Literacy Matters is an online professional development environment that focuses on what matters most

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• Literacy Matters is an online professional
  development environment that focuses on what
  matters most in adolescent literacy development.
• The intended audience includes administrators,
  teachers and specialists (ELA, content, special
  education, Title 1, technology), parents, and
  students.

www.literacymatters.org
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What Literacy Matters Offers

• Free Resources, Information, and Materials
• Annotated links to the best-of-the-best Web
  sites that provide information on research-based
  instructional strategies
• Lesson plans
• Online student tutorials
• Overviews of adolescent reading programs
• Help for parents
• Protected Discussion Areas
• Online Graduate Courses (fee-based)
• http//www.literacymatters.org/

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Tour of Literacy Matters via Scenarios
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Scenario 1

• Administrators and literacy leaders recently read
  the following recent reports
• Report of the National Reading Panel Teaching
  Children to Read (2000)
• Adolescents and Literacy Reading for the 21st
  Century (2003)
• Reading Next A Vision for Action and Research in
  Middle and High School Literacy (2004)
• Now they want to compare current programs.
• How can they determine which ones match the 15
  elements of effective adolescent literacy
  programs (Reading Next)?

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15 Elements of Effective Programs
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So they go to Literacy Matters.

• First, they find a PowerPoint on the home page to
  set the context.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/index.htm
• Second, they find descriptions of research-based
  adolescent literacy programs.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/programs/intro.htm

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Scenario 2

• A 7th grade ELA teacher is looking for varied
  reading materials to meet the needs of students
  with diverse abilities and needs.
• Unfortunately, she has no budget for purchasing
  books.
• Shes heard about using e-books.
• Where can she find recommendations?

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So she goes to Literacy Matters.

• First, she goes to the section on Adolescent
  Literature.
• Second, she finds the subsection labeled
  Selecting Literature.
• Third, she finds wonderful linksnot only to
  information about e-books, but also directly to
  e-books.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/adlit/intro.htm

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Scenario 3

• A team of 6th grade teachers are concerned about
  their students poor reading comprehension,
  particularly the performance of struggling
  students.
• They have been reading about the powerful role
  the arts can play in promoting learning.
• What they find most intriguing are strategies for
  infusing drama, arts and crafts, and multimedia
  into literacy instruction.
• Where can they go to find some good ideas to
  launch their planning?

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So they go to Literacy Matters.

• First, they go to the section on Adolescent
  Literature.
• Second, they go to the subsection on Response
  Strategies.
• Third, they begin to search through
• Arts and crafts
• Multimedia
• Drama
• http//www.literacymatters.org/adlit/intro.htm

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Scenario 4

• An 8th grade social studies teacher is very
  concerned about her students reading
  comprehension--they just cannot understand the
  textbook.
• She has already talked with the ELA and special
  education teacher about this problem.
• Together, they want to find reading comprehension
  strategies that can be introduced in the ELA
  classroom and then reinforced in social studies.
• Where should they look?

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So they go to Literacy Matters.

• First, they go to the section titled, Content
  Literacy.
• Second, they go to the section titled, Social
  Studies.
• Third, they decide to follow the links to
• Literacy Skills for the Social Studies Classroom
• Reading and Interpreting Primary Sources
• http//www.literacymatters.org/content/intro.htm

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Scenario 5

• The high school science department decided that
  students must design an experiment and also
  prepare an accompanying written report.
• The teachers know that students will go directly
  to the Internet to find information.
• So they want to know how to make this an
  effective inquiry-based experience.
• Where can they find guidance?

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So they go to Literacy Matters.

• First, they go to the section titled, Content
  Literacy.
• Then they go to the section titled, Online
  Research.
• They decide to follow the links to both
  subtopics
• Finding Information
• Evaluating Information
• Tracking Information
• Developing Research Skills
• Ensuring Safety
• http//www.literacymatters.org/content/intro.htm

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Scenario 6

• The ELA, special education, and technology
  teachers are engaged in a faculty inquiry team.
• They meet on a regular basis, once a month.
• The purpose is to determine how best to integrate
  technology tools into the literacy curriculum to
  benefit struggling readers.
• For each meeting, someone is responsible for
  bringing articles to discuss.
• It is Sals turn. Where can he find good material?

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So he goes to Literacy Matters.

• First, he goes to the section called, Technology
  and Literacy.
• Second, he decides to follow the link to the
  Technology and Reading section.
• Third, he finds two great articles within the
  section on Background.
• Fourth, he also downloads some of the lesson
  plans as gifts for his team.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/tech/intro.htm

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Scenario 7

• A special education teacher works with small
  groups of 5th graders in the resource room.
• One goal is to help students recognize different
  text structures to improve reading across content
  areas.
• But she needs to find materials that are highly
  motivating for these struggling students.
• Where can she find a resource that is free and
  available online?

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So she goes to Literacy Matters.

• First, she goes to the section of Literacy
  Matters labeled 18 and Under, which contains
  student tutorials.
• Second, she previews the three online tutorials
• Help Lee Decide
• What Should Maria Do?
• American History Idol
• Third, she finds online teaching materials.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/18under/index.htm

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Scenario 8

• Mom and dad are pulling out their hair.
• They know that their adolescent son
  (desperately!) needs help with homework.
• But, because they cant afford a tutor, they must
  resort to providing help at homethemselves.
• Where can they obtain advice?

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So they go to Literacy Matters.

• First, they go to the section titled, Parents.
• Second, they decide to focus on the Good Ideas
  section.
• Third, one-by-one, they follow the links to
  Homework Help, Reading, Writing, and Motivation.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/parents/index.htm

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Scenario 9

• A Title 1 teacher needs one graduate credit to
  advance to the next level on the pay scale.
• Unfortunately, she doesnt have the time to go to
  the local university.
• She considers the possibility of taking an online
  course.
• Where can she find a course with one graduate
  credit?

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So she goes to Literacy Matters.

• First she goes to the section of Literacy Matters
  called PD Online and reads about online courses.
• http//www.literacymatters.org/pdonline/courses.ht
  m
• She is particularly drawn to the course titled,
  Helping Struggling Readers Improve
  Comprehension.
• http//edc.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.
  jsp?tabcoursesurl/bin/common/course.pl?course_i
  d_1805_1

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How Can You Make the Most of Literacy Matters?

• Find information relevant to your own interests
  and needs.
• Locate materials to stimulate conversation within
  a study group or faculty inquiry team.
• Bring information to a meeting (e.g., faculty
  meeting).
• Use student tutorials as part of instruction.
• Find lesson plans.

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Dissemination

• Who will you tell about Literacy Matters?
• Why?
• When and how?