blog : January 2013
I'm a Content Teacher
1/29/2013
I’m a ____________ (math, science, social studies...) Teacher: How Can I Help a
Struggling Reader?
Let’s begin with some reminders about what content literacy actually is. Content
literacy (reading and writing in the content area) focuses on strategies for
students to use so that they understand specific subject matter and to become
more active and independent readers.
Generally defined as the ability to use reading and writing for the acquisition
of new content in a given discipline, content literacy (or as the Common Core
State Standards defines it as interdisciplinary literacy) is essential for students
to develop content knowledge and skills. We learn to read and then we read to
learn. Students become better readers when they read more in every class.
Central to improving students’ skills in reading is the implementation of reading
and literacy strategies that draw on what kids already know – their schema, their
background knowledge. Therefore, we need to provide strategies that actually
students to read difficult or challenging texts that we often experience when we're
learning new content.
Here are some strategies that can help our readers as they are learning content:
- Provide readers who struggle with decoding or word recognition with opportunities to hear the text read aloud. Using an iPod in class where the kids can actually listen to the text is supports students to understand text. This strategy is particularly beneficial for English language learners and students with special needs.
- Give readers for whom word recognition is a problem supplemental reading materials that include visual clues to word meaning. This is when the Internet can be particularly helpful since it often has images and pictures that go along with the text that can help struggling readers to understand new content.
- When possible, allot extra time for readers who actually struggle to complete assignments. Encourage struggling readers to use texts that have lots of symbols, icons, etc. Sometimes these are bothersome for good readers, but images can help struggling readers to understand text.
- Implement strategies. There are all kinds of strategies and vocabulary strategies that are useful for teaching kids new content. Things like question/answer relationship, survey question, review/recite, concept sorts, concept maps, and vocabulary slides – all of these are great, rich activities for kids when they're learning new content in their reading. (My book, The Teachers Big Book of Graphic Organizers contains many of these strategies.)
If you’re using textbooks, remember to supplement richly. The textbook is
a source but not THE source.
I also want to remind all of us that content does matter and we do need teachers
to be experts in mathematics, social studies, science, English, art, music, and all
rich content areas our students study. Yet, we can use content area reading and
writing strategies as effective pedagogies for students to understand and learn
the content that we so dearly love and want to share.
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