Literacy through Content/Content through LiteracyAuthor(s): Sharon Arthur Moore and David W. MooreSource: The Reading Teacher, Vol. 43, No. 2, Teachers' Choices Best New Children's Books(Nov., 1989), p. 170Published by: Wiley on behalf of the International Reading AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20200315 .

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PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES

Literacy through content/ content through literacy Sharon Arthur Moore, Arizona State University-West _

David W. Moore, Arizona State University-West

The message underlying this month's title and column is that children can

develop their reading and writing pro ficiencies by interacting with informa tive material; conversely, children can

develop their information base by reading and writing. Combining in structional attention to literacy and content is a long standing educational concern that has gone under labels such as "reading and writing in the content areas," "reading and writing across the curriculum," and "reading and writing to learn." Moreover, pro gressive educators have promoted in formative materials and meaningful literacy practices for at least 100

years.

An eloquent statement about the value of combining literacy and con tent instruction was produced in Janu

ary 1989 by the American Library Association. This 29-page statement

clearly and convincingly summarizes the "Information Age," and it briefly outlines how teachers and librarians

might develop lifelong learners. It is

especially appropriate for curriculum

planners who decide the mission and

goals of language arts programs. Cop ies of the report, "American Library

Association Presidential Committee on

Information Literacy Final Report," are available at no charge from the Publication Information Office, Amer ican Library Association, 50 East Hu ron Street, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Reading and writing about real peo ple, places, and things should begin in the earliest grades so that students learn how to learn. Four recent note

worthy books describe how young children can be taught to read and

write about real-world matters. These books contain advice and information about integrating literacy and content in the elementary grades that we have not found in other resources. Among other things, these books remind us of the role of motivation in learning and

teaching. Children who are engaged with meaningful materials that they have helped select and tasks that they have helped plan typically require less extrinsic motivation than children who are assigned meaningless materials and tasks.

Investigate Nonfiction. Donald Graves. 1989. Heinemann (70 Court

Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801, USA). Softcover. Ill pp. US$7.50.

Written work that sounds like the writer demonstrates voice, and chil dren need a sense of authority and con

trol over their topic and the writing process if they are to reveal their voices. Donald Graves's Investigate

Nonfiction is a substantial contribution to helping teachers deal with this issue

when their students write about factual information. This resource is part of a

five-book series titled The Reading and Writing Teacher's Companion.

The voice of Donald Graves is un mistakable in this book. He conveys an insider's perspective into children's

writing processes and classroom inter actions. His presentations of how to

help children record short- and long term observations, write letters and es

says, maintain learning journals, conduct interviews, and produce for

mal reports clearly have been in formed by close contact with and concern for young writers and their teachers.

Investigate Nonfiction contains prin ciples of literacy instruction as well as

specific activities. One principle em

phasizes social aspects of writing. In

dividual responsibility for writing is

maintained, but an emphasis is on indi viduals interacting within a commu

nity as they recount events, form

interpretations, plan their writing, and show how they produced what they did. Another principle stresses teach ers' involvement in writing. Teachers who try the activities in this book for themselves might grow in writing and be better able to engage children in the same processes.

Specific activities abound. To illustrate, one chapter is devoted to the specifics of

interviewing. Recommendations are pro

Professional Resources is a review column for scholarly publications and other ma

terials on literacy education that are appropriate for professional development. Ma

terials reviewed in Professional Resources are in no way advocated or endorsed by RT or the International Reading Association. Opinions expressed are those of the columnists or guest reviewers. Send materials to be considered for review to

Sharon Arthur Moore, Education & Human Services, P.O. Box 37100, Arizona State University-West, Phoenix, AZ 86069, USA.

170 The Reading Teacher November 1989

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