Scaffolding for Transfer within the Comprehensive Literacy Model

Have you wondered how to scaffold for transfer within the Comprehensive Literacy Model? According to Linda Dorn, “When a teacher teaches for transfer, she/he must be aware of what the child knows.  Therefore, the teacher designs instructional interactions that provide the learner with opportunities to transfer existing skills, strategies, and knowledge to new problem-solving activity across changing and varied situations".  From our CLM learning, you may have heard the phrase “from the wall (anchor chart) to the log to the brain”. This is a way to scaffold instruction to develop student independence on literacy strategies and skills. At Heyer Elementary, our Third Grade Team has been exploring about how the Focused Note Taking Process complements and connects to the intended phases of a Thoughtful Log. 

The Focused Note Process

1. Taking Notes
2. Processing Notes
3. Connecting Thinking
4. Synthesizing and Reflecting on Learning
5. Applying Learning

Here are some examples of student learning throughout this process:

Taking Notes During Language Workshop, students lead the discussion to co-construct ideas to elevate their thinking.  While the students are discussing, the teacher writes student ideas on the anchor chart.
Processing Notes *Students glue a picture of Language Workshop co-constructed anchor chart into the Strategy Section of Thoughtful Log. *Students first revisit the anchor chart in their TL and highlight 1 or 2 key ideas.   *Students answer the Thoughtful Log Prompt by using the anchor chart as a resource.
Connecting Thinking *Students analyze their notes (anchor chart) to connect and apply their learning to their independent reading text within the Strategy Section of the Thoughtful Log.
Synthesizing and Reflecting on Learning Students respond to a “My Thinking Prompt” by applying the strategy without using the graphic organizer. This may be a Language Workshop text or an Independent Reading Text.	What can we learn from Sonia Sotomayor’s life?
Applying Learning Students refer back to the Thoughtful Log Sections as a resource or learning tool to help students apply their  learning across genres, future texts, units of study, in writing or other content areas.	Thoughtful Log as a Resource

Our Heyer Third Grade Teachers have already noticed how the Focused Note Process has provided explicit opportunities and evidence of student transfer.  Ms. Duran, Heyer’s Third Grade Dual Language Teacher said, “I think the best part about the note taking is that kids feel more confident when participating in discussions because they have had a chance to go back into their notes and see what we had discussed. It also helps their ideas to be clearer and have specific examples.”

Here is what Heyer Third Grade Students are saying about this process:

• “Note taking helped me know facts about the events and relationships.” 
• “It helped me respond to the question because we got to talk in a group and then we highlighted what we thought was the most important. It was helpful to share ideas with a group too when we were reflecting because we could see things differently and learn something maybe that you didn't think before.”
• “It helped me because we had the chart in our strategy section and we could go back and look at the ideas.”