Module 1 Overview and Introduction Lecture
Overview and GoalsImportance of Content Literacy and Academic Vocabulary Development Reading, writing, and research skills are at the heart of effective social studies instruction. Through the integration and effective use of content literacy strategies, teachers can create a more student-centered environment, coach students to become more strategic readers and writers, and show students how to be active participants in their learning. Content literacy strategies can be applied to any subject area, text, or textbook. Because textbooks include the basic themes, vocabulary, and information for history and social studies courses, they remain a valuable resource for social studies teachers and can be a gateway to deeper learning. The key is using a variety of research-based reading and writing strategies to engage students in text and coaching them throughout the process to tap into higher order thinking skills. In general, American schools do a good job of teaching students the Five Big Ideas of Beginning Reading Links to an external site. (phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency with text, vocabulary, and comprehension) in the primary grades, but they often fail to adequately teach comprehension academic vocabulary in the upper elementary grades and beyond. In his book Building Background Knowledge for Academic Excellence Links to an external site., Robert Marzano reports that nearly 55% of students' academic vocabulary comes from the social studies (see Figure 6.3 from Building Background Knowledge for Academic Excellence Links to an external site.) based on formally and informally recognized national standards documents from produced between 1994 and 2000. The academic vocabulary, content literacy skills, and background knowledge gained in social studies classes help students access and understand more complex texts and documents as they progress through the grade levels. Regular use of content literacy strategies and direct vocabulary instruction can have a profound effective on students ability to read, write, and think in social studies class and across the curriculum. In Module 2, we will be focusing on the instructional shifts taking place across the country due to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (some states have adopted an alternative version of the ELA standards) and the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework. The new standards and the C3 Framework encourage students to use disciplinary literacy skills, which are many of the same skills that historians, geographers, economists, political scientists, and well-informed citizens use in the field. These skills are essential for students to routinely practice and master during their K-12 academic experience, and it is the focus of much of this course. However, it would be remiss to not remind teachers how powerful content literacy strategies can be for student learning and growth and to encourage them to find the appropriate balance between content and disciplinary literacy for their own classes. After completing this module, you will be able to:
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