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Week 8- Fifteen years later, this article investigates recommendations provided by the National Research Council's seminal report:Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. The article discusses which of these recommendations have been implemented in U.S classrooms over the past 15 years and which strategies have been avoided. The authors then share more recent research studies sharing strategies that may help teachers improve primary-grade reading. Authors: Nell K. Duke and Meghan K. Block

The article provides valuable insight into the impact that vocabulary instruction can have on reading comprehension. It is also noted that because reading instructional has changed over the years this too has contributed to comprehension and vocabulary development. It appears that the approach to reading instruction needs to be revisited to determine which strategies works the most effectively.

I loved this article. My school is currently focusing on Academic Language in our School Improvement Plan, we are also an IB school where students are to use Academic Language more often. I'm glad to see that many of our commonly used words are included in this list. I also love how they go through the examples of how to teach a new word. In middle school I feel these higher level vocabulary words are used more often than in primary ages.

This power point presentation points out the challenges of differentiating instruction in the classroom. It provides several definitions of what is differentiated instruction. Provides information 4 classroom elements that can be differentiated. Points out the obstacles teacher may face when attempting to differentiate instruction. Discusses CRIME: Curriculum, Rules, Instructions, Materials, and Environment. The presentation also gives some really great strategies for differentiated instruction towards the end.

Abstract: This study investigated teachers' uses of research on the identification and instruction of students at risk for reading disabilities (RD). It identified obstacles to teachers' uses of RD research and methods to bridge RD research and teachers' practices...

There are normally a high number of learning gaps in many classrooms. Learning gaps are defined as the difference between where students are in their learning and where they should be. A gap is frequently caused by an obstacle (something that stands in the way of progress) or misconception (a mistaken thought, idea, or misunderstanding).

DimensionU creates engaging and interactive multi-player video games that focus on core skills in mathematics and literacy. Our content aligns with the Common Core, state standards and classroom instruction Learn More about DimensionU Comprised of four engaging, multi-player games with access to curriculum in both Math and Literacy, grades 3 - 9. Some available games: * Meltdown is the DimensionU game that offers students a second chance when answering difficult questions, and rewards creative strategies to achieve victory. * Velocity is DimensionU's high-speed obstacle course that ensures players answer questions correctly in order to continue progressing through the race.

This article discusses a process in CPR that people usually do not know about, but can make feel more comfortable about performing CPR. Hands-only CPR prevents to rescuer from having to perform mouth to mouth with someone who may be a stranger. This issue comes up often with students and people of all ages.

WEEK 7 - Chris Baugher, Patricia Bankins and Alison Burns - First reading. "This paper investigates how pre-service teacher education can provide a strong literacy foundation for content area teachers. Pre-service teachers emphasized their growing awareness of how literacy strategies can enhance student learning in their specific subject areas." (Orr, Kukner and Timmons, 2014)

This article gives an interesting insight to content area literacy and infusing literacy into science and math classes. I was particularly interested in the different ways the sample teachers incorporate literacy strategies into their teaching. They talk of expanding notions of what learning and assessment can look like in science and math. Teachers must have a solid content knowledge themselves to be able to express "the most useful forms of representation of those [topics to be taught in the subject area and] ideas, the most powerful analogies, illustrations, examples, explanations, and demonstrations-in a word, the ways of representing and formulating the subject that make it comprehensible to others. (Schulman, 1986, p. 9)

The article supports this week's activity and Willigham's video on content knowledge improving reading skill. The first section in 'content area literacy" says it all: "Content area literacy is the ability to acquire understandings of, and think critically about, new content in a discipline using reading, writing and multiple other forms..." (Draper, 2002; Heller & Greenleaf, 2007; Kane, 2011; McKenna & Robinson, 1990) The article as a whole supports and builds upon the importance of not only literacy but also what assessments could look like and what they should reflect. Lastly, "[b]ecause literacy is important in all subject areas, content area teachers can plat a significant role in their students' literacy development" (Alger, 2007, 2009; Draper, 2002; Lind, 2008, Heller & Greenleaf, 2007). Before students can learn the material, we as teachers must become familiar and competent enough in the content to not only explain the ideas but to show them and relate them to the students' lives and prior knowledge.

This study gives insight into some common struggles students face when using graphing calculators. Knowing what obstacles a student may have can help you plan strategies to help your student prevent or overcome them.