Category: Common Core

Reading for Understanding

3/27/2014

Image links to info and video on the program.

Since our balanced literacy pd at staff meeting, I've learned a few more things about "disciplinary literacy" the secondary school term for it. First off I learned that Ms. Adornato is a great resource on the subject. She pointed me to an immediately useful site for integrating this into your teaching. Go to Achieve the Core to search for literacy materials by your subject and grade level

Also, I recently attended a three day very intensive training on Reading for Understanding: How Reading Apprenticeship Imrproves Disciplinary Learning In Secondary and College Classrooms.

Here is a 21 page PDF of the most useful resources and tools for learning and practicing the Reading Apprenticeship strategy. I am a big learning geek so I really enjoyed the three days immersed in educational theory and practice around disciplinary literacy.
I will gladly discuss this more one on one with you, run a sample of the kind of reading they advise with your students, or do a mini-PD on disciplinary based literacy for your PLC. Let me know!

What I learned at Reading School Last Week:

Disciplinary literacy is sort of like balanced literacy. It is the more secondary school term
Reading as a process does not HAVE to be verbal. We can "attack" a "text" such as a graph, chart, geometric figure or equation, photograph or video and be using the SAME skills as reading analysis. Our vision of what a "text" is is sometimes limited by the narrow definition of the word "reading"
Everything hinges on making the child's thought processes visible as they read a text (or "read a "text")
Piedmont is SO ahead of the game on this! Some actually said that getting students to discuss readings was "utopian" and the video we'd seen looked like ANY typical day here at Piedmont!
Metacognition is the KEY. This practice of being aware of what you are thinking and of vocalizing or writing down those thoughts as they happen will feel uncomfortable at first but can become natural in a day and a half. Model and Practice it first out loud yourself in class for a few days before you ask students to do it. (see Best Practice #4 below)

Best Practices:

NOT everything is meant to be close read! Do not use this method with all of your readings!
Give students the right tools for the job of dissecting their reading.The workshop uses "reading Supports" like having highlighters, colored markers, post its of all shapes and sizes strewn around the desks as a physical manifestation of learning.
This method as described is very paper-based but if you want to try paperless, sites like Diigo will let you annotate electronically.
Teach metacognition via modelling: When reading, demo your own thought processes out loud ALL the Time
Partner reading to teach metacognition: During in class reading, partner up your students. Have one student read, the whole time saying aloud what they are thinking as they move through the reading (This is written by rodriguez, oh the author is hispanic. This reminds me of my friend who is from Mexico. Ew that word is hard. I wish I could stop reading. what does that mean? I wonder where this is going- this line makes me think that the author ..." The partner will record what is being said. Then have the partner share what was said that they found illuminating, not the actual thinker!

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Balanced Literacy March Faculty Meeting PD

3/12/2014

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In this PD presentation (Slides can be found at http://bit.ly/supportedread ) we discuss and practice the 4 components of balanced literacy. Read on to see how.

Part of close reading is simply writing as you read and being aware when and why to do so. This 9th grader's teacher taught him to be metacognitive and he now keeps this list as he reads.

Our March faculty meeting demo'd the 4 pieces of Balanced literacy according to CMS. Balanced Literacy includes these 4 areas:

Word Study- BL says word study makes vocab fun. We used Word Ball to practice and refresh our memory of RTI terms. (led by Ms. G and Ms. D)
Independent Reading -we practiced Independent reading with common core reading standards with Padlet response (led by Ms. Barone)
Writing - We clarified our ideas by writing them on the puzzle pieces during our centers walk (on display in admin hallway)
Supported reading - we practiced close reading with a socratic seminar on this selection The Wejr Family Awards : using and the student note and worksheet photos in this post (led by Ms. Gurthie)

More and further Reading Choices:

More on Balanced Literacy

CMS BL Powerpoint - web cache do a google search to download the one with graphics)
http://www.k12reader.com/category/balanced-literacy/

Reading for Understanding

Balanced Literacy March Faculty Meeting PD

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