Using Thinking Strategies Across the Curriculum MS and HS AASSA Conference Quito – Ecuador March 2012

“Literacy arouses hopes, not only in society as a whole but also in the individual who is striving for fulfillment, happiness and personal benefit by learning how to read and write. Literacy... means far more than learning how to read and write... The aim is to transmit... knowledge and promote social participation.” Glasgow and Farrell. What Successful Literacy Teachers Do.

What is the literacy committee?  Literacy= the ability to use language proficiently.  We are a committee of teachers working together to emphasize literacy from k-12.  The committee is lead by a team of admin and consists of teachers from all building levels.

Our Goals 1. To identify and integrate a common language for literacy from k- 12 exactly as 6+1 serves as a common language for writing. 2. To integrate the literacy strategies across the curriculum so that students are applying the strategies in all subject areas. 3. To provide support to teachers via modeling lessons, observations, resources, and consultations. 4. To adopt the literacy strategies as part of the school curriculum and philosophy for current and future teachers.

The 7 Thinking Strategies – Las 7 Estrategias de Reflexión 1.Schema 2.Creating Sensory Images 3.Asking Questions 4.Inferring 5.Determining Importance 6.Monitoring for Meaning 7.Synthesis These strategies have been developed by a team of teachers dedicated to literacy and are published in two editions of Mosaic of Thought by Ellin Keene and Susan Zimmermann. They aim to answer the question: How do students become thoughtful, independent readers who comprehend text at a deep level? The 7 thinking strategies that proficient readers use are:

Schema Learners need to activate and use their background knowledge, experiences, and beliefs to remember and use new knowledge. Schemata constantly changes because of new information assimilation into long-term memory.

Creating Sensory Images Learners create mental images to help them understand more completely. These images include information from the other senses and emotions as well.

Asking Questions Learners self-question as they read and learn new information. These questions may help them to clarify but more importantly, they will help them pursue ideas and consider concepts critically.

Inferring Learners use their background knowledge and clues that they receive from the environment or text to draw inferences that help them understand. Inferences can include predictions, conclusions, and insights. #98, Mafalda (1966) Mafalda: "What are you going to be when you grow up, Susanita?" Susanita: "I'm going to be a mother!" Susanita: "Your dad has a very original way of lying down."

Determining Importance Learners think about their purpose to figure out what is important to retain and reapply from their reading.

Monitoring for Meaning Learners know when they understand something and why they understand. They also know when they do not comprehend and what to do to improve their comprehension.

Synthesis Synthesis takes place during and after reading/learning. It is the process of creating a mental plan – a blueprint – for what a student is reading, experiencing, or learning. The plan is continually being revised as the learner recalls or encounters new information. When students amend their initial understandings, their synthesis evolves.

Today’s workshop 1- Now were are going to assign you, randomly, into groups. Please join your group before going to the centers. 2- We have prepared 4 centers. In each of them you will find student work for an specific strategy and examples for you to do. Please spent 10 minutes in every center. You will find scratch paper to answer or solve the problems from the centers. Feel free to bring your packets to each station to take notes on ideas. 3- After you finished circulating you can come back to your place and we will have 10 minutes to debrief.