Improving Literacy Skills

February 16th, 2009

Students’ reading proficiency increase when they are

 

read to on a daily basis.  Parents can read with their

 

students should twenty minutes each day. 

 

 

Before reading, parents can prepare children by:

 

·      Reviewing pictures in the book and try to guess

 

  what the story is about.

 

·      Guess the meaning of the story by reading the title.

 

During reading, parents can assist children by:

 

·      Asking questions about the characters, title, and

 

  events in the story.

 

·      Asking children to make predictions about what

 

 events are going to occur next in the story.

 

·      Ask for the meaning of vocabulary words and write

 

  them down in reading journals.

 

After reading, parents can:

 

·      Ask children to retell the story.

 

·      Ask children to create a different ending for the story

 

A very good site to assist with reading is:

 

http://www.starfall.com/

Tier II Interventions

November 9th, 2008

The Ell program has undergone many

 

changes this year with a new curriculum

 

and a new intervention process.  Ell

 

students that are in the lower 25

 

percentile in their classes are being

 

serviced for a half hour each day

 

outside their classroom.

 

 

Ell students are working on the same

 

skills that they are learning during their

 

reading time in their classroom.  Each

 

week students receive extra support for

 

learning their vocabulary words,

 

grammar lessons, and comprehension

 

skills.  Our new curriculum is called

 

Harcourt Storytown.  The website below

 

has information about Storytown.   

 

https://parentstore.harcourtschool.com/wcsstore/HarcourtParent/upload/programs/storytown/StoryTown.htm

 

 

Also the following website has great

 

reading activities for students. 

 

http://www.starfall.com/

 

 

Welcome To a New Year

August 18th, 2008

Welcome to a new year at Carrie Downie Elementary School!  This year’s Ell students will be serviced according to their needs.  The Colonial School District will be using the Response to Intervention model to servicing students.  According to the model, all students will be tested once per marking period.  Upon review of the test results, students will be placed into one of three tiers.  If they are not found to have any reading discrepancies, they will stay in their classrooms.

 

Students that have a reading discrepancy will receive additional support within their classrooms during their English Language Arts time.   This is referred to as Tier II intervention support.  Additional support will be delivered by another teacher within a small group. 

 

If they are still struggling, then additional support outside the classroom is needed.  This is referred to as Tier III intervention support.  Students will be given services in a separate classroom in addition to their English Language Arts time. 

 

For more about the Response to Intervention model please click below on the following websites.

 

http://www.reading.org/resources/issues/focus_rti_library.html

 

http://www.interventioncentral.org/

 

ACCESS testing

March 26th, 2008

Dear Parents,

Students will begin the annual ACCESS testing on April 1st.  The ACCESS is the exam that determines whether or not students remain in the English language learning program.  Below is an explanantion of the ACCESS test.

Understanding the ACCESS TestThe ACCESS test consists of four parts: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  The ACCESS test rates students on five English proficiency levels.  These levels range from a student who speaks single words to someone uses long sentences.  The ranges are illustrated on the chart below.  

Level 1

Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Entering Beginning Developing Expanding Bridging

 The ACCESS test asks students to respond to questions from the subject areas of Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts.  They are assessed by how they use the English language when responding to the questions.  A student may be asked to write a word problem.   Students are also tested on their knowledge of the language used in the classroom.  For example, students may be given a set of directions orally.  Then, they are asked to point to pictures that correspond to the oral directions.   Students at each grade level have different levels of English fluency. Therefore, each grade level ACCESS test has three tiers for students: Tier A, Tier B, and Tier C.  The three tiers are based on the level that each student can communicate in English.   For example, A non-English speaking 1st grade student will be given a Tier A test.  Whereas, a 1st grade student who has spoken English for several years will be given a Tier B or Tier C test.  The following chart lists what each student needs for each tier.  A student must meet one of the criteria for each tier to qualify for that exam.  Also attached is a Speaking test chart which lists some of the expectations for students at each level of proficiency.                                                                                            Best of luck with testing!

                                                                                           Mrs. Rogin and Mrs. Cleveland

DSTP Preparation, El Preparacíon para las pruebas del Estado

February 24th, 2008

Dear Parents/Guardians,       

The Delaware Student Testing Program will begin testing students Wednesday, March 5, 2008.  Students in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will be given tests…  

March 5-6, 2008 DSTP Testing - Math Grades 2-10  

March 10-11, 2008 DSTP Testing - Reading Grades 2-10  

March 13-14, 2008 DSTP Testing - Writing Grades 3-10  

Students can prepare for the writing test by:

Students should practice writing letters asking someone to do something for them or to grant them their wish.  For example your child could write a letter to you asking for a special night out or a special gift for doing something good.     Students can read a newspaper article and writing a letter stating their opinion of it.  

Below are ways that you can prepare your child for the reading test:   

Reading to your child every night and asking them to respond to questions about the story.  Basic questions include who and what the story is about.  Advanced questions include questions that involve opinions.  

For more information about how to prepare students for the state test, look below:  http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/aab/English_Language_Arts/default.shtml http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/aab/Mathematics/default.shtml  

Estimados Padres,          

El programa de prueba del estudiante de Delaware comenzará a probar a estudiantes miércoles, de marcha la 5 de 2008. Darán los estudiantes en los 2dos, 3ro, 4tos, y 5tos grados pruebas… 

March 5-6, 2008 DSTP Testing - Math Grades 2-10  

March 10-11, 2008 DSTP Testing - Reading Grades 2-10  

March 13-14, 2008 DSTP Testing - Writing Grades 3-10

Los estudiantes pueden prepararse para la prueba de la escritura cerca:

Los estudiantes deben practicar letras de la escritura que piden que alguien haga algo para ellas o que les conceda su deseo. Por ejemplo su niño podría escribirle una letra que pedía una noche especial hacia fuera o un regalo especial hacer algo bueno. Los estudiantes pueden prepararse para la prueba de la escritura cerca: Los estudiantes pueden leer un artículo periodístico y despues escriben una letra que indican su opinión del articulo. 

Para más información sobre cómo preparar a estudiantes para la prueba del estado, mire abajo:http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/aab/English_Language_Arts/default.shtml http://www.doe.k12.de.us/programs/aab/Mathematics/default.shtml 

http://www.colonial.k12.de.us/onlineresources.shtml

                         

                                                        Good luck! Buena Suerte!

                                                         Mrs. Rogin

  

Meaningful Writing Assignments

January 5th, 2008

When learning how to write, children should practice writing about different topics.  They need to view writing as a fun way of expressing themselves.  Parents can help by giving their children opportunities to write about daily experiences and special moments in their lives.         

Students can progress into different stages of writing.  At first, children should be able to write anything about a specific topic.  Then, students eventually will be expected to answer specific questions, such as “How did the King feel in the story we just read?”         

When students are able to answer questions correctly, they will be able to correct their writing.  Make sure that they correct themselves on two or three items at a time.  For instance, students can correct their capitalization and punctuation.  Students can edit their work with a friend or their teacher or even parents.  Finally, students can be asked to edit their work several times.         

For more information about how to develop writing in young children click below for the John Collins Writing Program. 

         http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/approaches/collins/default.asp

                                                                                                ~Mrs. Cassie Rogin~

Los niños que aprenden cómo escribir deben practicar el escribir sobre diversos temas. Necesitan visión la escritura como manera de la diversión de expresarse. Los padres pueden ayudar dando a sus niños oportunidades de escribir sobre experiencias diarias y momentos especiales en sus vidas.        

Los estudiantes pueden progresar en diversas etapas de la escritura. Al principio, los niños deben poder escribir cualquier cosa sobre un asunto específico. Entonces, se esperará que los estudiantes eventual contesten a preguntas específicas, por ejemplo “Cómo hizo la sensación del rey en la historia que acabamos de leer?”        

Cuando los estudiantes pueden contestar a preguntas correctamente, podrán corregir su escritura. Cerciórese de que se corrijan en dos o tres artículos a la vez. Por ejemplo, los estudiantes pueden corregir su capitalización y puntuación. Los estudiantes pueden corregir su trabajo con un amigo o su profesor o aún padres. Finalmente, los estudiantes pueden ser corrigen su trabajo varias veces.

Para más información sobre cómo desarrollar la escritura en niños jóvenes chasque abajo para el programa de la escritura de Juan Collins.

http://www.thewritingsite.org/resources/approaches/collins/default.asp                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                            ~Sra. Casí A. Rogín~

Literacy Night …El Noche de la Lectura

November 25th, 2007

I would like to let everyone know about the activities planned for Literacy Night.   It will be held from 6:30-8:00 on Thursday December 13, 2007.  This night is set aside to show parents how they can help improve their children’s literacy skills.  Ell parents are welcome to learn  how they can: 1. Help their children organize their writing. 2. Read to their children 3. Answer comprehension questions. Their will be presentations, materials and books available to parents throughout the evening. Please save the date…Thursday, December 13, 2007 from 6:30-8:00.   ~Mrs. Rogin~

 Hola! te quiero a invitar al programa ”La Noche de la Lectura.”  La programa es el Jueves, el 13 de Diciembre desde las 6:30 hasta los 8:00.  Este programa te encenias como puedes ayudar sus niños a leer, escribir, y comprender la lectura mejor.  Tambien, te encenias como puedes poner junto una respuesta para una pregunta utulizando el cuento.  Por fin distriburemos varias materias y libros a los padres que vienen.  El favor de marcar sus calendarios la fecha el Jueves, el 13 de Diciembre desde los 6:30 hasta los 8:00.

~Sra. Rogin~  

For a sample of some of the items that we will be discussing on Literacy Night click on the website below.

Abajo hay un sitio por el internet que tiene ejemplos de las cosas que vamos a hablar durante el Noche de La Lectura!  Marca abajo para entrar eso sitio. 

http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications/publications.htm

Exciting Ell News

September 9th, 2007

Hi everyone! Exciting things are happening in our classroom. 

Look what we are doing now!

  •  Kindergarteners  are learning all their letter names and sounds.
  • 1st graders are learning about adjectives and made a rhyme.  Now we are writing two to three sentences.
  • 2nd graders are working on understanding all the important parts of the story.
  • 3rd graders are working on using the parts of RARE.
  • 4/5th graders are working on essays.

Hola!  Veen que estamos haciendo en los clases de Ingles como Un Segundo Idioma.  Leen abajo:

  • Los Kindergarteners estan aprendando los sonidos y nombres de las letras.
  • Los estudiantes en el 1st grado estan usando los adjectivos y estan escribiendo frases.
  • Los estudiantes en el 2nd grado estan reconociendo los partes importantes de un cuento.
  • Los estudiantes en el 3rd grado estan trabajando con los partes necesarios de sus respuestas del cuento.
  • Los estudiantes en los 4th y 5th grados estan escribiendo asignaciones escritos que son largos.