Improving Literacy Instruction: Strategies for All Content Areas Sebastian River Middle School

Instruction in Content-Area Classes “Content-area teachers use many strategies to support their students’ growth in academic literacy, but current research suggests that students’ growth in literacy could be further enhanced by providing more effective instruction in the following six ways.” Comprehension Strategies Discussion High Standards Reading-Writing Connection Motivation and Engagement Content Learning Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

Linking Content Area Effective Instruction to Classroom Instruction that Works Strategies The authors of Classroom Instruction that Works (Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock) provide nine research-based instructional strategies that align with effective literacy instruction in all content areas. The remainder of this presentation aligns one or more of the nine Classroom Instruction that Works strategies to the corresponding effective literacy instruction strategy. It is important to note that many of the Classroom Instruction that Works strategies overlap in more than one of the six effective instruction strategies.

Effective Instruction: Comprehension Strategies “Instruction and supporting practice that improves the use of effective reading strategies before, during, and after reading. Comprehension strategies are behaviors students can consciously apply to improve their understanding and learning from text.” Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

Corresponding Comprehension Strategy #1: Identifying Similarities and Differences “Presenting students with explicit guidance in identifying similarities and differences enhances students’ understanding of and ability to use knowledge.” “Asking students to independently identify similarities and differences enhances students’ understanding of and ability to use knowledge.” “Representing similarities and differences in graphic or symbolic form enhances students’ understanding of and ability to use knowledge.” “Identification of similarities and differences can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The identification of similarities and differences is a highly robust activity.” Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Examples of Similarities and Differences Comparing Classifying Creating Metaphors Creating Analogies How will you incorporate these strategies in your classroom?

Corresponding Comprehension Strategy #2: Nonlinguistic Representations “A variety of activities produce non-linguistic representations.” “Nonlinguistic representations should elaborate on knowledge.” Examples: Creating graphic representations, Making physical models, Generating mental pictures, Engaging in kinesthetic activities Graphic Organizers include: Descriptive Patterns, Time-Sequence Patterns, Process/Cause-Effect Patterns, Episode Patterns, Generalization/Principle Patterns, Concept Patterns How will you apply nonlinguistic representations in your content area? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Effective Instruction: Discussion “Opportunities for deeper, more sustained discussion of content from text. Extended discussions of text can be facilitated by the teacher, or can occur as structured discussions among students in cooperative learning groups.” Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

Corresponding Discussion Strategy #1: Cooperative Learning Five defining elements of cooperative learning: Positive interdependence, Face-to-face promotive interaction, Individual and group accountability, Interpersonal and small group skills, Group processing “Organizing groups based on ability levels should be done sparingly.” “Cooperative groups should be kept rather small in size.” “Cooperative learning should be applied consistently and systematically, but not overused.” “Of all classroom grouping strategies, cooperative learning may be the most flexible and powerful… teachers can use cooperative learning in a variety of ways in many different situations.” How will you incorporate this strategy in your content area? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Corresponding Discussion Strategy #2: Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers “Cues and questions should focus on what is important as opposed to what is unusual.” “ “Higher level” questions produce deeper learning than “lower level” questions.” “Waiting briefly before accepting responses from students has the effect of increasing the depth of students’ answers.” “Questions are effective learning tools even when asked before a learning experience.” “Advance organizers are most useful with information that is not well organized.” Different types of advance organizers produce different results.” How will you incorporate this strategy in your content area? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Effective Instruction: High Standards “Setting and maintaining high standards for the level of text, conversation, questions, and vocabulary reflected in discussions in reading and writing assignments.” Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback Corresponding High Standards Strategy #1: Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback “Instructional goals narrow what students focus on.” “Instructional goals should not be too specific.” “Students should be encouraged to personalize the teacher’s goals.” “Feedback should be “corrective” in nature.” “Feedback should be timely.” “Feedback should be specific to a criterion.” “Students can effectively provide some of their own feedback.” How will you incorporate this strategy in your content area? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Corresponding High Standards Strategy #2: Generating and Testing Hypothesis “Hypothesis generation and testing can be approached in a more inductive or deductive manner.” “Teachers should ask students to clearly explain their hypothesis and their conclusions.” Examples of Structured Tasks to Guide Students: Systems Analysis, Problem Solving, Historical Investigation, Invention, Experimental Inquiry, Decision Making How will you incorporate this strategy in your content area? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Effective Instruction: Reading-Writing Connection “Strengthening the reading-writing connection to improve student opportunities to reflect on the meaning of text and receive feedback on their reflections.” Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works Corresponding Reading-Writing Connection Strategy: Summarizing and Note taking “Notes should be considered a work in progress.” “Notes should be used as study guides for tests.” “The more notes that are taken, the better.” Example: Cornell Notes provide students with a template for note-taking and summarizing. Will Cornell Notes work in your content area? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Effective Instruction: Motivation and Engagement “Creating more engaging and motivating classrooms and interacting with students in a way that promotes internal motivational for reading. Students will learn to process text more deeply if their reading is relevant to their lives and they are pursuing meaningful learning goals in an atmosphere that supports their initiative and personal choices.” Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

How will you reward students for effort and academic achievement? Corresponding Motivation and Engagement Strategy: Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition “Rewards do not necessarily have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation.” “Reward is most effective when it is contingent on the attainment of some standard of performance.” “Abstract symbolic recognition is more effective than tangible rewards.” Examples: Specific Praise, Stickers, Stamps, PBS Rewards for applying the 4R’s (Ready, Respect, Responsible, and Righteous) in the classroom How will you reward students for effort and academic achievement? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

Effective Instruction: Content Learning “Teaching content knowledge to ensure learning of the most essential concepts by all students, even those who struggle to read the textbook. Teachers should use instructional methods, such as graphic organizers or concept comparison routines, that deepen understanding and show students better ways of learning new content on their own.” Retrieved from Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools: A Guide for Principals

Corresponding Content Learning Strategy: Homework and Practice “Parent involvement in homework should be kept to a minimum.” “The purpose of homework should be identified and articulated.” Homework Purposes: Practice and Preparation “When homework is assigned for the purpose of practice, it should be structured around the content with which students have a high degree of familiarity.” “If homework is assigned, it should be commented on.” What does homework look like in your class? Are using the strategy effectively? Retrieved from Classroom Instruction That Works

References Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works: Research Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Torgesen, J., Houston, D., & Rissman, L. (2007). Improving Literacy Instruction in Middle and High Schools – A Guide for Principals. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Center for Reading Research, Florida State University.