Draw from your experience to tell about an interesting and effective way that literacy was integrated as a focal point in a content area classroom other than English, e.g. math, social studies, science, etc. Share a tip, insight, or special story in such a way that will inspire others to try it (usually noticing a change in student achievement is a strong motivator)!
Research tells us...
That too many high school students lack the literacy skills to interact with content at the depth required by content area standards, that the literacy demands of the 21st century are more rigorous than ever before, and that adolescent literacy requires purposeful ongoing development to meet the difficulties presented by advanced texts.
The field tells us...
That secondary teachers believe that they teach content, not reading and writing. When students lack these skills, teachers enable them to "get by" without reading and writing to learn. Furthermore, secondary teachers do not have the skills and strategies to teach reading and writing. Lastly, even if they did, how can that ever be fit into content area courses on top of everything else?
Question:
How can high schools redesign themselves and provide secondary teachers with powerful and meaningful professional development that will result in the creation of teaching and earning communities focused on supporting ongoing adolescent literacy development and the use of reading and writing to learn?
