This article contains information regarding instruction for students who struggle in a content area, with specific instruction on assisting students in English reading and writing. Despite this information being targeted towards passing standardized testing, I believe the information available in this article can be useful in teaching all students. The teacher in this article uses an approach that he refers to as “Readers and Writers Workshop”, this instructional method “focuses on students as learners, as well as readers and writers in practice” (Mansaray). This method contains the following phases:
1. Mini-lesson 2. Guided or independent student practice 3. Reflection (Mansaray)
The article further goes on to explain how a teacher can reach all learner sin the ELA classroom and provides methods for “encouraging independent reading, designing product-driven reading and writing instruction, pre-reading and pre-writing strategies, making meaning, text annotation, asking text-based questions, immersing students in the genre, providing options for writing, and analyzing and interpreting” (Mansaray).
Of the methods Mansaray provides in this article, my favorite method and the one I am most excited to implement in my classroom is designing product-driven reading and writing instruction. Mansaray suggests that to plan a lesson that is product-driven, the teacher should begin each unit of instruction with “a key or essential question that instruction seeks to address”. I think the idea of providing students with an open-ended question to guide their thought processes throughout a lesson in the direction I have constructed and intended is genius. A specific example relating to how I would use this in my English I classroom would be asking the following question prior to beginning a study of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
“ As a single parent, Atticus Finch attempts to teach his children many life lessons. These life lessons are not only applicable in the strenuous society in which the novel is set but in any setting, a person faces, even today. What are these life lessons, how does Atticus Finch teach his children and the reader these lessons, and how are they applicable to you?”
These questions and the way students arrive at the answer to these questions can be constructed in a way that achieves the learning objectives for the lesson. This method and advice improves upon my PCK by equipping me with an approach that fits the content. This method is one that can be implemented in all lessons, not just in the study of a novel, and forces students to think about their learning throughout the learning process.
Below is an academic language list needed in an English I classroom along with an explanation for why each vocabulary word or phrase is important to the content of English I.
Academic Language Vocabulary Why is this academic language important?
1. Literature
Literature, written works, is a large portion of the material covered in an English I classroom. Students will be analyzing various forms of literature and identifying literature. In order to identify literature, students must first know what literature is.
2. Fiction
Many of the works students study in English I are fictional works, literature that are about imaginary ideas, people, and events. It is vital that students are aware of the differences between fiction and non-fiction, as this influences their research and knowledge about the real world.
3. Non-fiction
Non-fictional works, works about real events, people, and facts, are also studied in English I. The sources that students use in research and to shape their understanding of the real world will be non-fictional works.
4. Analyze
Every teaching aspect of English I relate to students ability to analyze. In English I, students will be asked to analyze media, sources, literature, oral communication, and much more.
5. Figurative Language
To properly understand most literary work, students need to be aware of what figurative language is and how to identify it. Figurative language can shape meaning and help students add depth to their own writing.
6. Persuasive Text
Students will be required to analyze persuasion and write persuasive texts in English I. To effectively carry out these tasks, it is vital that students know what persuasive text is and how it is different from other genres.
7. Procedural Text
Students will be required to analyze and write procedural texts in English I. To effectively carry out these tasks, it is vital that students know what procedural text is and how it is different from other genres.
8. Expository Text
Students will be required to analyze and write expository texts in English I. To effectively carry out these tasks, it is vital that students know what expository text is and how it is different from other genres.
9. Cultural and Historical Text
Students will be required to analyze cultural and historical texts in English I. To effectively do so, it is important for students to know what cultural and historical texts are. It is easy to explain to students that a history textbook is cultural and historical texts, but they also need to be aware that maps, novels, and documents are classified as cultural and historical texts.