Dr. Beth Christian Tennessee State University

1. Reading to Learn: Strategic Instruction in the Content Areas(Facilitating learning through strategic instruction in Social Studies) Dr. Beth Christian Tennessee State University Adapted from a Powerpoint Presentation prepared by Dr. Pamela Petty

2. Reading is … • construction of meaning from text. It is an active, cognitive, and affective process.

3. Every teacher is a teacher of reading.William S. Gray • Reading is essential in every content subject … • “In fact, rapid progress in these subjects depends in a large degree on the ability of pupils to read independently and intelligently. It follows that good teaching must provide for the improvement and refinement of the reading, attitudes, habits, and skills that are needed in all school activities involving reading.” • Farstrup, A. E. & Samuels, S. J. (2002). What research has to say about reading instruction. Newark, Delaware: IRA, p. 186.

4. Principles of Language-Based Teaching • Language-Based teachers understand that learning is a social process. • Language-Based teachers know that the best learning occurs when it is whole, functional, and meaningful. • Language-Based teacher know that students improve their reading and writing when given abundant opportunities to use reading and writing as vehicles for learning.

5. Principles of Language-Based Teaching, cont’d. • Language-Based teachers understand the importance motivation plays in learning. • Language-Based teachers are continually moving toward better literacy and content teaching.

6. Background knowledge … • And prior knowledge are critical to the reading process.

8. Social Interaction … • is essential to learning. • Communities of learners. • Vygotsky

9. Reading is social … • Communities of learners support literacy development.

10. Best practices in Social Studies • Constructivist approach • Addresses multiple intelligences • Builds on Prior Knowledge • Involves guided learning experiences • Inquiry-based • Allows for student choice (project method) • Involves authentic literature/trade books in addition to expository texts

11. Literature • Literature across the curriculum that relate to the various content areas http://www.pampetty.com/adolescentlit.htm http://www.pampetty.com/ http://www.prenhall/brozo

12. Readiness Strategies • Direct experiences-tangible connections to abstract ideas • Experiential referents—shared, concrete, first-hand learning activities (film, field trip, hands-on, etc.) -ex. Pizza activity to teach the scientific process • Role-Playing/Simulations- ex. Carbon Bonding Hoedown, marriage bonding as analogy to covalent bonding • Read young adult literature about content-area topics • Guest Speakers and Performers- (most underused resources)

13. Effective Comprehension Routines • Reciprocal Teaching • Questioning the Author • Directed Reading-Thinking Activities • Creative Thinking • KWHL and Concept Mapping • Problem and Project-Based Learning • Inquiry-Based Instruction

14. Building a Comprehension Curriculum • Predictions • Think-Alouds • Text Structure • Visual Representation of Text • Summarization • Questioning

15. Literature lessons should include: • Pre-reading activities • During-during reading activities • Post-Reading Activities • http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr2befor.htm

16. KWL • What you KNOW • What you WANT to know • How you Learned what you want to know • What you Learned L

17. Content-Area DR-TADirected Reading/Thinking Activity • Activate prior knowledge (Brainstorm) • Predict what will be discussed in the text • Read • Confirm and Revise Predictions

18. Verbal Demonstrations • Think-Aloud- Demonstrating thought processes • Demonstrating Summarizing • http://www.indiana.edu/~crls/rogerfarr/mcr/usingta/usingta.html

19. Process Guides • “Written suggestions that “walk” students through the processes involved in reading like an expert in biology or in history” (Brozo & Simpson, 2002)

20. QAR-Question Answer Response • Students learn to locate many sources of information. • Right There • Think Aloud and Search • On my own

22. Reciprocal Teaching/Self-Monitoring • Good readers monitor their understanding as they read • Reciprocal teaching-the student and teacher take turns generating questions and summaries and leading a discussion about sections of a text • Teachers model self-monitoring and what active learners do

23. DRAW Activity • Draw (a question from a hat/box) • Reflect/Review (in order to answer the question) • Attend (and participate in a class discussion) • Write (answers to questions in the form of a quiz)

24. Charting • Students take more responsibility in their learning • Summarize key ideas • Visually sense the interrelationships between these ideas

25. Discussion Webs • To encourage critical and elaborative thinking • Visual/graphic representation of thinking processes • Examining alternative points of view • Question should be stated so that there is more than one point of view

26. Standardized Testing YES NO Is standardized testing beneficial to student learning? Conclusion

27. Other Graphic Organizers • http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1grorg.htm Links from: http://edtech.tph.wku.edu/~bchristi http://www.pampetty.com/

28. Additional Strategies • History as Perspective taking • Concept muraling • WebQuests • E-sheets

29. Fix-Up Strategies • Techniques that active learners use when they are trying to increase their understanding of a particular content-area concept 1. Rereading 2. Reading more slowly 3. Reading ahead 4. Looking back at previous paragraphs/headings 5. Refer to visual aids 6. Make a mental picture 7. Draw of sketch concept 8. Look for examples in the text 9. Check alternative sources