TOWARD NEW MEDIA TEXT (ARTICLE)

Toward New Media Text, an article written by Cynthia L. Selfe, she is giving the argument that visual literacy needs to be implemented more in English composition classes. She does bring up a good point that makes sense to me. She said that many teachers do not feel confident teaching visual literacy because they are not tech-savvy. I am one of those kind of people. I do not know much about using computers and digital devices. In Dr. Bishop's class, he has took me out of my comfort zone and made me use the computer more than I have used it in other classes, except IT365. Anyway, I think I am coming out of this class feeling a little more confident about computer use.
The author states that english composition teachers would rather use the alphabetic texts over visual texts because they know how to approach a book or an essay. They know how to analyze and interpret the text. This is so true. Visual literacy has not been around long, so most teachers were taught how to read by using printed books, not visual literacy tools. I think the author seems to want to disregard the written alphabetic texts and mostly use visual literacy tools. I do believe that visual literacy is important in today's world, but we still need to use the good old printed books also.
This article gave several ways to use visual literacy in the classroom. I liked the Traveling Photo Exhibit. The students select photos from the web, and write about the importance of the photo. They get into groups and discuss each others exhibits. Then the student writes a curator's commentary about their photo exhibit. I think this is a good activity that lets students explore the internet, print photos, discuss them, and write about the importance of them. This helps students build vocabulary and speaking skills, and builds writing skills as well. I guess I can see where visual literacy is important, but let's keep alphabetic texts in the classrooms too.

Chapter 11

"Building opportunities for students to review each other's writing and providing feedback whenever possible encourages them to think critically about their own writing" (pg 313). When I was observing a Language Arts class at the Junior High, I witnessed this taking place. The students had written a two page persuasive text about a particular subject. On this day, the teacher put the students into groups of five and they had to read each other's writings. They then evaluated the students writings by giving them a rating from a Rubric provided. After they did this, they had to give feedback to the student they evaluated and discuss the good points and bad points of their writings. Sometimes they did not agree, but most of the time the student who wrote the paper seen the mistake that was made and thanked their classmate for pointing it out to them. I think this is a great way for students to learn from each other, and to see the common mistakes that are made. This is also a good way for the teacher to assess the types of writings, sentences structures, tenses, etc. that may need to be retaught.
I liked what Conley said in the green box on page 309. "Create opportunities for extended writing as opposed to worksheets with one-word answers." Conley said this suggestion is for ELL students to learn to write, but I think this holds true for all students. There are too many worksheets given to students in grade school and high school. This is why the students get to college and cannot write a research paper. They have never been taught how to write! Even on many state and national test, students cannot do well because they do not know where to begin the writing process. Teachers have to be willing to give the students opportunities to write, whether it be a journal, a report, etc., students must be taught that writing is important and they need to know how to write to be successful adults.

Chapter 7: Activating Prior Knowledge and Increasing Motivation

"Sometimes, problems with motivation arise from complicated dilemmas that arise from different values around education at home and at school." (pg 194) Children who come from families who are poor sometimes do not have access to research books or the Internet at home. Their parents may have an elementary/junior high education, so the parents may not know how to motivate the children to learn because they were never motivated as a child attending school. The parents may fear that the "educated" teacher may try to influence their child to succeed in life and it will cause conflict within the family because the student may feel he/she is better than their parents. Another aspect is that students in High School may feel they need to drop out of school so they can get a job and help their parents financially. Parents may feel that this may be the best solution to their financial woes, but it is usually just a short-time solution because down the road, the student will find out that they should have stayed in school and received an education because the fast food employment does not provide an income that supports a family's needs.
Anticipation Guides: I think anticipation guides are a great tool in the classroom. It gets the students interested in what they will be reading, writing, or listening to in the lesson. The students are able to see what they know about a particular subject, and determine what they want to find out about the subject in the lesson coming up.
K-W-L charts: KWL charts a activate student's prior knowledge by seeing what the students know, what they want to know, and after the lesson is taught, they write what they learned in the lesson. I think KWL charts work well in elementary classrooms because they get students interested in what is coming up in the lesson. It also allows students to hear what other students know about a particular subject.

Conley's 1 page Lesson Plan

Lisa McBeth
Mini Lesson Plan
6th Grade Language Arts
Curriculum Standard:
3. The student will express, communicate, evaluate, or exchange ideas effectively.
e. The student will compose persuasive text clearly expressing a main idea with supporting
details, utilizing effective word choice and organization for a specific purpose and
audience. (DOK 3)
1) Letters
Big Idea
Students need to know how to exchange ideas in an organized and persuasive manner.
Preparation
Read the children's Literature book "Freedom on the Menu" by Carole Boston Weatherford.
Ask students how they would feel if they went into a restaurant and were denied service.
Give students a scenario about walking into the local theater and being told you cannot enter because you are not the acceptable race.
Write a formal business letter to the manager of the theater asking him/her to change the rules .
Guidance
Students brainstorm acceptable reasons for change in the rules.
Students write a rough draft of their letter.
Student's ask peers to read over their rough draft and offer suggestions.
Teacher walks around the room and provides help when needed.
Application
Go over the parts of a business letter with students.
Offer tips on how to write a persuasive letter in a business-like manner.

Assessment:
The final copy of the student's letters will be the assessment. I would provide the students a checklist before they start writing their rough draft. The checklist would contain items such as correct grammar usage, correct spelling, and the parts of a business letter must be correct.


Source: English-Language Arts Content Strands for Mississippi Public Schools.

Chapter 5-Content Area Literacy:Teaching Today's Learners

On page 125 of the text book it says, A growing trend is for classrooms to embrace texts from popular culture, including Internet Web pages, trade books, music, movies, and other media, magazines, and newspapers (Morrell, 2004). When I took Adolescent Literature in college, I learned about using graphic novels and comic books to entice students to read. The instructor also taught us that we should bring in different genres of literature and use newspapers and magazines as well to get students interested in reading. With computers and Internet in the classrooms, teachers do not actually have to bring in a hardcopy of a magazine or newspaper because students can access them on the Internet. Trade books are a great asset to use to teach different concepts. Teachers can read the book to the students no matter what grade they are in. Think about it, even we as adults still like to be read to, especially if it is an interesting book. Teachers can bring in various songs and music styles, and clips of movies to use to teach certain concepts. Teachers just have to open their creative thinking skills and find interesting ways to bring literacy skills to life in their students.

Digital texts are more and more common in schools today (page 132). Teachers are using digital texts in a variety of ways. Many teachers have their own class web page. I think this is a neat way for parents and students to keep up with what is happening in the classroom. The teacher can post upcoming assignments, lunch menus, field trip dates, etc. Another way teachers are using digital texts is by class blogs. Blogs are a great way for students to get other student's viewpoints about particular subjects. Check out this blog site by a teacher in Georgia. Her students blog about various English assignements. It is a neat blog so here is the address http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=17192.
Teachers are also using PowerPoints to bring about lessons. PowerPoints are a wonderful tool because they help a student view the main points in a chapter.

Carefully assess student's experience and understandings of assignments and tasks that accompany texts (page 152). Teachers should always observe students as they read to see if they are having difficulties. If the teacher sees students with a strange look on their face or their hands raised, then she/he needs to offer the student assistance to help the child understand. The teacher may even have to alter the lesson or teach some new vocabulary words so that the student can have a better understanding of what he is reading. Teachers must be prepared to think quickly and creatively so that students learn.

Lisa McBeth-Chapter 4

"One of the most readily available ways of learning about students is through conversation." Conversation between students and the teacher is important because sometimes students do not have much adult conversations, especially if their parents work late and are not home much. Conversation also allows the teacher to evaluate the student's prior knowledge of a subject. Conversation also can help the teacher see the areas in which a student needs further teaching. Conversation builds community in the classroom, which is very important.

"Reading interests involve preferences for reading different kinds of reading materials." There should be a variety of reading materials in a classroom, especially in junior high and high school. Comic books, newspapers, teen-magazines, etc. can be used to inspire students to read. Students need to know how to read so they can get through life.

"A primary goal of portfolios is to involve students in evasluating their own work." Students get to choose their best work to have in the portfolio which allows them input on what is assessed. I think thei is great because some students may do well in some assignments but not in others. By using portfolios, students feel involved, which also builds community and confidence.

Lisa McBeth Cir 411

Multiple literacies in my personal life First and foremost, I read my Bible every morning. This is the most important literature to me because I like to put God first in my life. I try to apply what is written to my daily life and in the way I treat others in my life. I feel that the Bible inspires me to be a better person so I plan to keep the Bible as my primary literature source.

Since I am in college, textbooks are another literary source that is important in my life. I do have a difficult time staying focused on the readings because some of them are difficult to understand. I also read the local newspaper to keep up with events going on in the neighborhood and local school. I feel that I need to stay current on local events,especially in the schools, because I will be a teacher soon and I want to know what new policies will effect me in the near future.

I really enjoy reading Christian novels. They inspire and enlighten me. I like to share the readings with my daughter who dislikes reading. I hope that I will be a good model to her and eventually she will take on the enjoyment of reading.