TEACHING THE LANGUAGE ARTS Michelann Parr Terry Campbell prepared by Jackie Eldridge Jackie Eldridge University of Ontario Institute of Technology University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Chapter 15 Putting Literacy into Practice: Getting Ready for September

Questions to Guide Your Learning How do teachers prepare for the start of school?How do teachers prepare for the start of school? How do teachers create community from the first day?How do teachers create community from the first day? How do teachers manage the classroom in a way that promotes risk-taking and success?How do teachers manage the classroom in a way that promotes risk-taking and success? How do teachers prepare for students they don’t yet know?How do teachers prepare for students they don’t yet know?

Questions to Guide Your Learning How do teachers plan for the language learning for a wide range of students?How do teachers plan for the language learning for a wide range of students? How do teachers assess learners in terms of reading and writing?How do teachers assess learners in terms of reading and writing?

Where to Begin: The Big Picture Begin with what you can control;Begin with what you can control; Everyone has a different way to prepare;Everyone has a different way to prepare; No magic formula or one-size-fits-all;No magic formula or one-size-fits-all; Balanced and comprehensive programs;Balanced and comprehensive programs; Range of instruction;Range of instruction; Continuum of support;Continuum of support; Diverse models of instruction;Diverse models of instruction; Value diversity of learners.Value diversity of learners.

Putting it All Together Six language arts;Six language arts; Multiple intelligences;Multiple intelligences; Multi-literacies;Multi-literacies; Extend beyond comprehension;Extend beyond comprehension; Critical literacy.Critical literacy.

Key Themes to Consider Creating community;Creating community; Knowing your school’s culture, including diversity, traditions, neighbourhood;Knowing your school’s culture, including diversity, traditions, neighbourhood; Planning the very first day;Planning the very first day; Establishing routines and expectations;Establishing routines and expectations; Gathering and organizing resources; organizational principles; and classroom set-up;Gathering and organizing resources; organizational principles; and classroom set-up;

Key Themes to Consider Student engagement;Student engagement; Colleagues and collaboration;Colleagues and collaboration; Assessment and record keeping;Assessment and record keeping; A balanced and comprehensive language program including language across the curriculum;A balanced and comprehensive language program including language across the curriculum; Communication with family/parents /caregivers.Communication with family/parents /caregivers.

Stories from the Classroom Read the stories from the classroom: What are the similarities and differences? What will you do? Where will you start? Who will you get to help you?

Curriculum Strategies and Skills Listening to oral instructions;Listening to oral instructions; Following written instructions;Following written instructions; Developing stamina and persistence as readers;Developing stamina and persistence as readers; Reading unfamiliar texts and applying problem-solving strategies;Reading unfamiliar texts and applying problem-solving strategies; Working on their own without help;Working on their own without help; Completing tasks on a specific timeline;Completing tasks on a specific timeline;

Curriculum Strategies and Skills Using time wisely;Using time wisely; Reading and understanding information;Reading and understanding information; Writing paragraphs;Writing paragraphs; Solving problems with several steps;Solving problems with several steps; Using language across the curriculum;Using language across the curriculum; Creating and reading charts, tables and graphs.Creating and reading charts, tables and graphs.

Getting Ready for Standardized Testing Students usually encounter standardized testing for the first time in Grade 3;Students usually encounter standardized testing for the first time in Grade 3; Standardized testing usually targets literacy and numeracy;Standardized testing usually targets literacy and numeracy; Standardized testing assesses students’ acquisition of knowledge, skills, and strategies;Standardized testing assesses students’ acquisition of knowledge, skills, and strategies; Effective school teams work together to ensure student success;Effective school teams work together to ensure student success;

Getting Ready for Standardized Testing Collaborate with other teachers in your division or grade;Collaborate with other teachers in your division or grade; Participate in school-wide plans for managing and keeping track of literacy assessment information;Participate in school-wide plans for managing and keeping track of literacy assessment information; Make use of practice tests;Make use of practice tests; Reading, writing, and language for learning across the curriculumReading, writing, and language for learning across the curriculum

Preparation for Standardize Testing How can you help your students? Where can you seek assistance? How will you manage the testing?

Communication with Parents, Caregivers, and Families Phone every home;Phone every home; Say something positive;Say something positive; Send a newsletter;Send a newsletter; Invite parents to send a “note from home”;Invite parents to send a “note from home”; Maintain a communication book;Maintain a communication book; Organize notes and reminders from parents or caregivers;Organize notes and reminders from parents or caregivers; Accommodate parents.Accommodate parents.

Managing Your Classroom Read Michelann’s plan for managing the classroom… How will you manage your classroom? What do you still need to know? Discuss your plan with your colleagues. Share ideas and seek clarification.

One Final Summary Literacy learners need to: Participate in a language and literacy program that meets their diverse individual needs;Participate in a language and literacy program that meets their diverse individual needs; Understand the purpose of literacy so they can fully appreciate and enjoy literacy in their lives;Understand the purpose of literacy so they can fully appreciate and enjoy literacy in their lives; Be actively involved in their own literacy learning;Be actively involved in their own literacy learning;

One Final Summary Literacy learners need to: Read, listen to, and view high quality children’s literature to develop story sense, appreciate diverse cultures and ways of life, and learn how to adopt multiple perspectives;Read, listen to, and view high quality children’s literature to develop story sense, appreciate diverse cultures and ways of life, and learn how to adopt multiple perspectives; Hear written language (stories and informational texts) so they can learn its structures and take in new information and ideas;Hear written language (stories and informational texts) so they can learn its structures and take in new information and ideas;

One Final Summary Learn the conventions of print and how books work so they can use this knowledge as readers and writers;Learn the conventions of print and how books work so they can use this knowledge as readers and writers; Develop a wide range of strategies to enhance comprehension and the enjoyment of reading and writing;Develop a wide range of strategies to enhance comprehension and the enjoyment of reading and writing; Play with language: to enjoy and manipulate the sounds of language, to attend to the relations between sounds and letter and word patterns, and to use this knowledge as a tool in developing oral language, and developing as readers and writers;Play with language: to enjoy and manipulate the sounds of language, to attend to the relations between sounds and letter and word patterns, and to use this knowledge as a tool in developing oral language, and developing as readers and writers;

One Final Summary Explore words and learn how words work so they can use this information effectively and efficiently in reading and writing;Explore words and learn how words work so they can use this information effectively and efficiently in reading and writing; Have many experiences working with written symbols so they can learn how to look at letters and use this information to read and write;Have many experiences working with written symbols so they can learn how to look at letters and use this information to read and write; Be assessed both in “standard” ways and in ways that reflect “multiple ways of knowing.”Be assessed both in “standard” ways and in ways that reflect “multiple ways of knowing.”

Theory into Practice Choose one or more of the theories, reflect and then create meaningful and authentic practices to accompany them. TheoryTheory ReflectionReflection Classroom practiceClassroom practice

Final Reflections What is the most powerful learning I have had?What is the most powerful learning I have had? What are the strategies that I am most likely to use?What are the strategies that I am most likely to use? What concerns do I still have and where will I find the answers?What concerns do I still have and where will I find the answers?

Copyright Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted by Access Copyright (the Canadian copyright licensing agency) is unlawful. Requests for further information should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. The purchaser may make back-up copies for his or her own use only and not for distribution or resale. The author and the publisher assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages caused by the use of these files or programs or from the use of the information contained herein.