ADE Secondary ELA Book Study - The Essentials of Adolescent Literacy by Lauren Spenceley

Schedule and Notetaker

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Feel free to print and use during our book study to keep track of dates and chapters, and jot down key ideas!

Book Webpage

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Note:

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**The views and opinions expressed in any third-party resource do not necessarily reflect those of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and do not imply an endorsement by ADE.

Book Study Facilitator:

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Lauren Spenceley, M.Ed.

Secondary ELA Specialist

Arizona Department of Education

📧 lauren.spenceley@azed.gov

☎ 602-364-2267

💻 ADE Secondary ELA Webpage

Thank you for joining us for this amazing book study! So excited to collaborate with you all!

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Share with your friends!

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Make sure you purchase the book!

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Slide Deck 💻

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Resources from Joan:

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Literacy Lines Blog

https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/

Free Instructional Resources

https://keystoliteracy.com/free-resources/

Chapter 1 and 2 - Literacy Basics and Adolescent Literacy

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Introduction to the text and the 6 session book study format
Adolescent Literacy and Reading Cognitive Models
Ch 1 and 2 Golden Lines
Ch 1 and 2 Review and Discussion Questions

Recording ▶

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Golden Lines Padlet:

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Use this padlet each week to share your golden lines - feel free to add them before the session and throughout the week! Make sure to include page numbers so your colleagues can find them. By the end of the book study, we will have a valuable collection of important lines!

Golden Lines Directions

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Adolescent Literacy Hub:

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Slide Deck

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Breakout Rooms: Ch 1 and 2 Discussion Questions

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Adolescent Literacy Cognitive Models

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⭐ Reminders: ⭐

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Make sure you register for all 6 sessions – even if you may have to miss one, I will make sure to send you the materials.
Please note that I do not record the book study sessions – they are highly collaborative, including breakout rooms and discussions. But I will always provide the slide deck and materials on the Padlet.
Remember that you will receive 3 hours of PD credit for this session – 1.5 for reading your chapters, and 1.5 for attending the virtual book chat.
Sessions cannot be made up. If you do not attend the live session for at least 60 minutes, you will not receive any PD credit.

IDA Structured Literacy Graphic

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Structured Literacy in Secondary

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Research Study: Brock and Larwin (2024)

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Addressing the Adolescent Literacy Crisis: Studying Multi-Year Literacy Interventions at a STEM High School

Time to Act

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Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary - what it is and how to make it happen!

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Inspiration of the Week:

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You're only human!

Chapters 3 and 4 - Vocabulary and Comprehension Instruction

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Vocabulary is key to academic success in all contents
Comprehension consists of fluency, metacognition, background knowledge, text structure, and language structures

Slide Deck

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Breakout Rooms: Ch 3 and 4 Discussion Questions

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 3 and 4:

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Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/
Register for free account or log in to existing account.
Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 3 and 4:

Chapter 3:

4 Square Template
Frayer Template
Two-Column Template
Word Knowledge Checklist

Chapter 4:

Examples of Text-Dependent Questions
How to Write a Summary
Question Terms
Summary Template
Supporting Comprehension
Two-Column Notes

Language Comprehension in Secondary

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The Gist is This: Building Students’ Comprehension through Questioning and Gist Statements

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RAND Model

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Research: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB8024.html

Encourage/build word consciousness

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This activity is called a Dale Scale.

Some words to try it with: https://leverageedu.com/blog/50-difficult-words-with-meanings/

Supporting Secondary Students with Complex Texts

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Inspiration of the Week:

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Morphology Resources

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Chapters 5 and 6 - Text Structure and Writing

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Teaching text structure supports both reading and writing.
Text structure is more than genre - it also includes text features, patterns of organization, transitions, paragraph structure, and sentence structure
Writing as a tool for learning across all subject areas
The value of mentor texts
Think, Plan, Write, Revise

Breakout Rooms: Ch 5 and 6 Activities

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 5 and 6:

mz_ess_az — 2026-03-19 22:02:03 UTC

Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/
Register for free account or log in to existing account.
Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 5 and 6:

Chapter 5:

Argument Writing Components
Common Patterns of Organization
Kernel Sentence Expansion
Questions to Analyze Text Structure
Three Types of Text
Transition Words and Phrases

Chapter 6:

Focus Areas for Using Mentor Text
Questions to Support Each Writing Stage
Responding to Narrative Text
Self or Peer Feedback Checklist
TAP Questions
Teacher Checklist: Argument Writing
Teacher Checklist: Informational Writing
Teaching Principles for Writing
The Process Writing Routine
The Writing Rope
Types of Content Writing Tasks
Writing Assignment Guide (WAG) Template

Blog

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65 Long Sentences

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Writing

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Arizona's 6-12th Grade Writing Standards: Model, Practice, Reflect, Assess

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Building from Opinion Writing (K-5) to Argument Writing (6-12)

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Assessing Secondary Writing

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The Writing Rope

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ADE Book Study - The Writing Rope

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Writing Across the Curriculum

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Inspiration of the Week:

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Slide Deck

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Chapter 7 and 8 - Discussion and Advanced Word Study/Fluency

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Chapter 7:

Discussion enhances reading comprehension and supports content learning
3 formats: teacher-led, small-group student-led, and partner talk
Establish norms

Chapter 8:

You will see a variety of needs in the area of phonics and advanced word study in older students
Understand: alphabetic principle, phonics, and advanced word study
Instructional suggestions: morphology, syllable types, multisyllabic word routine, fluency instruction

Slide Deck

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Breakout Rooms:

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Three students—Thomas, Maria, and Luis—are introduced at the beginning of this chapter. Each benefits from instruction in advanced phonics and word study skills, but for different reasons. Reflect on the students you work with and consider which of these three they most resemble.

Share out in your room and come back ready to share some thoughts.

Word Recognition in Secondary

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Fluency Matters

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 7 and 8:

mz_ess_az — 2026-04-09 18:29:53 UTC

Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/
Register for free account or log in to existing account.
Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 7 and 8:

Chapter 7:

Talk Moves: Sentence Starters
Teacher Discussion Moves

Chapter8 :

Additional Prefixes
Common Greek and Latin Roots
Common Suffixes
Spelling Rules for Adding Suffixes
Twenty Most Common Prefixes
Word Analysis Routine

Decoding Complex Multisyllabic Words

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AdLit.org: Rich, Academically Productive Talk

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Keys to Literacy: Advanced Word Study

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Word Cloud from Opening Discussion

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Inspiration of the Week:

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The purpose of this documentary is to spread the word, not just that illiteracy and sub-literacy in America are having a detrimental affect on our society and economy, but that there are proven and effective solutions already available.

With a growing voice and an ever increasing need for resources (many kids are on a long waiting list for these types of services because the support to handle this large number of people is not there) we can stand up together and make what seems impossible – possible!

Literature Circles Discussion Roles

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Chapter 9 - Adolescent Learners with Literacy Difficulties

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Causes of literacy difficulty
Supporting struggling readers and writers in the general ed classroom - MTSS, effective intervention instruction
Interventions for vocab, comprehension, phonics, and fluency, writing
Supporting students with LDs and ELs

Breakout Rooms: How would you intervene?

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapter 9:

mz_ess_az — 2026-04-30 20:39:54 UTC

Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/
Register for free account or log in to existing account.
Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 9:

Questions to Analyze Student Writing

Intervention Resources from the AZ Adolescent Literacy Hub

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Really helpful book for this topic!

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IES Guide: Interventions Grades 4-9 and Beyond

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iSteep ORF Norms

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Inspiration of the Week:

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Slide Deck

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Chapter 10 - Data-Driven Reading Intervention

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Four types of assessments - screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, summative
Secondary reading instruction model
Screening and diagnostic assessment model
Progress monitoring is key
Analyzing data

Slide Deck

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapter 10:

mz_ess_az — 2026-05-07 22:33:27 UTC

Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/
Register for free account or log in to existing account.
Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 10:

Assessment and Intervention Profile
Questions to Support Data Analysis
Reading Assessment Plan for Grades 5–12

Assessment Resources from the AZ Adolescent Literacy Hub

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Core Assessing Multiple Measures

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Adolescent Assessment of Literacy (AAL)

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This assessment has been specially developed as a screener to assess literacy skills of students from the 3rd to the 12th grade in the fall.

Example Diagnostic Tools

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Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments

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Reading Assessment Model, Grades 5-12 (Keys to Literacy)

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Adolescent Literacy Tips for Screening and Assessment (FCRR)

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Thank you + Survey

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Thank you so much for being a part of this book study! Please stay in touch. I hope to see you at future book studies and PDs!!

Please fill out the survey. The feedback on the survey will help guide future related PD and book studies. (The survey link will be shared in the last book chat session, and link will be in final email if you weren't able to attend the session.)

Secondary ELA Updates - sign up!

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ELA Team Updates

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Subscribe to ELA team email updates!

Inspiration of the Week:

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Keys to Literacy AdLit Professional Learning

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AZ Virtual Literacy Road Show

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