COPS Verbal Practice Checklist

COPS Verbal Practice Checklist Name Strategy Steps Attempts

1 2 3 4 5 6 Capitalization: Are the first words in each sentence as well as the proper names capitalized? Overall: How is the overall appearance and readability Punctuation: Is the punctuation correct? Spelling: Are all the words spelled correctly?

COPS Hannah Freeman Learning Strategies Project Tennessee English Language Arts Standards Effective 2009-2010 English I Standard 1 - Language Course Level Expectations CLE 3001.1.1 Demonstrate control of Standard English through grammar usage and mechanics (punctuation, capitalization, and spelling). CLE 3001.1.2 Employ a variety of strategies and resources to determine the definition, pronunciation, etymology, spelling, and usage of words and phrases. SPI 3001.1.14 Proofread a written passage for errors in punctuation and/or capitalization and/or spelling. Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) COPS Stages of Components Notes Implementation

Teacher’s Role Have a pretest ready to give the Pretest Assess student’s strengths and student. The students need to be weaknesses ready to edit their own writing. Make student aware of ineffective They may write something new or habits use an old writing to edit. Briefly describe strategy The goal is to assess each Motivate, obtain commitment student’s ability to edit during the Student’s Role writing process. Make a commitment to learn the The strategy is used to strengthen strategy the student’s ability to edit while writing. It focuses on different aspects of the writing separately thus helping the student look for errors in various criteria areas as they work through the editing process. The teacher would motivate the students by having them write a statement saying they will use the COPS strategy when editing a paper. Teacher’s Role The purpose of the COPS Describe Describe rationale for the strategy strategy is to gain strength in Describe and explain strategy steps editing any type of writing. Present the remembering system Provide a cue card with the Student’s Role rationale. Become aware of strategy steps Discuss when and where to use and overt and covert processes the strategy. Begin by explaining involved in the strategy that the COPS strategy is used to Compare strategy to their current learn how to organize editing in habit the writing process. Set goals for learning the strategy Provide an over view of the strategy. Describe each step of the strategy. Introduce the mnemonic device for remembering the strategy steps. The teacher will define COPS strategy and provide an example. The memory device is the mnemonic COPS Capitalization: Are the first words in each sentence as well as the proper names capitalized. Overall: However is the overall appearance and readability (i.e. spacing, legibility, indentation of paragraphs, neatness, complete sentences, etc.) Punctuation: Is the punctuation correct? Spelling: Are all the words spelled correctly? The student is to reread the composition four times, each time concentrating on one of the four points in COPS. Model Teacher’s Role The purpose of modeling is to Demonstrate the strategy while demonstrate all the cognitive, “thinking aloud” physical, and verbal behaviors Enlist students’ assistance in the involved in performing the COPS demonstration strategy. Student’s Role During this time, talk each step Watch the demonstration out loud with “I statements”. Pay attention to what the teacher Use words like First, I am going says and does to do, and Next, I am going to, Ask questions and etc. Imitate what the teacher is After doing the demonstration, go demonstrating through another with students. Demonstrate understanding of the Have several students do each strategy steps step.

Teacher’s Role The purpose of verbal practice is Verbal Practice Provide opportunities for students to ensure that students to verbally rehearse (practice) the comprehend and have memorized strategy steps the process involved in Assess students’ mastery of performing the strategy. concepts – what each step First conduct a verbal elaboration means/requires activity. Call on students Student’s Role individually. Memorize the strategy at an Have the students explain how automatic level the strategy can benefit them. State what each step of the strategy cues them to do so. State why each step is important. Describe the sequence of the strategy in their own words. Next, conduct the verbal rehearsal activity. Point to students and ask those questions rapidly that pertain to the steps of the strategy. Write the information on the board, overhead, or flip chart. Use it until the students can say the steps without hesitation. Then, check Students understanding and memory. You may give an oral or written quiz to see if the students have memorized the steps and understands the meaning of each step. Finally, record progress. On progress charts, have students who mastered the naming and explaining of the steps indicate that they have completed this level of mastery by noting the date. Controlled Practice and Teacher’s Role The purpose of this stage of Feedback Supervise practice in “easy” instruction is to provide students materials and conditions with learning experiences to Guide students to correct develop confidence and performance of the strategy competence using the strategy on Gradually increase the difficulty of editing during the writing process. materials During this stage, the students Prompt student mastery during will learn how to edit and use it in independent practice conditions various classes. Student’s Role The teacher will supervise as the Develop proficiency at performing students use the COPS strategy. strategy steps The students will be given paragraphs that are already written, and they will edit them b y using COPS. Review the paragraph and provide feedback to each student individually on the quality of the papers and usage of the COPS strategy. Advanced Practice, Posttest Teacher’s Role The purpose of this stage of & Feedback Provide grade-appropriate instruction is to provide students materials with practice using the strategy on Fade prompts topics that they will encounter in Provide individualized feedback their classes. through questions They will work individually, and Relate student use of the strategy to use the COPS without the cue success in meeting task setting cards or teacher prompt. demands Once the students have mastered Student’s Role this, have them write it on the Independently apply the strategy progress chart.

Make Commitments Teacher’s Role The purpose of this stage is to Posttest and provide individual determine whether students who feedback were identified as needing to learn Confirm and celebrate strategy the strategy during the Pretest acquisition stage have mastered the strategy Obtain the student’s commitment and to give students an to generalize the strategy opportunity to review their Student’s Role progress and celebrate their Make goals for areas in need of success. improvement Provide a posttest and give Make commitment to generalize individual feedback. Use strategy in a variety of settings During the feedback give specific suggestions regarding how they can improve. If necessary, review the information concerning the COPS strategy. Provide model of what to do and additional guided practice. Have students write a goal for each area in which they need to improve. Consider having students teach the COPS Strategy to others. Generalization Teacher’s Role The primary purpose of this stage Prompt for generalization and is to facilitate students’ use of the maintenance strategy in other settings and Conduct periodic checks and situations. reviews of strategy use Tell students to generalize the Provide feedback on generalization strategy, and give feedback when of the strategy they do. Student’s Role Consider asking other teachers to Identify situations in which the assign students topics to where strategy may be used they can use COPS. Use the strategy in a variety of Communicate your expectation settings that the strategy be used. Make personal adaptations in Encourage students to share their strategy steps applications of the strategy in a new setting. Ask each student to target a class in which they will apply the strategy. Facilitate the students’ adaptations of the strategy in other academic situations.

Stages of Generalization Phases Components Notes Insure that students are aware of Provide the guidelines of the Phase 1: Orientation situations in which the strategy COPs and when it needs to be should be used used. Discuss adaptations of the The adaptations of COPS may strategy vary depending on when and Insure that students are aware of where the student is going to use cues for using the strategy it Cue cards will be provided so they can see the steps and use them effectively. Phase 2: Activation Identify cognitive processes Use the mnemonic device. Identify how strategy can be This could be modified by using modified just one piece of the COPS. Repeat application with modified For example using it on just one strategy sentence. It can be modified to just look for punctuation or spelling.

Identify cognitive processes Use mnemonic device. Phase 3: Adaptation Identify how strategy can be This could be modified by using modified just one piece of the COPS. Repeat application with modified For example using it on just one strategy sentence. It can be modified to just look for punctuation or spelling.

Phase 4: Maintenance Monitor student’s use of the Use progress charts and give strategy over time and across positive and corrective feed back settings to the student in a timely manner. Conduct periodic checks and reviews of strategy usage Provide feedback on strategy generalization

Posted by Hannah Freeman at 8:29 PM