What Is It?

In secondary science classrooms where literacy development is a priority, reading, writing, and discussion happen on a daily basis. Understandings are built and expanded through the use of many kinds of texts, including the reading and analysis of essays, journal articles, Web sites, textbooks, and science fiction. Reading comprehension is supported through the use of electronic media, film, laboratory experiences, and visuals. The meanings of specialized vocabulary are actively constructed and reinforced; hypothesis, prediction, analysis and description occur in verbal and written form; and textbook features are explicitly introduced and used. The writing process is used to strengthen lab reports, analytic writing, solutions to problem sets, and research findings. The expectation is that students will be involved with active inquiry, that frequent presentation and discussion of findings, ideas and questions will occur, and that the reading and conducting of scientific research will be a part of the fabric of teaching and learning. Expectations are clear, there are choices in how students can present learning, students are grouped in various ways for different kinds of assignments, and student interests are taken into consideration.

Use of the following teaching and learning strategies will support literacy development and enhance understanding of Science content: KWL Plus, Inquiry Models, Concept Mapping, flowcharts, Reciprocal Teaching, use of WebQuests, dialogue journals, publishing annotated resource lists or research on Web sites, writing children's informational texts, electronic collaboration with scientists, investigative groups, debate, forums, Socratic Questioning, fishbowl discussions, Word Walls, hypermedia presentations, and electronic simulations. (Descriptions of many of these strategies can be found in the links under Key Component B.)

Students are working in pairs to complete a WebQuest on various earth science phenomena. As they learn what they see as the essential facts and find the most important images and definitions of key vocabulary, they import these to a Hypercard stack. Three pairs are each working on the same topic. These six must then work together to develop one Hypercard stack, which will form the basis for their presentation to their classmates and be an electronic text for others.

Before you can implement this Key Component, your stakeholders will need to consider some or all of these questions. The questions could be used in group discussions, needs sensing activities, and informal small-group conversations.

• How would planning and teaching change if the strategies described were common practice? How would they remain the same?

• What are the existing barriers to incorporating more of a literacy-focused approach to content area teaching and learning?

• What needs to happen to address these barriers?