All students, from struggling readers to above grade-level readers, benefit from literacy instruction that is embedded in content curriculum. This workshop addresses why content literacy must be an essential part of literacy initiatives. The presenter will review the literacy components that are best taught while teaching discipline-specific subjects: vocabulary, comprehension strategies, background knowledge, the reading-writing connection and understanding different text structures. Practical teaching strategies will be shared for you to use with adolescents within the area of literacy instruction.
Discipline-specific strategies cannot replace general strategy instruction for adolescents who struggle with reading and writing. The problem is that these struggling readers and writers do not possess the foundational skills and strategies to be proficient with disciplinary literacy. One solution is for content teachers to collaborate with specialists who can instruct students in the foundational strategies that support disciplinary literacy skills, working toward positive post-secondary outcomes and workforce readiness. This session will provide learning support teachers and health professionals with practical ideas to use in their collaborative efforts with classroom teachers in an inclusive learning environment.
Target Audience
Classroom Teachers, Learning Support Teachers, Health Care Professionals, Administrators