And I see, sighing here, a staff that spent a year studying these strategies in a credited study group and many who seemed to have been present in body only. It wouldn't hurt to include a unit on textbook reading in the Language Arts Classes, either.
Lori On 3/8/08 9:20 AM, "Heather Poland" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I agree with both of you! I think that lots of content area teachers don't > know where to begin though. They need the students to get the content, but > they have not been taught how to teach the students how to read the texts or > how to instruct them in writing. They get frustrated and end up dumbing down > the reading and writing. I would love to see single subject credential > programs have a course on this! > > On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 8:36 AM, ljackson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> I agree. I see far too many content folks just assuming the kids can read >> what is put in front of them. I don't see their role as teaching reading >> so >> much as teaching genre and form. Understanding text features and the >> special kinds of strategies that make sense for the text book and other >> supplementals they may use is very much their job. >> >> Lori >> >> >> On 3/8/08 8:02 AM, "Alice Cortigiano" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> >>> Reading strategies should be known and used by all content teachers. It >> is >>> not rocket science and if everyone used the same language it would help >>> reinforce what the language arts teacher are trying very hard to do in >> the >>> classroom. If it is only addressed in the LA classroom then there will >> be no >>> application in other classes. >>> >>> Writing....social studies could focus on sequencing, compare/contrast >> and >>> summarizing, science.....summarizing, compare/contrast essays, lab >> reports, >>> etc. Math, written explanations of what they are doing and why, making >> up >>> and sharing their own word problems, summarizing what they have learned >> in >>> class.. >>> >>> The content teachers can NOT put all the writing off on the language >> arts >>> teacher. They need to pull their weight here too. I have been on both >> sides >>> of the fence and feel that we should all be teachers of reading and >> writing >>> and that means more collaboration and integration. >>> >>> Maybe when SS teacher assigns a written report the LA teacher can also >> work >>> with the students to support this assignment. Or, both teachers can >>> collaborate on what the students need to work on to support their >> learning. >>> When we just give out these assignments to do at home, we should not be >>> surprised at what we get back! >>> >>> JMHO! :) >>> Alice >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mary Dovey >>> Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 5:58 PM >>> To: A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades. >>> Subject: Re: [LIT] Course names help >>> >>> Hi Jaime- >>> I used to feel the way you do, particularly when I was teaching high >> school >>> English. Now, I don't, and here's why: middle school is the place where >>> reading as a skill moves from decoding to comprehension very, very >> quickly. >>> Middle School reading teachers, besides teaching about literary genres, >> and >>> helping kids develop healthy independent reading habits, need to focus >>> largely on teaching comprehension skills to tackle difficult content >> area >>> textbooks, newspapers, magazines, and other materials in the world at >> large. >>> >>> Science, social studies, math and other content teachers, however, are >> held >>> responsible for making sure their students learn "the stuff" of their >>> disciplines, matter whether the learning is through reading, or hands-on >>> activities. Most content teachers, I think, would agree that they need >> to be >>> aware of techniques to assist their students in reading their textbooks. >>> Fortunately, many of our content teachers have asked me for help in ways >> to >>> build background knowledge, use active reading techniques such as >> hotseating >>> and tableaux, and interactive note-taking, etc. At the end of the day, >>> however, kids have to know the causes of the Civil War, fractions, and >> what >>> body part is which. >>> >>> Our role as writing teachers is even more important: We teach the >>> frustrating/exhilarating process of composing, the characteristics of >>> different writing genres and modes of writing, as well as the traits of >> all >>> good writing. Great writing teachers find wonderful models of good >> writing >>> in and use these to create skill lessons. They modeling writing >> ourselves, >>> provide regular, daily time to write, conference with their students, >> and >>> allowing kids to build portfolios of writing. We're less concerned with >>> product, and more with a child's skill development as s/he progresses >> from >>> one unit of study in writing to another. Content area teachers certainly >>> should provide their students with models of what good writing in their >>> classes looks like, but they're looking for product--the report on wind >>> energy, the comparison/contrast essay on healthy eating habits, etc. >>> >>> I think the role of a middle school reading/writing teacher is one of >> the >>> hardest in a school because many of the moves we teach, both in reading >> and >>> in writing, are invisible! Making thinking and decision making visible >> to >>> kids is a HUGE challenge, but it's also a blast, don't you think? >>> Mary >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 3/7/08 7:41 AM, "Jaime Mendelis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>>> It's English/Language Arts (ELA) at our school. I find calling a class >>>> "Reading" or "Writing" frustrating. Aren't all teachers supposed to be >>>> teaching reading and writing? I find the overall assumption at my >> school >>> is >>>> that the English teacher is responsible for all reading and writing >>>> instruction! It drives me nuts! >>>> >>>> Jaime >>>> >>>>>>> "Lucinda Marcello" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 3/5/2008 8:39 PM >>> >>>> Language arts--- at our school. >>>> >>>> I prefer calling it reading and writing. >>>> Or maybe strategic reading and effective writing. Why not add a few >>>> adjectives? >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Mary Dovey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "A list for improving literacy with >>> focus >>>> on middle grades." <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 5:55 PM >>>> Subject: [LIT] Course names help >>>> >>>> >>>>> Hello, sorry for the cross posting, but I'm not sure who gets what >> these >>>>> days and I wanted to reach everyone. >>>>> >>>>> Our middle school principal would like to rename the two core subjects >> of >>>>> reading and writing that we currently teach under the umbrella term, >>>>> Communication Arts. This is due only to the fact that our students >> will >>>>> now >>>>> get a separate grade for each, not any dissatisfaction with Com Arts >> as >>>>> the >>>>> term. I've suggested the obvious: reading (since I want to continue >>>>> stressing to teachers that we are teaching reading, not just >> literature >>>>> and >>>>> literary analysis, etc.) and writing. Nothing fancy, nothing tough to >>>>> figure >>>>> out, very plain: reading and writing. >>>>> >>>>> What do your schools call these core subjects? As the literacy coach, >> I >>>>> need >>>>> to bring back info to him and thought I'd start with you kind folks. >> (I >>>>> think he thinks "reading" is too elementary, and I suspect I'll be >> able >>> to >>>>> show him it's not.) Thanks. >>>>> Mary >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> 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 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >>>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>>>> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.1 - Release Date: 2/25/2008 >>>>> 12:00 AM >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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 >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >> >> -- >> Lori Jackson >> District Literacy Coach & Mentor >> Todd County School District >> Box 87 >> Mission SD 57555 >> >> http:www.tcsdk12.org >> ph. 605.856.2211 >> >> >> Literacies for All Summer Institute >> July 17-20. 2008 >> Tucson, Arizona >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > -- Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach & Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 57555 http:www.tcsdk12.org ph. 605.856.2211 Literacies for All Summer Institute July 17-20. 2008 Tucson, Arizona _______________________________________________ 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. 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