Prepared for : SECONDARY SCHOOL LITERACY STEERING COMMITTEE, TCDSB

By : PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

1. * Anderson-Inman, Lynne. Electronic Text: Literacy Medium of the Future (Technology Tidbits). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v41 n8 p678-82 May 1998.

Offers insight into electronic text. Discusses seven characteristics of electronic text that have an impact on the notion of literacy and literacy instruction. Discusses repositories of electronic text, and describes a small sampling of sources for free electronic texts on the Internet that are easily accessible to teachers and useful for literacy instruction at the secondary or postsecondary level.

2.  Anderson-Inman and Ditson Leslie. Computer-based concept mapping: A tool for negotiating meaning. Learning & Leading with Technology, v26 n8, p May 1999.

In this feature article, the authors describe strategies for using computers to enhance teaching and learning through the process of electronic concept mapping. Each strategy provides teachers with step-by-step guidelines for integrating computer-based concept mapping into the curriculum and documents how research on the strategy is yielding promising results.

Middle level and high school teachers must be skilled in content-are reading strategies and be able to teach their students strategic informational reading skills. Students who learn to use background knowledge, text-feature knowledge(headings, graphics, and vocabulary), and metacognitive knowledge skillfully will become strategic readers. Since students must learn to read in all content areas, every teacher must be a reading teacher.

4. Clinard, Janice; Foster, Lenoar. Putting Art Standards into Practice with Aesthetic Literacy. NASSP Bulletin, v82 n597 p18-24 Apr 1998

Montana's Framework for Aesthetic Literacy began with the award of a $506,000, three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. By relating English language arts to the visual and performing arts, students see new perspectives on old subjects, and teachers recognize student engagement as the primary criterion of instructional approaches. Billings High School's aesthetic encounters are described.

5. Curry-Tash, Marnie W. The Politics of Teleliteracy and Adbusting in the Classroom. English Journal, v87 n1 p43-48 Jan 1998

Starts with a macro or global analysis of television, leading into an examination of how media (television and commercials in particular) functions at a micro or personal level. Proposes ways these issues can be transformed into challenging and meaningful curricula that teach students to engage in critical evaluations of the content and broader implications of commercial advertisements.

6.  Daisey, Peggy Promoting Literacy in Secondary Content Area Classrooms with Biography Projects. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v40 n4 p270-78 Dec-Jan 199 1997

Provides a rationale for including biography projects in various secondary content areas. Describes a biography project assignment in a teacher education secondary content area literacy course. Provides examples of preservice teachers' work; makes connections to research about literacy and equity; and offers student comments about the assignment.

Defines at-risk adolescent students, including remedial readers, pregnant teenagers, handicapped students, speakers of English as a Second Language, and public library dropouts; and describes literacy programs that enhance self-esteem and establish the library as an alternative learning source, many developed in a literacy course at the University of South Carolina

8. Goodson, F. Todd. Reading and Writing across Genres: Textual Form and Social Action in the High School. Journal of Reading, v38 n1 p6-12 Sep 1994

Suggests that educators help students see their literacies as grounded in situation and community. Argues that high schools should provide a multitude of situational contexts for literacy-learning experiences beyond the general academic community. Draws on genre theory to offer five general suggestions for improving the teaching and learning of literacy in high schools.

9. Hasselbring, Ted And Others. The Computer doesn't embarrass me. Educational Leadership, v55 n3 p30-33 Nov 1997.

Thanks to a joint effort between the Orange County (Florida) Schools and Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, nonreading middle schoolers are moving beyond shame to conquer literacy problems. Students participate daily in a learning lab employing multimedia software designed to improve their reading and spelling skills. Students' reading test scores, grade point averages and attendance improved markedly.

10.  Irvin, Judith L.; And Others. Enhancing Literacy Abilities through Social Studies Content. Social Education, v59 n4 p190-94 Apr-May 1995

Maintains that 40% of 13-year-old students and 16% of 18-year-old students have not acquired intermediate reading skills. Asserts that teachers must strengthen students' motivation if they are to help them improve literacy skills. Recommends classroom activities and reading materials on this topic.

11.  Kaywell, Joan F.; Joseph, Rebecca J. The Power of Books and Literacy (Young Adult Literature). English Journal, v87 n3 p91-95 Mar 1998

Discusses the power of books and literacy, the power of giving students their own books to take home, and young adult novels in which the importance of books is a major theme. Offers brief descriptions of 27 books (mostly novels) whose stories focus on the power of books and literacy.

12. Langer, Judith A. Literacy Acquisition through Literature (Literacy Issues in Focus). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v40 n8 p606-14 May 1997

Discusses a project and study that focused on literacy acquisition among middle school students from the Dominican Republic attending a school on Manhattan's lower East Side. Describes how a book writing project focusing on "stories from home" engaged students, taught them ways to discuss and ways to think, and fostered their literacy acquisition through literature.

13. Mitchell, Judith P.; Abernathy, Tammy V.; Gowans, Linda P. Making Sense of Literacy Portfolios: A Four-Step Plan. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v41 n5 p384-86 Feb 1998

Outlines a four-step portfolio plan that takes into consideration the integrity of portfolios as measurement tools, and describes steps teachers can follow to reduce the frustration they may feel when they use portfolios in their literacy classrooms. Discusses planning the focus, selecting the content, adding materials and building a portfolio, and providing feedback.

14. Moje, Elizabeth Birr and Others. Reinventing Adolescent Literacy for New Times: Perennial and Millennial Issues. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy v43 n5 p400-410 February 2000.

Adolescents' literacy needs for the future are complex AND DEMANDING. The development of this age group's reading, writing, and language skills deserves serious and continuing attention. Authors discuss concepts of secondary reading and content area reading, best practices in adolescent literacy, needs of marginalized readers and a place of critical literacy in the secondary curriculum.

Finds that preservice teachers have generally favorable attitudes toward teaching reading strategies in their content areas, but that methods courses in content area reading do little to enhance those attitudes. Outlines four activities to increase the desire of students to teach reading in content classrooms.

16.  Thoman, Elizabeth. Media Literacy: A Guided Tour of Selected Resources for Teaching. English Journal, v87 n1 p34-37 Jan 1998

Offers an overview of resource information in media literacy, including listings of key organizations; texts and resources for teaching on media literacy; comprehensive texts; sources of thematic curriculum units; and works that explore media genres.

17.  Vacca, Richard T. Let's Not Marginalize Adolescent Literacy (Literacy Issues in Focus). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v41 n8 p604-09 May 1998.

Argues that adolescent literacy has been pushed to the edges of public debate and policy at a time when the literacy development of early adolescents and teenagers is more critical than ever. Discusses why adolescent literacy is critical, how and why the author became an adolescent-literacy educator, and prospects for the future of adolescent literacy.

18. Yagelski, Robert P. Literature and literacy: Rethinking English as a school subject. English Journal, v83 n3 p30-36 Mar 1994.

Examines the notion that much of what is taught in English classes is irrelevant to the challenges faced by today's students. Questions whether literary study serves students needing literacies outside the school. Considers the social context of literacy. Reconceives English instruction to provide relevant literacy skills.

Describes how a portfolio process implemented at an alternative secondary school encouraged resistant students to join in school-related literacy activities. Notes how it also gave the students a chance to self-assess, set and attain goals, and develop a personal relationship with the teacher.