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Reading and Writing in All Subject Areas
As the Medill News Service article in the News section above argues, President Bush's proposal to focus solely on the quality of math, science and technological education ignores the important critical thinking and literacy skills that take place in the English language arts and composition classroom. By focusing on reading and writing in all subject areas, we can ensure that students are better prepared to improve the analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills that the President's plan targets.
These resources offer suggestions for working toward these goals.
Perhaps the best place to begin combining reading and writing with other subject areas is through the exploration of nonfiction texts. Announced last week, the 2006 Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Book Awards (E-M-S) highlight the best nonfiction books of the last year. The titles range from science to social studies and beyond. Award winners from previous years are available on the Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Book Awards Web site. For activities to use these books in the classroom, check out the NCTE publication Best in Children's Nonfiction, The: Reading, Writing, & Teaching Orbis Pictus Award Books (E-M).
Focus on reading and mathematics with the strategies outlined in the sample chapter "Introduction" and "Criteria for Selecting
Math-Related Books" (E) from the NCTE book
New Visions for Linking Literature and Mathematics. "Talking, Writing, and
Mathematical Thinking" (E) from the NCTE title Math Is Language Too: Talking and Writing in the Mathematics Classroom provides resources for extending your mathematics and language arts study to include writing and critical thinking. See the ReadWriteThink site for lesson plans the combine math and language arts activities by the authors of these two books.
"Creating Stories about Science through Art, Literature, and Drama" (M) from the NCTE publication The Astonishing Curriculum: Integrating Science and Humanities through Language explores how students construct and understand abstract concepts through interactive learning that focuses on the stories that students bring to and discover in their study of scientific topics. To investigate how science flows into story in the language arts classroom, try the ReadWriteThink lesson plan Finding the Science Behind Science Fiction through Paired Readings (M), which invites students to learn more about the science integrated into the plot of science fiction readings by using nonfiction texts and resources.
The English Journal article "Tearing Down the Wall: Literature and Science" (S) focuses on activities that provide a larger
intellectual context for the two content areas by showing
their interrelationship and instilling
enthusiasm for their study. "The Value of Idea Grids" (S) from Classroom Notes Plus outlines
a series of ways to use a graphic organizer in a range of content areas.
The technique can be easily adapted for students at any level.
For an explanation of the basic beliefs supporting writing across the curriculum, check out "Clearing the Air: WAC Myths and Realities" (C) from College English, which discusses what writing across the curriculum is, what it does, and what it can become. For techniques to explore reading and writing across the discipline areas at the college level, read "Writing Across the Curriculum and
Service Learning: Kairos, Genre,
and Collaboration" (C), from the NCTE title WAC for the New Millennium: Strategies for Continuing Writing-Across-the-Curriculum Programs.
Find More Ways to Integrate Math and Language Arts
What else can you do to support their math instruction? Zero in on key resources for targeted strategy instruction with the Professional Communities at Work Kit: Bridging Literature and Mathematics Kit, which explores activities to help you and your colleagues explore ways to better connect the 3Rs -- readin', writin', and 'rithmetic.
http://www.ncte.org/store/kits/120045.htm
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