41 What Is After-School Worth? Developing Literacy and Identity Out of School Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 8–12 Professional Commentary: This professional development article examines the history and use of after-school programs in order to determine the value of such programs. The question is raised, then answered, regarding these programs' worth, especially as spaces in which we might foster powerful literacy practices among young people.... Projects: Writing 6-12 42 Adolescents and Literacy: Reading for the 21st Century Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 7–Postsecondary Professional Commentary: This professional resource by the Alliance for Excellent Education is the 2002, full-text pdf report on adolescents and literacy and reading for the 21st century. Based on research that demonstrates we do know enough about adolescent literacy to make positive changes today, this professional article makes clear that policymakers should use such research as a foundation for change in secondary schools.... Career Fields: General Career Skills Projects: Writing 6-12, Standards First 43 "At-Risk" Adolescents: Redefining Competence Through the Multiliteracies of Intermediality, Visual Arts, and Representation Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: In this professional development article, author David O'Brien posits a literacy where a variety of socially and culturally appropriate literacies (media and visual arts, amongst others) enables students to construct meaning. And by allowing students to employ a literacy beyond the traditional definition of print literacy where a singular skill or process is applied predominately in school-based settings and tasks, O'Brien concludes that we might help the "at-risk" learner, the struggling reader, to achieve success in literacy.This work on exploring multiliteracies as a way to reposition at-risk adolescents is the result of a 4-year study with high school students and two school-based colleagues at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Indiana.... Career Fields: General Career Skills Projects: Standards First 44 A Survey of Sustained Silent Reading Practices in Seventh-Grade Classrooms Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grade 7 Professional Commentary: This professional resource is grounded in research that indicates the practice of sustained silent reading (SSR) is based on the belief that motivation, interest, self-selection, modeling, and time spent reading contribute to student reading achievement. This detailed article describes a study designed to ascertain the prevalence of SSR in classrooms in a particular geographic area, and describes the degree to which the program's original goals are being met.... 45 Blues You Can Use: Teaching the Faust Theme Through Music, Literature, and Film Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: This professional article cites current research in adolescent literacy to demonstrate the value of the authors' idea for a lesson based on popular culture. The authors reference a lesson plan incorporating the story of Faust and the legend of a blues musician found on the website of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.... Career Fields: Arts & Communication, General Career Skills Projects: Writing 6-12, Standards First 46 Seeing Themselves as Capable and Engaged Readers: Adolescents and Re/Mediated Instruction Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 6–12 Professional Commentary: As a leader in reading research, Donna Alvermann continues the detailed work she began in "Effective Literacy Instruction for Adolescents" (2001), and asserts that if academic literacy instruction is to be effective, it must address issues of self-efficacy and engagement. Alvermann's earlier article is linked in its entirety from this site, and her extensive work here... Career Fields: General Career Skills Projects: Standards First 47 On the Same Page [excerpt]: Chapter 1, "On the Same Page: Shared Reading Beyond the Primary Grades" Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: In this excerpt from her book, Janet Allen examines her own classroom experience teaching shared reading in order to convey the importance of incorporating such strategies for helping students to become fluent, independent readers. Her personal vignettes and student examples make this professional development text both a compelling and informative read.... 48 Reading and Writing in the Middle Years [excerpt]: Chapter 1, "Readers and Writers in the Middle Years" Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 5–7 Professional Commentary: This professional resource is the first chapter from a book focusing on early adolescent literacy, predominantly students in 5th and 6th grades. Taking a compassionate stance and one which incorporates reading research (James Moffett, Nancy Atwell, et al), the author, David Booth, advocates that literacy teaching is about honoring each student's potential as a developing reader and writer.... Career Fields: Agricultural & Environmental Systems, Arts & Communication, Business & Administrative Services, Construction Technologies, Education & Training, Engineering & Science Technologies, Finance, Government & Public Administration, Health Science, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Law & Public Safety, Manufacturing Technologies, Marketing, Transportation Systems, General Career Skills Projects: Standards First 49 YA: FAQ (We're Glad You Asked!) Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 6–12 Professional Commentary: This site is a terrific resource for a quick, fun read about what adolescent literature is and where to find specific titles that both appeal to and engage adolescent readers. The authors set up their article as an imaginary NCTE question and answer session, and set to task answering in a succinct and reader-friendly way the following questions: 1.... 50 Mixing It Up in Middle School: Themed Booklists to Entice Struggling Adolescent Readers Resource Type: Professional Resource Discipline: English Language Arts Ohio Standards Alignment: Grades 6–8 Professional Commentary: This professional resource by Dana Grisham describes a school-university partnership aimed at "accelerating" the literacy development of struggling middle school readers. Teachers who participated in the project explored the uses of literature in the classroom and created themed booklists that would appeal to their sixth- and seventh-grade students, all of whom were reading at least two grade levels below their peers.... |