Guided Reading Groups

KIPP Academy Lynn Lynn, MA

KIPP Lynn Academy is a 5th-8th grade school in Lynn, Massachusetts that offers 9.5 hours per day of instruction and a rigorous standardsbased curriculum to a student population that is 90% low income and 12.5% special education. In addition, 37% of the schools students first language is not English. KIPP Academy Lynn (2008-2009) Principal Joshua Zoia School Schedule 7:00 AM 5:00 PM Grades Served 58 Number of Students 327 Performance 2009 MCAS Results

Each year, a majority of KIPP Lynns incoming 5th graders begin the year several grade levels behind in Reading. To prepare each student for success in college and beyond, school staff adopted a differentiated approach that provides struggling readers with intensive supports. Through its Guided Reading Program, KIPP Lynn provides small group instruction in reading three times a week to all 5th grade students who have tested below a fourth grade level. This instruction takes place during a designated block three times per week for 40-60 minutes. During this time, students who are reading above the 4th grade level read independently or with tutors while students reading below the 4th grade level work with teachers in small groups of six. The schedule below highlights the Monday periods during which each 5th grade homeroom participates in Guided Reading. Each block includes three teachers to ensure a 1:6 teacher student ratio in small group instruction. Monday 7:25-7:55 Teacher(s) 8:00-8:58 Teacher(s) 9:00-9:58 Teacher(s) 10:00-10:58 Teacher(s) 11:00-11:58 12:00-12:58 Teacher(s) 1:00-1:58 Teacher(s) 2:00-2:58 Teacher(s) 3:00-3:55 4:00-4:55 Teacher(s) Homeroom 1 Thinking Skills Lennox Reading Lennox Tutoring 9:00-9:28 Hsu Math 9:30-10:58 Stead Lunch 11:00-11:55 Prob Solving Macari SS Moore Sci Rao Electives Tutoring: Reading Lennox/Hsu/Kraft Homeroom 2 Thinking Skills Rao Math 8:00-9:28 Stead Tutoring 9:30-9:58 Hsu Reading Lennox Lunch 11:00-11:55 PE Jones Sci Rao Reading Block Lennox/Hsu/Kraft SS Moore Homeroom 3 Thinking Skills Moore SS Moore Reading Lennox PE Jones Lunch 11:00-11:55 Reading Block Lennox/Hsu/Kraft Math 1:00-2:28 Stead Tutoring 2:30-2:58 Stead Sci Rao

National Center on Time & Learning 24 School Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02108 www.timeandlearning.org

For each group, all six students receive support in one of three Reading skills: vocabulary, decoding, and comprehension. Each teacher focuses on one of these skills. For instance, one teacher will focus on building vocabulary in all three of his/her groups, while another will focus only on decoding, and the other teacher on comprehension. Each Guided Reading period follows the agenda below: Introduction to text (10 minutes) Individual Reading (15 to 25 minutes) Discussion (5 to 10 minutes)

Use of Data to Assess and Track Progress Before the start of each school year, KIPP Lynn uses the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) to assess each of its 100 incoming fifth graders. Although administration is tediousthe test requires 35-40 minutes for each studentKIPP Lynn staff rely on results from this initial assessment to determine whether a student should be placed in Guided Reading, and if so, what small group to place that student, based on their decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. All 5th grade teachers are trained in administering the QRI. Throughout the year, students in Guided Reading are reassessed on the QRI as well as Reading A to Z in December, March, and June; their performance on these assessments are also measured against results on benchmark assessments, which all students take. Like QRI, Reading A to Z measures student reading levels, but requires students to read longer passages. The results of these assessments help teachers tailor instruction, inform decisions regarding student group reassignments, highlight student success to celebrate, and provide parents frequent updates on their students reading progress. Every other week, the three 5th grade small group teachers hold an hourly meeting to discuss instructional strategies and student performance. Results: KIPP Lynns Guided Reading Program builds a strong foundation of skills that allows students to be successful in 5th grade and beyond. In 2009, the schools ELA performance in all grades significantly exceeded that of the district.

2009 ELA Proficient and Advanced Comparison

100 80 79 68 42 40 20 0 48 48 47 61
SGP

2009 ELA SGP Comparison

100

85

80 60
60 53 40 45.5 26 61 49

SGP

60

Lynn Public Schools

43

Lynn Public Schools

40
20 0

KIPP Lynn

KIPP Lynn

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

National Center on Time & Learning 24 School Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02108 www.timeandlearning.org