Content-area Literacy: You Are Not an English Teacher Aiken County Public School District January 15, 2016 LEADERS IN LITERACY CONFERENCE
Joe Powell LEADERS IN LITERACY CONFERENCE
Outcomes Develop a common understanding of what constitutes content-area literacy. Define the five key elements of literacy instruction. Experience literacy-based strategies for use in content-area classrooms.
Essential Question How can I assist each student with becoming a more proficient reader, thinker, and writer in the subject area I teach?
What is your definition? Turn to someone next to you Discuss how you define content-area literacy Prepare to share your discussion
Considerations The responsibilities for strengthening literacy skills is the responsibility of everyone at the school. The roles will likely be different for individuals, but everyone can take concrete steps to better identify adolescents that are struggling and address their literacy needs. National Institute for Literacy, 2007
Working Definition Content-literacy is the development of reading, writing, and thinking skills needed to analyze, evaluate, and use information within a subject area.
So… What does that mean for me?
So… Students should read, write, and think like a(n): scientist historian health care professional musician soldier mathematician
Reflection Definition Content-literacy is the development of reading, writing, and thinking skills needed to analyze, evaluate, and use information within a subject area. Objective One Develop a common understanding of what constitutes content-area literacy.
Key Literacy Terms Model
Task – Read a text My role: Preview vocabulary Model fluency Scaffold for understanding Your role: Play with words Read along with me Complete the outline Summarize text
Key Literacy Terms Decoding Morphology Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension
Key Literacy Terms Decoding Morphology Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension These sound like “English Teacher” terms!!!
Key Literacy Terms Decoding Morphology Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Think of them as “Every Teacher” terms
Key Literacy Terms Decoding Morphology Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Addressable indirectly
Key Literacy Terms Decoding Morphology Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Addressable indirectly Addressable through direct instruction
Key Literacy Terms
Here’s a clue
Answers DecodingMorphologyFluencyVocabularyComprehension Deciphering a word from a group of letter. Describing how small units of meaning form words. Reading accurately and smoothly with little conscious effort. Developing knowledge of word. Constructing meaning from a text. The teacher shows how changing one letter can change the meaning of a word (e.g., revolution vs. evolution). The teacher explains roots and affixes that commonly appear in content-area texts (e.g., biophysics, physicians, physiology, physique). The teacher models appropriate speed, inflection, and accuracy through read alouds and shared reading. The teacher previews a text, identifies words essential to a reader’s understanding, and presents to students prior to their reading the text. The teacher projects or provides an incomplete outline of a content-relevant text.
Turn and Talk How do you already incorporate some of these concepts? How can you be more purposeful in addressing these literacy skills?
Reading Task 1.Read the article
Reading Task 1.Read the article 2. Finish the outline
Turn and Talk How does the incomplete outline scaffold the text for a reader?
Summarizer Complete the summarizing task for the article.
Closing Develop a common understanding of what constitutes content-area literacy. Define the five key elements of literacy instruction. Experience literacy-based strategies for use in content-area classrooms.
Closing Develop a common understanding of what constitutes content-area literacy. Define the five key elements of literacy instruction. Experience literacy-based strategies for use in content-area classrooms. How can I assist each student with becoming a more proficient reader, thinker, and writer in the subject area I teach?