For the past four years, both Pam and I have sat on the Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts (NCBLA) Book Aware Committee. Every year the seven member national committee selects 30 award winning titles in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry for children in grades K-8. To receive this award books must meet one or more of the following criteria: • explicitly dealing with language, such as play on words, word origins, or the history of language;• demonstrating uniqueness in the use of language or styles; • inviting child response or participation;• having an appealing format;• being of enduring quality;• meeting generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written. This column includes several award winning titles from the 2016 NCBLA list that you may want to add to your reading list.
{"title":"Books You and Your Students Need to 'Check Out'!","authors":"C. Draper, P. Jewett","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.52","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.52","url":null,"abstract":"For the past four years, both Pam and I have sat on the Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts (NCBLA) Book Aware Committee. Every year the seven member national committee selects 30 award winning titles in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry for children in grades K-8. To receive this award books must meet one or more of the following criteria: • explicitly dealing with language, such as play on words, word origins, or the history of language;• demonstrating uniqueness in the use of language or styles; • inviting child response or participation;• having an appealing format;• being of enduring quality;• meeting generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written. This column includes several award winning titles from the 2016 NCBLA list that you may want to add to your reading list. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"2007 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130950119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this study was to investigate if adding the vocabulary learning strategies of an interactive word wall and graphic organizers to mathematical instruction was an effective method to increase student achievement in mathematics for two ninth-grade coordinate algebra classes. The 45 participants in the study were members of two co-taught ninth grade coordinate algebra classes in the Southeastern United States. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-assessment/post assessment. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the achievement levels of the two classes, as measured by the post assessment. The results did not show a significant difference between the post assessment scores of the experimental class using graphic organizers and an interactive word wall compared to the control class that did not. The results of this study may be important to teachers as they implement the Common Core State Standards, the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards, and the Mathematical Practice Standards.
{"title":"The Effects of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Mathematical Instruction on Ninth-Grade Students' Coordinate Algebra Achievement","authors":"A. Payne, L. Soares","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.96","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.96","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to investigate if adding the vocabulary learning strategies of an interactive word wall and graphic organizers to mathematical instruction was an effective method to increase student achievement in mathematics for two ninth-grade coordinate algebra classes. The 45 participants in the study were members of two co-taught ninth grade coordinate algebra classes in the Southeastern United States. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-assessment/post assessment. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the achievement levels of the two classes, as measured by the post assessment. The results did not show a significant difference between the post assessment scores of the experimental class using graphic organizers and an interactive word wall compared to the control class that did not. The results of this study may be important to teachers as they implement the Common Core State Standards, the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards, and the Mathematical Practice Standards.","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"64 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116718765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher talk during elementary reading instruction. The study was designed to gain insight into existing discourse patterns and to understand how change in these patterns might be facilitated. The design of the study evolved after a review of existing literature on the topic of teacher talk indicated a lack of widespread, intentional focus on classroom discourse and its potential impact on student learning.
{"title":"An Analysis of Teachers' Discourse and Their Perceptions Concerncing the Use of Questioning and Feedback During Reading Instruction in Third Grade Classrooms","authors":"Jennifer C. Farist","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.26","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.26","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher talk during elementary reading instruction. The study was designed to gain insight into existing discourse patterns and to understand how change in these patterns might be facilitated. The design of the study evolved after a review of existing literature on the topic of teacher talk indicated a lack of widespread, intentional focus on classroom discourse and its potential impact on student learning.","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130143075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Motivating students to read is an important aspect of being an elementary reading teacher. Five second graders and their teacher were involved in the original work that this article is based on. Through classroom observations and one-on-one interviews, this research showed the importance of motivating reluctant readers. This article focuses on one student (Ben) in particular and his struggles with reading motivation. Through this lens of motivating reluctant readers, this article proceeds to share ideas of how classroom teachers can motivate reluctant readers in the classroom setting. Teachers can do a variety of things to motivate theirstudents to read. One of the first things teachers need to do is get to know their students. Teachers also need to utilize a variety of motivating reading experiences to help motivate students as well as create an engaging and open literacy environment. A final way teachers can motivate their students to read is to implement motivating and relevant classroom activities. Utilizing these ideas to motivate readers will hopefully work to create lifelong learners.
{"title":"How Can Teachers Motivate Reluctant Readers","authors":"Maggie Lehman","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.28","url":null,"abstract":"Motivating students to read is an important aspect of being an elementary reading teacher. Five second graders and their teacher were involved in the original work that this article is based on. Through classroom observations and one-on-one interviews, this research showed the importance of motivating reluctant readers. This article focuses on one student (Ben) in particular and his struggles with reading motivation. Through this lens of motivating reluctant readers, this article proceeds to share ideas of how classroom teachers can motivate reluctant readers in the classroom setting. Teachers can do a variety of things to motivate theirstudents to read. One of the first things teachers need to do is get to know their students. Teachers also need to utilize a variety of motivating reading experiences to help motivate students as well as create an engaging and open literacy environment. A final way teachers can motivate their students to read is to implement motivating and relevant classroom activities. Utilizing these ideas to motivate readers will hopefully work to create lifelong learners. ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123908851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adolescent students’ social relationships have myriad influences on their lives. Therefore, it is important to ascertain how students’ social relationships can inform teachers’ efforts to create authentic learning experiences and increase student motivation to develop life-long reading habits. This paper examines middle school students’ perceptions of reading and the connections between social relationships and reading. Drawing on a series of semi-structured interviews with eighth grades students, this paper discusses the role of social relationships in students’ motivation to read. The authors explore the students’ perceptions and some share some insight into how social relationships might increase students’ motivation to read.
{"title":"Reading, Motivation, and the Power of Social Relationships: Learning from Middle School Students in a Title I Reading Classroom","authors":"T. Stewart, E. Pendergrass","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.27","url":null,"abstract":"Adolescent students’ social relationships have myriad influences on their lives. Therefore, it is important to ascertain how students’ social relationships can inform teachers’ efforts to create authentic learning experiences and increase student motivation to develop life-long reading habits. This paper examines middle school students’ perceptions of reading and the connections between social relationships and reading. Drawing on a series of semi-structured interviews with eighth grades students, this paper discusses the role of social relationships in students’ motivation to read. The authors explore the students’ perceptions and some share some insight into how social relationships might increase students’ motivation to read. ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"151 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116532363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The scene is the auditorium of a high-poverty school, where every third-grader has been assembled. When a visitor explains that each child will receive a dictionary of his or her very own, looks of surprise turn to joy. Most live in homes without a dictionary. Regrettably, many have never owned a book. This scene plays out again and again each spring as we visit schools in Chatham County. After years of providing this service, we can think of no way of promoting literacy that is more visible or more rewarding. It is a simple program that teachers across the state can easily replicate in their schools at virtually no cost. In this article, we explain how.
{"title":"Dictionary Projects: A Defining Moment in Literacy","authors":"B. McKenna, Beverly Strauser","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.29","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.29","url":null,"abstract":"The scene is the auditorium of a high-poverty school, where every third-grader has been assembled. When a visitor explains that each child will receive a dictionary of his or her very own, looks of surprise turn to joy. Most live in homes without a dictionary. Regrettably, many have never owned a book. This scene plays out again and again each spring as we visit schools in Chatham County. After years of providing this service, we can think of no way of promoting literacy that is more visible or more rewarding. It is a simple program that teachers across the state can easily replicate in their schools at virtually no cost. In this article, we explain how. ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121193773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vocabulary knowledge predicts students' comprehension of text. Both research and the Common Core State Standards advocate explicit vocabulary instruction with attention to morphemes, or units of meaning within words. Many English words, especially more complex words that are part of a student's academic vocabulary or content-specific vocabulary, derive from Latin or Greek. For this reason, an explicit approach to vocabulary instruction based on Latin and Greek morphemes can support students' vocabulary knowledge. Several guidelines and strategies are described.
{"title":"Helpful Guidelines and Strategies for Explicit Vocabulary Instruction of Greek and Latin Morphemes","authors":"Amanda Wall","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.57","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.57","url":null,"abstract":"Vocabulary knowledge predicts students' comprehension of text. Both research and the Common Core State Standards advocate explicit vocabulary instruction with attention to morphemes, or units of meaning within words. Many English words, especially more complex words that are part of a student's academic vocabulary or content-specific vocabulary, derive from Latin or Greek. For this reason, an explicit approach to vocabulary instruction based on Latin and Greek morphemes can support students' vocabulary knowledge. Several guidelines and strategies are described. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116476871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The increased demand in word knowledge has far-reaching implications as limited word knowledge directly influences students' abilities to read and comprehend difficult textual content. Blachowicz's and Fisher's newest book, Teaching Vocabulary in All Classrooms, is a powerful resource for both preservice and inservice teachers to address the increasing demands in vocabulary across all content-area disciplines and all grade levels. Each chapter is smartly organized to offer readers a quick content overview with a brief evaluation activity to assess prior knowledge. Following this initial preparation, each chapter contains a strategy overview guide, connections to the Common Core, instructional ideas, and book club suggestions for professors to use in higher education.
{"title":"Teaching Vocabulary in all Classrooms","authors":"C. Draper, L. Soares","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.62","url":null,"abstract":"The increased demand in word knowledge has far-reaching implications as limited word knowledge directly influences students' abilities to read and comprehend difficult textual content. Blachowicz's and Fisher's newest book, Teaching Vocabulary in All Classrooms, is a powerful resource for both preservice and inservice teachers to address the increasing demands in vocabulary across all content-area disciplines and all grade levels. Each chapter is smartly organized to offer readers a quick content overview with a brief evaluation activity to assess prior knowledge. Following this initial preparation, each chapter contains a strategy overview guide, connections to the Common Core, instructional ideas, and book club suggestions for professors to use in higher education. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"66 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114710513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Student leaders from an urban public middle school who were representatives of the Teens for Literacy (TFL) program visited an undergraduate education class in late spring 2013 as a component of Shadowing Day at the sponsoring university. Teacher education candidates outlined several platforms that may be used to share favorite books including a book journal, Tumblr, Blogger, and Wix. With the goal of promoting literacy in their school and with the support of teacher education candidates, the TFL student leaders created book reviews utilizing a variety of media options to generate momentum for summer reading initiatives. Teacher education candidates rotated to assist students with focused reading, comprehension strategies, and writing in preparation for their blog entries. TFL students presented their book reviews to their peers and made them accessible before the summer break began to promote authentic engagement in literacy learning.
{"title":"Web-Based Platforms for Book Reviews to Accelerate Summer Reading Among Peers: A Partnership of 'Teens for Literacy' Student Leaders and Teacher Education Candidates","authors":"A. Katz","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.59","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.59","url":null,"abstract":"Student leaders from an urban public middle school who were representatives of the Teens for Literacy (TFL) program visited an undergraduate education class in late spring 2013 as a component of Shadowing Day at the sponsoring university. Teacher education candidates outlined several platforms that may be used to share favorite books including a book journal, Tumblr, Blogger, and Wix. With the goal of promoting literacy in their school and with the support of teacher education candidates, the TFL student leaders created book reviews utilizing a variety of media options to generate momentum for summer reading initiatives. Teacher education candidates rotated to assist students with focused reading, comprehension strategies, and writing in preparation for their blog entries. TFL students presented their book reviews to their peers and made them accessible before the summer break began to promote authentic engagement in literacy learning. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123665947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tiara Willingham, Greer Wright, C. Draper, Michelle Reidel
This article describes a qualitative study conducted to introduce preservice teachers to graphic novels which are often considered 'unconventional' reading materials. The study addressed specific questions to gain better understanding of preservice teachers' perceptions and knowledge of graphic novels, as well as how graphic novels can be used as classroom resources in each content area. There were fifteen preservice teachers involved in the study. Findings reveal that overall preservice teachers in this study believed that graphic novels were a beneficial resource to engage students in content material, and using them as a resource can foster meaningful learning in all content areas.
{"title":"Preservice Teachers' Perceptions and Knowledge of Graphic Novels in the Content Areas","authors":"Tiara Willingham, Greer Wright, C. Draper, Michelle Reidel","doi":"10.56887/galiteracy.60","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.60","url":null,"abstract":"This article describes a qualitative study conducted to introduce preservice teachers to graphic novels which are often considered 'unconventional' reading materials. The study addressed specific questions to gain better understanding of preservice teachers' perceptions and knowledge of graphic novels, as well as how graphic novels can be used as classroom resources in each content area. There were fifteen preservice teachers involved in the study. Findings reveal that overall preservice teachers in this study believed that graphic novels were a beneficial resource to engage students in content material, and using them as a resource can foster meaningful learning in all content areas. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":111992,"journal":{"name":"Georgia Journal of Literacy","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126948746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}