Building Academic Literacy

Janet Angelis was a classroom teacher early in her career. She has devoted the latter part of her career to linking the worlds of research and practice. She has authored or coauthored numerous articles for practitioners, researchers, and the public and with Kristen Wilcox is the author of two books about effective practices.Karen Polsinelli taught social studies at the upper elementary and middle level for more than 30 years. She is an experienced writer, presenter, and professional developer in a variety of research-based strategies for improving student learning.Eija Rougle earned a PhD. in language and education and has been coaching teachers for over a decade; with Mary Adler, she is coauthor of Building Literacy through Classroom Discussion. Sheisa frequent speaker on language and literacy and is multi-lingual.Johanna Shogan taught English language arts at the secondary level for 35 years and received recognized in Who’s Who among America’s Teachers. She has served as an officer of the New York State English Council and is a contributing writer for The Storytelling Classroom.

Building Academic Literacy provides teachers and instructional leaders with pedagogical strategies that promote academic literacy and higher-order thinking skills. The authors bill the text as a ‘coach-in-pocket,’ in which they make suggestions, explain why the suggestions should work, and ask questions to help readers reflect on teaching and learning and troubleshoot if necessary. Chapters are written in an accessible manner with explanations of each topic; examples drawn from classrooms, which vary by grade and subject; suggestions of specific strategies to use that engage learners in disciplined thinking; and prompts to help readers reflect on implementation. All activities discussed are meant to purposefully engage learners in developing knowledge and/or skills. The authors are clearly concerned about always engaging every student in learning, promoting higher-order thinking, and further developing language skills. This book is recommended for pre-service teachers, teacher-practitioners, and school leaders who are interested in finding ways to guide students to higher levels of thinking, help them use literacy more effectively, and take greater ownership of their learning. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through practitioners.

• Foreword – Judith A. LangerPrefaceWhy We Wrote This BookWho We AreOur Research Base AcknowledgmentsChapter 1. Purposeful Pedagogy: Developing Each MindHow to Use This BookKey ElementsCommon ThreadsOpening the Classroom to Student Thinking and VoiceSecure the Foundation by Teaching Students How to Talk and Think TogetherFive Essentials of Productive Classroom DiscussionsSummaryChapter 2. Purposeful Engagement: Activities to Engage and Support All LearnersSharing Thinking One-on-OneJournal Jot/Quick Write and Think-Pair ShareExtending Think-Pair-Share to Written Conversation about ContentScaffolds for Productive Whole-Class DiscussionsReader’s Marks and VariationsPass the HatPair Engaging and Complex Texts to Foster Critical ThinkingSummary Chapter 3. Purposeful Talk: A Framework for Facilitating Academic DiscussionsA Guide to Facilitating Discussions that Foster higher-Level ThinkingThe Envisionment-Building Guide (EBG)A Teacher’s Role During DiscussionPreparing for and Facilitating Discussions that Foster Higher Levels of ThinkingPracticing with a Well-Known PoemTrying an EBG and Discussion in Your ClassroomSummary Chapter 4. Purposeful Experiences: Assignments to Sustain Thinking and LearningSome Tools to Help Students Capture Thinking in Written FormWhy Writing MattersLearning Logs or JournalsOpen MindPurposeful Assignments That Provide Opportunities for Students to Share ThinkingGallery WalkCarouselStand and DeliverExtended WritingSummary Chapter 5. Purposeful Planning: Designing a Coherent and Connected CurriculumSupporting Students as Disciplinary ThinkersRethinking the CurriculumStaring with the Big IdeasThinking beyond the TextbookCollaborationSummaryChapter 6. Purposeful Leadership: Supporting Effective Instructional PracticesStudent VoiceEngaging ActivitiesDiscussionAssignmentsFostering CoherenceRethinking the Curriculum to Be More CoherentCollaboration across Grades and SubjectsSummaryEnd NoteAppendix A. Sample LessonsAn Envisionment-Building Lesson for ScienceAn Envisionment-Building Lesson for MathematicsAn Envisionment-Building Lesson for English Language Arts Appendix B. Annotated BibliographyLiterary Works CitedBibliography