W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

This article “Bringing Words to Life and into the Lives of Middle School Students” by Christine Boardman Moen demonstrates how to make language conventions meaningful to students; This is achieved  by creating student facilitated learning activities and a continuous emphasis on student choice. 

The article begins by introducing a variety of games and activities that can be influential for students. The first idea introduced is the concept of a teacher read- aloud. The article states how ‘Their primary purpose is to provide students with an  ‘in-common  text  experience’” (Moen, 2007, p. 2l) This is vital to creating a classroom community and to scaffold approaching a text.  

The author also emphasizes the acronym ACT which is explained as access, choice, and time. Which is used to demonstrate how to incorporate reading into the classroom, and the most effective way to engage students. 

Boardman Moen then explains the various games and activities that promote student knowledge acquisition through engagement. These various activities are presented to provide students with the opportunity to “work with words, but they also need to play with words” (Moen, 2007, p. 23). This practice of working with words is what allows for students to recognize their use in a more informal setting, making the implementation of vocabulary into everyday activities possible. The games reviewed are as listed: thirty second vocabulary, lights camera action, work those words, learning through play, and use it and prove it test. These activities utilize time constraints and kinesiology to create the acquisition of vocabulary into a student's long term memory. 

The main purpose of vocabulary emphasis in the classroom is the continuous

 repetition  of language to effectively increase a student’s vocabulary in everyday 

Settings, to make language meaningful to students. 

reference 

Boardman- Moen C.  Bringing Words to Life and into the Lives of Middle School Students. 2007, Voices from the Middle.

 “Differentiating Instruction Through Writer’s Workshop.” portray various examples of critical literacy through their approach to education by developing how to facilitate students acquisition of a critical lens. 

This is seen initially within the first video when it discusses the importance of meeting the needs of students through their responses. The video explains how many 

students lack a sense of self as writers. This concept directly ties in to critical literacy which encourages students to develop their understanding of their place in their community, society, and world.  This is evident in the reading “Integrating Critical Literacy in the Middle 

School Classroom” when it states how instruction including critical literacy is important because it allows students to ask “questions they have about the world as they contemplate their place within it” (Medlock- Paul, 2016, p.1).  This concept of an insecurity in identity ties in to the video and the discussion of creating a safe space for students. This safe space will allow students to approach texts with a critical lens and establish trust, which is rooted in mutual respect and authenticity with students. 

The second video,  “Differentiating Instruction Through Writer’s Workshop.” portrays critical literacy in various ways. A critical lens includes collaboration between our own ideas and others, which is seen specifically in the methods of the teacher in  “Differentiating Instruction Through Writer’s 

Workshop”. The Multi- stepped process to revision which includes: research and organization, rough drafts, revision and corrections, conferences and teachers, and lastly publishing, illustrating, and presenting. This process models how an educator can scaffold an approach to collaboration that includes critical literacy, and more specifically a reform based approach to learning and teaching. I would recommend, if I were to include these lessons within my own classroom to use the mini lessons and conferences with 

teachers to further emphasize questioning to develop a critical approach in a smaller setting.  

overall, these videos and resources offered a variety of examples of how critical literacy can positively impact a learning environment. 

Reference: 

Medlock- Paul C., (2016) “Integrating Critical Literacy in the Middle School Classroom”, North