The reading crisisThe reading crisis

ACT reportACT report

In 2006, ACT, Inc., released a report In 2006, ACT, Inc., released a report called called Reading Between the Lines Reading Between the Lines that showed which skills that showed which skills differentiated those students who differentiated those students who equaled or exceeded the benchmark equaled or exceeded the benchmark score in the reading section of the score in the reading section of the ACT college admissionsACT college admissions

ACT reportACT report

Surprisingly, what chiefly distinguished the Surprisingly, what chiefly distinguished the performance of those students who had performance of those students who had earned the benchmark score or better earned the benchmark score or better from those who from those who had not had not was not their was not their relative ability in making inferences while relative ability in making inferences while reading or answering questions.reading or answering questions.

Instead, the clearest differentiator was Instead, the clearest differentiator was students’ ability to answer questions students’ ability to answer questions associated with associated with complex textscomplex texts

College and career readinessCollege and career readiness

The most important implication of this The most important implication of this study was that a pedagogy focused only study was that a pedagogy focused only on “on “higher-order” or “critical” thinking higher-order” or “critical” thinking was insufficient was insufficient to ensure that students to ensure that students were ready for college and careerswere ready for college and careers

What students could read, in terms of its What students could read, in terms of its complexity, was at least as important as complexity, was at least as important as what they could do with what they readwhat they could do with what they read

Reading comprehensionReading comprehension

A decline in K–12 text complexity A decline in K–12 text complexity and a and a lack of focus on lack of focus on independent reading independent reading of of complex texts, is a contributing factor to complex texts, is a contributing factor to the decline of the reading population.the decline of the reading population.

According to NAEP in 2007, high school According to NAEP in 2007, high school students are scoring lower than they did in students are scoring lower than they did in 1992.1992.

  

What research tells usWhat research tells us

Early learning gains in reading Early learning gains in reading disappear by the time a student is in disappear by the time a student is in 88thth grade grade

Early reading skills do not develop Early reading skills do not develop into complex skills needed to access into complex skills needed to access and comprehend disciplinary textsand comprehend disciplinary texts

A high school student who does well A high school student who does well reading in English class can suffer in reading in English class can suffer in biologybiology

State of US high schoolsState of US high schools

No grade specific or subject specific No grade specific or subject specific reading standards before the reading standards before the common corecommon core

Departmentalized teaching that Departmentalized teaching that limits the possibility of extended limits the possibility of extended literacy instructionliteracy instruction

Limited parental awareness of Limited parental awareness of literacy development and limited literacy development and limited help in reading after a certain agehelp in reading after a certain age

What research tells us..What research tells us..

There are differences in how the There are differences in how the disciplines create, disseminate and disciplines create, disseminate and evaluate knowledge: writing and reading evaluate knowledge: writing and reading needs to become more disciplinaryneeds to become more disciplinary

Need to look at the ‘intellectual” values of Need to look at the ‘intellectual” values of the discipline which means that we need the discipline which means that we need to teach students to read like historians- to teach students to read like historians- comprehension is fostered when teachers comprehension is fostered when teachers provide direct strategy instruction within provide direct strategy instruction within the context of their subjectthe context of their subject

Anchor standard for CCRAnchor standard for CCR

Analyze how 2 or more texts address Analyze how 2 or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors takeapproaches the authors take

Stepping upStepping up

Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose grades 6-8

Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat the same or similar topics including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts grades 9-10

Evaluate author’s differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning and evidence grades 11-12

Scaffolding Reading Scaffolding Reading Comprehension Comprehension

1. Main idea -use of graphic organizers1. Main idea -use of graphic organizers 2. Note-taking- ability to distinguish 2. Note-taking- ability to distinguish

and identify main ideas and relevant and identify main ideas and relevant details (2 column notes) details (2 column notes)

3. Summarizing – to express main 3. Summarizing – to express main ideasideas

4. Connect new information to old 4. Connect new information to old informationinformation

Scaffolding reading Scaffolding reading comprehensioncomprehension

5. Monitor reading comprehension 5. Monitor reading comprehension through questioning by slowing down through questioning by slowing down the reading processthe reading process

6. Read for purpose- usually implies 6. Read for purpose- usually implies asking an essential questionasking an essential question

7. Gradual release of responsibility 7. Gradual release of responsibility model (Pearson and Gallagher)- idea model (Pearson and Gallagher)- idea of making thinking visible by using of making thinking visible by using think aloudsthink alouds

Academic vocabularyAcademic vocabulary Adequate reading comprehension depends on a person Adequate reading comprehension depends on a person

already adequately knowing 90-95% of the textalready adequately knowing 90-95% of the text

Disciplinary literacyDisciplinary literacy

Intermediate Literacy

Basic

Reading Like Reading Like a Historiana Historian

http://sheg.stanford.edu/

Reading Like an HistorianReading Like an Historian1. Establish/review relevant content and 1. Establish/review relevant content and

historical context…context situates a historical context…context situates a document in time and placedocument in time and place

2. Set the historical question(s) that will 2. Set the historical question(s) that will guide students’ course of study.guide students’ course of study.

3. Work with sources, keeping the 3. Work with sources, keeping the emphasis on the historical question. emphasis on the historical question.

4. Engage in a whole class/small group 4. Engage in a whole class/small group discussion around the central historical discussion around the central historical question.question.

5. Produce an account (Answer the 5. Produce an account (Answer the historical question).historical question).

Historical Thinking as an Historical Thinking as an “Unnatural Act”-Sam Wineburg“Unnatural Act”-Sam Wineburg

Historians read differently than many of Historians read differently than many of our students have been taughtour students have been taught

Importance of guiding students to do Importance of guiding students to do sourcing, contextualizing, and close sourcing, contextualizing, and close reading as they work with a documentreading as they work with a document

http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/why.html

Wineburg “study”-Wineburg “study”-

Sat down with 8 historians and had them Sat down with 8 historians and had them “think aloud”on Battles of Lexington and “think aloud”on Battles of Lexington and Concord-asked them to rank Concord-asked them to rank “trustworthiness” of document by “trustworthiness” of document by “looking at subtext-”a text of hidden “looking at subtext-”a text of hidden meaningsmeanings

Then sat down with 8 students who Then sat down with 8 students who understood a text but didn’t understand understood a text but didn’t understand such things as author’s intent, the such things as author’s intent, the connotations, inferencesconnotations, inferences

Wineburg (con’t)Wineburg (con’t)

First thing that the historians did was First thing that the historians did was look at the source in contrast to students look at the source in contrast to students who looked at the words of the documentwho looked at the words of the document

Attribution of document more important Attribution of document more important than text for historian than text for historian

For students account and author were For students account and author were only “loosely connected”- they believe only “loosely connected”- they believe that the “truth” lies in the text- can’t that the “truth” lies in the text- can’t move beyond the literalmove beyond the literal

Central Historical QuestionsCentral Historical Questions

Why did the founding fathers keep Why did the founding fathers keep slavery in the Constitution if the slavery in the Constitution if the Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence claimed, “all men are created claimed, “all men are created equal?”equal?”

What are the international What are the international connections in the founders’ and connections in the founders’ and historians’ interpretations of the historians’ interpretations of the issue of slavery in the Constitution? issue of slavery in the Constitution?

Excerpt form Jefferson’s Slavery grievance

He [King George III] has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life & liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.

This … is the warfare of the CHRISTIAN king of Great Britain, determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought & sold,

he has… suppress[ed] every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce.

he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them, & murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another.

Working with the evidenceWorking with the evidence

Sourcing: think about the author and Sourcing: think about the author and creation of textcreation of text

Contextualizing: situate the Contextualizing: situate the document in time and placedocument in time and place

Close Reading: consider what the Close Reading: consider what the source says and the language used source says and the language used to say itto say it

https://bubbl.us/?h=b0bee/160121/72Ajqs3XY1uiE

Guided QuestionsGuided Questions1.1. How does the Slavery Grievance How does the Slavery Grievance

describe slavery? Who does Jefferson describe slavery? Who does Jefferson blame for the continuation of the blame for the continuation of the slave trade?slave trade?

2.2. Why does Jefferson italicize the word Why does Jefferson italicize the word “Christian?”“Christian?”

3.3. Why do you think that Thomas Why do you think that Thomas Jefferson wrote a paragraph about Jefferson wrote a paragraph about slavery when he wrote the slavery when he wrote the Declaration of Independence?Declaration of Independence?

The Slavery Grievance did not The Slavery Grievance did not make it into the Declaration of make it into the Declaration of

Independence despite the claim Independence despite the claim that, “all men are created equal.”that, “all men are created equal.”

Eleven years later, in 1787, the Eleven years later, in 1787, the founders drafted the founders drafted the

Constitution and they did not Constitution and they did not eliminate slavery. eliminate slavery.

Historical QuestionsHistorical Questions

Why did the founding fathers keep Why did the founding fathers keep slavery in the Constitution if the slavery in the Constitution if the Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence claimed, “all men are created equal?claimed, “all men are created equal?

What are the international What are the international connections in the founders’ and connections in the founders’ and historians’ interpretations of the historians’ interpretations of the issue of slavery in the Constitution?issue of slavery in the Constitution?

Historical EvidenceHistorical Evidence

The Records of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention of 1787

Historians Interpretations of Slavery in the Constitution

Debrief: Class Discussion of the Debrief: Class Discussion of the Historical QuestionsHistorical Questions

Why did the founding fathers keep Why did the founding fathers keep slavery in the Constitution if the slavery in the Constitution if the Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence claimed, “all men are created claimed, “all men are created equal?”equal?”

What are the international What are the international connections in the founders’ and connections in the founders’ and historians’ interpretations of the historians’ interpretations of the issue of slavery in the Constitution?issue of slavery in the Constitution?

Debriefing Might Also Focus On:Debriefing Might Also Focus On:

Overall did these men realize that slavery was a problem or contradiction?

Who did think it was a problem and who didn’t?

For those who did think it was a problem, why didn’t they do anything to abolish slavery/end the slave trade?

How does this issue extend beyond the borders of the United States?

Debrief Comment ProtocolDebrief Comment Protocol

Claim: Provide an answer/claim to Claim: Provide an answer/claim to the historical questionthe historical question

Evidence: Point out the Evidence: Point out the evidence/source that supports your evidence/source that supports your claimclaim

Analysis: Connect your evidence Analysis: Connect your evidence back to your claimback to your claim

Focusing a Discussion: Focusing a Discussion: Writing to LearnWriting to Learn

Producing an AccountProducing an Account

Guide students to create a written Guide students to create a written response to the historical questionsresponse to the historical questions