12.3 Strategic Teaching

When and Where Did I Find It:   I found this term when reviewing our LTED 625 text,  Teaching Reading:  If Not Me Then Who? (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998,  p. 57).  Strategic teaching is the title of SECTION 3 of this book.  
Full citation 
Billmeyer, R. & Barton, M.L. (1998).  Teaching reading in the content areas:  If not me, then who? (2^nd ed.).  Aurora, CO:  Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory.  


What it means: The term strategic teaching is a term Billmeyer and Barton use to describe the decisions a purposeful teacher is constantly making when teaching.  They say,


"Teaching strategically means being purposeful and thoughtful about planning instruction.  It means analyzing how every aspect of the lesson will contribute to the instruction goal or objective.  It means selecting teaching and learning strategies that will enhance student learning.  It means helping students acquire the skills they need in order to be self-directed, independent learners.  
Specifically, teachers need to help students learn how to:
1.  prepare for learning through prereading activities;
2. ensure comprehension through the use of metacognitive strategies during reading; and 
3. extend and refine the new knowledge they aquire."  

                           (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998, p. 57, emphasis added)

Level of Familiarity: I know this term well.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why?   Not only do I know this term well, but I certainly want to know this concept well.  Of particular note, is  the importance to recognize the distinct difference between strategic teaching and strategic learning/thinking. 

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?   I think for students to excel as strategic content area literacy teachers, they must understand the difference between strategic teaching and strategic thinking/learning.  While strategic teaching is often designed to facilitate and/or hone strategic thinking/learning; strategic thinking/learning CAN (and hopefully OFTEN) occurs without the assistance of strategic teaching.     Probably at the most basic level, I hope my LTED 625 students in particular see how the CONTENT AREA LITERACY MULTIGENRE PROJECT was designed to provide them with multiple opportunities to develop their strategic teaching knowledge and abilities.   

10.1 Self-Efficacy

When and Where Did I Find It: I didn't really find this term, but it is one that came up in conversation recently and I wanted to remember where I found it.   I went back to my files to locate an article I remembered a student from a LTED 625 (back in 2008) brought to class for his Reciprocal Teaching discussion.  
Full citation
Walker, B.J. (2003).  The cultivation of student self-efficacy in reading and writing.  Reading and Writing Quarterly, 19, 173-187.

What It Means: "Self-efficacy refers to people's beliefs about their capabilities to carry out actions required to achieve a confident level of achievement (Bandura, 1993).  Specifically, they are beliefs that individuals have that they can do something like read a book, write a poem, or dance.  Self-efficacy beliefs refer to specific judgments rather than more global judgments like being a good reader, writer , or dancer.  In fact, self-efficacy often refers to specific situations within a learning environment based on learn goals" (as cited in Walker, 2003, pp. 174).  

Level of Familiarity: Even though I am familiar with this concept, I was glad to find the article so I could refresh my memory of the full meaning of the term.

Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Yes. As Walker states, "Understanding the situational nature of self-efficacy can help teachers design classroom procedures that reinforce positive attributions for specific tasks" (p. 174). 

Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY?  I definitely think this is an important concept for teachers to understand.  Again, to quote Walker directly:  "...students who are efficacious are more likely to work hard, to persist, and seek help so they can complete a task.  These same students use cognitive and metacognitive strategies to increase their understanding. ... Self-efficacy is also linked to motivational beliefs like interest, value, and utility, as well s positive affective reactions.  Collectively these characteristics of self-efficacy demonstrate a relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance." (Walker, p. 174)