Schoolwide Reading Program Stephen F' Austin Middle School Irving, Texas David Saenz, Principal Pres

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School-wide Reading ProgramStephen F. Austin
Middle SchoolIrving, Texas David Saenz,
Principal Presented byJessica Guerry,
Reading Department Chair
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Stephen F. Austin Middle School
Irving Independent School District Region X
Service Center Sixth Through Eighth Grades 903
Students 6 Teams- 2 Teams per Grade
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Building Demographics

• Total Number of Students- 903
• Hispanic- 751 (83.1)
• African-American- 48 (5.3)
• White- 85 (9.4)
• Economically Disadvantaged- 786 (86.8)
• LEP- 297 (32.8)
• Sp. Ed.- 99 (10.6)

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Testing Performance

• 2005-2006 Accountability Rating Recognized
• Gold Performance Acknowledgements
• Commended on Reading/ ELA
• Commended on Writing
• Commended on Social Studies
• Comparable Improvement Reading/ELA and
  Mathematics

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Reading Department

• Grade level Reading class
• Also take Reading Improvement class
• -If unsuccessful in Reading TAKS
• -If enrolled in Level 2 ESL classes
• Consistent strategies and skills

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TAKS Focused Materials

• Curriculum is skills based.
• Yearly Scope and Sequence
• Kamico
• Gourmet Curriculum
• Released tests
• TAKS style question stems
• Vocabulary from previous years TAKS test

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6th Grade TAKS Vocabulary
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Accelerated Reader

• Self selected books on reading level
• Comprehension tests
• Tests are taken in Reading classes
• Grades are given in Reading classes
• School-wide program
• Used by all teachers, including Advisory
• Supported by the library
• 90 of Fiction books have an Accelerated Reader
  test.
• 35 of Non Fiction books have an Accelerated
  Reader test.

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Book and Brain Testing Strategy

• Book and Brain is a reading strategy that focuses
  on TAKS questions.
• Students analyze questions to find key words.
• Students decide the best place to find the answer
  to the question based on selected words.
• Students must also prove answers from the
  passage.

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• Use the following checklist to help you when
  doing a TAKS reading passage.
• __________ Prediction written near title
• __________ Main idea written for EVERY paragraph
• __________ Questions labeled BOOK or BRAIN
• __________ Clue words underlined in EVERY
  question
• __________ Evidence underlined within the
  passage
• __________ Paragraph s written beside each
  question stating where the answer was found.
• __________ Eliminate incorrect answers, as you
  read them
• __________The correct answer circled
• __________ The TWO FINGER CHECK when bubbling

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Key to Success

• Consistent
• explicit
• instruction

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• Why do all subjects need to teach Reading?
• Lets look at the tests and see!

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2006 Reading 8th TAKS Test

• 48 Total Questions
• Book- 7 Questions (14)
• Brain- 41 Questions (86)
• Inference- 19 questions (40)
• Main Idea- 12 Questions (25)

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2006 Science 8th TAKS Test

• 50 Total Questions
• Book- 16 Questions (32)
• Brain- 34 Questions (68)
• Inference- 33 questions (66)
• Other Reading Skills Tested
• Details and Prediction

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2006 Social Studies 8th TAKS Test

• 48 Total Questions
• Book- 16 Questions (33)
• Brain- 32 Questions (67)
• Inference- 19 Questions (40)
• Main Idea- 7 Questions (15)
• Point of View- 4 Questions (8)

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2006 Math 8th TAKS Test

• 50 Total Questions
• Book- 22 Questions (44)
• Brain- 28 Questions (56)
• Inference- 26 Questions (52)
• Other Reading Skills Tested Details

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Trends Worth Noting

• Simple computation and fact recall comprised less
  than half of every test.
• Higher order thinking skills are required.
• The majority of questions required a thorough
  understanding of reading skills.
• Every TAKS test included the reading skill of
  inference.

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Book and Brain Across Disciplines

• Teachers in all subjects are trained
• Training conducted by Reading Department staff
  (through small group pullouts)
• Used in all core subject classes
• Adapted (as appropriate) for each subject

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What is BOOK BRAIN in Math?

• It is a reading strategy that we will be
  applying to all of our word problems. This
  reading strategy guarantees that we will KNOW
  WHAT THE QUESTION IS and that we have a PLAN to
  solve it.

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What is the Math Topic? ex. Unit PriceWhat is
the Main Idea? Write the statement here.
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Climate of Literacy

• Consistency is KEY!
• Students receive cross curricular instruction.
  Strategies are reinforced and supported by all
  core teachers.

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Advisory

• Meets four times a week
• Monday vocabulary emphasis
• Tuesday TAKS skill development
• Wednesdays and some Fridays DEAR day
• Other Fridays team meetings
• Thursdays- ASA (Austin Student Allies)- focuses
  on social skill development and relationship
  building

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Library
Movie/ Book Connections
Book Displays
Guys Read/Girls Read
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Training

• Book and Brain
• ESL Strategies
• Arise
• District supported program that encourages all
  teachers to get ESL certification
• Resources and incentives support this goal
• SIOP
• Training offered in a district and campus level
• Teaches appropriate teaching methods for English
  Language Learners
• Training is accomplished both through small group
  training (by using substitutes for pullouts) and
  through staff development days.

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Print Rich Environment

• Emphasized throughout school

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Word Walls
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Teaming

• All students in school are assigned to a team.
• This builds school spirit, which motivates
  attendance and participation.
• Teachers work together to ensure student success
  and to make sure students do not fall through
  the cracks.
• Also, teaming builds accountability for the
  student.

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A Little Bit of Inspiration

• Teamwork is the ability to work together toward
  a common vision. The ability to direct individual
  accomplishments toward organizational objectives.
  It is the fuel that allows common people to
  attain uncommon results.
• -
  Unknown

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Contact Information

• Austin Middle School
• 825 E. Union Bower
• Irving, Texas 75061
• (972) 721- 3100
• David Saenz, Principal
• DSaenz_at_Irvingisd.net

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