Students come to our classes with a large amount of cultural and contextual knowledge, as well as some basic knowledge about that which they are going to learn.
2. Use multiple forms of text.
Texts should not only come from textbooks, but also non-traditional sources such as web-based texts.
3. Literacy lessons should be authentic to your content area.
For example, literacy in a music classroom may be different by nature than a mathematics classroom. Literacy-based lessons, then, should reflect the ways of knowing that are unique to the discipline.
4. Use available technological resources.
Research suggests that the use of certain types of software and online discussion groups can positively affect the level of students' understanding, and the quality of their writing.
5. Teach your student to think like experts!
Model your thought processes explicitly for students so that they can see how experts think.
6. Foster your own learning!
Learn and know the traits that expert teachers possess, and try to incorporate those traits into your own teaching. In addition, teachers who learn new instructional strategies can positively affect students' achievement.
I enjoyed watching your video and reviewing the toolkit. It will be interesting for you to compare your toolkit to that of a so-called expert. Next week, I will upload an article which provides a "content literacy toolkit for teachers" which was recently published in The Reading Teacher (a journal of the International Reading Association).
ReplyDeleteThroughout the video, you identified several very important points. First, the use of alternative texts and emerging technologies, which our students frequently use and know how to utilize often better than their teachers in many instances. Second, incoroporating students' culture into classroom instruction. Also, how we need to begin to think like experts.
Additionally you discussed the two hats that you have to navigate, that of a teacher and a researcher. I will add that you also "wear" the student hat, too. Wearing the "student hat" is important when reading the articles because it helps you to critique the "experts" on a practical level.
As a researcher you're learning the different styles, frameworks and theoretical differences among journals. Hopefully this helps you to understand that research is conducted in many ways. We conduct research on a continuum and all researchers work within their different "camps". Within quantitative & qualitative research exist various ideological, conceptual and theoretical "camps" which all see the world differently (and publish their research in different journals).
You identified important points that I hope you will incorporate into your classroom and share with your colleagues. I look forward to your upcoming responses.