Literacy Now

by Thomas DeVere Wolsey (Walden University), Dana L. Grisham (National University), and Elfrieda H. Hiebert (TextProject)

For more than a decade, TextProject, a nonprofit organization, has worked to link substantive research to useful professional development tools and materials for students that challenge and support struggling and beginning readers. With the emphasis in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS, 2010) on college and career readiness, teachers will challenge students to step up their capacity to read challenging texts like never before. To help teachers meet this challenge, TextProject created the Teacher Development Series for both veteran teachers and novices. 

Because the CCSS calls for an emphasis on text complexity that transcends quantitative readability measures, we collaborated on the development of five modules that teachers (including those working on their teaching credentials) and teacher leaders, titled “Text Complexity and the Common Core State Standards,” may find particularly valuable. This set of modules provides guidance for teacher leaders, teacher educators or staff development leaders as well as activities for teachers or teachers to be as they work to meet the challenges of the Common Core. The first module is currently available online, and the next four modules will be available on or before August 16, 2012.

The first module defines text complexity and introduces the three-part model from the Common Core.

Traditional quantitative notions of readability are usually based on sentence length and word length (often by syllable count). However, the text complexity model found in the Common Core introduces broad new concepts of how complex texts might look and what teachers should consider. Text complexity includes the traditional quantitative ideas of readability, but they add qualitative data about aspects of text that are not countable. These include layers of meaning found in some texts that might otherwise appear easily readable, use and appropriateness of graphics, and so on. The new model also addresses teacher knowledge about the reading capacities of their specific students. While state standards often included references to grade-level texts, the Common Core now identifies a staircase of complexity, embedded in the Common Core State Standards (2010), that the texts students are asked to read and the tasks related to those readings are increasingly and steadily more complex and challenging.

The features of complex texts, with an emphasis on the role of vocabulary, and how beginning and struggling readers can be supported will be found in the next four modules. Each module includes concise reading resources for professional development, an opportunity to reflect and respond to other teachers and teachers-to-be, and an application opportunity wherein the principles of complexity are applied to exemplar texts typical of those that might be used in grades 2 through 12.

We look forward to seeing you on the TextProject site. Besides the free Teacher Development Series materials, you will find a plethora of materials for classroom use and a library of research resources. TextProject encourages educators to explore the website and ask questions about text complexity through the info@textproject.org e-mail address. What are your concerns about text complexity and what it means for your classroom and your own professional development? How might TextProject be of help? 

Reference

Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS). (2010). Appendix A: Research supporting key elements of the standards; Glossary of key terms. In Common Core State Standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf

Dr. Thomas DeVere Wolsey is a literacy specialization coordinator in the Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University.

Dr. Dana L. Grisham is core adjunct faculty at National University. 

Dr. Elfrieda H. Hiebert is President and CEO of TextProject. 

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

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A journey made through air and space is the definition of flight. People have always been fascinated and curious about things that can fly. From Greek mythology, Icarus tried to escape from Crete with wings made from feathers and wax. Leonardo da Vinci toyed with the idea of flying machines. Heroes of flight include the recently departed Sally Ride, as well as Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Beryl Markham, Eddie Rickenbacker, Chuck Yeager, and others who earned respect for their daring flights in history. Harry Potter and wizard friends could fly with the help of their quidditch brooms. Birds, insects, kites, aircraft, and space vehicles transcend earth and wind and fly into the unknown. Young readers develop this fascination with flight at an early age. The International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading SIG book review column this week is devoted to all aspects of flight through fact and fiction.

ReadWriteThink offers several nonfiction lesson plan ideas on various concepts of flight featuring Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, the Wright Brothers, the space shuttle, and more. ReadWriteThink salutes first woman in space Sally Ride as well. 

GRADES K-3

Bell, Cece. (2008). Bee-wigged. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Most children (and adults) dislike bees. Jerry Bee is an enormous bee who loves people. He tries very hard to make friends by giving away his honey, calling people on the telephone and chasing potential pals, but nothing works. One morning Jerry finds an old wig and a school bus driver mistakes him for a young man. This new disguise helps him finally make new friends at school. But Jerry’s helpful, generous, kind and inspiring personality help him make even more friends. One day Jerry’s wig flies right off his head and everyone notices that he is really an enormous bee. They all flee in a hurry. Thankfully one friend sticks up for Jerry and exclaims that he has never stung anyone. Learning about how Jerry makes friends, especially his kind personality, could be helpful to young students.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Cecil, Randy. (2012). Horsefly and honeybee. New York: Henry Holt.

Honeybee was tired and plopped down inside a flower for a nap, but found horsefly inside. The two insects fight over the space and each loses a wing. With only one wing, neither can fly any longer and they part ways. While honeybee walks home she suddenly is grabbed from behind by a bullfrog who carries her off to a lily pad. Bullfrog is collecting insects for his dinner and horsefly is already waiting. Both insects pout and moan, fearing what will happen to them next. Instinctively they grab each other and flap a wing, up up up they go out of reach of bullfrog’s sticky tongue. Sometimes enemies need to work together to get out of messy situations.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Covell, David. (2012). Rat and roach: Friends to the end. New York: Viking Juvenile.

Everyone needs a friend or two, but sometimes it’s hard work to maintain a friendship. After all, just because two individuals are friends doesn't mean they have the same likes, dislikes or personalities. When those differences almost seem insurmountable, the friends will have to decide how much they value the friendship and how much each one is willing to compromise. It might be surprising that a friendship forms between Rat and his somewhat high-strung winged companion Roach. Then again, who knows what causes friendships between a rodent and the sometimes high-flying Roach to form or to break? On the surface, the two have very little in common. Rat is smelly and enjoys passing gas, while Roach likes his air fresh and sweetly scented. They don't agree on housekeeping, cooking or the volume of music. When the two become angry at one another, they decide to quit speaking, and a quiet truce is maintained. But the silence prompts them to miss each other and their shared good times, and eventually they hug--a little too tightly for Roach's taste--and make up. The story has been told before, of course, but never in quite this fashion.  The illustrations are a treat all to themselves with one depicting Rat happily banging away on his tuna cans drums.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Hawke, Richard. (2012). Creepy critters: A pop-up book of creatures that jump, crawl, and fly. Illus. by Robin Bouttell. Paper engineering by Richard Hawke. New York: Abrams.

All children are fascinated with creatures that jump, crawl or fly. The opening page notes that there are more than a million different types of bugs in the world. This book highlights six amazing creepy critters with a large pop-up of the creature along with interesting facts and information about their life cycles, where they live, what they like to eat and much more. For example, did you know that there are around 18,000 species of grasshoppers? Kids will want to keep reading to find out that grasshoppers are usually green or brown to camouflage themselves in grass. Surprisingly they can jump up to 20 times their body length and their ears are located on their stomach or knees. In addition, grasshopper blood does not contain any oxygen, so it appears green. Children will fondly pore over this book and read every single detail.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Lawrence, Ellen. (2012). A butterfly’s life. New York: Bearport.

Written in a science journal format, this information picture book will pique young children’s interest about butterflies. Sam keeps track of each butterfly he sees and chronicles what they are doing. Full-page photographs accompany the journal entries along with text boxes, small illustrations and labels. One day Sam finds over 50 monarch butterfly eggs under the leaves of milkweed plants. The supplementary text box states that female monarchs lay about 400 eggs. In addition, the book includes a table of contents, index, more information about butterflies, science vocabulary and a science lab. This is the perfect text to share during a science unit on butterflies or to have available for silent reading. Children will enjoy viewing and reading this book to learn more about our world.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Lund, Deb. (2012) Dinosoaring. Illustrated by Howard Fine. Harcourt Children’s Books.

Written in rhyming couplets, this soaring story explains how six dinofliers end up in an airshow, which is not an easy thing to do as dinofliers get into their dinogoggles and try to take off to fulfill their dinoplan. The crowd below cheer as they watch the dinofliers Dinodance on the wings and pull several aerial antics until they get dinosick and have to bail out on dinochutes. Fine’s watercolor and gouache paintings create the image of huge animals with many double page spreads to expand the hilarity of these silly dinosaurs. The interesting vocabulary will make for a fun read aloud and the author/illustrator leave a hint of another book in this series (Dinosailors, 2003 and All Aboard the Dinotrain, 2006) when the plane crashes into a cow pasture and questions, “What comes next?” Visit the author’s FaceBook page.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Mayo, Margaret. (p2012, c2011) Zoom, rocket, zoom! Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Walker & Co.

Fun, rhythmic language combined with typography that reflects the dynamics and action of space travel make this a perfect introduction to space travel and information about outer space for the very youngest readers. Boldly colored cut-paper collage illustrations add to the childlike appeal and energy of this introduction to space while the rhymed language fills in the details. Space stations, space vehicles, robotics, lunar modules, and satellites are just a few of the objects the author and illustrator zoom into view for children. The book ends with a child in pajamas looking into the night sky wondering what secrets are out there in the universe.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

McReynolds, Linda. (2012) Eight days gone. Illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke. Charlesbridge.

Linda McReynolds makes her debut into the children’s book world with this nonfiction book about the Apollo 11 moon flight and landing. As crowds gather in 1969 at Kennedy Space Center to watch the moon landing, the book opens with “Hundreds gather/ Hot July/ Spaceship ready -/ set to fly.” These short rhymed verses do an excellent job of describing the moon launch on that historic day for young readers. Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong are featured in verse and the part they played is described when they landed on the moon. In the author’s note at the end a photograph of the lunar module is provided with more details about the moon landing in addition to a bibliography and websites for further reading.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Metzger, Steve. (2012). Pluto visits Earth! Illus. by Jared D. Lee. New York: Scholastic/Orchard Books. 

When former planet Pluto hears the news that he has been demoted and is no longer considered a planet, he is understandably upset and ready to fly across the galaxy for an answer. Across the universe he zooms toward Earth, passing by some of his fellow planets on his hasty flight, but none of them have any idea what to tell him. After all, they are preoccupied with their own issues, such as keeping their moons in orbit. Upon arriving in the sky above an observatory, Pluto finds solace in the words of a boy who tells him that size doesn't matter; after all, Pluto is still his favorite. Blending fantasy and facts about the planets works here, especially since the text offers reasons for why Pluto is no longer considered a planet. While Pluto fits two of the three requirements for an object to be considered a planet, it doesn't fit the third requirement. Young readers will enjoy learning facts about Pluto and its three moons and noting Pluto's personality through the illustrations created by Radiograph pen and Luna dyes.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

North, Sherry. (2012). Because you are my teacher. Illus. by Marcellus Hall. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

An imaginative teacher apparently spins stories in her lessons that are so vivid that her students feel as though they are traveling across the world in various ways, including flying over a volcano in a helicopter and traveling on a schooner, on camels, and even on skis, among other modes of transportation. As the teachers' young charges tour the world in their imaginations, the text repeats the phrase "If only..." (unpaged) while also employing interesting word choices to describe the scenes.  Throughout the book’s pages, the students explore some of the world’s most astounding natural spots, including Antarctica and the Grand Canyon. A loving tribute to creative teachers who are able to captivate their charges through their own words, this title refreshingly makes no mention of high-stakes test preparation or the Common Core State Standards. The watercolor illustrations feature eager expressions on the children's faces and a mouse who seems to appear wherever they travel.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Young, Diane. (2012) Dear Flyary. Illustrated by John Martz.  Kids Can Press.

One day, the author Diane Young, came up with the phrase “boink-piffle-piffle-hum-tick-tick” and that launched her idea for this book about Frazzle Pattzer, a one-eyed, four-eared alien. Frazzle has just purchased his first spaceship, a Model 7. The author has created a whole vocabulary for her creature and various terms like big heart (for love) or gladdy (for happy), Oldpop (for Grandpa) and when Frazzle gets a flyary (for diary) for his dropday (birthday) he writes all about his travels in his Model 7. As time passes, however, his spaceship is getting older and it starts to make strange noises. He takes his spaceship to Wurpitz Hoolo who is a ship-fixer and a mechanical genius. Frazzle is loyal to his beloved Model 7 and determined to get it fixed. After an entire new engine is built, even though the new Model 8s have arrived on the market Frazzle is totally gladdy to have his old friend back and in good repair. The numerous made up words could make this a challenging read aloud but also lots of fun. Cartoon like illustrations add to the humor. Read the author interview for the inside story.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 3-6

Armstrong, Alan. (2012) Racing the moon. Illustrated by Tim Jessell. Random House.

It is 1947, World War II has just ended, and eleven-year-old Alex and her older brother Chuck have a penchant for science, especially rockets which are a fairly new concept at this time. Chuck’s interests also include gizmos like radios and radars, aviation and space and sometimes he gets himself into trouble as he pursues those interests, like climbing a radio tower to see how those radio signals are sent through the air. They even make plans to build a moon station in a tree and would like to build a rocket of their own using gunpowder. Alex discovers that her neighbor, Captain Ebbs is a military scientist and develops food for the space program and space travel. She also owns her own sailboat. As Capt. Ebbs gets to know Alex and Chuck, she recognizes their sincere interest in science but they need a bit ofhttp://bobbymercerbooks.com/insidefart.htm direction and guidance. She uses her connections to get them an introduction to German scientist Wernher von Braun, creator of the V-2 rocket, and also takes them to see a rocket launch. The actual Joan Cotton Ebbs inspired this story.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Lorenzi, Natalie Dias. (2012) Flying the Dragon. Charlesbridge.

Life suddenly changes for cousins Skye and Hiroshi, who have never met, when Grandfather’s cancer needs to be treated in the U.S. where Skye and her family live. Skye’s father is Japanese but moved to Virginia when he married her mother. Now Hiroshi and his family are coming the Virginia to be with Grandfather during his illness. The two cousins are strangers to each other neither one is happy to be thrown together resentfully causing them to give up parts of their former lives. Skye now must attend Saturday Japanese school that risks the chance of her playing on the All-Star summer soccer team. Hiroshi was a contender for his first rokkaku kite battle in Japan where Grandfather had been a champion and master kite-builder. As Grandfather’s cancer takes a turn for the worse, both of these young kids want to spend time with him and their shared love of their grandparent and interest in kites, draws the two cousins together in a natural atmosphere of caring. Though this book, by debut author Natalie Dias Lorenzi is about bringing two diverse cultures together, the love and fascination of kites is the bridge that allows them to cross into understanding. Learn more about the history and construction of the Rokkaku kites at this website. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Mercer, Bobby. (2012) The flying machine book: build and launch 35 rockets, gliders, helicopters, boomerangs and more. Chicago Review Press.

The dedication page reads, “To teachers everywhere, thanks for inspiring children every day.” Author and physics teacher Bobby Mercer’s writing career has been about making science fun and this book is all about flight and fun but in an instructional way. Through text and photographs, he gives step-by-step instructions on how to create these aerodynamic miniature flight machines. Using inexpensive and easily acquired household items, he demonstrates how to build a grape-shooting bazooka or pressure launcher made from a water bottle, ways to make Frisbees, gliders, boomerangs and more using old greeting cards, paperclips, drinking straws, and of course, duct tape. His opening chapter discusses the concepts flight of lift, thrust, drag and weight and also explains the Bernoulli principle. This book will be enjoyed by kids who like hands-one activities to try or for teachers who want those hands-on lessons. Teachers might also like to try some of the flight videos found at HowStuffWorks.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Reedy, Trent. (2012) Stealing air. Arthur A. Levine Books. (to be released Oct. 1, 2012)

Brian’s father has a new job and the family moved to Iowa where Brian is now faced with a new school and making friends, not an easy task for a sixth grade boy. He has always enjoyed skateboarding and flying his dad’s Cessna, which had to be sold for his father’s new business venture. Things go awry on the very first day of school and instead of making friends he makes an enemy of the class bully, Frankie Heller. Eventually, Brian finds Alex and Max and the three boys become friends and begin a flying adventure that could lead to real trouble as they decide to build a plane and actually fly it. This story is a bit daring on the aerial side and poignant on the human side of schools and making friends.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 6-12

Fleming, Candace. (2011). Amelia lost: The life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart. New York: Random House.

Almost a century after her death, pilot Amelia Earhart continues to intrigue readers. This title takes readers back to the day in 1937 when Earhart and her plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean during her attempt to fly around the world. The narrative shifts from the day she went missing to vignettes describing reactions from others hoping to hear a message from Earhart and then moving to biographical pieces describing her formative years filled with moves and coping with her father’s financial woes. The author describes how Earhart traded on her name and fame to finance her flights. There are several photographs included in this insightful, well-written biography.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 9-12

Bodeen, S.A. (2012) The raft. Feiwel & Friends.

Fifteen-year-old Robie lives in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Midway atoll with her research scientist parents. However, she has been vacationing at her aunt’s home in Honolulu. When her aunt Jillian is called to the mainland, Robie needs to cut her visit short and go home. To get back to Midway, she is able to catch a ride on a cargo plane loaded with supplies for Midway, a ride she has taken many times before. This time a new co-pilot, Max, is in the cockpit. During a terrible electrical storm, the plane goes down. Before the crash Max is desperately getting a life raft ready and when Robie finds herself in the water after the crash it is Max that pulls her into the raft and saves her life. Max is seriously injured and is in and out of consciousness as the two of them begin their journey for survival in the raft. Having lived in the Pacific for many years Robie has a working knowledge of ocean life and that proves to be good and bad. She knows the dangers and the lack of fresh water becomes a daily threat. Her choices throughout the story are the crux of the plot as Max lays unconscious most of the time and the survival decisions are Robie’s alone. Bodeen has created a desperately realistic survival story that will leave readers exhausted.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

Rossetti, Rinsai. (2012) The girl with borrowed wings. Dial Books.

Debut author Rinsai Rosetti has brought a powerful new dystopian novel to young adult literature. Frenenqer, whose name means “restraint”, is living on a desert oasis with her expatriate parents in the Middle East. Her father is a cruel and controlling parent and shows her no affection. Her life is confined to three boxes: the family apartment, her school, and the car that takes her there. Her isolated existence is solitary and lonely until the day she finds a large cat in a cage at the souk (marketplace), releases him and brings him home much to her father’s anger. It turns out that the cat is actually a winged shape-shifter, a Free person, who lives without rules. The shape-shifter is named Sangris and his wings can take him anywhere in the world. Now each night, Sangris takes Frenenqer into his arms and they travel the world, places where she has been in her childhood and other places that are magical. The relationship between Frenenqer and Sangris deepens and readers will begin to feel the emotional bonds developing between the two as their romance begins. This new love brings problems for her as her attitude with this newly found freedom builds toward a confrontation with her father. Frenenqer’s character development within the novel is strong and hopeful as the love story unfolds. Follow this book on Facebook. 

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

We know that each content area or discipline has a unique structure, goals, texts, language, and ways of developing knowledge. Mathematics courses are different than history courses; the texts are different; the ways in which teachers and students talk about knowledge in each content area are different. We do not read a science text and an English language arts text the same way. So, if we are knowledgeable about the distinct differences among content areas why are we using generic literacy strategies across the content areas? Generic literacy approaches across the content areas have not produced the results we have been looking for in our students’ literacy or content knowledge, skills, and performance. In addition, how are we planning to address the complex content and literacy demands of each content area in an era of Common Core State Standards (CCSS)? According to the CCSS, close reading of complex texts, deep understanding, collection of evidence across sources, an inquiry approach to learning, collaborative inquiry, and reflection are necessary instructional elements across grade levels and in each content area (Zygouris-Coe, 2012). 

What is Disciplinary Literacy? 

Vicky Zygouris-Coe

“Disciplinary literacy involves the use of reading, reasoning, investigating, speaking, and writing required to learn and form complex content knowledge appropriate to a particular discipline.” (McConachie & Petrosky, 2010, p. 16). Disciplinary literacy is not a new term for reading in the content areas (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2012); instead it emphasizes the knowledge, skills, and tools of the experts in each discipline--the mathematicians, historians, authors, and scientists who communicate, use, and create knowledge in their respective discipline. Disciplinary literacy is not about a set of strategies we can use to help students organize text or make connections among words; it is referring to the ways of thinking, knowing, and doing that are consistent with each discipline. 

So, why keep an eye on disciplinary literacy? In my view, because we must; we have to if we are to prepare our students to learn and succeed in secondary school, in college, career, and beyond. We need to move content instruction from an emphasis on generic strategies for reading, vocabulary, and comprehension toward an emphasis on practices and pedagogical frameworks for disciplinary inquiry that will support content and literacy learning.

Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary Grades

Reading in secondary grades “feels, sounds, and looks” different than it does in earlier grades. We know from research that many adolescents struggle with a) engagement with reading (especially expository text) and motivation to read, b) vocabulary, c) comprehension, and d) self-regulating their own comprehension. Many adolescents face challenges with reading and comprehending the texts of each content area (Lee & Spratley, 2010; Moje, 2002, 2008). Reading in the content areas places many demands on the reader and the teacher. Content instruction and literacy development in the secondary grades should be taking place in tandem (Shanahan, 2008, 2012). 

How can adolescents think and learn like mathematicians, historians, or biologists if we do not teach them how to read, comprehend, and think deeply about the texts of each discipline? To teach students to think like historians, we have to teach them how to identify the author, the audience, the context, whether others agree, or whether information is credible. According to Lee and Spratley (2010), adolescents need more targeted, comprehensive, and even tailored support for reading in the academic disciplines because of the different structure, goals, and literacy demands of each discipline. We need to prepare students to successfully deal with the reading, writing, and learning demands of each discipline. We need to teach students how to engage with, read, build their background knowledge, comprehend text, and write in a way that is consistent with each discipline. Comprehension and deep learning are not natural outcomes of teaching students a few effective comprehension strategies; they require rigorous, specialized, and multifaceted teaching and learning. Key factors for successful content area instruction also include developing a classroom culture of high expectations (Lee, 2007) and delivering instruction that is purposeful, authentic, relevant, and critical. Teachers need to organize instruction in engaging ways, provide guided support in small and whole group work, sequence discipline-specific tasks, include reading of content area texts that will help build background knowledge, teach students how to access texts, develop discipline-specific vocabulary and classroom discourse (Michaels, O’Connor, Hall, & Resnick, 2002), and build students’ self-efficacy as readers. 

Developing a Disciplinary Literacy Learning Framework 

Discipline-specific teaching and learning is complex, demanding, rigorous, specific to each discipline, interactive, and collaborative. For the purpose of this section, I will use history as an example to illustrate disciplinary literacy learning framework principles. I invite you to reflect on the attached questions and discuss them with your colleagues; these questions could be used as “conversation starters” in department and professional learning community (PLC) meetings, as part of collaborations between literacy coaches and content area teachers, and in planning for school-wide literacy efforts in secondary grades.

If we are to bring about positive change in student learning, we have to change our perspective and practices about the role of literacy in each discipline. Consider developing a teacher study group (or a PLC) at your school where you can discuss these issues and learn about ways to help students develop content and literacy knowledge and skills that are consistent with each discipline’s structure, goals, demands, texts, and ways of knowing, reading, writing, speaking, and learning.  

References

Lee, C. D. (2007). Culture, literacy, and learning: Blooming in the midst of the whirlwind. New York: Teachers College Press.

Lee, C. D., & Spratley, A. (2010). Reading in the disciplines: The challenges of adolescent literacy. New York, NY: Carnegie Corporation of New York.

McConachie, S. M., & Petrosky, A. R. (2010). Content matters: A disciplinary literacy approach to improving student learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Michaels, S., O'Connor, M. C., Hall, M. W., & Resnick, L. (2002). Accountable talk: classroom conversation that works. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. 

Moje, E. B.  (2002). But where are the youth?  Integrating youth culture into literacy theory. Educational Theory, 52, 97-120. 

Moje, E. B. (2008).  Foregrounding the disciplines in secondary literacy teaching and learning: A call for change.  Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 52(2), 96-107.

Shanahan, T., & Shanahan. C. (2008). Teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents: Rethinking content-area literacy. Harvard Educational Review, 78(1), 40-59. 

Shanahan, T., & Shanahan, C. (2012). What is disciplinary literacy and why does it matter? Topics in Language Disorders, 32(1), 7–18.

Zygouris-Coe, V. (2012). Disciplinary literacy and the common core state standards. Topics in Language Disorders, 32(1), 35-50.

Vassiliki (“Vicky”) Zygouris-Coe is an associate professor at the University of Central Florida, College of Education, Vassiliki.Zygouris-Coe@ucf.edu.

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Middle School Reading Special Interest Group (MSR-SIG).

by Michelle Schira Hagerman

What special knowledge do teachers need to have when they think about the integration of technologies in their literacy classrooms? Shulman (1987) told us that, for starters, teachers must understand the interactions of pedagogy and content. They need to understand the content they teach and how to teach this content most effectively to their students. He called this pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) – a unique and multi-faceted fund of knowledge that teachers use to guide instructional choices and curricular designs. When we ask our students to use Google Docs for collaborative writing or VoiceThread to support the development of oral communication skills, however, what changes? What impact do technologies have on content? And on pedagogy?

TPACK: Kristen Kereluik and Michelle Schira Hagerman, 2012.

Mishra & Koehler (2006) contend that technologies, all of which have affordances (pros) and constraints (cons), also interact in complex and multi-faceted ways with content and pedagogy. Like Shulman's framework of PCK, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK; also TPACK) represents the unique and multi-faceted funds of knowledge that guide teachers’ choices when integrating technologies in their classrooms. As Koehler & Mishra (2008) argue, 

TPCK is the basis of effective teaching with technology and requires an understanding of the representation of concepts using technologies, pedagogical techniques that use technologies in constructive ways to teach content; knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn and how technology can help redress some of the problems students face [...] (pp. 17-18)

Expert technology integrators don't just slap technology on to a lesson ad hoc. Rather, they flexibly weigh a tool's unique affordances and constraints for learning in the dynamic ecology of their classroom context before they act.  But how can literacy leaders support the thoughtful integration of technologies that support instruction and, in the process, encourage teachers to become more aware of their own TPACK? There is no single answer, but these three examples are worth considering.

1. At Jakarta International School, language teacher, Dana Schwartzkopf leads a Tech Treats working group that meets once a month, after school. At each session, Dana highlights a tech tool, its affordances and constraints for learning, and models "play time" during which teachers collaboratively figure out how the tool works. They also talk about pedagogically justifiable ways to integrate the tool.
2. At Ruth Fox Elementary School in North Branch, Michigan, Principal, Anne Wood, and Reading Specialist, Amber White, have encouraged grade-level teams to choose and integrate technologies with special affordances for reading and writing. At planning meetings, teachers discuss their tech use, what worked, what didn't work and why.
3. Students in the Master's of Educational Technology program at Michigan State University belong to very active Facebook groups where member-colleagues share questions and tips about how, why, and when to use digital technologies. This is a very valuable resource that any professional learning community could emulate.

For more information about TPACK and how to build it, check out:

• http://mkoehler.educ.msu.edu/tpack-101/
• http://punya.educ.msu.edu/research/tpck/

References

Koehler, M.J. & Mishra, P. (2008). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? In AACTE Committee on Innovation & Technology (Eds.). Handbook of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Educators (pp. 3-30). New York: Routledge.

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From fairy tales and myths, to dragons and dystopias, fantasy literature is a genre that has enjoyed a long history. It is often said readers must suspend disbelief to thoroughly enjoy fantasy but the best fantasy transports readers to worlds that seem real where animals can talk and trees can speak and supernatural powers are expected. Book reviews this week from the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) explore some of the recent book releases into the world of fantasy.

ReadWriteThink.org offers several lessons involving fantasy literature including: “Let’s Build a Snowman” (K-2); “Enchanting Readers with Revisionist Fairy Tales” (grades 6-8); and “An Introduction to Graphic Novels” (grades 6-12). The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

GRADES K-3

Catalanotto, Peter. (2012) Question Boy meets Little Miss Know-It-All. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 

With the current popularity of superheroes, masked crusader Question Boy and his caricature-drawn neighbors and local municipal workers give readers a look at everyday superheroes. With his never-ending questions, Question Boy pesters the likes of Wonder Waitress, Garbage Man, Mechanic Man, and Oil Man with his relentless queries. His constant barrage of questions wear down all his neighbors and they eventually escape from him, often in a daze. Enter chatty Little Miss Know-It-All from the park. She begins to spout answers and answers and answers and what she doesn't know, she makes up! Readers will have to watch carefully to decipher the fact from the fantasy comebacks she has for Question Boy. As they  get acquainted the question and answer battle is on – to the point of a real face off between the two contenders. Hilarious results ensue. Parents will enjoy this book as much as young readers as they recall the eternal questions of young children. Author/illustrator Catalanotto read that most five-year olds ask more than 400 questions every day and that reminded him of his daughter and so the idea for this book was born.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant 

Corderoy, Tracy. (2012). Hubble bubble, Granny trouble. Illus. by Joe Berger. Somerville, MA: Candlewick/Nosy Crow.

Not all grandparents are alike, and in the case of the narrator, her grandmother is a pointy-hat wearing-witch whose long locks flow across her shoulders and whose witchy ambience attracts bats and black cats. Despite the granddaughter’s lack of fondness for some of the ingredients in the soups her ancestor concocts, she loves her Granny. Although she relishes how her witchy ways guarantee no waiting in line at the movies or dealing with crowds at the beach, try as she might, the girl wishes Granny were different than she is. After a makeover complete with new hairstyle and more matronly clothing, Granny looks just like everyone else. Clearly, life loses its savor and Granny is bored once she looks like everyone else. Deciding to embrace the things that make Granny unique, her would-be stylist accepts Granny exactly as she is. The pen, brush-pen, and digital illustrations are filled with pinks, purples, blacks, and grays, with some illustrations containing subtly amusing messages; for instance, the movie being advertised on the theater marquee is "Scary Poppins.”

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Dormer, Frank W. (2012). The obstinate pen. New York: Henry Holt.

This clever picture book will make a fun read aloud and writing mentor text in elementary classrooms. Uncle Flood, nephew to Horace, is a writer and purchases a brand new pen. He sits down to write and composes: “The following story is all true” but the pen does not write this sentence. Instead the pen writes, “You have a BIG nose.” Everything Uncle Flood tries to write, the pen ignores and writes something different. In anger, Uncle Flood throws the pen out the window and a police officer finds it. Later, Officer Wonkle tires to write a woman a ticket, but the pen writes, “Kiss that girl!” The officer tries to write the ticket again but then decides to take the pen’s advice and kiss Miss Weeble’s cheek. The pen continues to travel from person to person and eventually ends up in Horace’s hands. Horace admires his new pen and uses it in a unique and different way. Children could be invited to think of a different inanimate object such as a car, eraser, chair or book that could come to life and write and illustrate their own picture book.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Joose, Barbara. (2012). Old Robert and the sea-silly cats. Illus. by Jan Jutte. New York: Penguin/Philomel.

Life is quiet but good for Robert, a sailor. After all, he works hard on the water and enjoys navigating his boat along the waters.  He couldn't possibly need anything or anyone else. Or could he? Over the course of several nights, he encounters three unique cats, each with a special talent. One cat dances, another sings and plays a ukulele, and still another one deftly juggles objects. Despite his boat’s diminutive size, he manages to find a place for all three on his little vessel. When another cat with nothing special about her other than her essential felineness purrs her way into his heart, he takes her in too. Robert’s life is quiet no longer with his four cats along when he sails out of the harbor. The text describes how even a lonely sailor’s life can be improved with the addition of a cat or four while reminding readers that sometimes it's enough simply to be yourself to be loved. The soft-colored ink, watercolor, and acrylic illustrations show the cats' performances in cartoon-like fashion. This title is sure to tug at readers' hearts.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Joyce, William. (2012) The fantastic flying books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.  Illustrated by William Joyce and Joe Bluhm. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Interestingly this story started as an animated short film and later an interactive book app for eReaders and tablets, and has now evolved into a book; a book about books. Mr. Morris Lessmore (named after the late publisher and children’s literature devotee William Morris) loses his personal library to a terrible storm. From his gray-colored world he watches a woman fly past pulled by a powerful string of books. One of those books leads him to an abandoned library in need of care so he begins the task of arranging the books. Eventually he is drawn to write a book of his own. Throughout the tale, the lively books fly around him and share their stories as the task of maintaining this library and collection of books develops. Joyce’s rich illustrations provide a nostalgic background to the lasting concept of the quality of stories and books. Watch the 2011 Academy Award winning short film based on this book and check out the $.99 book app.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

McCaughrean, Geraldine. (2012). The nutcracker: A magic theater book. Illus. by Kristina Swarner. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

In this adaptation of the holiday ballet classic, The Nutcracker, the author imagines that Marie finds romance in the form of a nutcracker that comes to life as the result of Marie's actions in defending him from a band of mice. In gratitude, the nutcracker-turned-prince takes her to his royal home where she is celebrated for her heroic actions. When Marie awakens from her dream, she is sad that the prince is nowhere to be found until Professor Drosselmeier, who brought the nutcracker to her as a gift in the first place, introduces her to his nephew. With a smile on her lips, Marie realizes that he seems surprisingly familiar. The lovely mixed media illustrations in this pop-up book are created from linoleum prints, watercolor, and colored pencils. This frothy yet haunting concoction is the perfect introduction to the story behind the ballet.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Ormerod, Jan. (2012).  Maudie and Bear. Illus. by Freya Blackwood.  New York: Penguin/Putnam. 

Temperamental Maudie is used to having her way. Luckily for her, her companion, Bear, is quite patient and quietly tolerates her detours, her rudeness, and her insecurities in a series of five different adventures. It's a good thing Maudie has Bear since not everyone would willingly leave a just-set table filled with all sorts of delicious breakfast items such as fruit and pancakes because Maudie has whimsically decided to take a walk instead of eating. When a misunderstanding leads to a fight, Bear is the one who soothes Maudie’s ruffled feathers. Even when the two settle together in a comfy chair to listen to a story, Maudie becomes annoyed since Bear, exhausted from a day trying to please her, keeps falling asleep. Despite Maudie’s annoying qualities, Bear loves her unconditionally. Perhaps someday Maudie will realize just how patient Bear has been with her and return the favor. Filled with soft, warm colors and reminiscent of images from a bygone era, the illustrations are lovely tributes to this relationship that often seems out of balance but, nevertheless, is filled with mutual affection.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Reynolds, Aaron. (2012). Creepy carrots! Illus. by Peter Brown. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Jasper Rabbit has a passion for carrots that grow in Crackenhopper Field because they are fat, crisp and free for the taking. Jasper can’t get enough of these carrots and eats them everyday. But one day the carrots begin to follow Jasper. At first, he thinks he is imagining things but then notices the carrots have followed him home. When he looks a little closer, he can’t find them though. Maybe the creepy carrots aren't following him? During the middle of the night Jasper hears terrible, carroty breathing and notices a carrot shadow on his wall. He screams for his dad and together they can’t find any creepy carrots. Maybe Jasper’s eyes are playing tricks on him? Jasper then decides to build a fence around the Crackenhopper Field so that none of the creepy carrots will leave the patch again. The final page shows the carrots cheering because Jasper Rabbit will never eat them again. Peter Brown, illustrator, successfully used black and gray tones to highlight the bright orange carrots. In addition, he viewed classic black and white television shows such as The Twilight Zone, to help him think about illustration layout and design. Learn more about Peter at www.peterbrownstudio.com.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Roberton, Fiona. (2012). The perfect present. New York: Penguin/Putnam Juvenile.

Henry and Spot are such good friends that Spot, a duck that first came into Henry’s life in Wanted: The Perfect Pet (2010), spends a great deal of time finding his friend the perfect birthday present. Unfortunately, though, it seems that another present captures Henry's attention, leaving Spot forlorn and lonely. Disaster occurs when Spot decides to leave. But Henry hasn't forgotten Spot and has only been distracted briefly, and bringing along both presents, he searches for his friend. This lovely tribute to friendship, loyalty and the ability to make room in the heart for another friend contains simple line drawings with bits of muted colors such as green and yellow-orange that set off the characters appealingly.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Rubin, Adam. (2012). Dragons love tacos. Illus. by Daniel Salmieri. Penguin/Dial. 

It turns out that dragons are exceptionally fond of tacos with all their yummy ingredients. But any youngster interested in feeding them tacos needs to heed the author’s warning not to use spicy salsa when preparing those tacos. Unfortunately, the youngster who plans a dragon taco party fails to read the fine print on the mild salsa container until it’s too late. Despite his attempts to stop them from chomping on the tacos, they have eaten salsa with spicy jalapeno peppers, leading to much fiery havoc. This funny fantasy tale and its watercolor, gouache, and color pencil illustrations provide a fresh perspective on dragons and on salsa.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

GRADES 3-6

Jones, Diana Wynne. (2012) Earwig and the witch. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Unlike most orphans, Earwig is a perfectly happy orphan at St. Moralds in this early chapter book fantasy. Dropped off mysteriously as a baby, Earwig has since figured out a way to make everyone around her do exactly as she wants them to do, including Mrs. Briggs the Matron and all the other orphans at St. Moralds. She purposely does everything she can to avoid being adopted. One day that situation changes when the ugly witch Bella Yaga and her 9-foot tall demon companion the Mandrake adopt Earwig and take her to their home with the intention of making her a servant. With the help and friendship of Bella’s familiar, her cat Thomas, Earwig decides she wants to learn magic and get this new home functioning the way she wants it to be run. This very quick and early chapter book entry into fantasy has some eccentric and oddball characters including our quick-witted heroine, Earwig. Paul Zelinsky’s line drawings add to the humorous tone of the story. Readers can also listen to a video book talk of Earwig and the Witch online.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 5-8

Schlitz, Laura Amy. (2012) Splendors and glooms. Candlewick Press.

Newbery-award winning author, Laura Amy Schlitz, brings another historical novel about England to middle grade readers. The year is 1860, and the setting is London. The daughter of wealthy Dr. Wintermute, twelve-year old Clara is the last surviving sibling in her family. For her birthday, Clara insists on having a party with the puppets of strange Professor Grisini as the entertainment. He brings his two waif-like assistants, LizzieRose and Presefal. When the party is over, Clara has disappeared, and so has Professor Grisini. The puppet master has secreted them all away to the haunts of his old girlfriend and witch, Cassandra Sagredo. Sagredo is dying and needs the children to help steal a needed item. The three children band together to fight off the witch and regain their freedom. With a very Dickensian style, the characters each have a turn at narrating the story. Schlitz has created a mysterious tale of evil with a first touch of horror for young readers.Read an interesting Q & A with the author online.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12/Young Adult (YA):

Carey, Janet Lee. (2012). Dragonswood. New York: Penguin/Dial Books.

Unexpectedly, Tess, the daughter of a blacksmith who wields his hand against his daughter quite often, is accused of witchcraft in her small village near Dragonswood in 1192. Tortured into revealing the names of the two friends who accompanied her in the woods, during her trial by drowning, Tess is aided by a dragon. She and her friends put on the clothing of lepers in order to hide from the villagers as they live off the land. Eventually, they are befriended by a huntsman who had appeared in Tess’s dreams. As Tess ponders whether he is friend or foe while fighting romantic feelings for someone who speaks with dragons, she also learns the truth about her father and her own lineage. Readers will enjoy following Tess’s own path of self-discovery and empowerment while also swooning at the romantic possibilities in the book’s pages.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Cashore, Kristin. (2012). Bitterblue. New York: Dial Books

(Companion to Graceling and Fire.) Eight years have passed since the story of Graceling ended and Bitterblue, now eighteen, is the queen of Monsea. The previous ruler, her father King Leck, had been a cruel leader and a sadistic mind controller. When Graceling Kasta killed Leck, few tears were shed at his death. Trying to heal the wounds from the former reign of terror, Bitterblue disguises herself as a peasant and goes out into the city at night to feel the pulse of the people and listen to their thoughts about how the kingdom is functioning now that Leck is dead and she is ruling the land. Interestingly, two thieves befriend her and their thoughts and opinions about the kingdom give Bitterblue insight into life within the realm. She learns that many leftover wounds and scars from her father’s horrific reign have not healed nor been corrected. Within the royal household she discovers she does not know whom she can trust and needs to rethink many of the things she has been told. Her life in the castle is fraught with lies, deception, ciphers, spies and thieves who make Bitterblue’s life as sovereign full of confusion and doubt. Like the previous novels, a touch of romance sparks the story and characters from the earlier novels are intertwined in this novel of palace intrigue. Bitterblue’s development as a queen and ruler is the basis of the story while sorting out the people she can trust to surround herself with as confidants. Her goal is to restore the Seven Kingdoms to its former respect and glory and find her niche as its queen. The strong plot makes this adventure fantasy a satisfying conclusion to the Graceling saga. Listen to the author read from Bitterblue or have fun with the Facebook page.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

McQuerry, Maureen Doyle. (2012). The peculiars. New York: Abrams/Amulet.

When Lena Mattacascar turns eighteen, she uses a small inheritance to set off for a strange land called Scree where her father reputedly lives. With her abnormally large hands and feet, Lena has always felt different from those around her, and she suspects that she might be what others call a Peculiar, someone with physical attributes unlike those of others. As Lena sets out on the first leg of her journey by train, she finds friendship--and maybe more--in Jimson Quiggley, a young man on the way to his first librarian job, and possibly a touch of romance or something more sinister in Thomas Saltre, a marshal looking for revenge for his own father’s death. A blend of fantasy and steam punk, the title effectively describes fears and prejudices, rooted in ignorance, toward the Peculiars, reminding readers of the basis of many prejudices today. Visit the IRA Engage/Teacher to Teacher blog to read the "5 Questions with...Maureen McQuerry".

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman 

Marchetta, Melina. (2012). Froi of the exiles. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

In the second title of the Lumatere Chronicles and follow-up to Finnikin of the Rock (2010), the story follows a character with misdeeds in his past. Haunted by his past, royal guard Froi seems to have found the place he belongs, and some of his rougher edges have been smoothed. The curse on Lumatere was lifted three years ago, but the Queen and Finnikin still need protection, and Froi is honored to provide that service to them. But a secret mission to the kingdom of Charyn where things are decidedly—and horrifyingly—awry in the royal court shakes Froi to his core. As Froi unravels the mystery in this kingdom whose princess seems to be mad, something stirs within him, and he awakens to the possibilities that lie in his own future. Fans of fantasy will relish every word of this well-written saga that describes humans at their best and at their worst. Not only is the world created by this author detailed and possible but her characters are complex and intriguing. This title is not for the faint-hearted, but it is highly recommended.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman