C#2: Literacy occurs at multiple levels of complexity (word, sentence, paragraph, concept, etc.) and requires a synthesis of different information into a cohesive understanding.

C#3: The teachers' reading processes are fundamentally the same as the students' reading processes except teachers can read for comprehension automatically, allowing us to think more analytically.

C#4: Literacy requires sufficient schema. If a student has no knowledge of what the text is about, they will not be able to read and comprehend the text. 

IS#1: Modeling is an essential strategy to demonstrate the thinking process of reading so students can immediately emulate such an approach for themselves. Modeling literacy should be targeted to a specific skill and a short but important passage in the text. 

IS#2: Assessment requires providing ample independent reading and writing time for students to make meaning and express their understanding in relation to rigorous questions.

II#1: Activating schema can be achieved by providing supplemental sources of information to which students can refer to help make meaning of the central text.

II#2: Employ scaffolding to provide questions, graphics, and supports such as chunking so that students are not overwhelmed by the difficulty level of the text. 

II#2: It is important to assess to see if students were able to perform the lower tier cognitive functions before we assess to see if they can perform higher tier cognitive functions. By teaching and assessing these lower tier cognitive functions, students will be more prepared and equipped to perform these higher tier cognitive functions.

IS#1: To address vocabulary issues that impede literacy, teachers can model then prompt students to independently use the command function on Google Docs (Cmnd + shift + Y). In circumstances where this is not the best approach, teachers can also embed synonyms for high-tier words in parentheses within the text.

IS#2: In lessons, teachers can alternate their approach to reading texts when there are more than one chunked texts. Teachers can use the “read aloud” method to model literacy and thinking while reading for one text, and then prompt students to practice reading independently to practice and refine their ability to make meaning of texts.

II#1: Teachers can assess and adjust to ensure students are working with appropriately leveled texts. They can start with relatively low-rigor texts and gradually increase the rigor and complexity of the texts students read when it is appropriate, based on FAR data and observation of mid-level students demonstrating understanding of the explicit and implicit ideas in these texts.

IS1: Employing a gradual release strategy can facilitate student development of reading self-efficacy and autonomous literacy strategies 

IS2: Modeling can be used to demonstrate how I move through cognitive processes related to literacy explicitly. This can benefit students by illustrating the break-down of steps they'll be tasked to take themselves when approaching texts. 

II1: While employing text chunking can always be helpful, it's also important to think critically about how and why portions of the text are being chunked. Instead of relying solely on length as the primary determiner, characteristics of each ”chunk” of text like syntax complexity, conceptual knowledge, foreign context, figurative language + idiomatic language,  etc are also important to consider.

II2: Predetermined written and oral questions that increase by level of complexity will ensure we can appropriately assess not only what our students understand, but how they're thinking.

C2-- We are the conduit to our students’ development of cognition and processes that will enable engagement and comprehension, as well as, connection to the real world they will face throughout life. 

C3--It is through our pedagogy that students will develop the necessary skills needed for their high school and post secondary careers. 

IS1-- Building schemata is a must as this will give students a deeper understanding and purpose of what it is to be learned. 

IS2- Modeling and repetition of it. The end goal is that students will be able to use the skills and content taught in future lessons plus perform satisfactorily in the Regents exam, if applicable. 

IS3-- The aforementioned will foster stamina in students, giving them the confidence to be able to perform within standards. 

II1- Lots of posted classroom resources, as well as, individual binders holding their lessons with required vocabulary, grammatical rules and scaffoldings. This also gives students accountability for completing their work by knowing that I have access to their binders at all times. 

2) cultural connections so students know what they are working for, all while 3) using the Formative Assessment Recorder (FAR). 

Instructional Strategy- T1) Teacher read alouds for the first stimulus text in the lesson, then student independent reading for the second text is striking a balance, 2) using visual aides in the classroom (Ex: literary devices/elements), 3) task questions that span the taxonomy of cognitive skills.

Instructional Intervention- 1) Through scaffolding students will build a stronger meaning of the text. This should be as visible as possible at every juncture: sentence, paragraph, page, chapter, section. 2) Vocabulary definitions with/vs vocabulary “banks” are also effective. 

C#1 Students and teachers utilize the same strategies when they are looking to make meaning out of a text. Although the methods are similar, the background knowledge is different and the teacher needs to bridge any gaps and build the way to understanding.   

C#2 The obstacles in making meaning can be different for each student, therefore the remedies have to be different as well. Identifying the root problems and workable solutions are difficult but essential. 

Instructional Interventions

II#1 Providing specific unit objectives before the unit starts even if the students may not understand the content itself. By going from a big idea to a small idea to establish a general theme of the unit, the students will have a knowledge of what their goals are before acquiring the knowledge and the understanding of the content. 

II#2 Being ready with a more accessible way of explaining tier 2 or 3 vocabulary for the students. When dealing with content specific expressions, the students might have a difficulty with unknown expressions which can hinder their understanding of a text. 

Instructional Strategies

IS#1 Selecting texts that encompass the Zone of Proximal Development can be effective if available. However if there is no such text, then differentiating the text through appropriate scaffolding has to be done. 

IS#2 Making sure that the stimuli follow a very consistent format throughout the entirety of the school year. This way the students will have a very clear understanding of the assignment expectations, which will make assessments easier.