I think you have the right approach, but you will find that the strategies you know as a Language Arts teacher DO work in all the content areas.
For content area reading, it is important that students look at the text features first, know what the purpose of the text features are, and understand that they can get a good idea of what the chpater/article will be talking about just by looking at the text features. Also, it is a good way for them to build their background knowledge before reading so they WILL understand the content. I think that is the key starting place. You will be amazed at how many teachers assume that kids do know how to read content area text and don't do anything at all to help them comprehend it. It also needs to be stressed that the obvious things we do as readers, struggling readers don't do and don't know to do them, so be as explicit as possible. Even going over how reading the title will give a big hint at what the chapter will be about - strugglers don't know this. I also too often see teachers giving the students too much - reading the text AND explaining everything in the text because the teacher knows the student can't read it. Well, a better strategy is to teach the kids strategies so they can make their own meaning. Giving students everything will not require them to think, and not require them to practice any reading strategies they may have learned in other classes. On 10/10/07, Renee Piernot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hello--- > > I've been asked to do a workshop at my school for teachers k-12 on > strategies for reaching all readers. (They want teachers in our district to > share what they know instead of bringing in an outsider) > > I teach 8th grade Language Arts and I do have some strategies, but I > also do independent reading books, and choice lit. circle books (so students > are reading at their level) High school teachers and content area teachers > will be in attendance who have textbooks and stuff. > > Because I don't know all the answers, (and I've never led a workshop > before) I want to make it a sharing workshop where we discuss the issue (of > readers at all levels in a class and how to reach them). However, I don't > want to presume that my strategies in Language arts are going to work in > high school Social Studies, Science, English, math, etc. I plan to email all > the participants to find out what they are looking for before attending, and > to bring what they do to share with the group as well as providing some of > my best ideas. > > I also wanted to gather your ideas. What are your best strategies when > you are teaching a lesson and you know several kids are not going to be able > to comprehend the chapter, article, etc? > > Thanks for your suggestions (on the workshop structure, or ideas to > share) > > Renee Piernot > > > > > --------------------------------- > Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today! > _______________________________________________ > 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 > -- - Heather "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead." --Clarence Day "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little good evidence exists that there's any educational substance behind the accountability and testing movement." —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase funding. " —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate _______________________________________________ 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
