Writing an LDC Module Step-by-Step Guidance

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Writing an LDC ModuleStep-by-Step Guidance
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Starting to write a Module?Some
questions to ask yourself - what content -
what type/mode of academic writing - what text
structure - what length of the module -
what writing product - what text and/or
multimedia
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At the Core of the LDC Framework is the Task
Why the emphasis on tasks? What was different
in the four classrooms was what students were
actually being asked to do, and the degree to
which the teacher was able to engage students in
the work by scaffolding their learning up to the
complexity of the task she was asking them to
do. Richard Elmore Rounds in Education.
Elizabeth A. City, Richard F. Elmore, Sarah E.
Fiarman, and Lee Teitel
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Consider -
content - mode of writing
- text structure 1st
Choose a Template Task from the Template
Task Bank
Task 2 Template Insert question After reading
________ (literature or informational texts),
write a/an ________ (essay or substitute) that
addresses the question and support your position
with evidence from the text(s).
(Argumentation/Analysis)
Task 14 Template Insert question After reading
_______ (literature or informational texts),
write _________(essay, report, or substitutes)
that describes _______and addresses the question.
Support your discussion with evidence from the
text(s). (Informational/Description)
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Choosing the right template task is an important
decision for module success.

• Tips for choosing a template task
• Do not change the words in the template task.
  (The CCSS are hard wired into the template
  tasks.)
• Consider the content, desired product, and your
  students.

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2nd Turn the LDC Template Task into a Teaching
Task by filling in the blanks.

• text
• writing product
• content

Task 14 Template Informational/Description
Insert question After reading ________
(literature or informational texts), write
________ (essay, report, or substitutes) that
describes ________ (content) and addresses the
question. Support your discussion with evidence
from the text(s). Task 14 Template
Informational/Description How are effects of
colonialism in Africa still seen today? After
reading informational texts, write an essay that
describes current issues of genocide, AIDS, and
hunger in Africa and addresses the question.
Support your discussion with evidence from the
texts.
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Tips and Considerations when Writing a Teaching
Task

• Decide task level (L1, L2 or L3)
• Use learning targets and state content standards
  to design
• Revisit frequently during module creation and
  implementation

Task 2 Template (Argumentation/Analysis) What
combination of market and command systems do you
believe creates an ideal mixed economy? After
reading informational and opinion texts, write an
essay that addresses the question and support
your position with evidence from the texts. Be
sure to acknowledge competing views.
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3rd Complete the Information Sheet.

• Module Title (optional graphic)
• Module Description/Overview (Should be written to
  a fellow colleague and include what will be
  learned, the input medium students will use, the
  final product, and where in the content
  instruction the task stands)

e.g. This module is intended to help students
understand how colonialism continues to impact
Africa today students will explore the current
issues of genocide, AIDS, and hunger in Africa.
The module is used as the final piece of a unit
on the history of colonialism in Africa and was
created for high school freshman with low
literacy skills.

• Template Task
• Teaching Task
• General Information (Intended Grade Level(s),
  Discipline/ Content Area, Course , Author(s), and
  Contact Information)

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4th Complete Section 1 - What Task

• Background (written to students , provides
  context)
• Teaching Task
• 5th Reading Text (and if desired multi-media)

Ask yourself.Will the texts and/or
multimedia Ive chosen provide the students with
the information they need to completely respond
to the prompt?
Check. the do-ability of the task by using
the readings to complete the task yourself
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Choosing Texts and Other Resources - Tips

• The text selection is critical!
• Look for the perfect balance
• reading level of students
• complexity of text (demands on skills and stamina
  of reader)
• background knowledge required for comprehension
• sufficiency of content for writing task
• Keep Gradual Release in mind
• -whole group
• -small group
• -independent
• Be sure text provides students with information
• needed to respond completely to the teaching
  task.

• If an argumentation task, be sure the quantity
  and
• content of texts arent biased.

6th Extension (optional)
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7th Complete the Common Core Section

• Do not change standards on the left side of the
  chart (Standards are hardwired into template
  tasks.)
• May add additional standards when appropriate
  if addressed in the module

8th Complete the Content Standards Section

• Include state content standards appropriate to
  the module

• Content Standards can be used to design mini-
• tasks in the module

9th LDC Rubric do not change
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10th Complete Section 2 What Skills

• Deconstruct the teaching task to identify the
  skills students need to complete the task.
• Skills are defined by Ability to
• Organize the skills into clusters such as
• Preparing for the task
• Reading process
• Transition to writing
• Writing process

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What should I remember about the skills and
pacing?
11th Complete Section 3 What Instruction

• Skill
• Pacing

• Cut and paste the skills from Section 2
• The instruction of the skills become mini-tasks
• Be realistic in determining pacing envision the
  step-by-step lessons and how long each
  will take

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Determine a Product for Each Mini-Task
12th Plan the Prompt for Each Mini-Task

• Written to students
• Asks students to practice and demonstrate an in-
  progress skill
• Refer to specific state, district, content grade
  level standards
• When implementing the module, make connections
  between mini-task and teaching task
  

• Specify student work that can be used to
  determine students understanding of skill being
  taught
• Might be a tangible artifact of student
• work or participation in a group task
• Use as formative assessment  

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13th Determine the Instructional Strategies

• Envision your expectation
• Deconstruct the listed skill
• Think about what instruction is
  
• needed for students to be successful
• Plan effective instructional strategies based on
  your
• knowledge of your students
• For each skill, determine how much modeling
  and/or
• instructional guidance is needed. and how much
  can
• be done independently.

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14th Write a Scoring Guide for Each Mini-Task

• Keep mini-task rubrics manageable
• Empower students in knowing the expectation
• Provides the teacher with formative assessment
  

Think about what additional scaffolding,
instructional strategies and supports you will
provide for students who do not meet expectations
of mini tasks
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15th Complete Materials, References and
Supports

• Refer to 5th Step.
• Copy materials, references and supports into last
• part of Section 3 What Instruction

16th Determine whether to include a
Classroom Assessment Task

• The pre and post classroom assessment tasks are
  optional.
• If used, the task needs to mirror the sentence
• structure of the teaching task.
• Choose a short text for students to independently
  read and analyze.

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17th After Implementation
Complete Section 4 - What Results

• Provide student samples
• Include teacher reflection on
  implementation of the module
• in the Teacher Work Section
• Include student and teacher
• supports in the Appendix