Literacy Now

There are literally thousands of excellent websites available to educators these days, but every so often one comes along that provides something you’ve quietly wished for all your career. For me, NEWSELA, currently in beta and free, is one of those finds.

Just in time for the Common Core emphasis on non-fiction reading, NEWSELA provides daily current events articles written specifically for K-12 students. Each day the site adds three new articles to their collection, which includes the categories War and Peace, Money, Kids, Science, and Law. But here’s the highlight: for every article there are versions written at several different Lexile levels. With just a few clicks, a teacher can provide the same story leveled for students of differing ability. For example, here is a story I might use with my 8th graders, written at a Lexile of 1180:

And below is the same story “translated” into a Lexile of 870:

That alone makes NEWSELA a highly valuable resource for a teacher working to meet individual student needs. But there are more tools available. The site has a search option, making it possible for students doing online research to locate accessible news articles on specific topics. A teacher can also set up classes, register individual students in each class (no student emails required), assign articles to classes, and monitor student work. Once a student has an account, she can join more than one class, so it’s possible for teachers of different subject areas to use the site with the same students. 

Once students are logged in, they can highlight and save articles, and teachers have access to view those. There are even brief online comprehension quizzes for many of the articles, and teachers can monitor those scores as well. A “Binder” tab at the top of the teacher’s page allows for a search of student activity “by article” or “by student,” so it’s simple for a teacher to monitor individual reading logs and quiz results. And because NEWSELA is a current events site with new articles appearing every day, teachers across the curriculum, within the same building and at different levels, can integrate this site into their courses without concern that a previous teacher has already used the materials. It’s a site everyone can share! 

At this time NEWSELA is optimized for iPhone and iPad, and quizzes are available on iPad only. But according to the NEWSELA site, Android optimization is coming soon. There is also a NEWSELA Facebook page, where ideas for implementing class activities are readily available and a network of practicing teachers provides suggestions and guidance.

Now, I would be one of the first to argue that Lexile levels are a somewhat narrow measure by which to judge a text’s complexity. But I do have students whose limited vocabulary and fluency makes it difficult for them to read texts at grade level. The ability to level their texts (see Paul Morsink’s excellent TILE-SIG post on the Digital ZPD) without having to sacrifice their participation in meaningful group dialogue is a huge affordance. 

One of my favorite methods for teaching shared inquiry into a text is the Socratic Seminar, in which the students work together to question, discuss, read closely, and make meaning of rich texts and the issues they raise. With NEWSELA, all my students can participate in relevant conversations about current events, form opinions about their world, and become civic participants—using resources appropriate for them. What’s more powerful than that?

Angie Johnson is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology at Michigan State University and teaches 8th grade Language Arts at Lakeshore Middle School, in Stevensville, MI, ajohnson@lakeshoreps.org.

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).

by Richard Long
International Reading Association
October 31, 2013

Early in October, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices issued a paper: A Governor’s Guide to Early Literacy: Getting All Students Reading by Third Grade. The report observes that those students who are not reading at grade level by the third are at risk of failure. They cite that only one third of all students enter the fourth grade with the literacy skills needed to succeed. The report makes three observations:

1. Starting at Kindergarten is too late.
2. Reading proficiency requires three sets of interrelated skills:
1. Language and communication skills,
2. Mechanics of reading, AND
3. Content knowledge.
3. Parents, primary caregivers, and teachers have the most influence on children’s language and literacy development.

They recommend that the governors and other policy makers take five actions to adopt policies and change systems to better ensure that all children are on track to be strong readers by the end of third grade:

1. Adopt comprehensive language and literacy standards and curricula for early care and education.
2. Expand access to high-quality child care, pre-Kindergarten and full-day Kindergarten.
3. Engage and support parents as partners.
4. Equip professionals providing care and education with the skills and knowledge to support early language and literacy development.
5. Develop mechanisms to promote continuous improvement and accountability.

This report is part of a wide ranging initiative by NGA to promote early childhood education by encouraging changes in state policies and encouraging an expansion of early childhood programs. The advisory group they convened worked with representatives of six states to develop the core ideas around what worked well and what needed to be done. The U.S. Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is expected to create a set of recommendations to create a new program to ensure universal pre-Kindergarten for all students, with the first phase being those children who live in poverty.

The report may be of use to IRA members as they advocate for state policies that support early literacy development. The report can be accessed on the NGA website.

Reader response is welcomed. Email your comments to LRP@/

Building upon April’s multicultural book review column, we highlight books which focus on movement in literal and figurative ways. Our global communities are continually shifting as people, ideas, and cultural practices enter and exit geographic locales. The books reviewed this week span the continuum of life and time. They highlight physical migration, illustrate the ramifications of social and political movements (or lack thereof), document ideological shifts, and celebrate the moving effects of creativity. International books recently published in the U.S. are also included to broaden our understandings of books read around the world.

GRADES K-3

Bar-el, Dan. (2013). Dream boats. Illus. Kirsti Anne Wakelin. Vancouver, Canada: Simply Read Books.

Just as “a picture is worth a thousand words,” dreams enable us to embark on wondrous adventures. Readers of this picture book will be captivated by the journeys of legend and lore as young children around the world reunite with their culture, tradition, history, and heritage. These youth meet Viracocha near the Andes Mountains; Ganesh near Mumbai; Bear Spirits and Baba Yaga near St. Petersburg, Russia; Obatala alongside the Niger River, among others. They also engage in spontaneous “play dates” with each other. Their adventures become “stories woven into their blankets” and their memories become cognitive maps of past and future. The poetic vignettes and lush, detailed mixed media illustrations will enchant readers of all ages. For those with a more pragmatic purpose for reading, the end pages also offer detailed instructions of how to create one’s own dream boat.

—Jennifer M. Graff, The University of Georgia

Nastanlieva, Vanya. (2013). The new arrival. Vancouver, Canada: Simply Read Books.

Using a cross-hatch style and warm color palette, and perhaps inspired by her own immigration experiences, Bulgarian children’s book creator, Vanya Nastanlieva, offers young readers a heart-warming and humorous story about making friends. Sam, an endearing hedgehog, embarks on a journey to find a new home. While his new home is idyllic in many ways, it’s missing one critical element: friends. Sam looks everywhere for friends of any kind and endures the extremities of weather during his search. He even sacrifices much of his “hair” (quills) to affix “Wanted Friend” notices to the forest trees. Unbeknownst to him and just before he gives up hope, his forest mates organize a party to welcome him into their community. The asides spoken by the forest mates throughout the book provide the readers with assurances that everything will be well in the end. Making friends, a never-ending dilemma for people of all ages, is one story which needs repeating, and this book is a welcome addition.

—Ying Cui & Jennifer M. Graff, The University of Georgia

Young, Jessica. (2013). My blue is happy. Illus. Catia Chien. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.

A young girl’s discovery that she and her sister interpret the color blue differently leads to her realization that divergent beliefs are part and parcel of life. Intrigued by her discovery, the girl engages in a fascinating exploration of the meaning of colors within her community. Catia Chien’s bright and captivating illustrations go beyond the verbal narrative and invite young readers to discover many interesting details that fulfill our daily routine. This story is a playful reminder about how we can not only coexist in difference, but also how the world is enriched by difference. My Blue is Happy might become a classroom favorite and a gateway to discussions about colors and their symbolism from both individual and cultural perspectives.

—Oksana Lushchevska, The University of Georgia

Yum, Hyewon. (2013). This is our house. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books.

This is Our House is a story about three generations of one family. Following the young girl protagonist’s narrative, readers learn about things that are cherished by her family: their house, their street, and the trees, among other items. Readers, however, might notice that the house is itself a strong and firm character in the book. Its doors, steps, stairs, and rooms relate to a time when the girl’s grandparents arrived from “far away with just two suitcases” (unpaged). Page by page, the canvas of immigrant life unfolds; they settle in the house and area, and their children and, then, grandchildren are born. Thus, in this short and vivid story, Yum manages to cover many details about how a house becomes a home with her vibrant mixed-media illustrations and the child-like narrative. After using this book for a read-aloud in the classroom, teachers might engage young learners in a discussion about the history of the origins of their own families.

—Oksana Lushchevska, The University of Georgia

GRADES 4-6

Leyson, Leon, Harran, Marilyn J., & Leyson, Elisabeth B. (2013). The boy on the wooden box. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

This memoir from one of the young children saved by Oskar Schindler during World War II helps readers better understand how one person can make a significant difference in the world. Leon Leyson was born Leib Lejzon, the youngest of five children in a loving, working-class, Jewish family living in Narweka, Poland. While Leyson enjoyed the first decade of his life, he began experiencing the horrific consequences of prejudice and the persecution of Jews at the age of ten. The majority of this memoir details how Leon, his family, and friends endured the horrors of living in Jewish ghettos and working in concentration camps, even with the continued support of Schindler. Leyson’s stoicism, as conveyed through his matter-of-fact tone, does not diminish the emotional impact of his story. Photographs and an afterword by his wife and children, complement this gripping tale of past atrocities and emphasize the need for survivors’ stories to be told and retold so as to not forget. Some educators and parents might want to reserve this book for early middle school readers due to the content.

—Jennifer M. Graff, The University of Georgia

Williams-Garcia, Rita. (2013). P. S. be eleven. New York, NY: Amistad.
 
Rita Williams-Garcia delights readers with the sequel to her award-winning novel, One Crazy Summer (2011). Upon returning to Big Ma and Pa in Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York, Vonetta, Fern, and Delphine continue to explore the wonders and complexities of growing up and desiring independence while remaining sheltered within the cocoon of their community. Informed by their summer spent with their mother, Cecile, in Oakland, California, all three sisters continue to negotiate their roles as sisters, family members, and citizens of the world. The girls are excited by the return of Uncle Darnell from Vietnam, yet disturbed by his personality change. They also experience a redefinition of family when their father weds Marva Hendrix, a younger woman who seems on the surface to be the antithesis of Cecile. Such feelings are compounded by Delphine’s desire for a mother who expresses her love in a way Cecile does not. Young readers will definitely relate to episodes of friendships tinged with friction and sibling squabbles. Throw some Tina Turner and The Jackson 5 into the mix and you have a winner for all ages.

—Jennifer M. Graff, The University of Georgia

GRADES 7-8

Crossan, Sarah. (2013). The weight of water. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

This contemporary fiction novel narrates the transnational escapades of Kasienka and her mother as they search for Kasienka’s “missing father." Although Kasienka understands that her “tata” ran away from them, she abides by her mother’s decision to remain in England until they find him. At school, Kasienka goes through all of the misfortunes and turbulence of being a newcomer. She is often bullied; however, her athleticism as a swimmer helps her acclimate to the culture of her new community, Coverty.

The hallmark of The Weight of Water lies in its narrative. Written in free verse, the novel communicates all the tension and emotional unbalance that Kasienka and her mother experience. Since the title was first published in the UK, it will definitely serve as an essential book for developing global awareness. To deepen the discussion on the immigration theme The Weight of Water might be paired with Thanhha Lai’s (2011) free verse novel, Inside Out and Back Again.

—Oksana Lushchevska, The University of Georgia

Matti, Truus. (2013). Mister Orange. Trans. Laura Watkinson. New York, NY: Enchanted Lion Books.

Twelve-year-old Linus Muller is proud of his brother Albie’s decision to fight in WWII. The idea that Albie will become a fearless hero fighting for justice, like his favorite Action Comics character, Mister Superspeed, fascinates Linus. He imagines his brother bravely and tirelessly fighting Hitler and the Nazis. Then, he meets “Mr. Orange,” a mysterious immigrant from England. Mr. Orange, also known as artist Piet Mondrian (1872-1944), shares with Linus the destructive nature of war on all aspects of life. Through these conversations, Linus starts to understand that his brother is not doing a heroic deed but, rather, is struggling to stay alive. When Mr. Orange passes away, Linus learns that he is the founder of a new trend in art: neoplasticism. Mr. Orange’s final work “Broadway Boogie-Woogie” helps Linus to see the colors of the future, which, of course, for the contemporary generation, is the past. Mister Orange is written by a Dutch writer whose novel Departure Time (2010) became a 2011 Batchelder Honor Book. The text is masterfully translated by Laura Watkinson. The book also includes some information about Piet Mondrian.  

—Oksana Lushchevska, The University of Georgia

Sandler, Martin W. (2013). Imprisoned: The betrayal of Japanese Americans during World War II. London, UK: Walker Books.

Through engaging and insightful perspectives, Imprisoned reveals important, and perhaps unknown, details about the horrific events involving the internment of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Selecting information from extensive, previously unpublished interviews and oral histories with Japanese American survivors of internment camps, Martin W. Sandler expertly crafts an in-depth narrative of their lives before, during their imprisonment, and after their release. The author also includes a lengthy and moving section about the young Japanese Americans who served in the military in a variety of capacities, from actual combat to intelligence and translation services. Ironically, while these brave soldiers were battling prejudice and tyranny overseas, their families and friends were experiencing both at home. Extensive use of photographs furthers this gripping narrative. These photographs tell their own stories and illustrate a range of emotions often unattainable through words. This is a must-have nonfiction book for classroom and personal libraries.

—Ying Cui, The University of Georgia

GRADES 9-12

Joseph, Lynn. (2013). Flowers in the sky. New York, NY: HarperTeen.

In this contemporary fiction novel, fifteen-year-old Nina Perez, known as the “flower girl” in her hometown of Samana, departs from the Dominican Republic to New York City. Although Nina does not want to leave the town where she grows flowers and watches the whales, her mother insists on this trip. Her mother is sure that Nina’s older brother, Darrio, will take good care of her, and one day, she would have a better life in America. However, as Nina discovers upon arriving in New York, Darrio has been incarcerated. Fortunately, a barber, Luis, and Senora Rivera help Nina out. Nina ultimately decides to stay in New York to not only help Darrio but also build a new life.

In Flowers in the Sky, readers can envision New York through a newcomer’s eyes and will also have a chance to understand what the protagonist’s homeland means to her. The geographical landscapes of the Dominican Republic and Nina’s reflections on her flower garden are two of the most enjoyable aspects of this novel. Additionally, the lives of immigrants in the U.S. and the image of the U.S., as presented by Lynn Joseph who left Trinidad for the U.S. at the age of ten, are crucial components for classroom discussion. Educators and students can learn more about Joseph and her life on her website.

—Oksana Lushchevska, The University of Georgia

Farizan, Sara. (2013). If you could be mine. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Young Readers.

What extremes would you go to in order to be with the one you love, especially if your love is considered criminal? This is one of the essential questions posed by author Sara Farizan in her debut novel, If You Could Be Mine. A few years prior, Sahar was devastated by her mother’s death. Now, at the age of seventeen, Sahar experiences further devastation. Nasrin, her best friend and confidante—a woman who Sahar has loved since the age of six—will soon marry the man of her parents’ choosing. Feeling lost and alone in a country which considers homosexuality to be a crime punishable by death, Sahar struggles to figure out not only how to better ensure she and Nasrin can secretly stay together but also how to survive if they cannot.  For Sahar, a sex-change operation is the perfect solution. If she could become a man, then she and Nasrin could legally be together. With the help of her cousin Ali and a transgender community in Tehran, Sahar seeks out a surgeon for the procedure. Yet, she cannot escape the nagging feeling of personal betrayal. Is sacrificing one’s self to help retain the love of another worth it?  Can Sahar follow through with the procedure, and even if she does, will Nasrin cancel her arranged marriage? Readers will appreciate both the contemporariness and timelessness of this sensitive and poignant look at identity and love from multiple perspectives.

—Jennifer M. Graff, The University of Georgia

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. 

Good readers know that a given word can have more than one meaning, and can lead or mislead readers in more than one direction. In fact, there are 464 of them used by the Oxford English Dictionary to define the single word “set.” Adding to the potential confusion for readers are the connotative and denotative meanings of a given word. When One-Directional Harry croons, “You’re my kryptonite,” he is not suggesting the object of his affections possesses a radioactive element from the planet Krypton, an element that keeps making him “weak, frozen,” and “unable to breathe.”

p: Eva Rinaldi via photopin cc

Interpreting kryptonite in this way would mean ascribing a literal or denotative meaning to the word. Instead, the singer implies the object of his adoration has mega-powers, enough to render him speechless. He is using the figurative, connotative, metaphoric allusion to her power with phrases such as “get out of my head” and “climbing the walls.”

Musical metaphors themselves may well be a way to reach reluctant readers given the following that popular singers have among the young. The following activity presents a means of enhancing comprehension skills via symbolic words that take readers to the level of abstraction necessary for full understanding and for faster reading.

In addition, the exercise hones research skills, teamwork skills, writing, creative, performance, and presentation skills as well. To get the most out of the exercise, follow these steps:

1. Begin by explaining that throughout literature, legendary iconic figures have been imbued with or affected by powerful objects. These magical objects, frequently the motivation for the hero’s or heroine’s quest, have been used for good, but often are used for evil purposes. Such is the case with Superman, who found his superpowers weakened by exposure to kryptonite. The objects symbolize the antithetical forces.
   
   Make copies of the provided list and distribute to students. Form teams and have them research the legends—one per team. Their reports, which will be delivered orally, should tell others about the historical or legendary figure, the object or symbol used in the story, and the type of power that object had.
   
   Encourage the use of props, questions, quotes, illustration, and audience-interaction as the reports are being prepared. Explain that the teams will be judged on a one to ten scale for the thoroughness, clarity, and interest conveyed in the oral report.

2. Have each team make its report and have the remaining students fill in the blanks pertaining to the research other teams have done. Assign a score on a scale of one to ten for each presentation.

3. Segue into the song-creation assignment part of the activity by discussing the examples below. (Cite, too, the One Direction explanation of the effect kryptonite has on the singer.)
   
   Then have the same student-teams that researched and presented their reports complete these metaphor starters—one per team. They are free to use the researched symbols/objects or other items of their own choosing. But they must give a rationale in the “Because” section for the selection of a particular metaphor. Use a metaphor starter template like this one to guide them.

   Examples:

   You are my palette
   Because you allow the colors of my personality to be expressed.   

   You are my school,
   Because I have learned so much from you.

   You are my pencil,
   Because you have made your mark upon my life.

4. Discuss literal versus symbolic (connotative/figurative/ metaphoric) meanings. Show the difference between denotative and connotative meanings via simple examples, such as “He’s very helpful,” versus “He’s an angel.” Or “She is a good friend,” versus “She’s my rock.”

5. Once students are clear on the difference between the two types of meaning they encounter in their reading, explain that good readers can tell the difference, whether they are listening to the lyrics of a song or reading stories from their literature books. Understanding the difference, of course, is one of the keys to full comprehension.
   
   Next, explain that teams will engage in a relay race, the winner of which will earn an additional ten points. The race depends on having an equal number of people on each team. (If there are one or two students “left over,” assign them the task of checking the answers and handing out the next cards to relay members.)
   
   The first person on each team is given a card and a pencil. He or she must decide if the song-excerpt is literal or figurative. If it is literal, the student circles that word. If it is figurative/symbolic/ metaphoric, the student will circle the actual reference. Once the card is handed to you (or to the student card-checker) and has been given correct-answer approval, the next card is given to the next person on the team.
   
   If the answer is wrong, the same person must answer the next card. He or she cannot hand off the pencil to the next person on the team until the correct answer is encircled.
   
   Using this example as a guide, print lyrics on cards—six cards for each team.

6. Have teams create a song of their own, using the lyrics from any of their favorite songs as a construct. Their songs, however, must contain a fully supported metaphor.

7. Have the teams perform their songs in front of an audience. Invite the school principal, librarian, and one other administrator or teacher to serve on the judging panel. Ask the judges, following each team performance, to offer feedback, based on these questions:
   
   Was the metaphor clear?
   Was there verbal support for the metaphor?
   Did the song make sense?
   Was the choice of words appealing to listeners?
   
   The judges will rate the performances (using the 1–10 scale)—not so much on musical ability as on the clarity of the metaphor.

8. The winning team (with the highest number of points, 30 being a perfect score) can be given some academic boon—extra credit points, a phone call to their parents, or a treat of some sort.

9. If possible, videotape the performances and put them on YouTube. (Obtain parental and principal-ian permission before doing so.)

EXTENDED ACTIVITY

Excerpts from stories the class is reading or passages from newspapers and magazines can be used for relay races. Lyrical excerpts can be chosen from the music most popular among students of different ages.

Several years ago, CAST was collaborating with middle school teachers in thinking about how the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework might help maximize student learning in science. One of the teachers mentioned that helping students write scientific reports was one of her biggest challenges. That idea turned into a three-year research and development grant funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the NEC Foundation, which resulted in a free interactive web-based instructional tool called Science Writer.

Science Writer is designed to lead students through the process of developing a scientific report. Research-based instructional supports are embedded into Science Writer, including:

• The report-writing process is separated in manageable components
• Steps of the writing process are scaffolded
• An organizational structure for report writing is provided
• Sentence starters help initiate writing throughout

Embedded animated coaches, Max, Sam, and Eko provide strategies and models as students move through the process of writing a scientific report.

Science Writer is helpful for teachers who have been trained to teach science and may not have much experience teaching writing. It also helps students who may struggle with “writing like scientists” by guiding them through the process of writing scientific reports as required by The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These standards, now aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for writing, acknowledge that writing is a critical skill for scientists who need to share their knowledge about concepts and findings. (See Appendix M, NGSS).

Stacey Reed, a seventh grade life science teacher in Wayland, Massachusetts, has been using Science Writer for four years and shares her implementation of Science Writer in her classroom:

"While perusing the NGSS, I was energized by the call to slow down, get students to design experiments, ask good questions, and communicate. I created a chart summarizing these practices.

Devoting time to laboratory experiences promotes these science practices, but the resulting writing process is a daunting prospect, especially with students in my classes who struggle with reading and writing. Lab report writing is a very specific type of technical writing, integral to the scientific field, that requires organization. It is not a genre that students read on their own time; therefore, they have few models on which to base their own writing.

Science Writer makes lab report writing far more accessible using UDL strategies, giving students a chance to choose the level of assistance on each task required to create the report. One student might find success when Science Writer chunks the tasks into more manageable pieces. Another student may write conclusions well, but is puzzled by what an analysis section entails. The Science Writer coaches provide model texts for students to learn what is expected.

For instance, a reluctant writer was excited that her gummy bear osmosed with water to 168% of the original volume. We opened Science Writer, and her hand reflexively shot up, asking what she should write. She could retell the directions, so she didn’t need the Eko coach. I suggested she check in with Sam to see a model. A penguin popped up showing his introduction and modeling his thinking process. While she was independently writing a quality introduction, I was able to coach another student who was deciding between sentence starters.

Once students completed the lab report, they displayed more ownership over the ideas they discovered in the lab. As we continue to use the program, I watch students grow beyond the need for the scaffolding supports as they develop a clearer understanding of the expectations of scientific writing and develop science practices."

Peggy Coyne is a Research Scientist at CAST, Inc.

Stacey Reed is a seventh grade life science teacher in Wayland, MA.

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).