Professional Development

Academic Literacy

Together, we can make a difference.

What do we know about our students’ academic performance?

ELA Mathematics Science Social Science

24% of all students areProficient/ Advanced

16% 5% 16%

25.4% 16% 20.1% 17.4%

CST Results

2007

-200

820

06-2

007

What can we do to increase student achievement?

WASC recommends… utilizing instructional strategies that lead to

increased student performance. employing instructional strategies that increase

student participation. articulating daily learning outcomes to students

either verbally or by posting them visibly in the classroom.

checking for understanding to ensure all students are learning.

ECV CommitmentsCommitment 1: Articulate daily learning outcomes.

Commitment 2: Continue to teach academic reading strategies in all content areas.

Commitment 3: Increase students’ participation in collaborative learning environments.

Commitment 4: “A page a day” (Continue to challenge students by requiring daily notes).

Why did we choose to professionally

develop teachers by subject area?

1. Literacy skills should be taught in every discipline.

2. Students need to learn how to read andwrite in each subject area.

3. Teachers from common disciplines canwork together to how to effectively implement literacy strategies.

Learning Outcomes

Deepen teachers’ knowledge of academic reading strategies.

Explore ways to engage students in active reading.

Discuss possible ways to employ each strategy.

Quickwrite

Why might we have our students preread texts?

Think-Pair-Share

Create a list of pre-reading activities that you have used (or could use) in your

classes. Note: Prereading activities can happen within the text or outside of the

text.

What is the difference between prereading and during reading?

Prereading Strategies During Reading Strategies

15-20% of instructional time 60-70% of instructional time

Accesses prior knowledge Engages students in analytical thought

Builds background knowledge

Deepens students’ understanding of the text

Familiarizes students with the text

Develops in students the ability to access challenging

texts

Strategy 1: Marking the Text

Independently read the “Marking the Text” activity in your packet of materials.

Small Group Discussion and Poster Activity

1. How might we use this strategy with the texts we ask our students to read?

2. Record your ideas in a T-chart.

What could we have our

students underline?

What could we have our

students circle?

Group Discussion

How can we actively read textbooks? What are some practical strategies that we can

use?

Strategy 2: Writing and Drawing in the Margins

Independently read the “Writing and Drawing in the Margins” activity in your

packet of materials.

Quickwrite

How might we implement this strategy in our classes?

Strategy 3: Organizing and Categorizing Information

Look over the reference guides for graphic organizers and dialectical journals.

In pairs, discuss a strategy from the list below that you rarely (or maybe never) use. How might you use this strategy more often?

Graphic Organizers Dialectical Journals

Cornell Notes: “A page a day”

Think-Pair-Share

How can we have students take notes everyday? What are some effective ways

to manage this work?

Cornell Notes: “A page a day” When students are reading, listening to a

lecture, or gaining information in some other way, they should be documenting their learning and making meaning.

At the end of an activity, video, or some other presentation, you can have students create mind maps that summarize the essential information.

Cornell notes must be modeled and explicitly taught until students can take competent notes on their own.

Thank you for participating in this professional

development.

Remember, this stuff works.

Please contact Jonathan LeMaster for more support.