Decoding Scientific Text

1. Decoding Scientific Text Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools Reading in the Content Areas

2. Objective & Rationale • Essential Question: What are strategies to help students decode scientific text using knowledge-building and cognitive dimensions? • Students who struggle to decode will also struggle to comprehend text. • Scientific textbooks have the 3rd highest lexile score of content area books. • Therefore, science teachers must engage students in direct learning of decoding and comprehension strategies in order for them to be successful. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

3. Agenda • What does the research say? • Knowledge-Building Strategies • Cloze Reading • Jargonectomy • Redaction • Cognitive Strategies • Identifying Visuals • Cornell Notes • Jigsaw Activity • (Relay Race) • Implications for Classroom Application Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

4. Social Dimension Investigating relationship between literacy and power Sharing reading problems and solutions Noticing others’ ways of reading Personal Dimension Developing reader identify Developing metacognition Developing fluency and stamina Knowledge-Building Dimension Building knowledge structures (schemata) Developing word construction and vocabulary Developing discourse-based knowledge Cognitive Dimension Getting the big picture Using problem-solving strategies to aid comprehension Monitoring comprehension The Dimensions of Classroom InteractionAdapted from the Reading Apprenticeship Framework, 2004 Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

5. Cognitive StrategiesAdapted from R. Payne, 2002 • Cognitive Strategies can be divided into three groups (see handout for complete list): • Input: quantity and quality of data gathered (Knowledge-Building) • Elaboration: efficient use of the data (Cognitive) • Output: communication of elaboration and input (Cognitive) Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

6. Constructs of Science ContentAdapted from R. Payne, 2002 These constructs help inform what is important to the curriculum. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

7. The Knowledge-Building Dimension • Written word + prior experience = knowledge building • Primary skills involved: • vocabulary acquisition • word decoding • text structure • Result: discipline-specific language Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

8. Knowledge-Building: Cloze Reading • The Cloze technique requires students to be actively involved in the reading process. • Strategic word omission asks students to supply the missing information themselves. • This strategy can be used when learning new information or reviewing material. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

9. Knowledge-Building: Cloze Reading • Read the assigned passage. • Try to fill each blank with the correct word. • Use context clues to help you. • When you think you have the passage complete and correct, raise your hand. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

10. Word Bank: chordates dorsal embryos gills muscles nerve tail throat pharyngeal phylum Knowledge-Building: Cloze Reading Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

11. Knowledge-Building: Cloze Reading Members of the phylum Chordata are called chordates. To be classified as a chordate, an animal must have four key characteristics, although these characteristics need not be present during the entire life cycle. The hollow nerve cord runs along the dorsal(back) part of the body. Nerves branch from this cord at regular intervals and connect to internal organs, muscles, and sense organs. The notochord is a long supporting rod that runs through the body just below the nervecord. Most chordates have a notochord only when they are embryos. Pharyngeal pouches are paired structures in the throat(pharynx) region. In some chordates—such as fishes and amphibians—slits develop that connect the pharyngealpouches to the outside of the body. These slits may then develop gillsthat are used for gas exchange. At some point in their lives, all chordates have a tailthat extends beyond the anus. The tail can contain bone and muscle and is used in swimming by many aquatic species. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

12. Knowledge-Building: Jargonectomy • Scientific jargon, or vocabulary, can overwhelm struggling readers. • Using context clues to break down jargon into more familiar terms aids in decoding the text. • Having students decode text themselves empowers them to decode on their own. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

13. Knowledge-Building: Jargonectomy • Read the assigned passage. • On the lines provided, break down the highlighted terms into more familiar words. • You may work on your own or with a partner. • When you have finished, raise your hand. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

14. chordates: members of the phylum Chordata life cycle: time from birth to death hollow: unfilled dorsal: back internal: inside notochord: long supporting rod pharynx: throat gas exchange: breathing extend: sticks out aquatic: water Knowledge-Building: Jargonectomy Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

15. Knowledge-Building: Redaction • Redaction is the act of reducing something. • Textual redaction helps students eliminate unnecessary information and focus on the essential ideas. • This strategy may take significant guided practice before students can redact independently. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

16. Knowledge-Building: Redaction • Read the assigned passage with about 150 words. • Rewrite the passage and reduce to about 75 words. • Determine what additional words can be removed. *This step is crucial to demonstrate understanding of redaction. • Write one sentence that summarizes the entire passage. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

17. The Cognitive Dimension • Retainable comprehension = decoding + application • Primary skills involved: • Mental models • Organization • Repetition • Comprehension • The Result: Improved understanding of content area Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

18. Cognitive: Identifying Visuals • Developing mental models is a reading skill that many struggling readers lack. • Reading a passage followed by identifying visuals is one way to track this skill. • Providing the correct visuals for students ensures that they are working with accurate information. • The visuals can also be used as review material prior to assessment. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

19. Cognitive: Identifying Visuals • Read the assigned passage. • Label the visuals so that they reflect the ideas in the passage. • Determine what details helped you decide the order (use hi-liter). • When you are finished, raise your hand. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

20. Cognitive: Cornell Notes • Note taking is an important skill for all students. • Struggling readers need support in organizing information. • Cornell note taking method provides structure and ease of information interpretation. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

21. Cognitive: Cornell Notes • Read the assigned passage. • Using the model as a guide, complete a page of notes. • Share your notes with a partner and compare. • When you think you are finished, raise your hand. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

22. Vocabulary/Cues: aorta arteries “superhighway” capillaries “side streets & alleys” veins “main streets” Notes: major artery carrying blood leaving heart carry blood from heart to tissues carry oxygen-rich blood thick walls that withstand pressure of heart contractions smallest blood vessels walls = 1 cell thick cells pass through single file bring nutrients and oxygen absorb carbon dioxide and waste carry blood to heart large veins contain valves to keep blood moving many located near skeletal muscles exercise keeps blood moving (especially against force of gravity) Summary: Three types of blood vessels, arteries, capillaries, and veins, move blood through the circulatory system. Cognitive: Cornell Notes Topic: Blood Vessels Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

23. Cognitive: Jigsaw • Repetition is crucial for information to move from short term to long term memory. • The jigsaw activity provides several opportunities for students to hear the same information. • The accountability of the peer teaching method helps struggling readers experience success. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

24. Cognitive: Jigsaw • In your assigned group, read the passage. • Complete your group task: • A: Complete the vocabulary definitions • B: Write a brief summary of the passage (5 sentence maximum) • C: Complete a KLW Chart • D: Create a web of main idea and details • E: Generate questions for review Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

25. Cognitive: Jigsaw • When all groups are finished with their part, relocate to your “jigsaw” group. • In your new group, share the information from your old group. • Answer any clarifying questions. • The result: each student has a complete handout for this passage. • Prepare for a short quiz (just kidding!). Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

26. Cognitive: Relay Race • Students need to clearly comprehend what they have read. • Identifying main idea and details is one strategy for checking understanding. • Adding an element of competition or “fun” can improve student engagement. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

27. Cognitive: Relay Race • Read the assigned passage. Do NOT discuss the passage with your peers. • When prompted by the teacher/facilitator, complete the following steps: • Student 1: write the main idea on the line provided • Student 2-end: write a detail to support the main idea • When your group has completed the “race,” raise your hands. • Alternative: Fan Activity Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

28. Cognitive: Relay Race • Sample responses: • Main idea: Zebra mussels are a nuisance in our waterways. • Details: • few natural enemies • reproduce rapidly • attach to any surface • form layers up to 20 cm thick • caused structural damage • threaten ecology of aquatic community • displaced mollusks • depleted food of many fish species Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

29. Classroom Implications • Decoding Scientific Text: Strategies for the Classroom Handout • Direct reading instruction in science classrooms will improve students’ understanding of the subject • Teaching reading does not mean losing precious content-area time Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

30. Contact Information • Let me know what strategies you try! • Alexandra Hoskins, RCA Program Specialist • abhoskins@wsfcs.k12.nc.us • 336.727.2358 x34216 Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008

31. References • Fernsten, Linda, and Sandra Loughran. “Reading into Science: Making it Meaningful.” Science Scope 31.1 (Sept. 2007): 28-30. EBSCOhost database. 10 October 2007. • Kitts, Kathy. “Reading in Science: Targeted Learning Skills.” Northern Illinois University (2006). http://jove.geol.niu.edu. 17 October 2007. • Pauk, Walter. How to Study in College (2001). New York: Houghton Mifflin. • Payne, Ruby K. Learning Structures (2005). Highlands, TX: aha! Process Inc. • Strategic Literacy Initiative. “The Reading Apprenticeship Framework.” www.wested.org/stratlit/about/ra-2pg.pdf. 11 October 2007. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, 2007-2008