Hi Andrea,
No I am not familiar with the Scottish storyline method, but you have made me inquisitive about it. There are a couple of Scottish teachers at the school that I do consulting with. I will ask them about it. Robyn > Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:49:02 -0500 > To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org; mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > From: jenki...@oakhillschool.org > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > > Thanks so much to all of you for your wonderful, articulate input. You > beautifully communicated my gut instinct all along: that reading/writing do > need explicit instruction, should be taught as its own content area, and > then integrated into other content areas to actively apply the > reading/writing strategies. > > Robyn, I do believe that many teachers do begin with the theme at the > center and then make the literacy learning fit the theme. As you described, > this is backwards. We should make literacy learning the focus and link the > theme. > > I had forgotten the Lucy Calkins quote "We teach the writer, not the > writing" and believe it does fully apply to reading as well. Oh my, so > often we "teach the book" without ever teaching the reader. > > Thank you, dear friends for your input! It has helped a great deal. > > Andrea > > P.S. Robyn: Off-topic, are you familiar with the Scottish Storyline Method? > If so, I would love to know more. Heard it is used in Europe more than the > United States, so I thought you might know. If so, please email me off > list. Thanks. > > Ljackson <ljack...@gwtc.net> wrote: > >Robyn, > > > >I think you've nailed it! The primary purpose and focus during reading and > >writer's workshop must be teaching the reader/writer and when that can be > >served through integration, then so be it. When it cannot be, there must > >be time for the needs of the reader--or writer--to take precedence. > > > >Lori Jackson > > District Literacy Coach and Mentor > > Todd County School District > > Box 87 > > Mission SD 5755 > > > >----- Original message ----- > >From: Robyn Kouw <kou...@hotmail.com> > >To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >Date: Monday, April 27, 2009 6:02 PM > >Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > > > >> > >> Hello, > >> > >> I have been following this discussion with interest. I am an Australian > >living in the Netherlands. I have been a Literacy Coordinator for about > >ten years. At the moment I am studying again, and sometimes work in a > >literacy consulting role with a local international school. > >> > >> I am used to teaching inquiry based learning, rather than the thematic > >approach, but the concept of integration into literacy is the same. In my > >experience you can successfully use materials that stem from your inquiry > >(or theme) in literacy, providing the focus is a literacy based focus. > >For example, if a group of students need to increase their reading > >fluency, this must be your focus. Texts at the right level that link into > >the inquiry or theme can be used to support this. Integration does help to > >provide authentic reading and writing tasks. If we exclusively use > >materials from our inquiry or theme, however, we can actually miss chunks > >of important reading, writing, speaking and listening instruction. I > >strongly believe that we should first begin with the literacy learning > >focus for the students we teach (based on the assessment, teaching and > >learning cycle) then look to see if we can link our inquiry or theme to > >this (not the other way around). If we do this, meaning can be added to > >both literacy and to the inquiry (or theme). > >> > >> > >> > >> Robyn Kouw > >> > >> > >> > >> > From: mcgovern_amy64042...@hotmail.com > >> > To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >> > Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:18:09 -0500 > >> > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > >> > > >> > > >> > Hi, > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > Change is a difficult thing for everyone. It may be that the teachers > >you are working with are not 100% sure of how to teach the strategies you > >are discussing. They may also not see why they are important. The more > >rationale you can offer them, the better. I coach teachers regularly and > >one technique that works very well is to phrase things in terms of what > >the students need vs. what the teachers should do. "The students are > >having trouble remembering the vocabulary for this unit, here are some > >strategies that will help the kids connect to the text better and remember > >the vocabulary..." The focus remains on the students- always. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > If the teachers say they are already integrating reading and writing in > >other subject areas- then consider sharing explicit examples of strategies > >you feel they need to add to what they are doing. Is it possible for you > >to model a science or social studies lesson for them where you explicitly > >demonstrate the kinds of strategy instruction you are referring too? > >Seeing you in action may make your conversations about Mosaic more > >meaningful. You could also video tape yourself with your own students if > >it is not possible to visit other classrooms. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > Amy McGovern > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 15:02:11 -0500 > >> > > To: Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >> > > From: jenki...@oakhillschool.org > >> > > Subject: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > >> > > > >> > > Hello friends. I am leading a Mosaic book study with teachers at my > >school. > >> > > Many, if not all, of the teachers say they "integrate reading and > >writing > >> > > and teach it across the curriculum". I believe this is code for not > >> > > specifically teaching reading and writing, but rather assigning > >reading and > >> > > writing assignments/activities, and calling that their instruction > >of > >> > > reading/writing. What they are actually teaching is social studies > >or > >> > > science, with throwing in reading and writing assignments with no > >> > > instruction on how to read or write strategically. > >> > > > >> > > Personally, I believe in the workshop framework for both reading and > >> > > writing, and believe in directly teaching reading and writing > >strategies > >> > > through mini-lessons. They believe, wholeheartedly, that their > >thematic, > >> > > integrated approach to teaching is working and best practice. I > >believe > >> > > differently. > >> > > > >> > > How do I combat this response of "integrated" instruction? > >> > > Am I missing a crucial piece? Perhaps I am wrong here and many of you > >also > >> > > use thematic units and content areas to teach strategies. How do > >other > >> > > teachers of workshop model classrooms handle the balance between > >reading and > >> > > social studies? > >> > > > >> > > Many thanks! > >> > > > >> > > Andrea Jenkins > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > _______________________________________________ > >> > > Mosaic mailing list > >> > > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >> > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > >> > > > >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >> > > > >> > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > >> > > > >> > > >> > _________________________________________________________________ > >> > Rediscover Hotmail®: Now available on your iPhone or BlackBerry > >> > > >http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail? > ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscover_Mobile2_042009 > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > Mosaic mailing list > >> > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > >> > > >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >> > > >> > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > >> > > >> > >> _________________________________________________________________ > >> Need a new place to rent, share or buy? Let ninemsn property search for > >you. > >> > >http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fninemsn%2Edomain%2Ecom% > 2Eau%2F%3Fs%5Fcid%3DFDMedia%3ANineMSN%5FHotmail% > 5FTagline&_t=774152450&_r=Domain_tagline&_m=EXT > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Mosaic mailing list > >> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >> > >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > >> > >> > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Mosaic mailing list > >Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _________________________________________________________________ Looking for a fresh way to share photos? 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