TES SP10Case Study: Secondary School Reform Program

Katie FreelandAlexander Hang

Bradley MorrisonJulia Thiessen

David Tran

Minds On• “Signs”• Group game• Read the instructions once and play

Ready?!?

Signs• Any number of people can play this game in which you sit in a circle and face

inwards. Each person will choose a sign and going one-by-one you will show the people sitting in the circle what your chosen sign is. Make sure you pay attention because you’ll need to remember everyone’s signs when you begin to play the game. Once everybody has chosen their sign and has shown it to the rest of the group the game can now start. One person will begin by showing their sign and then right after that the sign of another person sitting in the circle. This other person now has to first show their sign and then the sign of a different person sitting in the circle (you can’t choose the person who went right before you). So for example, David’s sign was picking his nose, Brad’s sign was patting his head, Alex’s sign was fixing his glasses, Julia’s sign was reading an imaginary book and Katie’s sign was waving hello. If David were to start he would have to pick his nose and then choose another sign, maybe pretend to read a book. This means that he has signalled that Julia is next meaning that Julia has to start by pretending to read a book (her sign) and then someone else’s sign, maybe patting her head (she can’t pick her nose because David was the one that went right before her). Now this means that Brad is next and he must first pat his head and then do something other than reading a book, which is Julia’s sign. The game should be relatively fast paced and the person who messes up, by not realizing that they are next or by not remembering any signs to do next, loses a point. Everyone will begin the game with 2 points each.

Case Study

Synopsis: A new Grade 11 Physics teacher is struggling with literacy in the classroom after students have already passed the EQAO Literacy Test in Grade 10.•Grade 11 Physics, 28 students•Established TDSB high school• Some are recent immigrants, however most

are native English language speakers

Questions

1. Why is literacy important?2. What is overlooked in the literacy development

as currently practiced in schools?3. What strategies can we use to address remaining

difficulties?

Why is Literacy Important?

...To save Mr. Morrison’s and Ms. Thiessen life!!!

• Statistics have shown that truck drivers with lower levels of literacy are more likely to be in an accident.

2009 OECD Survey on Reading Mathematics and Science

Country Reading Mathematics Science Change

Finland 536 541 554 -

South Korea 539 554 538 -

Japan 520 529 539 +4

Canada 524 527 529 -1

Wait a minute…..

• If we are ranked 4th in the world for academic achievement then why all this fuss about literacy?

I Stats!

• 22% of Canadians have serious difficulty with any type of printed material

• Another 26% of Canadians are only comfortable reading and writing very simple material.

• Of this 48% only 5-10% are seeking help• (ABC Canada Literacy Foundation)

Literacy =

• 7 million working age adults do not have the literacy skills to function in the work place. (OECD Education at a Glance 2009)

• People with low literacy skills have the weakest positions within the economy and are often the first to be effected by economic downturns (Conference Board of Canada)

Show Me the Money!• Low literacy costs businesses $2.5 billion in

2007 (International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey, 2003)

• 7 million working age adults do not have the literacy skills to function in the work place.

• (OECD Education at a Glance 2009)

• People with low literacy skills have the weakest positions within the economy and are often the first to be effected by economic downturns (Conference Board of Canada)

Unemployment

26%• Unemployment rate for the highest level of literacy?

4%

• Unemployment rate for the lowest level of literacy?

Low Literacy =

• People with lower literacy have poorer overall health.

• More likely to misunderstand health and medication information.

• Have greater difficulty accessing proper health care.• Makes it difficult for parents to access parenting

information and make the best choices for their children.

Literacy =

• Offenders are 3x more likely to have literacy problems

• Prisoners who participate in education programs are less likely to re-offend.

• Average education level of new offenders is grade seven.

• Addressing literacy at a young age reduces risk factors such as poverty and unemployment.

Katie – Barriers to Literacy

The Problem“Content-area standards are filled with literacy-based demands to describe, analyze, discuss and synthesize content. Yet student after study reveals that students are not being taught to do this type of high-level reading, writing and thinking in middle and high school classrooms.” (Irvin 2006)

The SolutionIn many cases, it is up to the individual teacher to become the literacy expert.

Understanding Literacy

Can you transpose a piece of music?

How do you navigate a new building or city?

How do you document your life?

Comprehension Crushers

1. Lack of Background Knowledge2. Unfamiliar Vocabulary3. Unfamiliar Text Structure4. Lack of Context5. Inability to locate the main idea6. Little Sense of Purpose7. Lack of Interest/Personal Relevance

Motivation• Students are motivated by literacy strategies

that connect to the real world and that examine concepts already of interest to them

• Consider Strategies that:– Incorporate real world materials– Investigate Big Concepts– Use Group Work

Reading Strategies – Before, During & After

• Think Literacy document divides their list of strategies into three:

1. Getting Ready to Read2. Engaging in Reading3. Reacting to Reading

Strategy 1: Getting Ready to Read• Extending Vocabulary – “Word

Wall”– Students skim the text to create a

list of 10 unfamiliar words and compile a master list in groups onto card stock

– Students predict what the words mean, then look up the meaning and record it on card stock

– The words remain on the wall throughout the duration of the unit

Strategy 2: Getting Ready to Read

• Finding Signal Words– Students scan the text for “signal words”– Students identify the organizational pattern– Students complete a graphic organizer to show

the organizational relationship

Thenor Because

Similarly

Strategy 3: Engaging in Reading

• Using Context to Find Meaning– Identify concept words in the text; write the words

on the chalkboard and ask students to suggest possible meanings for the words

– Direct students to the concept word in the text to confirm or reject their suggested meanings

– Discuss: what types of clues are included in the text? (definition, description, example, illustration, comparison, clarification, elaboration, etc.)

Literacy Strategies

• Reading– Higher level questioning– Develop answers using key terms from the

question– Provide opportunities to summarize texts

• Writing– Persuasive writing– Non-fiction writing– Group writing assignments

Literacy Strategies for Science

• “Idea Wave”• Venn Diagrams• Word Problem Strategies:– Scaffolding– Work Backwards– Questioning

• Students ask/form their own questions • Content poems/songs• Comic Strips

Group Work Time

Group Work - Discussion

• In your teachable groups, discuss literacy strategies you could realistically implement in the teaching of the particular topic in a class where several students have low literacy levels.

• Discuss certain challenges that may arise within your class or department.