Building Academic Literacy

Foreword - Judith A. Langer
Preface
Why We Wrote This Book
Who We Are
Our Research Base
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Purposeful Pedagogy: Developing Each Mind
How to Use This Book
Key Elements
Common Threads
Opening the Classroom to Student Thinking and Voice
Secure the Foundation by Teaching Students How to Talk and Think Together
Five Essentials of Productive Classroom Discussions
Summary

Chapter 2. Purposeful Engagement: Activities to Engage and Support All Learners
Sharing Thinking One-on-One
Journal Jot/Quick Write and Think-Pair Share
Extending Think-Pair-Share to Written Conversation about Content
Scaffolds for Productive Whole-Class Discussions
Reader's Marks and Variations
Pass the Hat
Pair Engaging and Complex Texts to Foster Critical Thinking
Summary

Chapter 3. Purposeful Talk: A Framework for Facilitating Academic Discussions
A Guide to Facilitating Discussions that Foster higher-Level Thinking
The Envisionment-Building Guide (EBG)
A Teacher's Role During Discussion
Preparing for and Facilitating Discussions that Foster Higher Levels of Thinking
Practicing with a Well-Known Poem
Trying an EBG and Discussion in Your Classroom
Summary

Chapter 4. Purposeful Experiences: Assignments to Sustain Thinking and Learning
Some Tools to Help Students Capture Thinking in Written Form
Why Writing Matters
Learning Logs or Journals
Open Mind
Purposeful Assignments That Provide Opportunities for Students to Share Thinking
Gallery Walk
Carousel
Stand and Deliver
Extended Writing
Summary

Chapter 5. Purposeful Planning: Designing a Coherent and Connected Curriculum
Supporting Students as Disciplinary Thinkers
Rethinking the Curriculum
Staring with the Big Ideas
Thinking beyond the Textbook
Collaboration
Summary

Chapter 6. Purposeful Leadership: Supporting Effective Instructional Practices
Student Voice
Engaging Activities
Discussion
Assignments
Fostering Coherence
Rethinking the Curriculum to Be More Coherent
Collaboration across Grades and Subjects
Summary

End Note
Appendix A. Sample Lessons
An Envisionment-Building Lesson for Science
An Envisionment-Building Lesson for Mathematics
An Envisionment-Building Lesson for English Language Arts

Appendix B. Annotated Bibliography
Literary Works Cited
Bibliography