Thanks so much to all of you for your wonderful, articulate input. You beautifully communicated my gut instinct all along: that reading/writing do need explicit instruction, should be taught as its own content area, and then integrated into other content areas to actively apply the reading/writing strategies.
Robyn, I do believe that many teachers do begin with the theme at the center and then make the literacy learning fit the theme. As you described, this is backwards. We should make literacy learning the focus and link the theme. I had forgotten the Lucy Calkins quote "We teach the writer, not the writing" and believe it does fully apply to reading as well. Oh my, so often we "teach the book" without ever teaching the reader. Thank you, dear friends for your input! It has helped a great deal. Andrea P.S. Robyn: Off-topic, are you familiar with the Scottish Storyline Method? If so, I would love to know more. Heard it is used in Europe more than the United States, so I thought you might know. If so, please email me off list. Thanks. Ljackson <[email protected]> wrote: >Robyn, > >I think you've nailed it! The primary purpose and focus during reading and >writer's workshop must be teaching the reader/writer and when that can be >served through integration, then so be it. When it cannot be, there must >be time for the needs of the reader--or writer--to take precedence. > >Lori Jackson > District Literacy Coach and Mentor > Todd County School District > Box 87 > Mission SD 5755 > >----- Original message ----- >From: Robyn Kouw <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Date: Monday, April 27, 2009 6:02 PM >Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > >> >> Hello, >> >> I have been following this discussion with interest. I am an Australian >living in the Netherlands. I have been a Literacy Coordinator for about >ten years. At the moment I am studying again, and sometimes work in a >literacy consulting role with a local international school. >> >> I am used to teaching inquiry based learning, rather than the thematic >approach, but the concept of integration into literacy is the same. In my >experience you can successfully use materials that stem from your inquiry >(or theme) in literacy, providing the focus is a literacy based focus. >For example, if a group of students need to increase their reading >fluency, this must be your focus. Texts at the right level that link into >the inquiry or theme can be used to support this. Integration does help to >provide authentic reading and writing tasks. If we exclusively use >materials from our inquiry or theme, however, we can actually miss chunks >of important reading, writing, speaking and listening instruction. I >strongly believe that we should first begin with the literacy learning >focus for the students we teach (based on the assessment, teaching and >learning cycle) then look to see if we can link our inquiry or theme to >this (not the other way around). If we do this, meaning can be added to >both literacy and to the inquiry (or theme). >> >> >> >> Robyn Kouw >> >> >> >> > From: [email protected] >> > To: [email protected] >> > Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:18:09 -0500 >> > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum >> > >> > >> > Hi, >> > >> > >> > >> > Change is a difficult thing for everyone. It may be that the teachers >you are working with are not 100% sure of how to teach the strategies you >are discussing. They may also not see why they are important. The more >rationale you can offer them, the better. I coach teachers regularly and >one technique that works very well is to phrase things in terms of what >the students need vs. what the teachers should do. "The students are >having trouble remembering the vocabulary for this unit, here are some >strategies that will help the kids connect to the text better and remember >the vocabulary..." The focus remains on the students- always. >> > >> > >> > >> > If the teachers say they are already integrating reading and writing in >other subject areas- then consider sharing explicit examples of strategies >you feel they need to add to what they are doing. Is it possible for you >to model a science or social studies lesson for them where you explicitly >demonstrate the kinds of strategy instruction you are referring too? >Seeing you in action may make your conversations about Mosaic more >meaningful. You could also video tape yourself with your own students if >it is not possible to visit other classrooms. >> > >> > >> > >> > Amy McGovern >> > >> > >> > >> > > Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:02:11 -0500 >> > > To: [email protected] >> > > From: [email protected] >> > > Subject: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum >> > > >> > > Hello friends. I am leading a Mosaic book study with teachers at my >school. >> > > Many, if not all, of the teachers say they "integrate reading and >writing >> > > and teach it across the curriculum". I believe this is code for not >> > > specifically teaching reading and writing, but rather assigning >reading and >> > > writing assignments/activities, and calling that their instruction >of >> > > reading/writing. What they are actually teaching is social studies >or >> > > science, with throwing in reading and writing assignments with no >> > > instruction on how to read or write strategically. >> > > >> > > Personally, I believe in the workshop framework for both reading and >> > > writing, and believe in directly teaching reading and writing >strategies >> > > through mini-lessons. They believe, wholeheartedly, that their >thematic, >> > > integrated approach to teaching is working and best practice. I >believe >> > > differently. >> > > >> > > How do I combat this response of "integrated" instruction? >> > > Am I missing a crucial piece? Perhaps I am wrong here and many of you >also >> > > use thematic units and content areas to teach strategies. How do >other >> > > teachers of workshop model classrooms handle the balance between >reading and >> > > social studies? >> > > >> > > Many thanks! >> > > >> > > Andrea Jenkins >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > Mosaic mailing list >> > > [email protected] >> > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> > > >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> > > >> > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> > > >> > >> > _________________________________________________________________ >> > Rediscover Hotmail®: Now available on your iPhone or BlackBerry >> > >http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail? ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscover_Mobile2_042009 >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Mosaic mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> > >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> > >> > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> > >> >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Need a new place to rent, share or buy? Let ninemsn property search for >you. >> >http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fninemsn%2Edomain%2Ecom% 2Eau%2F%3Fs%5Fcid%3DFDMedia%3ANineMSN%5FHotmail% 5FTagline&_t=774152450&_r=Domain_tagline&_m=EXT >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >[email protected] >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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