Building Academic Language and Literacy with High Interest Nonfiction 6-12 Lesson Sequence and Pacing Guide

Days 1-2

Days 3-4

Days 5-7

Days 8-10

Build Background Knowledge

Read and Respond to Text

Read and Respond to Text

Write about Text

1) Introduce key concepts not

addressed in text.
Concept Organizer
Picture/Video Clip Preview

1) Teach high-leverage words for

first major section of text.

1) Teach high-leverage words for

next major section of text.

2) Build reading fluency with

first section using oral cloze.

2) Build reading fluency

using oral cloze.

3) Continue building reading

fluency with partner cloze.

3) Continue building reading

fluency with partner cloze.

4) Mediate comprehension and

retention of content with
one or more focused tasks.
Ask and answer focused
reading guide questions
with highlighting tasks.
Write main ideas/details
on a visual organizer.
Guide passage shrinking.
Guide Cornell note-taking.
Structure discussion in
response to questions
using sentence frames.

4) Mediate comprehension with

one or more focused tasks.
Ask and answer focused
reading guide questions
with highlighting tasks.
Write main ideas/details
on a visual organizer.
Guide passage shrinking.
Guide Cornell note-taking.
Structure discussion in
response to questions
using sentence frames.

2) Structure a brainstorming
discussion to activate and
extend prior knowledge.
Think-Write-Pair-Share
Give One & Get One
Reading Readiness Guide
3) Organize ideas generated
during structured discussion
on a visual organizer.
4) Have students further develop
in writing an idea contributed
in the discussion.
5/10 Minute Paragraph
5) Preview text structure and
identify key text features.
6) Guide students in assessing
vocabulary knowledge for
high-leverage words from text.

5) Assess vocabulary knowledge

for recently-taught words
using generative assessments.

1) Guide vocabulary instruction

and text completion using the
Day 2-3 scaffolded process.
2) Teach language objective(s)
associated with text and topic
(cause-effect, sequence, etc.)
a) Highlight features on text.
b) Connect to visual organizer
(when applicable).
c) Use sentence frames and
model in a familiar context.
d) Partner students to apply
language objective.
e) Apply sentence frames to a
more academic context.
3) Model and engage students in
an academic writing task after
a structured discussion:
30-minute essay justifying
a point/position
formal text summary
paragraph/essay frame
Budget Reading Tour
5) Assess vocabulary knowledge
using generative assessments.

Use structured partnering and response frames in every lesson phase to increase academic language application and engaged participation.
Explicitly teach, guide application, or briefly assess vocabulary in every lesson.
Check for understanding and task mastery throughout every lesson and adjust instruction to accommodate student needs.
Kate Kinsella 2009

Kate Kinsella 2009