Accelerating Content Area Learning through Literacy Instruction, Part 2

1. Accelerating Content Area Learning through Literacy Instruction, Part 2 FDRESA Winter 2014

2. Think… • What are some ways that we can attach two items to one another? A paper clip is an example. Think of at 6 more and tell a neighbor. • Imagine a world without adhesives. No sticky notes, no glue. • Writing is a powerful adhesive for attaching new information to memory. Ever make a grocery list and then find that by simply making the list you recall most of what is on the piece of paper? That is the power of writing as an adhesive to memory.

3. It’s a fact… • The stronger their literacy skills, the more likely adults are to hold fulltime jobs, vote in national elections, participate in community organizations, volunteer in their neighborhoods, and spend time helping their children with homework. ~Literacy Instruction in Content Areas, Alliance for Excellent Education

4. The mystery of content areas… • For content area teachers, a key challenge is to articulate and make concrete the skills, knowledge, and concepts they may take for granted but that many students need to be shown explicitly. • If students are to succeed in content areas, teachers will need to demystify the reading and writing that go on there. ~Literacy Instruction in Content Areas, Alliance for Excellent Education

5. You already know, but just a reminder… • Reading and writing are more than just basic skills that permit students to go on and study advanced subject matter; reading and writing are the very stuff from which academic content areas are made. ~Literacy Instruction in Content Areas, Alliance for Excellent Education

6. Quick strategy review! • Recall the strategy for teaching vocabulary that we practiced last time we met. With a small group, describe critical steps and share examples from your classroom. • Recall the strategy for guiding students in reading informational text. With a small group, describe the critical steps and share how you used the strategy in your classroom.

7. Steps in teaching new vocabulary terms • Pronounce the word and have students repeat it several times. Repeat in syllables if necessary, building from the first syllable to the last. • Display word in context-rich sentence. Ask partners to discuss possible meanings. • Look for roots and affixes that may help unlock word meaning or may validate possible definitions offered by partners. • Display definition and ask students to record both the word and definition. • Have students draw a visual to help them recall the meaning. • Repeat the word chorally and then individually. Call on non-volunteers to define or explain the term.

8. So what are the take-aways about vocabulary instruction? • Limit number taught at one time; prioritize • Practice choral repetition • Give definition…no looking up • Teach critical roots, affixes; use word wall

9. Reading Informational or Technical Text • Before teaching, read the selection and divide it into manageable and coherent segments appropriate for MOST students in the class. • Lead students in reviewing selection: read headings, boldface words, captions, and examine pictures, diagrams, or illustrations. If needed, define key terms when they are encountered. • Ask students to predict what the selection will be about or what will be learned from reading the text. • State a specific purpose for reading the first segment of the text. Ask students to read silently, looking up when finished. When most students look up, call time. Ask students to talk with a partner for 2 minutes about the stated purpose for reading. • Call on a non-volunteer to state an answer. Use a note taking tool for students to record information from the text.

10. Reading Informational or Technical Text • State a specific purpose for reading the next segment of the text. Again, students read silently, sharing with a partner, and then sharing with the class. • Continue until selection or excerpt is completed. • Over time, students should be expected to read longer and longer passages, and they should set their own purposes for reading, based on previewing of the text.

11. Essential Questions • How can content area teachers help students use writing to master the required skills and concepts? • How can content area teachers efficiently and effectively grade writing assignments?

12. Writing tasks that accelerate learning… • Require students to use content vocabulary • Describe the functions of at least three parts of a cell. • Focus on key concepts, skills, and processes • Describe the process of cell reproduction. • Prompt students to make connections • We said cells are like factories. What else might be similar to the structure of a cell? Explain the specific similarities.

13. Making writing meaningful…. • Talk with a neighbor about concepts you will teach right away and develop a writing task that would require students to process information and help you check student understanding. Be specific and be ready to share in 10 minutes.

14. Connecting to CCGPS Literacy Standards • The new CCGPS focus is on writing in response to text. • After reading the article on John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, write an account of what occurred from the perspective of a member of John Brown’s raiding party or that of then-Colonel Robert E. Lee. • After reading the textbook section on photosynthesis, write a summary of the process and explain its importance to animal life. • After examining the map showing the primary routes used during Westward Expansion, write a paragraph identifying the routes and hypothesizing about advantages each provided to travelers.

15. Your turn… • Read the sample writing prompt templates from Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC). Choose one you could use, meaningfully, in your classroom. Be ready to share.

16. Rubrics can be useful tools…. Examine the rubric. How is designed? What is measured? Read across the first line to determine differences among score points. Read across the second line to determine differences among score points.

17. Scoring practice! • Read the sample writing prompt from a woodworking class. Then work with a partner to read and score the first sample student response. Be ready to share your score and your reasoning. • Practice again with the second sample. Once again, be ready to share your score and your reasoning.

18. Scoring practice…. • Choose a set of papers: biology, American history, or engineering. • Work with a partner to score the first sample student paper using the rubric. Be ready to share your scores and to give evidence from the paper to support your decisions. • Work alone to score the next paper. Be ready to share your scores and to give evidence from the paper to support your decisions.

19. Looking ahead to the next unit… • Using the provided template, plan meaningful literacy activities for inclusion in an upcoming unit. Be sure to include vocabulary instruction, reading of text, and writing to process concepts or processes. Activities should be spread across the unit. • Be ready to post your work and participate in a gallery walk.

20. Looking back… • How can content area teachers help students use writing to master the required skills and concepts? • How can content area teachers efficiently and effectively grade writing assignments?