Comprehensio n Strategy Instruction in the English and Social Studies Classroom Diane Kern, Ph. D. University of Rhode Island

What we’ll do Examine lesson materials in which middle and high school English and Social Studies teachers effectively teach comprehension strategies to struggling adolescent readers. View materials from my Wikispace so you can try out these lessons in your classrooms. 2 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Specific, practical, research-based 7 Comprehension Strategies: making connections, visualizing, question generating, summarizing, id. Important information, making inferences, monitoring comprehension Methods: anticipation guide, graphic organizers, text impressions, concrete experiences, QAR, Cornell Note-Taking, Texts Sets 3 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Why? Adolescent literacy is a VERY HOT topic and should be (Cassidy & Cassidy, 2009) NEAP (2008) testing results demonstrate secondary school students are reading well below expected levels—only 6% of adolescents tested can read to learn highly specialized materials such as literary essays and historical documents. ACT (2005) testing showed only 51% of our seniors are prepared to succeed in college entry level English composition and social science coursework. 4 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Turn and Talk Introduce yourself to the folks near you…where are you from, what do you teach and at what grade levels? Why did you choose this session? What concerns/challenges do you have when working with your students? 5 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Context of my work with teachers In-service English and social studies teachers Pre-service English teachers University of Rhode Island…teaching content area reading course (EDC 448), English language arts methods course (EDC 430) Research…Climbing the Stairs and South Kingstown Social Studies projects englishlanguagearts.wikispaces.comhttp://uri- englishlanguagearts.wikispaces.com 6 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Easy access to materials! 7 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Anticipation Guide making connections Read each statement below and write whether you agree or disagree with each statement. Agree Disagree _______ ________ 1. War only hurts people. _______ ________ 2. People are more important than animals. _______ ________ 3. Wild animals have feelings. _______ ________ 4. War can hurt animals. _______ ________ 5. Animals count on humans to protect them. _______ _________ 6. It would be fun to be a zookeeper. 8 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Graphic organizer identifying important information & summarizing 9 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

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Text Impressions making connections 11 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Keys to motivating… struggling readers Expectancy of success Is the task interesting, purposeful, well organized? Does the classroom environment promote and support risk-taking? 12 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Concrete experience visualizing Freak the Mighty lesson for 7 th grade by Leslie Journey narrative—ordinary world; call to adventure; tests, allies & enemies; supreme ordeal; reward; return with the elixir Introduction to a photo story First impressions with opening lines of literature and music 13 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Choose by Carl Sandburg The single clenched fist lifted and ready Or the open asking hand held out and waiting. Choose: For we meet by one or the other. 14 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Q-A-R question-generating On My Own—What personal experiences do you have with violence or nonviolence? Right There—What does Common say he rides through? Think and Search—The main idea of ‘A Dream’ is…? Author and You--What do you infer Common means by the line, “The world’s seen me lookin’ in the mirror, images of me gettin’ much clearer…?” 15 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Monitoring Comprehension Cornell Note-Taking I Have a Dream Picture Book Primary Documents Non only useful with print text, but also visual texts…documentaries, literature into film 16 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Text Sets 17 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010

Payoffs Motivation—quality materials and meaningful experiences; chance for success; risk-taking, safe learning environment Adolescent literacy achievement—explicit comprehension strategy instruction across the disciplines Mutual respect, social justice, making a difference 18 D. Kern, University of Rhode Island, IRA Chicago 2010