Reading

Resource: 
I chose an article from Edugains that talks about content literacy in the classroom.
It explains that content literacy is the ability to read, write, create, etc. a range of media in various subjects. It also describes the challenges students can encounter when reading, how to read informational texts, and how to be literate in content areas.

Personal reflections:
I think this is a good resource because it has lots of good information. Not only does it have the main information, but it also has tips, images, and other facts along the sides of the page. This source is filled with lots of good information for teachers, and even provides resources on content literacy that teachers can use in the classroom.

Woolley, E. © 2015

Ontario Curriculum:

According to the Ontario Curriculum: Language under the Reading section, this resource relates to the first specific expectation applies with this article “Students will read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning;” because students must read various media. This article is useful for teachers of literacy because it outlines how to teach content literacy to students. It gives tips for classroom practise and talks about strategies to use to help readers understand a text.

What now? 
I would use this resource as a reference in my upcoming literacy placement in order to help my students understand the content of the media that they are reading. I would use a few of the tips mentioned

Classroom Research Communities
The resource suggests using classroom research communities to encourage students to read, write, and think for themselves. This is a way to get students to ask their own questions about a text and share their ideas with their peers. One of these learning comprehension strategies that is called Jigsaw, which is explained further in this video:

Learning Logs 
After reading a text, students record their thoughts into a learning log. This is a good reflection tool for students to reflect on their own learning. This website elaborates on this tool. 

Balance between fiction and nonfiction readings

Most kids prefer to read nonfiction texts because there are generally more exciting. The goal is to have students ready a variety of texts, so as a teacher you must find the balance between fiction and nonfiction readings. I would create a list of reading materials from each category and allow students to select texts from both.

 

Concept map

After reading a text, to confirm that students have understood it by having them create a concept map. This way you can see what your students have taken away from the text and to show that they have actually read it. One of the sites that I think is beneficial for each student to create their own concept maps is called Popplet.