Reading in the Content Area

Reading in the Content Area Key Ideas and Details Craft and Structure Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

Prepping Questions • What does content area mean to you? • How do you use reading in your classroom right now? • How can you improve content reading in your classroom?

Literacy and the Brain • The cell responsible for learning and thought is the neuron • Thought and learning increases the size and number of dendrites and axons • Decreased blood flow, less thinking, results in pruning • The more dendrites and axons means more cues will trigger a particular memory Learning Reinforces these connections

Making Memory • 1. Prepping: Using prior knowledge • 2. Patterning: Linking information together • 3. Priming: Learning things in multiple ways and practice

You can think of your memory like a tree. • It has branches and roots • Your brain is also like a forest. The more “vegetation” it has the more efficient it becomes

Schema Theory The Schema theory explains the way our brains like to sort information Tail 4 legs Dog Furry Eats meat

Schema Sorting • This can be hindered in several ways • The student lacks the necessary schema to file away the new information • The students has trouble sorting the new knowledge into an existing schema • The student places the information in an incorrect schema • The information conflicts with a student’s current schema

4th Grade Slump • Transition from narrative text to informative • Lack of exposure to informative texts

Traits of A Good Reader • 1. Search for connections • 2. Monitor understanding • 3. Identify and fix misunderstandings • 4. Know what is important • 5. Synthesize information across text • 6. Make inferences • 7. Ask questions Can Ug Find a Sandy Island Igloo Quickly?

Content Area Reading • World Knowledge verses Text Knowledge • World: A person’s schemata of the world and how they relation to one another. • Text: Knowledge about reading. Prior knowledge a better indicator of a student understanding a given text then outright reading ability

Levels of Understanding Goals of Reading -Comprehension -Subject Matter Learning -Reading Skills -Knowledge Application Literal Interpretive Applied

Metacognition • Common Reading Strategies • 1. Prep the brain for information storage • 2. Get reader to ask questions and search for answers during the reading process • 3. Review the information presented.

Reading Strategies • SQR3 • K-W-L • TPRC • Reciprocal Teaching

Making Text “Friendly” • 1. White Space • 2. Break up Lists and Steps • 3. Give Hints and Chunk • 4. Increase the size of the print • 5. Group Information

Vocabulary • What do you know about vocabulary instruction? • What works in your classroom? • Why is it important. • What are the goals of vocabulary instruction? • What do you want to know about vocabulary instruction? • What is difficult for you students? • How does this relate to reading instruction?

Vocabulary Instruction • Vocabulary Instruction must involve (RIM) 1) Repetition 2) Integration 3) Meaningful Use There are two purposes to vocabulary instruction • Remove barriers to comprehension of text • Promote long-term acquisition and development of the language of academic discipline.

Principals of Vocabulary Instruction Best to stick to 8 or 10 words a week • 1. Use the terms • 2. Provide both definitions and context • 3. Move students from familiarity with terms to using them. • 4. Provide multiple exposures in many contexts to the terms.

Instruction in Vocabulary • 1. Direct Vocabulary Instruction • 2. Instruction in Deriving Meaning CSSR • Context • Structure (morphology) • Sound (Pronouncing) • Reference or Dictionary

Vocabulary Instructional Techniques • 1. Verbal-Visual Word Association • 2. Semantic Mapping • 3. Gestalt • 4. Memory Tricks, Mnemonics • Acronyms and Acrostics • Using a routine, Loci System • Visualization • Playing with Words

Reading in the Content Area