Literacy

Drew Krumholz & Kimberly Levering

NPTNJ 24 Hour Intro to Teaching

Literacy Instruction K-12

LITERACY IS…the ability to identify,understand, interpret, create, communicate,compute, and use printed and writtenmaterials associated with varying contexts.Literacy involves a continuum of learning toenable an individual to achieve his or hergoals, to develop his or her knowledge andpotential, and to participate fully in society asa whole.

But Literacy is also…

The ability to interpret graphics and visuals

The ability to speak properly in multiple situations and communicate ideas effectively

The ability to comprehend what is heard

The ability to navigate through a technological world

The ability to write effectively in multiple genres

Literacy in the 21st Century

“Literacy in the 21st Century will mean the ability to find information, decode it, critically evaluate it, organize it into personal digital libraries, and find meaningful ways to share it with others. Information is raw material — students will need to learn to build with it.”

From: The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman

Literacy for the 21st Century

“Adolescents entering the adult world in the 21st century will read and write more than at any other time in human history. They will need advanced levels of literacy to perform their jobs, run their households, act as citizens, and conduct their personal lives. They will need literacy to cope with the flood of information they will find everywhere they turn. In a complex and sometimes even dangerous world, their ability to read will be crucial.” (IRA, 1999)

What are Academic Literacy Demands?

Across all content areas students should be able to…

ReadWriteListen/viewDiscuss/presentThink critically and creativelyUse language and vocabulary to read and comprehend text to support the learning of content

Reflection: What are the Academic Literacy Demands of my content

area?

What type of activities or tasks are required of students in my content area?

What type of texts do students read in my content area?

What reading and writing skills will students need to use those texts proficiently?

What discussion and presentation skills will students need to verbalize understanding?

(continued)

What listening and viewing skills will students need to connect with the standards and objectives of my specific content area?

What higher-order thinking skills will students need to use to move beyond basic understanding of content text?

International Reading Association Position Statement

There is no single method or single combination of methods that can successfully teach all children to read.

Therefore, teachers must be familiar with a wide range of methods for teaching reading and a strong knowledge of the children in their care so they can create the appropriate balance of methods needed for each child.

http://www.reading.org/positions/begin_reading.html

The National Reading Panel report concluded

that …“the most effective way to

teach children to read is through instruction that includes a combination of methods.”

Key Components of Reading

Phonemic Awareness Instruction

Phonics

Vocabulary

Fluency

Comprehension

Phonemic Awareness Instruction

Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice, think about, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.

Reading aloud

Print rich environment

Songs

Poems

Phonics – Sound/SymbolsPhonics instruction teaches children the relationships between the letters of written language and the individual sounds of spoken language.

VocabularyListening vocabulary

Words we know to understand what we hear

Speaking vocabularyWords we use when we speak

Reading vocabularyWords we need to know to understand what we read

Writing vocabularyWords we use in writing

FluencyFluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly. (automaticity)

Repeated readings

Memorization

Independent silent reading

Audiotapes

Assistive technology

ComprehensionComprehension is the reason for reading.

Reading is a meaning-making process. Each person constructs their own meaning.

Graphic Organizers

Retellings

Response to text in a variety of ways

Principles of Teaching Reading

No one best way

Balance of instruction to include the whole reading process

Student-centered

Authentic

Success

Pleasure

Throughout the curriculum

• Culturally Responsive

Components of a Balanced Literacy Program:

Reading Aloud: • Teacher reads selection aloud to students

• Provides adult model of fluent reading

• Develops sense of story/text

• Develops vocabulary

• Encourages prediction

• Builds a community of readers

• Develops active listening* 

• Teacher and students read text together

• Demonstrates awareness of text

• Develops sense of story or content

• Promotes reading strategies

• Develops fluency and phrasing

• Increases comprehension

• Encourages politeness and respect *

Shared Reading:

• Teacher introduces a selection at student's instructional level

• Promotes reading strategies

• Increases comprehension

• Encourages independent reading

• Expands belief in own ability *

Guided Reading:

• Students read independently

• Encourages strategic reading

• Increases comprehension

• Supports writing development

• Extends experiences with a variety of written texts

Independent Reading:

Independent cont.• Promotes reading for enjoyment and

information

• Develops fluency

• Fosters self-confidence by reading familiar and new text

• Provides opportunities to use mistakes as learning opportunities *

• Teacher and students collaborate to write text; teacher acts as scribe

• Develops concepts of print

• Develops writing strategies

• Supports reading development

• Provides model for a variety of writing styles

Modeled/Shared Writing:

Cont.• Models the connection among and

between sounds, letters, and words

• Produces text that students can read independently

• Necessitates communicating in a clear and specific manner* 

Interactive Writing: • Teacher and students compose together using a

"shared pen" technique in which students do some of the writing

• Provides opportunities to plan and construct texts

• Increases spelling knowledge

• Produces written language resources in the classroom

• Creates opportunities to apply what has been learned* 

• Students write independently

• Strengthens text sequence

• Develops understanding of multiple uses of writing

• Supports reading development

• Develops writing strategies

• Develops active independence* 

Independent Writing:

Independent Activities• Word, Reading, Writing, Listening Center

• Art, Math, Science, Computer Centers

Qualities: • Collaborative Worker, Problem Solver,

Quality Producer, Self Directed Learner, Responsible Citizen

How children become literate:

What teachers need to know.

What teachers need to know.

First, we know that children learn the value and functions of print by observing its use by more sophisticated readers and writers.

• Implications: flexible grouping; shared reading and writing

What teachers need to know.

Second, young learners must have opportunities to engage actively in a variety of purposeful literate endeavors, including occasions to read, write, and talk about text with a more knowledgeable mentor.

• Implications: authentic activities; flexible groupings, scaffolding; awareness of multiple audiences for reading/writing.

What teachers need to know. Third, it is generally accepted that by participating

in experiences involved in acquiring school literacy, students will also acquire a rich infrastructure of knowledge and skill that will enable increasingly more complex and sophisticated literacy performances.

• Implications: scaffolding; authentic purposes for reading/writing.

What teachers need to know.

Fourth, teacher expectations are of almost equal importance: we know that children are more likely to achieve literate competence when it is expected that they will succeed.

• Implications: success/all children; race/class/gender; w/o labeling.

What teachers need to know.

Most differences among theorists of reading acquisition revolve around how to teach these elements, not whether readers do or should learn them.

What teachers need to know.• Quality children’s literature presents

more complex, enriching language structures than is normally available in adult conversation. (multicultural literature)

• As young authors expand their purposes for writing, their process of composing becomes more complex as well as more focused.

• Ideally, home and school become complementary environments, with both supporting different faces of literacy development.

Excellent Reading Teachers• understand children's reading and writing

development.

• can assess a child's individual progress and relate reading instruction to a child's previous experience.

• know a variety of ways to teach reading.

• are able to use a variety of materials and texts for children to read.

• can tailor instruction to the individual student.

• can help children strategically.IRA Position Statement (2000) http://www.reading.org/positions/excellent.html

What is reading?

construction of meaning from text. It is an active, cognitive, and affective process.

Reading is …

Background knowledge …

• And prior knowledge are critical to the reading process.

Reading and writing …

• develop together.

• Complimentary processes

Reading involves …

• Complex thinking!

Reading is facilitated in … • Environments rich

in literacy experiences, resources, and models.

• Children need the opportunity to read, read, read.

Reading is social … • Communities of

learners support literacy development.

Engagement in the Reading Task …

• Is the KEY in successfully learning to read.

• Children learn successful reading strategies in the context of REAL reading.

A variety of strategies …• Must be modeled

and demonstrated

• When you select ONE program, one method, or one set of materials, you just limited your options for reaching all children.

Challenges of Literacy in the Academic Disciplines

• Presentation of ideas through varied symbolic means

• Broad range of characteristic text types

• Specialized uses of language

• Densely packed ideas

• Different ways of thinking, reading, writing, speaking in different disciplines

Roles and Responsibilities of content area teachers for Literacy Instruction• You will not be held responsible for teaching

basic reading skills to middle and high school students.

• Yet you should clearly understand that you do have the responsibility to provide instruction in the kinds of reading and writing that are specific to your academic discipline.

Core Beliefs

• Content area teachers should know what is distinct about the reading, writing, and reasoning processes of their discipline and how to give students frequent and supported opportunities to read, write, and think in these ways.

• The best teachers of discipline-based literacy practices are themselves able to read, write, and think like specialists in their fields.

How rigorous are theliteracy demands of secondary students?

A Day in the Life of an Adolescent Reader

A Day in the Life of an Adolescent Reader

A Day in the Life of an Adolescent Reader

““Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”:

FDR’s First Inaugural AddressFDR’s First Inaugural Address

I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our people impel. This is which the present situation of our people impel. This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.support to leadership in these critical days.

In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.of many years in thousands of families are gone.

A Day in the Life of an Adolescent

Reader

A Day in the Life of an Adolescent Reader

Vincent Van Gogh Self PortraitsVincent Van Gogh Self Portraits

In the most limited definition of the term, Impressionism as the objective study of light did not In the most limited definition of the term, Impressionism as the objective study of light did not encourage so essentially a subjective study as the self-portrait but in the later expansion of the encourage so essentially a subjective study as the self-portrait but in the later expansion of the movement this self-representation was given renewed force by Cézanne and van Gogh. The latter movement this self-representation was given renewed force by Cézanne and van Gogh. The latter has often been compared with Rembrandt in the number and expressiveness of his self-portraits has often been compared with Rembrandt in the number and expressiveness of his self-portraits but while Rembrandt's were distributed through a lifetime, van Gogh produced some thirty in all in but while Rembrandt's were distributed through a lifetime, van Gogh produced some thirty in all in the short space of five years --- from the end of the Brabant period (1885) to the last year of his the short space of five years --- from the end of the Brabant period (1885) to the last year of his life at St Rémy and Auvers. In each there is the same extraordinary intensity of expression life at St Rémy and Auvers. In each there is the same extraordinary intensity of expression concentrated in the eyes but otherwise there is a considerable variety. From the Paris period concentrated in the eyes but otherwise there is a considerable variety. From the Paris period onwards he used different adaptations of Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist brushwork, separate onwards he used different adaptations of Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist brushwork, separate patches of colour being applied with varying thickness and direction in a way that makes each patches of colour being applied with varying thickness and direction in a way that makes each painting a fresh experience.painting a fresh experience.

Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul GauguinSelf-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin 1888 (130 Kb); Oil on canvas, 60.5 x 49.4 cm (23 3/4 x 19 1888 (130 Kb); Oil on canvas, 60.5 x 49.4 cm (23 3/4 x 19 1/2 in); Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. 1/2 in); Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

A Day in the Life of an Adolescent Reader

That’s not to mention…

What can you do to get started?

Listen to your

colleagues

Create a literacy-rich classroom with:

• Reading comprehension strategy instruction

• Writing instruction

• Opportunities for listening and viewing

• Opportunities for deep discussion and presenting

• Instruction in use of higher-order thinking skills

Try These Ideas:• Read multiple varieties

of text

• Use Graphic Organizers to help kids capture thoughts and meaning

• Use Before, During, and After Reading strategies

• Allow kids to annotate text

• Differentiate assignments by choice

• Allow kids to talk

• Use Admit and Exit Slips

• Allow kids to “play” with vocabulary words

• Provide time for and require written reflection

• Plan structured debates

• Require kids to make presentations

• Require kids to collaborate on projects

• Require kids to create original products

References• Summary of a position statement of the International

Reading Association: Using Multiple Methods of Beginning Reading Instruction (April 1999). Available on-line: http://www.reading.org/positions/begin_reading.html

• Position statement of the International Reading Association: Making a Difference Means Making It Different: Honoring Children's Rights to Excellent Reading Instruction (March 2000). Available on-line: http://www.reading.org/positions/MADMMID.html