Beyond the Basal: Defining Literacy and What it Means

to be Literate

June 15, 2010Presented by Dana Karraker and Tami Dean

ROE #17

Please sign inHelp yourselves to drinks and

snacks

Outcomes• Describe literacy experiences• Define and describe types of

texts• Define multimodality• Evaluate current literacy

instruction• Discuss Critical Literacy and it’s

importance• Describe Inquiry Process• Identify an area of literacy

instruction for Inquiry

Key Terms

• Multiple literacies/Multiliteracies• Multimodality• Semiotic Systems (Sign Systems)• Cueing Systems• Graphophonic• Syntactic • Semantic• Pragmatic

Agenda

• Introductions• VoiceThread of the Day• Defining Literacy• Describing Multimodality• Discussion of Critical Literacy• Lunch about 11:45 (Potbelly)• Introduction to the Inquiry

Process

Relevant Information

• Wiki• Blog• VoiceThread• Assignments

Carousel

Defining Literacy

• Mind map

Where are you?What Matters:• Kids need to read a lot

– The school day is organized in a way that allows students to engage in uninterrupted, meaningful reading

– More emphasis on authentic reading tasks than isolated skill instruction

• Kids need books they can read– A variety of texts at various reading levels– Students make choices about what they want to read

• Kids need to read fluently– Use a variety of strategies to develop reading fluency

• Kids need thoughtful literacy– Students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with

peers– Students connect reading to their lives and have the opportunity to take

action based on what they read

• Instruction– Teachers have the opportunity to participate in Professional Development– There are materials and resources available for teachers to use

Think about your literacy program. Where do you fall on the continuum?

:- )

What is a Text?

Texts communicate a message, either written or spoken

Anything that can be the subject of analysis, interpretation

What would you describe as texts? Music Dance Artwork Clothing Theatrical Production

Multimodal literacies

• Different literacy practices engage different and multiple semiotic systems (sign systems) to make meaning– Multiple contexts: The social situations, with particular

norms (rules), that guide what we do and why– Multiple purposes: Why we engage in literacy practices– Multiple texts and tools: The things we use as we engage

in literacy practices– Multiple skills: What we need to be able to do or know in

order to use particular texts and tools

• Texts can exist in different semiotic modes and be both products and tools of literacy practices– What, then, are some examples of texts? (Also see Evans,

p. 8)

• What does this mean for teaching?

:- )

Semiotics• Semiotics refers to making and

representing meaning; broader than reading and writing

• A few key semiotic systems– Alphabetic/Character–Musical–Mathematical– Digital/technological– Artistic– Kinesthetic/physical

The Cueing Systems

Used by readers to “unlock” the printed text

• Graphophonemic System – Phonics

• Semantic System – Meaning• Syntactic System – Grammar• Pragmatic System – How we

use language based on our social situation

Grapho-phonemic System – Phonics

• Symbol systems of oral and written language and the relationship between them

• System of written language – orthographic system – how print is organized

• Spelling system• Letters• Words• Punctuation Marks• Phrases

• Phonics – Relationship between phonological and orthographic systems. What readers learn to understand as the complex relationship between how we talk and how language is organized in written texts.

Semantic System -- Meaning

• Heart of language • Relationships between language and

meaning• What words and phrases mean and

how that changes• Strongly related to cultural group

– Soda vs. pop– Milk shake vs. frappe– Sub vs. hoagie

Syntactic System – Grammar

• Relationship of words, sentences, paragraphs

• Word order• Tense• Number• Gender

• Where parts of speech go in a sentence• How we string words together to sound

like English• Structural rules of English• Does this sound like language?

Pragmatic System – Language in Use

• Take into consideration the social, cultural, and historical context of language in use

• What we know about how and when to change language to particular social settings

• “Is your mother there?” (in a phone conversation) – implies “Is your mother at home? I’d like to speak to her.”

Read the following passage:

The tam sat directly on top of his head.

• What is a tam?• How did you know how to read this

passage?• What cues did you use?

Read the following

R u home? OMG! LOL. BRB.

What do these mean?How do you know?What cueing system did you use?

Read the following passage

Them chicken jackin my styleThey try to copy my swaggerI'm on that next s*** nowI'm so 3008You so 2000 and late

What is a chicken?What is she saying?How do you know? What cueing system did

you use?

Read the following passage:

Jackie G. had 12 assists, 11 service points, and four aces. Taylor C. and Paige L. led the offensive attack with a combined 17 kills. Rachel F. and Jenny M. both added 10 digs.

• What is this passage talking about?• What are “kills” and “digs.”• How do you know?• What cues did you use?

Read the following

Within diasporic public spheres, where politics are played out across national boundaries, we are seeing the emergence of a “postnational political order”.

• What is this passage talking about?• What is a “postnational political order?”• How do you know?• What cues did you use?

Take a look at the following:

Es waren einmal drei Bären, die in einem kleinen Häuschen mitten im Wald wohnten.

Es gab einen Papa Bär,einen Mama Bär undeinen Baby Bär.Does this help?

Exercise #11. Grw 11. dlghtfl2. Knw 12. Hnd3. Nd 13. crd4. Ws 14. rmn5. Whn 15. ths6. Ld 16. btwn7. Grdn 17. hncfrth8. Flwr 18. mst9. t 19. knw10. Spps 20. Tw Taken from: Wilde, S. (2000). Miscue Analysis Made

Easy: Building on Student Strengths. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

Exercise #2ll chldrn, xcpt n, grw p. thy sn knw tht

thy wll grw p, nd th wy Wndy knw ws ths. N dy whn sh ws tw yrs ld sh ws plyng n a grdn, nd sh plckd nthr flwr nd rn wth t t thr mthr. I spps sh mst hv lkd rthr dlghtfl, fr Mrs. Drlng pt hr hnd t hr hrt nd crd, “h, why cn’t y rmn lk ths vr!” ths ws ll tht pssd btwn thm n th sbjct, bt hncfrth, Wndy knw th th, sh mst grw p. y lwys knw ftr y r tw. Tw s th begnnng f th nd.

What do “Good Readers” Do?

Think about the previous exercises• At your table make a list of the

things that “good readers” do• Discuss how you teach currently

teach of these• Is there anything missing? Why?

Putting it All Together

Semiotic Systems- different modes for communicating messages.

Cueing Systems- the tools readers use to unlock the messages

6 Language Arts- the literacy skills that are taught in the Elementary/Middle School Classroom

Critical LiteracyCritical literacy is the ability to read

texts in an active, reflective manner in order to better understand power, inequality, and injustice in human relationships.

Students’ cultural knowledge and multimedia practices should be used (Comber, 2001, Vasquez, 2000)

When we read we bring with us our past experiences and understandings about how the world works. (Vasquez, 2010)

Critical Literacy

“The ability to read others”“…. the possibility of understanding

our own and others’ experiences from that many more vantage points”

“Valuing, exploring, and appreciating multiple perspectives in the classroom.” (Johnston, 1997)

How can we teach it?• Compare texts- incorporate literature

with “real-life” texts• Discuss characters’ perspectives• Make connections (Text to Self, Text

to World, Text to Text)• Use children’s literature to focus on

social issues• Encourage children to take action• Incorporate a variety of texts modes

A 1st Grade Example

National Geographic Kidshttp://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

animals/creaturefeature/harp-seals/

Kids 4 Sealshttp://www.kids4seals.org/index.html

Inquiry Process• Topics based on student curiosity, questions,

interests• Dig deeply into complex, authentic topics that

matter• Flexible grouping• Student responsibility with peer leadership• Use of proficient reader/thinker researcher strategies• Draws on multigenre, multimedia resources• Going beyond fact-finding to synthesizing and

applying knowledge• Actively using knowledge: take action, share, go

public• Match kids’ learning to state and district curriculum

Why Inquiry?• Focuses on children’s natural

inquisitiveness • Student control, responsibility and

choice increases self-efficacy and is motivating

• Helps develop problem-solving skills• Students are engaged in authentic,

meaningful learning experiences• Small group interactions are “life-like”• Allows for differentiated instruction• Develops proficient readers and

thinkers

Turn and Talk

Discuss the following with a partner:

• Describe the student who would benefit from this process

• What resources do you or your school have to support this process?

• What do you see as a downside?

Starting the Process

• Teachers model their curiosity and record questions in a notebook

• Share ways to answer questions• Discuss “researchable” questions• Provide a variety of resources• Explicitly teach skills needed to

navigate texts, interview, work cooperatively in a group, use tools for “going public” with the learning

Read-Around• What are some things you wonder

about related to your literacy instruction (Refer to your continuum from this morning)

• Take time to explore the resources we have available

• Make notes in your notebook about what you learn

• Decide on a topic that you would like to learn more about.