The Missouri Reader Vol. 37, Issue 1 | Page 45

how to create a thematic unit, you will first need to provide readers with your definition of a thematic unit. Educational terms often have different connotations. You may use your own definition or provide an established one. Educational articles may have a short introduction to provide a review of pertinent literature. This review gives readers information concerning what has been written about the subject, and it can serve to build background. Setting purpose. As we well know, our students learn better when we can make the material relevant and give them a reason to learn what we are teaching. When given a purpose, students are able to focus on information in the text and attend to the information. Burns, Roe, and Ross (1996) stated, ―All of the reading children do should be purposeful, because children who read with a purpose tend to comprehend what they read better than those who have no purpose‖ (p.214). In writing, it is just as important to give potential readers a reason to read what you have written. In your title and opening paragraph, provide your readers with a purpose for reading your article. Give them enough information to entice them further into your article. Introducing vocabulary. In our lessons we teach new words in the context of real literature. Armbruster and Nagy (1992) state that ―learning new vocabulary…often involves simply learning a new label for a concept the student already possess‖ (p.550). Vocabulary instruction should occur throughout the day within the context of real experiences, not only during language arts time. Cunningham et al. (1995) suggested that we ―limit the words to be taught by holding them to the criterion of being unfamiliar yet important for understanding the passage‖ (p.175). The same can be said for writing. While it is best to avoid jargon, if you find it is unavoidable, then define such terms when you use them—in the context of your writing. As with building background, you may define terms using your own words or by citing research literature. Instructional procedure. Because most lessons contain new information, the instruction part of a lesson focuses on teaching this new information. As with the steps in a lesson plan, instruction carries over to introducing vocabulary and building background. Modeling the desired outcome is important and may be part of the instruction. Although you cannot be with your readers as they read your text, you can guide their thinking in the direction you want it to go. Lead you readers along your story line. Just as you do in a lesson, demonstrate with examples of the ideas or concepts you are trying to explain. We have learned about the use of ―think-alouds‖ (Davey, 1983) in which we show our students our thinking processes. You can use the same strategy in your writing. Let your readers see the thinking that went into the development of your teaching ideas. By doing this you will not only be providing your readers with one or two good ideas, but you will be showing them how to come up with their own. Remember the analogy of teaching a man to fish—if you give him fish he eats for a day; if you teach him to fish he eats for a lifetime. Just as the instructional procedure is the heart of your lesson, it is the core of your article. If you are writing about an idea you use in your classroom, give specific details about how you do what you do so that other teachers can duplicate your lesson. When explaining a teaching idea, give careful instructions on all the steps or procedures for putting it all together. Independent practice. One purpose of this step in lesson planning is to give students a chance to internalize the information—to determine whether or not the material was learned in such a way as to apply it to other tasks. Blanton, Wood, and Moorman (1990) reminded us that the ―goal of instruction should always be conceptualized as helping students make a transition to independence‖ (p. 487). When writing your article, offer readers specific suggestions for ways they can put into practice your teaching ideas. Sometimes textbooks and self-help books offer lists of exercises for readers to practice what is being suggested. The idea is to help the reader get beyond the article and into the classroom to try ou B