PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES FACILITATOR’S …

1 facilitator s Guide for PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES I for the What Works ClearinghousePROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES facilitator S GUIDE TM Practice Guide Teaching Academic Content and literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School Department of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary Institute of Education Sciences Sue Betka, Acting Director National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance Ruth Curran Neild, Commissioner Joy Lesnick, Associate Commissioner Amy Johnson, Action Editor Chris Boccanfuso, Project Officer REL 2015 105 The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) conducts unbiased large-scale evaluations of education programs and practices supported by federal funds; provides research-based technical assistance to educators and policymakers; and supports the synthesis and the widespread dissemination of the results of research and evaluation throughout the United States.

2 JULY 2015 This publication and ancillary materials were prepared for the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) under Contract ED-IES-12-C-0012 by Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southwest, administered by SEDL. The content of the publication and ancillary materials does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of IES or the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the Government. This REL publication and ancillary materials are in the public domain.

3 While permission to reprint or use this publication and ancillary materials is not necessary, it should be cited as: Dimino, J. A., Taylor, M., & Morris, J. (2015). PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES facilitator s guide for the What Works Clearinghouse practice guide: Teaching academic content and literacy to English learners in elementary and middle school (REL 2015 105). Washington, DC: Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest.

4 Retrieved from This publication and ancillary materials are available on the Regional Educational Laboratory website at Photo Credits Photographic images used by the Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest at SEDL on the indicated pages (cover, viii, 6, 12, 22, 31, 33, 35, 42, 49, 56, 66, 68, 74, 80, 86, 93, 96, 102, and 112) supplied by iStockphoto in compliance with SEDL s annual license agreement. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES facilitator S GUIDE for the What Works ClearinghouseTM Practice Guide Teaching Academic Content and literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School Developed by Joseph A.

5 Dimino, Mary Jo Taylor, INSTRUCTIONAL RESEARCH GROUP With assistance from Joan Morris, PRACTICE GUIDE PANEL MEMBER July 2015 Contents Introduction ..1 PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ..1 Forming PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ..2 PLC Facilitators ..2 Instructional Coaches and Mentors ..2 Five-Step Process for PLC Sessions ..2 Conducting the PLC Sessions ..3 Small-Group and Whole-Group Activities ..3 Videos ..4 Timeline for Completing the Sessions ..4 References ..5 Introductory Session.

6 7 Recommendation 1 .. 12 Session 1A .. 13 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Introduction to Recommendation 1 .. 18 Handout : Choosing Words to Teach .. 19 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) .. 20 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) .. 21 Session 23 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Pre-Teaching Vocabulary .. 32 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Activities to Promote Word LEARNING .. 34 Handout : Vocabulary Lesson Plan 36 Handout : Lesson Plan Example.

7 37 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) .. 39 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) .. 41 Session 1C .. 43 Handout : Word Parts .. 50 Handout : Using Context Clues to Determine a Word s Meaning .. 51 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) .. 52 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) .. 54 Recommendation 2 .. 56 Session 2A .. 57 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Introduction to Recommendation 2 .. 64 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Using Videos to Anchor Instruction.

8 65 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Completing a Graphic Organizer .. 67 Handout : General Academic Vocabulary and Content-Specific Vocabulary .. 69 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) .. 70 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) .. 72 Session 75 Handout : Procedures and Behavioral Expectations for Group Work .. 81 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) .. 82 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) .. 84 Recommendation 3.

9 86 Session 3A .. 87 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Introduction to Recommendation 3 .. 94 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Using Graphic Organizers in Writing .. 95 Handout : Compare/Contrast Instructional Routine .. 97 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) .. 98 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) ..100 Session Handout : Writing Sample and Rubric ..108 Handout : Writing Rubric ..109 Handout : Prepare to Share (Custom Activity) ..110 Recommendation 4.

10 112 Session 4A ..113 Handout : How-to Steps 1 and 2: Questions and Responses ..120 Handout : Characteristics of Scaffolded Instruction ..121 Handout : Video Viewing Guide Introduction to Recommendation 4 ..122 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 1: Recommended Activity) ..123 Handout : Prepare to Share (Option 2: Custom Activity) ..125 Exhibits Exhibit 1: Five-Step Process for PLC Sessions ..3 Exhibit : Recommendation 1 Grade-Level Video Options .. 26 Exhibit : Word Parts and Cognates Grade-Level Video Options.