Literacy Across Content Areas:Teaching Students to be thinkers

Incorporate literacy in all subjects; find relevant artifacts for the course whether core subject or elective and have students read, summarize, and make it personal

Challenge students to find answers; as teachers, avoid being impatient and finding yourself giving the answers.

Teach students to be thinkers; teach students to read data and synthesize the information. Students should be encouraged to research the topic and not take everything to be truth because it is written.

Have a Positive attitude for learning; teachers should present the lesson as interesting and something they are just as excited to teach the lesson as they want the students to be. Teachers should encourage the same attitude toward the students.

Encourage discussion; allow students to think out loud and share ideas. Students are able to get a better understanding through discussions and may be open to change amongst discussion from their peers instead of adults telling them what to think.

Use other resources; get away from just teaching from the textbook. While it is a good start; teachers should be willing to use visuals, educational videos, even some entertaining videos. Teachers should utilize newspapers, diskettes, trips, surveys, and the list is endless.

Find methods to engage all students not just the “brightest”; don’t give up on students who “chose” not to participate try to find out why they aren’t doing the work or participating

Provide all students with a free and fair education; do not judge students on the look, culture, or economic status

Empower students to be thinkers, leaders, and encourage them to challenge everything and find the facts for themselves.