NYSED Update: Improving Student

Achievement in Literacy Across the Content Areas

LIASCDOctober 17, 2008

Tracey Bennett, Reading/Literacy AssistantOffice of Curriculum, Instruction & Instructional

Technology (CI&IT)http://emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/home.html

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Literacy in the 21st Century “ As literacy skills improve, student achievement

rises not only in reading and writing, but across the spectrum, a benefit that has profound consequences for the ultimate success of standards-based reform.”

National Association of State Boards of Education, October 2005

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Adolescent Literacy Across the Content Areas

What should New York State students know and be able to do to be literate in the 21st century?

What does the research say about struggling learners?

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Think & SharePlease think about the following 1. What do you think content area teachers need

in order to better support students’ literacy development?

2. What does your school need in order to better support teachers in this area?After thinking about each of the above questions, share your thoughts with a neighbor.From CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit

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What are academic literacy demands?Across all content areas students should be able

to…. Read Write Listen/view Discuss/present Think critically and creatively Use language and vocabulary to read and

comprehend text to support the learning contentFrom CCSSO: adolescent literacy toolkit

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Reading Next (2004) A Vision for Action and research in Middle

and High School Literacy A report created for the Carnegie

Corporation of New York by Gina Biancarosa and Dr. Catherine Snow

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From Writing Next (2006) “Writing well is not an option for young

people-it is a necessity. Along with reading comprehension, writing skills is a predictor of academic success and a basic requirement for participation in civic life and the economy” (Writing Next,1).

http://www.all4ed.org/publication_material/reports/writing_next

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Writing Next (2006)

Effective Strategies to improve the Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools.

A report created for the Carnegie Corporation by Steve Graham and Dolores Perin

11 elements of adolescent writing are included in the report

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Cause for Alarm More than eight million students in grades

4-12 are struggling readers

(U.S. DOE, 2003) A full 70 percent of U.S. middle and high

school students require differentiated instruction, which is instruction targeted to their individual strengths and weaknesses

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Did you know? More freshman entering degree-granting

postsecondary institutions take remedial writing courses than take remedial reading courses

(NCES, 2003b) The knowledge and skills required for higher

education and for employment are now considered equivalent

(ACT, 2006; American Diploma Project, 2004)

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Reading and Writing Across Content Areas (June 2006)

“Today, less than one-third of America’s high school students read or write at grade- level. Among low-income students, the figure is fewer than one in six.”

(Perie et al., 2005)

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If someone came to my school looking for a literacy-rich environment, what would they see/not see?

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

From the CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit

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Reflection: What are the academic literacy demands of my content area? What type of activities or tasks are required

of experts in my content area? What types 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?

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Reflection: What are the academic demands of my content area?

(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?

From CCSSO adolescent literacy toolkit

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NYSED Resources Curriculum, Instruction and Instructional

Technology E-BLAST Virtual Learning System (VLS) Related Links

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