Content Literacy - BLaST Intermediate Unit 17

Students have achieved Content Literacy when they have acquired the skills and strategies that they need to master content and are able to manipulate and generalize that content to other learning situations.* In short, they are able to “read to learn”.

This section includes videos illustrating Content Literacy skills and strategies, featuring interviews and classroom lessons facilitated by teachers from school districts within Intermediate Units 4, 9, 10, and 17.

*Source: The Strategic Learning Center, 2009, www.smarttogether.org

Teacher Interviews and Conferences

Introduction of teachers

What do you see as the benefits of including students with disabilities in general education classrooms?

How do you plan collaboratively with Special Education teachers, Reading Specialists and/or paraprofessionals?

What progress have you seen in the learning and achievement of students with disabilities as a result of including them in your classroom?

What strategies are you incorporating in your classroom to developing studentsâ€™ skills in content literacy (reading to learn), and also to address the specific learning needs of students with disabilities?

What kinds of professional development experiences have you engaged in to help you implement content literacy strategies as well as other inclusive practices?

What advice would you give to teachers in implementing successful inclusive practices for students with disabilities?

Classroom Instruction Video Clips

Before reading, the teacher sets a purpose for reading the text that includes an element of accountability.

Before reading, complex terms and phrases and the organizational pattern of the text are pre-taught.

Before reading, the teacher uses the “think-aloud” process to prepare students to engage the text

During reading, students interact with the text using questioning, visualizing, predicting, summarizing, and connecting techniques.

During and after reading, students can verbalize and apply reading fix-up strategies.

After reading, students have the opportunity to discuss their individual questions and/or interpretations regarding the text with the teacher and/or their peers.

Anita Archer Strategic Literacy Videos*

“Dr. Anita Archer is a talented author and beloved teacher of teachers. She has developed a video series series illustrating “strategic literacy” instruction as one of her many gifts to the educational community. Produced with support from the Sonoma County, California, Office of Education, it is made available to the public at no cost.

The series addresses strategic literacy instruction in grades K-8 using a â€œresearch to practiceâ€ approach grounded in pragmatic real-world application. Each video is 4 to 10 minutes long, has a particular strategic focus, and was shot unrehearsed in real time.”*

Click here to view videos from the Anita Archer Strategic Literacy video series.

“About Dr. Archer: Anita Archer, Ph.D., recipient of eight outstanding educator awards, has taught elementary and middle school students and has been a faculty member at San Diego State University, the University of Washington, and the University of Oregon. She currently serves as an educational consultant to school districts on effective instruction, classroom management, language arts instruction, and study skills instruction. She is a nationally known presenter and has authored training and curriculum materials, chapters, and books. Among her works are the acclaimed REWARDS reading program and the Tough Kid Video Series.”*