1. Meaning Maker: Interacting with Text
SESSION 2
MATERIALS FOR SESSION 2
Resource and Curriculum Documents
All available in PDF. To link to web addresses, go to the Resources at the end of this session.
The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006 (revised)
The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Science and Technology, 2007 (revised)
A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6 – Volume One, Foundations of Literacy Instruction for the Junior Learner , 2006
A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction – Volume Five, Reading, 2008
The Kindergarten Program, 2006 (revised)
The Full-Day Early Learning – Kindergarten Program, 2010–2011 (draft version)
Integrated Curriculum – What Works? Research into Practice, 2010
Integrated Learning in the Classroom – Capacity Building monograph, 2010
Handouts
All available in PDF on this DVD. To access files, go to the Resources at the end of this session.
Connected Experiences Using a Variety of Texts
Four Roles of the Literate Learner
Relationship Among Reader, Text, Teacher and Author
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 1

2. Overview Overview A learning resource for educators with six sessions:
Thinking as a Habit of Mind
Meaning Maker: Interacting with Text
Code User: Breaking the Code
Text User: Understanding Purpose and Form
Text Analyzer: Critically Thinking about Text
Putting It All Together: Integrating the Four Roles
Overview
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading is a PowerPoint presentation with six sessions designed to support the exploration of literacy and the development of higher-order thinking skills in the early years. It introduces teachers to the fundamentals of critical thinking, critical literacy and metacognition and offers practical instructional strategies for helping young children think about text and develop their own strategies for becoming independent readers and writers.
Although the Thinking about Thinking sessions build upon one another and are meant to be used sequentially, they can also be used independently according to learning needs. Each concludes with questions which may be used in professional learning communities to engage participants in further inquiry or action research.
This resource sets the stage for student independence in reading. The concepts in this resource will be extended in a future release which will focus on moving to increased independence in reading and writing in the early years.
The Six Sessions
Thinking as a Habit of Mind introduces the four roles of the literate learner and explores strategies and processes that promote metacognition.
Meaning Maker focuses on the relationship between author and reader and examines questioning as a key strategy for making meaning.
Code User explores strategies that learners use to break the code of written language and investigates the role of metacognition in developing independent readers and writers.
Text User focuses on the relationship between the function and form of text and examines how representations of student thinking relate to purpose and audience.
Text Analyzer examines critical literacy as an approach to the exploration of ideas, perspectives and biases supported by all strands of the language curriculum.
Integrating the Four Roles explores metacogition and collaborative strategies for making thinking processes visible in relation to all aspects of the four roles of the literate learner.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading

3. Key Messages
Early primary students are capable of thinking about their own thinking.
The four roles of the literate learner model supports higher-order thinking in K–2 classrooms.
The Guides to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6 support all teachers in planning effective literacy instruction.
Higher-order thinking is not about a series of events or lessons, but rather about developing a habit of mind.
Overview
SPEAKER NOTES
This resource is focused on helping students think about themselves as learners – all six sessions share the same key messages. (Review slide messages.)
The four roles of the literate learner model supports higher-order thinking in Kindergarten to Grade 2 classrooms.
The goal of teaching with the four roles in mind is their integration so that students read, write, listen and speak with the four roles in mind as well.
Through scaffolded, intentional teaching, students learn to articulate their thinking and come to know themselves as learners.
Teachers model thinking for students by articulating the strategies that they (and their students) use in problem solving, critically thinking about text and reflecting upon themselves as readers and writers,
The Guides to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6 are valuable resources that support all teachers in planning effective literacy instruction. Throughout the sessions, participants will have an opportunity to use these guides.
Most importantly, Thinking about Thinking demonstrates that higher-order thinking is not about a series of events or lessons, but rather is developed as a habit of mind; it is planned and created intentionally by teachers in a collaborative classroom environment – where student voice and choice matter.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading

4. Learning Goals for Session 2
This session is intended to:
focus on the role of meaning maker as a relationship between author and reader
explore questioning as a key strategy for meaning-making
examine the use of relevant and authentic contexts to enhance student engagement
make connections to professional resources that support all teachers
OVERVIEW FOR THIS SESSION
Participants will explore the role of the meaning maker as a text participant.
Meaning-making practices are used both to make literal sense of a text and to interpret it more broadly (inferential meaning).
All previous literacy and social/cultural experiences – including those with other texts and technology – impact on a student’s ability to make meaning.
The meaning maker brings together topic knowledge and text knowledge in order to make meaning from and interpret a wide variety of texts.
Meaning makers construct meaning from the text through questioning.
In their interaction with texts, literate learners question before, during and after reading texts.
Questions might address the author’s message, purpose in writing the text, choice of text form, use of elements and text features, point of view and influence on the audience.
Literate learners know that questioning is a valuable strategy and they come to a text with a large repertoire of questions.
Students use literacy strategies and skills in all curriculum areas.
Each curriculum area has its own “embedded literacy” – frequently used text forms, conventions and vocabulary that are subject-specific.
The challenges presented by increasing literacy demands on today’s learner are best met by integrating curriculum.
An integrated approach to literacy instruction allows students to practise skills in a variety of contexts.
Integrating curriculum builds on a student’s natural curiosity and his/her need to inquire.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading

5. Interacting with Text
Text Knowledge
Organizational & informational structure
Artistic elements of text
Print concepts
Text type
Author’s Purpose
Topic
Ideas
Message
Text Features
Use of organizational tools
Use of informational
tools (glossary, captions)
Format/Layout
Use of space and graphics
Use of illustrations
Author’s Words
Vocabulary
Punctuation
Style
Syntax
Click on page to animate graphic
Self-Concept as a Reader
Purpose for reading
Interests & Experiences
Factual Knowledge
Language Knowledge
Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Vocabulary
Strategies
Using cueing systems
Activating prior knowledge
Predicting
Visualizing
Questioning
Drawing inferences
Finding important information
Summarizing
Synthesizing and evaluating
Monitoring/revising comprehension
SPEAKER NOTES
This graphic shows the sources of information found within the text and within the reader’s mind that the reader draws on to construct meaning from text. According to Fountas and Pinnell (2006), we construct meaning from text based on personal, environmental and textual knowledge.
Meaning makers recognize that reading always involves a search for meaning. Meaning makers self-monitor while reading, recognizing when comprehension breaks down and taking steps to restore it. Meaning makers demonstrate a continuous awareness of their reading strategies and processes.
TASK
Use the graphic to discuss: What does a reader need to bring to the process of reading in order to make meaning?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 5 5

6. Evolving View: Four Roles of the Literate Learner
MATERIALS
Evolving View: Four Roles of the Literate Learner
SPEAKER NOTES
Readers ask questions of the text in relation to (1) their own prior knowledge, experiences and connections; (2) their understanding of other cultures/world views; (3) how it compares to other texts; and (4) other possible ways of making meaning.
Making meaning depends on the interaction and relationship between the reader, the author and the text.
As meaning makers, readers require multiple opportunities to interact with text.
DISCUSSION
Have participants highlight and share key phrases from the “Meaning Maker” section of the model.
What does this mean for student learning? What are the implications for classroom practice?
Click on page to animate graphic
Adapted from page 9 of Literacy for Learning: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario (2004). Based on Freebody and Luke’s “Four Resources Model” (1990). The Expert Panel elaborated on the four resources model to suggest four roles of a developing junior learner. The Evolving View: Four Roles of the Literate Learner is for discussion purposes only and is based on the work of the Collaborative Inquiry in Literacy 2008–09 and 2009–10.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 6

7. Reading for Meaning
“Comprehension means that readers think not only about what they are reading, but what they are understanding. When readers construct meaning, they are building their store of knowledge. But along with knowledge must come understanding.”
Harvey and Goudvis, 2000, p.9
SPEAKER NOTES
Read the following statement to the group:
Comprehension means that readers think not only about what they are reading, but what they are understanding. When readers construct meaning, they are building their store of knowledge. But along with knowledge must come understanding.
DISCUSSION
Guiding question for whole-group discussion building on learning from Session 1: How does metacognition impact on comprehension and understanding of text?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 7

8. Reading for Meaning: Book Thinking
View a video on the web:
Book Thinking (Kindergarten)
SPEAKER NOTES
A Kindergarten classroom early in the school year: A student talks about his thinking (1:02).
DISCUSSION
How does the teacher support the student in seeing himself as a reader?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading

9. Integrated Learning in the Classroom
How does integrated learning support meaning making?
MATERIALS
Integrated Curriculum – What Works? Research into Practice, 2010
Integrated Learning in the Classroom – Capacity Building Series, 2010
TASK
Distribute both monographs to participants.
Have each table group divide into two expert groups by numbering off 1 and 2.
All the number 1s gather together and read Integrated Learning in the Classroom.
Number 2s gather together and read Integrated Curriculum.
Each group divides the monograph into sections, assigning each member a section to read to “become the expert.”
Each group member shares the key messages of their section with their assigned group.
Participants rejoin their table groups.
They share their thinking about both documents noting commonalities.
DISCUSSION
Guiding question for whole group discussion: How does integrated learning support meaning making?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 9

10. The Big Ideas of Curriculum
“Big ideas are the broad, important understandings that students should retain long after they have forgotten many of the details of something that they have studied.”
Science and Technology, 2007, p.6
MATERIALS
The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006 (revised)
The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Science and Technology, 2007 (revised)
SPEAKER NOTES
Developing a deeper understanding of the big ideas requires students to understand basic concepts, develop inquiry and problem-solving skills and connect these concepts and skills to the world beyond the classroom.
Integration builds relevance and engagement for students.
It also requires students to build literacy skills while inquiring into substantive ideas that will affect their world, now or in their future.
As students recognize that the ways we learn have similarities in different content areas, they will begin to transfer learning strategies to new situations.
Integration between the language curriculum and other curriculum areas helps students see the possibilities of applying literacy skills across subjects.
TASK
Ask participants to refer to page 47 of The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Science and Technology.
Have them read the introduction and scan the big ideas, expectations and guiding questions outlined for the strand UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURES AND MECHANISMS: MATERIALS, OBJECTS AND EVERYDAY STRUCTURES.
Working with partners, ask participants to brainstorm and list learning opportunities for students to explore the big ideas in the science strand (above) and then connect those ideas to the language curriculum expectations for oral communication, reading, writing and media.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 10 10

11. Relevant and Engaging Contexts
Identify and highlight big ideas that you feel will be relevant and interesting to students.
Pose an overarching question that encompasses the big idea.
MATERIALS
The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006 (revised)
The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Science and Technology, 2007 (revised)
a sampling of other curriculum documents
SPEAKER NOTES
The task in this slide involves divisional or grade groups working together to highlight big ideas in the science and technology curriculum and to think about posing an overarching question that encompasses a big idea. This will begin the process of student inquiry into the issues raised by the question.
An example for Grade 1 in the science and technology curriculum:
Overall expectation 1: Assess the impact on people and the environment of objects and structures and the materials used in them.
Big idea: Humans make choices related to their use of objects and materials and these choices have a direct effect on the environment.
Overarching question: How do our choices about the ways we use objects and materials affect our environment?
TASK
Ask participants to find big ideas that would engage students in the science and technology curriculum.
Have them develop and share overarching questions that are linked to the big ideas and are relevant and engaging to students.
Extend this task to a sampling of other curriculum documents.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 11

12. Connected Experiences Using a Variety of Texts
Visit the ROM by clicking here!
MATERIALS
Connected Experiences Using a Variety of Texts
SPEAKER NOTES
Integrated learning allows students to explore a variety of texts as they read, write, view, discuss and represent their thinking.
It is important to choose texts that support the exploration of the big ideas and the overarching questions, enabling students to make connections and engage in discussion where they pose their own questions.
When planning for integrated units, consider the following:
Include literary and informational texts as well as picture books and everyday texts such as ads, posters, menus, songs and video games.
Include mentor texts that will support the curriculum focus as well as stimulate student thinking.
Include a wide range of texts of varying levels of difficulty that will allow students to access them – independently, collaboratively or with support.
Include texts that engage students in considering alternative perspectives and points of view and/or support their own opinions and solutions
TASK
Distribute “Connected Experiences Using a Variety of Texts.”
Using the organizer as a starting point, have participants record their question in the centre of the page.
Ask participants to brainstorm the texts that students might use to explore this question.
Eco-school poster from Denlowe P.S., Toronto District School Board
Visit the TVO Kids by clicking here!
How do our choices about the ways we use objects and materials affect our environment?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 12 12

13. Modelling and Guiding to Extend Thinking
View a video on the web:
Modelling and Guiding (Grade 1)
SPEAKER NOTES
Grade 1 classroom: The teacher guides students to make meaning through questioning a non-fiction informational text (11:37).
DISCUSSION
What thinking does the teacher model for her students?
What evidence of student thinking emerges through the discussion?
How does the discussion lead students into developing their own questions about the text?
How does an integrated curriculum support meaning making?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 13 13

14. Questioning for Meaning Making
“We must strive to create classrooms that celebrate passionate curiosity.
Curiosity spawns questions. Questions are the master key to understanding. Questions clarify confusion. Questions stimulate research efforts. Questions propel us forward and take us deeper into reading.”
Harvey and Goudvis, 2000, p. 81
MATERIALS
A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6 – Volume One, Foundations of Literacy Instruction for the Junior Learner, 2006
SPEAKER NOTES
Questioning is a strategy that readers use as they interact with text.
Asking questions about a text is a key comprehension strategy.
Harvey and Goudvis point out that questioning is a metacognitive strategy for engaging students in important conversations about a text.
TASK
Ask participants to read pages 49–50 of a A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction – Volume One on “thick questions” as a comprehension strategy.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 14 14

15. What questions do readers ask?15
Comprehension Questions
Overarching
Question
Higher Order Thinking
Metacognition – the process of thinking about one’s own thinking
Critical thinking – thinking about ideas and situations to make judgements and decisions
Critical literacy – going beyond critical thinking to take a critical stance about the text
MATERIALS
A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Kindergarten to Grade 3: Reading, 2003
A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6 – Volume One, Foundations of Literacy Instruction for the Junior Learner, 2006
A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction – Volume Five, Reading, 2008
Relationship Among Reader, Text, Teacher and Author
SPEAKER NOTES
The slide organizes our thinking about the types of questions that teachers and students ask during conversations about text.
Comprehension Questions
Often early learners use "Head," "Heart" and "Hand" categories to distinguish the kinds of questions that they might ask about text. As they progress in their language development, they are able to distinguish:
Literal questions – ask the reader to recall information found directly in the lines of the text
Inferential questions – ask the reader to read between the lines of the text for the answer
Evaluative questions – ask the reader to think beyond the text and question the author
Higher-Order Thinking Questions
Metacognitive questions are questions that learners ask about their own thinking and learning.
When thinking critically, learners question text looking for implied meanings and use the information to form a personal opinion about the validity of the author’s message.
Critical literacy involves taking a critical stance – it is a particular kind of critical thinking; the questions asked focus on issues related to fairness, equity and social justice and usually result in action.
Overarching questions encompass big ideas and are relevant and engaging to students.
TASK
Ask participants to explore the variety of questions that students might pose as they engage with a variety of texts.
Questions posed to reflect the 3 R’s – pages 8.16–8.17 of A Guide to Effective Instruction in Reading, K–3.
Questions posed by effective readers – page 28 of A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction – Volume Five.
Questions to promote metacognitive thinking during reading – page 62 of A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction, Volume One.
Questions about the relationship among reader, text, teacher and author – page 30 of A Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction – Volume One.
DISCUSSION
Guiding questions to consider:
How do the questions that students and teachers ask before, during and after reading deepen understanding?
How do the questions students/teachers ask impact on the kind of thinking students engage in?
How does an overarching question build connections and help students make meaning?
Literal
Inferential
Evaluative
Click on page to animate through graphic
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 15 15

16. Questioning to Enhance Thinking
Visit the ROM by clicking here!
MATERIALS
Evolving View: Four Roles of the Literate Learner
Connected Experiences Using a Variety of Texts
TASK
Using only the meaning-maker role, work with a partner to develop questions related to the texts on the slide and record your questions.
Using (and integrating) the other roles in an Evolving View: Four Roles of the Literate Learner, develop more questions related to the text set.
Share your questions.
DISCUSSION
How does the integration of the four roles model impact on student thinking?
Eco-school poster from Denlowe P.S., Toronto District School Board
Visit the TVO Kids by clicking here!
How do our choices about the ways we use objects and materials affect our environment?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 16 16

17. Consolidating Learning
View a video on the web:
Modelling and Guiding (Grade 1)
SPEAKER NOTES
The next two clips illustrate what the consolidation of learning looks like in classrooms early in the school year.
The first clip is from a Grade 1 classroom: The clip begins with students reading independently, followed by a group reflection to consolidate the learning (2:11).
DISCUSSION
How does the student talk provide evidence of the student learning?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 17 17

18. Consolidating Learning
View a video on the web:
Consolidating the Learning (Grade 1)
SPEAKER NOTES
The second clip is form a Grade 1/2 classroom and shows a teacher using questioning and prompts to extend thinking (1:04).
DISCUSSION
What kinds of thinking strategies are the students using in response to the teacher prompts and questioning?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 18 18

19. Inquiry Habit of Mind
What opportunities do your students have to participate with text and learn new ways to understand and compose a variety of texts?
Where are possible gaps in your practice in relation to the ideas presented today?
What do your students need next to become better meaning-makers?
What do you need to do now to support your students’ needs?
SPEAKER NOTES
This slide suggests ways to engage in some meaningful planning after the session is complete.
This is an opportunity for professional learning communities to engage in some teacher inquiry or action research.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 19

20. Inquiry Habit of Mind
SPEAKER NOTES
At the end of each session, there will be time for participants to plan a next step in their classrooms.
The purpose of this classroom inquiry is to help participants make the link between the content of these sessions and authentic classroom experiences.
Participants are asked to think about an idea from the session that intrigued them and formulate a question that they might pursue in their classroom.
Once back in their classrooms, they are asked to gather evidence to answer the question.
This could be a sample of student work, an anchor chart created with the students or simply a description of a lesson.
The gathering of this evidence should not be difficult or time-consuming but rather an authentic example of “life in the classroom.”
The Capacity Building monographs, Collaborative Teacher Inquiry and Primary Assessment would be beneficial for groups to read to support this work.
What is the impact of __________________ (teacher practice)
on ________________________ (change in student learning)?
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading 20 20

21. Hand-outs and Reference Documents
All resource and curriculum documents used in Thinking about Thinking sessions are available online in PDF. Please visit the following web page to download them:
Resources
MATERIALS FOR SESSION 1 Resource and Curriculum Documents All available in PDF. Linked to web addresses at the end of this session.
Handouts All available in PDF on this DVD. Download to your desktop for printing.
Thinking about Thinking: Setting the Stage for Independent Reading