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Introduction Student Team Literature is the Talent Development Secondary (TDS) middle grades core literacy program, designed to strengthen students’ thinking, reading, writing, and social skills. In Student Team Literature, students read quality books and work in learning teams using Student Discussion Guides that lead them to become critical thinkers, expand their working vocabularies, and broaden their knowledge of the writer’s craft. Guides are available to support study of over 70 novels, biographies, and short story and poetry collections. Students read the literature and work through a Student Discussion Guide using following a weekly cycle of instruction. During an extended period, Student Team Literature moves students through a weekly cycle of instruction that includes direct instruction, cooperative team and partner activities, and individual learning using a variety of PRE-READING, DURING READING, and AFTER READING instructional strategies. The Discussion Guide for each trade book provides multiple opportunities for students to exercise, at various levels of complexity, the skills and concepts embedded in the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts, including Reading, Writing, Language, and Speaking and Listening. Most Student Team Literature writing assignments are literature-related; they include individual brief constructed responses (BCRs) to discussion questions on each section of the text as well as Literature-Related Writing products in a variety of forms. This comprehensive approach to challenging students to work at a higher thinking level, whatever their current reading skills, enables teachers to build on relative strengths initially while moving students to work at a higher level. The availability of instructional materials for a wide variety of trade books at different reading levels offers teachers the opportunity to select works at their students’ assessed instructional reading level while, in cases where they are currently below grade expectations, helping them to progressively improve their skills to be closer to these expectations. Consequently, depending on the reading level of trade books selected, some of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts standards that are addressed in the Student Team Literature classroom may initially be at a level lower than that targeted for a given grade. The following pages outline how the framework for Student Team Literature addresses the Common Core State Standards for Reading, Writing, Language and Speaking and Listening. COURSE COMPONENT DESCRIPTIONS OF STUDENT TEAM LITERATURE INSTRUCTION CYCLE (GRADES 6-8)Please Note: items in bold print are provided in Student Team Literature Teacher’s Discussion Guides and accompanying materials and training. Social Skills InstructionAt the outset of the school year and continuing progressively throughout the year, teachers provide explicit Instruction in Social Skills, including “looks like/ sounds like” T-charts and role play demonstration, to help students internalize social skills (such as Active Listening, Encouraging, Staying on Task, Negotiating, etc.) that are essential to creating an effective cooperative learning environment. Building Background and Activation of Prior KnowledgeIn introducing a new trade book, teachers use the information provided in the Summary and About the Author sections to engage students’ interest. Building Background sections offer suggestions to prepare students for the genre, setting, and other important aspects of the text. Using the Predict/ Preview/ Purpose sections, students are invited to examine the book and use cover information to predict what it is about and set a general purpose for reading.Listening Comprehension LessonsListening Comprehension is a component of Student Team Literature in which students listen to a fluent model reader—their teacher—read and think aloud from short texts, often books for young children, in order to strengthen their comprehension skills, learn new literary elements and devices, and improve their listening skills. Topics addressed in Listening Comprehension lessons often correspond to those highlighted in Writer’s Craft Boxes provided in both Teacher’s and Student’s Discussion Guides.Introduction of New VocabularyTo introduce new Vocabulary Lists of words found in the reading selections, teachers use a “call and response” approach, encouraging students to use decoding strategies, Greek and Latin roots, suffixes and prefixes, and prior knowledge to “build” definitions and/or identify known synonyms. Particular attention is given to “starred” high-frequency words which students will master through whole-class, teacher-led construction of Meaningful Sentences that demonstrate understanding. Teachers use Vocabulary Prediction Charts to engage students in higher-order thinking as they predict to what aspect of the story each term will relate.Terms defined in Special Glossary sections of some Discussion Guides are also introduced at this prehension Monitoring StrategiesTeachers introduce and/or reinforce use of a variety of comprehension monitoring strategies (such as questioning, predicting, visualizing, making connections, and identifying reactions) to help students make meaning of text as they are reading. Students’ use of the reading strategies is revisited in a whole-class discussion after silent reading of each portion of the text.Discussion QuestionsBefore students begin to read, teachers introduce the Discussion Questions that they will be addressing in their cooperative learning teams and in the subsequent construction of brief constructed responses. Students then read the indicated section of the trade book, short story, or poem silently. After whole-class discussion of their use of reading comprehension strategies (see above), students engage in rereading of pivotal passages of the text, which have been selected by the teacher based on their importance to students’ understanding. The rereading of pivotal passages is designed to build fluency and deepen comprehension; it most often takes the form of partner reading but may also include teacher-led echo or choral reading or, occasionally, Reader’s Theater. Partner reading also allows the teacher to circulate among students and complete a Partner Reading Fluency Assessment for each student at least once per marking period.After rereading, students engage in team discussions (pencils down) of the discussion questions to ensure comprehension and practice verbal skills. After this, students craft brief constructed responses to the Discussion Questions. Initially, BCRs are composed as a whole-class, teacher-led demonstration, but over time, students are equipped and required to craft BCRs with their partners or teams and, ultimately, individually. Finally, teachers lead students in whole-class Guided Discussion of some or all of the Discussion Questions, as well as other points identified as position of Meaningful SentencesFollowing teacher-led, whole-class demonstration of meaningful sentence composition, students compose their own meaningful sentences for starred vocabulary words, whether individually or with their partners or team members.Literature-Related WritingLiterature-Related Writing assignments offer a selections of products at different levels (such as letters, lists, essays, articles, advertisements and so on) related to the section of the literature that students have read. (The diversity of assignments enables teachers to engage in differentiated instruction if desired, based on student’s ability levels and interests.) Teachers lead students through the writing process, modeling each step while thinking aloud, before setting them to their own writing tasks.Extension ActivitiesExtension Activities challenge students to deepen their engagement with the text, individually or with classmates, through various means (e.g., as art, drama, music, library or Internet research, interviews, surveys…) Extension activities call upon different learning styles and lead to such higher-order thinking forms as application, analysis, and creation. In addition, many Discussion Guides identify Informational Text Connections: types of informational text related to the reading portion, which teachers can use to provide students with practice in understanding and interacting with informational text as required by the Common Core Standards.AssessmentStudents prepare for assessment by engaging with their partners in vocabulary Words Out Loud and meaningful sentence review as well as Selection Review of the texts they have studied. Each weekly cycle concludes with a Literature Test based on the section of the Discussion Guide that they have studied and a Vocabulary Test which consists of producing meaningful sentences using each of their starred vocabulary words. In addition, a custom-built, book-specific Standardized Reading Practice Test is available for administration at the completion of each trade book in the curriculum, enabling teachers to offer their students practice in standardized test-taking without stepping outside of the program of instruction. Talent Development Writing Talent Development Writing helps teachers think differently about some aspects of writing instruction. It is a model meant to assist teachers with instructional planning, not a lock step program designed to remove teachers’ thinking from the planning process. Parts of the model will be familiar to most language arts teachers. The “writing process” remains, but Talent Development Writing focuses on the process of teaching writing. We contend that the meaningfulness of the writing process lies not so much in the process itself but in what a teacher does prior to presenting a writing assignment and between the steps in the writing process. The parts of the model that differ from a traditional approach to writing instruction are those that we think will help teachers to move students toward proficiency in writing. They include analysis of assignments to determine the kinds of knowledge or prerequisite skills student writers must have prior to responding to a given writing assignment; modeling – standing before students, “showing” rather than “telling” them how to approach a writing assignment; and springboard activities. These are activities designed to provide experiences that students would otherwise have to imagine in order to respond to a writing assignment. They may also cause students to think in ways that will lead them to approach a particular assignment more effectively. Role-playing, sensory exercises, simulations, and opportunities to read about and discuss issues pertaining to their writing are examples of springboard activities.English Language Arts College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading (Middle Grades)Key Ideas and DetailsSTANDARDStudent Team Lit. ComponentRead closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Discussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAssessmentDetermine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.Discussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAssessmentAnalyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Discussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAssessmentCraft and StructureInterpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. Vocabulary ListsSpecial GlossariesDiscussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAnalyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. Writer’s Craft BoxesDiscussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAssessmentAssess how point of view or purposes shapes the content and style of a text. Writer’s Craft BoxesDiscussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAssessmentIntegration of Knowledge and IdeasIntegrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. Building BackgroundExtension ActivitiesDelineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. Discussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionAssessmentAnalyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. Literature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesInformational Text ConnectionsRange of Reading and Level of Text ComplexityRead and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. Discussion QuestionsInformational Text ConnectionsEnglish Language Arts College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for WritingText Types and PurposesSTANDARDStudent Team Lit. ComponentWrite arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Discussion Questions (brief constructed responses)Literature-Related WritingAssessmentWrite informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. Discussion Questions (brief constructed responses)Literature-Related WritingAssessmentWrite narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences. Literature-Related WritingProduction and Distribution of WritingProduce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Discussion Questions (brief constructed responses)Literature-Related WritingAssessmentDevelop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. Literature-Related WritingUse technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing to interact or collaborate with others. Literature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesResearch to Build and Present KnowledgeConduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Literature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesInformational Text ConnectionsGather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. Literature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesInformational Text ConnectionsDraw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Literature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesInformational Text ConnectionsRange of WritingWrite routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. Discussion Questions (brief constructed responses)Literature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesAssessmentEnglish Language Arts College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and ListeningComprehension and CollaborationSTANDARDStudent Team Lit. ComponentPrepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Instruction in Social SkillsDiscussion Questions Guided DiscussionExtension ActivitiesIntegrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Building BackgroundExtension ActivitiesInformational Text ConnectionsEvaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric. Writer’s Craft BoxesDiscussion QuestionsGuided DiscussionLiterature-Related WritingPresentation of Knowledge and IdeasPresent information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Discussion Questions Guided DiscussionExtension ActivitiesMake strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations. Extension ActivitiesInformational Text ConnectionsAdapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. Discussion Questions Guided DiscussionExtension ActivitiesEnglish Language Arts College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for LanguageConventions of Standard EnglishSTANDARDStudent Team Lit. ComponentDemonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Discussion Questions (team discussions, brief constructed responses, whole-class discussion)Guided DiscussionLiterature-Related WritingExtension ActivitiesAssessmentDemonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Discussion Questions (brief constructed responses)Composition of Meaningful SentencesLiterature-Related WritingAssessmentKnowledge of LanguageApply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. Listening Comprehension LessonsWriter’s Craft BoxesDiscussion QuestionsLiterature-Related WritingVocabulary Acquisition and UseDetermine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate. Vocabulary Presentation and Prediction ChartsSpecial GlossariesInformational Text ConnectionsAssessmentDemonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. Listening Comprehension LessonsWriter’s Craft BoxesDiscussion QuestionsLiterature-Related WritingAcquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Vocabulary Presentation and Prediction ChartsComposition of Meaningful SentencesSpecial GlossariesInformational Text ConnectionsExtension Activities ................
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