Many students struggle with literacy and reading complex texts required for learning. Only 26% of 8th graders read at a proficient level, and literacy demands continue increasing. Content teachers must help students develop content literacy skills like making connections, understanding context, and teaching vocabulary. Effective general education programs and content teacher involvement are needed to improve student achievement in reading to learn. Teachers will learn strategies to develop students' metacognition, comprehension, and dimensions of literacy in various content areas.

1. Antonacci & O’Callaghan

2. Need
 Struggle to read required textbooks
 74% of 8th graders performed at the basic level
 8 million students struggle to read
 Learning to read is different from reading to learn –
basic skills learned in 3rd grade are not sufficient to
assist these students with complex texts
 Many graduates are not ready for college; rising
literacy demands

3. Literacy Demands
 Students must be able to gather information from
multiple texts and have technological literacy
 Content teachers must be able to develop content
literacy for their students- this requires assisting
students to interact with the text, not just read the
words
 Connections to previous learning
 Understanding how this fits in with the bigger picture
 Pulling forward background knowledge; assimilation
and accomodation

4. Literacy Demands - continued
 Metacognitive strategies that good readers use without
thinking – must be taught explicitly
 Vocabulary is content specific – must be explicitly
taught – not just assigned as looking words up in the
dictionary
 There is no intervention powerful enough to make up
for an ineffective Gen. Ed program – the heart of
improving student achievement is to improve Gen. Ed.
Instruction – Dr. Kevin Feldman –
 Content teachers must be part of the solution!

5. Strategies Affecting Literacy and
Learning
 Metacognitive strategies:
 Predictions – using
headings, subheadings, titles, illustrations, tables and
graphs, skimming/scanning
 Setting a purpose for reading
 Activating prior knowledge/making connections
 Previewing texts
 Asking questions – Before, during, and after
 Figuring out unknown words
 Text structure
 Self-talk
 Reviewing and recalling
We will be learning strategies in each of these areas you can
implement in your own classrooms with regard to your own
content!

6. Social Dimensions of Literacy
 Some cultures openly ask for childrens’ opinions and
value them when heard, whereas in other
cultures, children are taught to obey and listen, rarely
voicing their opinion.
 Can influence the way in which they comprehend the
text based upon the social values talked about or
taught at home
 Can affect student participation

7. Dimensions of Literacy
Development
 Includes:
 Vocabulary
 Fluency – the ability to read orally with expression, proper
pace and speed
 Comprehension of both narrative and expository
texts, including visuals and diagrams (notes in music class or
a piece of artwork in art class)
 Writing about their learning – important piece – all content
teachers should have students write periodically and this
should be modeled
 Media and digital literacies
 Critical thinking
 Independent learning