January 2024
Happy New Year! I hope that you all had a wonderful winter break and are ready to tackle 2024. In my December 2023 newsletter, I highlighted my 2023 word of the year, Act, and asked others to share their words of the year. You can find some of the responses on the #ELAOK Elementary Facebook page. A teacher from Indiahoma Public Schools emailed me to say that her class picked three words for the rest of the school year: Polite, Kindness, and Respect. Students were asked to choose one word to focus on. They made decorated plates with their word for their lockers so they could see their word everyday.
My word for 2024 is Invest. Invest means to make use of for future benefits or advantages and to involve or engage especially emotionally. Investing goes beyond just investing financial resources. I want to think about investing in others and investing in meaningful activities. In the classroom, teachers can think about new ways to invest in their students and how to meaningfully focus on strategies that make the most of instructional time. How will you invest your time and resources this year?
Sharon Morgan, Program Director for Early Childhood and Literacy
In the fall of 2022, 16 Oklahoma educators came together to update the ELA framework. The framework writers updated the proficiency levels and created new writing resources and Universal Design for Learning pages. Learn more about one of the ELA framework writers below.
Deann Jones has been a reading specialist at Collins Elementary in Bristow Public schools but has recently taken the position of Project Director of Reading Sufficiency at OSDE. She will be overseeing the various aspects of the Reading Sufficiency Act. OSDE is excited to have her in this new role.
What parts of the ELA framework did you help to develop?
I have served as a framework writer on several ELA teams. During this time, I have helped develop the Objective Analysis, Literacy Progressions, and Proficiency Levels for early childhood standards.
How do you use the ELA framework in your classroom, school, or district?
I like to use the literacy progressions to help tailor instruction to fit the needs of my students. I can use them to quickly see what a concept should look like at each grade level. It makes it easy to modify for my below level readers but it could also be used to extend learning for above grade level learners.
What advice would you give teachers about using the ELA framework?
The frameworks can be intimidating when you first try to dive into them. I encourage you to just pick one particular aspect (objective analysis, literacy progressions, student proficiency levels, etc.) that seem beneficial for you, and use them for a bit first. After you are comfortable incorporating that into your teaching, then explore another area of the frameworks. They are meant to be a helpful tool, not a stress inducer.
What is a favorite literacy strategy that you would like to share with Oklahoma teachers?
My favorite literacy strategy is graphic organizers. They are my go to because they can be used for so many different purposes. I use them to compare and contrast, make connections with text, teach vocabulary, and much more.
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 June 2024
Classroom Teachers of All Subjects
—Elementary through College—
Interested in Improving Literacy Skills
APPLICATIONS:
Fifteen outstanding teachers will be selected to attend the Oklahoma Writing Project's 2024 Invitational Summer Institute to be held at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Teachers of all subject areas and of all levels of instruction--kindergarten through university--interested in teaching composition or incorporating writing into their regular subject matter instruction may apply. The important consideration is a strong commitment to teaching of composition and helping students' understanding through writing.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:
Teachers who are selected should have these qualifications:
- Outstanding teaching record.
- Strong commitment to growth in teaching composition.
- Willingness to develop a formal presentation on topics related to writing instruction and to share those presentations with other participants at in-service workshops.
- Willingness to do the writing, research, and reflection that will be asked of all participants during the Summer Institute.
- Demonstrable success as a teacher of writing and promise as an equally successful teacher of other teachers.
- Willingness to be an active participant in the Oklahoma Writing Project and its professional and in-service programs.
- Above all, a strong and open approach to ideas.
OUTCOMES:
- Creation and delivery of literacy presentation to be shared at your home school and with other Oklahoma teachers
- Portfolio of your own writings as you experience the writing process and best classroom practices
- Your published writing in the 2024 Summer Institute Anthology
- Collection of ready-to-use literacy strategies and best classroom practices aligned with Oklahoma Academic Standards
- Over 45 hours of professional development
- Become part of a network of teachers focused on improving literacy practices with Oklahoma students
STIPEND:
Up to $750 stipend for each participant who completes all the required components of OKWP Summer Institute
Application Deadline February 20, 2024. Applicants invited to interview will receive an appointment confirmation by email by February 23, 2024.
IMPORTANT:
- Start saving your student writing samples now. You will need student samples for your interview and during the Summer Institute. Be sure and save high/low ability examples from your writing lessons. Originals are great, but copies are fine.
- At the interview, you will bring your resume and some of your student writing samples.
The online application has further details, including the dates of the summer institute, if you are interested.
The Oklahoma Literacy Association (OKLA) will be hosting the OKLA 2024 Annual Conference on Saturday, April 13, 2024 in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
Featured Speaker: Dr. Kenneth Kunz, ILA’s Past President and author of Literacy Changemakers: Bringing the Joy of Reading and Writing Into Focus for Teachers and Students
Luncheon Speaker:Jennifer Latham, Oklahoma author of Dreamland Burning
Afternoon Session: Poetry and Chill with Gregory II
There is a cost for the conference. Breakfast and lunch provided. Find more information and register here.
Call for Proposals
The Oklahoma Literacy Association is seeking proposals for the 2024 OKLA Annual conference. If you would be interested in submitting a proposal, complete this form. Proposals are due on Friday, January 19, 2024.
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The Book Love Foundation seeks teachers who demonstrate a passion for promoting a hunger for books. These teachers recognize the wide array of every class of readers, and they challenge each student to build an independent reading life of increasing depth and joy.
Teachers who apply for a Book Love Foundation grant must demonstrate that they are already committed to the support of readers through current classroom practices such as maintaining access to a range of books, conferring regularly and purposefully to understand and support students' changing needs, and sharing their own contagious passion for reading inside and outside of their classroom.
This year the Book Love Foundation will be awarding three types of grants:
- Classroom Library grants
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Book Clubs grants in honor of Dr. Teri Lesesne
- Pre-service Teachers grants
For requirements and applications, please see this webpage for the applications, which will be accepted through April 1, 2024.
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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails books to children every month, from birth through their fifth birthday, at no cost to families. The Imagination Library program was developed based on numerous studies demonstrating that children with access to books in their homes develop early literacy skills, contributing to school readiness and success throughout life.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now available in 350 communities across Oklahoma! This program provides free books monthly to children from birth to their fifth birthday to help families prepare their children for school.
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To celebrate Imagination Library and Dolly Parton's birthday, Oklahoma will have Dolly Day on January 19, 2024. See here for additional information.
Ways to Participate:
1. Local Businesses - Share this flier with local businesses and organizations in your community and see how they can contribute to their local Imagination Library partner.
2. Individual Donors - Find individual donors who are able to donate to the local Imagination Library.
3. Schools and Teachers - Imagination Library is about promoting the love of reading in young children. Do something special at your school to promote reading with young children. For example:
- Have older students read to younger students.
- Partner with your local library to learn about the programs they offer.
- Invite family members or community leaders to read to students.
Share this information about Dolly Day in your community.
To determine if your school is in a sponsored area, consult the Existing Affiliates table on the following page: https://sde.ok.gov/imagination-library-affiliates.
Here is the registration link to share with families to get enrolled: https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/
To find ways to support Imagination Library and Dolly Day, please contact program director Laura Sikes at laura.sikes@sde.ok.gov.
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Join members of the Oklahoma State Department of Education's elementary education team to learn more about how using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can make learning experiences accessible and appropriate for all learners. You can register to attend one of these virtual sessions by using the links below. Sessions last about 45 minutes.
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The OSDE has created a centralized Elementary Education resource directly linked to content area standards, frameworks, and family guides for each grade level. The online resource streamlines access to materials, making it easier for elementary educators to locate relevant content across various disciplines in one convenient location. You can access this resource through the OSDE Connect catalog, using the search term: Elementary Education (see image below).
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Karen.Leonard@sde.ok.gov.
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In the spring of 2024, the Oklahoma State Testing Program (OSTP) will be fully aligned with the 2021 Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts (OAS-ELA). The ELA framework has resources on understanding and implementing the standards with fidelity.
The Office of Assessments has updated the Test and Items Specifications (TIS) documents for schools. The newly updated TIS documents define the content and format of the assessment and the assessment items and indicate the alignment of items with the Oklahoma Academic Standards. The documents also include sample passages and test items. You can find them here and linked below by grade level.
If you have questions about the OSTP, contact Alyssa Tyra, Project Manager for ELA Assessments, at alyssa.tyra@sde.ok.gov.
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