Content Area Literacy in Elementary Classrooms

I really enjoyed reading this article, like the last one we read it was very informative and interesting. As I was reading this article, I couldn't help thinking back to my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Simms. I knew Mrs. Simms was very smart, but it's like she could see the future. She was very artsy and painted her classrooms many different colors, but on her back wall she painted it to look like the beach. We had to go to the "beach" once a day to pick an informational book that we would enjoy reading. She knew that we may not always like reading these books like we once did when we were little but if we could go to our "happy place" at the beach then we would enjoy it more. Thinking back on all of this I k now that Mrs. Simms was exactly right. When your younger it is so important to become exposed to rich text that enhance your information about the world around you. But, when you get older some students lose their interest in things they once loved when they were younger. Reading about lions and witches is so much more fun that reading about the life cycle of a frog. Throughout the text, it stressed how students are exposed to texts at an early age(k-3), but these texts need to increase as the students get older. One problem that may seem challenging for both students and teachers is to teach their students how to digest the information and retain what they have just read. I know it is also hard for parents to try and interst their children in something they might actually want to read.
I know that from taking Dr. Boyce's class last semester that incorporating informational texts into your lesson is vital. We learned many strategies on ways we can incorporate these texts into ways that the students may find more interesting. I know that much emphasis has been placed on standardized tests and scores and improving childrens interests and comprehension on informational text would be key to helping improve these scores. Exposing children to informational text is not only vital but a way of the future. This is where standardized tests are going as well as properly preparing children for the adult world. As technology and students are becoming more complex we owe it to our students to give them very oppurtunity to succeed in the future and exposing them to expository text is a GREAT way to do it!



Henry and Kamery. Two Pre-k students at Sacred Heart school, where I work!



Students at the school! I love them!