December 2021
ORTIi News & Updates

Greetings from Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention
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Just a few more weeks!

We are sure that you have likely never needed a winter break like you need this one. This has been the second fall in a row that you have had to plan, adjust, and pivot more than ever before. We hope you have an opportunity during the break to relax a bit and unwind from all that pivoting.

In the meantime, here are just a few noteworthy resources we would like to share with you.
Enjoy your much deserved break!

Brad, Christie, Lisa, Jon, Beth and Nicole
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Ready To Start the LA Curriculum Adoption Process?
CORE Has Support!

(Audience: K-12 District Leaders, Language Arts Teachers)
CORE (The Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education) has provided some very timely support relevant to districts in Oregon and beyond who are getting ready to adopt new curricular materials for language arts. Check out Resources to Help Ascertain Alignment with Elementary Reading/ELA Curriculum to the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy. This helpful article also provides links to additional information and tools such as The Reading League's Curriculum Evaluation Tool, which makes an excellent road map through any program materials you look at. For those of you in Oregon, this article is a great companion to the resources offered by ODE (found here and with more to come in February).

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What do teachers generally know about teaching reading?
Report | The North Carolina Science of Teaching Reading Project
(Audience: District & school leaders, K-5/6 teachers)

This article from EdNC, written by Johanna Anderson and Kymyona Burk (October 5, 2021) and the accompanying report talks about what teachers know about teaching reading and how to scale and support the move to more effective practices based on the Science of Reading at the state level, though the findings are important at a district level, as well.
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Have Questions About MTSS?
Check out this video from Washington MTSS
What Is MTSS?
(Audience: All)

Sometimes it is useful to hear from a variety of people as they explain what MTSS is. This short (20 minute) video is a great overview of MTSS from voices across the country. Some voices will be new to you and some will be people you have likely heard from before. They all give us something new to think about as we continue to build and adjust our own understanding of MTSS.

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Here's a great resource for all things
Adolescent Literacy
(Audience: Secondary Teachers and Admins)

Looking for ways to improve the way you support students in reading and writing in middle and high school? This website (from creators of the Reading Rockets site for elementary) has everything from research to practical tips particularly for this age group of students. This is a terrific resource for Language Arts, content area, and reading intervention teachers as well as leaders.
Have you seen the updated
Ladder of
Reading & Writing?
(Audience: All)

If you click on the image to the right, you will download a PDF of Nancy Young's reading ladder, now called the Ladder of Reading & Writing and the explanation of the terms the creator uses.

Visit Nancy Young's website to see the new ladder and read her blog post, in which she explains all the changes she has made to this incredible infographic. There are some great changes (love that purple arrow!), but the overall message is still that differentiation, using data to make plans and adjustments, is a way to make sure ALL students get the right literacy support at the right time!

If you plan to use this infographic in a presentation, she does request that you ask permission. You can request that on her website. As for this newsletter, yes - the image is used with Nancy Young's permission!
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Planning for Winter PD?
Don't forget the
ORTIi Reading Symposium
Recordings
(Audience: Elementary Teachers & Leaders, Secondary Reading Teachers)
ORTIi's videos and materials are still available. You can continue to use them as professional learning for your staff, and there is nothing for you to prepare! All sessions are less than 75 minutes. You can use these questions to guide the conversation:

  • What was something that was inspiring? Surprising? Troubling? Relevant?
  • What was something that confirms what you already know or affirms something you are already doing?
  • What was something new that you would like to try out? Can you use materials in your current core program to do this or do you need to find new resources? If so, who can help? What other support do you need to adopt this new practice?