Content Area Reading Presented by JoDee Dotson & Karin Crowder, Literacy Coaches Johnson City Schools

Content Area Reading: Struggles and Strategies Students struggle with content area reading because: they have trouble understanding an author’s ideas; they lack the ability to mentally organize ideas as they read; they lack experience with the topic; and they are unsure about how to make connections between what is read and the outside world. As a result: content area reading is labeled by students as “too hard” and “boring,” teachers often choose to tell the class what they need to know rather than have the class read the content, and teachers rely solely on other media (i.e. video), instead of print material, to teach the content. Thus, students lack the ability to read effectively in our highly literate society.

In this workshop we will address the following questions in relation to content area reading: What are some specific skills or knowledge students need in order to read effectively? What strategies might I use with my students to help them become more effective readers and independent learners?

What are some specific skills or knowledge students need in order to read effectively? Text Features Background knowledge Motivation Learning Environment Independent Reading Strategies Independent Comprehension Strategies

Text Features Print Features fontbulletsitalics boldtitleslabels colored printcaptionsheadings subheadings Graphic Aids diagramschartssketches tablesgraphsoverlays figurestimelinesmaps cross-sections

Text Features (cont.) Organizational Aids table of contentsindex glossarypreface pronunciation guideappendix Illustrations colored photographscolored drawings acrylic, watercolor, oil paintingsblack and white photos black and white drawings labeled drawings enlarged photographs

Activities that support text feature instruction Classroom Newspaper/Textbook Guess the Covered Feature Highlighting Structural Signal Words Be a Caption Writer Newspaper/Textbook Match Feature Scavenger Hunt

What strategies might I use with my students to help them become more effective readers and independent learners? Before reading: –List-Group-Label -”Post-It” Vocabulary –Rivet -Vocabulary Webs –Anticipation Guide -Vocabulary Anticipation –KWL Charts -Vocabulary Pop-Up –SQ3R -Text Walk –Word Sorts

List-Group-Label Purpose: Build background knowledge Review words, concepts, & ideas Assessment of prior knowledge Assessment of misconceptions Strategy: Students list all words, phrases, names associated with topic independently Combine students into groups Combine individual lists into a group list Categorize words on group list Label categories

Word Sorts Purpose: Look for categories and relationships between words/concepts in content reading Explanation of why words go together Assist students in making connections between their understandings and the text Assessment of prior knowledge Make predictions regarding themes Ask/Answer questions prior to exploring content in depth Strategy: Teacher list all words, phrases, names associated with content area text Combine students into groups Provide students with a copy of words from text Students sort words Students develop relationships between words Label categories Groups share relationships and categories with whole group Students make predictions about the text the words have come from (expository or narrative, content, etc.) Read selected text Revisit word sort and make changes accordingly Add words Discuss changes

What strategies might I use with my students to help them become more effective readers and independent learners? During Reading –2/3 Column Notes--Post-It Conversations –Making connections--Summarize and Re-write –Literature Circles--Word Mapping/Questioning –Fleshing out a character--Quick Write –Problem analysis--DRTA –Graphic Organizers--ERT –Annotations

2/3 Column Notes Purpose: Condense student thinking Synthesize student thinking Make connections between reading and world Mentally organizes thinking Forces student to read “deeper” Strategy: Students divide paper into 2 or 3 sections Read and complete as directed by teacher 2 column: QuoteIn my own words Main IdeaDetails ConclusionDetails ProblemSolution 3 column: Main Idea Details Response Problem Solution Alternative Solution Quote Gist Thoughts

Annotations Purpose: Condense student thinking Synthesize student thinking Make connections between reading and world Mentally organizes thinking Forces student to read “deeper” Strategy: Student reads a selected text While reading student underlines important information and makes notes in margins of text or on sticky notes placed beside text, putting text in own words Use annotations written in margins to synthesize and summarize text Write synthesis and/or personal response to text

What strategies might I use with my students to help them become more effective readers and independent learners? After reading –Text Reformulation- ABC Boxes –Expert Project- Sketch to Stretch –Wax Musuem- Save the Last Word for Me –Concept Spinner- 4 X 4 –Exit Slip- It Says-I Say-And So

Text Reformulation Purpose: To synthesize and mentally organize learning Forces the student to identify main idea, cause and effect relationships, and themes Forces the student to sequence, generalize, summarize and make inferences Stretches critical thinking Student must analyze and evaluate not only the text but also the writing they are creating about the text Student makes connections from expository text structures to a more familiar narrative Strategy: Introduce students to the types of text they can use as patterns when reformulating a text, such as repetitive book structure, ABC book structure, poem, reader’s theater, or narrative. Model several types of reformulation for students. Decide whether the teacher chooses or lets the student(s) choose the type of reformulation. Students reformulate their expository text into the new text structure Students share their reformulation with the class.

Exit Slip Purpose: Gives feedback about learning Assesses learning Review concepts Synthesizes learning Reflection on thinking/learning Guides future learning Strategy: Short prompt given to student to focus thinking/writing Write about something new you learned today. What made learning easy/hard for you today? What questions were you left with at the end of class? How did what we learn today connect to what we did yesterday? How will you/I know when you have mastered this concept? What new questions do you have? What predictions do you have for the reading you will do after this? List three to five important things to remember about this reading/writing/learning strategy.

Reading Reflections “ Reading instruction has been the traditional interest of the elementary school, the assumption being that normal students in normal programs SHOULD enter subject matter classrooms knowing how to read. If reading is defined in terms of elementary tasks, e.g. basic decoding skills, the assumption is reasonable. In contrast, the assumption is pure fantasy if reading is defined in terms of subject matter tasks, e.g. independent reading assignments, required note taking in class, and vastly increased dependence upon textbooks with varied and complex organizational patterns. It does not make sense to assume that students will automatically modify elementary reading skills to suit these subject matter reading demands.” John Readence, Thomas Bean, and R. Scott Baldwin Content Area Literacy: An Integrated Approach, 1995