Raising the curtain: From curiosity to search strategies Heather Ruetschlin Schugar University of Maryland, College Park READING, WRITING, AND CONTENT: Supporting Comprehension and Engaging Children With Research Projects that Motivate Them to Learn Symposium IRA Atlanta 2008

Example from Childrens Literature The Hero of Ticonderoga A fictional story of Tessy LeClerc, a student who gets stuck writing the report on Ethan Allen for her class Vermont History reports. What she encounters: - Lack of Motivation (Who cares about an old dead guy?) -Lack of direction (There is a whole lot of information on Ethan Allen and it is hard for her to tell what is important.) -Books are too challenging (The only text on Ethan Allen written at an appropriate reading level was checked out by another student). -Not enough visual support for report (The people doing maple syrup and the University of Vermont have tons of photos to use!)

Branching out from Animal Reports Common for classroom teachers to choose a topic (e.g., animals, states, countries) and assign students a topic to research. Common for classroom teachers to choose a topic (e.g., animals, states, countries) and assign students a topic to research. Not particularly motivating for children who get topics they are not interested in Not particularly motivating for children who get topics they are not interested in Not really taught how to do the report and appropriate texts are not always available Not really taught how to do the report and appropriate texts are not always available

Why is this a problem? Some teachers might not have specific purposes in mind for why they are having students do the report Some teachers might not have specific purposes in mind for why they are having students do the report Little time might be spent researching and writing, lots of time may be spent publishing and illustrating Little time might be spent researching and writing, lots of time may be spent publishing and illustrating If teacher is not actively participating in the process (e.g., strategy lessons, conferring, prompting), students may lose out on valuable instructional time/opportunities If teacher is not actively participating in the process (e.g., strategy lessons, conferring, prompting), students may lose out on valuable instructional time/opportunities

Why is this a problem? On the 2005 NAEP reading assessment: On the 2005 NAEP reading assessment: Poor kids who reported that they frequently engaged in book reports, presentations, and projects performed significantly below their wealthier peers who did the same activities. Poor kids who reported that they frequently engaged in book reports, presentations, and projects performed significantly below their wealthier peers who did the same activities. These activities are not necessarily the problem – it is that we as teachers are not executing them in ways that extend students thinking! These activities are not necessarily the problem – it is that we as teachers are not executing them in ways that extend students thinking!

What research tells us about getting students to ask their own questions Question-generating is motivating Question-generating is motivating Question-generating helps students connect information to their own cultural knowledge Question-generating helps students connect information to their own cultural knowledge Question-generating can get students to think critically about information. Question-generating can get students to think critically about information. Question-generating is important for gaining critical literacy skills Question-generating is important for gaining critical literacy skills

How can you get students to create their own questions? Provide an interesting phenomena Provide an interesting phenomena Examples: a photograph, excerpt of text, science experiment, field trip, video, etc. Examples: a photograph, excerpt of text, science experiment, field trip, video, etc. Model for students how you might generate questions Model for students how you might generate questions Give students think time to generate questions Give students think time to generate questions Provide a classroom culture where it is OK to question things and take risks Provide a classroom culture where it is OK to question things and take risks

Types of Questions Vincent Ciardiello (2007) cites three different types of questions students can generate: * Puzzlement (awareness) * Puzzlement (explanation) * Wonderment (awareness)

Derricks Questions (When given a photo of a hockey player carrying an octopus) 1) why were the octopus on the ice? 2) who thurght it on the ice?

Other Possible Questions Why is the hockey player using an octopus as a puck? Why is the hockey player using an octopus as a puck? Why is there a tradition to throw octopuses onto hockey rinks? Why is there a tradition to throw octopuses onto hockey rinks? Do other sports have traditions like this one? Do other sports have traditions like this one?

The students have their questions… now what? We need to model for and guide students in… We need to model for and guide students in… How to find answers to their questions How to find answers to their questions Where to search for answers to their questions Where to search for answers to their questions How to discriminate between credible information and inaccurate sources How to discriminate between credible information and inaccurate sources

What did Derrick do? Searched the Internet with key words octopus and hockey. Searched the Internet with key words octopus and hockey. Skimmed articles for the answer to his questions. Skimmed articles for the answer to his questions. Developed new questions. Developed new questions. Shared his new information with his siblings and parents! Shared his new information with his siblings and parents!

What research tells us about students abilities to search for information in a text Many students can explain the use of features, but they dont use them consistently. Many students can explain the use of features, but they dont use them consistently. Students have difficulty using text features unless reminded to, and even then they do not always use them accurately. Students have difficulty using text features unless reminded to, and even then they do not always use them accurately.

How can we help students in effectively searching texts for information? Provide them with appropriate materials for searching for information Provide them with appropriate materials for searching for information Choose texts that are well-organized, have clearly defined features, etc. Choose texts that are well-organized, have clearly defined features, etc. Materials should be at students independent reading level Materials should be at students independent reading level Explicitly teach students search strategies in context so that they can transfer these skills to new tasks. Explicitly teach students search strategies in context so that they can transfer these skills to new tasks.

But what about Internet searching? Surely that requires different search strategies! The vast amount of information available on the Internet may make critical readinq skills and the ability to question the author more important. The vast amount of information available on the Internet may make critical readinq skills and the ability to question the author more important. However, the skills arent all so different… However, the skills arent all so different… Index = key words for search Index = key words for search Table of Contents/Headings = side bar/ heading bar Table of Contents/Headings = side bar/ heading bar Glossary = click on word, link to definition/more information Glossary = click on word, link to definition/more information