Chapter notes
Ensuring All Students Read, Write, and Think
- Many students begin to lose interest in reading about this time. It is our responsibility as educators to see that does not happen! By providing students with engaging activities, texts of interest to them, and effective strategies we can encourage students to continue their literacy growth. The three characteristics that motivate middle level students are time, interest, and choice.
- "Learning is a community function, not an isolated one, and the conversations that occur between learners foster growth for all involved" (Vygotsky, 1978).
- Anticipatory activities elicit curiosity, provoke questions, and evoke recall of newly learned information. In addition, background knowledge related to the topic is also activated. As you consider the type of anticipatory activity you will use, remember what the text said about creating memorable events to capture student attention.
- In most schools, vocabulary is one of the areas where students consistently perform poorly. As content teachers, vocabulary is extremely important to further comprehension. Traditional approaches to teaching vocabulary have not been effective and yet continue to predominate many classrooms. As you read this chapter, consider carefully how you will implement effective vocabulary strategy instruction within not only your unit but also your future classroom. What can you do to help students develop the vocabulary needed to perform well?
- "...deeper understandings of the connections between reading and learning have caused content area teachers to reexamine sound literacy practices in their classrooms" (McKenna & Robinson, 1990). This statement says it all. Content teachers can no longer assume that students come to them able to comprehend what they read. This chapter describes how to use read alouds and shared readings in a middle level setting.
- While questioning is a valuable tool for the classroom teacher, it is often misused. As you read this chapter, discover progressive ways to use questioning during instruction. Pay special attention to student questioning as you read. Both texts provide valuable suggestions for ways to encourage students to develop questioning strategies.
- Graphic organizers provide a way for students to organize information in a visually friendly way. As a classroom teacher, I found this improved student performance immensely. The quote on p. 127 states, "Whereas 82% recommended that graphic organizers like concept maps should be used frequently, only 58% admitted that they used it often." As you read, consider your content area and topic. Which organizer(s) would best serve your objectives? As you complete your assignment for the chapter, share not only the graphic organizer you have chosen, but also how you will use it along with examples.
- As you read this chapter note the differences in note-taking versus note making. Why is this important for students to know? Many students experience a lot of difficulty taking notes. What strategies can you provide to scaffold students as they learn this skill?
- The text states that "writing should a process in which the writers discover what they know and do not know about their topics, their language, themselves, and their ability to communicate with specific audiences." How will you do this? What strategies will you use?
- No one likes testing, but it is here to stay for a while. Because of the current focus on accountability it will be important for you to prepare your students for the high-stakes tests they will be required to take. The chapter also provides information on classroom assessments you can use. While you do not have a separate assignment with this chapter, you will be asked to include appropriate assessments within your unit plan.
articles
Adolescent Literacy Position Statement
From Efficient Decoders to Strategic Readers
Nonfiction Literacy Circles
Reading in the Disciplines
"Walking the Walk" with Teacher Education Candidates: Strategies for Promoting Active Engagement With Assigned Readings
Moving Beyond the Page in Content Area Literacy: Comprehension Instruction for Multimodal Texts in Science
-As students evaluate multiple forms of representation, and as they design texts in different modes, they may not only understand discipline-specific concepts more fully, but also they may become more adept designers of multimodal texts. This skill is crucial in today’s world, where students are faced with a vast array of modes and representations on computer, television, and cell phone screens. Furthermore, technology continually changes so that today’s instruction on reading and designing texts may inevitably be insufficient tomorrow.
Literature Circles: Getting Started
Comparing and Contrasting: Picturing an Organizational Pattern
-This is a lesson plan to share with students about organizing for content writing.
From Efficient Decoders to Strategic Readers
Nonfiction Literacy Circles
Reading in the Disciplines
"Walking the Walk" with Teacher Education Candidates: Strategies for Promoting Active Engagement With Assigned Readings
Moving Beyond the Page in Content Area Literacy: Comprehension Instruction for Multimodal Texts in Science
-As students evaluate multiple forms of representation, and as they design texts in different modes, they may not only understand discipline-specific concepts more fully, but also they may become more adept designers of multimodal texts. This skill is crucial in today’s world, where students are faced with a vast array of modes and representations on computer, television, and cell phone screens. Furthermore, technology continually changes so that today’s instruction on reading and designing texts may inevitably be insufficient tomorrow.
Literature Circles: Getting Started
Comparing and Contrasting: Picturing an Organizational Pattern
-This is a lesson plan to share with students about organizing for content writing.
resources
ABC Brainstorm
-follow this link to further understand this strategy
Alphablocks
Shades of Meaning
Vocabulary Self Awareness Chart
Nifty Thrifty Fifty Monthly Plan
Vocabulary Visits: Virtual Field Trips for Content Vocabulary Development
Word Sorts
Request Strategy
DRTA
Reciprocal Reading Strategy
-Here is a short play explaining how to use "The Fab Four" from School Tube at http://www.schooltube.com/video/c5679af97bffa581a659/Fab-4-Reading-Strategy-Play. Also, you will find RT cards that students can use.
QAR
-this website will give you more information on a QAR including a modeled lesson
-Example Questions of QAR in Different Content Areas.
-QAR Template
-Guide to Creating Questions for Close Analytic Reading
Concept Definition Map
Fact/Opinion
3 Column Examples
Graphic Organizers from NCREL
More Graphic Organizers
ReadWriteThink
-ReadWriteThink offers a collection of online Student Materials to support literacy learning in the K-12 classroom. These interactive tools can be used to supplement a variety of lessons and provide an opportunity for students to use technology while developing their literacy skills. Click on the name of each interactive for a brief description of the tool and a list of the ReadWriteThink lessons that use the tool. From there you'll also be able to directly access the tool and use it in your classroom.
Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers
- Graphic organizers are an illustration of your thoughts on paper. They can help you brainstorm, organize, and visualize your ideas. Click on a graphic organizer to download a PDF of it. Once you’ve downloaded an organizer, type in your comments and print it out. Each graphic organizer below includes Teaching Notes with lessons and tips on how to use graphic organizers in the classroom.
The keys to remembering what you read
What is Content Writing?
I Took A Walk by Henry Cole
Blooms Verbs
-follow this link to further understand this strategy
Alphablocks
Shades of Meaning
Vocabulary Self Awareness Chart
Nifty Thrifty Fifty Monthly Plan
Vocabulary Visits: Virtual Field Trips for Content Vocabulary Development
Word Sorts
Request Strategy
DRTA
Reciprocal Reading Strategy
-Here is a short play explaining how to use "The Fab Four" from School Tube at http://www.schooltube.com/video/c5679af97bffa581a659/Fab-4-Reading-Strategy-Play. Also, you will find RT cards that students can use.
QAR
-this website will give you more information on a QAR including a modeled lesson
-Example Questions of QAR in Different Content Areas.
-QAR Template
-Guide to Creating Questions for Close Analytic Reading
Concept Definition Map
Fact/Opinion
3 Column Examples
Graphic Organizers from NCREL
More Graphic Organizers
ReadWriteThink
-ReadWriteThink offers a collection of online Student Materials to support literacy learning in the K-12 classroom. These interactive tools can be used to supplement a variety of lessons and provide an opportunity for students to use technology while developing their literacy skills. Click on the name of each interactive for a brief description of the tool and a list of the ReadWriteThink lessons that use the tool. From there you'll also be able to directly access the tool and use it in your classroom.
Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers
- Graphic organizers are an illustration of your thoughts on paper. They can help you brainstorm, organize, and visualize your ideas. Click on a graphic organizer to download a PDF of it. Once you’ve downloaded an organizer, type in your comments and print it out. Each graphic organizer below includes Teaching Notes with lessons and tips on how to use graphic organizers in the classroom.
The keys to remembering what you read
What is Content Writing?
I Took A Walk by Henry Cole
Blooms Verbs