Strategies for Reading in the Content Areas by Sue Z. Beers suebeers@netins.net
Hold kids accountable for reading make them read! Give them the tools and strategies they need to be successful in their reading.
THINKING from words on a page
CHOICE PURPOSE INTEREST BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
A Marsden Giberter Glis was very fraper. She had dernarpen Farfle s marsden. She did not talp a giberter for him. So, she conlanted to plimp a marsden binky for him. She had just sparved the binky when he jibbed in the gorger. Clorsty marsden! she boffed. That s a crouistish marsden binky, boffed Farfle, but my marsden is on Stansan. Agsan is Kelsan. In that ruspen, boffed Glis, I won t wank you your giberter until Stansan. 1) Why was Glis fraper? 2) What did Glis plimp? 3) Who jibbed the gorger when Glis sparved the blinky? 4) Why didn t Glis wank Farfle his giberter?
Ping- Pong Reading Read the question Look for the answer Read the question Look for the answer Read the question Look for the answer 1/17/2013 6
Reading is used to gather ideas Learning happens when the new information is connected to the learner s own experience and background.
The Learner: Attitudes, Ability and Perceptions Reading Task: Clarity Purpose Background Knowledge Classroom Environment: Comfort, Order, Safety Text Features: Text Cues Organization al Patterns Text Selection Processing Strategies: Pre-reading During-reading Post-Reading Research-Based Classroom Instruction
Elevator Speech How will improving students ability to read your text improve student learning of your content? 1/17/2013 9
Show value in reading Help students see the connection between effort and achievement Provide students with the skills and strategies they need to be effective readers Hold students accountable for their reading
The Learner: Attitudes, Ability and Perceptions Reading Task: Clarity Purpose Background Knowledge Classroom Environment: Comfort, Order, Safety Text Features: Text Cues Organization al Patterns Text Selection Processing Strategies: Pre-reading During-reading Post-Reading Research-Based Classroom Instruction
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Sticky Notes Page Protector Note Strips
The Learner: Attitudes, Ability and Perceptions Reading Task: Clarity Purpose Background Knowledge Classroom Environment: Comfort, Order, Safety Text Features: Text Cues Organization al Patterns Text Selection Processing Strategies: Pre-reading During-reading Post-Reading Research-Based Classroom Instruction
Know how to make text make sense Have strategies to use Know how to struggle with text Develop the patience and stamina to stick with a text Know what is separating them from success with the text Know what they should do to fix the problem
Teaching reading in your content area is about teaching students how to use reading to think about and learn the content to help them interact with the text to understand concepts at a deeper level and retain it longer.
Active processes in which students Construct meaning from what they read Use prior knowledge and experiences to make connections Make sense of what they are reading / learning
Plan for reading: preview, activate prior knowledge, predict, create questions, type of reading skill to use, purpose Monitor reading: engaged with content, assessing own attitudes, adjust style when needed Evaluate understanding: summarize, review purpose, communicate learning
What about kids who can t read? Students who struggle with reading KNOW they struggle with reading; they know they lack the single most important tool for success in school and they know that not having that skill opens them to ridicule from peers and from teachers. They do anything they can to distance themselves from the place and the people who will remind them that they can t read.
Kids who can t read Non-readers would prefer to get into trouble for not doing their work rather than be embarrassed in front of their peers for doing it wrong. They KNOW they can t read; they ve known it for years. Not all struggling readers sit at the back of the room, head down, bored look give the gifted student the right text and s/he can stumble over ideas, worry over words, get lost, and be confused about meaning.
ANYONE can struggle given the right text. The struggle isn t the issue; the issue is what the reader does when the text gets tough.
The amount of distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from generally accepted accounting principles. These book/tax differences are either considered temporary or permanent in nature. Key differences are the treatment of short-term capital gains, foreign currency transactions, organization costs and other temporary differences. To the extent that these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on their federal tax-basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassifications. To the extent distributions exceed net investment income and/or net realized capital gains for tax purposes, they are reported as distributions of paid-in capital. -Semi-Annual Report for ING Mutual Funds
What strategies do your STUDENTS use when they encounter text they don t understand?
Aliterate Those who CAN read, but who choose not to read.
We need to discover how a student s unique brain is wired for reading and writing and then use a range of approaches that matches his or her literacy style. - Thomas Armstrong
Rehearsal Taste Touch Sight Sound Smell Sensory Pay Input Attention Short Term Memory Elaboration Organizatio n Retrieval Long Term Memory Working Memory FORGOTTEN
Ability READING TASK
Difficulty of Text Groan Zone Flow Zone Drone Zone Student Ability
www.lexile.com
Instructional Reading Level + 50-100 1050 1000 900 75% Comp 90% Comp
GRADE Reader Measures Text Measures 1 Up to 300L 200L-400L 2 140L-500L 300L-500L 3 330L-700L 500L-700L 4 445L-810L 650L-850L 5 565L-910L 750L-950L 6 665L-1000L 850L-1050L 7 735L-1065L 950L-1075L 8 805L-1100L 1000L-1100L 9 855L-1165L 1050L-1150L 10 905L-1195L 1100L-1200L 11-12 940L-1210L 1100L-1300L
Ability Interest READING TASK Prior Knowledge
Ability Culture Gender SES Interest READING TASK Environment Prior Knowledge Learning Style
Students often know how to read, they just don t use (or know how to use) effective strategies to get the full meaning from the text they read.
3 Main Barriers to Content Area Reading 1) Content-specific vocabulary. 2) Prior knowledge about the content area subject. 3) Understanding of text features and organization of the text.
Know how to make text make sense Have strategies to use Know how to struggle with text Develop the patience and stamina to stick with a text Know what is separating them from success with the text Know what they should do to fix the problem
an effective teacher knows where to hit with the right tool, at the right time, and with the right content to make learning happen.
It s what teachers do with the time that makes the difference!
Instructional 1. Direct, explicit comprehension instruction 2. Embedded in content 3. Motivation and self-directed learning 4. Text-based collaborative learning 5. Strategic tutoring 6. Diverse texts 7. Intensive writing 8. Technology component Infrastructure 10. Extended time for literacy 13. Teacher Teams 14. Leadership 15. Comprehensive and coordinated literacy program 9. Ongoing formative assessment of students 11. Professional development 12. Ongoing summative assessment
Explicit strategies presented New tools / strategies modeled Many independent practices of tools and strategies Students use tools and strategies independently Multiple contexts for apply tools and strategies
Student discussions about what is read Asking students to explain their thinking Wide variety of text available Teachers model their own thinking Let s look at how this might look in the classroom
INDEPENDENT STRATEGIC READERS: 1. Know how to approach new words and increase vocabulary. 2. Connect new knowledge to make personal meaning. 3. Think ahead to what might be coming in the reading. 4. Continually evaluate one s own understanding of what is read. 5. Create images of what is read. 6. Periodically summarize what is read. 7. Use text features, cues and organizational patterns. 8. Have a plan for how to approach the reading task.
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Vocabulary knowledge affects comprehension. * Methods that encourage students to actively construct meanings help students learn and retain word meanings longer. * The less cognitive energy students must spend figuring out the words on the page, the more energy they can spend figuring out what the text means.
Effective vocabulary instruction requires active and positive student participation. (Carr & Wixson, 1986) Personal engagement with a new word can lead to deep processing of meaning. (Dole, Sloan & Trathen, 1995) Researchers have named vocabulary knowledge as the most important factor in reading comprehension. (White, Sowell & Yanagihara, 1989)
Context clues can be helpful in figuring out what a word means But be careful
The questions that p face as they raise ch from in to adult life are not easy to an. Both fa and m can become concerned when health problems such as co arise any time after the e stage to later life. Experts recommend that young ch should have plenty of s and nutritious feed for healthy growth. B and g should not share the same b or even sleep in the same r. They may be afraid of the d. - from the work of Rachel Billmeyer
Word Play The Research to Support It Word play is motivating and an important component of the word-rich classroom. Word play calls on students to reflect metacognitively on words, word parts, and context. Word play requires students to be active learners and capitalizes on possibilities for the social construction of meaning. Word play develops domains of word meaning relatedness as it engages students in practice and rehearsal of words.
Take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Intaxication Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
Coming back to life as a hillbilly. Bozone The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn t get it. Inoculatte To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. Dopeler effect The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come to you rapidly.
A R M I E S Specific Confederacy Words Specific Union Words Rebel Sherman Military Words Rifle Infantry Sniper Battle and Places Atlanta
7-14 meaningful exposures to a word before it become part of your working vocabulary Best to explicitly teach the key vocabulary of the content area
For words that are conceptually difficult For words that relate to a single topic For words that are important Important to understanding the assigned reading Important to general utility in the language
Word Recognition Chart commission rendezvous secede diplomacy strategy tactic corps regiment Confederate
TYPE words in ALPHABETICAL order on one half of page (folded vertically) Write a quick description of the word in as few a words as possible (one line only) Use word recognition chart to front-load the words prior to students reading the assignment
What activities do I ask students to do to learn the vocabulary terms? Generate own explanations/descriptions Create nonlinguistic/visual representations Ask questions to help generate information Other What opportunities to I provide to ensure periodic review? How do I monitor how well they know the terms? How do I help those struggling with terms/phrases?
What READERS can do: Use clues to help define the word Try to connect the unknown word to words/ideas/concepts they know Use available resources (e.g. glossary, thesaurus, dictionary) Know they must use the new word about 7 times in the next few days Create a definition in their own words Create a mental or visual image of the word Identify key characteristics of the word Identify examples and non-examples Periodically review their understanding of the word
What TEACHERS can do: Provide a consistent structure for attacking the new word. Make connections with students prior knowledge by telling stories or creating descriptions that explain the definition. Identify key characteristics of the word. Front load the vocabulary by sharing the words at the beginning of the new unit. Insist that students learn the meanings of prefixes, suffixes, and roots that are used often in their content area. Talk about how this strategy can help the students become independent strategic readers.
What It Is... And What It s Not Definition Characteristics Word What It Is... And What It s Not
Free Wheelin On each of the wheels, enter vocabulary words, parts or components of the subject of the reading, or important places or people from the reading. Randomly select a spoke from each wheel and combine the ideas or words together to form a new idea or strengthen your understanding of the two words or ideas. Wheel 1 Wheel 1 Choice: Wheel 2 Choice: How are the two choices connected Wheel 2 Wheel 1 Choice: Wheel 2 Choice: How are the two choices connected?
The Five-Step Process Using this five-step process will help you learn new words and phrases. The first two steps will be provided by your teacher. Make notes about what your teacher presents in the first two boxes. Add your own definition or explanation of the word or phrase in the fifth box and create another picture that helps you remember the word s meaning in the fourth box. The fifth box is used for additional examples or information that will help you expand your understanding of the word. WORD OR PHRASE: Teacher s Explanation: Teacher s Picture: My Own Explanation: My Own Picture: Additional examples or information that increases my understanding:
My Personal Vocabulary List Scan the reading assignment, looking for words that are unfamiliar to you. List those words in the left-hand column. Make a guess about what you think the word means in the middle column. As you read the text, use clues from the reading (or from the glossary) to explain what the word means. Unfamiliar Word My Guess about Its Meaning What It Really Means
Degrees of Meaning In describing or naming a situation or event there are often a variety of words that can be used. These words have degrees of meaning that can be put on a scale that shows how the intensity of the words relate to one another. Your teacher will provide you with a word. Your task is to find other words that are similar in meaning, but have various degrees of intensity. Write these words on the scale below in the order that you think indicates the mildest to the strongest degree. Then in the space to the right of each word, write a definition or explanation that explains the each word. WORD: MEANING: WORD: MEANING: WORD: MEANING: WORD: MEANING: WORD: MEANING: WORD: MEANING:
VOCABULARY BINGO Randomly select 24 words from the list supplied by your teacher and write them in the blank squares below. As your teacher gives you the definition of a word, circle the word that matches the definition on your BINGO card. Call out Bingo when you have completed a row, column or diagonal line of five words in a row. B I N G O FREE
INDEPENDENT STRATEGIC READERS: 1. Know how to approach new words and increase vocabulary. 2. Connect new knowledge to make personal meaning. 3. Think ahead to what might be coming in the reading. 4. Continually evaluate one s own understanding of what is read. 5. Create images of what is read. 6. Periodically summarize what is read. 7. Use text features, cues and organizational patterns. 8. Have a plan for how to approach the reading task.
The Reading Assignment: Do students know WHAT to read? Do students know WHY they re reading (purpose)?
The Reading Assignment
Read Process Discuss vs. Frontload Read Process/ Discuss 1/17/2013 71
The Reading Assignment: Do students know WHAT to read? Do students know WHY they re reading (purpose)? Are students prepared? WHAT do they BRING TO the reading?
READING ASSIGNMEN T PLANNING Reading Assignment: Purpose / Expected Results: Vocabulary: Words I Don t Know: Pay Special Attention to:
READING ASSIGNMENT PLANNING Reading Assignment: Purpose / Expected Results: Vocabulary: Text Features Italicized words Bold-faced words To Watch: Headings / sub-headings Footnotes Pictures / Graphs Suggested Reading Scan Summarize Tips: Make predictions Analyze perspective Make inferences Organize details Use a graphic organizer Take notes Pay Special Attention to:
To increase student understanding of the content area, help them become better readers of content area text.
1. Have strategies to use when encountering new words. 2. Connect new knowledge to make personal meaning. 3. Think ahead to what might be coming in the reading. 4. Continually evaluate own understanding of what is read. 5. Create images of what is read. 6. Periodically summarize what is read. 7. Use text cues and features and text organization to aid understanding. 8. Have a plan for how to approach the reading task.
Category Effect Size %ile Gain # Studies Identifying similarities and differences 1.61 45 31 Summarizing and Note Taking 1.00 34 179 Reinforcing effort and providing recognition.80 29 21 Homework and practice.77 28 134 Nonlinguistic representations.75 27 246 Cooperative learning.73 27 122 Setting objectives and providing feedback.61 23 408 Generating and testing hypotheses.61 23 63 Questions, cues and advance organizers.59 22 1251
Readers construct meaning from the information the author provides in the text and the information they bring to the text. External Text (Author) Text Meaning Internal Text (Reader)
In the early 1860 s, A issued the Emancipation. This order freed millions of s. The C had the authority to enforce this order. Emancipation alone did not give the former s a new life. Decades of economic hardship and unequal rights continued. A plan was supported by many R.
In the early 1860 s, Alexander II issued the Emancipation Edict. This order freed millions of serfs. The Czar had the authority to enforce this order. Emancipation alone did not give the former serfs a new life. Decades of economic hardship and unequal rights continued. Alexander s plan was supported by many Russians. From Teaching Reading in Social Studies by Doty, Cameron and Barton
The brain searches for familiar patterns in new information. The brain only pays attention to meaningless information for a short time; if it cannot make sense out of it, it will not process the information further.
ATTENTION!!! Anything that captures students attention and gets their minds engaged, has the potential to produce learning. No attention / engagement = NO LEARNING. To what do your students pay attention?
The KEY PREDICTOR of successful comprehension is BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE. How do you help students prepare for the reading task?
Pre-Reading: What do I already know or think I know about the topic? During Reading: How does what I am learning make sense with what I already know? After Reading: What new learning did I gain from the text? What did I read about that I didn t know before?
What READERS can do: Be aware that their prior knowledge is important to understanding the text Seek new ways to connect new knowledge to what they already know Read widely from multiple sources Constantly increase background knowledge experiences Take a few seconds before reading to review what is already known Demonstrate interest in multiple topics Read and discuss often to deepen their understanding Share ideas with another person about what is known about the topic prior to reading
What TEACHERS can do: Provide multiple opportunities for students to read Encourage students to share their experiences Use graphic organizers to help students make connections Use brainstorming to identify prior knowledge and interests or experiences Plant seeds in early units to create prior knowledge Share content-specific vocabulary at the beginning of the unit Give opportunities for students to see how things are alike and different Encourage students to re-read when they don t understand, stopping to think about how the reading relates to their own life and experience Provide reflective journals with prompts or questions to help student connect their learning with their prior knowledge
How Sure Are You? Pencil Facts I m not too sure about this Ink Facts I m pretty certain these are true In Stone Facts I know for sure that these are true
What do I already know about this topic? Ready-Set-Go-Whoa! Learning Ready Set Go Whoa What do I think I will What new information did learn? I learn? What questions do I still have about this topic? 90 second scan
What do I already know about this topic? Ready-Set-Go-Whoa! Learning Ready Set Go Whoa What do I think I will What new information did learn? I learn? What questions do I still have about this topic?
Connections, Points and Questions!!!!!!!!!!! Connections This matches something I already knew! ********* Most Important Points This seems to be the main ideas of the reading.????????? Questions I Have I m not sure I still understand what this means.
Differences Common Ground Similarities Differences
Comparison Matrix Chart Characteristics Items to Compare Type of Government Gross Domestic Product Population Population Growth Rate United States Federal Republic 9,255 Trillion 248,058,881.9% Canada Federation of 10 Provinces and 3 Territories 722.3 Billion 31,592,805.4% India Federal Republic 1,805 Trillion 1,029,991,145 1.55% Cuba Communist State 18.6 Billion 11,184,023.5% Japan Constitutional Monarchy 2.95 Trillion 126,771,662.17% CONCLUSIONS Both U.S. and India are Federal Republics. The per capita dollars would be much higher in the United States than in the other countries. Japan s birthrate is significantly lower.