Principled Practices for Adolescent Literacy

This book presents an evidence-based framework for understanding the literacy needs of adolescents. The premise is that educators and other critical stakeholders need to understand evidence-based principles in order to develop effective curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners. Recommendations are provided for middle and secondary education, professional development, teacher education research and policy.
At the center of the book are Eight Guiding Principles developed by the authors through a process that included an extensive review of research and policy literature in literacy and related fields, a comparison of National Standards documents, and visits to the classrooms of 28 middle and high school teachers across the United States. The Principles are broad enough to encompass a variety of contexts and student needs, yet specific enough to offer real support to those involved in program development or policy decisions. They provide an overarching structure that districts and teachers can use to develop site-specific curriculum that is both research-based and designed to meet the needs of the learners for whom they are responsible.
Important Text Features: Organized to help readers understand empirically supported principles of practice that can be used to address literacy concerns in today's schools, each chapter that addresses one of the eight Principles follows a similar format: * The Principle is presented along with a brief explanation of the research base and a sample of national standards that support it. * One or more case examples spanning a wide variety of disciplines, grade levels, and local conditions - provide an in-depth look at the Principle in action. * A well-known adolescent literacy expert offers a response to each case example, giving readers an informed view of the importance of the Principle, how it is enacted in the cases, and examples of other work related to the Principle. Discussion questions are provided that can be used for individual reflection or group discussion.
Principled Practices for Adolescent Literacy is intended as a text for pre-service and in-service upper-elementary, middle and high school literacy methods courses and graduate courses related to adolescent literacy, and as a resource for school district personnel, policymakers and parents.

Sturtevant, Elizabeth G.; Boyd, Fenice B.; Brozo, William G.; Hinchman, Kathleen A.; Moore, David W.; Alvermann, Donna E.

Contents: R.T. Vacca, Foreword. Preface. Why Principled Practices? Research on Youth's Literacy Development: An Overview. Principle 1: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Participate in Active Learning Environments That Offer Clear and Facilitative Literacy Instruction. Principle 2: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Participate in Respectful Environments Characterized by High Expectations, Trust, and Care. Principle 3: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Engage With Print and Nonprint Texts for a Variety of Purposes. Principle 4: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Generate and Express Rich Understandings of Ideas and Concepts. Principle 5: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Demonstrate Enthusiasm for Reading and Learning. Principle 6: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Assess Their Own Literacy and Learning Competencies and Direct Their Future Growth. Principle 7: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Connect Reading With Their Life and Their Learning Inside and Outside of School. Principle 8: Adolescents Need Opportunities to Develop Critical Perspectives Toward What They Read, View, and Hear. Supporting Principled Practices. Appendix: Additional Resources.