1. Literacy Across the Curriculum
VISS

2. Objectives
To understand what literacy is and how this is related to our own subject discipline at VISS
To identify literacy skills in different subject areas
To begin dialogue and development of a framework at VISS for literacy in order to improve literacy.

3. Agree or Disagree

4. Literacy is an important part of a students overall performance and success in school

5. Literacy can change over time ……..

6. From 1996 to 2006 the average
literacy demand for all American
occupations increased by 14%

7. Most school boards, provincial and state
governments have recognized the
importance of literacy and developed
initiatives to improve literacy by developing
frameworks for schools.

8. I have received literacy training and
fully understand what literacy
means in my subject discipline.

9. What is literacy?
Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute, and use printed and written materials associated with different contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable and individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her own knowledge and potential, and to participate in society as a whole.

10. But it is also …… Ability to interpret graphics
The ability to speak in multiple situations and communicate ideas effectively
The ability to comprehend what is heard
The ability to navigate a technological world
The ability to write effectively in multiple genres

11. Secondary teachers tend to underestimate the literacy demands of their subject areas.
Content area teachers are largely unaware of their own specialized literacy expertise.
To support the content literacy learning of their students, teachers need to learn to see past their “expert blind spots.”

12. So when thinking about literacy as “English” we should really be thinking like this ………

13. Technology and ICT
Business
Math
Literacy
The Arts
Humanities
Science
English

14. Summarize the graph.

15. Here were the responses
The line is going up
The line is blue
There are numbers
WHY DID THEY MAKE THESE CONCLUSIONS OR SUMMARIES?

16. What are the academic literacy demands in my content area?
Use the chart paper. Work with someone on your faculty and discuss what are skills, tasks and demands required for the content area. Think of a way you can display this information.
(Think of this in terms of what do they read, what do they need to write, and what are oral/listening skills they need in my subject area to be successful).

17. Content Area lesson through a literacy lens
Use the reading and discuss how you would teach the content through a literacy lens.

18. What’s in it for us?
Literacy supports learning. Pupils need vocabulary, expression and organisational control to cope with the cognitive demands of all subjects.
Writing helps us to sustain and order thought.
Better literacy leads to improved self-esteem, motivation and behaviour. It allows pupils to learn independently. It is empowering.
Better literacy raises pupils’ attainment in all subjects.’

19. Summary
Understand it’s in everyone’s best interest to focus on literacy
When planning lessons/units try to think about literacy and use your literacy lens
Understand what literacy skills are needed to be successful in my content area and can be readily taught explicitly