This document discusses strategies for content area literacy in middle and high school classrooms. It defines content literacy as using reading and writing to acquire new knowledge in a given subject area. It discusses how activating students' prior knowledge or schema is important for comprehension through activities like anticipation guides, KWL charts, SQ3R, and DRTA. The document provides hints for struggling readers and ways to use textbooks more effectively such as frontloading instruction, not leaving students alone with textbooks, being selective in assignments, and supplementing textbooks.

1. C-3 Content Area Literacy Strategies for Middle School and High School Classrooms Katherine S. McKnight, Ph.D. Katie@KatherineMcKnight.com

2. Assumptions Underlying Content Literacy Subject Matter Role of the Textbook Active Readers Independent Readers

3. What is Content Literacy? Generally defined as “the ability to use reading and writing for the acquisition of new content in a given discipline” (McKenna & Robinson, 1990, p. 184)

4. The Impact of Schema on Content Literacy Source: Alvermann, D. and Phelps, S. (2002). Content Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms. (5th Ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

5. More on Schema The notes were sour because the seam split. Source: Alvermann, D. and Phelps, S. (2002). Content Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms. (5th Ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

6. More on Schema The batsmen were merciless against the bowlers. The bowlers placed their men in slips and covers. But to no avail. The batsmen hit one in four after another along with an occasional six. Not once did a ball look like it would hit their stumps or be caught. Source: Alvermann, D. and Phelps, S. (2002). Content Reading and Literacy: Succeeding in Today’s Diverse Classrooms. (5th Ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

7. Hints for Struggling Readers Provide readers who struggle to decode with opportunities to hear the text read aloud (tape assist) Give readers for whom word recognition is a problem supplemental materials that include visual clues to word meaning (or use manipulatives in math) Allot additional time for readers who struggle to complete assignments Encourage struggling readers to use the internet because often the symbols and icons that are quite bothersome to good readers provide a means for struggling readers to construct meaning

8. Schema and Comprehension Activating prior knowledge with prereading guides Anticipation guides Content Reading Activities like: KWL, SQ3R, and DRTA Story Impression Vocabulary Exercises

9. “THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO”Edgar Allan Poe----Sample Anticipation Guide DIRECTIONS: Put an “X” in the space to indicate whether or not you agree or disagree with the corresponding statement.

10. KWL K= What the reader already knows L= What the reader wants to learn or know. L= What I learned

11. SQ3R

13. DRTA

14. DRTA

15. Story Impression introduces vocabulary taps into students’ prior knowledge catapults the reader into active reading and comprehension

16. Six Ways to Use Textbooks More Effectively Empathy- Do you remember when you had difficulty in a subject and the text was difficult? Help the students to get started. We need to “front-load” our teaching. Don’t leave kids alone with their textbooks. Choose wisely. Be selective with assignments. Be strategic about what is most important. Supplement richly.

17. How to Reach Me Email: katie@katherinemcknight.com Website: katherinemcknight.com Twitter: @literacyworld Facebook: Katie Siewert McKnight Literacy

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