Learning as a
Learning
as a
Social Process
Michelle
Keltner
Educators
must follow the student’s lead as they progress toward the goals of learning.
Literacy is a skill that can define a student’s achievement in many
areas. Teachers must work toward
designing lessons and providing learning environments that facilitate learning.
The following is a group of on-line resources that middle and secondary
teachers can utilize to maximize their teaching potential.
The websites noted compliment the information found in chapter one of: Brozo, W.G., & Simpson, M.L.(1999). Readers, teachers,
learners: Expanding literacy across
the content areas (3rd Edition). New Jersey: Merrill Prentice
Hall.
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/index.html
Kathy
Schrock is an educator providing a broad resource for educators.
New websites are provided each month as is a specific subject access area
for a wide variety of information. Specifically
Ms. Schrock provides information on language arts and reading. She does provide overviews of books and recommended reading
lists for middle and secondary students. For
teachers having difficulty with finding appropriate materials for students Ms.
Schrock does provide the Frye Readability Graph. The graph can be downloaded and specific directions are given
to implement the strategy.
http://mind.phil.vt.edu/www/1204crs.html
This
site provides reading strategies that are proven for their effectiveness.
They apply to a wide range of ages and each strategy is explained by the
author. The strategies discussed
are:
v
Previewing
v
Contextualizing
v
Questions
to understand and remember
v
Reflecting
on challenges to your beliefs and values
v
Outlining
and summarizing
v
Evaluating
an argument
v
Comparing
and contrasting related readings
This
site is sponsored by the Carroll County Public Library in Westminster, Maryland.
Books are divided into subject areas such as:
Caldecott, Fiction, Newberry, New Books, State Awards, etc…
This site is recommended by Reader’s Digest, World Almanac for Kids,
and is featured in, 1001 Best Websites for Educators.
The young adult section provides books for middle and secondary students. This section does provide more information than found in a
typical library catalog.
How the Language Really Works: The Fundamentals of Critical Reading and Effective Writing.
http://www.critical-reading.com/
This
site provides information on critical reading for middle and secondary students.
The author of the site, Dan Kurland, states that critical readers can
learn what to look for and how to think about what they find.
Mr. Kurland shows teachers that students read to restate the text,
describe the text, and to analyze the text.
He breaks his information down into the following areas:
1.
Reading/Writing – Learning to read and write
2.
Critical Reading and Critical Thinking
3.
Inference – Reading ideas as well as words
4.
Choices – The ingredients of texts
5.
Ways to Read – What a text says, does, and means
6.
Grammar – A grammar for reading and writing
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/reading
This
site provides information concerning reading as well as other topic areas.
This site would be useful to teachers who would like more information
concerning topics such as using “think-alouds” in reading instruction, peer
teaching in reading, and leveling books to readers.
Discussion groups are used to facilitate on-line chats.
Links to other literacy websites include the topics of children’s
literature, issues in literacy development, and reading research.
Useful Instructional Strategies for Literature-Based Instruction
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/lit_ins4.html
This
site provides specific strategies to be used for literature-based instruction.
Each strategy is described in detail as how to implement it and the
benefits of using it in the classroom. Strategies discussed are:
ü
Scaffolded
Instruction
ü
Modeling
ü
Cooperative
Learning
ü
Having
Choices
ü
Independent
Reading and Writing
ü
Modes of
Reading
ü
Prior
Knowledge Activation
ü
Responses
to Literature
Allington,
Richard L.(2000). What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing
Research-Based Programs. Longman Publishing.
Brozo,
W.G., & Simpson, M.L.(1999). Readers, teachers, learners:
Explanding literacy across the content areas(3rd Edition).
New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Harvey,
Stephanie.(2000). Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance
Understanding. Stenhouse Publishing.
Hoyt,
Linda(1998). Revisit, Reflect, Retell: Strategies for Improving Reading
Comprehension. Heinemann Publishing Company.
Moore,
David W.(1997). Developing Readers and Writers in the Content Areas: K-12(3rd
Edition). Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Tovani,
Cris & Oliver, Ellin(2000). I Read It, but I Don’t Get It:
Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent Readers. Stenhouse Publishing.