MODULE 2:CONTENT-AREA LITERACY

Adolescent Literacy – Professional DevelopmentUnit 3, Session 3

TEXT CONSIDERATIONS, PART 2

Multiple Texts and Multiple Purposes

Essential Questions

Module 2 QuestionWhat role can content-area teachers play in helping

adolescents acquire general and discipline-specific literacy skills?

Unit 3, Session 3 QuestionsWhy might teachers use multiple texts to teach content-

area concepts?

How can text sets promote critical disciplinary thinking?3Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

Warm-Up:The Power & Pitfalls of Textbooks

Most content-area teachers use textbooks as one major source of information for students. This makes sense for several reasons:

Providing common language and experiences for studentsReducing the number of materials students must manageProviding students with clear expectations for

reading/writingEase of planning (i.e., text and questions/assignments

included)

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The Power & Pitfalls of Textbooks However, the quality of textbooks vary…

Individually, in pairs, or in small groups, use one (or both!) of these textbook evaluation forms to determine the quality of one of your textbooks. Form 1 Form 2

What are the text’s strengths? Weaknesses?

What are the forms’ strengths? Weaknesses?

Which text features could you explicitly review with students to help them successfully navigate and learn from textbooks?

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Common Text Features to Teach

Table of contentsGlossary IndexTablesMargin notesHeadingsCaptions

IllustrationsChartsGraphsBold words

How are these features similar/different across content-area texts?

Examples are from presentations hosted on www.fisherandfrey.comhttp://www.fisherandfrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/grr-nj-blog.ppt

Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3 6

How to Read a Math Textbook

Read/reread with a pencil and paper in hand for notes.

There are never enough commas. Insert your own pauses to help you slow down.

Draw and label diagrams as you go. Think about related problems and

procedures as you read. You can’t just read; you have to “do

it” as you go.

Follow the instructions. The figures and tables are

important. The same number has different

faces (one quarter, ¼, .25). Mathematical writing has an

idiosyncratic structure that when mastered will aid in constructing meaning.

How might these principles be similar/different in other content areas?

Principles for Students Reading Math Textbooks(by Jim Donohue, in Tovani [2004], p. 26)

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What Else Are We Using?

Given the Power and Pitfalls of Textbooks…

What other texts are you already using/could you use to supplement the textbook?

How can “text” be defined broadly, to include graphs/charts/digital resources?

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Shanahan (2003). Using Multiple Texts to Teach Content (Pages 1–3)

1. What do you see Shanahan saying in the article?

2. What do you think about what is being said?

3. What does it make you wonder about your own classes?

Using Multiple Texts

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Often, using textbooks as a single source doesn’t encourage the information gathering/synthesis skills students need.

Shanahan (2003). Using Multiple Texts to Teach Content:Construction of knowledgeA focus on purposes for readingCritical thinking and evaluation of textsDisciplinary thinking (e.g., gathering, evaluating,

summarizing, synthesizing, critiquing)

Using Multiple Texts

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Multiple texts (at different reading levels) provide:

Opportunities for choice

Opportunities for students with different reading levels to select texts they find accessible

Opportunities for critical review, comparison, and synthesis across texts

Considering Text Accessibility

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Text Sets – collections of books, articles, digital resources, etc. that represent a range of reading levels – all focused on a particular theme/purpose

Topic-specific (death penalty, photosynthesis, exponents)

Genre-specific (poems, memoirs, word problems)

Author-specific (Benjamin Franklin, Toni Morrison, Charles Darwin)

Creating & Using Text Sets

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Text Sets – from Tovani (2004), p. 43.

Contain a wide variety of written texts

Contain materials that vary in length, difficulty, and text

structure

Contain examples of text that are relevant, interesting, and

accessible to most students

Give students several options for obtaining information

Creating & Using Text Sets

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Text sets can be made available for:

Particular units of instruction

Vietnam War, cellular respiration, Pythagorean theorem

The class library

If made available in a classroom library and organized by topic,

genre, author, students can reference these materials during

independent reading and work sessions.

Creating & Using Text Sets

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Not necessarily… though it is a bit trickier in Science and Math classes

From Tovani (2004), p. 48Science Classes:

Reference materials, field guides, biographies, scientists’ journals, current events/news items, technical manuals

Math Classes:Descriptions of famous mathematicians, graphs, proofs, essays on

mathematical discoveries, statistical reports

Isn’t This Just for English & History?

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Browsing Text Sets

Browse the Text Sets Available How might you use these in your classes?

How can text sets promote an inquiry approach to reading (i.e., reading to ask/answer questions)

What content concepts would you emphasize?

What disciplinary thinking habits would you emphasize?

What might make the creation/use of text sets difficult?

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Wrap-Up

Things to Remember:Textbooks are powerful toolsStudents need to know how to navigate

textbooksYet, providing multiple texts for each unit allows:

Choice of texts (increasing motivation/engagement)Texts at different reading levels all students can accessTexts of different genres (motivation/engagement)Opportunities for critical analysis/review/comparison

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Further Study

Try offering students multiple texts (this can be as few as 3–4) to read on a topic. Then note the following:

What happened? What worked well? What challenges did you encounter?

Which disciplinary-specific strategies/skills did you (might you) explicitly teach?

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References Ebbers, M. (2002). Science text sets: Using various genres to

promote literacy and inquiry. Language Arts, 80(1), 40–50. Retrieved from http://www.ed.sc.edu/raisse/pdf/ScienceArticles/ScienceTextSets-UsingVariousGenrestoPromoteLiteracy.pdf

Egawa, K. (n.d.). An exploration of text sets: Supporting all readers. Available from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-text-sets-supporting-305.html

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ReferencesKeys, C., & Bryan, L. (2001). Co-constructing inquiry-based

science with teachers. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38 (6), 631–645.

Shanahan, C. (2003). Using multiple texts to teach content. Naperville, IL: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.

Tovani, C. (2004). Ch. 4. Real rigor: Connecting students with accessible texts. In Do I really have to teach reading? Content comprehension, grades 6-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

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