Gear-up: Content Literacy Estill Co. Middle School

1. Gear-up: Content LiteracyEstill Co. Middle School October 2 and 3, 2012 Diane.johnson@uky.edu

3. Session Goals • Review reading and writing strategies (to date) • Compile Lexile range for reading across content grades 6 - 8 • Share/finalize Reading for Meaning lesson(s) • Determine how you will help your students understand Standard 1, argumentative writing • Experience a mini-template task • Determine topic for argumentative module to be taught in Nov/Dec

4. Memory Box Review Strategy • We practiced about 19 different reading and writing strategies in our first two meetings. • Brainstorm a list of the strategies you have used to help students access text or to make notes since we have met. • Share with a partner. • Do they have any on their list that you have tried but forgot? If so, add to your list. • Discuss successes and lessons learned from using the strategies.

5. Reading and Writing StrategiesPracticed to Date • 1-word summary • Partner talk • Standing meeting • New American Notebook organizer • Summary frames • Text structures • Important book page • Analysis of text for rigor • “Sticky” note summary • Chunking text • Reading for Meaning – Gettysburg Address • Socrative App – FA check • Power Point slide summary • 3 X 3 Frame • RAFT • Metaphor summary • Placemat Consensus • I-Chart Organizer • Twitter Summary

6. “To be literate in content classrooms, students must learn how to use language processes to explore and construct meaning with texts. When students put language to work for them in content classrooms, it helps them to discover, organize, retrieve, and elaborate on what they are learning.” • Richard Vacca

7. Reading for Meaning • Good reading is active reading. • Comprehension involves a repertoire of skills, or reading and thinking strategies. • Comprehension skills can be taught successfully to nearly all readers, including young and emerging readers. • A wide body of research shows that teaching students comprehension skills has “a significant and lasting effect on students’ understanding” (Keene, 2010, p. 70).

8. Comprehension Strategies

9. The Four Principles of Reading for Meaning • Principle One: Before you get reading, get ready • Good readers… • Call up relevant background knowledge • Make predictions • Establish their purpose for reading

10. The Four Principles of Reading for Meaning • Principle Two: Read like you mean it • Good readers… • Are actively engaging their mind • Separate relevant information from irrelevant information • Make notes and check their comprehension while reading

11. The Four Principles of Reading for Meaning • Principle Three: Just because you’re done reading doesn’t mean your done reading • Good readers… • Look back at the text • Revisit predictions • Discuss evidence • Reflect on how the text has influenced their understanding

12. The Four Principles of Reading for Meaning • Principle Four: Put Reading to Use • The most powerful form of reading is applied reading – reading that leads to a product in which students synthesize what they have learned.

13. Reading for Meaning • Move to the designated table that best describes where you are with your RfM assignment: • A – Have not started a draft • B – Have started a draft, but it is not complete • C – Finished my RfMlesson(s) but have not taught it yet • D – Finished my RfMlesson(s) and have taught it

14. Reading for Meaning • Table A – start draft, identify text, draft statements • Table B – continue to work on lesson(s) • Table C – partner with someone at table, exchange RfM lesson, provide feedback on text, statements, and application writing. • Table D – share lessons learned, what worked well, what changes need to be made; be prepared to share with the whole group.

15. Using RfM lessons will help students meet the CCSS content literacy standards, because …

16. Guiding Question • How can the content literacy standards also help students learn my content?

17. What is argumentative writing? • Review writing standard 1 – argumentative writing. • Summarize the expectations by writing a 20-word GIST statement. • Identify texts that you have read recently or use in your classroom that are examples of this type of writing. • Review Appendix A on three types of writing and the KY Literacy Newsletter on this topic. • Design an icon that represents argumentative writing as defined by the CCSS.

18. What is argumentative writing? • Work with a subject alike partner to determine how you will help your students distinguish argumentative writing from persuasive, informational, or narrative writing. • Be prepared to share.

19. “In a persuasive essay, you can select the most favorable evidence, appeal to emotions, and use style to persuade your readers. Your single purpose is to be convincing. The same might be said of propaganda and advertising. • Argument, on the other hand, is mainly about logical appeals and involves claims, evidence, warrants, backing, and rebuttals. • Argument is at the heart of critical thinking and academic discourse.” • George Hillocks, Teaching Argument Writing

20. Mini-experience with a Template Task • Should teachers be expected to master technology tools and infuse them into their instruction as a primary strategy to engage 21st Century learners? • After viewing a video and reading the selected informational text, write an essay that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the text.

21. Mini-experience with a Template Task • [Should teachers be expected to master technology tools and infuse them into their instruction as a primary strategy to engage 21st Century learners?] • After viewing (a video) and reading (the selected informational text), write an (essay) that addresses the question and support your position with evidence from the video and text.

22. “…task predicts performance.” • City, Elmore, Fieman, & Teitel, 2009

23. Developing a LDC Module LDC: First Instructional Ladder

24. Developing a LDC Module • Examine the Argumentative Template Tasks (pg. 3) • Focus on the Essential Question Template Tasks (right-hand column) • Identify a topic you will be teaching in Nov/Dec that can be developed into an argumentative task (see examples in packet)

25. Session Goals • Review reading and writing strategies (to date) • Compile Lexile range for reading across content grades 6 - 8 • Share/finalize Reading for Meaning lesson(s) • Determine how you will help your students understand Standard 1, argumentative writing • Experience a mini-template task • Determine topic for argumentative module to be taught in Nov/Dec

26. Preparation for Next Meeting • Identify topic based on your content standards • Identify several readings, videos, materials you may use in your module • Draft your essential question for your task.