Literacy for Learning
Effective Literacy Instruction, Grades 4 to 6
Welcome
The team: Catherine McVie – Superintendent of Program Donna McMillan – Education Coordinator Alison Craig – Vice Principal, Chimo Melody Stanton – Teacher, Front of Yonge Lianne Swann – Teacher, Linklater Judy Wilson – Teacher, Plantagenet Patricia Baker – Teacher, Maynard Tracy Staples – SAT Rideau Education Centre
Overview Day 1 (lead teacher)
One day collaboration at school Day 2 (lead teacher & junior teacher DECEMBER 1 or 2)
One day collaboration at school Day 3 (lead teacher & junior teacher FEBRUARY 8 or 9)
In School Collaboration after Day 1
Literacy for the 21st Century
The Junior Learner
Knowing Ourselves as Learners (MI)
Multi-literaciesReciprocity of Literacy Processes
Speaking & Listening, Reading & Viewing, Writing & Representing
4 Roles of the Literacy LearnerMeaning Maker, Text User, Code User, Text Analyzer
Critical LiteracyKnowing the Learner
Assessment informing instructionThe Learning Environment
Effective Literacy InstructionGradual Release of Responsibility, Instructional Approaches
Teacher Collaboration
December
Critical Literacy Comprehension Strategies
Carousels:
Mining the Text
Literature Circles Reader’s Theatre
Comprehension Strategies
Gradual Release Model
Read Aloud
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
Independent Reading
Assessment & Planning
Visual Literacy Activities
February
In School Collaboration after Day 1
In School Collaboration after Day 2
Junior Writer
Shared Writing Lesson
Guided & Independent Writing
Word Work (spelling) & Vocabulary Development
October
It’s finally our turn!!!
These training sessions will: validate; challenge; stretch; and support.
These training sessions:
are based on Literacy for Learning The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario; current research and best practice;
reflect the information in the junior Guide to Effective Literacy Instruction; and
present material designed with the target audience in mind.
So much to share… So little time…
During these training sessions, we will examine
literacy in the 21st century the junior learner, and context effective literacy instruction resources
That’s Me/That’s Us
ActivityBuilding a Community of Learners
That’s Me/That’s Us A number of criteria will be read (e.g.,
Like to write poetry.) If the criteria fits an individual stand and
respond “That’s Me”. OR If the criteria fits the group, members
stand and respond with “That’s Us”. Determine your similarities and
differences.
What It Means to Be Literate
“Literacy is defined …as the ability to use language and images in rich and varied forms to read, write, listen, speak, view, represent, and think critically about ideas. It enables us to share information, to interact with others, and to make meaning. Literacy is a complex process.”
(Literacy For Learning, The Report of the Expert Panel on
Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004 )
Activity:
What does it mean to be literate?
Working in groups of 3 or 4. Write 3 ideas on chart paper to
complete the sentence stem, “Being literate means…”. (5 minutes)
Table share
What It Means to Be Literate
Debriefing the activity “What it means to be literate...”
Seven Guiding Principles (refer to handout in package)
Guiding Principles:
• Literacy learning in the junior grades can transform children’s lives.
• The goal of all literacy instruction is to enable students to make meaning from and in the wide range of texts they will encounter and produce at school and in the world.
• All junior students can develop as literate learners when they receive scaffolded support that prepares them for higher learning and growing independence.
• Students are motivated to learn when they encounter interesting and meaningful texts on topics that matter to them.
• Teachers continually assess the literacy learning of their students in order to design classroom activities that will promote new learning for each student.
• Teachers continually develop their professional knowledge and skills, drawing on lessons from research to improve their classroom practice.
• Successful literacy learning in the junior grades is a team effort, acquiring the support of the whole learning community – including teachers at all grade levels, school administrators, support staff, the board, the parents, and community members.
What It Means to Be Literate
“Literacy is about more than reading and writing – it is about how we communicate in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture. Literacy…finds its place in our lives alongside other ways of communicating. Indeed literacy itself takes many forms: on paper, on the computer screen, on TV, on posters and signs. Those who use literacy take it for granted – but those who cannot use it are excluded from much communication in today’s world. Indeed, it is the excluded who can best appreciate the notion of literacy as freedom.”
(UNESCO)
Big Ideas - Overview
Multi-literaciesReciprocity of Literacy Processes
Speaking & Listening, Reading & Viewing, Writing & Representing4 Roles of the Literacy Learner
Meaning Maker, Text User, Code Breaker, Text Analyser
Critical LiteracyKnowing the Learner
Assessment informing instructionThe Learning Environment
Effective Literacy InstructionGradual Release of Responsibility, Instructional Approaches
Teacher Collaboration
Activity: 4 Roles of the Literate Learner
Using the puzzle pieces in the envelope, construct the four roles of the literate learner.
What are the implications of the four roles for teachers and students?
4 Roles of the Literate Learner
Students must learn to make meaning of texts, break the code of texts, use texts functionally and to analyze and critique texts.
Students integrate all four roles as they read, write, listen, speak, view and represent.
Meaning Maker
Uses prior knowledge and experience to construct and communicate meaning when reading, writing, and speaking.
Code User
Recognizes and uses the features and structures of written, visual, and spoken texts, including the alphabet, sounds in words, spelling, conventions, sentence structure, text organization, graphics and other visuals to break the “code” of text.
Text User
Understands that the purpose and audience help to determine the way a text is structured, the tone, the degree of formality, and the sequence of components, and uses this knowledge to read, write and speak.
Text Analyser
Understands that texts are not neutral, that they represent particular views and perspectives may be missing, and that the design and messages of texts can be critiques and alternatives considered.
Literacy For Learning, The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004, p. 9
Reading(and viewing)
Writing (andRepresenting)
TalkingAnd Listening
MakingMeaning
Thinking
Thinking Thinking
Literacy For Learning, The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy in Grades 4 to 6 in Ontario, 2004, p.14
4 Roles of the Literate Learner
Implications for teachers: explicit and systematic teaching of the 4 roles; appropriate resources to demonstrate the roles.
Implications for students: multiple opportunities to practise the 4 roles; exposure to texts of many types.
Activity: Code Breaker
Read the text entitled “Meager Maroon Capuchin”.
Note (record on sticky notes) the strategies you used to help “crack the code”.
Code Breaker
Draws on a repertoire of known words Continuously develops a reading
vocabulary Uses word-solving strategies Uses language conventions and text
features Recognizes and uses visual
information
Activity: Meaning Maker
Say Something• Work with a partner.• Listen to the text being read aloud.• When reading stops, say something
to your partner about what has been read (make connections, predictions, inferences).
Rules for Say SomethingRules for Say Something 1. With your partner, decide who will say something first. 2. When you say something, do one or more of the following:
make a prediction
ask a question
clarify something you had misunderstood
make a comment
make a connection
3. If you can’t do one of those five things, then you need to reread.
Source: When Kids Can’t Read - What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers p. 107, 108
Say Something
Make a connection text-to-text text-to-self text-to-world
Make a Connection
• This reminds me of...
• This part is like...
• This character (fill in name) is like (fill in name) because...
• This is similar to...
• The differences are...
• I also (name something in the text that has also happened to you)...
• I never (name something in the text that has never happened to you)...
• This character makes me think of...
• This setting reminds me of...
Make a prediction – What do you think is the cause Make a prediction – What do you think is the cause of Sergei’s change?of Sergei’s change?
Make a PredictionMake a Prediction
I predict that...I predict that...
I bet that...I bet that...
I think that...I think that...
Since this happened (fill in detail), then I bet the next thing that is going to Since this happened (fill in detail), then I bet the next thing that is going to happen is...happen is...
Reading this part makes me think that this (fill in detail) is about to happen...Reading this part makes me think that this (fill in detail) is about to happen...
I wonder if...I wonder if...
Meaning Maker
Recognizes that reading always involves a search for meaning
Knows and applies a variety of comprehension strategies
Self-monitors when reading, recognizes when comprehension breaks down and takes steps to restore it
Meaning Maker Continued
Sustains comprehension and maintains interest over extended periods of time
Demonstrates a continuous awareness of personal reading strategies and processes (metacognition)
Responds to texts in a variety of ways
Activity: Text User
Use your knowledge of the comic strip
format to generate a thought that could be running through
the teacher’s mind.
Text User Recognizes and understands the
structures of a variety of text forms Writes for a variety of purposes Matches the text form to the audience
and to the purposes for writing Effectively uses the language features
and conventions of a variety of text forms
Recognizes and conveys voice
Activity: Text Analyser
While viewing the video-clip, consider two perspectives to analyse.
Video-clip
Activity: Text Analyser
Draw two head silhouettes. Represent one perspective in the
first head and another perspective in the second head.
Share your mind and alternative mind portraits with a partner.
Activity: Text Analyser
Mind and Alternative Mind Portraits
This technique allows readers/viewers to examine two different points of view.
Each perspective is represented on a “mind” graphic organizer through words, drawings or collages.
Text Analyser
Is aware of and can identify how texts are crafted to represent the views and interests of the writer.
Understands that information, ideas and language in texts influence the reader’s perceptions and texts empower or disempower certain groups
Text Analyser: applies higher-order thinking skills
to deepen understanding and to deconstruct the author’s message
analyses ideas, information and perspectives in texts
engages in critical literacy/inquiry recognizes bias, omission and
multiple perspectives.
Wrap up
Code User
Text User
Meaning Maker
Text Analyser
Break
Snacks and washroom break…
Be back on time for a door prize!