Literacy is defined as READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, OBSERVING AND LISTENING. How can we help students understand the importance of each of these elements? What part of literacy is the most difficult to implement into the classroom (within your content)? What kind of help/resources would you like to have made available to you?
WKU Writing Project: Linking Literacy to the Real World
June 16, 2009 · 17 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
17 responses so far ↓
Amanda Wurtman // June 26, 2009 at 6:35 pm |
Fantastic resource!!! I cannot wait to use it in my classroom, and hope that we are all able to share MANY valuable resources throughout the coming year!! Thanks girls!!
Aaron // June 26, 2009 at 6:36 pm |
This was such a great idea. I would LOVE to use Shelfari to showcase my students’ reading this year. I can also see using one-minute writing and other tools you shared. I can’t wait to see how this site is going to grow with all our ideas.
Jonathan // June 26, 2009 at 6:36 pm |
How can I get my (sometimes very) rural students to view reading and writing as important in their lives? At present they see it ONLY as a school activity and cannot connect it to themselves and their world.
Lori Passmore // June 26, 2009 at 6:38 pm |
The literacy strand that my students didn’t like to participate in was speaking. We really had to work on getting them up and comfortable in front of their peers.
Melissa // June 26, 2009 at 6:38 pm |
In my math class, listening is the biggest challenge. Some students are willing to share “their” way to solve a problem, but if I ask them to repeat someone else’s strategy, they struggle to do that. I find myself having to give rewards for being able to repeat an idea someone else shared, just to encourage the students to listen to each other…and listen to me:)
Cindy // June 26, 2009 at 6:38 pm |
To get students and parents to understand the importance of all the strands of literacy, we must model each strand. We need more resources for parents/community that allow people to work at obtaining their own literacy skills.
angela gunter // June 26, 2009 at 6:39 pm |
I think it is most important that we bring relevance to all reading/writing/speaking/observing/listening we are asking students to do in the classroom.
Amanda Wurtman // June 26, 2009 at 6:39 pm |
It is hard for me to incorporate ANY of the strands of literature within my content. I teach math…and have students for a VERY limited amount of time. However, I see the error of my ways and will be incorporating more literature in my classroom. I will be able to show kids the importance of each of the elements by making a conscious decision to do skill building activities for literature during my math class.
Amy Bellamy // June 26, 2009 at 6:39 pm |
Listening skills are very difficult for me teach because I think even adults often have trouble listening effectively.
Danielle Wolf // June 26, 2009 at 6:39 pm |
There are challenges with each of the elements of literacy. Prior to WP XXIV I carried the misconception that writing in general was a long drawn out process. At the end of week three, I realize that we just need to get them writing period.
Deidra // June 26, 2009 at 6:39 pm |
We can help our students understand the importance of each element of literacy by incorporating them into our classroom every day. We need to use listening, reading, writing, observing and speaking skills in the classroom each day, regardless of which content we teach.
Savannah Boone // June 26, 2009 at 6:41 pm |
I think we have to make all 5 of these skills authentic by example. This is a great way to involve the community by showing students that all 5 strands of literacy are needed to survive. We also have to be sure to link the 5 strands of literacy so that students see them as inseperable.
It is so difficult to implement authentic writing with students who cannot write and read. They have a lot of trouble making the connection between writing and their life when they can’t do it. They just believe that they’ll survive somehow. The sad part is that it’s probably true. But what kind of life can you have if you aren’t literate.
Brandi // June 26, 2009 at 6:41 pm |
I think it will be fairly easy to implememt these things into my classroom. I just will have to make myself more open to trying new things. The one thing i want more than anything is the support of my coworkers while trying new things in the classroom. I also want to be able to share what I know about literacy with them.
Jamie Rigney // June 26, 2009 at 6:41 pm |
I am going back to Kindergarten for the first time in a few years and I feel like the actual writing is the most difficult piece of literacy to implement. Mostly because the students themselves think that if they are not writing the letters or words, then they “can’t write”. I would love to have more ideas/suggestions to use with the young students I will have from other experienced Kindergarten teachers.
Valarie // June 26, 2009 at 6:41 pm |
I guess I would say that the hardest to implement into a first grade classroom would be writing. Not that we are not writing, but making sure that the writing is beneficial to the children. Many times in first grade writing is not meaningful and therefore doesn’t contribute as much to the growth of literacy. Time, vocabulary, and fluency are all aspects that challenge the use of meaningful and beneficial writing in lower primary grades. However, this should not deter the use of this type of writing but challenge teachers to increase its use.
Katie // June 26, 2009 at 6:42 pm |
Listening- kids have a hard time listening to directions whether it be one part or multiple part directions. I may have their undivided attention, but they don’t seem retain the instruction. I end up having to modify how I give directions because of this. Will this way help them in life?
Renae Colognesi // June 26, 2009 at 6:42 pm |
It would be a toss up between speaking and listening in the classroom for me. With middle schoolers in mind, they have a hard time speaking up in class during lessons. Also, they have a tough time listening or wanting to listen, to their classmates’ opinions.