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Reading & Reading & WritingWritingInformationInformationThe Reading StrandThe Reading Strand
Reading Information StrandSession 4
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Essential Questions
How doReading informational texts help build student
knowledge?
Informational texts significantly differ from literary texts?
Inquiry activities support comprehension of, and the acquisition of, knowledge from informational texts?
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Vision
Reading, writing, and language are tools for acquiring content knowledge.
The tools are specific to the content-area discipline and are chosen purposefully.
Literacy supports inquiry and inquiry supports literacy ~ together they support knowledge acquisition.
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Objectives To understand the relationship between
comprehension, text, and inquiry. To identify and use text features and
structures effectively for instruction and learning.
To identify the cognitive strategies that support synthesis of meaning between experience and text.
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Anchor Standards1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
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Anchor Standards6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and
style of a text. 7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.**
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
10.Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
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The Coding System“Make your reading thinking intensive.” Harvard University
= I knew that.
X = This contradicts my expectations.
= This is important.
? = I have a question.
?? = I am confused.
! = This is exciting or surprising to me.
L = I learned something new.
(Harvey & Daniels, 2009, p. 93)
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Reading and Writing are not About Reading in General or Writing in General
You read and write particular texts.Reading and writing depend upon the
existence of, acquisition of, and utilization of knowledge - knowledge of particular disciplines, domains of inquiry, topics, patterns, concepts and facts - content curriculum.
(Pearson & Cervetti, 2009)
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Tools by Discipline
Academic Disciplines
Science Social Studies
Math Literature
Reading
Writing
Language(Pearson & Cervetti, 2009)
Language
Tools
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Increase Opportunities to Read
Informational Text (Duke, 2004)
Recommendations for Elementary Teachers - Increase access to informational texts.Increase time for learning information.Teach comprehension of informational text.
strategies, structures, features, languageCreate authentic purposes to read, discuss,
and write informational text.
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Defining Informational Texts (Duke, 2003)
Informational texts have many or all of these features:Communicate information about the worldFactual contentTimeless verb constructionsGeneric noun constructionsTechnical vocabulary
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Defining Informational Texts (Duke, 2000)
Informational texts have many or all of these features:Classificatory or definitional materialText structures (e.g., comparison, causation,
problem/solution)Repetition of topical themeGraphical elements (e.g., diagrams, maps,
timelines, etc.)
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Building a Conceptual Framework
“Provide students with conceptual structures and tools with which to organize and manipulate factual
knowledge” (Ashby, Lee, & Shemilt, 2005)
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Close Reading – Critical Thinking
Look up geodes on Wikipedia.Read the passage on formation.Find at least 2 reputable websites that
either support or refute the Wikipedia report.
What are your conclusions?Keep your notes in your notebook.
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Roles of Text in Inquiry
Engage students in first-hand and second-hand investigations to make sense of the natural world. (Pearson & Cervetti, 2009)
Support those investigations with appropriate texts.
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Text UseStages
Provide Context
DeliverContent
Model Support SecondhandInquiry
SupportFirsthandInquiry
Immerse X X X
Investigate X X X X X
Coalesce X X X X
Go Public X X X
Text Use in Stages of Inquiry
“Today’s new knowledge is tomorrow’s background
knowledge.”
Pearson & Cervetti, 2009
Knowledge
Comprehension
Activating
Knowledge
Building
Knowledge
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Prior Knowledge is Variable:Concept Maps Provide Insight to Schema
Eggs:In the Eye of the
Beholder
Shape: round (turtles), oval (some insects), pointed (sea birds), tubular (some sharks)
Size: microscopic (some fish & insects) to large (ostrich/dinosaur)
Texture: smooth (most birds), rough ( some large birds), gooey (fish & amphibians), soft & rubbery (reptiles)
Color: spotted, speckled, solid, nearly all colors on the spectrum represented
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Prior Knowledge is VariableConcept Maps Provide Insight to Schema
Eggs: Incredibly Edible
Omelets: eggs, water, & butter w/ veggies, cheese, meat, seasonings as desired
Benedict:: English muffin, ham or bacon, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce
Sunnyside Up: butter, egg, salt & pepper
Scrambled: eggs, whole milk, butter, salt & pepper, other seasonings as desired
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Activating prior knowledge is like preparing the soil before sowing the seeds of knowledge.
Jim Cummins, 2006
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Strategies to Build Background KnowledgeAnticipation Guides, Focus Lessons Brainstorming, Inventories, Semantic MappingClass Discussions, Pre-questionsVisual Aids, Virtual field trips, RealiaWord SplashCategoriesGraphic Organizers
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Comprehension
Surface RepresentationExact wording
Text-Based Representation (Kintsch & van Dijk, 1978)
Explicit meaning of the phrases
Situation or Mental ModelConnects text-based information to an existing knowledge
structure (van Dijk & Kintsch, 1983)
Provides a framework for incoming information (Zwaan &
Radvansky, 1998), resulting in a deeper understanding of text (Kintsch, 1994)
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Informational Text Matrix: Features(NAEP, 2009)
Textual
TitleHeadingSubheadingsSidebars
Graphical
LabelsLegendsItalicsCaptionsPhotos or
illustrationsCharts and tables
NAEP Informational Matrix
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Why teach text features?
Locating information is a form of strategic reading. (Armbruster and Armstrong, 1993).
Text features are road signs for the reader, pointing to what’s important. (Hoyt, Mooney,& Parkes, 2003).
Text features (table of contents, headings, indices, graphs, diagrams) inform the reader about the organization of the text. (Armbruster & Armstrong, 1993; Swan, 2003)
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Textual Features…help readers locate information or access the text.
Title Table of contents Introduction, preface Headings; subheadings Sidebars Italics Bulleted information Glossaries Index Afterward, Author notes Appendices
Provide points of entry
Help the reader locate information
Alert reader to the organization of text
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Graphical Features…are graphics that extend the running text.
Endpapers (pages) Labels and captions Illustration/photographs Diagrams: scale, cross
sections, cutaways, close-ups, flow charts
Graphs: line, bar, column, pie
Tables (charts) Maps: geographical,
bird’s-eye view Legends Timelines
Support the text
Build bridges
Signal importance
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Instructional Implications
Use overheads or BIG BOOKS for instruction (Duke & Bennett-Armistead, 2003)
Think Aloud How to use the textual features to locate text to
answer questions:Title, Table of Contents, Index, Headings, Index,
GlossaryHow to use the graphical features to support
comprehension of the text:Graphs, Diagrams, Tables, Maps, Timelines,
Cross-section or Cutaway, Bird’s Eye View, Close-up
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Instructional Activities
Search through books to identify and name the various text features and describe how the features help the reader.
Compare books and the usefulness of featuresIncorporate the features during writingAdditional center activities can be found at:
http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/PDF/G4-5/45CPartTwo.pdf
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Informational Text Matrix: Exposition(NAEP, 2009)
Text Structures:Organization
DescriptionSequenceCause and EffectComparison and ContrastProblem and Solution
Content FeaturesPoint of ViewTopics or Central IdeasSupporting Ideas and Evidence
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The Importance of Text Structure
Experienced/Skilled readers use the organization of the text (Danner, 1976; Meyer, Brandt, & Bluth, 1980; Taylor, 1980; McGee, 1982).
Less experienced/Less skilled readers who use the organization of the text recall more information than those who do not follow the organization of the text (Taylor, 1980).
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Signal Words
One way to support student understanding of text structure is to explain the types of signal words that usually appear in each structure type.
The Text Structure Reflection handout illustrates the Structure types Definitions of eachSignal words for each Graphic organizers appropriate to each.The chart is in the Participant Packet
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Instructional Activities toPractice Learning Text Structures
Response cardsText structure sort Matching structure to graphic organizerGenerate a written piece using the
various structures with signal words. http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/PDF/G4-5/45CPartTwo.pdf
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Activity: Response Cards
Using your response cards, read the following texts and determine the predominant text structure.
When asked to respond, hold your card up.
Be prepared to discuss why you selected that structure.
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Name That Structure
All clouds are made of water droplets. Fog, however, is a different type of cloud. The difference is that fog forms on the ground and the other clouds form high in the air.
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Name That Structure
It was 32 degrees Fahrenheit when precipitation fell from the clouds. Since it was freezing, the precipitation was in the form of snow.
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Name That Structure
Clouds are formed in the following way. First, water on the ground evaporates and turns into vapor. Next, the vapor condenses into tiny droplets and forms clouds. Finally, the clouds lose the water in the form of precipitation.
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Name That Structure
Different types of clouds have their own appearance. For example, some are wispy and thin and others are fluffy and shapely. Some people think cumulus clouds look like puffs of cotton.
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Name That Structure
Wild tigers are a rare sight these days. A hundred years ago, nearly 100,000 of the big cats lived in Asia. That’s because more and more people moved into forests where tigers live. They cut down the trees to make farms and factories. And they killed off of the tigers prey. So, with fewer places to live and less food to eat the number of tigers is shrinking.
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Name That Structure When the sun is hot and the tide is out, marine
iquanas know it’s mealtime. They wade into the surf, the large male iquanas swimming as far as a hundred yards from shore and holding their heads just above the water. The lizards’ short legs are useless for swimming, but their long, flat tails swish back and forth to help them move gracefully through the water. Then they dive, sometimes as deep as sixty feet, until they reach the ocean floor. There they cling to undersea rocks with their sharp claws. They push their flat snouts close to the rocks and graze on the delicious fuzz of red and green algae.
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Main Idea
Main idea is… the gist of a passage; central thought.
the chief topic of a passage expressed or implied in a word or phrase.
the topic sentence (if given) of a paragraph.
(Harris & Hodges, 1995)
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Essential Question
Why is it essential that we increase the volume of writing across the curriculum?
What opportunities exist to increase the volume of writing across the curriculum?
How does writing as part of the inquiry framework prepare students to be college and career ready?
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Vision
“ To build a foundation for college and career…students need to learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding…and conveying real and imagined experiences and events. …to appreciate that a key purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an external audience…to adapt form and content…to accomplish a particular task and purpose.”
10. Write routinely over extended and shorter time frames for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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Objectives
Identify standards for writing in the new framework.
Explore instructional activities that support informational writing.
Situate writing in the inquiry cycle.
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Anchor Standards for WritingText types and purposes
1. Argument supported by evidence
2. Information/explanation
3. Narrative
3a. Multiple genres - fiction, personal reflections, poetry, scripts*
* MA supplemental standard to match Reading - 8a
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Distribution of Communicative Purposesby Grade in The 2011 NAEP Writing Framework
Writing
GradeTo
PersuadeTo
ExplainTo ConveyExperience
4 30% 35% 35%
8 35% 35% 30%
12 40% 40% 20%Source: National Assessment Governing Board. (2007). Writing Frameworks for 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress. pre-publication edition: Iowa City, IA: Act Inc.
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Anchor Standards for Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Organization and coherence
5. Planning, revising, editing, rewriting
6. Use of technology for collaboration and publishing
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Anchor Standards for Writing
Research to build and present knowledge
7. Short and sustained research projects
8. Integration of information from several
sources
9. Use of evidence from texts, linking reading
and writing
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Integration of SkillsReading
Standard 1 – cite specific textual evidence - writing, speaking
Standard 2 - g. 4 – 12 – summarize text Standard 8a – study of specific genres Standards 6, 8 – point of view, evaluating argument and claimsStandard 7 – use of media
Speaking and Listening
Standards 1-3 taking a position, evaluating others
Standards 4-6 audience and purpose, use of media
Language Standards 1-2 command of conventions
Standards 3-5 strategic/domain use of language – audience, purpose
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To Build Universal Skills Think analytically/critically Take a position Access information Weigh and use evidence effectively Use media strategically Use language precisely Demonstrate agility, flexibility, and
adaptability to meet purpose and audience Gain independence
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The Miraculous Power of WritingPromotes
meta-cognitive awarenesshigher order thinkingreflectionprecision of thinking and expression
In short…
“…enables thought to operate much more deeply than it normally does during conversation or inward reflection” (1978, p. 22) RD Walshe The Learning Power of Writing, cited in Schmoker, M. 2006)
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Writing and Learning
“If students are to make knowledge their own, they must struggle with the details, wrestle with facts, and rework raw information and dimly understood concepts into language they can communicate to somebody else…if they are to learn, they must write.”
National Commission on Writing for America’s Families Schools and Colleges, College Board, p 47 (2003)
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Writing to Read
Reading comprehension improves when students1. Write about what they read.
Response to Text Write Summaries Write Notes Answer/Create Questions
2. Learn Writing Skills and Processes Process of Writing, Text Structures for Writing,
Paragraph or Sentence Construction Skills Sentence Construction Skills Spelling Skills
3. Write Often(Graham, S., and Hebert, M. A. (2010). Writing to Read, Carnegie Report.Graham, S (2011)– Writing and Writing Instruction Improve Reading –webinar April 21, 2011.)
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To Write Well
3 Critical Skills (from Part 2 – last slide)Be automatic with basic skillsBe facile with sentence constructionUse strategies aptly
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Be Automatic with Basic Skills
How fluent you are with spelling and handwriting (or typing) has a direct impact on how much writing you produce.Start early – think grades 1 & 2Handwriting gets better the more you write
Skilled writersThink overallConsider audienceMonitor their writing
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Be Facile with Sentence Construction
Sentence combining improvesReading comprehension.Writing quality.
Teach basics early.Practice often.
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Use Strategies Aptly
Knowledge of strategies has a positive effect on writing production.PlanningOrganizingRevisingEditingEvaluating ideas
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Literacy Chart – All Subjects - Writing
to take notes to explain one’s thinking to argue a thesis and support one’s thinking to compare and contrast to write an open response to describe an experiment, report one’s findings, and report
one’s conclusion to generate a response to what one has read, viewed, or heard to convey one’s thinking in complete sentences to develop an expository essay with a formal structure
Literacy Chart – Brockton High School
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Mentor Texts
Use mentor texts to exemplify genre.Persuasion
Letter to the editor/parent/principal/politicianTravel brochureFamous speechesCall to actionBlogPoster
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Mentor Texts
Use mentor texts to exemplify genre.Explanation
Text bookArticleRecipeDirectionsInformation about findings or
experiment/report
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Assessment
Writing improves whenTeachers assess over time.Peers assess – Writing Circles.Self assesses – Model reflection in
conferences.Not every piece needs to be
assessed/published
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Reading and writing are not about reading in general or writing in general
You read and write particular texts.Reading and writing depend upon the
existence of, acquisition of, and utilization of knowledge - knowledge of particular disciplines, domains of inquiry, topics, patterns, concepts and facts - content curriculum.
(Pearson & Cervetti, 2009)
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Instructional Activities
Search through books to identify and name the various text features and describe how the features help the reader.
Compare books and the usefulness of featuresIncorporate the features during writingAdditional center activities can be found at:
http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/PDF/G4-5/45CPartTwo.pdf
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Signal Words
One way to support student understanding of text structure is to explain the types of signal words that usually appear in each structure type.
The Text Structure Reflection handout illustrates the Structure types Definitions of eachSignal words for each Graphic organizers appropriate to each.The chart is in the Participant Packet.
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Activity: Writing
Generating Stories
The topic is: RocksWith a partner, use the graphic organizer to generate a
vignette utilizing the assigned text structure.Don’t forget to use the clue words and features.After you are finished, we will take turns reading
aloud and showing each of your vignettes. The other participants will identify the text structure that you used and respond using the text structure cards.
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Writing Volume
Increase writing because writingInfluences content retention.Boosts acquisition of content vocabulary.Enhances reading ability.
(Marzano, 2008;Hoyt, 2007; Stead, 2002 in Stead & Hoyt, 2011P. 11)
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What opportunities exist for students to write informational text?
In response to read aloudsWithin the inquiry cycleDuring Independent readingOn field tripsWhile doing research on the InternetIn music, art, library, and physical
education classes
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Audience Young children can learn audience awareness
when objectives are placed in a genuine, meaningful context. When the purpose is realistic and specifically defines a familiar audience, they can keep that audience in mind while writing.
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/teaching-audience-through-interactive-242.html
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Purposes and Text Types
Persuasion/argumentExplanation/information
InstructInform
NarrateRespond Other
Note-taking
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Research to Build and Present Knowledge
Conduct short and longer researchGather and synthesize information from
multiple sourcesDraw evidence from informational text
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Text Features to Communicate Information Graphically
PhotographIllustrationDiagramChartTable Flow ChartStory Board
MapLegend or keyCross sectionCutawayTimeline
(Tony Stead and Linda Hoyt, p. 15)
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Text Features to Draw Attention to Important Ideas and Concepts
Title or headlineHeadingSubheadingBold wordCaptionLabelIndex
Arrow BulletsText BoxCalloutTable of ContentsGlossary
(Tony Stead and Linda Hoyt, p. 15)
Developing Content Knowledge in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language
Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12
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Essential QuestionHow does the Massachusetts Curriculum
Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy complement the specific content demands of the disciplines?
•How is “disciplinary literacy” different from “teaching reading”?
•What does “disciplinary literacy” mean in terms of content-area instruction?
•How can content-area goals be furthered by thinking about “disciplinary literacy”?
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Who is Responsible for Which Portion of the Standards? Pre-Kindergarten - 5: standards for
reading, writing, speaking & listening, and language across the curriculum
Grades 6 - 12: Covered in two content area-specific sections
1. English language arts teachers2. Teachers of history/social studies, science,
and technical subjects
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Pre-Kindergarten to 12 Continuity
Each section is based on the same College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standard
Includes grade-specific standards aligned with the literacy requirements of the particular discipline
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Anchor Standard 8:For Informational Text
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the
relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
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Standard 8: for Informational TextGrade 2: Page 18
Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a
text.
Grade 11/12: page 52
Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in
seminal U.S.texts, including the
application of constitutional
principles and use of legal reasoning and the
premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public
advocacy.
Grade 7: page 51
Trace and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is
sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to
support the claims.
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Standard 8:for Literacy in History/Social Studies
Grades 6- 8: page 74
Distinguish among fact, opinion, and
reasoned judgment in a text.
Grade 11/12 page 74
Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them
with other information.
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Standard 8:for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects
Grades 6- 8: page 75
Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research
findings, and speculation in a text.
Grade 11/12 page 75
Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and
conclusions in a science or technical text,
verifying the data when possible and
corroborating or challenging conclusions
with other sources of information.
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What Does “Disciplinary Literacy” Mean?
Adapted from Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008, p. 44.
These are the more highly-specialized skills needed to read, interpret, synthesize, etc. within each discipline.
These are the skills that experts within each discipline rely upon to understand and communicate knowledge.
These skills build on general/common skills and strategies, but are more narrowly tailored.
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What Are We Asking of Students?
Beyond simply understanding the words, concepts embedded in content-area texts…
We are asking students to adopt particular ways of thinking about text in each of our classrooms.
We are asking them to adopt a particular way of reading and understanding texts.
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Texts Students Will Read
TextbooksFull length booksBook chaptersJournal and magazine articlesNewspaper articlesHistorically situated primary documentsMultimedia and digital texts
Lee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2009). Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem.
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There are a Number of “Generic” Strategies
Monitoring comprehensionPre-reading strategies (e.g., anticipation guides)Setting goalsThinking about what one already knowsAsking questionsMaking predictionsTesting predictions against the textRe-readingSummarizingLee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2009). Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem.
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How Can You Apply “Bridge” Strategies to Particular Disciplinary Needs?
Building prior knowledge
Building specialized vocabulary
Learning to deconstruct complex sentences
Using knowledge of text structures and genres to predict main and subordinate ideas
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How Can You Tailor “Content” Strategies to Particular Disciplinary Needs?
Mapping graphic (and mathematical) representations against explanations in the text
Posing discipline relevant questions
Comparing claims and propositions across texts
Using norms for reasoning within the discipline (i.e., what counts as evidence) to evaluate claims
Lee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2009). Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem.
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Writing in Content Areas…Just as much of the information processed in
content-area classes comes in textbooks and other print-related forms…
Much of the thinking and communicating students perform in our classes occurs in written form.
To encourage proficient disciplinary writing among our students, we must confront our own strengths/weaknesses as writers – as well as follow leading research on writing instruction.
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Some Quick Facts & Figures on Writing70% of students in Grades 4–12 are considered
low-achieving writers.
College instructors estimate that 50% of high school graduates are not prepared for college-level writing.
35% of high school graduates in college and 38% of high school graduates in the workforce believe that their writing does not meet expectations of quality.
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Some Quick Facts & Figures on Writing
About half of private employers and more than 60% of state government employers state that writing skills impact promotion decisions.
Poorly written applications are likely to doom candidates' chances for employment.
(Graham & Perin, 2007, Writing Next)
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Activity
Choose a text exemplar from Appendix B.
Tie this exemplar to reading and writing in your content area.
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Wrap-Up:I Used to Think… Now I Think…
I Used to Think ___________ about teaching reading/writing in my content area.
Now I Think ______________ about teaching reading/writing in my content area.
Share responses in content-area groups first, then across content areas.
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Additional ResourcesNew Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
http://www.doe.mass.edu/candi/commoncore/Massachusetts teacher domain
http://www.teachersdomain.org/
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Make the Connections
Quality texts and websitesPurposeful lessonsInstruction for all components Multiple resources, strategies and activitiesDiscussion and student collaboration
Literacy provides the tools for deep and lasting content learning!
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What to look for…
Use of the Inquiry ModelActivities to build/access background
Realia – artifacts, videos, virtual field tripsStudent collaboration
Idea circles – students reading different texts and sharing new learning
Activities based on purposeVocabulary development
Access words as well as content termsLots of opportunities for student practice
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What to look for…
Discussion replacing Q-A-EAccountable Talk – prompts used by teachersAccountable Talk – speaking & listening used by
students Informational writing
Authentic purposesAuthentic audiences
Every lesson infused with the literacy skills and strategies that support student learning and match other literacy opportunities.