Content Literacy and the Reading Process

1. Content Literacy and the Reading Process Defining terms and perspectives

2. Assumptions underlying content teaching • “It’s a teacher’s responsibility to cover subject matter” • Are we covering the material or teaching how to learn it? • Knowing what vs.. knowing how • “Students use their textbooks to learn course content” • What is your opinion? What have your own experiences been? • Is the textbook a safety net? • “Textbooks present the content coherently and in an unbiased fashion” • Is this true? If not, what have you done?

3. Active Readers • Cognitive processes are induced by multiple strategies: • Self-questioning • Monitoring • Organizing • Interacting with peers

4. Independent Readers • Principles of independence: • Independence comes from practice: assumes teachers across curriculum provide opportunities • Independence develops by design, not chance: modeling is key, as is guidance • Independence is a relative state: maturity level should be matched with resources • Independence can be achieved in groups: cooperative learning is important • Independence means forever becoming: others are still needed to interpret, clarify, or elaborate on what we read

5. Have the ability to comprehend texts of various types with speed, accuracy, and appropriate expression (National Reading Panel 2000) Guided oral reading procedures have a positive impact Have fluency with information technology (AAUW Education Foundation 2000) Information literacy - finding information, designing a home page, organizing a database, communicating with others, evaluating privacy concerns,critical reading online. See link to CELA Standards for information literacy Fluent Readers

6. What is literacy? • Political nature - not a neutral concept • What is your definition of literate thinking? • What is involved in Content Literacy?

7. New Literacy Studies • Reading for personal meaning • Reading for understanding of authors’ assumptions, world view, social constructions • Resistant reading / critical reading

8. Reading Process

9. Metacognition: Key concept in strategies instruction • Declarative Knowledge: • Self Knowledge • World Knowledge • Task Knowledge • Strategy Knowledge Procedural Knowledge: • Planning • Monitoring/ Identifying Problems • Evaluating

10. Constructivism • Social constructionist learning theory • Meaning is to be constructed by individuals through their experiences and interactions • Lesson example

11. Motivation • What do students want? • Kohn’s 3 Cs of motivation; content, community & choice, - similar to page 29 quote: Students want • (a) rigor & joy • (b) balance of complexity & clarity • (c) time to discuss personal meanings • (d) relevant, fun learning activities

12. Strategic Readers / Struggling Readers • Strategic readers • have a sense of control of their academic environment • assume responsibility for their own learning • believe they have a voice in setting their own goals • are convinced that strategies help accomplish their objectives • believe their own efforts and skills will determine their success Struggling readers • devalue reading • use avoidance strategies • shift the blame to others • may ‘cheat the system’ • may fear being seen as overachievers

13. What do you think? Willis quote p. 31 “ The real challenge I see is to first halt the fears adolescents (all of us) have of being labeled over- or under-achievers. And then to find ways to propel students to become independent learners.”