Comments on: Literacy funds: early, middle and late http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/06/literacy-funds-early-middle-and-late/ Thinking and Linking by Joanne Jacobs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:51:22 +0000 hourly 1 By: Tony G. Rocco http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/06/literacy-funds-early-middle-and-late/#comment-47979 Tony G. Rocco Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:39:03 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/?p=9928#comment-47979 In a world swimming in information like the one we live in today, it seems necessary to teach another kind of literacy in addition to reading and writing: information literacy. How do you find information of the kind you are interested in when an online Google search produces dozens or even hundreds of results? The technology world we live in demands new skills in addition to the traditional ones. Check out an interesting blog post at: http://blog.findingdulcinea.com/2008/06/a-different-kind-of-literacy.html In a world swimming in information like the one we live in today, it seems necessary to teach another kind of literacy in addition to reading and writing: information literacy. How do you find information of the kind you are interested in when an online Google search produces dozens or even hundreds of results? The technology world we live in demands new skills in addition to the traditional ones.

Check out an interesting blog post at:

http://blog.findingdulcinea.com/2008/06/a-different-kind-of-literacy.html

]]> By: Lightly Seasoned http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/06/literacy-funds-early-middle-and-late/#comment-47978 Lightly Seasoned Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:39:26 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/?p=9928#comment-47978 Kids learn to read by doing a lot of it (and, fwiw, reading is a great way to gain knowledge). Most kids -- especially kids who struggle -- won't do it on their own at home, but there's little time during the school day after the early elementary years for reading in school. There's no miracle program that can be published and sold for big bucks that is going to solve this complex issue. The money might be best spent for after school programs in middle school to fund high quality book clubs (mandatory for those below grade level, maybe an optional program for those at or above who want to tackle more interesting books -- my daughter and her friends do this on their own informally). I'm by no means a reading specialist, but I see lots of reading gains with my strugglers just by getting them to read closely; mostly I use a lot of high interest drama, which lends itself naturally to class read alouds (they tend to love Agatha Christie mysteries and August Wilson) and short non-fiction pieces with a Bloom's progression of questions. Kids learn to read by doing a lot of it (and, fwiw, reading is a great way to gain knowledge). Most kids — especially kids who struggle — won’t do it on their own at home, but there’s little time during the school day after the early elementary years for reading in school. There’s no miracle program that can be published and sold for big bucks that is going to solve this complex issue. The money might be best spent for after school programs in middle school to fund high quality book clubs (mandatory for those below grade level, maybe an optional program for those at or above who want to tackle more interesting books — my daughter and her friends do this on their own informally).

I’m by no means a reading specialist, but I see lots of reading gains with my strugglers just by getting them to read closely; mostly I use a lot of high interest drama, which lends itself naturally to class read alouds (they tend to love Agatha Christie mysteries and August Wilson) and short non-fiction pieces with a Bloom’s progression of questions.

]]> By: Ponderosa http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/06/literacy-funds-early-middle-and-late/#comment-47977 Ponderosa Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:20:29 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/?p=9928#comment-47977 This might all be money wasted if, as E.D. Hirsch and others claim, reading is best taught INDIRECTLY by providing kids with a knowledge-rich curriculum. It's hard to understand a text if you don't KNOW anything. This might all be money wasted if, as E.D. Hirsch and others claim, reading is best taught INDIRECTLY by providing kids with a knowledge-rich curriculum. It’s hard to understand a text if you don’t KNOW anything.

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