Adolescent Literacy Adolescent Literacy ““Literacy is typically measured as reading and writing. The Fail-Safe Literacy is typically measured as reading and writing. The Fail-Safe

definition of literacy is defined as listening, viewing, thinking, speaking, definition of literacy is defined as listening, viewing, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, and expressing through multiple symbol reading, writing, and expressing through multiple symbol

systems at a developmentally appropriate level.” systems at a developmentally appropriate level.” ~Rosemary Taylor~Rosemary Taylor

Activating Organizing Comprehending Summarizing Lesson Planning NCTA SIOP Resources

Activating StrategiesActivating Strategies Aid in connecting to prior knowledge and help students Aid in connecting to prior knowledge and help students

to understand new information by activating sensory to understand new information by activating sensory receptors: sight, sound, touch, taste and maybe even receptors: sight, sound, touch, taste and maybe even emotion.emotion.

Adolescent students need strategies to help them Adolescent students need strategies to help them comprehend and retain information.comprehend and retain information.

Sample StrategiesSample Strategies

Organizing StrategiesOrganizing Strategies

Planning an activity that requires students to transform Planning an activity that requires students to transform or organize information helps the brain with processing or organize information helps the brain with processing and builds capacity.and builds capacity.

““The average student with the aid of graphic organizers The average student with the aid of graphic organizers and thinking maps learns as much as a 90 percentile and thinking maps learns as much as a 90 percentile student studying the same material without assistance of student studying the same material without assistance of the organizational ideas.” Wang (1986) the organizational ideas.” Wang (1986)

The brain filters out 99% of what it receives The brain filters out 99% of what it receives using selective auditory and selective using selective auditory and selective

attention. This is called the “Cocktail Party attention. This is called the “Cocktail Party Effect.”Effect.”

This explains why students cannot simultaneously listen This explains why students cannot simultaneously listen to the teacher and take notes effectively.to the teacher and take notes effectively.

Students cannot distinguish from what is being said and Students cannot distinguish from what is being said and what is important enough to write down.what is important enough to write down.

““In most learning situations, we are required In most learning situations, we are required to hold some bits of information in our minds to hold some bits of information in our minds

while manipulating it.” Patricia Wolfewhile manipulating it.” Patricia Wolfe(2001)(2001)

There are two major ways to help students process There are two major ways to help students process information:information:

Transforming—writing, discussion, social/interactive Transforming—writing, discussion, social/interactive activityactivity

Transforming information into a graphic organizerTransforming information into a graphic organizer

Sample StrategiesSample Strategies

To comprehend is to “grasp the meaning.”To comprehend is to “grasp the meaning.”

Comprehension is “knowledge gained by Comprehension is “knowledge gained by comprehending” and it is also the “capacity for comprehending” and it is also the “capacity for understanding.”understanding.”

Sample StrategiesSample Strategies

Comprehending Strategies

To maintain information in long-term To maintain information in long-term memory, students need rehearsal of the memory, students need rehearsal of the

material and a mechanism through which to material and a mechanism through which to transfer the information into long-term transfer the information into long-term

memory.memory.

Rote rehearsal is deliberate repetition in the same Rote rehearsal is deliberate repetition in the same fashion.fashion.

Elaborate rehearsal is elaborating or integrating Elaborate rehearsal is elaborating or integrating information, giving it some kind of meaning, information, giving it some kind of meaning,

resulting in creating chunks of meaningful resulting in creating chunks of meaningful

material.material.

What happens when we don’t provide What happens when we don’t provide students time to rehearse and comprehend?students time to rehearse and comprehend?

We produce students with fragile knowledge that don’t We produce students with fragile knowledge that don’t remember after the test or don’t know how to use the remember after the test or don’t know how to use the information.information.

There is no transfer to long term memory for life-long There is no transfer to long term memory for life-long use.use.

Transfer to Long Term MemoryTransfer to Long Term Memory

““If the teacher does all the interacting with the materials, If the teacher does all the interacting with the materials, the teacher’s—not the student’s—brain will grow.” (Pat the teacher’s—not the student’s—brain will grow.” (Pat Wolfe, 2001)Wolfe, 2001)

The use of comprehending strategies The use of comprehending strategies

begins the brain’s transfer of information begins the brain’s transfer of information

from short term to long term memory.from short term to long term memory.

Summarizing Strategies Summarizing Strategies

Summarizing strategies are used to further promote the Summarizing strategies are used to further promote the retention of knowledge.retention of knowledge.

Through the use of engaging strategies designed to Through the use of engaging strategies designed to rehearse and practice skills, students are able to move rehearse and practice skills, students are able to move knowledge into their long-term memories.knowledge into their long-term memories.

Sample StrategiesSample Strategies

Lesson PlanningLesson Planning

The The North Carolina Teacher Academy (NCTA) North Carolina Teacher Academy (NCTA) has has developed a lesson format to use for embedding literacy developed a lesson format to use for embedding literacy strategies into the lesson plans for every content area.strategies into the lesson plans for every content area.

The The Sheltered Instruction Operations Protocol Sheltered Instruction Operations Protocol (SIOP)(SIOP), commonly used for instruction with English , commonly used for instruction with English Language Learners, also embeds literacy strategies for Language Learners, also embeds literacy strategies for use in all content areas. use in all content areas.

The NCTA lesson plan includes 5 basic The NCTA lesson plan includes 5 basic elements which teachers may use to embed elements which teachers may use to embed

literacy training into their daily lessons:literacy training into their daily lessons:

Essential QuestionEssential Question Activating StrategyActivating Strategy Organizing StrategyOrganizing Strategy Comprehending StrategyComprehending Strategy Applying/Summarizing StrategyApplying/Summarizing Strategy

The SIOP lesson plan includes 8 basic The SIOP lesson plan includes 8 basic elements which aid teachers in embedding elements which aid teachers in embedding

literacy strategies into daily instruction:literacy strategies into daily instruction: PreparationPreparation Building BackgroundBuilding Background Comprehensible InputComprehensible Input StrategiesStrategies InteractionInteraction Practice/ApplicationPractice/Application Lesson DeliveryLesson Delivery Review/AssessmentReview/Assessment Sample SIOP Lesson Plans

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources

50+ Strategies50+ Strategies Inspiration – makes/edits graphic organizers Inspiration – makes/edits graphic organizers Reading Strategies and PracticeReading Strategies and Practice RubistarRubistar

Source CreditSource Credit Wang, M. C., Reynolds, M. C., & Walberg, H. J. (1986). Rethinking

special education.

Educational Leadership, 44, 26-31. Wolfe, Pat, Brain Matters: Translating the Research to Classroom

Practice, ASCD, Alexandria, VA, 2001