Becoming an Effective Literacy Teacher

1. Becoming an Effective Literacy Teacher

2. Essential Questions • What do I know about the LEARNER? • How do these understandings IMPACT TEACHING AND LEARNING? 8 PRINCIPLES

3. 8 Principles to Successful Literacy Instruction

4. Principle 1 Effective Teachers Appreciate the Uniqueness of Young Adolescents THINK: What characteristics need to be considered when teaching the adolescent student?

5. Physical Development • Growth spurts • Physical Growth • Nutrition • Sleep habits • Puberty • Physical changes (i.e. Voice, facial hair, etc.) • Cause self-consciousness

6. Social Development • Peer Groups • High sensitivity • Same-sex friendships flourish – for emotional support • Search for Identity- • who am I? Where am I going? • Social Justice • what’s “fair” • New awareness of social issues (homelessness, the environment, etc.)

7. Intellectual Development • Reasoning Ability • -shift from concrete thinking (the apple is red) to abstract reasoning (How many apples would fit in the basket on the shelf?) • Metacognition – • become more reflective and begin to monitor their own learning • Intellectual Curiosity – • Become inquisitive and interested in real-life situations that are relevant to them

8. What are the instructional Implications of these developmental changes?

9. Instructional Implications • Active Learning – Keep ‘ em moving • Social Interactions – Collaboration! • Authentic Activities-”Real” experiences • Strategy Instruction-”tool box” • Individualization – Differentiate • Inquiry Learning-Problem Solving

10. Try this: • Using what you now know about adolescents and the way they see the world, design a small lesson with your group based on the Principles discussed. • Use at least 3- Instructional Implications as you create your Mini-lesson. • Be sure to include : • Learning Objective • Materials • Activities • Assessment

11. Here is your topic choices: • Word Building • Vocabulary • Geometry • Measurement • Conflict Resolution

12. Principle 2: Effective Teachers Understand how Children Learn

13. Student Centered vs. Teacher Centered

14. Principle 3: Effective Teachers Create a Nurturing Classroom Culture For successful literacy instruction... ...how is my classroom organized? ....how is my classroom managed? ....how is my classroom climate and community established?

15. Activity: • Ideal Classroom Sketch • Article – Questions 1-3 • Physical space • Management plan • Starting each day • Revise Sketch • Climate?

16. Principle 4: Effective Teachers adopt a Balanced Approach to Instruction

17. Balanced Literacy Approach • Reading Literature • Reading Nonfiction • New Literacies (information technology) • Literacy Strategies and Skills • Oral Language • Vocabulary • Comprehension • Writing • Spelling Literacy in the Middle Grades: Teaching Reading and Writing to Fourth through Eighth Grades. Gail E. Tompkins, 2010.

18. Principle 5: Effective Teachers Scaffold Students’ Reading and Writing

19. How do we do ALL of This?Reading Workshop Model Scaffold Approach using a Variety of Authentic Materials and Direct Strategy Instruction

21. Principle 6: Effective Teachers Organize for Literacy Instruction

22. Principle 7: Effective Teachers Differentiate Instruction

23. Principle 8: Effective Teachers Link Instruction and Assessment