Reading in TechnologyFrom a Content Area Perspective

Roseanna Lewis

Reading in Technology

From a Content Area Perspective

Why do we study reading in the content areas?

Why are technology classes important?

Contents:

Historical PerspectiveHistorical Perspective

Current AttitudesCurrent Attitudes

Instructor’s RoleInstructor’s Role

Real World LiteracyReal World Literacy

Why Technology Classes MatterWhy Technology Classes Matter

Historical Perspective

Reading in the content area has been a topic of research for decades, but it is only in the last few decades that it has been a primary concern for school administrators (Lapp, Flood, & Farnan, 1996).

• An early study (1916) found a wide range of performance in reading from state to state, as well as a great difference in achievement in comparisons of the best and worst schools in each district.

• Studies during the 1920’s and 1930’s concluded that many studentswere reading disabled, which led to the development of reading methodology texts for teachers (Olson and Dishner, 1989).

• In 1925, William S. Gray, dean of the College of Education at the University of Chicago, gave an early succinct argument for content area reading with:

Reading in the content area has been a topic of research for decades, but it is only in the last few decades that it has been a primary concern for school administrators (Lapp, Flood, & Farnan, 1996).

• An early study (1916) found a wide range of performance in reading from state to state, as well as a great difference in achievement in comparisons of the best and worst schools in each district.

• Studies during the 1920’s and 1930’s concluded that many studentswere reading disabled, which led to the development of reading methodology texts for teachers (Olson and Dishner, 1989).

• In 1925, William S. Gray, dean of the College of Education at the University of Chicago, gave an early succinct argument for content area reading with:

Historical Perspective (continued)

“As a means of gaining information and pleasure, it [reading] is essential in every content subject, suchas history, geography, arithmetic, science, and literature. In fact, rapid progress in these subjectsdepends in a large degree on the ability of pupils to read independently and intelligently. It follows that good teaching must provide for the improvement and refinement of the reading attitudes, habits, and skills that are needed in all school activities involvingreading.”

William S. Gray, Dean of the College of Education, University of Chicago, 1925

-

“As a means of gaining information and pleasure, it [reading] is essential in every content subject, suchas history, geography, arithmetic, science, and literature. In fact, rapid progress in these subjectsdepends in a large degree on the ability of pupils to read independently and intelligently. It follows that good teaching must provide for the improvement and refinement of the reading attitudes, habits, and skills that are needed in all school activities involvingreading.”

William S. Gray, Dean of the College of Education, University of Chicago, 1925

-

Historical Perspective (continued)

Studies in the 1950’s and 1960’s revealed several areas of concern in teacher preparation programs, and made the following observations:

o intermediate-level skills were being ignored, or covered superficially

o “…the basic reading instruction offered to prospective elementary teachers [should] be broadened to include content and instructional techniques appropriate for intermediate and upper grades” (Austin and Morrison, 1961, p. 145).

o “..a course in basic reading instruction be required of all prospective secondary school teachers” (Austin and Morrison, 1961, p. 147).

o further research should be conducted in three vital areas of content area reading:

• critical reading• study skills• grouping practice

Studies in the 1950’s and 1960’s revealed several areas of concern in teacher preparation programs, and made the following observations:

o intermediate-level skills were being ignored, or covered superficially

o “…the basic reading instruction offered to prospective elementary teachers [should] be broadened to include content and instructional techniques appropriate for intermediate and upper grades” (Austin and Morrison, 1961, p. 145).

o “..a course in basic reading instruction be required of all prospective secondary school teachers” (Austin and Morrison, 1961, p. 147).

o further research should be conducted in three vital areas of content area reading:

• critical reading• study skills• grouping practice

Historical Perspective (continued)

The 1960’s and 1970’s studies brought attention to two concepts critical to reading in the content areas:

o the importance of text structures, and the need for teaching students to recognize them

o many factors contribute to readability, such as complexity of sentences, sequence of ideas, difficulty level of concepts, page format, length of paragraph, etc.—but primarily student interest in the subject matter plays an important role (Olson and Dishner, 1989).

The 1960’s and 1970’s studies brought attention to two concepts critical to reading in the content areas:

o the importance of text structures, and the need for teaching students to recognize them

o many factors contribute to readability, such as complexity of sentences, sequence of ideas, difficulty level of concepts, page format, length of paragraph, etc.—but primarily student interest in the subject matter plays an important role (Olson and Dishner, 1989).

Current Attitudes

Research over time has led to an emphasis of the importance of reading in the content areas, and a clearly displayed need for reading strategies to be used in instruction.

• Children in elementary school learn to read using basal readers, primarily fiction and narratives, and must begin “reading to learn” in expository texts (Chall, 1983).

• The rise of a technologically advanced society demands a higher level of literacy at the secondary level than was previously needed to succeed (1983). This change also demands that students be able to actively solve problems using the information they acquire through reading (Bean and Readence, 1989).

Research over time has led to an emphasis of the importance of reading in the content areas, and a clearly displayed need for reading strategies to be used in instruction.

• Children in elementary school learn to read using basal readers, primarily fiction and narratives, and must begin “reading to learn” in expository texts (Chall, 1983).

• The rise of a technologically advanced society demands a higher level of literacy at the secondary level than was previously needed to succeed (1983). This change also demands that students be able to actively solve problems using the information they acquire through reading (Bean and Readence, 1989).

Current Attitudes

“Our society is moving from the industrial era, where we needed high numbers of people who could repetitiously complete a task that was a part of a larger product, to the knowledge era, where high numbers of people are needed who can reason through problems in flexible and adaptive ways.”

(Roehler, 1991, p. 42).

“Our society is moving from the industrial era, where we needed high numbers of people who could repetitiously complete a task that was a part of a larger product, to the knowledge era, where high numbers of people are needed who can reason through problems in flexible and adaptive ways.”

(Roehler, 1991, p. 42).

Instructor’s Role

What is the content area teacher’s instructional role?

In order to pass on the knowledge of their specific subject areas, teachers must employ a variety of strategies, namely

designing tasks which have students

interacting with the text in many ways.

The goal for a content area teacher should be to help the students develop “meaningful conceptual understandings about the content, as opposed to engaging in the rote, arbitrary, and verbatim requirements of facts” (Roehler, 1989, p. 141).

This is active learning, and it requires more than passive information found on the textbook page.

What is the content area teacher’s instructional role?

In order to pass on the knowledge of their specific subject areas, teachers must employ a variety of strategies, namely

designing tasks which have students

interacting with the text in many ways.

The goal for a content area teacher should be to help the students develop “meaningful conceptual understandings about the content, as opposed to engaging in the rote, arbitrary, and verbatim requirements of facts” (Roehler, 1989, p. 141).

This is active learning, and it requires more than passive information found on the textbook page.

Instructor’s Role

Addressing literacy through a cognitive learning approach requires teachers to help students:

• integrate new knowledge with old knowledge

• “generate restructured understandings”

• complete tasks that reflect the desired outcomes (Roehler, 1989).

Addressing literacy through a cognitive learning approach requires teachers to help students:

• integrate new knowledge with old knowledge

• “generate restructured understandings”

• complete tasks that reflect the desired outcomes (Roehler, 1989).

Instructor’s Role

To help students “construct” their understanding of the content material, teachers must:

• state the desired outcomes when assigning the reading

• modify the textbook to “create a academic task”

• create multiple interactions with the book content after reading (Roehler, 1989).

To help students “construct” their understanding of the content material, teachers must:

• state the desired outcomes when assigning the reading

• modify the textbook to “create a academic task”

• create multiple interactions with the book content after reading (Roehler, 1989).

Real World Literacy

“The fastest growing occupations all call for a good deal more reading, writing, and further training than many high school students currently receive…Rather than reading from a single text, workers must gather information from several sources to • solve problems, • provide services, and • perform tasks” (Milulecky, 1996, p. 155).

This was true in 1996, and it is still true today!

“The fastest growing occupations all call for a good deal more reading, writing, and further training than many high school students currently receive…Rather than reading from a single text, workers must gather information from several sources to • solve problems, • provide services, and • perform tasks” (Milulecky, 1996, p. 155).

This was true in 1996, and it is still true today!

Why Technology Classes Matter Technology classes offer opportunities to teach in context, solving realistic problems, which requires all four components of communication, reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Teaching in context lets students understand the importance of the skills they are learning, and gives them real world experience.

Technology classes offer opportunities to teach in context, solving realistic problems, which requires all four components of communication, reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Teaching in context lets students understand the importance of the skills they are learning, and gives them real world experience.

Why Technology Classes Matter Technology classes are often our last chance to reach the reluctant readers!

Reading should be a natural skill and it requires practice and students need to have a understanding of its practical applications.

Technology and industrial arts gives students tools and skills that are used in the workplace.

Reading for technology applications closely mirrors reading needs in real life, and can be of high interest to students.

Technology classes are often our last chance to reach the reluctant readers!

Reading should be a natural skill and it requires practice and students need to have a understanding of its practical applications.

Technology and industrial arts gives students tools and skills that are used in the workplace.

Reading for technology applications closely mirrors reading needs in real life, and can be of high interest to students.

Why Technology Classes Matter Technology drives progress in the civilized world, and the illiterate will be left behind. This is the reading illiterate as well as the technologically illiterate!

Due to the internet age, communication in our society is more dependent on the written word than ever before.

In technology courses, a wide range of materials can be used besides the textbook, which often compartmentalizes information and encourages a “read and memorize” (Bean and Readance, 1996) rather than a “synthesize and apply” method.

Technology drives progress in the civilized world, and the illiterate will be left behind. This is the reading illiterate as well as the technologically illiterate!

Due to the internet age, communication in our society is more dependent on the written word than ever before.

In technology courses, a wide range of materials can be used besides the textbook, which often compartmentalizes information and encourages a “read and memorize” (Bean and Readance, 1996) rather than a “synthesize and apply” method.

Why Technology Classes Matter Content-specific literacy and communications skills and activities include:

• reading or listening to follow directions for assembly, operations, or repair

• troubleshooting computer/machine problems

• graphic design for advertising, print and audiovisual media

• audio production, such as writing and recording radio ads

Content-specific literacy and communications skills and activities include:

• reading or listening to follow directions for assembly, operations, or repair

• troubleshooting computer/machine problems

• graphic design for advertising, print and audiovisual media

• audio production, such as writing and recording radio ads

Why Technology Classes Matter (continued)• website design, writing text for the site, and referring to the latest information and changes in code

• searching online to solve computer hardware and software problems

• researching, writing and presenting reports to peers about various career fields.

• reading ads, writing resumes, cover letters, and other documents related to the job search

(continued)• website design, writing text for the site, and referring to the latest information and changes in code

• searching online to solve computer hardware and software problems

• researching, writing and presenting reports to peers about various career fields.

• reading ads, writing resumes, cover letters, and other documents related to the job search

Conclusion

Technology provides the basic tools for most jobs, but these tools are ever-changing.

The skills to adapt to newer technologies are more essential than ever.

Our students need instruction in technology applications

and

they need the literacy skills we can address through technology!

Technology provides the basic tools for most jobs, but these tools are ever-changing.

The skills to adapt to newer technologies are more essential than ever.

Our students need instruction in technology applications

and

they need the literacy skills we can address through technology!

References:

Bean, T.W. & Readence, J. E. (1996). Content area reading: The current state of the art. In D. Lapp, J. Flood, & N.

Farnan (Eds.), Content area reading and learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Chall, Jeanne S. (1983). Stages of Reading Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Dishner, E.K., & Olson, M.W. (1989). Content area reading: A historical perspective. In D. Lapp, J. Flood, & N.

Farnan (Eds.), Content area reading and learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Lapp, D., Flood, J., & Farnan, N. (1996). Content Area Reading and Learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston,

MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Roehler, L. (1991). Embracing the Instructional Complexities of Reading Instruction. Research Series No. 208 .

East Lansing, MI: Institute for Research in Teaching, College of Education, Michigan State University

Roehler, L. (1996). The content area teacher’s instructional role: A cognitive mediational view. In D. Lapp, J.

Flood, & N. Farnan (Eds.), Content area reading and learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston: Allyn &

Bacon.

Bean, T.W. & Readence, J. E. (1996). Content area reading: The current state of the art. In D. Lapp, J. Flood, & N.

Farnan (Eds.), Content area reading and learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Chall, Jeanne S. (1983). Stages of Reading Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Dishner, E.K., & Olson, M.W. (1989). Content area reading: A historical perspective. In D. Lapp, J. Flood, & N.

Farnan (Eds.), Content area reading and learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Lapp, D., Flood, J., & Farnan, N. (1996). Content Area Reading and Learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston,

MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Roehler, L. (1991). Embracing the Instructional Complexities of Reading Instruction. Research Series No. 208 .

East Lansing, MI: Institute for Research in Teaching, College of Education, Michigan State University

Roehler, L. (1996). The content area teacher’s instructional role: A cognitive mediational view. In D. Lapp, J.

Flood, & N. Farnan (Eds.), Content area reading and learning: Instructional Strategies. Boston: Allyn &

Bacon.