Content Area Literacy Strategies

Katie McKnight, Ph.D.Katie@KatherineMcKnight.com

www.KatherineMcKnight.com

Twitter: @LiteracyWorld

Facebook: Katie McKnight Literacy

Some Reminders about Content Literacy

Assumptions Underlying Content Literacy

Subject Matter

Role of the Textbook

Active Readers

Independent Readers

What is Content Literacy?Generally defined as “the

ability to use reading and writing for the acquisition of new content in a given discipline” (McKenna & Robinson, 1990, p. 184)

Schema and Comprehension

Activating prior knowledge with prereading guidesAnticipation guidesContent Reading Activities like: KWL, SQ3R, and

DRTAStory ImpressionVocabulary Exercises

The Impact of Schema on Content Literacy

Source: Alvermann, D. and Phelps, S. (2002). Content Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms. (5th Ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

More on SchemaThe notes were sour because the seam split.

Source: Alvermann, D. and Phelps, S. (2002). Content Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms. (5th Ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

More on Schema

The batsmen were merciless against the bowlers. The bowlers placed their men in slips and covers. But to no avail. The batsmen hit one in four after another along with an occasional six. Not once did a ball look like it would hit their stumps or be caught.Source: Alvermann, D. and Phelps, S. (2002).

Content Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms. (5th Ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Hints for Struggling ReadersProvide readers who struggle to decode with

opportunities to hear the text read aloud (tape assist)

Give readers for whom word recognition is a problem supplemental materials that include visual clues to word meaning (or use manipulatives in math)

Allot additional time for readers who struggle to complete assignments

Encourage struggling readers to use the internet because often the symbols and icons that are quite bothersome to good readers provide a means for struggling readers to construct meaning

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Components of Reading

Alphabetics: understanding and using the sounds thatmake up words (phonemic awareness) and the letters thatcorrespond to those sounds (decoding) and being able torelate the letters and sounds to the particular words theyrepresent (word recognition)

Fluency: identifying words accurately in an effortlessmanner and being able to read them in text with appropriateintonation, stress and phrasing

Vocabulary: knowing and understanding the meanings ofwords and using them with flexibility and precision

Comprehension: the process and product of constructingmeaning from what is read, involving an interaction betweena reader and a text, for a purpose and within a context

Sample Reading ActivitiesBefore Reading (Pre Reading)

During ReadingAfter Reading

KWL

K= What the reader already knows

L= What I learned

L= What the reader wants to learn or know.

“THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO”Edgar Allan Poe----Sample Anticipation Guide

DIRECTIONS: Put an “X” in the space to indicate whether or not you agree or disagree with the corresponding statement.

AGREE

DISAGREE

STATEMENT

1) Revenge is a learned behavior.

2) It is OK to do something as long as you don’t get caught.

3) Time eases a guilty conscience.

4) Trust no one.

5) Pride goes before a fall.

6) Greed destroys.

7) Keep you friends close and your enemies closer.

Daniels, H. and Zimmerman, S. (2004). Subjects Matter: Every Teachers’ Guide to Content –Area Reading. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, p 121.

Sketch Through Text

Stop and Write

SQ3R

DRTA

DRTA

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Story ImpressionStep One

Make a 3 column chart on a sheet of paper.

Label it like this:

Word Group Definition

The Dictionary Definition

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Story ImpressionStep TwoIn your group, assign a definition to each word.

Step ThreeCreate a story using each word with the definition

that your group assigned.

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Story ImpressionStep Four

We will now read the text from which the words were selected. As we read, write the new definition for each word in the 3rd column.

Author’s ChairSelect a reader from your group.

Volunteering for the “Author’s Chair”Clap when author goes to the chairRead the pieceClap when the author has finished readingDiscuss what we liked about the storyClap again when the author leaves the Author’s

Chair

Story Impressionintroduces vocabulary

taps into students’ prior knowledge

catapults the reader into active reading and comprehension

VOCABULARY AND TERMINILOGY

28Samples are from: McKnight, K. (2010). The Teacher's Big Book of Graphic Organizers: 100 Reproducible Organizers that Help Kids with Reading, Writing, and the Content Areas. Jossey-Bass.

29Samples are from: McKnight, K. (2010). The Teacher's Big Book of Graphic Organizers: 100 Reproducible Organizers that Help Kids with Reading, Writing, and the Content Areas. Jossey-Bass.

Concept Sorts What is it?

Introduces students to the vocabulary of a new topic or book.

Students are provided with a list of terms or concepts from reading material.

Students place words into different categories based on each word's meaning.

Categories can be defined by the teacher or by the students.

When used before reading, concept sorts provide an opportunity for a teacher to see what his or her students already know about the given content. When used after reading, teachers can assess their students' understanding of the concepts presented.

Concept MapYou or the student selects a word or concept for the center box of the organizer. In the box directly above, students should write the dictionary definition of the word or concept.

Students should record key elements of the word or concept in each of the boxes on the upper left side.

In each of the boxes on the upper right side, the students should record information that is incorrectly assigned to the word or concept.

Examples of the word or concept are recorded in the boxes along the bottom of the page.

The ‘‘What is it like?’’ and ‘‘What is it NOT like?’’ boxes can be particularly challenging.

Be sure to model responses to these or allow students to work in pairs so that they will have greater success in completing this activity.

Word Detective The importance of encouraging students to

study words cannot be emphasized enough.

In this center, students are prompted to research the etymology of words (and content area terms) and connect visual images to the words that they encounter.

Creating Slide Showswww.photopeach.co

m

Sample from an Algebra teacher

http://photopeach.com/album/tculv0?invitecode=b684ea3b5c

Vocabulary Demonstration Lesson

http://www.adlit.org/media/mediatopics/vocab/

http://www.adlit.org/media/mediatopics/vocab/

VisualsGraphic Organizers and other visuals support

student comprehension and understanding of text.

Here is an example from a Social Studies teacher

http://www.adlit.org/media/mediatopics/contentarea/

Six Ways to Use Textbooks More Effectively

1. Empathy- Do you remember when you had difficulty in a subject and the text was difficult?

2. Help the students to get started. We need to “front-load” our teaching.

3. Don’t leave kids alone with their textbooks.

4. Choose wisely. Be selective with assignments. Be strategic about what is most important.

5. Supplement richly.

More Resourceswww.readingquest.org

www.adlit.org

www.readwritethink.org

How to Reach MeEmail: Katie@KatherineMcKnight.com

Website: www.KatherineMcKnight.com

Twitter: @literacyworld

Facebook: Katie McKnight Literacy

For more materials and updated powerpoint, see my blog at www.KatherineMcKnight.com

and http://goo.gl/J242X for additional

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