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Module 2: Content-Area Literacy

Adolescent Literacy – Professional DevelopmentUnit 1, Session 3

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Reading Like a Critic, Historian, Mathematician, & Scientist

Strategic Reading in Four Major Content Areas

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Essential QuestionsModule 2 Question

What role can content-area teachers play in helping adolescents acquire general and discipline-specific literacy skills?

Unit 1, Session 3 QuestionsWhat are the ways in which content-area teachers can improve

content instruction by highlighting and explicitly teaching disciplinary literacy strategies?

How are general literacy strategies tailored to fit particular disciplinary goals?

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Revisiting Our Last SessionGiven your reading of Lee & Spratley…

Share with a partner what you wrote in the 2nd column of your 3-column organizer.

What are the unique ways in which students must read in your discipline ?

What makes reading in your discipline challenging / different from other content areas?

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What are the Demands ofYour Discipline?

Habits of Mind

Ways of ThinkingEssential Questions

Main ObjectivesModes of Inquiry

Reading Like a…

CriticMathematician

HistorianScientist

Norms of Practice (Presenting /

Writing)

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A Few Examples: Science

Habits of Mind

--Understanding the purpose and process of the Scientific Method--Adopting Parts-to-

Whole Thinking (Classification, Cells,

Environmental Systems)--Understanding the

need to relate form & function

Reading Like a Scientist

--Asking questions while reading (hypothesis generation / testing)

--Reading and interpreting all graphs,

charts, figures--Looking for key terms that imply relationships

(particularly between variables / parts-to-

whole)

Norms of Practice (Presenting /

Writing)

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A Few Examples: History

Habits of Mind

--Understanding bias -- that primary documents

are “partial” representations of truth

--Understanding the “internal states” and

goals of historical figures--Understanding how the

past connects to the presents

Reading Like a Historian

--Comparing/contrasting primary documents

--Synthesizing information across texts

--Analyzing timelines for causes/effects/cycles

--Relating primary documents to historical

fiction

Norms of Practice (Presenting /

Writing)

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A Few Examples: Math

Habits of Mind

--Understanding how to ask and answer

questions and solve problems with numbers,

symbols, formulas

--Making and testing claims

--Inferring logical steps in a sequence from words

and formulas

Reading Like a Mathematician

--Re-reading--Keeping track of

variables, definitions, relationships between

variables--Interpreting graphs and

figures--Highlighting function

words and symbols

Norms of Practice (Presenting /

Writing)

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A Few Examples: Language Arts

Habits of Mind

--Understanding symbolism, metaphor, themes , etc. and how

authors use these literary devices to communicate

--Understanding how texts are connected

(intentionally or not)--Understanding the

form/function of different literary genres

Reading Like an Author/Critic

--Making “warrantable” interpretations based on

textual evidence and information about the author(s), time period,

etc.

--Connecting literary works to historical

events, current events , & the human condition

Norms of Practice (Presenting /

Writing)

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Warm-Up

Think for a moment about what is most important to a Mathematician, Scientist, Historian, or Literary Critic when reading a document.

Read the short article: “Kyoto and Beyond: Kyoto Protocol FAQs” http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/kyoto/

Use the Circle of Viewpoints protocol to respond to the article from the perspective of a Mathematician, Scientist, Historian, or Literary Critic

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Warm-Up

Circle of Viewpoints:

I am thinking of The Kyoto Protocol from the point of view of a Mathematician, Scientist, Historian, or Literary Critic.

I think ... describe the topic from your viewpoint. Be an actor – take on the character of your viewpoint.

A question I have from this viewpoint is ... Module 2: Unit 1, Session 3

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“To a man with a hammer,everything looks like a nail.” ~Mark Twain

Coming Back Together:

Which parts of the text did you focus on from your disciplinary/content-area perspective?

Which parts did you ignore?

What was it like to read the article from your point of view?

What makes reading from this perspective challenging?

If you were going to use this text in your classroom, what might you ask students to do with it?

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Given the Texts Students Will Read

TextbooksFull length booksBook chapters Journal and magazine articlesNewspaper articlesHistorically situated primary documentsMultimedia and digital texts

Lee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2009). Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem.

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There are a Number of “Generic” Strategies

Monitoring comprehension Pre-reading strategies (e.g., anticipation guides) Setting goals Thinking about what one already knows Asking questions Making predictions Testing predictions against the text Re-reading Summarizing

Lee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2009). Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem.

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How Can You Apply/Tailor “Generic” Strategies to Particular Disciplinary Needs? Building prior knowledge Building specialized vocabulary Learning to deconstruct complex sentences Using knowledge of text structures and genres to predict main and

subordinate ideas Mapping graphic (and mathematical) representations against

explanations in the text Posing discipline relevant questions Comparing claims and propositions across texts Using norms for reasoning within the discipline (i.e., what counts as

evidence) to evaluate claims

Lee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2009). Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem.Module 2: Unit 1, Session 3

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Implications for Reading Content

Given the habits of mind ways of reading we wish to encourage…

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Given the ways in which content-area texts are difficult for students to access and use…

We need general and specific strategies for supporting students in overcoming difficulties and focusing on content-area concepts.

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Finding Disciplinary StrategiesPlease read/review one or more of the

following:1. Reading Mathematics

By Thomasenia Lott Adams Teaching Reading in Mathematics and Science

By Mary Lee Barton, Clare Heidema, & Deborah Jordan

2. Promoting Reading Comprehension in Social Studies By Dixie D.Massey & Tina L. HeafnerBuilding Literacy in Social Studies, Ch. 6: Strategies for Textbook Literacy By Donna Ogle, Ron Klemp, & Bill McBride

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Finding Disciplinary StrategiesPlease read/review one or more of the following:

3. Improving Reading Skills in the Science Classroom Teaching TodaySkills and Strategies at Work (Reading in the Sciences) Just Read Now! (part of Just Read Florida!)

4. Guidelines for teaching middle and high school students to read and write well Judith A. Langer, Elizabeth Close, Janet Angelis, and Paula PrellerShouldn’t They Already Know How to Read? Comprehension Strategies in High School English Julie Gorlewski

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Finding Disciplinary Strategies

While reading/reviewing the article(s), please refer to a content-area text you brought to this session.

Make notes on a 3-Column Chart as you read/review the suggestions each article gives for helping students better understand the text you brought.

How are instructional goals/strategies connected?

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Content-Area Reading

Article Suggestions What Might I Do With My Text?

I Still Wonder…

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Anything New?

Coming Back Together:

What did you find that was new?

What did you find that reinforces work you are already doing?

What did you find that might work best for your content area?

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Categories of Cognitive StrategiesNeufeld (2005) reviews general reading strategies found

to support reading and learning:

Question asking and answeringClarifying a purpose for readingOverviewing the textActivating prior knowledge relevant to the textMaking predictions about the textAttending to text structureCreating summariesMonitoring comprehension and using fix-up strategies

Neufeld, P. (2005). Comprehension instruction in content area classes.Module 2: Unit 1, Session 3

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How Do These Translate into Concrete Strategies in Your Discipline?

Look again at Adlit.org’s Strategy LibraryLook at Project Zero’s Thinking RoutinesAlso look at the following strategies from Just

Read Florida!Discussion StrategiesActive Reading StrategiesVocabulary StrategiesOrganization Strategies

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How Do These Translate into Concrete Strategies in Your Discipline?

How are these strategies connected to what you read? To the habits of mind in your discipline?

Which strategies are you already using?

Which might you adopt and/or adapt?

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Wrap-Up: What Might You Do Now?

Revisit the short article “Kyoto and Beyond: Kyoto Protocol FAQs” http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/kyoto/

What strategy (or strategies) might you use with students reading this article in YOUR content-area?

How would the strategies serve your particular instructional purposes?

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Wrap-Up: Reading in Math

Re-reading & close reading Defining vocabulary: Examples vs. non-examples Defining vocabulary: Everyday use/mathematical use Defining vocabulary: Reviewing homophones Creating word walls Marking the text to highlight, define, show work Problem-solving steps:

Read the problem Understand the problem Solve the problem Look back

Explicitly noting relationship between words, numbers, symbolsModule 2: Unit 1, Session 3

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Image from Mr. Follett ‘s “Weapons of Math Destruction” blog:http://mrfollett.wordpress.com/tag/word-wall/

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Wrap-Up: Reading in Science Defining technical vocabulary Reviewing Latin/Greek roots and word parts (morphology) Creating word walls Marking the text to highlight, define, show work Reading and writing to focus on science “process skills”

Observation, Measurement, Experimentation, Communication, & Critical thinking

Making connections between texts, self, world Reading with a particular purpose in mind Questioning/Hypothesis-generating while reading Reviewing and using text structure to guide understanding Creating diagrams, flowcharts, semantic webs Charting steps in a process, phases in a cycle, parts of a systemModule 2: Unit 1, Session 3

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Wrap-Up: Reading in Social Studies

Defining vocabulary: Historical meaning, contemporary meaning, meaning in other subjects E.g., “revolution,” “interment,” “Republican”

Creating word walls Reading with a particular purpose in mind Reading for bias/for a particular viewpoint Comparing and contrasting viewpoints Making connections between texts, self, world Reviewing and using text structure to guide understanding Creating timelines Double-entry/multi-column notes for comparing sources

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Wrap-Up: Reading in English Language Arts

Reading with a particular purpose in mind Previewing vocabulary relevant to plot, theme Reading for author intent, theme, perspective Comparing & contrasting viewpoints across characters/texts Making connections between texts, self, world Reviewing and using text structure to guide understanding Reviewing components of different genres to guide

understanding Poems, plays, short stories, novels, essays

Double-entry/multi-column notes for comparing characters/ authors/texts

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Further Study This might be an ideal time to begin a study group around

content-area strategies to improve reading.

We suggest systematically exploring the strategies listed on the three websites noted in this session: Adlit.org Project Zero’s Visible Thinking/Thinking Routines Just Read Florida!

A department, content-area team, grade-level team, or entire staff might spend an agreed-upon amount of time tailoring and trying the strategies on these pages.

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Further Study We suggest, for systematic study, that teams of teachers

explore the strategies within categories:

Either as “pre- /guided-/ post-” strategies (Adlit.org)

Or as strategies for particular instructional purposes Discussion Strategies Active Reading Strategies Vocabulary Strategies Organization Strategies

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ReferencesAdams, T. L. (2003). Reading mathematics: More than words can say. The

Reading Teacher, 56(8), 786–795.

CBC News. (2007). Kyoto and beyond: Kyoto protocol FAQs. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/kyoto/

Gorlewski, J. (2009). Research for the classroom: Shouldn’t they already know how to read? Comprehension strategies in high school English. Urbana, IL: NCTE.

Just Read Now! (n.d.). Skills and strategies that work. Just Read Florida! Retrieved from http://www.justreadnow.com/content/science/skills.htm

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ReferencesLanger, J. A., with Close, E., Angelis, J., & Preller, P. (2000).

Guidelines for teaching middle and high school students to read and write well: Six features of effective instruction. Albany, NY: National Research Center on English Learning and Achievement.

Massey, D. D., & Heafner, T. L. (2004). Promoting Reading Comprehension in Social Studies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 48(1), 26–40.

Ogle, D., Klemp, R., & McBride, B. (2007). Building literacy in social studies: Strategies for improving comprehension and critical thinking. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Chapter 1 Online: Reading Social Studies TextsChapter 6 Online: Strategies for Textbook Literacy Module 2: Unit 1, Session 3