Teaching through Text:  Reading and Writing in the Content Areas is evidence-based, designed to help middle and high school content teachers apply effective reading-related techniques for fostering comprehension of materials in their area.  This book provides a core set of instructional techniques that are easy for teachers to implement and that do not encroach on the time spent learning content.   In order to help teachers incorporate reading-related approaches into their classroom, Teaching through Text begins by explaining how these approaches are easy to implement and require no time diverted from content learning. Specific approaches are nested within “before-during-after” lesson formats, such as the DR-TA and Reciprocal Teaching.   Unlike other texts on the market in this area, all the approaches provided in the book have a strong empirical base.  Some approaches provided in the text include: vocabulary techniques (e.g., graphic organizers, feature analysis, list-group-label), comprehension techniques (e.g., reading guides, questioning strategies), and study techniques. The book also addresses issues of assessment, motivation, and cultural and linguistic diversity.  

Table of Contents:
Preface ix SECTION 1 TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH TEXT 1 1 The Importance of Literacy in Content Areas 3 Objectives 4 The Meaning of Literacy 4 Four Aspects of Literacy 5 The Implications of Content Literacy 7 Teacher Resistance to Content Literacy 9 Seeing Yourself as a Teacher 10 Summary 12 Getting Involved 13 2 Literacy Processes 14 Objectives 15 Reading and Writing as Language Processes 15 The Reading Process 16 The Writing Process 21 Making Sense Out of Content 23 Summary 23 Getting Involved 24 3 Getting to Know Your Students, Your Materials, and Your Teaching 26 Objectives 27 Three Dimensions of Classroom Assessment 27 What Is Reading Ability? 27 Levels of Reading Ability 31 Reading Ability and Readability 32 Judging the Match Between Students and Materials 32 Judging the Context of Instruction 36 Three Struggling Readers 39 Summary 40Getting Involved 42 4 Teaching for Diversity 44 Objectives 45 Dimensions of Diversity 46 Meeting the Challenge of Diversity 50 Summary 55 Getting Involved 55 5 Building Prior Knowledge 59 Objectives 61 Judging Whether Prior Knowledge Is Adequate 61 Ways to Add and Activate Background Knowledge 65 Summary 76 Getting Involved 77 6 Introducing Technical Vocabulary 78 Objectives 80 The Nature of Words 80 The Myth That Words Teach Themselves 81 Formal Definitions 82 Feature Analysis 82 Graphic Organizers 83 Additional Methods 95 Summary 97 Getting Involved 97 SECTION 2 PREREADING STRATEGIES 57 SECTION 3 STRATEGIES FOR GUIDED READING 99 7 Making Reading Purposeful 101 Objectives 102 Who Should Set Purposes for Reading? 102 Ways of Setting Purposes 103 Varying and Combining Techniques 115 Summary 115 Getting Involved 116 8 Reading Guides 117 Objectives 118 Advantages of a Written Guide 118 When Should Reading Guides Be Used? 119 Types of Guides 120 Constructing a Reading Guide 127 Computerizing Reading Guides and Units 128 Using Reading Guides 128 Summary 130 Getting Involved 131 9 Providing Time to Read: When, Where, and How? 132 Objectives 133 Reading Assignments as Homework 133 Structuring Units to Allow Reading in Class 134 Major Lesson Formats 136 Summary 145 Getting Involved 146 SECTION 4 POSTREADING STRATEGIES 147 11 Reinforcing and Extending Content Knowledge 168 Objectives 169 Drilling versus Extending 169 Using Literacy to Reinforce and Extend 170 Reinforcing through Direct Instruction 186 Summary 187 Getting Involved 187 10 Effective Questioning 149 Objectives 150 The Purposes of Discussion 150 Planning a Discussion 153 Conducting a Discussion 154 Alternatives to Teacher-Led Discussions 160 Discussion and Recitation: A Second Look 164 Discussion and Writing 164 Summary 166 Getting Involved 167 SECTION 5 MORE WAYS TO FACILITATE LEARNING THROUGH TEXT 189 12 Study Skills: Encouraging Independence in Content Literacy 191 Objectives 192 Responsibility for Teaching Study Skills 192 Note Taking 194 Review and Homework 195 Test Taking 197 Strategies for Independent Reading 201 Summary 203 Getting Involved 204 13 Student Attitudes: Encouraging Content Literacy 205 Objectives 206 Factors That Affect Motivation 206 Assessing Reading Interests 209 Promoting Content Literacy in Your Classroom 211 Summary 220 Getting Involved 220 References 223 Name Index 241 Subject Index 245