TTN EL Style

thinking through novels

Looking into the future of ELD Teaching

We are going where No CCA ELD teachers have gone before!

Into the Future of Teaching ELA/ELD to ELs @ CCA

Thinking Through Novels: EL Style in Edio

Which Star Wars Character Best Describes youR Teaching Personality? Let's discover...

Han Solo

Yoda

Chewbacca

Princess Leia

What Kind of Teacher Are yoU? Answer 5 questions to learn your teaching personality...

Record your responses on paper to add up for your score!

What is your teaching personality?

Which Star Wars character best describes your future teaching style? Add up your 5 responses. Which letter did you chose most? That is your "score". Now click on your most chosen letter or the corresponding Star Wars character to learn more about your teaching personality.

Mission Objectives: Identified!

Mission Rationale

What The Mission Is

What Mission Is NOT

Mission Plan

Flight Path

Pilots of Mission Control

Mission Procedures

What is an Novel Excerpt?

Cosmic Mapping

Stages of Progress

Mission Debrief

Mission Checklist

Mission Accomplished!

Survival Gear

Future Mission Planning

MissioN Objectives Identified

3. Thinking through Writing

1. Novel Study Instructional Cycle

Use writing as the primary evidence of ELs' thinking across the cycle.

Learn a clear, repeatable instructional cycle for teaching any novel using novel excerpts.

2. The 4 Instructional Stages Fused in Edio

4. Grade-level Rigor

Maintain grade-level rigor while adjusting language demands (not the standards).

Engage -Set the Stage Discover - Read to Think Show - Shape the Thinking Wrap Up - Connect & Extend

You are not expected to suddenly become novel experts. You will be a fusion expert of ELD and ELA content together! You’re learning one instructional routine that works for any novel.

MissioN Rationale

Why approach teaching novels this way?

• ELs are not cognitively too low for grade‑level novels and we can’t wait until they’re “proficient enough”

— the task stays rigorous; the approach changes! Firm goals-flexible means! - UDL

• Thinking Through Novels is a repeatable, integrated ELD + ELA method for teaching novels in cyber ELD -live/guided and asynchronous components in a variant.
• Instead of “covering” the novel, teachers guide students through strategic excerpts that build:
• ELA content standards skills
• Big ideas, characters, themes, and author’s craft
• Aligns with WIDA Levels 1–4 while integrating language skill development

“Success is measured not by how much of the novel is read, but by how deeply students think, discuss, and write using evidence from multiple excerpts.”

Let's Review Before WE Go Further...

What TTN EL Style Is and Is Not!

What iT Is...

Thinking Through Novels: EL Style in Edio

• A repeatable way to teach any novel to ELs in guided [and async] lessons while encouraging ELs to read on to the next excerpt or chapter
• A thinking-to-writing cycle, not a reading race

• An integrated ELD + ELA approach using grade-level texts
• An integrated language skills protocol for ELs K-12 based on evidence-based practices
• A model where primarily writing is how students show thinking

“Novels aren’t something ELs get through—they’re something ELs think through.”

- Dr. Eugenia Krimmel

What It Is NOT...

✖ A separate ELD curriculum✖ Reading the entire novel independently, cover-to-cover✖ Simplifying or replacing grade-level texts; it is using the actual novel text ✖ Just a paragraph or two of the entire novel as a summary ✖ Isolated grammar drills or disconnected vocabulary lessons ✖ “Wait until they’re proficient” instruction

Pilots In Mission Control

Teachers’ Roles and Responsibilities

• Curate high‑impact excerpts of a few pages/paragraphs (not whole chapters) that illuminate characters, conflict, turning points, theme, author’s craft to highlight in guided/ live or asynchronous variant lessons enhancing comprehension
• Facilitate repeated cycles of:

Inquiry → Reading → Evidence gathering → Language refinement →Expressing responses

• Provide scaffolds based on WIDA proficiency: visuals/drawing, sentence frames, audio, modeled examples. Just reading excerpts to ELs is ineffective.
• Use the novel as a mentor text for grammar, vocabulary, and sentence development.
• Collect and analyze speaking/writing artifacts as evidence of comprehension and language growth, including how ELs formulate their own questions.
• Revisit student questions across lessons to build cohesion and meaning.

Flight Path

Flight Path Continued

Teach excerpts in guided instruction AND encourage ELs to continue to read ahead in the novel!

What is a Novel Excerpt?

Tips for Teaching Excerpts Provide Context: Briefly explain the setting, characters, and what happened just before the scene to help students understand it without reading the whole book. Focus on Purpose: Use a 200-word piece for a specific literary element (like sensory imagery) and a 2-4 page piece for plot structure or character development. Therefore, length depends on purpose of the excerpt and the novel structure itself.

Contextualized Snippets: The excerpt is paired with a brief, pre-taught introduction (e.g., "What happened before this passage") to bridge the gap. Thematic or Plot-Based Mapping: It is chosen because it captures the essence of a key scene, a major turning point, or an emotional peak that is crucial for understanding the overall story. Bridge to Full Text: It often serves as a "pathway" to motivate students to engage with the full version of the novel

Brain Break Time!

This is not a competing system. TTN uses the same Edio architecture teachers already know. Let's explore each lesson component more closely.

Inside One TTN Lesson

Connect & Extend

Shape the Thinking

Read to Think

Set the Stage

• Cold Read aloud/audio for GIST, then re-read in segments for details• Students annotate or use an evidence organizer to focus on ELA content standards being addressed in excerpt (i.e. main idea, POV, theme)

• 1–2 visuals or a brief clip/audio to generate ?'s
• Generate questions on Novel Question Board (NQB); DON'T ANSWER NOW
• Set pages & purpose: “We read this excerpt to understand…”

• Show mentor sentence from the excerpt for "thinking" of ELA concept• One language focus (i.e. tenses, transitions, complex sentences) • Students categorize and prioritize NQB questions to answer about the exceprt

• Review completed evidence organizers to recall information • Answer Novel Question Board prioritized questions • Carry-forward question for next excerpt

Engage (Set the Stage)

• Present 1–2 visuals or a brief clip/audio directly related to the excerpt’s topic/theme
• Facilitate question-generation activity on a Novel Question Board padlet based on the presented visuals or audio related to the excerpt; DO NOT ANSWER at this point
• Notify ELs of the pages of the excerpt in the novel they have in hand; do not copy the excerpt text in the padlet or edio except for model sentences.
• State a clear purpose for reading this excerpt: “We read this excerpt to understand…” Encourage ELs to read beyond these pages on to the next excerpt or beyond.

Discover (Read to Think)

• Read the cold/ 1st read of the guided lesson excerpt to get the GIST
• Reread the excerpt by segments, stopping at key points to review vocabulary and story elements to enhance deeper comprehension
• ELs annotate and/or use an evidence organizer to focus on ELA content standards being addressed in excerpt (i.e. main idea, POV, theme)
• ELs should write NQB questions in the evidence organizer and write text evidence for each

Show(ShapE the Thinking)

• Present 1 mentor sentence from the excerpt centered on a language focus you feel your ELs need to learn or review
• Give the rules and examples of the language focus (e.g., word choice, transitions, complex sentences, or English conventions like grammar points and sentence structure)
• Students practice literacy comprehension skills such as context clues, inferencing, author's purpose, figurative language, etc.
• Revise and prioritize Novel Question Board questions do not answer them just prioritize 3-4 questions to answer

Wrap Up (Connect & Extend)

• Answer chosen Novel Question Board questions based on the current lesson's excerpt citing evidence and/or explanation in response
• Students complete any additional writing or speaking task for the excerpt related to the end-of-novel assignment (description, recount plot, summarize, etc.) if assigned
• As a class in guided or asynchronously, carry-forward a question about or prediction for next excerpt if not at end of novel

Planning with Excerpts: 5-Lesson

Why this matters. TTN allows...• Flexibility for access to grade-level literature in smaller portions to teach thinking and language skills • Common structure across K–12 ELD courses and across novels

How TTN Protects Both Rigor and Language Development

• Targets PA ELA grade-level standards: - citing evidence, making inferences - theme & central idea -character & plot development - word choice, tone, formulating and answering questions

• Differentiation, not different standards: - WIDA 1–2: simplified graphic organizers, sentence/paragraph frames, word banks, visuals, oral rehearsal, shared writing, vocabulary learning- WIDA 3–4: more complex graphic organizers, paraphrasing, multiple sentence responses, explanations, and word choice analysis

• Built-in WIDA alignment: - Key Language Uses: Narrate, Inform, Explain, Argue - Language expectations at discourse / sentence / word level

WIDA & PA ELA Alignment (Protecting Rigor)

ELs are actively reading, writing, speaking, and thinking about grade-level literature—with supports that make the rigor accessible, not optional.

Thinking Through Novels: EL Style in Edio

Survival Gear

Benefits for K-12 ELs

ELs can meaningfully access grade‑level ELA through strategic excerpts paired with explicit language development inside a repeatable Edio lesson cycle.

• Real access to complex texts through short, intentional excerpts with multimodal supports.
• Repeated cycles of question → read → language building → expession of thinking and learning
• Growth in academic language (Narrate, Inform, Explain, Argue) through structured routines.

-Increased confidence, independence, and engagement with grade‑level ELA expectations. - Understanding grows across excerpts, enabling ELs to grasp theme, message, and character development without needing to read every chapter verbatim.

Benefits for Teachers

One clear, repeatable routine that works with any novel.

Planning becomes predictable using the Edio flow: Engage → Discover → Show → Wrap Up.

Instruction stays aligned to PA ELA standards, WIDA Key Language Uses, and Edio design.

Is respectful to ELs' language level while using grade-level contents and standards

Language instruction is explicit and purposeful, tied directly to writing tasks.

Future Mission Plan

Join us at the next PD session to see the TTN EL Style protocol in action as we walk through a full excerpt cycle using a novel from the CCA program. Experience how excerpt-based routines, student-generated questioning, and Edio lesson design work together to transform EL participation and achievement in grade-level novel studies!

Thank You for Attending Session 1 of Thinking Through Novels: EL Style in Edio

Teacher Resources Available: TEAMS CHANNEL> Teacher Lounge Folder> Thinking Through Novels: EL Style

C → Chewbacca (The Loyal Supporter)

You create a classroom built on trust, care, and strong relationships. Students feel safe and supported with you.Strengths: Empathy, connection Growth Tip: Push students toward independence and academic challenge

A → Princess Leia (The Strategic Leader)

You are organized, decisive, and mission-driven. Like Leia, you lead with clarity and purpose, ensuring your classroom runs with structure and direction. Strengths: Organization, leadership Growth Tip: Stay open to spontaneity and student-led moments

Integrated Novel Lesson Template: 1.Novel/Class Details 2. PA ELA Standards Addressed 3. Speak/Write Tasks 4. Materials 5. Evidence of Thinking/Learning - 6. Teacher/Learner Actions.

C → Chewbacca (The Loyal Supporter)

You create a classroom built on trust, care, and strong relationships. Students feel safe and supported with you. Strengths: Empathy, connection Growth Tip: Push students toward independence and academic challenge

B → Han Solo (The Engager)

You bring energy, humor, and personality into your teaching. Students are drawn to your style and feel excited to participate.Strengths: Engagement, relatability Growth Tip: Build consistent routines to support all learners

A → Leia Organa (The Strategic Leader)

You are organized, decisive, and mission-driven. Like Leia, you lead with clarity and purpose, ensuring your classroom runs with structure and direction.Strengths: Organization, leadership Growth Tip: Stay open to spontaneity and student-led moments

Lesson Padlet Template: 1. Novel Question Board by excerpt and TTN stage 2. Visuals for background knowledge to enhance comprehension of excerpt and/or vocabulary 3. Mentor sentences and texts where appropriate to teach ELA concepts and/or ELD language skills

Writing Moves Organizers Models: 1. Character descriptions/now and then character changes sentences 2. Plot recount organizer 3. ELA standards models of how to express compare/contrast, theme analysis. 4. Evidence Organizer models 4. Novel Question Boards models

D → Yoda (The Wise Guide)

You emphasize deep thinking, reflection, and growth. Your teaching encourages students to think beyond the surface. Strengths: Insight, critical thinkingGrowth Tip: Break down complex ideas into accessible steps

Timeline Organizers 1. Excerpt Bridge Maps to connect excerpts at beginning and end of novel study 2. Novel timeline of novel events to be completed as the lessons progress through the novel (enhances visual plot of story)

Yoda (The Wise Guide)You emphasize deep thinking, reflection, and growth. Your teaching encourages students to think beyond the surface. Strengths: Insight, critical thinking Growth Tip: Break down complex ideas into accessible steps

¿Tienes una idea?

Usa este espacio para añadir una interactividad genial. Incluye texto, imágenes, vídeos, tablas, PDFs… ¡incluso preguntas interactivas! Tip premium: Obten información de cómo interacciona tu audiencia:

• Visita las preferencias de Analytics;
• Activa el seguimiento de usuarios;
• ¡Que fluya la comunicación!

B → Han Solo (The Engager)

You bring energy, humor, and personality into your teaching. Students are drawn to your style and feel excited to participate. Strengths: Engagement, relatability Growth Tip: Build consistent routines to support all learners

Excerpt Planning Portfolio: 1. Visuals/audio for presenting whole novel and excerpt topics, etc. 2. Key vocabulary lists and images/TPR ideas 3. Evidence and other graphic organizers 4. Padlet or Classkick to communicate and gather learner thinking through each excerpt and the whole novel 5. Tasks and assignments created to add to edio variant 6. Culminating expresessive assignment about the novel from edio or an edio variant modification 7. Excerpt map to share at the start of the novel study and review at the end

¿Tienes una idea?

Usa este espacio para añadir una interactividad genial. Incluye texto, imágenes, vídeos, tablas, PDFs… ¡incluso preguntas interactivas! Tip premium: Obten información de cómo interacciona tu audiencia:

• Visita las preferencias de Analytics;
• Activa el seguimiento de usuarios;
• ¡Que fluya la comunicación!