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LIBR 250 Reading Plan

Connections

Building background knowledge is an important step when working with English language learners (ELs). This step includes finding out what ELs know about the lesson topic. Teachers can then help ELs connect what is known to what is to be learned. This step is important for all learners of all ages when encountering new knowledge, concepts, and experiences. Connecting what is known to what is to be learned is important to understanding, retaining, and applying the new information. (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2013, p. 64-65) In a similar fashion, educators must connect what they have learned and what they have experienced as classroom teachers with what they must learn and experience as librarians.

Reviewing the four topics: Educational Theory and Practice, Curriculum and Assessment, Collaboration, and 21st Century Skills including information literacy presented for this course allows this learner to re-connect with what is known from education courses and experienced in teaching to knowledge expected for teacher-librarians to plan and present lessons for their academic settings. This paper presents for each topic, a concept map, the Level of Expertise which is similar to a lesson grade, and a description of a personal Reading Plan to build background knowledge in planning and presenting lessons for learners in an elementary setting.

Reflection on Design of Concept Maps

This learner used “SmartArt Graphics” located on Microsoft Word document headings under the “Insert” tab. The computer software used is 2007 Windows Vista Business edition.

The “Radial List” was used for Topic 1 Educational Theory and Practice with a clipart showing teacher planning a lesson and reflecting on why particular strategies would be most appropriate for the learner. The “Trapezoid List” was used for Topic 2 Curriculum and Assessment to show the relatedness of each component and the new terms associated with the topic. The “Linear Venn” was used for Topic 3 Collaboration to compare and contrast the two theories presented and how working together will connect not only the teachers and librarians to each other and their students but what is known to what is to be learned. Two “Basic Venns” were used for Topic 4 21^st Century Skills and Information Literacy to (1) show what all learners need and (2) how learners will acquire the skills and knowledge of Information Literacy. The Venn design mirrors each other because educators need to map their learning similarly to what their students will experience and learn in the instructional setting. The double-sided arrow also reflects this concept because learning continues for the adults as they present lessons for the students.

Overall Level of Expertise

The Level of Expertise is indicated for each topic with the concept maps.

This learner’s overall Level of Expertise is Level 3 or a grade of C. One reason for this rating is based on a personal lack of remembering educational terms for theories and strategies learned in workshops and used in the classroom setting. More emphasis has been placed on planning activities based on what students know and need to know rather than on theory. Another reason is learning about “Information” as presented in library and information science courses and remembering the terms for theories and strategies as well as the learning about the computers and the digital world. As a digital immigrant, experiencing this new world is an exciting journey but discovering how to navigate the digital waves includes misinterpreting how to find and then use information for computer programs and Internet sites. This feeds into an uncertainty and fear about understanding and then teaching information literacy skills.

Reading Plan

This learner will focus (1) on revisiting educational theory and practice on which strategies and activities are based and (2) on the key terms related to information science and information literacy skills. The concept maps which follow were designed to incorporate the course questions presented and how they relate to each other and to what this learner knows. Concepts and terms to be revisited and learned are indicated in red-colored font in the map itself.

References

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D.J. (2013). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model. Boston, MA: Pearson Educatio