Reading to Writing to Reading to Writing to UnderstandingUnderstanding

Design materials to be used by secondary Design materials to be used by secondary English teachers to assess student learning English teachers to assess student learning

and instructional effectiveness with and instructional effectiveness with participants Grade 10 English at an participants Grade 10 English at an

urban/suburban high school.urban/suburban high school.

Knowledge TellingKnowledge TellingHow is this different from learning and regurgitating?How is this different from learning and regurgitating?

Knowledge Telling allows a student to write and not Knowledge Telling allows a student to write and not be concerned with the mechanics. The students be concerned with the mechanics. The students answer using everything they have read, answer using everything they have read, summarized, and experienced throughout the summarized, and experienced throughout the lesson. Research lesson. Research sees writing as an activity sees writing as an activity and a practice that doesn't boil down to the and a practice that doesn't boil down to the words on a page or to fluency but which words on a page or to fluency but which makes present a number of human makes present a number of human intellectual and affective capabilities intellectual and affective capabilities (Dooley, (Dooley, 1995). 1995). Plain and Ordinary ThingsPlain and Ordinary Things

Reading to WritingReading to Writing

Two views of writing theory and pedagogy predominant Two views of writing theory and pedagogy predominant in the middle of the 1990s revealed during the 1996 in the middle of the 1990s revealed during the 1996 Conference on College Composition and Conference on College Composition and Communication in Milwaukee, from both colleagues Communication in Milwaukee, from both colleagues and students: that the field is in crisis. Members of the and students: that the field is in crisis. Members of the field called looked to composition studies and thought field called looked to composition studies and thought it was on to something when it rediscovered the slogan it was on to something when it rediscovered the slogan "process not product.“ The process creates a "process not product.“ The process creates a knowledge base from which students draw.knowledge base from which students draw.

I believe that the process, without constant critique I believe that the process, without constant critique improves the product….and understanding of the improves the product….and understanding of the topic…whatever the topic.topic…whatever the topic.

The ProcessThe Process

Students developed a portfolio around the Students developed a portfolio around the novel to include Reading Log summaries, novel to include Reading Log summaries, take home reflective quizzes, questions and take home reflective quizzes, questions and vocabulary for each section of the book and vocabulary for each section of the book and PowerPoint presentations.PowerPoint presentations.

We used the computer lab to type all of the We used the computer lab to type all of the work. Repetitionwork. Repetition

Writing….writing…writing…and reflection.Writing….writing…writing…and reflection.

The StoryThe Story NightNight is an autobiographical novella written by Elie Wiesel, a is an autobiographical novella written by Elie Wiesel, a

young Jewish boyyoung Jewish boy, who tells of his experiences during the Holocaust. , who tells of his experiences during the Holocaust. This book begins in late 1941 and chronicles Elie's life through the end This book begins in late 1941 and chronicles Elie's life through the end of the war in 1945.of the war in 1945.

At the beginning of the book Elie has a very strong faith in God and the At the beginning of the book Elie has a very strong faith in God and the Jewish religion, but this faith is tested when he is moved from his small Jewish religion, but this faith is tested when he is moved from his small town by the Nazi's. Elie has to deal with the death of his family, the town by the Nazi's. Elie has to deal with the death of his family, the death of his death of his innocenceinnocence, and the death of his God at the very young age , and the death of his God at the very young age of fifteen. He tells us of the of fifteen. He tells us of the horrorshorrors of the concentration camp; of the concentration camp; starvation, beatings, torture, illness, and hard labor. He comes to starvation, beatings, torture, illness, and hard labor. He comes to question how God could let this happen and to redefine the existence question how God could let this happen and to redefine the existence of God in the concentration camp.of God in the concentration camp.

This book is also filled with acts of kindness and compassion amid the This book is also filled with acts of kindness and compassion amid the degradation and violence. It seems that for every act of violence that is degradation and violence. It seems that for every act of violence that is committed, Elie counteracts with some act of compassion. This is what committed, Elie counteracts with some act of compassion. This is what makes this book so unforgettable.makes this book so unforgettable.

Levels of ThinkingLevels of Thinking

KnowledgeRestateRecall

Explain

Clarify

Comprehension

Classify

Summarize

Application

Higher Levels:Higher Levels:Analyze, Critical Thinking, CreativeAnalyze, Critical Thinking, Creative

0

20

40

60

80

100

1stQtr

3rdQtr

East

West

North

The PurposeThe Purpose

To elevate grades and self efficacy.To elevate grades and self efficacy. To have students take control of their learning.To have students take control of their learning. To have students think beyond the text.To have students think beyond the text. To incorporate history into the lesson with the To incorporate history into the lesson with the

Holocaust.Holocaust. To combine relevance with discrimination beyond To combine relevance with discrimination beyond

color.color. To reflect and write….to learn.To reflect and write….to learn.

Grades Before and AfterGrades Before and After

Lower Level 10Lower Level 10thth Grade English Grade English– Bright, not highly motivated, social, and content to pass.Bright, not highly motivated, social, and content to pass.

Prior to the lesson: Prior to the lesson: A-0A-0 B-1B-1 C-12C-12 D-4D-4 F-7F-7 After the lesson:After the lesson: A-3A-3 B-7B-7 C-3C-3 D-4D-4 F-7F-7 Students are no longer content to see their grades Students are no longer content to see their grades

decline. decline.

Application Theory to PracticeApplication Theory to Practice

Remove standardized materials.Remove standardized materials. Encourage Higher Level Thinking: Analyze and Encourage Higher Level Thinking: Analyze and

Interpretation. Answers aren’t wrong!Interpretation. Answers aren’t wrong! Constant questioning.Constant questioning. Investigate new material through illustration.Investigate new material through illustration. Application to historical content as well as Application to historical content as well as

understanding a new religion.understanding a new religion. Looking at discrimination differently and Looking at discrimination differently and

commenting on the repercussions.commenting on the repercussions.

MetacognitiveMetacognitive

Metacognitive knowledge refers to both one's knowledge of Metacognitive knowledge refers to both one's knowledge of cognition and the ability to regulate cognition. These cognition and the ability to regulate cognition. These metacognitive processes include: metacognitive processes include:

• • planning activities prior to undertaking a problem planning activities prior to undertaking a problem (predicting outcomes, scheduling strategies, various forms (predicting outcomes, scheduling strategies, various forms of vicarious trial and error) of vicarious trial and error)

• • monitoring activities during learning (testing, revising, monitoring activities during learning (testing, revising, rescheduling one's strategies for learning, etc.) rescheduling one's strategies for learning, etc.)

• • checking outcomes (evaluating the outcome of any checking outcomes (evaluating the outcome of any strategic actions against criteria of efficiency and strategic actions against criteria of efficiency and effectiveness) effectiveness)

What next for Knowledge Telling?What next for Knowledge Telling?Knowledge BuildingKnowledge Building

So we can see that we can talk about kids constructing So we can see that we can talk about kids constructing various types of knowledge - declarative, procedural, various types of knowledge - declarative, procedural, metacognitive, at the least. They can learn facts or content. metacognitive, at the least. They can learn facts or content. They can learn procedures. Or they can learn about how They can learn procedures. Or they can learn about how they learn. they learn.

Perhaps the question should be 'How Can We encourage Perhaps the question should be 'How Can We encourage and support Knowledge Building’ when students are and support Knowledge Building’ when students are creating multimedia projects? creating multimedia projects?

I don't think there is any single technique or solution - but I don't think there is any single technique or solution - but rather a number of techniques, attitudes and beliefs rather a number of techniques, attitudes and beliefs embedded in a classroom culture.embedded in a classroom culture.

Be willing to give time…depth…not breadth.Be willing to give time…depth…not breadth.

My ReflectionMy ReflectionAssisting kids to become more Assisting kids to become more

expert learners.expert learners. Energy draining; Guiding is difficult.Energy draining; Guiding is difficult. Constantly saying, “Now what do you think?”Constantly saying, “Now what do you think?” Watching students work in pairs or groups to Watching students work in pairs or groups to

produce a product and having fun.produce a product and having fun. Grades going up and motivation elevated.Grades going up and motivation elevated. Combining reading, writing, understanding and Combining reading, writing, understanding and

computer skills…even the failures got part of the computer skills…even the failures got part of the lesson by default.lesson by default.

Organizational skills improved with the portfolio Organizational skills improved with the portfolio and structured writing sections.and structured writing sections.

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