Content Area Literacy in the Middle Grades

Dr. Jennifer Del Nerojennifer.delnero@gse.rutgers.edu

48th Annual Reading and Writing ConferenceNew Brunswick, NJOctober 23, 2015

What is literacy?• Balance with regard to literacy instruction

• Classroom literacy centers• 7 C’s of adolescent literacy engagement• Importance of content area literacy • Getting acquainted with textbooks

• Active reading strategies• Preview reading

• Note taking/graphic organizers• Visual literacies • Crafting questions

• Crafting related assignments• Critical literacy

• Suggested resources• Q&A

Presentation Overview

What is Literacy?

Literacy

Reading

Speaking

ListeningWriting

Viewing

Balance with Regard to ‘Texts’

Text

Assigned

TextsStuden

t-created

texts

Popular

culture

Choice

Texts

News/

media

Magazine

Periodical

Web-Based

Art

Music

Video

Context

Whole Class

Paired

Cooperative

Individual

Balance with Regard to the Related Context

Literacy Centers in Science & Social Studies

• Displayed books (change with theme)

• Picture books• First hand accounts• Biographies/Autobiographies• Novels• Magazines• Kindles/IPADs• Magazines• Computers• Periodicals• National Geographic• Student-created textsMimic home reading/viewing

environment• Soft lighting• Carpet(s)• Tables

• Bean bags/cushions/big pillows

• Motivational signs/posters

The Seven C’s in Adolescent Literacy Engagement

CreativityChoice (Scaffold)Clear and consistent lesson objectives/goals

ModelsClearly articulated rubricsBreak assignments into meaningful chunks

CollaborationConnection (self, others, world, other content

domains)Consistency (writing expectations are consistent with

other content areas)

Reading & Writing Like an Historian

Reading and Writing Like a Scientist

In the CCSS, the content areas of science and social studies have literacy standards

The content area textbooks we use in these disciplines are typically written two grade levels above our students’ reading levels

If we truly want to increase content knowledge, persistence through graduation, and readiness for citizenship and college, literacy instruction must be a component of all content classes

We Are All Literacy Teachers!

We can do this by intentionally using strategies that have been designed to help students comprehend information, construct meaning, question what they hear, and synthesize new learning with their existing schema.

“Learning to use a strategy is a long process. Although researchers may get positive results after twenty lessons on predicting or summarizing, it may actually take students many months to master a particular strategy.”

(Pressley, 1994).

Instructional Strategies

Tour of the books Picture walk and predict Textbook features (web support, audio,

graphic organizers, index, glossary, various versions)

Scavenger hunt activities with the text Words of the wiser Reading Strips

Getting to Know the Texts

Passive versus active reading Academic versus leisure reading Good readers are strategic and active readers! Active reading strategies

Active Reading Strategies

Add on one strategy at a time Tap into students’ prior knowledge Use a short/motivational text to illustrate Model your own metacognition Make explicit how this strategy will help readers Allow students time to practice Guide students in applying strategy to content area text (symbols, highlighting, sticky notes) Revisit and reinforce strategies Gradual Release Model of responsibility

Supporting Students in Acquiring Active Reading Strategies

Have students think about the benefit and purpose of a movie preview-can be applied to reading!

Comprehension Benefits: Activates reader background knowledge Encourages reader to make predictions Sets purpose for reading Steps of Preview Reading: Read chapter/section title and predict Read any sign posts/headings Look at any related illustrations/captions/maps/diagrams Read the chapter questions Read the first and last paragraphs Predict and jot down main idea predictions

Preview Reading Text Excerpts

Two- or Three Column NotesFrom the Text What it Makes Me Think or Ask

From the Text Think or Ask

Summary

Reading and Analyzing Non-Fiction

What we think we know about

Confirmed New Learning Misconceptions I still wonder How to find out

The importance of visual literacy! Use compelling photographs. Model (by thinking aloud) how you notice

information, make inferences, and ask questions from the photographs.

Hand out images (on your topic of study) to each small group.

Have students jot thoughts and questions on post-its, then share.

Think and Wonder About Images

Prepare image with abundant detail in advance. Have students form pairs and set up note-taking

forms (two-column) Project the full image View by quadrants, asking pairs to note what they

notice about the setting, people, activities, and what questions they have.

Display the full image a second time Partnered or whole class discussion Images of art works, and historical photographs

can be powerful introductions to something new. They grab interest.

Reading a Visual Image

Whenever possible, utilize open-ended questions that ask students to think deeply about a topic, rather than ones that require one right answer

Aesthetic questioning focuses on students’ responses to texts by asking questions such as:

What line(s) stood out?What ideas came to mind as you read __?What connections can you make?What do you think is the most important

takeaway?What did you visualize when reading _____?What questions do you have?What reaction do you have to ______?How did _____ alter your thinking?

Crafting Questions

Utilize Questioning the Author (QtA)

Crafting Questions (cont.)

Utilizing ‘the author’ in your questions…you and the students are now on the same team

and working together, it’s about figuring out what the author’s trying to communicate to

us via the text. What associations, visualizations, feelings, ideas, connections,, thoughts

do we as readers experience as a result of engaging with this text?

Even questions that require a more straightforward response (i.e. What is the theme of

this story?) can be softened by rewording as “What do you think a possible theme of

__________ could be? Or, ‘What theme do you think the author is trying to communicate

to us through ___________? What detail(s) lead you to that thought?

QtA (cont).

Recall the 7 C’s of Engagement! Incorporates art/drama/music/kinesthetic

games/debates/interdisciplinary Graffiti Walk/Carousel Brainstorming/Brain Dump Yes/No/Maybe & Debates Multimodal: Youtube video, sound track, collage,

etc. Powerpoints/Prezi Glogs: The alternative to traditional posters Travel Journals Virtual Museum Tours

Related Assignments

With web-based learning & research, it is more important than ever to teach students how to critically evaluate the information they read on the Internet

Tree-Octopus Fake Website Have on-going discussions about how to

identify a legitimate source versus a ‘sketchy source’

Provide examples of reliable resources Monitor student research in the classroom Teach students how to conduct an efficient on-line search

Critical Literacy

Allen, J and Patrick Daley. (2004). Read Aloud Anthology. New York: Scholastic.

Beck, Isabel and Margaret McKeown (2006) Improving Comprehension with Questioning the Author. New York: Scholastic.

Beers, Kylene and Robert E. Probst (2015). Reading Nonfiction Notice and Note Strategies. Heinemann.

(For social studies instruction) Rubin, Beth (2012). Making citizens.

Routledge, New York

Suggested Resources