Disciplinary Literacy- Math

Synthesis:

Chapter 7

The chapter begins by explaining current perspectives and approaches to literacy instruction in a math classroom.  The first problem is that literacy coaches lose site of the roll a content area teachers plays.  Content area teachers have a job to develop area expertise.  Yet it’s important for these teachers to focus on general print literacy.  The goal of literacy in mathematics is to support student learning in that area.  The second problem, is that literacy educators assume that math teachers only teach computational fluency.  The last misconception is that reading print text or incorporating any general literacy instructional strategies is appropriate for mathematics classroom.  

The second area the chapter talked about was reconceptualizing literacy instruction for mathematics classrooms.  The term literacy must be broaden to truly understand literacy in content areas.  “Text- like” objects play a roll in constructing meaning in math.  Text includes patterns, symbols, drawings, spoken word, graph, or series of gestures.  When the term literacy is broaden, it includes all objects that are created and interpreted when learning.  When the term literacy encompasses these aspects, the math room then becomes a literacy rich environment.  

The last section of this chapter discusses creating and sustain collaborative environments between literacy and math.  Literacy instructors need to approach math teachers as learners, not as experts.  The teacher should have a desire to learn from the math teachers.  It’s important, as a literacy specialist, to reach out to experience math teachers.  Do not single out young or struggling teachers.  When the expert math teacher and literacy coach work together, they will have a better chance of helping the struggling teacher.  The next area when working with teachers is to sustain these relationships.  Literacy and math teachers need to develop a shared purpose.  They can come up with goals together.  When working together, work from each others strengths.  These teachers should work together to plan lessons and instruction.  Getting content area teachers and literacy teachers working together with help the common good of a student.   

Chapter 11:

The teacher, Ariadna, wanted to help her students learn new mathematical concepts and language.  She implemented a design that would help her students learn more that just computational fluency.  The first step she had students explore new concepts while using their prior knowledge they had with math.  Then she has them use their new terms and prior terms they've learned in writing, orally explaining.  After this she has students to produce definitions and to work problems of their own.  They apply the new knowledge in expert ways.  By using this outline, teachers can teach math beyond the computational boundaries.  Students are applying what they are learning in other forms.   By helping students learn math in other ways will explained their knowledge.  When students orally explain and write the material takes on different forms of  meaning.  

Response:

Text to Text:

These text go to gather well.  I feel like one is more of an explanation of how literacy and math teachers can work together.  The other chapter gives a practical way to incorporate literacy in the math classroom.  I really enjoyed the idea of expanding the literacy definition.  By broadening this term, you realize how much literacy is already in content area classrooms.

Text to World:

Students/content teachers need to be incorporating reading/literacy in their own rooms.  Literacy is everywhere in the world.  By giving students literacy strategies that apply to their discipline area, they will begin to make new connections wit the material.  

Text to Self:

The chapter that talked about how literacy and math teachers can work together was very helpful.  Since I will one day be a reading specialist/literacy coach, I will need to know how to work with everyone in the school.  I like the section that talked about how to talk to a math expert.  Come as a learner, not someone who tells them how to do their job.  I think this is important to remember for everyone.  Always be read to learn something.  Don't assume you understand and know it all.  

Questions: 
!.  This is not really a question, just something to ponder.  Since I've been in the elementary schools, I feel it's easier to be a literacy coach in that environment.  It kind of intimidates me, the idea of going into a high school and being the literacy coach.  Besides high school having a lot of teachers, I think it would be hard to foster an open collaborative environment within the school.  Unike elementary, it's pretty easy to all work together.  What are you thoughts?