Common Core State Standards and Text Complexity: An Invitation to Learn Language in STEM Disciplines using a Range of Quality Literature

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) emphasize literacy learning within history/social studies, science, and technical subjects making students’ reading, writing, and language development every teacher’s concern, regardless of the discipline being taught. Books related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can enhance students’ knowledge of key terms and concepts as they are revealed in authentic contexts. Students who often struggle harder to understand advanced vocabulary embedded in stories or in difficult, yet interestingly presented nonfiction gain an increased print vocabulary by reading quality STEM-aligned literature selections that exhibit the characteristics of complexity and richness of language advocated by CCSS. Effectively pre-teaching vocabulary and scaffolding students’ use of self-regulation strategies to discover word meanings will increase comprehension and content literacy as well as content learning

Using Question Answer Relationships in Science Instruction to Increase the Reading Achievement of Struggling Readers and Students with Reading Disabilities

The Question Answer Relationship (QAR) literacy strategy was integrated into science instruction in a fourth grade classroom. Ten students who struggled with reading, including some who were diagnosed with a reading disability, participated in this study. Significant gains were made in reading by the 10 student participants in comprehending science expository text after a 4- week implementation period. The general education teacher showed an increase in her ability to assist these struggling students after receiving training and constant support over the 4-week instructional period.&nbsp