Literacy Across Content Areas
"25 Reading Strategies that Work in Every Content Area." TeachThought, 14 Mar. 2016.
Beginning with a graphic of 12 known reading strategies, this list identifies 13 additional reading strategies that can be utilized within any content area. While some strategies are better suited for specific content areas, the collection encompasses techniques that should help students better comprehend the information they are reading.
Alber, Rebecca. "How Important Is Teaching Literacy in All Content Areas?" Edutopia, 15 Jan. 2014.
Defining “literacy” as as an every century skill, author Rebecca Adler offers teachers a dialogue on the importance of writing, speaking, and reading across the curriculum regardless of subject matter. This short article is a helpful introduction to understanding why the literacy skill set is vital to students in all subjects, with examples for instructional use
Gonzalez, Jennifer. "7 Easy Ways to Support Student Writing in Any Content Area." Cult of Pedagogy, 29 July 2015.
This piece is a condensed text version of a full length podcast done by educator and blogger Jennifer Gonzalez, highlighting seven ways teachers can support student writing within any content area. A graphic created specifically for non-Language Arts teachers illustrates each of the seven simple techniques. Quick note: the full length podcast is worth a lesson, and it is just under 30 minutes long. You are also able to access the full length transcript of the podcast from the site.
Beginning with a graphic of 12 known reading strategies, this list identifies 13 additional reading strategies that can be utilized within any content area. While some strategies are better suited for specific content areas, the collection encompasses techniques that should help students better comprehend the information they are reading.
Alber, Rebecca. "How Important Is Teaching Literacy in All Content Areas?" Edutopia, 15 Jan. 2014.
Defining “literacy” as as an every century skill, author Rebecca Adler offers teachers a dialogue on the importance of writing, speaking, and reading across the curriculum regardless of subject matter. This short article is a helpful introduction to understanding why the literacy skill set is vital to students in all subjects, with examples for instructional use
Gonzalez, Jennifer. "7 Easy Ways to Support Student Writing in Any Content Area." Cult of Pedagogy, 29 July 2015.
This piece is a condensed text version of a full length podcast done by educator and blogger Jennifer Gonzalez, highlighting seven ways teachers can support student writing within any content area. A graphic created specifically for non-Language Arts teachers illustrates each of the seven simple techniques. Quick note: the full length podcast is worth a lesson, and it is just under 30 minutes long. You are also able to access the full length transcript of the podcast from the site.
Gonzalez, Jennifer. "When We All Teach Text Structures, Everyone Wins." Cult of Pedagogy, 06 Nov. 2014.
Gonzalez focuses specifically on teaching nonfiction text structures in this 5 minute informational video. She discusses common internal text structures such as cause and effect, sequence, and comparison and contrasting. The aim is to help students better comprehend and remember what they are reading. Gonzalez suggests that as students progress in grade level, the texts they consume become more complex, demanding the continued instruction of text structures across content areas.
Heller, Rafael. "Teaching Reading and Writing in the Content Areas." AdLit.org, 2016.
Author Rafael Heller discusses the role of content teachers in literacy instruction, partnering it with the subject matter they are teaching. Heller recognizes that most teachers are not trained as reading specialists, however they can learn essential elements of literacy instruction to help support their students' academic development such as vocabulary instruction, reading comprehension strategies, and the design of engaging reading and writing assignments.
Joseph, Nancy. "Preparing Secondary Students for 21st Century Literacy Through Content Area Reading Instruction." Language Arts Journal of Michigan 23.2 (2008).
Open source access. Author Nancy Joseph reviews the literacy demands of secondary students as they move forward in the 21st century, as citizens of the Information Age. Just a note: an appendix provides suggestions for teachers to use within instruction.
Gonzalez focuses specifically on teaching nonfiction text structures in this 5 minute informational video. She discusses common internal text structures such as cause and effect, sequence, and comparison and contrasting. The aim is to help students better comprehend and remember what they are reading. Gonzalez suggests that as students progress in grade level, the texts they consume become more complex, demanding the continued instruction of text structures across content areas.
Heller, Rafael. "Teaching Reading and Writing in the Content Areas." AdLit.org, 2016.
Author Rafael Heller discusses the role of content teachers in literacy instruction, partnering it with the subject matter they are teaching. Heller recognizes that most teachers are not trained as reading specialists, however they can learn essential elements of literacy instruction to help support their students' academic development such as vocabulary instruction, reading comprehension strategies, and the design of engaging reading and writing assignments.
Joseph, Nancy. "Preparing Secondary Students for 21st Century Literacy Through Content Area Reading Instruction." Language Arts Journal of Michigan 23.2 (2008).
Open source access. Author Nancy Joseph reviews the literacy demands of secondary students as they move forward in the 21st century, as citizens of the Information Age. Just a note: an appendix provides suggestions for teachers to use within instruction.
"Literacy in Science." Minnesota STEM Teacher Center, 2016.
This resource discusses highlights the importance of pairing literature and science together, reviewing previous researched studies on the topic. It also offers tips for instruction within integrated learning by emphasizing the need to teach reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in tandem.
"Middle School English & Reading Instructional Resources." Virginia Department Of Education.
The VDOE provides a variety of lessons covering reading and writing which meet state standards of learning. Select resources includes vocabulary videos, a collection of lessons supporting teaching fiction and nonfiction texts, as well as online writing supports to assist with the SOL writing test in grade 8.
Schults, Debbie. "Content Area Literacy: Beyond the Language Arts Classroom." Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus, 27 Feb. 2008.
Focusing specifically on math, this piece offers an examination of how math teachers are introducing and integrating literacy skills into their classrooms. Ideas include borrowing from the Language Arts teacher by creating a math-centric classroom library, teaching pre-reading strategies to help students when engaging with text, using word walls, using a range of multimedia resources in instruction, and helping students learn how to read, write, and talk about math.
Urquhart, Vicki, and Dana Frazee. "Characteristics of Literacy Rich Content Area Classrooms." ASCD Express, 20 Dec. 2012.
This article by ASCD (the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) provides benchmarks for identifying characteristics within subject classes that are rich with literary content. The authors provide a framework for thinking about how content teachers can emphasize reading and writing skills specific to their discipline.
This resource discusses highlights the importance of pairing literature and science together, reviewing previous researched studies on the topic. It also offers tips for instruction within integrated learning by emphasizing the need to teach reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in tandem.
"Middle School English & Reading Instructional Resources." Virginia Department Of Education.
The VDOE provides a variety of lessons covering reading and writing which meet state standards of learning. Select resources includes vocabulary videos, a collection of lessons supporting teaching fiction and nonfiction texts, as well as online writing supports to assist with the SOL writing test in grade 8.
Schults, Debbie. "Content Area Literacy: Beyond the Language Arts Classroom." Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus, 27 Feb. 2008.
Focusing specifically on math, this piece offers an examination of how math teachers are introducing and integrating literacy skills into their classrooms. Ideas include borrowing from the Language Arts teacher by creating a math-centric classroom library, teaching pre-reading strategies to help students when engaging with text, using word walls, using a range of multimedia resources in instruction, and helping students learn how to read, write, and talk about math.
Urquhart, Vicki, and Dana Frazee. "Characteristics of Literacy Rich Content Area Classrooms." ASCD Express, 20 Dec. 2012.
This article by ASCD (the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) provides benchmarks for identifying characteristics within subject classes that are rich with literary content. The authors provide a framework for thinking about how content teachers can emphasize reading and writing skills specific to their discipline.