Headings/Subheading Important Facts Reactions
Ensuring all students read, write, and think
Adolescents distracted by digital media, academic, political, and social world
Teacher distracted
*Harder for them to focus in on academics than just a generation ago
*Overwhelming hadn’t really thought of it that way.
Middle School
*8th grade 69% fail proficient level on NAEP reading section
*Nation’s Report Card
Not surprising-students I’m around seem to struggle with comprehension. Makes test difficult.
High School
Age 17, 1 in 17 understand specialized information
*Hispanic, 1 in 50
*African American, 1in 100
I believe it. It’s sad but the above mention distractions come in play.
College
College content reduced due to students inability to handle
*45.2% incoming freshman required remedial English class.
*GPA in High School 3.19
Shocked by the amount needing remedial English class at the college level.
*GPA sounds good but something is up if they can’t handle English 101
Adults
Lost Productivity due to low literacy
*225 Billion lost each year
Middle and High school literacy influenced by quality instruction
*21st century students need to be able to locate, understand, evaluate, use written information in all of life
Hadn’t consider the effects on labor to be so financially large
*Literacy has always been influenced by quality instruction that isn’t new.
*Now there are more ways they need to understand and learn how to use. There is more to learn today.
Struggling readers
Learning Disabilities
*Motivational Issues
*Under taught
*Still have very complex thoughts based on own understanding
*Activate and build background knowledge
Finding the motivation can be hard since we are so diverse anymore.
*Realizing they have created complex thoughts based on their life experiences I hadn’t thought about in great detail.
* Understood this was crucial
Challenges to reading effectively for information
6th grade, 75% school based material informational
*Informational more difficult to understand
Narrative texts have challenges.
*Need background knowledge to understand novels, plays, & poetry often archaic
*recognize literary devices –mood, tone, allegory, paradox, and symbolism.
Middle school score 1 year behind grade level on informational texts compared to narrative- even grade level readers
Because of all the test they have to take
*It is difficult for many. Some because of motivational issues.
* Background knowledge takes time something teachers have little of.
*I would say this is because we don’t build the background knowledge first.
Common types of Informational text
Textbooks most common
*use common & predictable styles to scaffold info.
*authentic sources engage students.
Seems some schools getting away from this due to costs but it are what I know.
*Variety of sources create more interest
Textbooks
Large group of materials purchased by schools
Includes everything that is purchased for class. I think of just books the kids use.
Trade books
Books for public market
*Used during independent reading or group read
Used in AR programs
*Often what actually excites a child compared to textbooks
Picture Books
In secondary classrooms
*Two distinct forms of creative expression.
Mainly picture with little text
I hadn’t really every noticed picture books at the middle school and high school level. Very interesting
Photoessays
Unified collection of photos exploring an area of human experience.
*Has some words
*Complete discussion of topic
I enjoy photoessays but to say a complete discussion of a topic I’m not for sure I agree with.
Newspapers
Current local, national, and international information at low cost.
*offer a wealth of material for reading and writing.
*Social study teachers
*Math and economic teachers benefit
Get kids reading what is going on around them besides entertainment news. Excellent source
Digital Sources
Offering technology access at increasing rate
*Always having digital materials in some form available
The cost to keep up digitally for schools has to be an issue it is at home.
It is important start the kids early I believe with digital.
Graphic novels and anime
Unacknowledged and unsanctioned text
*Students choose to read outside of class
*Older & reluctant readers like this
*Like comic books but longer and one story
*From Japanese literary form called manga
*Be carefully screened before using
I haven’t seen any teachers choosing this style of text for class.
*I do see a lot of kids reading this style especially boys.
* I did know it was from the Japanese.
* Definitely would need screening because I’ve heard some of the content would be questionable for classrooms.
What are the characteristics of informational texts?
Informational & narrative texts differ in tone, style, structure, features, and authority.
*Informational text possesses a level of authenticity and accuracy for topics.
*Author is authority
*Informational text called expository (explain through definition, example, classification, analysis, and persuasion
I believe students understand this but might have difficult time explaining the differences.
*Students often believe if it is written it is true and without bias
Common expository text structures
Exemplification(concept/definition)
*compare/contrast
*cause/effect
*problem/solution
*sequential or temporal
New them but not the precise terms
Exemplification
Describes people, places, or phenomena
*Passages are descriptive
*use of descriptive adjectives, adverbs, and phrases
This is what makes me understand and create my pictures in my mind of the event or person.
Compare/contrast
Explain how 2 or more people, places, or phenomena are same or different
*textbooks usually contain some passages
*signal words(although, both, yet, while, however, same/different, like/unlike
We ask students from very early to compare and contrast. I would think this would be easier for students then some other aspects of texts.
Cause/effect
Causal relationships between phenomena
*similar to compare/contrast
*signal words(since, because, as a result, and if)
*Problem/solution seen in math
*sequential or temporal structures
*chronology or a sequence of events
This section confuses kids. In math they read so fast they overlook the clues of first, next, etc.
Text features
Structural items used by author to organize and present.
*Contents page, headings, subheadings, margin notes, bullets, diagrams, photos, and index.
*Support and expand comprehension of text by reader
Extremely important.
Gives ways to break text down into manageable sections to understand and to discuss.
Common text styles
Fiction most common in English class
*Genre structure
*Common Structure of literature
*Cause/effect most common used in science books
*History text use journalistic style
*Cause/effect dominant in history text books
*Analytic literacy
*Critical literacy
I think it’s because they know they will have to read so much nonfiction in other subjects.
*Read all of these books but didn’t consider the text style.
*Critical literacy is a great downfall for students.
Critical literacy and its relation to reading for information
All sources contain bias, specific points of view, & divergent perspectives
*Read critically for information
*4 dimensions of critical literacy
*disrupting the commonplace, interrogating multiple viewpoints, focusing on sociopolitical issues, and taking action and promoting social justice
Students have a hard time understanding bias I believe when it’s in text, internet, or TV reporters.
Disrupting the commonplace
Information that challenges assumptions of world.
*Explore world in different ways.
Students have greater appreciation for life when they see it from several different angles.
Interrogating multiple viewpoints
Voices and perspectives of people in books.
*Notice the ones misses from text
I know to read different viewpoints but I really like the fact they say silent in the text. Many voices are silent in text books and we need to point that out.
Focus on sociopolitical issues
Teaching not neutral form of social practice.
*explore different relationships
Teachers often steer clear of anything that might be controversially to protect themselves.
Taking action and promoting social justice
Dimensions of critical literacy in sequential order not needed.
*One dimension=critical literacy
*Text selection & teacher instruction critical
Understanding of information and variety of points of view are needed to make critical decisions to make effective changes to world.
Supporting reading for information
Instruction of text structures and style is critical.
*Explicitly taught
*Reading comprehension-how to.
Students have to be taught how use the text correct if we want them to be engaged in the text.
Comprehension strategies
All developmental levels
*Tools to support own understanding of text
*Questioning strategies
*Summarizing strategies
*Inferencing strategies
*Self-monitoring strategies
*Connection strategies
*Predicting
*Analysis strategies
*Danger of teaching comprehension strategies in isolation
*Comprehension strategies key to metacognition.
We do tend to put these in linear order instead of a complete system.
Developing reading comprehension
Intentional instruction is important
*Not taught
*Good readers purposeful in reading & use strategies to understand
*Build metacognitive awareness
*Create ability to form questions as reading
*Provide intentional instruction in using strategies to support comprehension.
We are so worried about them just reading at grade level that often comprehension strategies are weaker.
Building Metacognition to develop reading comprehension
Thinking about one’s thinking
*Being aware of what one knows or doesn’t know
Metacognitive awareness modeled by instruction using questions before, during, & after reading.
Students need this modeled a great deal. They just jump into reading without a plan. They just want to get the reading over with.
The benefits for English language learners
Integrating language and content important part of effective teaching ESL students.
*Instruction in text (structures, features) and comprehension
*Instruction to fluency, vocab, and grammar
Having English as our first language and many struggles with reading and comprehension I can’t imagine how frustrating it is to have to go between two languages and keep up with everything else going on in the world.
Conclusion
Must learn to read for information
*Teachers responsible for teaching understanding of content
They make it sound very concise and easy but I know it is very hard. You have to teach reading skills and comprehension strategies while teaching all other content areas in a time students are thinking about lots of other things.
Students have a lot more information available to them today and as teachers we have a responsibility to teach them how to comprehend the information. Students have to be able to understand both informational text and narrative text. They must be taught through modeling how to think before, during and after about what they read.
Ensuring all students read, write, and think
Adolescents distracted by digital media, academic, political, and social world
Teacher distracted
*Harder for them to focus in on academics than just a generation ago
*Overwhelming hadn’t really thought of it that way.
Middle School
*8th grade 69% fail proficient level on NAEP reading section
*Nation’s Report Card
Not surprising-students I’m around seem to struggle with comprehension. Makes test difficult.
High School
Age 17, 1 in 17 understand specialized information
*Hispanic, 1 in 50
*African American, 1in 100
I believe it. It’s sad but the above mention distractions come in play.
College
College content reduced due to students inability to handle
*45.2% incoming freshman required remedial English class.
*GPA in High School 3.19
Shocked by the amount needing remedial English class at the college level.
*GPA sounds good but something is up if they can’t handle English 101
Adults
Lost Productivity due to low literacy
*225 Billion lost each year
Middle and High school literacy influenced by quality instruction
*21st century students need to be able to locate, understand, evaluate, use written information in all of life
Hadn’t consider the effects on labor to be so financially large
*Literacy has always been influenced by quality instruction that isn’t new.
*Now there are more ways they need to understand and learn how to use. There is more to learn today.
Struggling readers
Learning Disabilities
*Motivational Issues
*Under taught
*Still have very complex thoughts based on own understanding
*Activate and build background knowledge
Finding the motivation can be hard since we are so diverse anymore.
*Realizing they have created complex thoughts based on their life experiences I hadn’t thought about in great detail.
* Understood this was crucial
Challenges to reading effectively for information
6th grade, 75% school based material informational
*Informational more difficult to understand
Narrative texts have challenges.
*Need background knowledge to understand novels, plays, & poetry often archaic
*recognize literary devices –mood, tone, allegory, paradox, and symbolism.
Middle school score 1 year behind grade level on informational texts compared to narrative- even grade level readers
Because of all the test they have to take
*It is difficult for many. Some because of motivational issues.
* Background knowledge takes time something teachers have little of.
*I would say this is because we don’t build the background knowledge first.
Common types of Informational text
Textbooks most common
*use common & predictable styles to scaffold info.
*authentic sources engage students.
Seems some schools getting away from this due to costs but it are what I know.
*Variety of sources create more interest
Textbooks
Large group of materials purchased by schools
Includes everything that is purchased for class. I think of just books the kids use.
Trade books
Books for public market
*Used during independent reading or group read
Used in AR programs
*Often what actually excites a child compared to textbooks
Picture Books
In secondary classrooms
*Two distinct forms of creative expression.
Mainly picture with little text
I hadn’t really every noticed picture books at the middle school and high school level. Very interesting
Photoessays
Unified collection of photos exploring an area of human experience.
*Has some words
*Complete discussion of topic
I enjoy photoessays but to say a complete discussion of a topic I’m not for sure I agree with.
Newspapers
Current local, national, and international information at low cost.
*offer a wealth of material for reading and writing.
*Social study teachers
*Math and economic teachers benefit
Get kids reading what is going on around them besides entertainment news. Excellent source
Digital Sources
Offering technology access at increasing rate
*Always having digital materials in some form available
The cost to keep up digitally for schools has to be an issue it is at home.
It is important start the kids early I believe with digital.
Graphic novels and anime
Unacknowledged and unsanctioned text
*Students choose to read outside of class
*Older & reluctant readers like this
*Like comic books but longer and one story
*From Japanese literary form called manga
*Be carefully screened before using
I haven’t seen any teachers choosing this style of text for class.
*I do see a lot of kids reading this style especially boys.
* I did know it was from the Japanese.
* Definitely would need screening because I’ve heard some of the content would be questionable for classrooms.
What are the characteristics of informational texts?
Informational & narrative texts differ in tone, style, structure, features, and authority.
*Informational text possesses a level of authenticity and accuracy for topics.
*Author is authority
*Informational text called expository (explain through definition, example, classification, analysis, and persuasion
I believe students understand this but might have difficult time explaining the differences.
*Students often believe if it is written it is true and without bias
Common expository text structures
Exemplification(concept/definition)
*compare/contrast
*cause/effect
*problem/solution
*sequential or temporal
New them but not the precise terms
Exemplification
Describes people, places, or phenomena
*Passages are descriptive
*use of descriptive adjectives, adverbs, and phrases
This is what makes me understand and create my pictures in my mind of the event or person.
Compare/contrast
Explain how 2 or more people, places, or phenomena are same or different
*textbooks usually contain some passages
*signal words(although, both, yet, while, however, same/different, like/unlike
We ask students from very early to compare and contrast. I would think this would be easier for students then some other aspects of texts.
Cause/effect
Causal relationships between phenomena
*similar to compare/contrast
*signal words(since, because, as a result, and if)
*Problem/solution seen in math
*sequential or temporal structures
*chronology or a sequence of events
This section confuses kids. In math they read so fast they overlook the clues of first, next, etc.
Text features
Structural items used by author to organize and present.
*Contents page, headings, subheadings, margin notes, bullets, diagrams, photos, and index.
*Support and expand comprehension of text by reader
Extremely important.
Gives ways to break text down into manageable sections to understand and to discuss.
Common text styles
Fiction most common in English class
*Genre structure
*Common Structure of literature
*Cause/effect most common used in science books
*History text use journalistic style
*Cause/effect dominant in history text books
*Analytic literacy
*Critical literacy
I think it’s because they know they will have to read so much nonfiction in other subjects.
*Read all of these books but didn’t consider the text style.
*Critical literacy is a great downfall for students.
Critical literacy and its relation to reading for information
All sources contain bias, specific points of view, & divergent perspectives
*Read critically for information
*4 dimensions of critical literacy
*disrupting the commonplace, interrogating multiple viewpoints, focusing on sociopolitical issues, and taking action and promoting social justice
Students have a hard time understanding bias I believe when it’s in text, internet, or TV reporters.
Disrupting the commonplace
Information that challenges assumptions of world.
*Explore world in different ways.
Students have greater appreciation for life when they see it from several different angles.
Interrogating multiple viewpoints
Voices and perspectives of people in books.
*Notice the ones misses from text
I know to read different viewpoints but I really like the fact they say silent in the text. Many voices are silent in text books and we need to point that out.
Focus on sociopolitical issues
Teaching not neutral form of social practice.
*explore different relationships
Teachers often steer clear of anything that might be controversially to protect themselves.
Taking action and promoting social justice
Dimensions of critical literacy in sequential order not needed.
*One dimension=critical literacy
*Text selection & teacher instruction critical
Understanding of information and variety of points of view are needed to make critical decisions to make effective changes to world.
Supporting reading for information
Instruction of text structures and style is critical.
*Explicitly taught
*Reading comprehension-how to.
Students have to be taught how use the text correct if we want them to be engaged in the text.
Comprehension strategies
All developmental levels
*Tools to support own understanding of text
*Questioning strategies
*Summarizing strategies
*Inferencing strategies
*Self-monitoring strategies
*Connection strategies
*Predicting
*Analysis strategies
*Danger of teaching comprehension strategies in isolation
*Comprehension strategies key to metacognition.
We do tend to put these in linear order instead of a complete system.
Developing reading comprehension
Intentional instruction is important
*Not taught
*Good readers purposeful in reading & use strategies to understand
*Build metacognitive awareness
*Create ability to form questions as reading
*Provide intentional instruction in using strategies to support comprehension.
We are so worried about them just reading at grade level that often comprehension strategies are weaker.
Building Metacognition to develop reading comprehension
Thinking about one’s thinking
*Being aware of what one knows or doesn’t know
Metacognitive awareness modeled by instruction using questions before, during, & after reading.
Students need this modeled a great deal. They just jump into reading without a plan. They just want to get the reading over with.
The benefits for English language learners
Integrating language and content important part of effective teaching ESL students.
*Instruction in text (structures, features) and comprehension
*Instruction to fluency, vocab, and grammar
Having English as our first language and many struggles with reading and comprehension I can’t imagine how frustrating it is to have to go between two languages and keep up with everything else going on in the world.
Conclusion
Must learn to read for information
*Teachers responsible for teaching understanding of content
They make it sound very concise and easy but I know it is very hard. You have to teach reading skills and comprehension strategies while teaching all other content areas in a time students are thinking about lots of other things.
Students have a lot more information available to them today and as teachers we have a responsibility to teach them how to comprehend the information. Students have to be able to understand both informational text and narrative text. They must be taught through modeling how to think before, during and after about what they read.