District Administration - June 2007 - (Page 91)

and high school students should “encounter academic discourses and disciplinary concepts” for teachers to “show, demonstrate, and make visible to students how literacy operates within the academic disciplines.” Reading and writing in the social studies can provide such opportunities for students to learn and practice discipline-speciﬁc skills, analyze and critique information sources, interpret data and synthesize ideas. The social studies also oﬀer fertile ground for students to apply critical thinking and literacy skills as they “raise and explore questions about beliefs, claims, evidence, deﬁnitions, conclusions, and actions” (Patrick 1986). Generally, however, current practices in K12 schooling and teacher education constrain the integration of literacy and content-area instruction, says University of Michigan professor Elizabeth Birr Moje (2006). Even in the primary grades, teacher editions of social studies textbooks may not guide teachers to incorporate literacy instruction, according to an analysis of textbooks performed by Kragler, Walker and Martin (2005). These researchers recommend that teachers instruct students in strategies that aid reading comprehension: activating prior knowledge, generating questions while reading, constructing mental images to represent meanings, summarizing text and identifying important information (Pressley 2000). After reviewing the research in adolescent literacy, the federally funded Center on Instruction recently published guidance that includes ﬁve recommendations for improving literacy-related instruction in the content areas (see box). Included in the document are detailed suggestions and summaries of supporting research. Perhaps most relevant for district admin- istrators is the Center’s conclusion that “schools or districts need to provide professional development to support these practices in a planned, sequential way.” A lesson learned through the Alabama Reading Initiative is that content-area teachers in secondary schools also need ongoing support to incorporate explicit comprehension strategies (National High School Center 2006). “Hire a literacy coach,” advises the Center on Instruction. Recently developed Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (International Reading Association 2006) describe the ideal coach as a skillful collaborator, evaluator of literacy needs and instructional strategist. DA Edvantia is an education research organization (www.edvantia.org). For references used in this article, go to the DA Web site: www.districtadministration.com. Get Your Students From Bored . . . With ERB’s Online Writing Practice Program, your students can become excited and engaged writers. The WPP allows your students to develop their writing skills through self-directed learning and practice that doesn’t take the teacher out of the equation. Students and faculty love the WPP’s: • Unlimited access 24/7, from any internet connection • Instant scoring and feedback • Dozens of engaging tutorials linked to students’ scores • Access to any student's online portfolio • Opportunities to examine students’ time on tutorials • Availability of class results by NCLB subgroup • Instant messaging system Email brussell@measinc.com today for a free trial! Build Better Writers - www.erbtest.org www.DistrictAdministration.com June 2007 91 . . . To Keyboard http://www.edvantia.org http://www.districtadministration.com http://www.erbtest.org http://www.erbtest.org http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - June 2007

Contents
Editor's Letter
Letters
News Update
Security Update
Technology Update
Curriculum Update
Inside the Law
Admistrator Profile
District Profile
Refreshing the ISTE Technology Standards
Action Teams
RE-Construction
Professional Development for the New Century
Multimedia LIT
New Products
Leadership Books
Problem/Solution
Online Edge
Speaking Out
Supervisor's Opinion
Professional Opinion
Research Corner
Calendar of Events
Understanding the Times

District Administration - June 2007