Using Literacy to Support not Supplant Content Area Teaching

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Using Literacy to Support not Supplant Content
Area Teaching

• International Reading association Conference,
  2008
• A conversation with
•  
• Ellen A. Thompson, Ed. D
• Essex Town School District
• Ethompson_at_etsd.org

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Topics to be discussed

• Why content literacy?
• Some assumptions
• Three-part learning framework
• Try out 1 Return of the Horse Nation
• Try out 2 Lyric Summaries
• Try out 3 Math
• Turn and talk

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Middle School Philosophy versus Elementary School
Philosophy

• What does literacy have to do with my content?
• What about my expertise?
• Where will I find the time to add on more?
• Will we only be able to read about my content not
  experience it?
• Will I still be able to have hands on experiences
  in my content?

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Content Literacy

• the ability to use reading and writing for the
  acquisition of new content in a given
  discipline.
• McKenna and Robinson, 1990

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Content literacy does not

• Take the place of hands on content experiences
• Students need to think and work like the experts
  in the field scientists, mathematicians,
  historians

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Content Literacy does

• Support the use of reading and writing to support
  deeper understanding of the content
• Allows students to fully access their content
  resources

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Reading in the content area

• What if?
• Your students avoid reading the text
• Some students cannot read the text
• Your students do not know how to read to learn
• There is not enough time to teach reading and my
  content

• What to do?
• Help students become active meaning makers by
• Teaching vocabulary
• Modeling strategies

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Three-part Learning FrameworkBEFORE LEARNING
INSTRUCTION

• Think aloud
• Pose questions
• Anticipation guide
• Pre-teach vocabulary
• Brainstorm/categorize
• K-W-H
• Use graphic organizers
• Browse through texts
• Preview analyze

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DURING LEARNING INSTRUCTION

• Visualize
• Take notes
• Think aloud
• Summarize
• Retell
• Reread
• Infer

• Use graphic organizers
• Use context clues
• Pose questions
• Make connections
• Identify confusing parts

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AFTER LEARNING INSTRUCTION

• Skim
• Reread
• Think aloud
• Pose questions
• Reflect through talking, writing, drawing, music,
  and/or movement

• Infer
• Retell
• Synthesize
• Self-evaluate
• Connections
• Note taking
• Summarize
• Drama
• Adapted from Laura Robb, Teaching Reading in
  Social Studies, Science, and Math, 2003

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Anticipation Guide Return of the Horse Nation,
Winona Laduke. National Museum of the American
Indian, Smithsonian, Spring, 2003.

• With a partner complete the anticipation guide.
• After discussing these statements, predict what
  you think this article will be about.
• After reading, complete the after part of this
  guide. Note any changes in your opinions that
  occurred after reading and discussing.

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Read/Pause/Retell/Reread or Read On

• Purpose
• To help you self-monitor your comprehension and
  recall. To improve on sketchy recall.
•  
• How
• Partner with another reader
•  
• Both read one paragraph of the text.
•  
• One reader retells without looking
• Partner listens carefully and monitors the
  retelling by looking at the passage.
• Listener decides if the partner needs to reread
  and retell or read on.
• Partners take turns with the reading of
  paragraphs.
• What did you notice?

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After reading Return of the horse Nation, map one
of these words/phrases on the concept map.
Internment camp, custom, odyssey
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INSERT METHOD

• Materials
• A common piece of informational text best if it
  is a photocopy so students can write on it
• Multiple sets of common pieces could be used for
  small group work
• Grouping
• Students should be in small groups with common
  reading passage either heterogeneous or
  ability-based
• Before Reading
• Have each group brainstorm what they know about
  the topic given to them.
• Each group should create a group chart on large
  paper.
• During Reading
• Students compare their brainstormed ideas with
  the information in the text and use symbols to
  mark the text as they read.
• Symbols to use
• A Check mark v text confirms information
  on brainstormed list
• A plus text adds to list
  information
• A minus - texts proves list
  information incorrect
• A question mark ? text information is
  confusing

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Lyric Summaries

• Note This could be done directly following the
  Insert Method from the same reading materials.
• Materials
• A common piece of informational text best if it
  is a photocopy so students can write on it
• Multiple sets of common pieces could be used for
  small group work
• Common theme study/unit of study
• Grouping
• Students should be in small groups with common
  reading passage either heterogeneous or
  ability-based
• The activity
• Group chooses a tune.
• Write a summary of the important information as
  lyrics to a song.
• Perform your song as a group to the larger group.
• Shared by Maureen McLaughlin at VCR Fall
  Conference, October 15, 2004

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Close Read of Math Problems

• Purpose to gather information from math word
  problems to figure out a way to solve the
  problem to prevent students fro skipping or
  skimming over the hard words
• How?
• Read the problem two to three times.
• State what the problem asks you to solve.
• Select the data that will help you solve the
  problem.
• Decide if there is a formula you can apply.
• Do you need to set up an equation?
• Draw a picture to help you see the problem and
  data.
• Substitute small, whole numbers, and see if your
  solution works.
• Write what you understand about the question in
  words.
• Ask Does my answer make sense?
• YOU TRY
• Tim picked strawberries for 5 ½ hours on Monday,
  2 ¾ hours on Tuesday, and 1 ¾ hours on Friday.
  Tim earned 2.00 an hour. If Tims friend Jim
  earned 27.00 for picking strawberries, who
  earned more?

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Turn and talk

• Discuss the techniques shared. Is there a
  connection that can be made to your work with
  content area teachers? Discuss.

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References

• Burke, E. M., Glazer, S. M. (1994). Using
  Nonfiction in the Classroom. New York
  Scholastic.
• Duke, N. K., Bennett-Armistead, S. (2003).
  Reading and Writing Informational Text in the
  Primary Grades, Research-Based Practices. New
  York, NY Publisher.
• Graves, D. H. (1989). Investigate Nonfiction.
  Portsmouth Heinemann.
• Hoyt, L. (2002). Make It Real Strategies for
  Success with Informational Texts. Portsmouth
  Heinemann.
• Robb, L. (2003). Teaching Reading in Social
  Studies, Science, and Math. New York, NY
  Scholastic Professional Books.
• Steffey, S., Hood, W. J. (1994). If This is
  Social Studies, Why Isn't it Boring? York
  Stenhouse.
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