Climbing the Literacy Ladder :Climbing the Literacy Ladder A novel idea for literature extensions


Table of Contents :Table of Contents What are literature ladders? Why are they useful tools? What is on the rungs of information? What types of extension activities are included? What does the final product look like? How do I make my own? Where do I get more information?


What are literature ladders? :What are literature ladders? Literature ladders were originally described by Dr. Annette Lamb, a professor at Indiana University- Indianapolis. They were innovated to be engaging and active learning objects that use book-technology connections to extend learning. Dr. Annette Lamb


What are literature ladders? :What are literature ladders? The goal of literature ladders is to transform reading from a passive practice to an enriched, multi-dimensional experience. Each “rung” of the “ladder” takes the reader to a new learning task. Unlike a webquest, which leads the learner on a journey that converges into a final product, a literature ladder is a collection of divergent activities that expand ones knowledge of a book. Like a webquest, literature ladders are not just a series of web-based experiences, but rather a collection of activities that promote higher-order thinking.


Concept Diagram :Concept Diagram 6 - Theme 5 – Character Study 4 – Novel vs. Movie 3 – Historical Context 2 – Setting 1 - Author


Today’s Literacy :Today’s Literacy Traditionally, literacy has been associated with the ability to read words on paper. Books Newspapers Job applications In the 1991 National Literacy Act, Congress defined literacy as: "an individual's ability to read, write, and speak in English, and compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one's goals, and develop one's knowledge and potential."


Fulfilling the definition :Fulfilling the definition “Literature ladders challenge students to think beyond the text and connect it to their lives and to the society in which they live.”


Why are they useful tools? :Why are they useful tools? Literature ladders… Help students to build background knowledge. Add depth and breadth to the book being read. Help teachers to weave the technology content standards into their content area standards. Allow students to make personal connections. Can be used in traditional and online courses. Can make interdisciplinary connections. Generate enthusiasm for reading. In essence, they invite experience rung by rung!


What is on the rungs of information? :What is on the rungs of information? Author & Illustrator Homepages Interviews Biographies Other works How to draw Characters Biographical information Character study Setting Travel sites Virtual globes Audio & visual clips Historical background Interdisciplinary Subject matter sites Book-to-movie Comparison/contrast Cast your own Meaning of music selections Theme-related Awards Genre Study Social Issues Personal Ties Video and Audio clips Modern Day connections


What type of extension activities are included? :What type of extension activities are included? Now that you have your rungs of information, how do you determine what to do with the information? Think Creativity! Think Differentiation! Think Multiple Intelligences! Thinks Bloom’s taxonomy! Think Learning Styles! Think Making It Personal! Think Critical Thinking!


Activity Ideas :Activity Ideas Technology based activities Wikis Blogs Mind Maps Write/edit/verify a Wikipedia article Compilation Tasks Mystery tasks Retelling tasks Consensus building tasks Traditional writing assignments Short answer & extended response questions Essays Judgment tasks Self-knowledge tasks Journal ideas Analytical tasks Persuasion tasks Creative product tasks Design tasks Journalistic tasks More journaling ideas Literature response ideas Diversity activities Finding textual evidence Ethics activities


Creative Activities :Creative Activities Limited only by your imagination Multi-genre connections Critical thinking activities Scrapbooks Double-Entry Journal Create a video/promo material Musical interpretations Top 10 songs on your characters iPod Write a song that retells the story Convert novel to a picture book ABC books More literature responses


What does the final product look like? :What does the final product look like? It’s your literature ladder, so the final product is up to you! It can be built in PowerPoint, Word, or on a wiki. Here are a few examples: The Great Gatsby Of Mice and Men A Stranger Came Ashore


How do I create my own? :How do I create my own? Choose a book! Cast a wide net Begin exploring all the web has to offer. Find author and illustrator info. Search for book info and lessons. Identify topics and resources Evaluate the quality of the sites you find. Consider how much time students will spend completing the literature ladder and what percentage of the grade you will allocate for their work.


How do I create my own? :How do I create my own? Decide how many “rungs” will be on your ladder. Develop meaningful activities and learning experiences. Include explicit instructions on what your expectations for students are on each rung of the ladder. Implement & evaluate


Get it done! :Get it done! Create your own!


Where do I get more info? :Where do I get more info? Web English Teacher : Learning activities that correspond to specific books. Literature Studies: primary level book studies created by gifted students using Bloom’s. Teacher Tap: provides access to practical online activities and resources. The Literacy Center: a wiki with information from some of the 2008 Literacy Center conference, including information on literature ladders.


Works Cited :Works Cited http://eduscapes.com/ladders/index.htm http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html http://webquest.org/index.php http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/staffdev/buildingblocks/p-index.htm http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/newsletters_archive/oc0801.pdf