Literacy Matters...

                After reading through the Literacy Matters and Writing in the Content Areas chapters, it became more obvious to me how important it is to instruct students how to read textbooks for each specific subject.  As a math major I have become accustomed to reading very dense material that is laced with examples and theories.  Most math textbooks are written with chapters and sections within the chapters; a more bulleted type text.  So when I switch to classes that have a paragraphical formatted textbook, it becomes more difficult and time consuming.  Based on this, I have troubles focusing long enough to get through the text.  When I do finish the text I usually have to go back through to pick out the important topics and reread them to get a basis of chapter.  After realizing how difficult it is to switch between textbooks of different topics, it became clear that as a future teacher it is imperative that I spend the time to explain how to go through my content area textbook and get the most out of it.  If I don’t take the time, students who are not accustomed to the specific style of text will become very frustrated even if they are excellent students.  The challenge we have as future teachers is encouraging students to put the extra effort in to understand different styles of text.  Many of my friends and students I’ve worked with or coached don’t have the extra time to learn a new style, especially if it is in a subject that they dislike.

            More specifically to my content area, math, I have recently seen a commercial that really puts into perspective many people’s thoughts on the subject.  If you haven’t seen the commercial for Sylvan I will recap it: a young boy is doing homework at a table and calls to his mom for help on his math homework.  You see his mom look over his shoulder and get scared and run away.  The narrator is commenting on how hard math was when you took it and that it has only gotten more difficult since then.  This commercial and other media is playing a large role in how students perceive the work they are asked to complete.  This commercial screams to parents and students that math is difficult and most people do not understand it either.  In my mind, this creates an even bigger challenge for math teachers.  They are fighting the common image of math in the media, trying to convey the ideas and content, and also are beginning to realize the importance of teaching how to read and comprehend the style of textbook.  This is also true for others subjects, but it hit home after repeatedly seeing the Sylvan commercial.  So what is the best way for teachers to incorporate all of the support students need and still be able to cover content successfully?