Confusing literacy issues with lack of knowledge in the content area - Interesting, I think this seems likely. I like the way you put that there is a different literacy to each content area, and to be well educated students need to be trained in each of those types of literacy
Thanks for your comments. I must also give credit for the idea of different literacy for each content area to Kalyn. The more I thought about it the more sense it made. - Eric
Like Emily, you address the important of context and background knowledge to help students construct meaning in the content areas. The challenge is how to help students utilize what they know/have experienced/are interested in to build a framework for learning new content. In other words, the teacher can tell students background knowledge to help prepare them for the content. But, we also want students to be able to connect their own lives to the content. So the challenge becomes how to help students make those personal connections to the content...even content that may feel abstract to them.
You mentioned something about knowing and understanding terms/vocabulary as being part of literacy in math (please forgive me if I'm paraphrasing this incorrectly or if I have misinterpreted your point). I would say literacy in math also includes making sense out of symbols and numbers--being able to see an equation and put its meaning into words. I think using word problems in math classes likely contributes to over all literacy, as well as content-area specific literacy.
Very interesting perspective. I like it. There is a type of context and vocabulary that exists in different content areas. I think it is important for teachers to give students necessary background and contextual perspective to understand the "language" of the content area. I hadn't thought about this much, but it is a great point. I think you and Kalyn have touched on something very important.
Confusing literacy issues with lack of knowledge in the content area - Interesting, I think this seems likely. I like the way you put that there is a different literacy to each content area, and to be well educated students need to be trained in each of those types of literacy
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I must also give credit for the idea of different literacy for each content area to Kalyn. The more I thought about it the more sense it made.
ReplyDelete- Eric
Like Emily, you address the important of context and background knowledge to help students construct meaning in the content areas. The challenge is how to help students utilize what they know/have experienced/are interested in to build a framework for learning new content. In other words, the teacher can tell students background knowledge to help prepare them for the content. But, we also want students to be able to connect their own lives to the content. So the challenge becomes how to help students make those personal connections to the content...even content that may feel abstract to them.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned something about knowing and understanding terms/vocabulary as being part of literacy in math (please forgive me if I'm paraphrasing this incorrectly or if I have misinterpreted your point). I would say literacy in math also includes making sense out of symbols and numbers--being able to see an equation and put its meaning into words. I think using word problems in math classes likely contributes to over all literacy, as well as content-area specific literacy.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting perspective. I like it. There is a type of context and vocabulary that exists in different content areas. I think it is important for teachers to give students necessary background and contextual perspective to understand the "language" of the content area. I hadn't thought about this much, but it is a great point. I think you and Kalyn have touched on something very important.
ReplyDelete