Literacy Learning in the Early Years and Adolescent Literacy

Chapter 4: Literacy Learning in the Early Years

The first section of the chapter talks about initiatives in early education and how that is relevant to literacy leaders and professional development efforts. One initiative is for supporting curriculum in the pre-k through 3rd grades because there is evidence of a "literacy achievement gap [that] starts early and persists throughout the grades" (61). Professional development should support teachers' implementation of higher standards and school-family relationships. Another initiative that the chapter discusses is the use of assessments in early education, and professional development should emphasize "learn[ing] and exchang[ing] ideas about the collection and use of assessment data" (61). The chapter also discusses technology initiatives and suggests that professional development focus on both the selection of "appropriate technology" and the integration of it into the curriculum (62). The final initiatives are about educator evaluation, which the chapter posits should be used "to plan ongoing professional development to support teachers' abilities to demonstrate competence" in their evaluated areas (62).

Professional development that focuses on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards should have a few areas of focus. It should emphasize an "integrated model of literacy" that effectively combines all aspects of literacy, rather than teaching reading, writing, speaking, etc. separately (62). Expectations should be cumulative and vertically aligned to build on students' knowledge continually. Teachers should plan collaboratively to support students' literacy development. Professional development should also help teachers  support students "become proficient in reading complex texts independently and in a variety of content areas" (63).

The chapter describes a few different approaches that can support students' early literacy development. Teachers should focus on "strategies that promote a positive view toward reading" (64). Strategies should "help expand children's vocabularies and conceptual understandings" through discussion of texts. Students should be supported in understanding the functions of print and the purposes of writing, and teachers should help build up print awareness on a regular basis with a variety of strategies. Teachers should introduce students to types of texts and text structures through discussions that "[go] beyond simple recall" (66). Teachers should give students various opportunities to both listen to and respond to stories to help develop listening comprehension. In terms of decoding, teachers should focus on strategies to promote three areas: alphabet knowledge, phonemic awareness (awareness of speech sounds), and phonics ("link[ing] written symbols and sounds") (67). Finally, teachers should give students opportunities to write in a variety of contexts every day.

The chapter concludes with a section on accountability and assessment. Assessment should be developmentally appropriate. Assessment should be used to track literacy development that informs decisions about curriculum and instructional approaches. The chapter outlines a few approaches for this type of assessment, including oral observations and observations of print awareness.

• How does this chapter relate to something you read this week?
• How can you address these issues as a literacy leader?

Chapter 6: Adolescent Literacy - Old School, New School, Your School

This chapter begins by describing the evolution of adolescent literacy instruction. In the 1960s and 1960s, there were initiatives related to helping "students who needed instructional support in using reading to learn," which began the focus on content area reading (86). However, there was miscommunication and a lack of appropriate professional development, so many content area teachers "did not feel prepared" to support students' reading (86). Content area reading approaches later evolved in the 1990s to become what we now know as content literacy or disciplinary literacy. From then until now, content area teachers are expected to approach literacy by teaching their students "how to write, think, and learn with text within the context of disciplinary literacy"; they are encouraged to teach their students to think like experts in their field (87).

The next section of the chapter discusses aspects of effective literacy programs for adolescents. Students should be able to read a "wide variety of reading material," much of which should appeal to them (88). Instructional strategies should focus both on skills and engagement, and teachers should be responsive to students' individual contexts. Assessment should be used as a tool to guide instruction, and teaching should include both modeling and "explicit instruction in reading comprehension and study strategies across the curriculum" (88). Finally, schools should employ the assistance of reading specialists to guide teachers, and schools should emphasize the relationship between the school and the community.

The last two sections of the chapter outline standards for literacy coaches as outlined in leadership standards and Common Core and content literacy standards.
A few highlights: Literacy coaches should conduct a literacy needs assessment that is implemented "by developing a schoolwide literacy team" (90). Literacy coaches should also familiarize themselves with adult learning strategies and implement them in every aspect of their coaching. Additionally, good literacy coaches "keep up-to-date on current research about teaching, learning, best practices, and curriculum materials" (90). Literacy coaches should be familiar both with content area standards and the actual subject matter of the actual areas in which they will be coaching teachers.

• How does this chapter relate to something you read this week?
• How can you address these issues as a literacy leader?