It has been a while since I have written but I do have some thoughts and a question or two.
I am teaching English to 7th graders in San Diego. I have three Honors Classes (Proficient and Advanced) and two Basic English (Basic, Below, Far Below, ELD and Resource). All of my classes read, write, and discuss. We use graphic organizers, group discussions, essays, debates (more on the debates). Naturally, I format a different style / strategy for the two different classes. However, as high as my Honors students are in critical thinking and writing; as much as I help and aid my Basic Classes, when it comes to the Assessments they have a difficult time doing well on their own, independently. Am I doing them a disservice by discussing and teaching literary skills to the point that they cannot do it very well on their own?? Debates - I am for a resource book of step by step lessons and activities that would help me to teach my Honors Classes how to debate. I think it would help them when they have to write the District Persuasive Essay in the Spring. Thanks to all of your advice. Mrs. Mac ---- Bill IVEY <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi! > > I seem to have a knack for scheduling these discussions to start when my > son's athletic life requires me to drive many hours to cheer the team on > at far-distant away games (particularly ironic today because he has a > badly strained calf muscle and can't even play!). So while I'm off to > central New Hampshire, here are a few thoughts and questions to get things > started. > > First, I feel as though any discussion of literacy has to, at some point > in time, discuss what literacy actually means. The article brings up these > factors (page 5): > - including purposeful social and cognitive processes > - helps individual discover ideas and make meaning > - enables functions such an analysis, synthesis, organization, and > evaluation > - fosters the expression of ideas and opinions > - extends to understanding how test are created and how meanings are > conveyed by various media > - builds on, but is not limited to, phonemic awareness and word > recognition > What are your thoughts and reactions on these points - straight-on > accurate, besides the point, good but incomplete, all of the above!? > > Secondly, I find myself focusing on the specific strategies for adolescent > literacy outlined on pages 6-7 and focusing on: > - motivation > - comprehension > - critical thinking > - assessment > Again, what are your thoughts and reactions here? Where are your schools > particularly successful? Where do your schools need to be strengthened? > Are there other specific areas of strategies to promote adolescent > literacy which your schools are doing well and which aren't mentioned in > this article? > > Thirdly, of course, if you have a burning question of your own, please > don't hesitate to ask it! > > As a reminder, the article is entitled "NCTE Principles of Adolescent > Literacy Reform" and is a .pdf file downloadable at: > http://www.ncte.org/middle > > See you this evening... > > Take care, > Bill Ivey > Stoneleigh-Burnham School > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
