OLD-Professional Development
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- PD Operations / HELC
- Design, Media, and Online Learning (DMOL)
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Effective Practices
- PL Toolkit
- PL-1 Develops Student Learning Goals
- PL-2 Data-driven instruction
- PL-3 Design Effective Lesson Plans, Units & Assessments
- I-1 Objective Driven Lessons
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I-2 Check for Understanding
- Assess Mastery
- Begin with the End
- Checkpoints
- Chunking Text
- Closure
- Cold Call
- Exit Ticket
- Graphic Organizer
- Guided Practice
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Post It
- Randomizing Responses
- Right is Right
- Running Roster
- Stretch It
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student Conferences
- Student-Generated Questions
- Teach Back
-
I-3 Differentiation
- Chunking Text
- Double Plan
- Exit Ticket
- Flexible Grouping
- Graphic Organizer
- Grappling
- HOT Question
- Independent Practice
- Leveled Text
- Multimedia
- Open-Ended Responses
- Post It
- Product Menus
- Right is Right
- Running Roster
- Stretch It
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student-Generated Questions
- Take a Stand
- Tiered Assignments
- Workstations
- I-4 Higher Level Thinking
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I-5 Maximizing Instructional Time
- 100 Percent
- Academic Posture
- Call and Response
- Cold Call
- Do Now
- Entry Routine
- Exit Routine
- Job Assignments
- Material Organization
- Non-Verbal Interventions
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Pacing Tools
- Right is Right
- Stretch It
- Strong Voice
- Student Conference
- Teach Back
- Tight Transitions
- Work the Clock
- Workstations
- I-6 Communicating Content/Concepts
- I-7 High Academic Expectations
-
I-8 Student Engagement
- Academic Posture
- Call and Response
- Closure
- Cold Call
- Do Now
- Engage and Connect
- Graphic Organizer
- HOT Question
- Independent Practice
- J-Factor
- Job Assignments
- Leveled Text
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Product Menus
- Randomizing Responses
- Real-World Connections
- Reinforcers
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student-Generated Questions
- Workstations
- Work Hard, Get Smart
- I-9 Classroom Management
- I-10 Classroom Climate
- Literacy Routines
- Academics
- Swivl Pilot Program
- Professional Development
Description
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Chunking Text is a practice that allows students to breakdown difficult passages into more comprehensible pieces or smaller parts. By doing this, students are able to identify key ideas and words, increase their ability to paraphrase, organize their thinking, and synthesize information.
- Consider the reading level of the students and determine the appropriate length of chunked text to use with each student. Depending on students’ reading level, the lengths of chunks can vary.
- A struggling reader may work with phrases, rather than sentences.
- A stronger reader can often work with longer chunks. Students can rewrite “chunks” in their own words.
- Identify the text that aligns with the lesson objectives/standards.
- Model how to chunk text using a simple text.
- Guide students through the practice and evaluate their level of understanding prior to allowing them to chunk text on their own.
- Allow time (3-5 minutes) for students to chunk the text (if it is not already done for them). Students can work alone or with a partner, scaffolding teacher support when necessary.
- Provide students ample time to read their chunks (using the reading/decoding strategies), paraphrase, and record the main ideas of the chunks in their own words.
- Assess students using the paraphrased text to determine students’ understanding and reading ability.
- Consider the reading level of the students and determine the appropriate length of chunked text to use with each student. Depending on students’ reading level, the lengths of chunks can vary.
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Alerts
This is a means to an end (understanding the text) not the objective itself.
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Quick Tips
Try chunking the text for students the first few times. This allows students to learn to chunk text for themselves.
Review reading/decoding strategies with students prior to having them paraphrasing the text.
- Circle unfamiliar words.
- Use context clues to help define.
- Look up the meaning of unknown words.
- Write synonyms for these new words in the text.
- Underline important places and people.
- Read aloud.
- Read multiple times.
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Resources
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Other Strategies
Create a Visual
When students are able to use imagery, teachers will see an improvement in comprehension and retention of ideas. Have students visually represent the selected chunk as a picture or symbol. The use of non-linguistic representation (Marzano) is an example of this variation.
Paragraph Shrinking
Have students clarify main ideas by summarizing the meaning of a paragraph using ten words or less.
Identifying significance and connections
After students summarize a portion of the text, ask them to respond to a few questions that will help them make connections and understand the significance of the text.