"A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." <[email protected]> on Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 11:19 AM -0500 wrote: >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!?
Hi! I have to concede, I am always sceptical when any subject-specific professional organization goes to define literacy, but this definition seemed pretty broad and inclusive to my way of thinking. I appreciate the constructivist approach, the extension of literacy from just printed texts to a variety of media, and the focus on communication. I also appreciate the focus on the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy - especially at a time in our educational history when, if I remember correctly, 85% of the questions asked in most classrooms are at the "knowledge" level. Does anyone actually teach their students Bloom's taxonomy as an aid to asking effective questions which would lead to analysis, synthesis, organization and evaluation? I tried it once, but found it really hard to get across. On the other hand, when I went to more of a democratic focus in creating units, the questions just naturally seemed to get sharper as the year progressed. I was thinking the rewards involved in answering more sophisticated questions are so much greater that that fact in itself helps stimulate students to ask better questions. Possible? 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
