Practical Tips for Literacy

Jennie Shearer

Subject-specific literacy strategies to help teachers embed reading, writing and vocabulary instruction across the curriculum.

In a recent move to LinkedIn, I have noticed more and more conversations about literacy, oracy and the research behind what is needed in the education system. I am thrilled that this is a central conversation; however, many people are also voicing their concern over the fact that there is a lack of practical guidance on exactly how to apply the research to everyday teaching.

So, here we are.

Literacy teaching can be seen as explicit, in terms of its own timetabled slot. I have experienced this and taught this. Because it often falls to an English teacher, the concern can be that those in other subject areas assume it is all covered and is an English responsibility. Wrong! Instead, literacy teaching can be both explicit and implicit within every subject, because every subject has its own version of literacy that needs to be followed. We have heard the term: disciplinary literacy. Here are a few strategies that can be used in different subjects, and adapted for the disciplinary needs of said subject.

1. Frayer Models

These were introduced to me by a maths teacher, years ago. When she explained the idea, it seemed a wonderful and relevant way to approach vocabulary used. The model is designed to break down vocabulary and consider examples and non-examples, to establish an understanding.

1. Definition – what does the term/word mean
2. Characteristics – the ideas of the concept
3. Examples – what is included in this concept
4. Non-examples – misconceptions, things not included in the concept

With regards to science, maths, geography and many other keywords, this model, with these sections, works effectively. However, when I have gone to use this in English, I have found that the sections on characteristics, examples and non-examples do not always apply. I can also see that this may not work as well for subjects such as art, languages and drama. Instead, introducing alternative sections may be more effective:

1. Definition – what does the term/word mean
2. Etymology – how is the word made up? What are the prefixes, suffixes, roots?
3. Synonyms – alternative words to use, adding to the definition
4. Using the word in a sentence – put the term/word into context

The ways to use these can vary:

• Give the completed models to the students to read and use in subsequent tasks
• Give half-completed models to the students to add to
• Give blank models to the students to complete in groups, pairs or individually (this is often better when it is a word you have already introduced and used several times)
• Tip: break the word/term down underneath its completed version, assisting with the reading of the word. Chocolate – cho-co-late

2. Think – Pair – Share

This is not a new term – I am very aware. What it is,  is something teachers often plan to do and throw it out to a class and wait for the share to develop any understanding. Instead, let’s embrace the oracy to develop responses.

• Set the question or statement to consider. Ensure that everyone understands the ideas and vocabulary. Clarify any details by pre-empting misconceptions, and drawing on previous knowledge, skills and understanding. Give visual cues for students to access that knowledge.
• Set a timer – Google Slides allows you to insert a youtube video, and there are so many timers available. Explain that the students have x amount of minutes where they are just thinking – contained to the brain.
• Give note taking resources – I like to use mini-whiteboards, but scrap paper, a mindmap, a structured framework…whatever it may be, offer the choice to make a note of their thoughts, because they are likely to forget once the discussion takes place.
• Do the same for the pair discussion.
• While the pair discussion is happening, move around the room. Look at the notes they are making, listen to the discussions.
• Post-its! Have some prepared questions to develop the responses, on post-its. Put one in front of a student to challenge their thinking or extend the discussion. Take the post-its and a pen with you, because you can’t preempt everything!
• Share needs structure. Give clear, explicit instructions for the pairs to select one key point they would like to contribute. Know who you might ask from your movement around the room.
• Give utterance starters for accept, build and challenge – reward students for using them.
• Give students some time, following the share, to consolidate their ideas for the question or statement given.
• For practical lessons, these things can still be achieved – stopwatches, verbally contributing to the paired discussion (or post-its work) and voicing the praise when someone links ideas to another’s, reinforces the expectation and development of the discussion.

The whole process should not be a two minute task, instead you are showing value in the thinking and discussion by giving the time, structure and praise to the contributions.

3. Guided reading and comprehension sheets

I know so many departments that use these, particularly when breaking down sources. They are a chunked approach to a text that can otherwise be overwhelming. The disciplinary side is clear based on the texts being selected to read and comprehend. However, how appropriate are the questions around the text, when linked to your subject and the development of literacy?

Here are my tips:

• Colour coding: give the questions a scale of difficulty, and set the students (individual or as a class) a target of each colour. This could even be a point score basis.
• Colour match the sections of the text for some students – it is not about changing the text, but giving the students a step towards approaching each question with an extra hint. Placing the relevant question near the section of writing it can be linked to also helps. It is simple, yet effective.
• Consider the scale of questions, especially for your subject. Are they predominantly locate and retrieve questions (where answers can be found explicitly in the text)? Are they comprehension questions where a meaning needs to be pulled from the vocabulary and sentences given? Are they inference and opinion based, where a reader uses the information in a way that is beyond the superficial understanding? Are they analysis questions, whereby a reader needs to weigh up evidence and apply further knowledge to be critical or evaluative? There is a difference in the questions that need to be asked, and the length and depth of answer to be given.
• With an understanding of the scale, you should have more of the superficial questions and build up to the higher thinking questions.
• Keywords should be in bold, with a glossary to support the reading.
• Keywords for answers should be given alongside questions, as support and/or challenge.
• Appropriate space should be given. Students will only write as much as a box allows; while this is very useful to get reluctant writers started, it does not lend itself to extended thinking and writing – so how are the students going to answer those questions? What is the expectation?

With just a few approaches to literacy in your lessons, this can put literacy at the forefront of your pedagogy, while maintaining the subject content of your lesson. It also reminds each teacher that they are, indeed, a teacher of literacy.

Read more articles by Jennie Shearer here.

Jennie Shearer is the author of Secondary Literacy Strategies, published by Teacher Writers. You can order it here.