Positive and Effective Classroom Strategies for Reading Groups

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Positive and Effective Classroom Strategies for
Reading Groups

• Reading First Conference
• New Orleans July 2005
• Annemieke Golly, Ph.D.
• Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior
• University of Oregon
• Email agolly_at_darkwing.uoregon.edu

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Agenda

• Introduction
• Carousel Activity
• Teaching Strategies
• Motivational Systems

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X Carousel Activity

• What is the most frustrating when you are
  teaching groups?
• What works well for you when teaching kids?
• What does not work well when you teach?
• What are the behavioral expectations for your
  reading groups?
• How do you teach expectations?
• How do you motivate your students?
• How do you get your students attention?
• What organizational strategies do you use?
• How do your students transition from groups?
• What do you need to be more effective?

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DEFINITION OF TEACHING

• Teaching is the teachers intentional arranging
  or the manipulation of the environment so that
  the child will learn more efficiently than if he
  were to learn incidentally from the world at
  large.
• Barb Bateman (1971)

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ACADEMICALLY ENGAGED TIME

• THE BEST PREDICTOR OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS
• Research finding (Carnine et.al., Rosenshine)
• Time spent in reading yields higher correlation
  with achievement than any other teacher or
  student behavior studied.

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vs. teachers

• Re-active

• Pro-active

• Re-active teachers
• with problem behaviors

• Pro-active teachers
• problem behaviors

• deal

• prevent

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What can be done?

• Be organized
• Set up a positive and predictable classroom
  environment
• Develop and teach clear expectations

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Identify the Problem Put it in observable
teachable terms..

• I need to teach the group to raise their hand
  quietly.

Not They should know how to behave.
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Group Expectations

• Clearly define expectations
• Directly teach expectations
• Positively reinforce expectations
• Clearly define unacceptable behavior

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Group Expectations

• Positively stated
• E.g., Hands in lap, feet on the floor
• Eyes on me
• Clear and short
• E.g., Raise your hand, walk, work quietly
• Directly taught and modeled
• E.g., this is how you do it, this is not how you
  do it.
• Constantly Reinforced
• E.g., Wow, you guys know how to work quietly
  when Im teaching a group!

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Clear Directions

• Attention Signal
• Alpha and Beta Commands

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Rules for Gaining Attention

• Use an audible signal (e.g., wand, bell,
  tambourine)
• Use a simple consistent verbal cue
• May I have your attention please?
• Never begin a lesson without everyones
  attention.
• Notice students who attend immediately.
• Never call attention to the child who doesnt
  attend.
• Make sure students attend during your entire
  directions.

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Clear Directions

• Use short, clear directions such as
• Open your book to page 5. or
• Go to your seat and complete page 15 quietly.
• Use a neutral tone

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PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES

• Pacing
• Wait-time
• Monitoring
• Frequent Feedback
• Diagnosis and Correction
• Motivation

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Pacing

• Pacing is important to keep student attention.
  Pacing can be many different things such as
• Varying speed of presentation (faster, slower)
• Varying volume of voice (louder, quieter)

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Individual Turns

• After group is firm, give individual turns.
• Present the task and then call on one student.
• Give positive feedback or generic correction
  procedure.
• Keep data on accuracy of tasks.
• Reteach chronic errors

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ORGANIZED INSTRUCTION

• Arranging the physical setting
• Indicate different groups with different color
  clips codes
• Quick access to materials (crate, cubby)
• Independent work ready to start (copy everything
  needed, pencils etc.)
• System to get help (card on desk)

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Transitions

• Have a very clear idea of what you want to see
  and hear (e.g.,voice level)
• Directly teach modeling examples and non-examples
  
• Constantly reinforce kids doing the right thing
• Minimize attention for kids not doing the right
  thing
• Make it fun and a challenge
• Practice, practice, practice!

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Motivational Systems

• Class-wide system
• Small group systems
• Individual student systems

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Motivation

• If the student cant do the task, its a skill
  problem. You have to teach or re-teach!
• If the student wont do the task, its a
  motivational problem. You have to motivate!
• In both cases, you have to change your behavior.
• It is your job to help the student be as
  successful as possible!

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Activity

• Think of a student who has problem behaviors.
• Decide whether it is a skill problem or a
  motivational problem
• How are you going to help the student be more
  successful?

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Einstein Quote

• Insanity is doing the same thing over and over
  and expecting a different result.

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Large Group Motivational System

• Green/Red card game provides
• Fun
• Consistency
• Data on teacher behavior
• Clear expectations
• Focus on positives (ratio at least 5 positives
  (green) for each negative (red)

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Green / Red Card Game

• 1. Make a large card
• Green on one side (Happy Face)
• Red on other side
• 2. Place card so class can see it.

• 3. Make place to mark points so students can see
  the points. (e.g. Laminate card or write points
  on board or paper)
• 4. Have an intermittent audible signal.
• Computer Prompter program
• Timer
• Stopwatch

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Motivation

• Pick a motivational theme (e.g., rocket,
  thermometer, tree, basketball, map, ladybug,
  butterfly)
• Make a large poster with 10-20 marks
• Explain how students can earn a mark (e.g., when
  they have more points than you)
• Make it fun!

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Motivation

• Students should have at least 5 points for every
  point you get.
• If not.
• Your instructions arent clear or
• You are paying too much attention to
  inappropriate behavior.

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X Activity

• Pick a partner
• Pick a theme
• Design a motivational system

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Motivation

• Make separate chart with 2 columns
• You and Me
• When they are doing the right thing they get a
  point
• When someone isnt doing the right thing, you
  get a point.
• If they have more points then you at the end of
  the period, they get a mark.

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Motivation

• Students earn points for
• Answering on signal
• Giving the right answer
• Keeping their place
• Raising their hand
• Following directions

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Motivation

• Use terms like
• You guys are awesome!
• I cant trick you!
• Everybody got it right!
• You are really watching my tricky finger!
• You are sooo smart!
• You never know when you get a surprise!
• Extra points for you for watching!
• You kept your place, good for you.
• You went right back to your seat and started
  working.

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Message

• Assume compliance.
• Students want to do what you want them to do.
• You are one of the most important people in the
  lives of your students!

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Strategies to prevent disruptive behavior

• Pay attention to the behavior you want
• Notice the child doing the right thing
• Give precorrections

• Model
• Use Proximity
• Use respect, never sarcasm

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Dealing with problem behavior

• Stay calm
• Be specific
• Use a neutral tone
• Avoid a power struggle!

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Some Students Need More Intensive Support
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Why Johnny Doesnt Behave Twenty Tips With
Measurable BIPs

• Authors Barbara Bateman Annemieke Golly
• www.Successfulstudents.com
• [phone]
• E-mail agolly_at_darkwing.uoregon.edu
• Book available from www.AttainmentCompany.com

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You are one of the most important adults in your
students lives. You CAN make a difference!!
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Articles

• Translating Research into Practice
• First Step to Success articles available from
• Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior
  University of Oregon Website
• http//darkwing.uoregon.edu/ivdb/index.html

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Resources

• Bateman, B, Golly, A. (2003). Why Johnny
  Doesnt Behave Twenty Tips and Measurable BIPs
• www.AttainmentCompany.com
• Sprague, J., Golly, A. (2005) BEST Behavior
  Building Positive Behavior Supports in Schools.
• www.Sopriswest.com
• First Step to Success Program
• www.Sopriswest.com
• Music Wand www.treeblocks.com
• Class Prompter Computer program
• agolly_at_darkwing.uoregon.edu