Improving Adolescent Literacy through Embedded Strategies in the Content Area Dr. Carol Gilles, Associate Professor of Reading/Language Arts, UMC

Background Adolescent reading performance has remained about the same for the last 30 years (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2003) Content textbooks are often written 2-3 grades above level (Chall & Conrad, 1991) and are concept heavy Many students struggle with difficult text and concept load

Struggling readers... By definition are reading below grade level Often struggle with decoding and/or comprehension Find it hard to maintain stamina with difficult text over time Tune out, give up, or act out

Promising Research Effective teachers model how they access specific context area text (p. 3) Learning the literacies of a given discipline can help adolescents negotiated multiple, complex discourses and recognize that texts can mean different things in different contexts. (p. 3) Demystify academic literacy helps adolescents stay engaged (p. 4) (NCTE Policy Brief, 2007)

Promising Research Members of various disciplines approach texts differently & may use different strategies Particular comprehension strategies may fit certain disciplines better than others “Passed down” language arts strategies may not work best in content areas (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008, Harvard Review, 78, 1.)

Goal of Project Help middle school teachers to: 1) identify the strategies that they use when they read texts in their disciplines, 2) think about what particular strategies their discipline calls for and 3) embed those strategies, if possible, in their normal, everyday teaching. Teachers were the producers, not consumers, of research

Methodology Mixed methods: Case study (Hatch, 2002) and constant comparison (Glaser and Strauss,1967) for analysis. Pre & post test: Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI, 2004). Qualitative Reading Inventory IV (QRI-IV) in science, social studies and language arts, Math teachers chose assessment tool

Procedures Three teams: McHenry --mostly rural school with the 6 th grade team participating --(5 teachers) Wilson Middle-- more suburban school, with the 7 th grade team, the special education and the special reading teacher participating-- (6 teachers) Piedmont – mostly urban school, with the 7 th grade team participating -- (4 teachers) Each of these schools is strong and well respected in the community.

Procedures Met teams bi-monthly with me from Dec.-May. Collected field notes as teachers identified strategies and shared student examples Gave QRI-IV & MARSI and additional questions about text processing. All data were shared with teachers individually and collectively.

I have a purpose in mind when I read (Global) I read slowly but carefully to be sure I understand what I’m reading (Problem-solving) I take notes while reading to help me understand what I read (Support) MARSI Sample Questions

Procedures-Qualitative Teachers collected work samples that documented how they embedded the strategies. I visited each class; some classes multiple times in order to see students and teachers in action. In May we interviewed all teachers (15) and selected students (52) individually and results were transcribed.

Initial Key Findings Most teachers became aware of more strategies they used in their discipline Overall MARSI increased (significant at.01). “ I learned I ’ m a huge questioner. I really try to question not just the content, but the agency that the reading comes from. I also am trying to teach them to find reliable sources. ” (Social studies) “ I learned that I am a concrete person who tries to make connections to me. ” (Math) Depended on how open they were to exploring how they thought “ I don ’ t think I learned anything new about myself as a reader. I knew exactly what I did as I read. ” (Language arts)

Key findings -- Discipline specific strategies (Teachers) Social studies: Uses more critical questioning, looks for bias, connects to and marks text Science: Depends on diagrams, charts and graphs that elaborate, add to or give different information than the text; vocabulary is crucial; dense texts; notes are important

Discipline Specific Strategies Math: Vocabulary is specific to math. Uses text to create features (graph, chart, etc.) Depends on text to use right numbers to solve. Must be a precise reader Language Arts: Uses various strategies depending on the genre. Teachers used numerous and varied strategies. Math: Vocabulary is specific to math. Uses text to create features (graph, chart, etc.) Depends on text to use right numbers to solve. Must be a precise reader Language Arts: Uses various strategies depending on the genre. Teachers used numerous and varied strategies.

Pre-Post Test Growth Teachers - MARSI --Support Reading Strategies (includes taking notes, asking self questions, underlining text, summarizing, etc.) which was the lowest, increased overall for teachers the most Students: Nearly all students improved in looking back into text to answer questions on post test Students at Wilson improved most in making connections across content. Teachers - MARSI --Support Reading Strategies (includes taking notes, asking self questions, underlining text, summarizing, etc.) which was the lowest, increased overall for teachers the most Students: Nearly all students improved in looking back into text to answer questions on post test Students at Wilson improved most in making connections across content.

Modeling was the Key Teachers who modeled strategies were most successful Their students mentioned it in interviews It was apparent in work samples Some teachers used “think alouds” (Lang. Arts), while others modeled how to approach various texts (science, social studies) “This study helped me see what I do as a reader and be a good model for them.”

Social Studies was most Successful All three teachers implemented strategies * Largest gains on pre-post tests (all gains were significant at.05 level) * Noted in teachers’ interviews, in kid’s interviews and in work samples *Examples from interviews

Social Studies from Interviews “ MockTrial-- helped with questioning skills” “ I focused on key words & summarizing” “More marking up the text prior to discussion”” “More modeling and showing kids what I do as I read their assignment and then spending more time on it. Do more of it rather than just every now and then.” “I’m not just teaching history. I’m teaching them how to read history.”

Why were SS most Successful? Social Studies relies on reading & writing texts or resources These science instructors relied more on labs, taking notes, seeing video clips Language arts instructors already used a number of strategies Math -- depended on the type of math curriculum used (Shanahan also found social studies most successful)

What makes Math Hard to Read? (Student Responses responses) Solving the questions, critical thinking, understanding, etc.24% Reading (the words)22% Trying to find useful information19% Converting the words to numbers13% Problems in summarizing, computing and/or checking8% Thinking about other things when I read (focus)8% Nothing is difficult 5%

Connections Interesting Concept Many students reported they don’t ‘try to make connections’ as they read. Connections do ‘pop in their brains’ Why? Way that it is taught is personal (“I’m not a star….”) Doesn’t transfer to content One school (Wilson) worked on “content connections” across the team with success

Learned Subtle differences in strategy use across disciplines Teachers CAN become more metacognitive about strategy use Modeling those strategies helps kids use them. Teachers need TIME, coaching and incentives to embed strategies in their teaching All schools were excellent, but different. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. Each school must tailor instruction to the needs of the learners.

“ “ Every individual is a little different from every other individual, not alone in his general capacity and character; the differences extend to rather minute abilities and characteristics, and no amount of discipline will eradicate them. The obvious conclusion of this is that uniform methods cannot possibly produce uniform results in education, that the more we wish to come to making everyone alike, the more varied and individualized the methods must be.” John Dewey, 1940, Education Today, p. 273.

In small group Answer your questions See more examples from social studies, science, math and language arts of embedded strategy use

For more information: Dr. Carol Gilles, Associate Professor of Reading/ Language arts 303 Townsend Hall University of Missouri, Columbia,