MAP
Missouri Assessment
Program
Southwest Region

Communication Arts

Best Practices: Reading

Communication Arts Grade Level Expectations, Course Level Expectation, and Glossary

Communication Arts Model Curriculum Units

Communication Arts Show-Me Standards Interpretations

Curriculum Frameworks

Practice Items
Grades 3,4,6,7,9,10

Released Items, Scoring Guides and Anchor Papers

Integrating Technology:  Use Web Logs to Improve Communication Skills!
Web logs, or blogs as they are commonly known, are not just for teens. The communication skills of your elementary students can blossom with this interactive, easy-to-use medium.  For example:

• Blogs may be ideal for students who would love to express themselves but find the paper and pencil process too laborious.

• A student who is shy or hesitates to speak up in class may also thrive with the use of a blog. The student can log in and post comments, taking time to figure out what to say.  And the student can do so without worrying about stammering or getting the answer wrong in front of the whole class.

• A student who has a thought after the school bell rings can still contribute to the discussion by logging in to the blog at home or at a community library.

• Students can share their blogs with parents, family and friends.  Using blogs has distinct advantages for you, as well. For example:

• Blogs are easy! Unlike websites, which can be high-maintenance (and more work for you), everyone works to update the blog. Blogs are also easy and free to create. Just type “blog templates” into a search engine.

• Blogs are highly interactive. You can respond to your students as soon as they post. You may arrive at more relevant and educational follow-up questions this way. Also, your quick response spurs your students to write back.

• Blogs eliminate paperwork. You can log in and read your students’ work anytime you have access to the Internet, whether you have your briefcase with you or not. And there’s no pile of papers to lug back and forth to school.

Source: Jeffrey Selingo, “In the Classroom, Web Logs are the New Bulletin Boards,” The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/technology/circuits/19blog.htm.  Copyright © 2008 The Teacher Institute www.teacher-institute.com  (top of page)

Writing:  Teens share what motivates them to write
An April 2008 study compiled by the Pew Internet and American Life Project reported some good news: Teens recognize that writing skills are important for their future success and that additional instruction in writing will help them.  They also acknowledge that emailing and text messaging shouldn’t be considered “writing.”  Students interviewed for the study related some practices that motivate them to write. These included:

• Time to practice writing in the classroom.

• Guidance in writing longer research-type papers.

• Assignments that tie writing to their lives—“relevance.”

• Writing that gets results—a grade, admission to college, a job, a scholarship, reactions from classmates.

• Frequent feedback.

• Content-based assignments.

• Focus on written expression, not on isolated grammar skills.

• Opportunities for creative writing.

• Positive comments from teachers.

• High expectations from teachers.

• Opportunities to publish their writing.  In particular, students noted the important role of a teacher who guides and respects student writers.  As one student said, “I think the only thing that really changes if I am bored at school is a teacher. If the teacher is really good, then I will be interested.”

Source: Amanda Lenhart et al., “Writing, Technology and Teens,” Pew Internet & American Life Project, www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Writing_Report_FINAL3.pdf.   (top of page)

Differentiated Instruction:  Advance organizers level the playing field
Advance organizers offer a great way to differentiate instruction. Research shows that advance organizers improve learning for students with learning disabilities. However, all students can benefit from using these study aids.

Advance organizers give students a “sneak preview” of the learning to come. They help students link what they already know to what they are about to learn. But advance organizers aren’t just outlines of key points. They also help students focus on higher levels of abstraction.  There are several types:

• Graphic organizers—time lines, charts, etc.—outline important ideas in a visual way.

• Narrative organizers present the information initially as a story.

• Expository organizers highlight the key points at the highest level of generalization.

• Skimming can also be used as an advance organizer. As students focus on highlighted information, they get an idea of information they will learn in detail later.  Any of these advance organizers can have space for students to take notes or fill in additional content as the lesson proceeds. Once the lesson is finished, the organizers will provide a great tool for reviewing before a test.

Source: William Bender, Differentiating Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities, ISBN: 1-4129-5445-2 (Corwin Press, a Sage Publications Company, 1-800-233-9936, www.corwinpress.com)  (top of page)

Resources

Students can learn about writing dialogue when they create their own comic strips.  MakeBeliefsComix.com (www.MakeBeliefsComix.com.) lets students choose characters (animal or human), then choose a character’s mood and write the dialogue. Students can write in English or Spanish and publish their comics for the whole class to enjoy.

Teacher Nancie Atwell has been developing strong readers for more than 30 years. The key is to give students the chance to read a lot. She captures what she’s learned in The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers. From advice on what to have in your class library to mini-lesson ideas, this book can help you help students want to learn to read. (ISBN: 9780-4399-2644-7, Scholastic Publishers, 1-800-724-6527, www.scholastic.com.)
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The Missouri Assessment Program is a part of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education working in conjunction with the College of Education at Missouri State University.
Missouri State University  ∙  Department of Elementary and  Secondary Education  ∙  Southwest Regional Professional Development Center
Missouri State College of Education  ∙  Missouri State University Institute for School Improvement