EDLL 5344/EDLL 5341

Learning Module 3

OVERVIEW:(1) Theoretical notes from this week’s readings:

Chapters Two and Three in Mosaic of Thought

… Comprehension Strategies

Chapter One in Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents

… Rethinking the English curriculum

(2) Literacy Narrative Writing Activity: “Reading Home”

MOSAIC OF THOUGHT (CHAPTERS 2 & 3)Apply your observations about reading to following theory from Mosaic of Thought (p. 14):

“Metacognitive Strategies”

or

“Listening to the Voice in your mind that speaks while you read” (p. 14).

Monitoring for Meaning (knowing when you know, knowing when you don’t know)

Using and Creating Schema (making connections between the new and the known, building and activating background knowledge)

Asking Questions (generating questions before, during, and after reading that lead you deeper into the text)

Determining Importance (deciding what matters most, what is worth remembering)

Inferring (combining background knowledge with information from the text to predict, conclude, make judgments, interpret)

Using Sensory and Emotional Images (creating mental images to deepen and stretch meaning)

Synthesizing (creating an evolution of meaning by combining understanding with knowledge from other texts/sources)

“Monitoring Meaning” on Page 63.

KEY IDEAS FOR COMPREHENSION STRATEGY STUDY MOSAIC OF THOUGHT, PAGES 63-65. Proficient readers monitor their comprehension during reading.

Proficient readers can identify when text is comprehensible and the degree to which they understand it.

Proficient readers know what they need to comprehend from a text.

Proficient readers are aware of the purpose for their reading.

Proficient readers ware able to assume different “stances” toward a text.

Proficient readers identify difficulties they have in comprehending at the word, sentence, and whole-text level.

Proficient readers can “think aloud” about their reading process.

Proficient readers can identify confusing ideas, themes, and/or surface elements.

Proficient readers are independent, flexible, and adaptive.

Proficient readers use text management strategies.

CREATING LITERACY RICH SCHOOLS FOR ADOLESCENTS: CHAPTER ONE: THE ENGLISH CURRICULUMEssential Question for the English Curriculum:

Are students’ reading and writing development and relevant life experiences used to explore literary concepts?

“We do not believe that English teachers can serve only as literature teachers” (p. 2).

The whole class novel “does not work in reaching the goal of improving literacy achievement and creating lifelong learners and readers”(p. 2)

GUIDELINES FOR REFORMING THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM

1.1 Universal Themes are the Focus as Opposed to Individual Texts

A Theme, Big Idea, Essential Question Drives the Curriculum as Opposed to Classics

1.2 Selected Texts Span a Range of Difficulty Levels

Texts Should Appeal to Adolescents

Texts Should be Aligned with the Theme

Texts Should be Readable

1.3 Reading and Writing Instruction and Materials Address Contemporary and Engaging Issues

Incorporate a Variety of Texts (e.g., informational texts)

Teach Contemporary Issues

GUIDELINES FOR REFORMING THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM CONTINUED

1.4 Instruction Builds Students’ Reading and Writing Competence

“Students think about texts according to the ways they are questioned about the text” (p. 4).

Round Robin Reading as “Educational Malpractice” (p. 3)

Text Difficulty Should be Decreased When Introducing New Concepts and vocabulary

The Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

1.5 Literary Devices are Taught with Texts that are Readable and Meaningful to Students

GRADUAL RELEASE WRITING METHODS“In this model, teachers move from assuming ‘all the responsibility for performing a task . . . To a situation in which students assume all of the responsibility” (p. 13).

Language Experience Approach makes the speech to print connection clear to students.

Interactive Writing begins with a relevant conversation then students agree upon a sentence or two to record sharing the pen with one another while the teacher instructs on grammar etc.

Writing Models offer students examples of writing to model in independent writing scenarios.

GRADUAL RELEASE WRITING METHODS CONT.

Generative Sentences The teacher asks students to construct sentences using a particular word and possibly a placement for the word within the sentence.

Power Writing Students are instructed to write as much as they can as well as they can for a designated period of time on a specific topic. Then, they count the number of words in their writing and circle errors. They can graph their fluency with writing over multiple sessions and revise their identified mistakes.

Independent Writing Prompts with Rubrics Prompts should strike a balance between teacher directed and student choice and have rubrics.

GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN READING METHODS

A Focus Lesson teacher offers explicit instruction on a skill or strategy that establishes a specific purpose for reading.

Guided Instruction teacher meets with small groups of students who are engaged in collaborative learning to bridge the focus lesson to the needs of the students in the groups as they implement the strategy with texts.

Independent Reading students work individually with texts. The teacher interacts with students individually to assess their reading and offer further instruction as needed.

ACTIVITY

View a YouTube video titled “Original Elephant Painting” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

Then, read the children’s book, Faithful Elephants. You can locate a reading of this book at: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/lms/.

Connect these two texts about elephants together in your thinking. What is a theme that could be used to tie them together?

Read the lesson on pages 20 and 21 of Ms. Javier’s class in Creating Literacy Rich Schools for Adolescents.

Reflect over what you liked about Ms. Javier’s lesson, what you would add to this lesson or do differently, and the extent to which you feel this lesson is a strong model for reading instruction in a high school English class.

READING APPRENTICESHIP THEORY:

(1) Engage students in more reading.

(2) Make students’ reading processes visible to themselves and the teacher.

(3) Help students turn their insights about their reading into strategic control of their reading.

(4) Help students acquire a repertoire of problem-solving strategies for overcoming reading obstacles they encounter.

(Donahoe, Evans, & Galguera, 2005, p. 24)

“READING HOME” WRITING ACTIVITY FOR THE LITERACY NARRATIVE• Draw a blueprint type map of a childhood home you

remember well.

• Number the indoor and outdoor spaces on your map.

• Write a list of corresponding numbers from your map.

• Next to each number, jot memories you have about literacy associated with each space from your map.

• Select one place on your map to free-write about for seven minutes.

• Underline the most important word, phrase, or sentence in this writing.

• Share what you underlined with the class.

REMEMBER:

Next week we will have a writer’s workshop over the literacy narrative. You will need to have a rough draft completed and posted to the writer’s workshop discussion thread for feedback by February 3rd.