EDSS 540 Literacy: January 28

Why is There a Need for Content Area Teachers to Incorporate Reading Strategies into Their Instruction? A change in instructional emphasis from learning to read to reading to learn A change in the nature of instructional texts as students advance through the grades A recent change in curricular emphasis that corresponds to our growing use of technology.

Why is There a Need for Content Area Teachers to Incorporate Reading Strategies into Their Instruction? Literacy in grades K-3 - Oral language and story reading / high success / learning to read activities Grade 4 – dramatic shift / reading to learn with expository texts High school reading ability – minimal level of proficiency for success in our technological age.

Why is There a Need for Content Area Teachers to Incorporate Reading Strategies into Their Instruction? Technological age – challenging reading demands Complex texts – History and Science (getting better) Should be challenging, well written, and organized Teachers must: be well versed in strategies to enhance student’s comprehension of challenging texts. be able to analyze and evaluate chosen texts.

Why is There a Need for Content Area Teachers to Incorporate Reading Strategies into Their Instruction? Textbooks: May not express importance of facts. Rarely states why student needs to know information. Students learn not to read text because teachers give all necessary info. Compartmentalize = “read and memorize”

Why is There a Need for Content Area Teachers to Incorporate Reading Strategies into Their Instruction? Our society demands a shift from reading and answer questions to being able to apply knowledge. Teachers must: Model higher order thinking Place students in collaborative problem-solving groups Provide assignments that require analysis and creativity

Does Content Area Reading Assist the Development of a Literate Society? Some studies suggest content area reading strategies have an impact on reading achievement and literacy in general. Students learn how to apply the knowledge and are able to use the information across curriculum. Students learn how to apply strategies to new material.

Resistance to Content Area Reading Instruction Look at the format of the article. How is the article broken up? Skim the article, reading the headings. Read the article section you have been assigned. Be ready to report important points to the group.

Resistance to Content Area Reading Instruction Commonly Reported Explanations of resistance to Content Area Reading Resistance Related to the Culture of Secondary Schools Countering Resistance to Content Area Reading What are some ideas you can take away from this article?

Effective Literacy Instruction for Adolescents Problem: Students do not have advanced reading skills (ability to analyze and extend information) Reading is more than decoding. Literacy is more than school literacy: Academic Computer Visual Graphic scientific

Effective Literacy Instruction for Adolescents Effective Instruction: builds on elements of both formal and informal literacy. Takes student interests into account. Attends to the challenges of living in an information based economy. Is wary of quick fixes and one-size fits all approaches. Recognizes multiple literacies. There are five statements on Effective Literacy Instruction.

Self-Efficacy and Engagement Perception of confidence / confidence in ability Clear goals and feedback lead to increased self-efficacy Technology that heightens motivation can increase self competency Guthrie and Wigfield: Instructional practices are not as much of a factor in student outcomes as level of student engagement.

Self-Efficacy and Engagement Teachers contribution: Care about student as individual Really want them to learn Student motivation Strategy use Growth in concept knowledge Social interaction Perception – Patrick Finn says teacher expectations effect student outcomes. (2 types – empowering and domesticating.)

Demands of Academic Literacy Comprehension is complex. Students respond to literacy demands when They have appropriate background knowledge. They have strategies for reading a variety of texts. Effective Instruction develops students’ abilities to Comprehend Discuss Study Write about multiple forms of text

Demands of Academic Literacy National Reading Panel Suggest 7 effective ways of teaching comprehension: Comprehension monitoring Cooperative learning Using graphs and semantic organizers Answering questions Generating questions Using text structure summarizing

Demands of Academic Literacy Vocabulary: Technology is more effective Listening to reading enhances incidental vocabulary Preteaching facilitates comprehension Effective teaching includes: Background information Hands on experience for preparing to read a textbook Integrate reading and writing as much as possible Student generated texts and experience

Struggling Readers and their Needs Need instruction that is developmentally, culturally, and linguistically responsive. Should be embedded into regular curriculum Should address differences in abilities to read Struggling readers: Reading disabilities, ELL, at-risk, underachieving, unmotivated, disenchanted, or generally unsuccessful in literacy tasks that involve print-based texts

Struggling Readers and their Needs McDermott and Varenne: Framework for Literacy Instruction – culture as disability perspective Society makes struggling readers Institutionalizing a set of school related tasks on which students will be measured and come up short. Some teachers focus on text too much Teach comprehension strategies Build confidence Move back to text

Struggling Readers and their Needs Culturally responsive instruction: ELL learn by connecting home, community and school literacy practices. Builds on cultural knowledge and experience Fosters an intellectual community Latinos are motivated when gap between home and school is smaller.

Struggling Readers and their Needs Teachers need to take the following into account everyday: Patterned interfaces between home, community, and school literacy practices 1. Tap into funds of knowledge 2. Encourage use of textbooks 3. Encourage use of other texts as a source of information

Critical Literacy Media (internet) creates the need to teach students that all texts promote or silence particular views. Internet is affecting how ideas get represented and communicated Literacy is reinventing itself through digital technology. Often “at-risk” student is very adept at technology.

Critical Literacy Teachers need to address youths’ multiple literacies for classroom instruction. Teachers need to make sure to emphasize the regard of reading and writing with a critical eye. (What is the purpose?)

Participatory Approaches to Instruction Engage students in their own learning Treat texts as a tool for learning Promotes peer interaction and interaction with a more knowledgeable other Reading apprenticeship “metacognitive” conversation

Course Assignments Go over course assignments Any questions about what is expected or due dates?

Next Class Read Unrau, Chapter 2 - posted on Blackboard. Questions for reading Journal: 1. What do good readers do when they read? 2. What are some myths about how good readers read? 3. How would a model of the reading process help me to teach? 4. What does a peek into the meaning construction zone during reading reveal? 5. What are the implications of the model for my teaching? 6. How could your understanding of reading influence the way you could help students master content knowledge/skills and develop literacy?