From Patsy.Dunton at maine.gov Wed Apr 1 16:47:41 2009 From: Patsy.Dunton at maine.gov (Dunton, Patsy) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 16:47:41 -0400 Subject: [Englishlanguagearts] 1 APRIL 2009 ELA Update Message-ID: <32E5C6B0B949584D9B6168C5F727916B047BC99C@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> Welcome to Maine Department of Education English Language Arts Listserv This service is an attempt to keep Maine educators informed about current issues, upcoming opportunities and resources in ELA. Please send any responses to: patsy.dunton at maine.gov or diana.doiron at maine.gov as this is not a discussion forum. Current Topics: GRADUATION MAINE COURSE PATHWAYS RISC ELA BLOG NECAP Maine High School Graduation The bill regarding graduation in Maine now has the designation LD 1325 and is still working its way through the legislative process. You can find the text of the bill at http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?ld=1325&PID=1 456&snum=124 A public hearing has yet to be scheduled. Maine Course Pathways (the syllabus project) The Maine Course Pathways (MCP) project is still on track. Several schools have been working on developing and submitting their syllabi. We're still planning to open up the tool in September for everyone who would like to use it. There will be training sessions in the fall. Re-Inventing Schools Coalition (RISC) Do you know the difference between a standards-based system of education and a standards-referenced system? The Re-Inventing Schools Coalition has developed a systemic approach to standards-based education. Visit the coalition's website at http://www.reinventingschools.org/ or read Delivering on the Promise: the Education Revolution which can be found at: http://www.solution-tree.com/Public/Media.aspx?ShowDetail=true&ProductID =BKF268 We have a blog!! Finally! We have a method of holding a discussion without clogging up your mailboxes. The first discussion thread is about teaching grammar, usage, and mechanics. Please jump into the discussion, offer your ideas, or suggest new topics. I am eager to hear from you. http://maineela.wordpress.com/ New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) The MEA as we have known it is no more. Although science in grades 5 and 8 will still be tested using the MEA and will still occur in the Spring, mathematics, reading and writing will now be tested in October as part of NECAP. Writing this October will be a field test so schools won't get scores. Want to know more about NECAP? Here are a couple of things you can do: * Visit the NECAP site at DOE: http://www.state.me.us/education/lsalt/necap/index.html * Click on the NECAP Standards button which will become our revised Chapter 131 * Click on Released Items to see the NECAP items which have been released since 2005/2006. Please note that NECAP releases about 1/3 of its reading items each year; writing is 100% released each year. * Participate in a one-hour web-based presentation. You call on a phone and follow a PowerPoint on your computer. If you and others in your school would like to participate, please join in one call as there are limited spots available for each session. (we have included in this list all the sessions available) The Maine Department of Education Invites You to Join Us For: Introduction to NECAP A Live Online Interactive Workshop The Maine Department of Education will be hosting a series of one hour sessions designed to orient educators to the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). MDOE Specialists will facilitate PowerPoint presentations as indicated in the Sessions section below. Session descriptions are located at the end of this notice. Virtual seats in these workshops are limited to 100 per session, so we request that schools join as a group in one location, securing only one virtual seat, using a speaker phone and projecting the Web image in order to maximize participation. Each session will be recorded and posted on the MDOE website within 48 hours of the presentation. If, after participating in the workshop or viewing the recording, you have remaining questions, email Sandra McKechnie or the session presenter. To join, you will need to follow the instructions below in order. All sessions begin at 3:15. There is no pre-registration for these sessions. We suggest that you log on 10 minutes ahead of time. SESSIONS: NECAP overview with Susan Smith: Monday, April 13 http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/necap99/ Phone Dial-In: 1-866-910-4857 Passcode: 140893 Math, grades 3-5 with Dan Hupp: Tuesday, April 14 http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/necap4/ Phone Dial-In: 1-866-910-4857 Passcode: 985399 Reading and Writing, grades 6-8 with Patsy Dunton: Tuesday, April 14 http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/necap1/ Phone Dial-In: 1-866-910-4857 Passcode: 140893 PAAP with Kim Schroeter: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/necap5/ Phone Dial-In: 1-866-910-4857 Passcode: 985399 Math, grades 6-8 with Dan Hupp: Wednesday, April 15 http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/necap2/ Phone Dial-In: 1-866-910-4857 Passcode: 140893 Reading and Writing, grades 3-5 with Diana Doiron, Thursday, April 16 http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/necap3/ Phone Dial-In: 1-866-910-4857 Passcode: 140893 INSTRUCTIONS To join a session, please follow these steps. 1. Go online to the URL listed above for each session. Use Internet Explorer or Safari for best results. 2. Enter your name in the box when prompted. 3. In order to listen and speak during the meeting, you will need to be connected by telephone as well as the Internet. To help you connect by phone, a box will appear asking for your phone number so the Connect conference room can call you back. * If you have a telephone with a direct-dial phone number, please accept this option, enter your phone number, and we will call you right back. * If you have a telephone with no direct-line phone number (if your phone is only reached by a switchboard), please click on CANCEL when the call-back box appears, then dial-in to the meeting using this access combination: Dial-In: see above for session information Passcode: see above for session information To participate in the web conference, you will need... * A computer with a broadband connection to the internet (Cable, DSL, or WiFi); Dial-Up will not work! * Adobe Flash Player (Flash 7 or later) installed on your computer; most computers already have the Flash Player installed - however, if yours does not, or if your Flash Player is in need of updating (version 6 or older), you can download the player for free from Adobe by clicking on this link: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/?promoid=BUIGP; this is a safe and quick download. * An open phone line; we recommend using a hands-free headset or speakerphone. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sandra McKechnie: sandra.mckechnie at maine.gov, 207-624-6770 If you have never attended a Connect Pro meeting before, test your connection: http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test. htm Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/go/connectpro_overview Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Acrobat Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. SESSION DESCRIPTIONS NECAP overview with Susan Smith: In October 2009, Maine students in grades 3-8 will take part in the New England Common Assessment Program, known as NECAP, in reading, mathematics and a field test in writing. This presentation is designed for principals and test coordinators and will provide an overview of the NECAP standards, administration dates, test design, session lengths, accommodations, administration policies, reporting, etc.susan.smith at maine.gov Math, grades 3-5 or 6-8, with Dan Hupp: The mathematics sessions will focus on the NECAP math standards and the design/ structure of the math tests. Other topics addressed in the math sessions include testing resources, calculator use, released items and reports. Instructional strategies will be featured throughout the presentation. dan.hupp at maine.gov Reading, grades 6-8 with Patsy Dunton or grades 3-5 with Diana Doiron: In these sessions, we will introduce the NECAP standards which are referred to as grade level expectations and articulated with much greater specificity than our MLR's. Vocabulary, literary text and informational text standards are divided into initial understanding and analysis categories. Grades 3 and 4 also include a standard articulating word identification and decoding strategies. Grades 5-8 do not include this standard. We will discuss how test items measure the NECAP standards and suggest possible strategies or focus areas for instruction. patsy.dunton at maine.gov or diana.doiron at maine.gov Writing, 6-8 with Patsy Dunton or grades 3-5 with Diana Doiron: Writing is assessed quite differently on NECAP. In both grade 5 and grade 8, there are 10 multiple choice items which measure conventions and structures. There are 3 short constructed response items and one extended response item. We will discuss test design, types of writing, the difference between a reading CR and a writing CR, and suggest some strategies for instruction. patsy.dunton at maine.gov or diana.doiron at maine.gov PAAP with Kim Schroeter: This important session will address revisions to Maine's 2009-2010 Alternate Assessment Standards for Reading, Writing and Mathematics (PAAP) due to the adoption of NECAP standards. This online meeting will discuss changes to: * the PAAP process and materials, * grade levels appropriate for the PAAP, * the revised time-line of the PAAP, * the Task Bank, and * materials for this spring's IEP development. kimberly.schroeter at maine.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/englishlanguagearts/attachments/20090401/a7a19f66/attachment-0001.html