The Case for Authentic Tasks in Content Literacy

Parsons, Seth A.; Ward, Allison E.

doi:10.1598/rt.64.6.12

Cited by 55 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…On the most fundamental level, it demonstrated my realization that it is critical to support both cognitive and motivational needs during PBL. Researchers have long perceived that addressing authentic problems is inherently motivating (Parsons & Ward, 2011;Willems & Gonzalez-DeHass, 2012). But evidence indicates that for students to be motivated, support is needed.…”

Section: Allowing Research Assistants To Identify Research Topics Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing My Perspectives on Scaffolding and Problem-Based Learning: A Retrospective View

Belland¹

2016

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

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Section: Allowing Research Assistants To Identify Research Topics Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing My Perspectives on Scaffolding and Problem-Based Learning: A Retrospective View

Belland¹

2016

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

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“…Proponents of disciplinary literacy have suggested that specific content areas necessitate particular strategies (Fang, ; Gillis, ; Hynd‐Shanahan, ; Shanahan & Shanahan, ). Researchers have insisted that students must read and write in the specific discipline to show proficiency (Biancarosa & Snow, ; Fang, ; Misulis, ; Parsons & Ward, ), and have called for a close relationship between content area teachers and disciplinary experts.…”

Section: Situating Our Study Within the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Drawing on What We Do as Readers

Gilles¹,

Yang²,

Johnson³

2015

J Adolescent & Adult Lit

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The debate between content area and disciplinary literacy continues. Should content teachers adopt more general strategies, as often suggested by language arts teachers, or learn more discipline‐specific strategies? Neither choice positions content teachers as expert. In this inquiry, a team of middle school teachers uncovered their reading strategies in their disciplines and embedded the most useful ones in their classrooms. In this descriptive case study, field notes of team meetings, classroom observations, interviews of teachers and students, and student work samples were collected and analyzed. Results indicated that teachers were metacognitive and used both discipline‐specific and general strategies in their teaching. Learning was most powerful when the entire team collaborated to work on content connections and to give students specific ways to overcome confusion. Implications point to rethinking the divide between discipline‐specific and general strategies and promoting authentic collaboration of content area and language arts teachers.

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“…School writing can be understood as writing that is primarily focused on mechanics (e.g., orthography, punctuation, neatness), monomodal (pen(cil) to paper) text production, accuracy, conformity, and adherence to prescribed topics, and expected to be done alone. This kind of writing is devoid of interactive engagement with others and is intended rather for non-dialogic purposes such as grading and fulfilling curriculum expectations (Collier, 2010;Duke et al, 2006;Gambrell, Hughes, Calvert, Malloy, & Igo, 2011;Moffett, 1979;Nixon &Topping, 2001;Parsons & Ward, 2011). Britton (1970) argued that the attempt to teach writing skills without embedding those skills in the social, communicative, processes that are at the heart of writing is a hollow pedagogy: …what children use language for in school must be 'operations' and not 'dummy runs'.…”

Section: During These Two or Three Weeks Rose Was Away From School Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Authenticity and Children's Engagement with Writing

Jones¹

2015

L & L

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This paper highlights findings from a mixed methods study that explores the research questions: 1) What kind of writing do children like/dislike, and 2) How, if at all, does authenticity factor into kinds of writing that children like and/or dislike? Findings indicate that children enjoyed writing that embodied authentic purpose and text (e.g., that purposefully engaged them with in meaningful communicative interactions with an audience through textual forms that exist in the world beyond the classroom). Children tended to dislike writing that represented non-dialogic "school work", that they perceived to be intended for merely assessment purposes. When she was in grade four (French immersion), several months after her interview for this project, Rose's grandfather died. Rose took a sudden leave from school to be with her extended family across the country. During this time, Mr. M., Rose's English teacher -who actively corresponded with his students through their daily journals -organized a card for Rose, which was signed by all of her classmates, scanned, and sent to her via email. Rose's response (framed as part of her journal-writing to Mr. M.) is as follows (I have used pseudonyms for those mentioned in Rose's journal):Hi Mr. M., Thank you and everyone for the card it was nice to hear from the class. I have written a story about my grandpa and you can read it to the class if you like.The Olden Days of Papa Today Im going to tok abut the days my grandpa was young becaus he left home when he was 12 yeers old and set off for a avenchur. His twin sister wonted to go to but he sed no. I think yur going to find this funny. His name is Henry and her name is Henryetta he hoped frate trains akros Canada becaus he was looking for a job. His frst job was working in northrn Ontario but he had no wotr or lit or anething to kep him worm. he had to hunt his on deer. But the cool thing was he did not ned a frezr. It was so coold he left it in the house and wated to cook it. PS the story is not over. During these two or three weeks

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The Case for Authentic Tasks in Content Literacy

Cited by 55 publications

References 12 publications

Developing My Perspectives on Scaffolding and Problem-Based Learning: A Retrospective View

Developing My Perspectives on Scaffolding and Problem-Based Learning: A Retrospective View

Drawing on What We Do as Readers

Authenticity and Children's Engagement with Writing

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