Annual Conference

Chicago Teachers Learn to Build Academic Vocabulary

Several hundred teachers and other educators from the Chicago Public Schools participated in Pre-Conference Workshops designed to introduce them to the principles that help students build academic vocabulary.

Separate sessions on "Building Background Knowledge for Vocabulary Development," were conducted for elementary and secondary practitioners. Facilitators were Phyllis Pajardo and Tim Westerberg.

The importance of academic vocabulary is growing in the wake of new research showing that the ability to use the particular language of any discipline is a strong predictor of how well students will learn the subject when they come to school. Students who have "advantaged" academic vocabulary generally do better in school. Students with "disadvantaged" academic vocabulary generally struggle.

The more students understand the academic terms in content standards, the easier it is for them to understand information they may read or hear about the topic. Pajardo and Westerberg contend that teaching specific terms in a consistently effective way to all students is one of the strongest actions a teacher can take to ensure that students have the academic background knowledge they need to understand the content they encounter in school.

Building academic vocabulary works in all classrooms and subject areas, they said. Specific techniques for teaching academic vocabulary include this six-step process:

1. Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.
2. Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
3. Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase.
4. Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms.
5. Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.
6. Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms.

ASCD offers a number of resources for educators interested in learning more about building academic vocabulary. You can listen to the experts discuss the topic in a free audio question-and-answer session. In addition, the recently published Building Academic Vocabulary: A Teacher's Manual offers practical advice on implementing classroom activities.

Westerberg called on session participants to take their new-found knowledge back to their schools and educate their colleagues on this best practice. "There are two ways to improve results: redesign the school based on best practices, or get new kids," he said. "If anything significant happens this decade in our schools, it will be because of your leadership on this kind of issue."

Have you had success building academic vocabulary? Tell us how (or give your thoughts on this innovative yet common-sense idea) by clicking "comments" below.

The Practical Conference-Goer

ASCD is onsite in Chicago now, and all is in readiness to welcome a record crowd to the 61st ASCD Annual Conference. We have some random notes aimed especially at educators who will be joining us this weekend.

Session Changes

Please review the list of session changes and cancellations in the two posts here and here. Two of the cancelled sessions were Monday ticketed sessions (3101T — Top Ten Palm Applications and 3442T — Mentoring Novice Teachers: Beginning the Journey). Check at Conference Registration to see what ticketed sessions still have open seats; they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis. We’ll continue to post session changes here. 

Getting Oriented

For a crash course on how to do the Conference, check ASCD’s online Attendee Guide. You’ll find information on planning your Conference experience, getting to and from the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, and getting around Chicago. It also inclludes a database of all Conference sessions. Especially valuable to those who have never been to an ASCD Conference is information on our “First-Timers’ Sessions,” which take place Friday, March 31 from 4:00–5:00 pm and Saturday, April 1 from 8:30–9:30 am.

Getting Around

Take the shuttle bus from your hotel to the Conference!

Several events on Sunday, April 2 may slow down taxis. A popular 10K fun run may boggle traffic around Grant Park on the way to the McCormick Center, and the World Series Champion Chicago White Sox play their home opener on Sunday as well. Although the stadium is well south of the convention center, it could cause congestion. Potentially adding to traffic woes is the reconstruction of the Dan Ryan Expressway, which begins this weekend. It’s the major north-south route through Chicago, and everyone is on pins and needles waiting to see if a commuting apocalypse is about to beset area drivers.

If you absolutely have to be on time, leave plenty of time--even if you’re taking the shuttle bus.

If you do take a taxi, tell the driver you need to go to Lakeside Center East at McCormick Place. That will ensure you get dropped off at the most convenient entrance.

Weather

It’s Chicago in the springtime, when you can pretty much expect anything in the weather department. Lucky us.

Thursday was gorgeous: warm, sunny, with gentle zephyrs wafting off Lake Michigan. It looks like that’s as good as it gets for the next few days. Friday will be windy with scattered thunderstorms, with a high temperature of 61 (16 centigrade). The real fun starts on Saturday; although the sun comes out, the temperatures fall to a high of 49 (9c). The thunderstorms are back on Sunday with temperature rising to a high of 60 (16c), and Monday will be generally rainy with a high of 55 (13c).

Get the gory details here.

Oh well, we’ll be inside, where the learning will be warm and dry, and the people happy and excited. We can’t wait for you to join us!

Replacement Sessions, and Sessions with Title, Speaker, Location, or Time Changes

Listed below, you'll find the latest information on replacement sessions, and sessions with new names, locations, or times.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1

• 145EW — REPLACEMENT SESSION, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Expanding Horizons: Teaching Multicultural Literature, Grades 6-12. Middle and Secondary. 20% Interactive. Location—McCormick Place Lakeside Center (East), Level 2, E253a, Room Capacity 90.
  Session Description—Discover Holt Multicultural Reader, an interactive approach to building reading, vocabulary, and critical-thinking skills through diverse literature and informational text. Participants will experience how this program helps students master literacy skills and practice test-taking skills through literature that reflects their backgrounds. Sample copies will be distributed.
  Shirley Faris, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Round Hill, VA
• 1412 — A Study of the Effectiveness of Two Models of Implementing Educational Technology. SPEAKER CHANGE -- Secondary presenter Randall Ryder will be replaced by Jane Elizabeth Marko of Marko and Associates, Milwaukee, Wisc.

SUNDAY, APRIL 2

• 215EW — REPLACEMENT SESSION, 8:30–9:30 a.m. Improving Student Performance in Math and Reading. Middle of Junior High, 50% Interactive.
  Location—McCormick Place Lakeside Center (East), Level 2, E253b, Room Capacity 90.
  Session Description—Hear how the Philadelphia school district created extended-learning opportunities for students who need extra instructional time to meet rigorous state and local achievement standards. Through a combination of targeted intervention programs after school, on Saturdays, and during the summer, the district achieved impressive gains in math and reading.
  Princeton Review, New York

• 252EW — Interdisciplinary Learning Using Historical Replicas for Art
  TIME CHANGE—4:00–6:00 p.m.

• 2127 — Chicago Neighborhood Learning Network: Bridging the Digital Divide Through School/Community Partnerships. SPEAKER CHANGE -- Brandon Hamilton is the new primary presenter, replacing Sylvia Alvino, Diane Campbell, and Ronald Sistrunk.

• 2254 — The Six Principles of Successful School Board Partnerships
  ROOM CHANGE—McCormick Place Lakeside Center (East), Level 4, E450b

MONDAY, APRIL 3

• NEW Business Meeting of Higher Education Division, 10:30–11:30 a.m.  Location—Hilton Chicago, 3rd Floor, Williford A.
  Meeting Description—The focus of the higher education division meeting is to discuss the effects of alternative licensure on the teaching force and Colleges of Education. All ASCD members are welcome to attend. Diane Heacox, College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN

• 331EW — NEW TITLE—100 Book Challenge Curriculum Integration Challenge: Standards-Based Curriculum in the Content Areas with Tiered Intervention

• 355EW — REPLACEMENT SESSION, 2:30–3:30 p.m. Automated Instructional Management: A Means to an End. All Levels. 50% Interactive. Location—McCormick Place Lakeside Center (East), Level 2, E253a, Room Capacity 90.
  Session Description—This workshop will review the definition and purpose of instructional management, outline components and prerequisites for effective instructional management systems, and provide concrete examples of the features that characterize effective automated instructional management systems.
  Thomas Reale, Maximus, Reston, VA

• 3157 — High School Success
  ROOM CHANGE—McCormick Place Lakeside Center (East), Level 2, E255

• 3309 — NEW TITLE—Teaching for IMPACT: Designing Learning for Understanding

Check out the Annual Conference Attendee Guide, for more useful info to guide your Conference experience.

Submitted by Annual Conference Coordinator, Joanna Robertson.

Canceled Conference Sessions

The following sessions have been canceled; please make changes to your personal itineraries.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1

1134 — ELL and Language Learning-Disabled Students: Promoting Equity through SLCs
CANCELED

1251 — Taking Note of Nonfiction Reading and Writing
CANCELED

1270 — Technology Creates Enthusiasm for Reading!
CANCELED

SUNDAY, APRIL 2

212EW — How Leaders Can Make the Difference for Struggling Readers
CANCELED

243EW — FISH! For Schools: Creating Classroom Culture
CANCELED

2121 — All Children Achieving: Designing Standards-Based Curricula for Special-Needs Learners
CANCELED

2137 — Using Teacher Research to Inform Instruction and Improve Student Achievement
CANCELED

2341 — Harbors of Hope: Surviving and Thriving in the Pounding Surf
CANCELED

2451 — Closing the Achievement Gap: One District's Success
CANCELED

MONDAY, APRIL 3

351EW — No Teacher Left Behind
CANCELED

3101T — Top Ten Palm Applications
CANCELED

3103 — Building Strong Community Education Programs: Strategies That Work
CANCELED

3159 — No More “Drive-Bys”: Embedding Staff Development in Individual Schools
CANCELED

3242 — Teaching for Mathematical Understanding: Essential Questions, Communication, and Manipulatives
CANCELED

3248 — Defining High-Quality Professional Development
CANCELED

3442T — Mentoring Novice Teachers: Beginning the Journey
CANCELED

Update submitted by Annual Conference Coordinator, Joanna Robertson.

Cheezborger, Deep Dish, Ribs, and a Little Bit of Attitude on the Side

Chicago is a great restaurant town, where you can spend a whole lot for a great meal. It's also a great town for cheap eats. These four Chicago culinary institutions will fill you up with delicious chow and a healthy serving of local lore without emptying your wallet. On a per-person basis, a rack of ribs at the Twin Anchors is the most expensive offering available at any of these places, and that’s just $19.95.

The Billy Goat Tavern
430 N. Michigan, Lower Level
(312) 222-1525

"Cheezborger! Cheezborger! No fries, cheeps! No Pepsi, Coke!" This is the joint that inspired the "Saturday Night Live" routine and whose long-ago mascot is responsible for the Chicago Cubs’ decades of frustration. The Billy Goat serves basic bar and deli fare; order the most expensive item on the menu and you’ll still get change back from a five and a one. If you’re in the mood for a cheezborger, go ahead and get a double.

Located just north of the River under Michigan Avenue. Find one of the stairways on the sidewalk near the Wrigley Building (the landmark structure pictured here) or the Chicago Tribune Towers across the street. Head down the steps and emerge on another lower sidewalk below street level. You can’t miss the Billy Goat from there: look for neon in the window and an old wooden sign out front.

Gino’s East of Chicago
633 N. Wells (at Ontario)
(312) 943-1124

You can get into a heated argument about who serves the best Chicago deep-dish pizza. Or you can just be quiet and stuff your face with Gino’s pizza. It’s not much on décor (unless you count the graffiti wall), but you’ll be more focused anyway on the gooey artistry on your plate. A large pie will serve four, maybe three if you pace yourselves. Those watching their carb intake can opt for… well… pasta.
In River North, near many of the conference hotels.

Twin Anchors Restaurant
1655 North Sedgwick
(312) 266-1616

Ribs are the deal at the Twin Anchors, baby. It’s where Sinatra used to hold court when he was in town back in the day. He came for the ribs—rated world-class in a town that knows from ribs—as well as the oddly nautical décor and the back room that pretty much guaranteed a grand entrance. The menu features sandwiches and so forth, but it would really be a shame to go to the Twin Anchors and miss the ribs.
In Old Town, a short cab ride north of most of the conference hotels.

Ed Debevic's
640 N. Wells
(312) 664-1707

Ed Debevic’s is a diner—a carefully calculated, retro version of a diner that manages to be a hoot even though you know it’s a shtick. The dogs, burgers, meatloaf, pot roast, turkey platter and more are all stick-to-your-ribs genuine, and you get free insults and jokes with your meal. The wise-cracking wait staff lives by the restaurant’s motto: Good Food, Fresh Service. Save room for Ed’s homemade cookie-and-ice-cream sandwich.
In River North, near many of the conference hotels.

For more information on Chicago's dining scene, visit the listings and ratings compiled by The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, and the alternative weekly Chicago Reader.

Photo: Illinois Bureau of Tourism

E-Communication: Boosting Parental Involvement

Getting parents involved in their kids' educations is considered one of the toughest -- and potentially most rewarding -- challenges in education today. A recent MetLife teacher survey found that new teachers view engaging their students' parents as the single most difficult aspect of the job.

Yet there is ample evidence that parental-involvement efforts pay off handsomely, in more and better student learning, higher test scores, better attendance, and fewer behavioral problems. How to achieve such worthy results?

The March edition of Edutopia, the magazine of the George Lucas Educational Foundation, argues that technology offers one of the best routes toward improving communication between schools, teachers, and parents. Electronic mail and Web pages provide a convenient way for parents and teachers to stay in touch, update each other on student progress, and ask and answer questions about what's going on in class and at home. Edutopia says these strategies can facilitate electronic communication.

• Assign an e-mail address to all faculty and staff. For working parents especially, e-mail may be the most effective way of staying in touch with teachers. Of course, teachers will need regular access to a computer for e-mail to work well.
• Start school and class Web pages. They are great for giving parents and caregivers access to assignments, schedules, and notices. Use them to show off student work too! Keep the pages current and update them often to encourage frequent visits.
• Send electronic newsletters. Cut out the middleman (the student whose backpack may house a semester's worth of school fliers) and send an e-newsletter directly to parents. They combine the best features of both e-mail and Web pages. Be sure to offer paper versions for parents who don't have access to a computer.
• Put student data online. Password-protected information on each child can help parents stay on top of their kids' grades, attendance, even lunch-buying habits. Edutopia notes that access to academic performance information can help parents head off problems before they become crises.
• Consider providing laptops to take home. It's an expensive option, but many schools have found that sending computers home with students fosters learning and makes it easier for parents to keep up with what their kids are doing in class.

What's your experience with using technology to increase parent involvement? Click "comments" below to share your story.

Sroka Says, Safe & Healthy Students Learn More

A letter to ASCD Annual Conference participants from Dr. Stephen Sroka:

No Child Left Behind stresses teaching to the academic child often at the expense of dealing with the real life issues for students, schools, and communities. Issues such as poverty, discrimination, diversity, sex, drugs, and violence can prevent effective education.

That's why I'll be in Chicago copresenting session #2142, "Connecting the Dots: Linking School Health, Literacy and Student Achievement," Sunday, April 2, 8:00 to 9:30 A.M. This session will explore how the educator can address the needs of the whole child--socially, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually--and deal with the barriers that hamper effective education. Come to my session, and see how and why safe and healthy students learn more.

Session #2142 is a high energy, motivational, prevention-education presentation. We'll integrate cutting-edge research (on brain-based learning, media literacy, character education, resiliency, and youth asset development programs), humor, and inspiring real-life stories to facilitate learning about sex, drugs, violence prevention, diversity, and discrimination. Participants will learn about the life skills that increase academic achievement and leave the session with an unforgettable message:

Through education, helping one another, and believing in yourself; you can make a difference in schools, communities, and students' lives. You have the "Power of One" to make a difference.

I know my session is early, but I guarantee it will wake you up and motivate you for the rest of the day! Hope to see you in Chicago,

Steve

Historical Knowledge: A Challenge to Standardized Testing

If U.S. students perform poorly on tests that measure their grasp of things historical, blame it on the test, says  Marc Turner, a lead teacher at Blythewood High School in Blythewood, South Carolina. Turner, named the 2005 Secondary Teacher of the Year by the National Council for the Social Studies, states that if you "look at 100 years of social studies testing, our kids have scored low," but it’s just the nature of the discipline, he says. Indeed, Turner just isn’t persuaded that a history assessment tells anyone very much about what students know.

Turner came to this realization after reading what Professor Sam Wineburg had to say about how we come to understand history. Wineburg has noted that, because of mediocre tests results, many Americans are convinced that students don’t know history. The truth, Wineburg is quoted as saying, is that students haven’t memorized the lists of facts that test makers have determined are important to know.

So, have students write historical narratives instead of taking tests, says Turner. "We should be promoting history as an interpretive experience," suggests Turner. "There’s nothing wrong when kids reach potentially different conclusions about an event," he observes—historians disagree all the time. What’s more, once students have written their narratives, they can "compare their interpretations to those of other scholars in the field," making for a rich learning experience.

Authentic assessment, such as those Turner recommends, is a hot topic this year at the ASCD Annual Conference—as previous blog entries have shown. You can also find sessions on effective instruction in social studies -- instruction that takes students beyond rote memorization into the realm of critical thinking. Take a look at the following sessions:

#1104 Teaching Social Studies in a Broad, Balanced, and Relevant Curriculum Saturday, April 1, 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Presented by Ruth Garner, Patricia Bonner and  Michael Fuller, all affiliated with the Newsweek Education Program.

#1133 Understanding History by Design: The Museum Reader and the History Illustrator Saturday, April 1, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. Presented by Barbara Radner, DePaul University, Chicago; Heidi Moisan, Chicago Historical Society, and Carolyn Hale, Nobel Elementary School, Chicago.

#2164 Challenging History: Essential Questions in the Social Studies Classroom Sunday, April 2, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Presented by Heather Lattimer, Michael Paredes, and Rob Meza-Ehlert, Kearny High School, San Diego, Calif.

#3120 Building Background Knowledge for Student Success in Social Studies Monday, April 3, 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Presented by Dianna Roberge, Capital Region Education Council, Hartford, Conn.

(This post submitted by Kathy Checkley, author of several Professional Development Online courses, and the book, Priorities in Practice: The Essentials of Mathematics K—6.)

Chicago Blues at its Most

During the Great Depression, the blues caught a train in Mississippi, got off in Chicago, liked what it saw, and decided to call it home. The blues is now Chicago’s music, and many of the world’s blues temples are located right here. There are dozens of hole-in-the-wall blues joints throughout the city, many in the hard-to-get-to South Side. We’ve highlighted five that ASCDers will find convenient and rewarding to visit. Most have a modest cover charge.

Blue Chicago
736 N. Clark (at Superior)
(312) 642-6261
Blue Chicago on Clark
536 N. Clark (at Ohio)
(312) 661-0100
Young by Chicago club standards, Blue Chicago has only been around a dozen or so years, but has built lots of cred by nurturing local talent. If you’re a blues novice, either venue (they’re just a couple of blocks apart) makes a friendly spot to get an introduction to the art form.
In the River North neighborhood, close by most Conference hotels.

B.L.U.E.S.
2519 N. Halsted
(773) 528-1012
Show up early (before 9:00) or late (after midnight) if you don’t want to wait in line at B.L.U.E.S. This popular venue mostly showcases Chicago’s homegrown blues players, plus the occasional national act. The room is intimate, the music authentic at this Lincoln Park institution that is well worth a cab ride.
Up by DePaul University, a couple miles north of the Conference hotels.

Buddy Guy’s Legends
754 S. Wabash
(312) 427-0333
The rows of drab tables and plastic chairs do not matter. The surprisingly good Southern food does not matter. The constant presence of owner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and fret master Buddy Guy does not matter. The music is what matters here. Some people call Buddy Guy’s Legends the best blues bar in the world.
In the South Loop neighborhood, very close to these Conference hotels: Essex Inn, Best Western Grant Park, and the Hilton Chicago.

House of Blues
329 N. Dearborn
(312) 923-2000
Blues purists tend to look down at the House of Blues; it’s a little too slick and corporate. The upstairs concert hall is devoted to national touring acts that run the gamut from reggae to blue-eyed soul—diverse and entertaining but not necessarily the blues. On the other hand, the Rev. Al Green holds forth there Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1, and he’s close. The downstairs music hall books local blues acts on their way up. National acts require tickets (call the club); downstairs the music comes with your drinks and dinner.
In River North barely, right on the side of the river and convenient to most Conference hotels.

Lonie Walker’s Underground Wonder Bar
10 E. Walton
(312) 266-7761
How to explain the Underground Wonder Bar? Well, it is underground, and it is a bar, and it is wonderful in a cramped, loud, and sweat-stained sort of way. The shy do not remain that way for long at Lonie’s, and feet rarely stay still there. Blues is the staple, but with at least two acts a night, you’re liable to hear other sounds as well.
On the Gold Coast, just a little north of most of the Conference hotels.

Some friendly advice on club etiquette: Shouting out requests is frowned upon at most blues clubs, especially requests for "The Thrill is Gone," "Mustang Sally," "Hootchie Kootchie Man," and—most of all—“Sweet Home Chicago.” You'll probably hear them without asking.

Photo: City of Chicago / Mark Montgomery

Leaving Your Mark on Your School

When water damaged the student murals at Baboquivari High School, in the Tohono O' odham Nations School District, southwest of Tucson, Ariz., the school took digital photographs of the murals that would soon be destroyed when the walls were repaired.   

The following fall, however, almost all of the student mural artists returned, and recreated their works, from digital photos, on the halls of the new high school site.

For the Tohono O' odham Nations, these student murals were powerful symbols of culture and identity. Many schools use student mural projects as ways to convey individual student ownership, identity, and a sense of belonging within the larger context of the school setting.

Learn more about the benefits of student mural projects at this Annual Conference session:

# 1451 Student Murals as a Tool of Ownership in Urban Schools Saturday, April 1, 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Presented by Virginia Dean and Roxanne Wueste, Ft. Worth Independent School District, Tex.

See more Tohono O' odham Nations school murals.