Literacy in the technology classroom Aaron Wilson InservicePreservice

Literacy in the technology classroom Aaron Wilson In-service/Pre-service Technology Education Hui Wednesday 25 May, 2011

Literacy Levers NCE A P SL w d e N lan um a ul e Z ric r u C cy a r e t i L n o i s s e Progr Subject Literacy

NZ Curriculum v Each learning area has its own language. As students discover how to use them, they find they are able to think in different ways, access new areas of knowledge, and see their world from new perspectives (NZC, p. 16)

Inquiry focus v “Since any teaching strategy works differently in different contexts for different students, effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on their students. ” (NZC, p. 35)

Shanahan & Shanahan (2008)

English language learners learn best when: v They are provided with meaningful, high challenge/high support tasks; v Language learning is amplified rather than simplified; v They are engaged in long term projects that help them connect their funds of knowledge with newly acquired concepts and language over time. Based on Walqui 2003

Students in a particular class begin the year with lower reading comprehension than their peers in another class So, the gaps in reading comprehension between the two groups get even bigger In response, their teachers give them fewer opportunities to read, and when they do, the texts are simplified Therefore, they get less exposure to rich and authentic texts than their peers

Scaffolding is placed around the outside of a new building to allow builders access to the emerging structure as it rises from the ground. Once the building is able to support itself, the builder removes the scaffolding. - Jennifer Hammond

Reading and writing float on a sea of talk (Britton, 1993)

Subject-specific literacy demands in technology include: v Subject and context specialised vocabulary v Reading unique text types e. g. technical manuals v Writing unique text types e. g. briefs v Writing research questions v Note-taking v Analysing/annotating attributes of other technological solutions

Literacy in technology is about knowing how technology texts “work”

Literate technologists…. v See texts as technological outcomes v Understand the purposes of the stakeholders (readers & writers of that text) v Analyse the attributes of existing texts (reading) to inform the design of your own (writing) v Understand the brief that the teacherclient gives the student-technologist to inform their reading or writing solution.

Iconic Te Rewa Bridge

Reading and writing texts in technology v v v Audience & Purpose Ideas Background knowledge Vocabulary Organisation Sentence level features

Audience and purpose v Why would a technology teacher want his/her students to read this text?

Ideas v What are the main ideas you want students to take from this text?

Background knowledge v What prior knowledge will be important to activate? v What prior knowledge might get in the way of the reading purpose? v What gaps in prior knowledge might disrupt meaning-making?

Vocabulary Jumble iconic pedestrian capacity utility span ‘bridge structures’ sacred single-span ‘socio-cultural considerations’ ‘fitness for purpose’ ‘design elements’ ‘material selection’ ‘performance specification’ ‘outline how’ evocative prioritisation ‘strengthening functions’ extension client brief “go like a dream” truss “won the bid” environmental MIPENZ ribs explain ‘culturally significant’ justify tangata whenua ‘cable stay’ harmonious yielding usurping ‘concrete abutments’ fabrication ‘reinforcing steel’ ‘elastomeric bearing pads’

Three types of vocabulary v Tier 2 vocabulary (high literate general use) e. g. usurp, tangata whenua v Specialised subject vocabulary e. g. stakeholder, brief v General academic vocabulary e. g. explain, analyse

Traffic Light Activity Green: all words you are very confident you know the meaning of Orange: words you have seen before but are a little unsure about their meaning Red: words that are completely new to you

A vocabulary learning sequence v Inquiry to identify existing knowledge and needs v Explicit instruction v Repeated opportunities to practice – both receptive and productive v Metacognition e. g. – Memory strategies – Word-solving strategies v Inquiry into effectiveness of teaching sequence, and planning next steps.

Word-solving strategies v Context clues v Morphology (roots, prefixes, suffixes)

Text Organisation 1. Te Rewa structured overview 2. Topic sentences 3. Graphic organisers to support notetaking

Needed for: Examples carbohydrates Food for energy Needed for: proteins Examples Come from Needed for: lipids Examples Come from

Types of Food for Energy Food group Carbohydrates Proteins Lipids Come from: Needed for: Examples of:

Summarising in your own words v Jot down 20 important words from the article v Now choose the 6 MOST important words v Now use those six words to sum up the article in a couple of sentences

Sentence-level features

Implied links v Challenges WCE faced began with timing the purchase of the steel during a time when international prices were soaring. WDC took a risk and bought the arch, toe and heel tubes before the design detail was completed. v What is the relationship between the first & second sentence?

v Ingenious engineering provided the solution. To launch it across the river the bridge was winched up, supported on the cleaned carriages of two old excavators, then three cranes lifted it onto the abutments. v What is the relationship between the first & second sentence?

Nominalisation 1. The brief stipulated that there be no contamination or disturbance of the river vs 2. The brief stipulated that the engineers could not disturb or contaminate the river What makes Sentence 1 more difficult than Sentence 2?

Nominalisation 1. Every element has a strengthening function, including the handrails. vs 2. Every element makes the bridge stronger. The hand rails are not just there to make the bridge safer and to look better –they have another function which is to strengthen the bridge. What makes Sentence 1 more difficult than Sentence 2?

More nominalisations Technical Everyday language Fabrication Design considerations Asymmetrical structure Low-lying terrain

Sentence completion v After seeds have formed, they are usually scattered, far from where they were produced. ________ is called seed dispersal. v After seeds have formed, they are usually scattered, far from where they were produced. This process of scattering is called seed dispersal.

Sentence completion v The handrails make the bridge stronger. Every other element also has a similar __________. v The bridge designers consulted many different people in the community. _________ took many months to complete.

Summarising in your own words v Jot down 20 important words from the article v Now choose the 6 MOST important words v Now use those six words to sum up the article in a couple of sentences

Paraphrasing v Have students translate technical language into everyday language and vice versa.

Translate into scientific language v The makers of the bridge had to ask lots of people what kind of bridge they wanted in their town. v Heaps of different people worked together to plan and build a bridge. v Not only is the bridge really strong, it looks cool too.

Translate into everyday language v The arches spring from two concrete abutments and one end moves on elastomeric bearing pads. v Fitzroy Engineering was well placed to fabricate the superstructure.