2. 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”
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. CREATING LITERACY RICH SCHOOLS
FOR ADOLESCENTS: CHAPTER ONE:
THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM
Essential 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)
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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)
13. “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.
14. 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.
