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Instructional Focus for October

Small Group Start Up

Kindergarten

Time to begin Small Group instruction.  How do I start with PTR?

1.  Begin with the Small Group Folder, Center Page 1, Level 1.  If you don’t have the newest Small Group Folder updates download them here.  You can also purchase a folder if you prefer from our online store.

2.  Read the directions to the right of level 1 six day cycle graphic.  Think of the Small Group manual as a resource that holds directions on how to do each of the strategies in the six day cycle.  For example, Level 1 Day 1 small group instruction is divided between stretching, blending and point and sing the ABC’s.  If you already know how to do these strategies, in essence you don’t need to refer to the Small Group manual.
HINT: Use the Flip and Assist to read the purpose of each exercise, how to do several variations of the exercise and especially how to respond to errors.
HINT:  Most strategies can be viewed in the video library.  If you haven’t received your free library code contact terry@pathwaystoreading.com

3.  Follow the Level 1 six-day cycle until the Key Skill of point and sing the ABC’s has been achieved and then begin Level 2 instruction.
HINT:  Short cut to find the level of a small group.  Have each member of a group point and sing the ABC’s (Level 1 key skill).  If all students can do this, cross off Level 1 and move to Level 2.  At this level, if students can fully segment a word using the Segment and Write board then complete the Segment and Write Word Lists 1-4 then begin Level 3 instruction.

4.  HINT for Level 3:  Build the vowel town for the Large Group.  There is a new way to do this that is more flexible to differentiate instruction.  Summer 2011 Kindergarten manuals hold these new lessons. (Note:  They are not available in the video library.  The library models the ‘old lessons’.  If you don’t have these newer lessons download them from the website ‘resources’ file.)

5.  HINT: The new observation forms are AWESOME!  They make note-taking easy and informative.  Check that you have the newest forms.

As always, we welcome your feedback and questions.  Visit us on Facebook, direct questions to our blog or e-mail your trainer!

1st Grade, 2nd Grade and ABOVE: Small Group Instruction

1.  Begin with the Small Group Folder, Center Page 1, Level 1.  If you don’t have the newest Small Group folder updates download them here.  You can also purchase a folder if you prefer from our online store.

2.  Read the directions to the right of level 1 six day cycle graphic.  Think of the Small Group manual as a resource that holds directions on how to do each of the strategies in the six day cycle.  For example, Level 1 Day 1 small group instruction is divided between vowel practice and segment and write practice.  If you already know how to do these strategies, in essence you don’t need to refer to the Small Group manual.
HINT: Use the Flip and Assist for directions to each vowel practice, segment and write and responses to errors.  Most strategies can be viewed on the video library.  If you need a free library code contact terry@pathwaystoreading.com

3.  Follow the Level 1 six-day cycle until the Segment and Write Key Skill has been demonstrated.  Then begin Level 2 instruction.

4.  Look at Small Group Folder Center page 2 and track the group’s progress through the three Vowel practices.  Do exercises in Practice 1 only until the key skill is met.  Then begin the exercises in Practice 2, etc.

2^nd grade and above HINT to locate a small group’s segment and write level.  We don’t want to take more time than is necessary with our older students by practicing skills they already have.  Look at the first TEACH LESSON/S in the Segment and Write Word List Guide.  These are new objectives.  Rather than follow the directions for teaching the lesson/s go to the following PRACTICE lesson.  The KEY SKILL for this Practice will be the new Teach Lesson objectives.  For example: th, and sh.  Choose a –th word from the Practice list.  Have the students segment and write with PTR dividers up.  Repeat with an –sh word.  (Choose words less likely to be in their sight word base.)  If the students are successful spelling with –th and –sh, then look immediately to the next TEACH LESSON (new objectives) and repeat the above process.  Continue to do this until a lesson is reached that the students are not familiar with.

As always, we welcome your feedback and questions.  Visit us on Facebook, direct questions to our blog or e-mail your trainer!

Activities to Jump Start Your Pathways Lessons

Kindergarten:

• ABC’s:  Students learn to sing ABC’s while pointing with one to one correspondence to the letters on the ABC chart. (see LG manual Week 1, Day 1.)
• Phonemic Awareness Exercises:  Stretch, blend (See Week 1-Days 1-5) Segment beginning and ending sounds   (See Week 2 Days 1-5)  Rhyming (See Week 3-Days 1-5).
  Tip 1:  Use Flip and Assist for all exercises.  Learn to use the ‘Arrow’ pg. 13.
• Letter Name/Sound:  Weeks 1-8 introduce and practice Pool 1 consonants: m,n,f,v,p,b.
  Tip 2:  Use those choice questions when talking about mouth articulation.  Lips or tongue?
  Tip 3:  Add mouth pictures to activities that work on beginning sounds.
• Learning Station Prep:  Manual hints for preparing students for learning stations by 2^nd quarter.  (LG manual weeks 1-9)
  Tip 4: Visit our video library.  Need a free access code?  Contact terry@pathwaystoreading.com
  Tip 5: Watch blog and facebook to announce new lessons for building vowel hill and for adding the long vowels.  (New lessons are in the summer 2011 manuals and will be made available online later this year.)
• Think Alouds:  Study Reading with Meaning by author Debbie Miller.

1st Grade:

• Consonant Review:  Review all consonants and organize them into speech categories.
  (see LG manual Weeks 1-8.)
• Vowel Town:  Build Vowel town.  Begin LG freeze and match practice.  (see LG manual weeks 1-8.)
  Tip 1:  Watch vowel town being built on ‘Teacher’ video category.  Need a free video library code?  Contact terry@pathwaystoreading.com for a code to 100 video clips.
• Phonics Guides:  Begin to teach phonics guides.  (See LG Segment and Write lessons weeks 1-9.)
  Tip 2:  Watch Terry review phonics guides for teachers on ‘Teacher’ video category. 
• Small Group Prep:  Manual hints for preparing students for independent learning
  (see LG manual week 1).
  Tip 3: Summer 2011 manuals include a sample Small Group Folder.  Create these from zip folder titled ‘first Small Group’ or save time and order these at the online store.  Look under individual items #51 and #51-1.
  Begin small group instruction by following the directions in the small group folder on Center page 1 (Daily Lesson Plan Continuum) which is the four PTR instructional levels.
• Think Alouds:  Study Reading with Meaning by author Debbie Miller.

2nd Grade:

• Vowel Town:  Build Vowel town.  Begin LG freeze and match practice.  (see LG manual weeks 1-2.)
  Tip 1:  Watch vowel town being built on ‘Teacher’ video category.  Need a free video library code?  Contact terry@pathwaystoreading.com for a code to 100 video clips.
• Phonics Guides:  Begin to teach Large Group phonics guides through weekly spelling lessons.  (See LG Segment and Write lessons weeks 1-9.)
  Tip 2:  Each spelling lesson will soon be available as a power point presentation.  Lessons 1-7 are available for download now.  Go to ‘resources’, ‘2^nd grade spelling’.
• Small Group Prep:  Manual hints for preparing students for independent learning (see LG manual week 1).
  Tip 3: Summer 2011 manuals include a Small Group Folder.  Create these from zip folder titled ‘second Small Group’ or save time and order these at the online store.  Look under individual items #52 and #52-1.  Begin small group instruction by following the directions in the small group folder, Center page 1 (Daily Lesson Plan Continuum) which is the four PTR instructional levels.
• Think Alouds:  Study Reading with Meaning by author Debbie Miller.

SPED

• Begin Small Group Instruction:  Follow the directions in the small group folder, Center page 1 (Daily Lesson Plan Continuum) which is the four PTR instructional levels.
  Tip 1: Summer 2011 manuals include a Small Group Folder.  Create these from zip folder titled ‘Kdg., first, 2^nd or Intermediate Small Group’ or save time and order these at the online store.  Look under individual items #50 to #53-1.
  Tip 2:  Watch vowel town being built on ‘Teacher’ video category.  Need a free video library code?  Contact terry@pathwaystoreading.com for a code to 100 video clips.
• Think Alouds:  Study Reading with Meaning by author Debbie Miller.

Don’t have a code to the video library?  Contact us.

Add your comment or question.  We’ll be happy to respond.

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Beginning of the Year Instructional Focus

Please join us on Facebook for the latest Pathways to Reading news, tips, and ideas from fellow teachers.

Kindergarten:

• Prep:  Download and organize reproducibles from the website.  Click on ‘resources’, click on ‘reproducibles’, download Kindergarten zip file.  Follow directions provided.
• Assessments:  Administer suggested assessments for a baseline.

1st Grade:

• Prep:  Download and organize reproducibles from the website.  Click on ‘resources’, click on ‘reproducibles’, download First Grade zip file.  It contains directions for organizing a hanging file of reproducibles and a file for creating small group folders with the newest observation forms.
• Assessments:  Summer 2011 manuals have the assessments in their own booklet.  Assessment booklet contents available in ‘assessment’ file from the downloaded zip or they may be purchased at the online store beginning Sept. 1^st.
  Tip: See directions page 1 for how to sort student tests to assist in formation of small groups.

2nd Grade:

• Prep:  Download and organize reproducibles from the website.  Click on ‘resources’, click on ‘reproducibles’, download Second Grade zip file.  It contains directions for organizing a hanging file of reproducibles and a file for creating small group folders with the newest observation forms.
• Assessments:  Summer 2011 manuals have the assessments in their own booklet.  Assessment booklet contents available in ‘assessment’ file from the downloaded zip or they may be purchased at the online store beginning Sept. 1^st.
  Tip: See directions page 1 for how to sort student tests to determine which students require PTR small group instruction.

SPED

• Prep:  Download and organize reproducibles from the website.  Click on ‘resources’, click on ‘reproducibles’, download needed grade level/s zip file/s.  These contain directions for organizing a hanging file of reproducibles and a file for creating small group folders with the newest observation forms.
• Assessments:  Summer 2011 manuals have the assessments in their own booklet.  Assessment booklet contents available in ‘assessment’ file from the downloaded zip or they may be purchased at the online store beginning Sept. 1^st.
  Tip: See directions page 1 for how to sort student tests to assist in formation of  small groups.

Don’t have a code to the video library?  Contact us.

Add your comment or question.  We’ll be happy to respond.