Question: how is literacy taught at the high school?

THREE STAGES INTOINTO –Activate Thinking –Build/retrieve Prior Knowledge –Organize the Mind THROUGHTHROUGH –Extend Learning –Comprehend BEYONDBEYOND –Extend Beyond –Adjust Prior Knowledge –Reorganize the Mind –Real Life Application Comprehension/Thinking Model

Effective implementation in content areas: Understands what their content-area literacy really looks like and what it means to be a critical thinker. Understands the need to model this type of unique thinking. A teacher imbeds strategies within lectures and reading. Focuses on the before, during and after instruction.

Follows gradual release model (model with think alouds, scaffolds learning with models and small group differentiated activities, imbeds formative assessments. Recognizes the importance of differentiated texts. Imbeds writing Knows the importance of Teaching vocabulary according to best-practice. building background and connecting to prior knowledge; providing graphic organizers to scaffold learning, align thinking to learning and text, and synthesize information; using comprehension strategies in order to build deeper comprehension and critical thinking in the content area.

Often occurring events? The traditional approach Lecture-based, teacher-centered learning. Expected that students “know how to read”. Students have to read a textbook with little modeling or guidance as to how to think as a reader in that content area. Vocabulary is integrated into the lecture but not really practiced or verbalized by student. Writing happens, but not modeled. For instance, many do research without following the research process or showing / expecting proper citations or works cited. Many have written responses on a test but expect little else during a unit.

Defining Literacy – Texts go beyond a textbook Articles, brochures, editorials, essays, speeches, interviews, critiques, graphs Short stories, novel, excerpts, poetry, drama, biography, autobiography Charts, schedules, forms, timelines, applications, coupons, consumer product labels/info., warning labels, technical instructions, advertisements, warranties, trouble-shooting guides

How do we create a balanced diet in our classrooms?

Content Area Learning/Comprehension Model “Into” Activities/Tools (Some Activities to Use Before Reading/Learning) “Into” Thinking Strategies These activate prior knowledge and experiences which help students to make connections and engage them in the task. Build/activate background knowledge ERT (“Everyone reads to...”)- setting purpose  Visualize  Connect  Question  Infer  Evaluate  Analyze  Recall  Self-Monitor

Content Area Learning/Comprehension Model “Into” Activities/Tools (Some Activities to Use Before Reading/Learning) “Into” Thinking Strategies These activate prior knowledge and experiences which help students to make connections and engage them in the task. ERT (Everyone reads to...) List-Group-Label  Visualize  Connect  Question  Infer  Evaluate  Analyze  Recall  Self-Monitor

Making Predictions and Previewing as a means to build/activate background knowledge “Into” Activities/Tools (Some Activities to Use Before Reading/Learning) “Into” Thinking Strategies These activate prior knowledge and experiences which help students to make connections and engage them in the task. Predict and Clarify Anticipation Guide Preview Text Structure: Text Feature Search  Visualize  Connect  Question  Infer  Evaluate  Analyze  Recall  Self-Monitor

“Through” Tools/Activities (Some Activities/Tools to Use During Reading/Learning “Through” Thinking Strategies These enable students to make personal connections, visualize, and identify parts of the reading that might be confusing or help them to understand the text. Vocabulary/word work: Marzano Beers Guide-O-Rama Text Structure Cues Foldables: Double, Triple Entry Diaries Sketch Your Way Say Something It Says  Visualize  Connect  Question  Infer  Evaluate  Analyze  Recall  Self-Monitor

“Beyond” Tools/Activities (Some Activities/Tools to Use After Reading/Learning) “Beyond” Thinking Strategies These create connections between prior knowledge and show new learning from text. Vocabulary Written Conversations Reflection Journals Lab Reports Exit Slips  Visualize  Connect  Question  Infer  Evaluate  Analyze  Recall  Self-Monitor

Question: Who are the big names in reading/English in the upper grades (6-12)?

See handout Cris Tovani (high school struggling readers; metacognition) Robert Marzanno (foundational reading research – building background knowledge; importance of vocabulary; content-area reading best practice) Doug Buehl, (content-area reading best practices) Jeffery Wilhelm (boys and reading; inquiry-based learning) Richard Allington (foundational reading research) Fisher and Frey (gradual release model) Harvey Daniels (literature circles) Stephanie Harvey (reading and writing; teaching for understanding) Kelly Gallagher (reading and writing in English that can be transferred to content areas; teaching for motivation and real-world application) William Brozo (newer with RTI) Intermediate/middle (in addition to the above) Gail Boushey and Joan Moser (“the sisters” – daily 5 and café) Laura Robb (5-8),

Question: How is intervention of students approached at the upper level? Do you have special classes or to you have push in programs?

1.Team – taught classes increased while “pull-out” programs or separate content-area classes have decreased. 2. Separate reading classes (intensive reading for lowest students; reading I and II for rest) 3. one –on-one support just started. 4. Differentiation and formative assessments: A major change has been to support these students more in the classroom through good teaching – gradual release, modeling, small group work and differentiated learning, built in formative assessments. Other schools use Read 180 or other “reading program” at the middle and lower high school level.