9.1R: Ability to support and reinforce the instruction of students in reading following written and oral lesson plans developed by licensed teachers.
9.2R: Ability to utilize effective developmental, age-appropriate, and culturally sensitive instructional strategies in reading that support the instruction of licensed teachers.

Facilitator Supplement

Worksheets in this Unit

All worksheets are Adobe pdf files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view and print the worksheets.

Lesson 2a: Motivating Students by Relating Content to Student Lives

• Strategy To Practice
• Strategy To Go

Lesson 2b: Story-Retelling with Props

• Strategy To Practice
• Strategy To Go

Lesson 3a: Shared Reading

• Strategy To Practice
• Strategy To Go

Lesson 4a: Developing Comprehension Skills Using KWL Comprehension Charts

• Strategy To Practice
• Strategy To Go

Lesson 4b: Developing Higher Order Thinking Skills Through Text

• Strategy To Practice
• Strategy To Go

Facilitated Activity

The activities within this unit are designed to prompt paraprofessionals to apply what they have learned in each lesson. To this end, each activity is a scenario to which the paraprofessional must respond. A set of response choices are offered, and the paraprofessional is asked to choose one, explain why they preferred their selection, and then describe how they would carry that option out, among other questions. All answers should be written on a printed form that includes a description of the scenario and the pertinent questions .

This type of activity lends itself well to group discussions, or one-on-one discussions with the facilitator. It provides strong evidence of the paraprofessional’s understanding of the topic, along with the means for deepening the learning around a given topic. Why did the paraprofessional choose one option over the rest? Why would the paraprofessional carry that option out the way she said she would? What issues does the paraprofessional consider when making his decisions?

Discussion Ideas

Lesson 1 - Reading and Instruction

• How does the definition of reading as an abstract process compare with your understanding of the process of learning to read?

Lesson 2 - Progression of Reading Skills: K-12

• Paraprofessionals with children of their own, or experience with young children, can recount how these children exhibited their reading readiness skills and what they did to facilitate that reading readiness.
• Discuss how parents, in general, can facilitate reading readiness before Kindergarten, and how paraprofessionals and teachers can assist after kindergarten.
• How do the behaviors associated with reading readiness apply to English Language Learners? Is reading readiness universal?
• At any age, what are ways to help students develop their vocabularies?

Lesson 2a - Strategy: Motivating Students by Relating Content to Student Lives

• Paraprofessionals can recount positive, or meaningful learning experiences they have had, and discuss what made these experiences so powerful.
• Discuss the ways in which you can bridge content, or even school in general, to students’ lives.
• Many educational practitioners have differing levels of comfort addressing the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students. Have students discuss when or whether they think it is o.k. to discuss heritage, or cultural practices of students, in class. (For example, some feel that calling attention to the way a student is “different” culturally may be detrimental to seeing, and appreciating, each other’s similarities.)
• Ask Paraprofessionals to share how they responded to Paul’s situation in the Strategy Practice Scenario.

Lesson 2b - Strategy: Story Retelling with Props

• For paraprofessionals that have been working in the classroom, ask them how well they think this strategy would work in the classroom and what similar activities they have done to assist student’s in their summarizing skills.
• Ask paraprofessionals to share how they responded to Jessica’s situation in the Strategy Practice Scenario.

Lesson 3 - Balanced Reading Instruction

• Paraprofessionals can reflect on how they learned to read. Were they in a predominately skills-based (ie. phonics) or meaning-based (ie. whole language) environment?
• Discuss the merits of skills-based and meaning-based instruction.
• You can lead paraprofessionals in a quick quiz or game to review the 8 skills associated with phonemic awareness. For example “Which word does not belong: frog, frame, safe? (safe) Then ask which phonemic awareness skill this was an example of (phoneme categorization). You may want to have the list of skills written on the board or posted.
• Share ideas and recommendations of books for fluency instruction. (i.e. Dr. Suess books are great for repeated readings)
• Review the Dolch word list. Perhaps bring a printout to class to share with Paraprofessionals. You can find a list at http://www.literacyconnections.com/Dolch1.html
• Discuss ways to help students memorize sight words, from the Dolch list.
• How can you as a paraprofessional foster students’ appreciation and enjoyment of literature?

Lesson 3a - Strategy: Shared Reading

• Is it possible to participate in shared reading at the middle or high school level? Do you think it is important? What would it look like?
• Discuss how paraprofessionals responded to Daryl’s situation in the Strategy to Practice Scenario.

Lesson 4 - Working with Texts

• Ask paraprofessionals to map their schema for “community”. Compare maps. Note how each person has varied concepts of what a community is and that there are no right or wrong schemas. This is important to remember when working with students. What may seem a basic concept to one person, may be interpreted very differently by another person.
• Discuss what role schema plays in Weaver’s quote on capitol gains and losses.

Lesson 4a - Strategy: Developing Comprehension Skills Using KWL Comprehension Charts

• Discuss how paraprofessionals responded to the field trip situation in the Strategy to Practice Scenario.

Lesson 4b - Strategy: Developing Higher Order Thinking Skills Though Text

• To practice higher order thinking questions, consider bringing in a short text appropriate for grade 5 students. Ask paraprofessionals to read the text and develop one or two critical thinking questions that could be posed to students.
• Discuss how paraprofessionals responded to the discussion group situation presented in the Strategy to Practice Scenario. Consider role-playing the options paraprofessionals chose.

Conclusion

• Have paraprofessionals discuss what was useful from this chapter, i.e. what they can take with them to the classroom, as well as discuss what they are unclear on, or would like to learn/practice more.

The Para eLink is sponsored by the Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium, in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education, located at the Institute on Community Integration in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota.

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