Applied Literacy in the Middle Grades: Introducing Children to Authentic Inquiry

by Erickson, Lawrence G.

• ISBN13: 9780205361120
• ISBN10: 0205361129
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

This book describes ways of teaching children to employ their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to access, assess, and communicate information. Applied Literacy in the Middle Grades addresses the needs of middle school reading courses. This much-needed book focuses on and is intended for classroom teachers offering a rich source of real classroom applications. Erickson provides superb ideas about motivating students, meeting state learning goals, teaching critical thinking, and evaluating primary and secondary sources of information. A goldmine of detailed material from actual classrooms (grades 5-8) helps illustrate literacy activities in science, language arts, and social sciences. Additional key topics include inquiring teaching, thematic units, schoolwork connections, literacy and content areas, and accountability. Middle school teachers, curriculum developers, literacy coordinators and school administrators

Author Biography

Lawrence G. Erickson is a professor of Curriculum and Instruction at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Table of Contents

Every chapter concludes with “Summary” and “References.”

Preface.

Acknowledgements.

1. What is Applied Literacy?
Vignette One and Two.
Literacy for the Real World.
The Politics of Classical and Applied Literacy.
Apprenticeships—Learning From the Inside.
A Nonfiction Focus.
Boutique Literacy.
Reasons For and Against Applied Literacy Apprenticeships.
Multiple and Individual Literacies.
Novice Expertise.
How Much Applied Literacy?
Teachers Combine Powerful Teaching Ideas.
Reading and Writing Like an Adult in Sixth Grade.

2. Applied Literacy in Your School and Classroom.
School Literacy: A Question of Balance.
Your Classroom: A Context for Authentic Inquiry.

3. Guiding Authentic Inquiry.
Vignette.
A Process for Conducting Authentic Inquiry.

4. Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes.
Vignette<1697>Applied Literacy Is Engaging.
A Motivation Equation: Challenges, Chums, and Choices.
Integrating Content and Literacy Lessons Is Motivating.
Accountability with Rubrics, Checklists, and Portfolios.
Student Centered Literacy Rubrics.
Outcomes Matched to Educational Goals.
National Standards and Applied Literacy.

5. Real World Connections: New Time and Space, New Roles, and New Community Relationships.
Change Threatens Long Held Beliefs.
Non-linear Time.
Bending and Stretching School Time.
Flexible Time Examples.
Classroom Space: Construction Sites and Studios.
Role of School Library Media Specialist.
Parent Roles.
School and Workplace Connections.

6. Multiple Information Sources Information as Commodity.
Expanded Range of Sources.
Information Engagement.
Primary Human Sources.
Secondary Sources—Information Cluttered Classrooms.
Case Study—Tim's Story.
Reflecting on Tim's Story.

7. Guiding Students to Evaluate Information.
Vignette—Inform or Persuade?
Can We Teach Critical Thinking?
Vignette—Believability.
Helping Students Cope with Information.
Vignette.
How The Brain Believes and Disbelieves.
What Can Teachers Do?
Helping Students Evaluate Sources.
Spiral Staircase Mystery.
Media Literacy and Popular Culture.
Evaluating Web Pages.
Web Site Apprentices.
New Literacy and Web Site Construction.
Constructing Is Evaluating.

8. Applied Literacy Mini Lessons.
Vignette.
So Many Strategies—So Little Time.
Mini Lesson Formats.
Vocabulary Minilessons.
Vocabulary Is Important.
Comprehension Minilessons.

9. Applied Literacy Examples In Language Arts.
Applied Writing and Speaking Language Arts.
Inquiry and Narrative Writing in Language Arts.

10. Applied Literacy: Science in Middle School.
The Heartland Produce Project.
Organic or Non-organic PowerPoint Presentations.
Blazing Trails Science.
A Sample of Reid's Inquiry Activities.
Comments and Observations.

Final Words.