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Module 2: Content-Area Literacy

Module 2: Content-Area Literacy. Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development. Unit 3, Session 3. Text Considerations, Part 2. Multiple Texts and Multiple Purposes. Essential Questions. Module 2 Question

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Module 2: Content-Area Literacy

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  1. Module 2:Content-Area Literacy Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development Unit 3, Session 3

  2. Text Considerations, Part 2 Multiple Texts and Multiple Purposes

  3. Essential Questions • Module 2 Question • What role can content-area teachers play in helping adolescents acquire general and discipline-specific literacy skills? • Unit 3, Session 3 Questions • Why might teachers use multiple texts to teach content-area concepts? • How can text sets promote critical disciplinary thinking? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  4. Warm-Up:The Power & Pitfalls of Textbooks • Most content-area teachers use textbooks as one major source of information for students. This makes sense for several reasons: • Providing common language and experiences for students • Reducing the number of materials students must manage • Providing students with clear expectations for reading/writing • Ease of planning (i.e., text and questions/assignments included) Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  5. The Power & Pitfalls of Textbooks • However, the quality of textbooks vary… • Individually, in pairs, or in small groups, use one (or both!) of these textbook evaluation forms to determine the quality of one of your textbooks. • Form 1 • Form 2 • What are the text’s strengths? Weaknesses? • What are the forms’ strengths? Weaknesses? • Which text features could you explicitly review with students to help them successfully navigate and learn from textbooks? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  6. Common Text Features to Teach • Table of contents • Glossary • Index • Tables • Margin notes • Headings • Captions • Illustrations • Charts • Graphs • Bold words How are these features similar/different across content-area texts? Examples are from presentations hosted on www.fisherandfrey.com http://www.fisherandfrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/grr-nj-blog.ppt Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  7. How to Read a Math Textbook Principles for Students Reading Math Textbooks (by Jim Donohue, in Tovani [2004], p. 26) • Read/reread with a pencil and paper in hand for notes. • There are never enough commas. Insert your own pauses to help you slow down. • Draw and label diagrams as you go. • Think about related problems and procedures as you read. • You can’t just read; you have to “do it” as you go. • Follow the instructions. • The figures and tables are important. • The same number has different faces (one quarter, ¼, .25). • Mathematical writing has an idiosyncratic structure that when mastered will aid in constructing meaning. How might these principles be similar/different in other content areas? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  8. What Else Are We Using? • Given the Power and Pitfalls of Textbooks… • What other texts are you already using/could you use to supplement the textbook? • How can “text” be defined broadly, to include graphs/charts/digital resources? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  9. Using Multiple Texts • Shanahan (2003). Using Multiple Texts to Teach Content(Pages 1–3) • What do you see Shanahan saying in the article? • What do you think about what is being said? • What does it make you wonder about your own classes? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  10. Using Multiple Texts • Often, using textbooks as a single source doesn’t encourage the information gathering/synthesis skills students need. • Shanahan (2003). Using Multiple Texts to Teach Content: • Construction of knowledge • A focus on purposes for reading • Critical thinking and evaluation of texts • Disciplinary thinking (e.g., gathering, evaluating, summarizing, synthesizing, critiquing) Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  11. Considering Text Accessibility • Multiple texts (at different reading levels) provide: • Opportunities for choice • Opportunities for students with different reading levels to select texts they find accessible • Opportunities for critical review, comparison, and synthesis across texts Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  12. Creating & Using Text Sets • Text Sets – collections of books, articles, digital resources, etc. that represent a range of reading levels – all focused on a particular theme/purpose • Topic-specific (death penalty, photosynthesis, exponents) • Genre-specific (poems, memoirs, word problems) • Author-specific (Benjamin Franklin, Toni Morrison, Charles Darwin) Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  13. Creating & Using Text Sets • Text Sets – from Tovani (2004), p. 43. • Contain a wide variety of written texts • Contain materials that vary in length, difficulty, and text structure • Contain examples of text that are relevant, interesting, and accessible to most students • Give students several options for obtaining information Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  14. Creating & Using Text Sets • Text sets can be made available for: • Particular units of instruction • Vietnam War, cellular respiration, Pythagorean theorem • The class library • If made available in a classroom library and organized by topic, genre, author, students can reference these materials during independent reading and work sessions. Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  15. Isn’t This Just for English & History? • Not necessarily… though it is a bit trickier in Science and Math classes • From Tovani (2004), p. 48 • Science Classes: • Reference materials, field guides, biographies, scientists’ journals, current events/news items, technical manuals • Math Classes: • Descriptions of famous mathematicians, graphs, proofs, essays on mathematical discoveries, statistical reports Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  16. Browsing Text Sets • Browse the Text Sets Available • How might you use these in your classes? • How can text sets promote an inquiry approach to reading (i.e., reading to ask/answer questions) • What content concepts would you emphasize? • What disciplinary thinking habits would you emphasize? • What might make the creation/use of text sets difficult? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  17. Wrap-Up • Things to Remember: • Textbooks are powerful tools • Students need to know how to navigate textbooks • Yet, providing multiple texts for each unit allows: • Choice of texts (increasing motivation/engagement) • Texts at different reading levels all students can access • Texts of different genres (motivation/engagement) • Opportunities for critical analysis/review/comparison Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  18. Further Study • Try offering students multiple texts (this can be as few as 3–4) to read on a topic. Then note the following: • What happened? What worked well? What challenges did you encounter? • Which disciplinary-specific strategies/skills did you (might you) explicitly teach? Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  19. References • Ebbers, M. (2002). Science text sets: Using various genres to promote literacy and inquiry. Language Arts, 80(1), 40–50. Retrieved from http://www.ed.sc.edu/raisse/pdf/ScienceArticles/ScienceTextSets-UsingVariousGenrestoPromoteLiteracy.pdf • Egawa, K. (n.d.). An exploration of text sets: Supporting all readers. Available from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-text-sets-supporting-305.html Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

  20. References Keys, C., & Bryan, L. (2001). Co-constructing inquiry-based science with teachers. Journal of Research inScience Teaching, 38 (6), 631–645. Shanahan, C. (2003). Using multiple texts to teach content. Naperville, IL: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Tovani, C. (2004). Ch. 4. Real rigor: Connecting students with accessible texts. In Do I really have to teach reading? Content comprehension, grades 6-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. Module 2: Unit 3, Session 3

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