Lesson Plan Critiques:

Original Lesson Plans:

Lesson Plan #1

Autobiography using a Digital Photoessay

Period/Class Title: English 9, Day 1

Name: Myriam GodfreyÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ # of students: 25

OBJECTIVE:

To create a written and photographic autobiography using technology.

MATERIALS:

15 digital cameras

use of a 25 student computer lab or in room computers

sample photoessays from a variety of sources (Life Magazine, Time, the Whitehouse website)

NOTES:Ý

Make sure that the cameraís memory media has been erased, they have functioning batteries and that students and their parents have read and understand the policies around their use.

Confirm the use of lab timesÝ for following dayÝ and insure that students know to meet in that classroom.

Confirm version and functionality of PowerPoint in the labs matches the computers in the room.

Make storage space on LAN for each student to store pictures and essay, and that they know how to gain access to it.

STEPS:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ANITICIPATORY SET (Draw on students prior/background knowledge)

1. Class discussion on what is autobiography, as a genre, as process 10 min

2.Ý Discussion of autobiographies students have read, which should include at least one of three that were read as a class assignment (Best Seat in the House, I know why the caged bird sings, Something to Declare, etc) 10 minutes

3 Students do a quick outline which explains what they will cover in their autobiographies. They need to cover, predictably, birth, family, school, home and hopes for the future. Need at least three concrete ideas for pictures before they can get a camera 15 min

4 See how many students have used the digital camera before, and do a quick lesson on how to use it. 10 mi

5. If time, students practice taking pictures with digital camera

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY:Ý (Extension Activity)

As homework, students will take pictures of school and home, they should come back with the media filled (usually 24 pictures). Pictures must reflect the students outline.

LITERACY ASPECT:

Students will reflect on their lives, write an outline, work with technology and be able to relate this process to literature that they have read.

REFLECTION/RESPONSE: Ý(How did the lesson go?Ý Successful?Ý NeedsÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Improvement?)Ý

This lesson may need to be broken up over several periods. Can students be trusted to bring the cameras back?

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Meets the following California State Standards:

2.1: Write biographical or autobiographical narratives or short stories:a. Relate a sequence of events and communicate the significance of the events to the audience.
b. Locate scenes and incidents in specific places.
c. Describe with concrete sensory details the sights, sounds, and smells of a scene and the specific actions, movements, gestures, and feelings of the characters; use interior monologue to depict the charactersí feelings.
d. Pace the presentation of actions to accommodate changes in time and mood.
e. Make effective use of descriptions of appearance, images, shifting perspectives, and sensory details.

1.3: Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of grammar, para-graph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.

1.4: Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

1.5: Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements, including title page presentation, pagina-tion, spacing and margins, and integration of source and support material (e.g., in-text citation, use of direct quotations, paraphrasing) with appropriate citations.

1.8: Design and publish documents by using advanced publishing software and graphic programs.

Lesson plan #2

Digital PhotoEssay Lesson 2

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Period/Class Title: English 9

Name: MyriamÝ GodfreyÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Number of Students: 25

OBJECTIVE: Use digital pictures and powerpoint to create an autobiographical photoessay

MATERIALS: ÝUse of at least 25 seat computer lab, access to LAN with downloaded pictures, overhead projector, Microsoft PowerPoint, ClipArt selections

NOTES: ÝStudents should have used PowerPoint once before, but if they need reminding on basic skills, should be partnered with more expert student. Make sure overhead projector actually works this time. Check student logins, make sure each machine the students will sit at has access to the LAN (can browse to server)

STEPS:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ANITICIPATORY SET (Draw on students prior/background knowledge)

1. Check with students that everyone is on the same page in terms of language (i.e., what is a graphic?) Ask the question: When should I save? Answer: Early and Often!

Where should I save? Save to the network!

2. Demonstrate inserting graphics, use of templates, how to create text boxes in powerpoint.

3.Ý Have students launch application, create title page, with appropriate information, save to their network space with appropriate name, not ìMY AUTOBIOGRAPHYî

4. Have students follow their outline and insert pictures with captions. They need to also have a text box, so that they can include one paragraph of descriptive written text.

5. Students should insert all their images into the presentation, no more than two pictures per page.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY:Ý (Extension Activity)

Students will write one paragraph per page for homework, including descriptions of the pictures. Students can use the in class computers to complete the project, as well as scan other pictures (baby pictures or the like) that they might want to use.

LITERACY ASPECT:

Students will be writing clear descriptive paragraphs, following an outline that they created, and using technology to express themselves effectively.

REFLECTION/RESPONSE: Ý(How did the lesson go?Ý Successful?Ý NeedsÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Improvement?)Ý

Likely need at least one more session in the computer lab to complete this project.

California Standards Met:

Meets the following California State Standards:

1.3: Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of grammar, para-graph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.

1.4: Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

1.8: Design and publish documents by using advanced publishing software and graphic programs.

Lesson Plan #3
Life as a Journey, Poetry

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Period/Class Title: English 11

Name:Myriam GodfreyÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ # of students: 25

OBJECTIVE: Ý

Look at two contemporary American Poems that use the metaphor of life as a journey, see how the authors voiceandÝ world view are expressed in the poem.

MATERIALS:

26 Copies of Mary Oliverís The Journey

26 Copies of Robert Frostís Road Not Taken

White Board

NOTES:

STEPS:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ANITICIPATORY SET (Draw on students prior/background knowledge)

Ask students whether they have read either poem, talk about the important place that

Road not taken has in American pop-culture (read at JFKís inauguration, used at

every high school in the state for graduation at least once) Give biographical details

for both poets.Ý Define Metaphor for students. (5 minutes)

1. Have one student read the Oliver poem (5 minutes)

2.Ý Have one student act as scribe, and free associate words with the poem. Make sure that some basic ideas are made clear: What is the journey that is being taken? What are the impedances? Put these in one column of three columns on the white board

(7-10 minutes)

3. Have another student read the Frost poem (5 minutes)

4. Have free association with student as scribe: What is the road? Is one road more difficult than another? These are in a second column (7-10 minutes)

5. Compare the two columnsÝ What can we tell about the authors from the columns? (optimistic? Barriers? ) (5 minutes)

7. Look at structure of poem and compare the formal structure and rhythm of the Frost poem to the Oliver poem. What does this tell us about the voice of the author?

(5 minutes)

8. Have students find at least one metaphor in each poem (5 minutes)

9. Which poem did the students like better? Why?

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY:Ý (Extension Activity)

Students will attempt to find another poem that speaks of a journey (hint: Walt Whitman) and try the same exercise. What ìvoiceî does the poet use in the poem?

LITERACY ASPECT:

Reading, Writing, Literary Analysis.

REFLECTION/RESPONSE: Ý(How did the lesson go?Ý Successful?Ý NeedsÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Improvement?)Ý

Will students engage with the poetry? Do they need more time to compare? Do they have enough experience reading poetry to infer meaning of the poem?

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California Standards Met:

3.1: Analyze characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire, parody, allegory, pastoral) that are used in poetry, prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other basic genres.

3.9: Analyze the philosophical arguments presented in literary works to determine whether the authorsí positions have contributed to the quality of each work and the credibility of the characters. (Philosophical approach)

3.2: Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, using textual evidence to support the claim.

3.3: Analyze the ways in which irony, tone, mood, the authorís style, and the ìsoundî of language achieve specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both.

3.4: Analyze ways in which poets use imagery, personification, figures of speech, and sounds to evoke readersí emotions.

3.6: Analyze the way in which authors through the centuries have used archetypes drawn from myth and tradition in literature, film, political speeches, and religious writings (e.g., how the archetypes of banishment from an ideal world may be used to interpret Shakespeareís tragedy Macbeth).

Lesson Plan #4

Epistalatory Writing in Wartime

Period/Class Title: English 11

Name: Myriam GodfreyÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ # of students: 25

OBJECTIVE: ÝRead letters that ordinary and famous Americans wrote during wars, through the eras, compare popular views in different eras.

MATERIALS: ÝWriting Materials, Computers, 26 copies of War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars

NOTES:

Several students have relatives in the military, stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Students will be working in pairs (writing and replying to each others letters)

STEPS:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ANITICIPATORY SET (Draw on students prior/background knowledge)

Ask students about the role that letters play in their lives, and who sends them. Do you mostly get e-mail now? What kind of information is shared in a letter? (5 minutes) Students should have taken the book home and browsed through it the night before. Have students tell you what their favorite letters were and why. Talk about our nation currently being at war, and the concern that there will be less of an archive because of e-mail.

1.Ý Introduce the topic by having two students read one of the pairs of letters in the journal, and see how they respond to one another.Ý

2. What are topics that are exclusively discussed in war time? What DONíT they talk about?Ý

3. Have students pair up, and find examples from each of the wars represented in the book. Have them create a chart comparing the eraís feeling about the war (do they support it? ) how do the writers play off of one another?

4. What kind of details do you get about the experience of war that you donít get in a text book?

5. How has language evolved? How has the sentiment evolved?

6. Students should start writing a letter to someone about the war in Iraq: They can choose any topic (writing to their brother in the war zone, writing to their friend about the protest marches they participated in, writing to the president supporting the war, writing to their senator protesting funding etc. etc.)

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY:Ý (Extension Activity)

Students will need to finish their letters as homework. The letters need to be in the format for their kind ofÝ letters in the text books (formal or friendly depending on the recipient), and with appropriate grammar. This will be a first draft, which students will use in a peer review.

LITERACY ASPECT:

Reading texts, writing in their own voice, using proper grammar and format.

REFLECTION/RESPONSE: Ý(How did the lesson go?Ý Successful?Ý NeedsÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Improvement?)Ý

Did the students respond to the literature? Could they imagine themselves in the situations described?Ý Are they able to express their ideas well in writing?

California Standards Met:

1.1: Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience, form) when completing narrative, expository, persuasive, or descriptive writing assignments.

1.3: Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated way and support them with precise and relevant examples

1.5: Use language in natural, fresh, and vivid ways to establish a specific tone.

1.1: Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an understanding of English usage.

1.2: Produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct punctuation and capitalization.

1.3: Reflect appropriate manuscript requirements in writing.

2.6: Critique the power, validity, and truthfulness of arguments set forth in public docu-ments; their appeal to both friendly and hostile audiences; and the extent to which the arguments anticipate and address reader concerns and counterclaims (e.g., appeal to reason, to authority, to pathos and emotion).

Lesson Plan #5

A Perfect Day for the BananaFish

Using Envisionment to understand literature

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Period/Class Title: English 12

Name: Myriam GodfreyÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ # of students: 25

OBJECTIVE: ÝRead and think about J.D. Salingerís classic short story, Perfect Day for a BananaFish. ÝIdentify specific elements of a short story and use ìenvisionmentî to understand it.

MATERIALS:

Copies of Perfect Day for the BananaFish for all members of the class.

Printed sheet for each student with the following words and definitions;

Protagonist, Initiating Incident, Climax, Denouement,

Guided Reading Questions

White board

NOTES:

Since this story is such a favorite of mine, I need to be careful to not have too much invested in the students liking it.

STEPS:

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ ANITICIPATORY SET (Draw on students prior/background knowledge)

Find out if any students have read anything else by J.D. Salinger, refer to

Movie ìFinding Foresterî.

1.Students break into pairs and read the story together. They stop and ask and record questions. Use post-it notes to mark passages they need to ask/discuss with others. Ask them to write a very quick plot summary

2. Student pairs define who they think the protagonist is, what is a bananafish? (or more accurately in this instance WHO is the bananafish), climax, denouement

ÝWhy do the students think Seymour committed suicide? How does the setting in Florida tell us about his process?

3. Gather as a class. Have someone recap the story.

4. Quickly answer the questions using the definitions then move to more theoretical questions.

5. What questions were you asking when you were reading the story? Why did these questions come up? What do you think the author wanted you to feel about Seymour? About the child on the beach? Are there people in the story who donít appear? Do the students feel empathy toward Seymour? What language in the story makes them feel that way.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY:Ý (Extension Activity)

Students should write a plot map for the story.

LITERACY ASPECT:

Reading, responding to literature and thinking critically about literature

REFLECTION/RESPONSE: Ý(How did the lesson go?Ý Successful?Ý NeedsÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ Improvement?)Ý

Is the topic too heavy? Does an urban classroom respond to this story as much as in a suburban classroom

California Standards Met:

3.1: Analyze characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire, parody, allegory, pastoral) that are used in poetry, prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other basic genres.

3.2: Analyze the way in which the theme or meaning of a selection represents a view or comment on life, using textual evidence to support the claim.

1.1: Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure and an understanding of English usage.

ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ 3.1: Analyze characteristics of subgenres (e.g., satire, parody, allegory, pastoral) that are used in poetry, prose, plays, novels, short stories, essays, and other basic genres.

3.3: Analyze the ways in which irony, tone, mood, the authorís style, and the ìsoundî of language achieve specific rhetorical or aesthetic purposes or both.

Lesson Plan Critiques:

Title: American Girl, Too Creating Dolls to Reflect American History

From the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20031107friday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

Summary:

This lesson plan examines historical and economic issues surrounding American Girl dolls, and asks students to look critically at these historically based dolls. Students create their own doll and place it in a marketing context.

Positives:
This lesson plan is very complete, any teacher would be able to follow the directions. It takes an aspect of popular culture that many students would be interested in, and asks them to be critical of the issues surrounding them. The reading for the unit is well-written, placed accurately within culture and very contemporary. I especially like how the students are asked to reflect on womenís role and images within the society, especially images presented to young girls as ideals of achievement, looks and place. The lesson is easily extended into a wide range of content areas.

Development Areas:

I think this lesson plan would work very well in an all-girls classroom, but not as well in a mixed sex classroom. While the American Girls dolls have wide appeal, I donít always like the notion of adding to the commercialism of the academic environment.

Adaptation:

I might do this kind of project with a mixed sex classroom using different toys and marketing. I am interested in examining how students would be able to decode commercial messages, and look critically at media input.Ý I would like to write more within the context of the lesson.

Title: The Junk Mail Explosion : Why you buy and how Ads persuade

From WebEnglishTeacher

http://www.col-ed.org/cur/lang/lang56.txt

Summary: We are bombarded constantly with junk mail trying to persuade us to buy things. We need to understand the sheer volume of mail, how it tries to persuade us to buy things, and what methods direct mail uses to do this.

Positives: Students would really enjoy this, and would gain some skill at fending off advertising techniques by knowledge of how language is used in advertising as well as eye-catching design techniques.Ý The lesson plan is reasonably complete, although there is a reference to using a material that does not appear to be easily available from the website.Ý I like the pop-culture relevance and the requirement for the student to read critically in a wide range of contexts.

Development Areas: I think a month is too long to be spending on this kind of project. Perhaps a week would be sufficient. I think depending on the student to collect the junk mail from their house might be too ambitious. A bit too much time is spent on ìcraftî on this one.

Adaptation: I might use this as a before holiday kind of project with school and personal mail from a week or two. I think adding a ìBuzzword Bingoî kind of game to it would add to the fun of the project, and would have students seeing certain kinds of words as a red flag for an advertising come-on.

Still I Rise: Maya Angelou

From ERIC:

http://www.askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Literature/LIT0208.html

Summary: Students read, interpret and respond to Maya Angelouís poem Still I Rise, and relate it their own life. Students will examine poetic form in this poem and learn about format, convention and poetic devices.

Positives: This lesson plan uses a really great poem that should resonate with a wide variety of students. It successfully incorporates an appropriate grade level standard and a multicultural voice in a seamless way (i.e. does not seem forced). I really like the annotation chart, which could be used with nearly any contemporary poem. The skill that the students use for this poem is reinforced with another poem in the lesson plan. The lesson plan gives really good resources for the teacher (i.e. annotation chart, the poem on line).

Areas for Development:Ý The objectives to ìunderstand slavery, oppression and resiliencyî seem a little ambitious in the context of everything else that is going on. Less time is spent on what the poem ìmeansî although it is noted in the objectives and lesson plan description. I would need more guided questions for a class that I would teach to have it resonate more clearly in the studentís life.Ý

Adaptations: I would likely use the text and the annotation chart. I think I would seek a recording of Maya Angelou reading the poem rather than reading it myself, since she is such an excellent reader of her own work. I might do this in a unit on contemporary women poets, along with some political poetry (perhaps Katha Pollitt)

Title: Olympic Shadow Boxes

From:Ý Columbia Education Center http://www.col-ed.org/cur/lang/lang87.txt

Summary: Teach students to use multiple reference materials, largely encyclopedias and other reference materials, to research the less well know Olympic sports and create a shadow box/diorama.

Positives: Fun way to have students use reference materials in a way that they might in real life. Excellent way to engage more sports oriented students who might not engage with a traditional research project, and to tie in with the Olympics during an Olympic season.Ý I like that the entire project is done in class, and that all the materials are provided, since this eliminates some of the problems that come up with home/financial inequity.

Development Areas:Ý I donít think I would divide into random groups, since it leads to some social complications. Clearly a lesson prepared before extensive use of internet for researching. Good only for the weeks of the Olympics

Adaptations: I would likely have students use internet for research, and ask them to evaluate resources. This might be good with other current sporting events, like the World Series or the NCAA basketball championships, and then you could incorporate research on cities and colleges.

Persuasive Letter to solve a Community Problem

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1524

Overview: Students choose a local problem and write a persuasive letter to the editor withÝ a solution to the problem.

Positives: This lesson plan is very complete and gives excellent resources for a teacher to find out more information. It also does an excellent job connecting the lesson to Utahís standards. The series of steps is very complete, and gives the teacher a good idea of what they can expect, via the samples. Very clear rubric for grading, and what skills are expected. Reading materials for preparation are good, and manageable for the age and grade (9).

Areas for development: Not sure how well a student would engage with this project. No indication of how long this unit would take if you used all of the stepsÖ A week? Seemed a little cookie cutter, and too instructor driven, rather than student driven. I would like to see more research as part of the project, so the student could formulate their own argument.

Adaptation: I would likely use this kind of activity with a class, but I think I would prefer it to be a larger community based issue that they researched extensively withÝ a group: For example: Stores selling tobacco around school sites, unsafe bus stops, old textbooks in schools, non-working pay phones by the school site. The students could create a presentation/poster session that they could share with the class, the school and perhaps public officials. A letter is just the start! Persuasion needs to include facts, research and ideas.Ý

Literature Review

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Article #1

"I Hate Reading If I Don't Have To":

Results from a Longitudinal Study of High School Students' Reading Interest

Lisa A. Hale and Chris Crowe

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents Review (ALAN Review)

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/v28n3/hale.ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

This article discusses a longitudinal study of reading interest in one Arizona high school at three points, 1982, 1990 and 1997. The survey instrument asks students gender, year, required reading titles, pleasure reading titles and preferred genre.Ý The authors argue that this limited study is representative because it fairly closely mirrors two other studies while offering more complete insight into the genre and titles that students enjoy. The authors conclude that while there is little change in how much students read, there have been some substantial changes in what they read for pleasure. In particular, they note the upswing in the reading of horror/thriller type novels. Particularly interesting to me was the consistency of S.E. Hinton and Stephen King on lists from all three study years. Also noted by the author is the likelihood of students who have enjoyed one book by an author to read as much as they can from that author, evidenced by the enthusiasm for Hinton, King and others over the study cycle. There is a large gender difference both in quantity and preference in this study. Young women read more and they read more romance. Boys read more genre fiction like science fiction and sports.

ÝAdditionally, the authors noted the relative absence of Young Adult novels on either the required or the pleasure reading list to some dismay, and what they see as an overreliance on the traditional canon, which I infer they feel as though had less relevance to the students lives.

Relevance to Literacy:

This is directly related to the teaching of literacy. Teachers can find materials that students are likely to enjoy and become better reader with. This article would be helpful to teachers who are trying to find materials for an in class library in finding what is of interest to students. Although it is a very small study, anecdotally at least, seems to be a fairly accurate representation of what secondary aged students read.

Significance:
This article is useful for teachers selecting literature for a classroom library and literature for the classroom. Itís important that we see how reading has changed and stayed the same for students over the time period. We often think in this time of computers, video games and media that students donít read for pleasure much anymore and itís good to see that they do.

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Article #2

Taking Seriously the Idea of Reform: One High School's Efforts to Make Reading More Responsive to All Students

Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy, Sept 2003

William G. Brozo

Charles Hargis

University of Tennessee

Knoxville, TN, USA

http://www.reading.org/pdf/JAAL_brozo.pdf

This article examines how a high school in Tennesee used a grant to change the culture of reading in their school, and through the use of ability appropriate readings in content areas were able to improve both content knowledge and reading skill in the school.

The principal investigators in this project first assessed current reading level by using a series of Computer Aided Tests to students that were considered ìlow stakesî. They discovered a huge disparity in students skill sets, including a spread of nearly 15 grade levels in a single 10^th grade classroom. Typically, students were performing at a year below the grade level expected. As a result, many students were not able to read content level curriculum easily, and some high performing students were not being appropriately challenged.Ý Teachers felt that they were ìteaching to the middleî.

The PIís proposed three basic initiatives which were implemented in the school, they included periods of silent reading, the use of young adult novels in content area classes and offering alternatives to textbooks to students who were not reading at the grade level or who were far above the grade level. In addition, students who were very low performing on the tests given but did not participate in special education classes were matched with a grade school reading buddy where they shared their favorite childrenís books and reinforced reading knowledge.

The authors contend, with several citations, that the way for students to gain fluency and reading competency is to read by themselves for consistent periods of time, i.e. Sustained Silent reading. Through the grant and donations, a large library of high interest reading material was gathered, and students were given 25 minutes a week in their homeroom classes to read.

The authors introduced the use of young adult fiction in content classrooms as well. They provide specific examples of appropriate works of fiction, and show how using them as supplementary material, and setting aside class time for students to read them gave more time to reading while still providing appropriate content knowledge to the students.

The use of alternative texts was the most intriguing to me.Ý Extensive use of web-based materials allowed for both high performing and lower performing students to get the content knowledge they needed at an appropriate level. I was interested to see several direct references to science and math supplements for lower performing students. Teachers found that some of their lower performing students were able to engage more in the classroom as a result of this approach.

None of the ideas that the PIís recommend are new, but all point to the need for students to have ìsustained print encountersî to improve reading. I like the full court press approach to get students reading on all levels.

Relevance to Literacy:

This article talks about strategies for improving reading literacy at an entire school

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Significance:

Itís important to understand the process and results from research in literacy. Teachers need to see how using a variety of strategies is more effective than focusing on a single strategy.

Article #3

Completing the Paradigm Shift to Process Writing: The Need to Lead

Samuel TottenÝ

Quarterly of the National Writing Project, Winter 2003

http://www.writingproject.org/pub/nwpr/quarterly/2003no1/totten.html

Totten argues that there are proven effective methods for teaching writing, and that in order for them to be implemented effectively as a matter of course, there needs to be ìbuy-inî from the administration of the school and district.

ìProcess Writingî which focuses on the process of writing, rather than the end product. This writing pedagogy is loosely formed around a set of basic principles

They include :

- teacher intervention in drafts

- teachingÝ strategies for discovery

- is based on purpose and voice

- treatsÝ all parts of the writing process as equally valuable

-includes both rational and intuitive skills

- sees writing as part of a set of communication skills that students need to learn,

-has students write both expressive and explanatory writing,ÝÝÝ

-uses scientifically based principles in disciplines such as psychology and linguistics

-believes that writing can be taught, not only naturally gifted writers should do it, and that by breaking down a process students can identify specific skills and gain them.

-believes that all writing teachers should be writers.

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He relates a number of anecdotes, both personal and that of teachers in his summer writing program about the value of this kind of teaching of writing, which allows teachers to teach a hot in writing.

Despite these beliefs, which I do not see as proven by studies (although I agree with them) these methods are not being implemented by many schools. Totten believes that this is because schools do not focus on making this ìparadigm shiftî to teaching writing in this way. He cites a number of reasons for this, including process writing not being a priority in hiring, staff development, principal responsibility, school goals and writing across the curriculum.

He shows what he believes to be a plan for changing this status quo, which includes changing how teachers view writing, are required to change, believe that the leadership is serious about change, understand the effect it will have on them and know what will happen as a result of the change.

I found the methods that Totten argues for the use of to be interesting and intuitively absolutely correct. I found this article to be profoundly irritating and polemical.Ý His arguments, while well formed were not backed up by research, and were clearly ìpreaching to the choirî.

Relevance to Literacy:

This is related to how writing literacy is taught.

Significance:

This is significant because it allows the teacher to see how ìgenerally acceptedî practices can be better deployed in a school as a whole.

Article #4

Teaching Readers Who Struggle: A Pragmatic Middle School Framework

Gwynne Ellen Ash

http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=/articles/ash/index.html

This article shares practical strategies for teaching reading to low level readers. These low level readers are in almost every classroom, and are not always eligible for special services. Dr. Ash provides five basic strategies that are of particular help for these students in a mainstream classroom:

1) daily reading (good for everyone!)

2) guided reading in groups

3) word study

4) reading self-selected (with teacher assistance) materials

5) teaching specific comprehension strategies

The author notes that most of these strategies would be useful for most students, and are easily integrated into a tutoring program.

She also includes a cool practice called Karaoke Club: which has students reading popular music lyrics. Students need analyze the meaning of the lyrics as well as looking at issues raised by it.

Ash also has a nice list of texts matched with themes at various levels.

This is a very practical article focusing on proven strategies in a general classroom which meet the needs of the struggling readers while still challenging more advanced readers.

Relevance to Literacy:

This article speaks about bringing each child to appropriate levels of reading literacy.

Significance:

Teachers need strategies to reach students at all reading levels in their classroom, and this provides practical strategies for middle school teachers.

Article #5

Improving Literary Understanding through Classroom Conversation

Judith Langer

Elizabeth Close

http://cela.albany.edu/env.pdf

This is a really great, practical set of skill building reading and thinking strategies for reading literature based on a study done by ÝÝÝ the National Research Center on English Learning and Achievement at SUNY/Albany. It explains and provides practical strategies for improving students understanding of ìliterary understandingî, which the authors define as having students think deeply about literature.

The authors contrast two modes of reading, reading for literary understanding and reading for information. While the define both, they are interested in developing a student readerís ability to interpret, predict, and discuss works of literature. They call this kind of reading ìenvisionmentî. Student are developing their ability to ìexplore (sic) the horizons of possibilitiesî.

Within this context of literary understanding, there are four basic ìstancesî or modes of approach that a student uses to approach literature, and they typically use all of them as they learn the material. These stances are:

-Being Out and stepping into an envisionment: A student would have no familiarity with a piece and begins their journey into understanding. Students will pick up clues about the piece through clues, settings, genre and the like

-Being in and moving through envisionment: students become familiar with the text and see it more as a ìplaceî that they know, can predict and expect material from.

-Stepping back and rethinking what one knows: Students can use knowledge that they have gained about the text to reflect on what they have learned and what they may still learn

-Stepping Back and objectifying the experience: Students make the experience a part of the past.

Classrooms that support envisionment building are ones that have students and teachers who see themselves lifelong critical thinkers (envisionment builders), use questions to examine literature, meet as a group to work through to understanding and understand that there are many ways to read a text, and that there is no one, correct way to do so.

The authors then provide specific questions and strategies to move students from one stance to the next and to cycle back. I especially liked the techniques for facilitating small group discussion, including student and teacher provided questions, and bringing questions and discussion items from small groups to all class discussions.

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Relevance to Literacy:

This piece was perhaps the most directly related to ìliteratureî literacy that I read. It provided very practical strategies for teaching students to read critically, think broadly and reflect carefully on the literary works that they read.

Significance:

This provides a way for teachers to look at reading for literature meaning in a new way with practical applications for the classroom. The real way for students to appreciate literature is to read it on many levels, and to approach it in a multi-leveled manner.

Resources for Other Teachers

Web Resources for finding literature for the classroom library and in class reading

Reviews

Reviews of Adolescent Literature from the ìJournal of Adolescent & Adult Literacyî

http://www.reading.org/publications/jaal/jaalbook_archive.html

This is especially useful for short summaries of plot and themes. The writers are typically teachers of literature and they are aware of the things that would be handy to knowÝ like use of stereotypes, social issues being addressed, etc.Ý Although not everyone is ìlevelledî many clearly state the age/maturity/grade level the book is written for.

Of course you can get good overviews, and a wide variety of opinions from Amazon. Their ìTeenî website has current literature reviews from students.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/28/103-3557947-0896666

Assembly on Literature for Adolescents NCTE

(National Council of Teachers of English)

http://www.alan-ya.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=index&catid=7&topic=&POSTNUKESID=eb8832c1b8c30007c6650cbf1ec6786b

ìBillís Bestî has reviews. Very comprehensive, excellently leveled, nice for finding books for the ìreluctant readerî Organized by issue of their journal, so may be hard to find exactly what you are looking for.

Lists

Local Public Library Websites:

The Berkeley Public Library has some excellent lists more geared to the reader, but also helpful for teachers. Nice quick plot summaries, which the students can read to pique their interest.

www.infopeople.org/bpl/kids/gdbooks.html

San Francisco Public Library also has a good list, with lists around several themes. The one for GLBT teens is really detailed and helpful, might not be appropriate for every student, but some might really appreciate them.

http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/sfplonline/teen/teens.htm

American Library Association

http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/YALSA/Teen_Reading/Recommended_Reading2/Recommended_Reading.htm

This one has a *really* good list of adult books with appropriate themes for younger people. This is great for students who are good readers, but may not be developmentally ready for adult themes. These are the ìAlexî Awards. There are annotated lists for members of the ALA, but the non-annotated ones are excellent as well.

And of course:

California State Reading Lists:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/literaturelist/litsearch.asp

Very comprehensive, carefully leveled. Easy to use to match to topics, genre and culture. No opinions expressed, so good forÝ a first pass, but youíll want to look at reviews to decide if you actually want to use the book. Written to match the California Standards

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