resource Teachers

• elementary ELL Teachers

Let's Dive in!

We will be trained on 8 different modules through an interactive virtual interface.  

If you are interested in learning more about the training, please join in on one of the webinars provided.   Click the image below. 

Here is a great brochure that will help you understand the training process and how it will help enhance our teaching.  

Social Studies Resources

Hi All!  Thank you for an amazing week at PVES!  I am soooo impressed with all that you have done to bring our new F & P books, LL and Heggerty to life.  Your students were so engaged because of the level of questioning that was happening.  

This week on the blog, I wanted to dig a bit into resources that can help support you in teaching your new Social Studies Standards.  If you have not taken the time to dig into your grade level's standard,  you can click HERE to check them out.  *Be sure to click slide 2 and head into the unpacking.  It is super helpful in explaining the standard!

Resources to help support your Social Studies lessons!

1. This guy isn't just for science!  There is a section dedicated to history!  You will find games, videos & biographies!  

2. Be sure to create a FREE account at the Smithsonian Learning Lab!  There is sooooo much here for us to use and the cool thing is your can search for topics, create a resource with those topics and share them out with your class! 

3. Home School POP is a great YouTube channel that has tons of social studies videos that you can incorporate into your lessons. 

4. Pebble Go! This is a fantastic site with lots of kid friendly resources! 

5. NearPOD! You can build your own interactive lessons, search resources or use their pre-made lessons!  U can even search by grade level! 

Here is a fantastic blogpost by We Are Teachers that had 55+ more sites for you to visit and search for great resources for you classroom! 

Know that Susie is searching for library books to support your social studies and science standards & the K-3 coaches will be working on resources to be posted on the curriculum pages.  

*Be sure to reach out if you need help!  

What does small group time look like in a SOR classroom?

Hi All!  I know this is a huge question and a gigantic hurdle right now for us.  I LOVE all that you are doing to bring our F & P books sets to life in your classrooms.  

I have been spending some time researching what small group reading time (Tiny Table Time) looks like in a SOR classroom and I wanted to share what I have found.  

First, we need to understand that it is NOT going to look the same every day or every week.  There may NOT be a text involved in every group.  The best way to look at this time in your literacy block is to ask yourself, what do my students NEED after my mini lessons to be successful with CORE! 

*Never do in a small group what you could do as a whole class~Shanahan 

Meaning, after your Letterland lesson, if you have a group kiddos that didn't get the lesson, RETEACH! 

Strategies for Reteaching:

• Blending Board
• Word Building
• Elkonin Boxes 
• Word Detectives
• Dictation
• Letterland Small Group Work

*LOVE these ideas! 

If you have a group of kiddos that rocked the lesson, extend on that learning.

Strategies for Application of Learning:

• Add a decodable so that they can apply the learning.  
• Word Ladders
• Quick Code 
• Writing Conferences
• Letterland Decodable Passage

During your Interactive Read Alouds, pay attention to the level of engagement during questioning and turn & talks.  As you monitor independent work, pull students needing support.  If you have students that seem to be disengaged or not understanding the comprehension goals consider RETEACHING!

Strategies for Reteaching:

• Retelling Rope
• Visit a certain part of the story and use your F & P prompting guides to generate discussion.

• Stop and Jot Modeling
• Reading Salad
• Thought Bubble 
• Reading Conferences

If you have a group of students that rocked this IRA, consider extending learning. 

Strategies for Application of Learning:

• Add a graphic organizer to focus on comprehension from the story. 

• Photo copy a section from the read aloud book and do a close read. 

• Choose a book set from your grade level band and focus on a comprehension strategy. 

• Reading Conferences

This article from The Reading Teacher Top Ten Tools has a great framework if you are wanting more guidance on planning out lessons for your students.  

Just remember baby steps! I will continue to share ideas to support you in this area!