The role of the content area teacher is a difficult one in light of the fact that 'every teacher s a teacher of literacy.' This role is made even more challenging if students have not learned to read in the earlier stages; and this is of great concern to me.
It is very easy to say that every teacher should focus on enhancing students' reading and writing skills, but the problem arises when teachers have to put this into practice and complete the syllabus within a given time frame.
In light of this, it is not at all suprising that most teachers do not consider equipping the students with the prerequisites (reading and writing skills) they need to understand content area befor teaching the meat of the matter.The end result is usually dismal failure which is often passed off as a lack of motivation on the part of students.
I believe that that the job of the content area teacher can be made easier if the necessary reading and writing skills are fostered in students from the primary level as is advocated by Chall. When this is not the case, the onus is on every secondary teacher to ensure that the students they instruct have the necessary skills which will make them competent in the subject. In some cases, teachers may have to provide instruction in word study, voocabulary,fluency and so on.
If this is done, then english language will serve as a consolidation class in which students wiil be exposed to the reading and writing strategies in detail. This will enable content teachers to maximize teaching time as students will use the skills to they are taught to teach themselves.
What is being advocated now,can only be achieved through intensive and extensive planning, and with the cooperation of all teachers. This is when teaching moves from being a job to being a profession and a way of life.Only teachers who truly care for students reach this level. Let us pray that we do for the sake of the nation's children.
Taking an Andragogical Approach
11 years ago
Yes Spruce, I agree that it can be challenging for content area teachers particularly considering the volume of work they have to do. You have also made an interesting point about the need to begin content area instruction at the primary school. This is consistent with research evidence which confirms the need for teachers to begin strategic teaching at the primary level so that as children progress through the grades they will be more equipped to read and comprehend more complex reading material.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, teachers who do see teaching as a job may be less inclined to do all the planning that is necessary for developing strategic readers. One must be committed and concerned about the overall educational development of the child and not just 'doing one's job' at the primary level. I hope that this course will enable you to develop the attitude needed to make the difference.
Your class presentation did confirm the need for teachers to engage in proper planning if they are to successfully model the comprehension strategies using 'think alouds'. The need to adopt the 'right attitude' was re-emphasized and I have every reason to believe that you are going through a period of transformation where your thoughts about the teaching learning process is concerned.
ReplyDeleteYou are right miss.I am definitely going through a transition period, thanks to this course.I am beginning to see my role as a taecher in a different light,especially in the content area.I t is clear to me now that i was not a strategic teacher because i was untrained and did things in the classroom because i was taught in such a way or because i saw my colleagues do it. In St. lucia, we see teaching as a job, to me its more than that.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that students go through Grade K to Grade 6 and are not able to graduate to Chall's stage of reading to learn when they enter the secondary schools. More alarming many of them at still at the decoding stage. Like I have already expressed on another member's blog, the education system needs to be evaluated.
ReplyDeleteI guess all of us have undergone transitions and realise that we were not as strategic as we though we were.
I agree with Eveta that the role of the content area teacher in light of this new info that we are learning sounds very challenging.
Although I believe that heavier emphasis should be placed on the student's ability to grasp content and skills...I have to admit that I blievthe curriculum is not designed for the content area teachers to be teachers of literacy.