We envision ELA educators adding these to their ‘toolbox’ of instructional resources for quality integration of computational thinking (CT). These routines are intended to be integrated into instruction regularly so that learners are familiar with the problem-solving approaches and begin to recognize when they can use them independently across contexts. Each routine includes an anchor chart to support in visualizing thinking processes in concrete steps and a lesson plan that scaffolds students in using the routine using the “I do – We do – You do” structure. The anchor charts are learner-facing, and the lesson plans illustrate how to teach the routine while incorporating inclusive pedagogies. Explore each routine below!
Break It Down!
Students break down a challenging problem while reading to support decoding, fluency, and comprehension.
B.O.A.T. for Building Ideas
Students build ideas through concrete steps: 1) Brainstorm,
2) Organize, 3) Abstract,
4) Transform.
Patterns in Texts
Students identify and express noticeable patterns in texts to support comprehension.
Synthesis
Students synthesize texts to grow their thinking by starting with background knowledge, abstracting new ideas from reading, and then forming connections between ideas.
Write a Flowchart
Students engage with the logic of a sequence and internalize the cause-effect relationship of ordered steps by writing a flowchart.
Computational thinking is a problem-solving approach that can be applied across disciplines and in everyday life. Although computational thinking is based on concepts fundamental to computer science, its application is broader than just “plugged” coding on digital devices. While computational thinking is typically associated with math or science, there are benefits to integration in all disciplines, such as English Language Arts (ELA).
Computational thinking provides learners with a skill set that promotes metacognition and enables problem solving across subject areas and contexts, equipping students to lead successful lives as technology becomes more integrated in our world.
With support from the Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund, The Leadership Academy, and Learning Heroes, Digital Promise worked collaboratively to explore the integration of computational thinking (CT) and blended literacy in NYC elementary schools while centering inclusive pedagogies. Digital Promise’s key role was teacher focused, engaging a cohort of seven K-5 ELA educators from P.S. 344 AmPark Neighborhood School and P.S. 125 The Ralph Bunche School to explore the integration of CT in ELA. This sparked a participatory design process to develop a toolbox of resources to support the integration of CT skills in literacy as unplugged “Computational Thinking Routines.” These routines were designed to invoke metacognition by providing concrete steps in visualizing thinking processes with the goal of addressing commonly challenging ELA concepts.
Computational Thinking
