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Module 2: Content-Area Literacy. Unit 1, Session 4. Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development. Writing Like a Critic, Historian, Mathematician, & Scientist. Strategic Writing in Four Major Content Areas. Essential Questions. Module 2 Question - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Module 2:Content-Area Literacy
Adolescent Literacy – Professional DevelopmentUnit 1, Session 4
2
Writing Like a Critic, Historian, Mathematician, & Scientist
Strategic Writing in Four Major Content Areas
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Essential QuestionsModule 2 Question
What role can content-area teachers play in helping adolescents acquire general and discipline-specific literacy skills?
Unit 1, Session 3 QuestionsWhat are the ways in which content-area teachers can improve
content instruction by highlighting and explicitly teaching disciplinary writing strategies?
How are general writing strategies tailored to fit particular disciplinary goals?
Module 2: Unit 2, Session 4
4
Looking at Student Writing
In pairs, look closely at the samples of student writing that you brought to the session…
What discipline-specific thinking is demonstrated in the writing?
How does the form of the writing connect with the habits of mind you are trying to teach?
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Completing Our 3-Column Charts
Given how students think & read in your discipline…
What do students write and present in each content area? What does that look like?
Please revisit the 3-Column Chart we have used in the past two sessions. Complete /share the 3rd column with a partnerShare 3rd columns with the larger group
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What are the Demands ofYour Discipline?
Habits of Mind
Ways of ThinkingEssential Questions
Main ObjectivesModes of Inquiry
Reading Like a…
CriticMathematician
HistorianScientist
Norms of Practice (Presenting /
Writing)
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A Few Examples: Science
Habits of Mind
--Understanding the purpose and process of the Scientific Method--Adopting Parts-to-
Whole Thinking (Classification, Cells,
Environmental Systems)--Understanding the
need to relate form & function
Reading Like a Scientist
--Asking questions while reading (hypothesis generation / testing)
--Reading and interpreting all graphs,
charts, figures--Looking for key terms that imply relationships
(particularly between variables / parts-to-
whole)
Norms of Practice (Presenting / Writing)
--Recording ideas, notes, problem-solving steps
--Recording observations--Formal presentations of
research findings (posters, papers, tri-fold
boards)--Reflections on, implications of,
experiments
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A Few Examples: History
Habits of Mind
--Understanding bias -- that primary documents
are “partial” representations of truth
--Understanding the “internal states” and
goals of historical figures--Understanding how the
past connects to the presents
Reading Like a Historian
--Comparing/contrasting primary documents
--Synthesizing information across texts
--Analyzing timelines for causes/effects/cycles
--Relating primary documents to historical
fiction
Norms of Practice (Presenting / Writing)
--Timelines--Formal analytical essays
--Cause/Effect essays--Oral presentations,
including use of PowerPoint slides, video footage, photos, primary
source documents--Poster presentations
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A Few Examples: Math
Habits of Mind
--Understanding how to ask and answer
questions and solve problems with numbers,
symbols, formulas
--Making and testing claims
--Inferring logical steps in a sequence from words
and formulas
Reading Like a Mathematician
--Re-reading--Keeping track of
variables, definitions, relationships between
variables--Interpreting graphs and
figures--Highlighting function
words and symbols
Norms of Practice (Presenting / Writing)
--Recording ideas, notes, problem-solving steps--Writing proofs, word
problems, steps in a sequence
--Writing implications of math problems (such as in grant applications or
research papers)
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A Few Examples: Language Arts
Habits of Mind
--Understanding symbolism, metaphor, themes , etc. and how
authors use these literary devices to communicate
--Understanding how texts are connected
(intentionally or not)--Understanding the
form/function of different literary genres
Reading Like an Author/Critic
--Making “warrantable” interpretations based on
textual evidence and information about the author(s), time period,
etc.
--Connecting literary works to historical
events, current events , & the human condition
Norms of Practice (Presenting / Writing)
--Analytical essays, complete with thesis and
textual evidence as support
--Mirroring genres to show understanding (e.g., writing poems,
plays, short stories, etc.)--Oral presentations
--Poster presentations
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Commonalities & Differences
In sharing ways of writing/presenting…
What commonalities did you find across disciplines?
What differences?
What are the implications for our department, school, students?
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Returning to Student Writing In pairs, look again at the samples of student writing
that you brought to the session…
Are the writing samples more focused on:Demonstrating mastery of content knowledge?
OrUsing writing to process information and come to new
understandings?
Let’s consider these distinctions carefully…
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A Framework for Thinking about Content-Area Writing
Why do students write in school?
Writing-to-Learn
Writing to Demonstrate Knowledge
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Writing-to-Learn: Definition From the Michigan “Writing Across the Content Areas” Documents, p. 3
“It is writing that uses impromptu, short or informal writing tasks designed by the teacher and included throughout the lesson to help students think through key concepts and ideas.”
“Attention is focused on ideas rather than correctness of style, grammar or spelling.”
“It is less structured than disciplinary writing” and is typically not graded.
Often, it is less structured and not graded. Examples: journals, summaries, responses to oral or written questions, free writing,
notes
Module 2: Unit 2, Session 4
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Example: Writing-to-Learn Strategy
Using the List-Group-Label strategy
Write everything that comes to mind when you think of _____________ (major content-area concept)
With a partner, group, or as a class -- organize the lists into related groups
Ask students what patterns / themes they notice?
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How might you use the List-Group-Label“writing-to-learn” strategy toget students ready to read,ready to write, and ready tolearn?
How could you surface initialunderstandings (or misconceptions) using this strategy, then have students revise later?
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“When writing-to-demonstrate-knowledge, students show what they have learned by synthesizing information and explaining their understanding of concepts and ideas.”
“Students write for an audience with a specific purpose.”
“Products may apply knowledge in new ways or use academic structures for research and/or formal writing.”
Often, it is more structured and graded. Examples: writing expository texts, reports, essays that deal with particular
questions or problems, and letters (e.g., to the editor); doing creative writing; and writing for web sites and projectsModule 2: Unit 2, Session 4
Writing-to-Demonstrate Knowledge: From Michigan “Writing Across the Content Areas” Documents, p. 3
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Example: Writing-to-Dem. Knowledge ELA – Analytical essay, arguing for particular interpretation of
a text Math – Research report presenting observation/experiment
findings
Science – Research report presenting observation/experiment findings
Social Studies – Argument essay, arguing for future action after analyzing historical trends
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Think-Pair-Share Based on your class(es), draw a pie chart for how much
students in your school:Write to LearnWrite to Demonstrate Knowledge
Talk with a partner about what you drew and why. Which of the charts below did yours most closely resemble?
What does this mean for your students/school?
Module 2: Unit 2, Session 4
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Let’s Review Strategies for Both
Both “Writing-to-Learn” and “Writing to Demonstrate Knowledge” are critical components of secondary education.
Students need to know how to engage in inquiry through writing AND how to produce documents in the style/format/language of particular disciplines.
Module 2: Unit 2, Session 4
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Reviewing Discipline-Specific Strategies
Please read/review one of the following, according to your disciplinary focus:
1. Writing Across the Curriculum: ELA
2. Writing Across the Curriculum: Mathematics
3. Writing Across the Curriculum: Science
4. Writing Across the Curriculum: Social StudiesModule 2: Unit 2, Session 4
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While reviewing the article(s), please also refer to the sample of student writing you brought to this session.
Make notes on the jigsaw organizer as you read/review the writing strategies and student writing you brought to the session.
How are instructional goals / strategies connected?
What have you already been using? What could you incorporate?
Reviewing Discipline-Specific Strategies
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Complete a Jigsaw organizer
•List 3 big ideas, strategies, concepts that are new to you.
•Summarize what might work for you, what might not.
•Any other important facts?
•At the bottom of the chart, list 4 strategies that you plan to try with your students this year – describe the strategy in enough detail to help remind yourself later.
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Coming Back Together:
What did you find that was new?
What did you find that reinforces work you are already doing?
What did you find that was okay, but would need modification (particularly for high school) to work?
What did you find that might work best for your content area?
Reviewing WAC Strategies
Module 2: Unit 2, Session 4
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Wrap-Up Questions to Consider:
What are the ways that I am currently using writing in my classes?
How might I teach writing skills more explicitly, to encourage content-area thinking?
How might I more seamlessly connect “writing-to-learn” and “writing to demonstrate knowledge”?
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Further Study
• Experiment with one of the writing strategies that you identified as potentially effective in the earlier Jigsaw activity
• What happened with your students’ writing?
• How was their thinking revealed?
• What obstacles did they encounter?
• What would you do differently next time?
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References
• Michigan Department of Education: Writing Across the Curriculum: English Language Arts
• Michigan Department of Education: Writing Across the Curriculum: Mathematics
• Michigan Department of Education: Writing Across the Curriculum: Science
• Michigan Department of Education: Writing Across the Curriculum: Social Studies