1. STATEMENT OF BELIEFS Jeanne Hagelstein-Ivas Special Education Teacher Hull High School, Hull Public Schools Candidate for the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Reading Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, MA January 4, 2003

2. Learning and the Learner Learning is active and exploratory from infancy onward as learners seek to satisfy their natural curiosity of the world around them. All individuals learn and can learn, varying in their development, pace, and style. (Harste, 1994; International Reading Association, 1998; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998;)

3. Learning and the Learner Every learner possesses unique cognitive and linguistic abilities, motivation, and disposition towards learning. Level of demand of tasks must reflect the learner’s cognitive and linguistic development. ( Freire, 1985; International Reading Association, 1998; Yopp & Singer, 1994)

4. Learning and the Learner Learners, in order to construct new meaning or knowledge, must be aware of how they learn and how different text and text structures influence their ability to understand and remember new information, and perceive tasks as purposeful and functional. (Anderson, 1994; Bransford 1994; Ruddell & Unrau,1994; Weaver, 1994)

5. Learning and the Learner In the construction of new meaning, learners must activate their prior knowledge, acquire strategies for listening, reading, speaking, and writing, and the knowledge of when to use these strategies. (Anderson, 1994; Bransford, 1994; Goodman, 1994; Harste,Burke, & Woodward, 1994; Paris, Lipson, & Wixson, 1994)

6. Learning and the Learner Learners shape and re-shape their understanding of text as active participants in social collaborations with their peers, teachers, and significant adults in secure settings that foster exploration, quest for new knowledge and independence. (Clay, 1994; Forman & Cazden,1994; Goodman, 1994; Ruddell & Unrau, 1994)

7. Learning and the Learner Student reaction and interest should be considered when developing a literacy program. Learners of all abilities and cultures need to have their voices heard. (Au, 2002; Bean, 2000; Harste, 1994)

8. Curriculum “The essence of curriculum” is knowledge that is constructed in interactive relationships among people, organized through the viewpoints of academic disciplines, and mediated by a culture’s sign system. Curriculum represents a fund of knowledge. (Harste, 1994; Moll, 1994; Weaver, 1994)

9. Curriculum Curriculum can be viewed as opportunities for learners to engage in a quest for knowledge. Curriculum can also be seen as a device for conveying the culture’s past, and preparation for independent decision-making. (Harste, 1994; Moll, 1994; Weaver, 1994)

10. Curriculum Within the parameters of state and local standards, curriculum is an interactive process of learning and inquiry by which students and teachers together shape and re-shape their understanding. ( Harste, 1994; Tierney & Pearson, 1994; Weaver, 1994)

11. Curriculum Curriculum resources include technology, a print-rich and language-rich classroom environment, social interactions, and meaningful and purposeful experiences. ( Daiute, 2000; Flood & Lapp, 2000; Harste, 1994; Weaver, 1994)

12. Curriculum Curriculum materials must represent the diversity of learners and their cognitive and linguistic development, reflect the perspective of academic disciplines, and emphasize the use of and promote the growth of language and literacy skills. (Harste, 1994; International Reading Association, 1998; Weaver, 1994; Yopp & Singer, 1994)

13. Curriculum Curriculum materials and instructional practices reflect sensitivity to cultural backgrounds of learners. (Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999; Harste, 1994; Moll, 1994)

14. Teachers… create a print-rich and language-rich classroom environment where students are encouraged: to take risks, seek assistance from peers, provide assistance to peers, work collaboratively and independently; ask questions, seek solutions, and offer their expertise. (Harste,1994; International Reading Association, 1998; Rosenblatt, 1994; Weaver,1994)

15. Teachers… consider the socio-cultural contexts in which children live, the prior experience of the students, the cognitive and linguistic demands of texts; and understand the reading and writing continuum, allowing for individual and cultural variations. ( International Reading Association, 1998; Tierney & Pearson, 1994; Yopp & Singer, 1994)

16. Teachers… model and promote literacy through the frequent use of oral and written language activities, and provide explicit developmentally appropriate instruction to enhance comprehension and develop new skills through demonstration, discussion, and inquiry. (Bransford, 1994; Harste, 1994; International Reading Association, 1998; Johnson, 2000; Weaver, 1994 )

17. Teachers… possess knowledge of the research base of literacy instruction; control shift of linguistic and cognitive demands of learning tasks from teacher- centered to student-centered; and foster independence by teaching strategies and the knowledge of when to apply them. (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998; Tierney & Pearson, 1994; Yopp & Singer, 1994)

18. Teachers… assess student linguistic development and progress in acquisition of specific skills and strategies in order to determine appropriate instruction for all and interventions for those learners whose literacy skills are advanced or below expected levels. (Harste, 1994; International Reading Association, 1998; Yopp & Singer, 1994)

19. Teachers… are aware of and respect cultural differences, family heritage, and socio- economic backgrounds of their students. (Au, 2002; Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999; Harste, 1994; Moll, 1994)

20. Assessment & Evaluation Assessment of student learning is an on-going and continuous process, consisting of a variety of assessment practices, including data from observations, classroom work products, student self-evaluation, criterion- referenced, individual-referenced, and norm-referenced assessments. (Brown, Palincsar,& Armbruster, 1994; International Reading Association, 1998; Weaver, 1994)

21. Assessment and Evaluation Assessment has multiple purposes. It promotes children’s learning and development of literacy skills. Assessment assists teachers in planning, adapting and improving instruction and it informs curriculum. ( International Reading Association, 1998; New England Association of Schools and Colleges, 2000; Weaver, 1994)

22. Assessment and Evaluation Assessment practices communicate individual progress based on learner’s growth and development to parents, district progress towards state and local standards to the community, and comparisons to a wider sample of student achievement. (International Reading Association, 1998; New England Association of Schools and Colleges, 2000; Weaver, 1994)

23. Assessment and Evaluation Assessment addresses not just the final outcome students have produced, but also focuses on the processes of reading and writing students have utilized, as well as growth in strategy flexibility and adaptability. (Allington, Johnston & Day, 2002; International Reading Association,1998; Weaver, 1994)

24. Assessment and Evaluation Assessment involves the teacher, the learner, and peers as evaluators of themselves and the curriculum. (Allington, Johnston, & Day, 2002; Harste, 1994; Weaver, 1994)

25. Assessment and Evaluation Assessment provides all children with as equal an opportunity as possible to demonstrate what they know and are able to do. (Au, 2002; Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999; Smith, Smith, & DeLisi, 2001)

26. REFERENCES Allington, Richard L., Johnston, Peter H., & Day, Jeni P. (2002) Exemplary fourth grade teachers. Language Arts, 79, 462-466. Anderson, Richard C. (1994). Role of the readers’ schema in comprehension, learning and memory. In R. Ruddell, M. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4 th ed.) (pp. 469-482). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Applebee, Arthur N. (2000). Alternative models of writing development. In R. Indrisano & J. Squire (Eds.). Perspectives on writing (pp. 90-110). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Au, Kathryn H. (2002). Multi-cultural factors and effective instruction of students of diverse backgrounds. In A. Farstrup & S. J. Samuels, Eds. What research has to say about reading instruction.(pp. 392-414). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Bean, T. (2000). Reading in the content areas: Social constructivist dimensions. In M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research, vol. III (pp. 629-644). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Bransford, John D. (1994). Schema activation and schema acquisition: Comments on Richard C. Anderson’s remarks. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 483-495). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Brown, Ann L., Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan, & Armbruster, Bonnie B. (1994). Instructing comprehension- fostering activities in interactive learning situations. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 757-787). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Clay, Marie M. (1994). Foreword. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp.ix-xiii). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Daiute, Colette. (2000). Writing and communication technologies. In R. Indrisano & J. Squire (Eds.), (Eds.). Perspectives on writing (pp.251-276). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association.

27. Flood, James & Lapp, Diane. (2000). Teaching writing in urban schools: Cognitive processes, curriculum resources, and the missing links—management and grouping. In R. Indrisano, & J. Squire (Eds.). Perspectives on writing (pp. 233-250). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Forman, Ellice A. & Cazden, Courtney B. (1994). Exploring Vygotskian perspectives in education: The cognitive value of peer interaction. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 155-178). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association Goodman, K. S. (1994). Reading, writing and written texts: A transactional sociopsycholinguistic view. In R. Ruddell, M. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 1093-1130). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Harste, Jerome C. (1994). Literacy as curricular conversations about knowledge, inquiry, and morality. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 1220- 1242). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Harste, Jerome C., Burke, Carolyn L., & Woodward, Virginia A. (1994). Children’s language and world: Initial encounters with print. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 48-69). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Heath, Shirley Brice. (1994). The children of Trackton’s children: Spoken and written language in social change. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 208-230). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. International Reading Association. (1998). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. The Reading Teacher, 52, 193-216. Johnson, Dale D (2000). Just the right word: Vocabulary and writing. In R. Indrisano & J. Squire (Eds.). Perspectives on writing (pp. 162-186). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Moll, Luis C. (1994). Literacy research in community and classrooms: A sociocultural approach. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 179-207). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Moore, D. W., Bean, T. W., Birdyshaw, D. & Rycik, J. A. (1999). Adolescent literacy: A position statement for the Commission on Adolescent Literacy of the International Reading Association. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

28. New England Association of Schools and Colleges. (2000). Standards for accreditation for high schools, middle/high schools, and K-12 schools. Retrieved from the N. E. A. S. C. Web site: http://www.neasc.org/cpss/cpstand2htm. Paris, Scott G., Lipson, Marjorie Y., & Wixson, Karen K. (1994). Becoming a strategic reader. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 788-810). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Reading the world and reading the word: An interview with Paulo Friere. (1985, January). Language Arts, 62(1), 15-21. Rosenblatt, L. M. (1994). The transactional theory of reading and writing. In R. Ruddell, M. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 1057-1092). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Ruddell, R. B., & Unrau, N. J. (1994). Reading as a meaning-construction process: The reader, the text, and the teacher. In R. Ruddell, M. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 996-1056). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Schickedanz, Judith A. (2000). Emergent writing: A discussion of the sources of our knowledge. In R. Indrisano & J. Squire (Eds.). Perspectives on writing (pp. 66-89). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Smith, J. K., Smith, L. F., & DeLisi, R. (2001). Natural Classroom Assessment: Designing Seamless Instruction & Assessment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Snow, C. E. Burns, M. S., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, D. C.: National Academy Press. Tierney, Robert J., & Pearson, P. David. (1994). Learning to learn from text: A framework for improving classroom practice. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.).Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 496-513). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. Weaver, C. (1994). Reading process and practice: From socio-psycholinguistics to whole language (2 nd ed.) (pp. 334- 343). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Yopp, Hallie Kay, & Singer, Harry. (1994). Toward an interactive reading instructional model. In R. B. Ruddell, M. R. Ruddell, & H. Singer (Eds.). Theoretical models and processes of reading (4th ed.) (pp. 381-390). Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association. End of show