SKYLINE NEXT Madelaine Love & Courtney Morgan Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Literacy

Cross-curricular Education is moving away from stove pipe curricula Education is moving to integrating popular culture, multimedia, and new technology into curricula Education is moving to the blurring of boundaries among content areas

Educational Relevance Students see no connection among their varying classes. Students number one question When will I ever use it again? Students dont see how knowledge interrelates & dont apply what they know. Teachers dont show the connections among content areas. Teachers may not know how to answer the question. Rarely do teachers blur the boundaries between content areas.

Cooperation Teachers must collaborate to help students see the big picture. Teachers must cooperate to show the importance of education to the students live now and in the future. Teachers must buy into the idea of collegiality to truly educate the modern student.

Collaboration Students time is used more efficiently if teachers sit down and make schedules for collaboration. Departments must list and share their course standards and identify overlapping objectives. Develop curriculum outlines.

Building Connections Breaking boundaries among content areas. Sharing lesson plans. Developing thematic units across the curriculum. Culturally neutral school (posters, language, literature, extra-curricular events, etc.)

Building Connections (cont.) Writing across the curricula using 6-traits or 6-traits plus 1(presentation) English teachers should not be responsible for teaching reading in science, math, chemistry, history, etc. English teachers should not be responsible for teaching writing in science, math, chemistry, history, etc.

RECONCEPTUALIZE All subject area teachers must be proficient in the language and use of 6-traits or 6 traits plus 1 writing across the curriculum assessment. All subject area teachers must use a common note taking format, e.g. two-column or Cornell. All subject area teachers must agree to follow the MLA style for all written assignments. All subject area teachers need to coordinate their instruction to reinforce important strategies and concepts.

Professional development Ongoing Long-term Systemic Not just for classroom teachers, but for 1.administrators 2.librarians 3.resource room personnel

Academic + PTE Collaborate with the Professional/Technical teachers Use the states 6-cluster model More real world classrooms Community involvement

Extended Time for Literacy Two-four hours of literacy connected learning DAILY. Text-centered reading and effective writing practice. Not just language arts, but all other subjects as well. Consistency in literacy instruction

TUNED IN Not limited to language arts classrooms Student choice –Literary circles or book clubs (self-selected readings). –Research topics –Relevancy to the now –Increased interaction among students –Text-based collaborative learning –Topic diversity –High-interest and low-difficulty texts –Multiple ability levels –Technology component –Intensive writing

ALITERACY Students who can read but choose not to Now make up a growing number of population –First, skills become diminished –Second, the nation faces a division between the knowledgeable elite and the masses

Types of Aliterates Dormant: Like to read but find no time to read Uncommitted: A book-at-a-time reader Unmotivated: Have a negative attitude because they dont value reading or students who like to read Unskilled: Have a negative attitude because it is so difficult for them

Writing to Learn Writing improves reading comprehension Writing improves vocabulary Writing improves grammar Writing improves spelling Writing improves modes of argumentation Writing must move out of the classroom into real world applications

Writings Roles First, writing develops organizational skills and uses the skills and processes of grammar, punctuation, word usage, etc. Second, writing is a means to deepen a students knowledge The goal should be: –To move students from retelling information to transforming information

Our Writing Proposition Move from persuasive writing to expository Reinstate the DWA Add a writing component to all District ECAs Writing required in every subject area

Our Writing Proposition Cont. Not limited to language arts classrooms All subject areas should use same assessment rubrics Assessment rubrics should allow for self- evaluation and peer-editing

Ongoing Summative Assessment Students –Track students throughout the school year –Progress-monitoring systems –Assessments should go beyond state assessments –Need to demonstrate progress specific to school and program goals –Sharing of assessments in a timely fashion for planning instruction

The NEXT Challenge Student literacy must be a shared vision not just for the English teachers. Recognize the changing student population and adjust curricula for students success in the real world. Add the Gates Foundations 3Rs Solution –Rigor –Relevance –Relationships

Works Cited Beers, Kylene. When Kids Cant Read. Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH Biancarosa, G.,and C. E. Snow. Reading Next. A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Alliance for Excellent Education: Washington, D. C Graham, Steve, and Dolores Perin. Writing Next. A Report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Alliance for Excellent Education: Washington, D.C

Spiraling into the Future