Chapter 1 Outline for
Literacy for the 21st Century: Teaching reading and writing in Grades 4 through 8

Chapter 1
According to Gail Tompkins becoming an effective teacher of reading is characterized by 8 principles
How students learn
Constructivist
Interactive
Socialinguistic
Reader response learning theory

Four cueing systems
Phonological system
Syntactic system
Semantic system
Pragmatic system

Communities of learners
Because students are in a class group it is important that if learning is to happen that it is a learning community. Characterized by the following characteristics:
Responsibility
Opportunities
Engagement
Demonstration
Risk Taking
Instruction
Response
Choice
Time
Assessment

Balanced Literacy
The book doesn’t get to a balanced approach …

Support students reading and writing experiences.
Again not comprehensive enough. Must go beyond reading and writing

Organize literacy instruction in four ways
Units, circles, reading and writing workshops, and basal programs
Organize comprehensively, but not necessarily within these four parameters.

Connect instruction with assessment
Close but I like the following labels for assessment with teaching embedded in all and all embedded in teaching.
Diagnostic
Formative
Summative
Generative

Continue to learn about reading and writing
Yes, humans are never finished and expand beyond reading and writing.