Literacy is about more than reading and writing - it is about how we communicate
in society. It is about social practices and relationships, about knowledge, language and culture. Literacy... finds its place in our lives alongside other ways of communicating. Indeed, literacy itself takes many forms: on paper, on the computer screen, on TV, on posters and signs. Those who use literacy take it for granted - but those who cannot use it are excluded from much communication in today's world.
Indeed, it is the excluded who can best appreciate the notion of "literacy as freedom."
- UNESCO statement for the United Nations Literacy Decade, 2003 -2012
This is the introductory quote in the 2003 Expert Panel Report on Students at Risk, a document that provides a foundation for planning literacy programs in schools throughout Ontario and emphasizes the responsibility of all teachers, no matter the subject or discipline, to teach literacy skills. The companion resource, Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7-12 (2003) offers teachers in all subjects a wealth of information including a multitude of strategies to teach skills and knowledge in reading, writing, speaking, listening, representing, and viewing. The Ministry's invitation to subject experts across the province to develop literacy strategies specifically for their subjects/disciplines was welcomed and almost all of the resulting resources are now available in
schools. Each document offers a variety of rich and engaging activities that blend the teaching of literacy with the teaching of content. The purpose of each skill or strategy is clearly outlined and methods explicitly detailed. Resources, tips, templates, posters, reading passages, organizers and other relevant materials are included with lessons.
Teachers will find the Think Literacy Cross-Curricular Approaches for Grades 7-12 documents user friendly and extremely valuable. You can find the Think Literacy resources in your school or visit the Ontario Ministry of Education website to view and download all or parts of these exciting resources.
President's Message Reflecting with Satisfaction As we approach the end of another school year, we reflect with satisfaction on the work we have accomplished as
an Association. Thanks to everyone who attended this year's Reading for the Love of It conference at the Westin Harbour Castle. At this annual event we have a chance to revitalize ourselves with stimulating speakers and add new authors, books, and professional ideas to our teaching repertoires. Thank you for your feedback. We are incorporating helpful suggestions into next year's conference.
We'd like to thank the York University and OISE/UT teacher candidates for their outstanding efforts in hosting our speakers.
Congratulations to our Reading Teacher of the Year award winners! Hearing about the work these talented teachers do everyday in connecting children to books and reading is truly an inspiration to us all.
Also of note this year was our fabulous Fall Author Dinner with the ever energized Mem Fox. At our recent Spring Illustrator Dinner, we were treated to an evening with our own Toronto author/illustrator Barbara Reid. She entertained
us with the stories behind her extraordinary plasticene illustrations.
Our Outreach Committee works steadily to bring literacy to those in need around the world and in our own communities. Outreach opportunities continue to be a top priority.
Finally, I would like to thank all the volunteer members of our executive, along with Mary Wilson and Jennifer Baker, for their continual efforts in making our Association a contributing member of the literacy community.
Preparations are well underway for our 2007 Reading for the Love of It conference. We are excited about the program line-up and we look forward to seeing you there.
Conference Memories Jeffrey Wilhelm at His Best We participated in Jeffrey Wilhelm's session, "Action Strategies for Readers", at the February conference. We left feeling empowered by his engaging, hands-on presentation. Jeffrey clearly demonstrated the following activities from his book titled "Action Strategies for Deepening Comprehension":
Trigger Letter A strategy for frontloading to build and activate prior knowledge. Role Play and Tableau Teachers are directed to highlight the theme of social justice. Flashback Drama Partners imagine and identify possible causes and background to a problem presented in the story. Whispers/Good Angels This activity facilitates synthesizing and connecting life to literature. Revolving Role Play These drama activities enhance understanding of two different perspectives. Talk Radio Show Response to immigration issues and expression of different opinions. Choral montage of Lines Writing extension in poetic format.
Back at school, we were excited about sharing the strategies with both students and colleagues. We applied many of the techniques to the picture book "Gleam and Glow" by Eve Bunting. In doing so, we touched upon immigration (social studies), social injustice (religion), reading comprehension strategies and poetry (language arts) and role play (drama). Jeffrey Wilhelm's action strategies empower teachers to implement comprehension strategies across the curriculum and provide opportunities to deepen students' engagement and understanding of text.
Marisa Spitznagel and Kathi Tanel, Junior Literacy Teachers, Toronto
Catholic District School Board
Linking to One Hundred The countdown begins on that very first day in September, when our bright eyed and eager students enter our classrooms, filled with excitement and anticipation for all that lies ahead. The stage is set during calendar activities when we place that first straw into the "Ones" container. The students are now fully engaged in counting the days at school until the BIG ONE HUNDRED. This simple yet meaningful activity not only addresses many of our math expectations but also opens the door to crosscurricular literacy.
The 100th Day of School Celebration goes far beyond trading those ten groups of ten for the big
bundle of straws. It also allows for a variety of reading and writing experiences. The students clearly enjoy listening and responding to the many theme related read-alouds including, The 100th Day of School by Angela Medearis and One Hundred Days (Plus One) by Margaret McNamara. As an extension to Moira's Birthday by Robert Munsch, the students are invited to bring in 100 treats such as pretzels, raisins or carrot sticks to share with classmates. They then select their five favourite goodies which are placed on a pictograph before anxiously eating them.
While wearing their creatively decorated headbands, the students are challenged to spell 100 words, read 100 lines in a book, read page 100 in a selected text and infer what happened before, as well as predict what will happen next. The students write about '100' by completing sentence starters such as "I wish I had 100... ", "I wouldn't want 100... ", "I can lift 100...",
and "I would never eat 100...".
It is apparent that Mathematics isn't just about adding numbers and examining shapes and sizes but
rather invites opportunities for language based explorations. One hundred is a spectacular number with countless possibilities for literacy links - a real reason to celebrate!
The 100th Day of School
Angela Medearis
Scholastic
ISBN: 0-590-25944-X
One Hundred Days (Plus One)
Margaret McNamara
Scholastic
ISBN: 0-439-57462-5
Moira's Birthday
Robert Munsch
Firefly Books
ISBN: 0-920303-83-8
The Outreach Committee of the East York-Scarborough Reading Association has been privileged again this year to support a number of local, national and international
organizations in their efforts to nurture the gift of literacy. We have proudly sponsored: Juliette's Place, a local family shelter as they developed a library for the needs of the families staying with them. We supported Matthew House, a local shelter for refugees and their families, and we supported Rosalie Hall with scholarships for young mothers working hard to stay in school.
At the national level, we supported several First Nations educators to attend our conference.
Internationally, the Association contributed to Free the Children through their Hurricane Katrina Fund, providing school kits to children and schools who suffered tremendous loss during the hurricane. We also sponsored Free the Children's work in Kenya where they are developing leadership in Canadian students who work with African children. It was an honour for this
organization to support the work of Free the Children and Craig Kielburger, who was recently awarded the children's Nobel Peace Prize. Our committee assisted the Community Service Alliance in the Dominican Republic. This organization has built a school in Hato Mayor for children not eligible to attend the public school system. Our donation was used to purchase
literacy materials. EYSRA also assisted the Passionist Brothers' project in Tanzania. Many local students have been travelling to Tanzania to build St. Gaspar Elementary School. Books and writing materials were purchased through our gift.
It is your support, as conference delegates, which allows us to assist organizations bringing literacy to the marginalized, the impoverished and those left without literacy tools by disaster, or societal constraints. The letters and photos we receive attest to the power of giving. Thank you for helping us to make a difference.
Review Connecting with Literature Decreasing children's vulnerability to abusive situations is the focus of the I'm A Great Little Kid series published by Second Story Press. It uses stories and activities to build and strengthen self-esteem, communication skills and understanding of how and where to get help.
The series includes a facilitator's guide and six story books which address topics such as self-esteem,
communication, making choices, respect, appropriate touch, and how and where to get help.The guide is divided into two sections: the first provides background information on understanding and recognizing child abuse, coping with disclosure, and legal requirements for reporting abuse; the second has activities that are designed to reinforce the concepts and messages in each book.
The books, intended to be used in the primary grades, teach important life skills. Using student's love for
reading and incorporating stories and activities make teaching these skills meaningful.
I have just started to use the series with a small group of grade two students.The members of the group work through the activities as they discuss the content of the stories with each other.As the students
work together they also develop team building and critical thinking skills. I'm A Great Little Kid
series is an effective tool which encourages students to explore their sense of worth, increase their
confidence, improve problem solving skills, and maintain a healthy respect for themselves and others while developing their reading skills.
Edward Vella CYW CYC (Cert.),
Child and Youth Worker,
St. Lawrence Catholic School
I'm A Great Little Kid
Second Story Press
Facilitators Guide:
ISBN 1-896764-96-x
Story Books:
It's No Joke, My Telephone Broke
ISBN 1-896764-45-2
Now I see how Great I can be
ISBN 1-896764-46-0
Charlene's Choice
ISBN 1-896764-47-9
Respect Is Correct
ISBN 1-986764-56-8
A Tale Worth Telling
ISBN 1-896764-60-6
Sam Speaks Out
ISBN 1-896764-57-6
Sold as a set for $49.95 by
The Toronto Child Abuse Center
Phone: 416-515-1100 www.tcac.on.ca
Media Studies K-12 At the Reading for the Love of It Conference in February, many delegates attended the Reading Media session and met presenters Neil Andersen and Sylvie Webb. These TDSB educators co-lead the project Media
Studies K-12, published in 2005.
Media Studies K-12 is a resource package developed "to discuss, model and suggest a variety of practical strategies and skills teachers might use to enrich their curricula and their students' learning through media study." (pg. 1) This comprehensive resource covers a myriad of topics including "Reading Media Works"; that is, "Reading Newspapers, Reading Narrative, Reading Textbooks, Reading Websites and Reading Voices". Accompanying each topic are specific
examples and "Tips for Teaching". Sidebars highlight critical information.
The resource package concludes with eight intriguing curriculum "guides", chock-full of classroom lessons. In the "Food" guide (Grades 4-8), four fully developed units are provided "to help
ESL/ELD students to acquire and improve their language skills and will help English-speaking
students demonstrate a variety of oral, written and media expectations." Additional guides include
the following titles: "Cool for School", "Peacekeepers", and "Haunted Media."
Neil Andersen, Sylvie Webb and the developers of Media Studies K-12 have provided a resource package that will help to improve the understanding and the teaching of media studies. In anticipation of the new provincial language curriculum guides, Media Studies K-12 will be a valuable support document.
