Super Core! Turbocharging Your Basal Reading Program with More Reading, Writing, and Word Work

241 Pages·2014·2.377 MB·English

by  Mark Weakland

Su pe r
Su pe r
Co r e!
Co r e!
Turbocharging Your
Basal Reading Program
with More Reading, Writing,
and Word Work
Mark Weakland

IRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Maureen McLaughlin, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg,
Pennsylvania, President • Jill D. Lewis-Spector, New Jersey City University, Jersey City,
New Jersey, President-elect • Carrice C. Cummins, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston,
Louisiana, Interim Vice President • Heather I. Bell, Rosebank School, Auckland, New
Zealand • Steven L. Layne, Judson University, Elgin, Illinois • William H. Teale,
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois • Douglas Fisher, San Diego State
University, San Diego, California • Rona F. Flippo, University of Massachusetts Boston,
Boston, Massachusetts • Shelley Stagg Peterson, OISE/University of Toronto, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada • Bernadette Dwyer, St. Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, Dublin,
Ireland • Laurie A. Elish-Piper, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois • Julianne
Scullen, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Andover, Minnesota • Marcie Craig Post,
Executive Director
The International Reading Association attempts, through its publications, to provide a forum
for a wide spectrum of opinions on reading. This policy permits divergent viewpoints without
implying the endorsement of the Association.
Executive Editor, Publications Shannon Fortner
Acquisitions Manager Tori Mello Bachman
Managing Editors Susanne Viscarra and Christina M. Lambert
Editorial Associate Wendy Logan
Creative Services/Production Manager Anette Schuetz
Design and Composition Associate Lisa Kochel
Cover Lise Holliker Dykes and © Danomyte/Shutterstock
Copyright 2014 by the International Reading Association, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.
The publisher would appreciate notification where errors occur so that they may be corrected
in subsequent printings and/or editions.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Weakland, Mark.
Super core : supercharging your basal reading program with more reading, writing, and
word work / Mark Weakland.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-87207-083-7 (alk. paper)
1. Basal reading instruction. 2. Reading comprehension—United States. 3. English
language—Composition and exercises. 4. Language arts—Standards—United States.
5. English language—Study and teaching—Standards—United States. I. Title.
LB1050.36.W43 2014
372.4—dc23
2013040952
Suggested APA Reference
Weakland, M. (2014). Super core! Turbocharging your basal reading program with more
reading, writing, and word work. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
To my mother
Inner Space (a poem for two voices)*
by Mark Weakland
Attention.
This is Mission Control.
Please prepare for departure.
(khhht) ROGER.
Unplug the Internet,
Log off the Log In,
Reset the Attitude,
Pressurize the Noggin.
(khhht) ROGER.
Take off the Kid Gloves,
Unfold the Mental Map,
Pull on the Go-Go Boots,
Strap tight the
Thinking Cap.
(khhht) ROGER.
Shut down the Game Boy,
Rotate the Thrusters,
Raise the Expectations,
Turn off the Distrusters.
(khhht) ROGER.
Orient the Listening Lobes.
Maximize the Hemispheres.
Initiate the Intellect.
Ignite the Thing
between your ears.
10...9...8...7...6... 10...9...8...7...6...
5...4...3...2...1 5...4...3...2...1
Blast off! Blast off!
*You can listen to audio clips of Mark’s poems on his website at springwatercreative.com/kidsMusic.php#.
The poem is from The Delicious Chocolate Donut: And Other Off-Kilter Poems (pp. 16–17), by M.
Weakland, 2011, Hollsopple, PA: Happy Hummer. Copyright © 2011 by Mark Weakland.
CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ix
Acknowledgments ix
SUPER CORE AT A GLANCE xii
Core Program Areas and Ways to Improve Them xiii
Grammar xiii
Vocabulary xiii
Comprehension xiii
Extended Reading xiii
Extended Writing xiv
Spelling and Phonics xiv
INTRODUCTION 1
Why You Need This Book 2
The Rocket Ship Analogy 3
The Aim of Super Core 5
CHAPTER 1: Super Core Values 7
The Evolution of Super Core 9
Value 1: Extended Reading 12
Value 2: Extended Writing 15
Value 3: The Big Ideas of Reading and Writing 18
Value 4: Teaching Chops (Instructional Expertise) 20
Content and Instructional Mastery 24
How Do the Common Core State Standards Apply? 26
Asking and Answering Questions 27
Getting the Go-Ahead 28
Reading Winners 29
CHAPTER 2: Grammar With Gusto 30
The Importance of Grammar 31
Scope: What Grammar to Teach 33
Teaching Chops: How to Teach Grammar 37
Direct and Explicit Instruction 37
Social and Cooperative Learning 40
Whole-Group Physical Response 43
Explicit Modeling and Practice 49
Task Analysis and Mastery Learning 50
Formative Assessment: Is It Working? 53
Make It So 54
CHAPTER 3: Supercharged Vocabulary Instruction 56
The Importance of Vocabulary Instruction 57
Scope: What Vocabulary to Teach 58
Word Selection 58
Base Words 60
Teaching Chops: How to Teach Vocabulary 61
Direct and Explicit Instruction 61
The Vocabulary Card Method: Many Teaching Chops, One Method 65
Formative Assessment: Is It Working? 74
Make It So 74
CHAPTER 4: Boosting Comprehension Instruction 75
What’s the Matter With the Manual? 76
Manual Strategies 77
Strategy Assessment in Published Programs 78
The Importance of Comprehension: What Good Readers Do 79
Scope: What Comprehension Strategies to Teach 81
Mile-Deep Comprehension Instruction 81
Fix-It-Up and Comprehension Strategies 81
Roll Out the Strategies 83
Teaching Chops: How to Teach Comprehension Strategies 85
General Points for Teaching Strategies 86
Direct and Explicit Instruction + Modeling 87
Differentiation and Enrichment 89
Formative Assessment: Are Your Comprehension Strategies Working? 90
The Checklist 92
Talking to the Text 94
Make It So 98
CHAPTER 5: Power Up With Extended Reading 100
The Importance of Extended Reading 102
Scope: Creating Time and Space for Extended Reading 106
A Traditional Basal Schedule 107
A Super Core Schedule 109
A 70-Minute Super Core Schedule 112
A Super Core Schedule With No Guided Reading 112
Teaching Chops: How to Teach Extended Reading in Guided
Reading Groups 115
The I Can… List 115
Size Matters 116
Instructing a Guided Reading Group 118
Before, During, After, and Simultaneous Reading 121
Where Do I Get Sets of Instructional-Level Books? 122
Teaching Chops: Unpacking the I Can… List 124
Explicit Modeling and Practice: Teaching the Independent
Reading Routine 125
Explicit Modeling and Practice: Complete a Book Slip 127
Social and Cooperative Learning 129
Whole-Group Physical Response: Repeated Reading With a Toolbox 131
Formative Assessment: Is It Working? 133
Make It So 135
CHAPTER 6: New Heights of Extended Writing 138
The Importance of Extended Writing 140
Core Problems and What to Do About Them 141
Create Blocks of Time for Writing 143
Scope: What to Teach in the Writing Block 145
Teaching Chops: Guided Writing or Modified Writers’ Workshop 146
Sequence 147
Materials 147
Topics List in the Composition Book 148
Good Writers’ Checklist 150
Writers Think About… Poster 153
Minilesson Routine 154
Strategies for Spelling 155
Call Cards 157
Graphic Organizers 159
Revising and Editing 161
Presenting to the Class 162
Teaching Chops: Independent Writing 163
Explicit Modeling 164
Whole-Group Physical Response 164
Task Analysis and Mastery Learning 164
Independent Writing: The I Can… List 165
Independent Topic Writing 167
Dialogue Journal 169
Spelling Sentences 170
Formative Assessment 171
Make It So 175
CHAPTER 7: Strengthen Your Spelling 176
The Importance of Spelling 178
Scope: Spelling Components and Program Philosophies 180
An Inflexible Sequence 181
Scope Is Too Broad 183
Memorize and Move On 184
Teaching Chops: A Plan for Spelling Success 186
Find Out What Skills They Have 187
Focus on a Few Phonograms 188
Construct a Logical and Organized System 193
Teach With Your Logical and Organized System in Mind 194
Teaching Chops: Strategies for Spelling Success 194
Zap It Out! 194
Apply Patterns 197
Think About the Positions of Sounds 198
Think About the Meaning of the Word or Word Part 198
Get Close, Circle the Word, and Look It Up 199
Teaching Chops: Activities for Spelling Success 201
Look, Touch, Say 201
Turn a Word 202
Making Words 204
Segment to Spell 205
Practice Test With Instant Error Correction 206
Sentence Dictation 208
Make It So 209
CONCLUSION: Beyond the Basal 210
A Double-Edged Sword 210
The Ultimate Goal of Super Core 211
The Expert Teacher and the Noble Profession 212
REFERENCES 215
Children’s Literature Cited 220
INDEX 221
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Weakland is an author, educator, and musician.
His more than two dozen children’s books include
Zombies and Electricity (Capstone, 2013); Football
ABC (Capstone, 2013); How Tall? Wacky Ways
to Compare Height (Picture Window, 2014); The
Delicious Chocolate Donut: And Other Off-Kilter
Poems (Happy Hummer, 2011); and Onion Juice,
Poop, and Other Surprising Sources of Alternative
Energy (Capstone, 2011), winner of the 2012 Santa Monica Public
Library Green Prize for Sustainable Literature.
Mark holds a master’s of education degree from the University of
Pittsburgh. His teaching certifications include general science, special
education, elementary education, and reading. A learning support teacher
for nine years, he spent 10 years as an educational consultant, providing
professional development in the areas of reading and instructional
practices. His workshops and presentations at the local, regional, and
state levels address topics ranging from metacognition to using music
and movement in the classroom. He studied in Japan under the auspices
of the Japanese Fulbright Memorial Fund and coauthored the book
The Dramatically Different Classroom: Multiple Intelligences Activities
Across the Curriculum (Kagan, 2002) with Christine Laitta. He’s in his
fourth year as an elementary school Title I reading specialist.
A musician at heart, Mark still performs occasionally as a singer,
drummer, and guitarist. His original songs have finished as finalists in the
John Lennon and USA Songwriting contests, and his collections of kids’
songs have won numerous Parents’ Choice awards.
Mark’s many interests are tied together in his business, Springwater
Creative. He lives at Springwater Farm in the hills of western
Pennsylvania with his wife, Beth Good, and flies to Seattle to visit
his parents and sisters.
Feel free to contact Mark with questions about this book via
[email protected], Facebook, or links found at
www.markweakland.com and www.springwatercreative.com.
Acknowledgments
My educational career has not been linear, to say the least. As I’ve
meandered down the path, friends and strangers alike have given me
a nudge, a push, a choice, and a chance. I am grateful for all I’ve been
ix