Literacy+and+Inquiry+Glossary+Wiki

SECTION FIVE: GLOSSARY OF INQUIRY-ORIENTED TEACHING TERMS

GLOSSARY

Assessment, The continual process of monitoring student learning and provid- Ongoing ing students with clear responses that will push and nudge them Along the continuum of understanding

Formative assessment that provides feedback to students about what they have achieved and still need to achieve, and that provides teachers with data about students that can inform what and how to teach subsequent lessons to insure student progress.

Summative assessment that summarizes achievement over the course of a unit. Often used to compare achievement across students or against various norms and standards

Claim An assertion, thesis statement, something you want others to know, believe or do

Cognitive A teaching model that inducts students into thinking and doing the Apprenticeship discipline more like an expert, step by step moving toward acting like a professional

Complex-Implied Seeing patterns within a text or data set, or across texts/data sets Relationship that are unarticulated

Conceptual Unit goals related to conceptual understandings that can be used Goals as tools

Community of Practice the group of practitioners in the world who make use of a particular set of disciplinary knowledge. Because they speak with the same language (or discourse) of terms, ideas and forms, and because they use the same problem-solving tools, such a community is often also known as a discourse community

Competence the capacity to use tools to get something done, includes the knowledge of how one is competent, and awareness of standards of competence and techniques for improving.

Confidence A can-do attitude. The belief that one will succeed with challenges. Self-efficacy

Correspondence moving through the continuum from novice to expert, when an Concept activity or reading moves kids closer to having in their heads what an expert has in her head

Critical Inquiry inquiring in such a way that adds data or new insights to a question

Critical Question also known as an Essential Question, Guiding Question or Big Question. A question that frames unit inquiry, that frames the curriculum as a contended issue or problem

Culminating A unit-ending student project that demonstrates mastery of all Project procedural and conceptual goals for the unit. A performance of Understanding that require students to use knowledge in new Situations as they apply, reshape, extrapolate, expand on what they already know

Data Evidence that supports a claim or assertion

Differentiation aka layering, multiple challenges, addressing multiple ZPDs in the context of a common project

Discourse in cognitive science and in critical theory, this term refers to a system of ideas or knowledge, inscribed in a specific vocabulary (e.g. psychoanalysis, anthropology, cultural/literary studies. Legitimates and conventionalizes knowledge, knowledge-making, problem-solving and conversations within a disciplinary group.

Discourse community discourse community links the terms discourse, a concept describing all forms of communication that contribute to a particular, communal and institutionalized way of thinking; and community, which in this case refers to the people who use, and therefore help create, use and further develop a particular discourse.

DRTA Directed Reading Thinking Activity—a teaching technique that guides student attention and strategy use throughout the reading of a text or through a problem-solving act, by focusing attention on what must be done before, during and after the reading or problem-solving

Enduring a disciplinary understanding to be achieved through inquiry that Understanding students can take forward, transfer and use in their future work in the discipline and the world

Essential Question see critical question, aka guiding question

Flow A total sense of engagement in the activity at hand, a sense that nothing else seems to matter

Forum a drama discussion technique for discussing issues in role

Frontloading the activating or building of background knowledge necessary to approaching a text or task.

Gateway The part of the throughline or instructional sequence that follows the frontloading and leads to the culminating project and student independence

Generative topic a topic, issue or theme that can be used as the basis of an essential question. Generative topics are of intense interest to experts and to students. They offer various perspectives, depth, multiple connections and significance to the learner

Genre A set of texts that are of the same type and that place the same kinds of demands on readers, e.g. argument of policy, classification, lyric poetry, satire, ironic monologue Also see text structure

Graphic organizer visual means (graphs and charts) to dissect the meaning of concept, and represent what has been understood. A technique for data analysis and representation

Heuristic from the Greek “eureka” –a problem-solving scheme or repertoire for reading particular texts, solving a particular problem, etc.; steps in a process

Hotseat drama technique in which a student is placed in the role of a character, author, idea, etc. so that s/he can be interviewed by other students “in-role”. There are many variants such as press conference, good angel-bad angel, whispers, To Tell the Truth, etc.

Independence the capacity to transfer and independently recognize the need to apply a strategy, and the ability to use this strategy on one’s own in this new situation. This capacity signifies the achievement of a new zone of actual development, as the student has progressed through a zone of proximal development to achieve a new independent capacity

Inquiry teaching in which students are helped to know how to do things (read and write) while they achieve deep conceptual understanding. Inquiry includes a problem-orientation/essential question, choice within certain parameters, clear goals, ownership, challenging and complex problems, personal and social relevance, assistance as needed, opportunity to improve, problem-centered group activities, independent application of learned skills, real-world application.

Inquiry Square a heuristic for thinking through a reading, writing or problem solving task by delineating the declarative knowledge of substance and form, and the procedural knowledge or substance and form required to successfully read or write a particular kind of text or solve a particular kind of problem

Internalization The transformation of language into inner speech and then thinking; the process of transformation of external actions into internal psychological functions. Individuals appropriate the use of particular systems based on context. Vygotsky posited that external speech is social in nature, moves to egocentric speech, and then to inner speech. External speech occurs through social interactions with others. Then the egocentric speech is the transition from external to inner making the activity more individualized. Egocentric is the type of self-talk that students go through in order to solve a problem. Internalization means that the thought process is automatic and largely unconscious. This is a product of deep learning and understanding.

IPA Inquiry Process Analysis. See PA.

Jigsaw a cooperative learning activity wherein students learn a concept in a group, then go individually to different groups to share what they have learned. A way of dispersing and distributing expertise. regroup to share the information learned

Metacognitive ability to think about thinking; a reflective process that requires students to consider and reflect upon their problem-solving strategies and cognitive steps

Mentoring Assisting students to achieve deep mastery of cognitive tools by gradually releasing responsibility for completing a task to them. Teacher Does- Student help and Students do together and Teacher helps are the two steps of mentoring. Second step in scaffolded instruction

Modeling The primary form of teaching – demonstrating HOW to use a cognitive tool in practice – making processes of learning visible and available to learners. Teacher does – students watch. The first step in scaffolding

Monitoring The careful observation of students using cognitive tools in real situations so that student tool use can be evaluated, and appropriate feedback for future use can be provided. The final step of scaffolded instruction that hopefully leads students directly into a new Zone of Actual Development

Motivation the continuous impulse to engage, read or learn

multiple modalities development and/or expression of understanding through the use of multiple forms of representation, e.g. visual art, music, dramatic role play, graphic organizers, etc. Involves the transforming or transmediation of knowledge from one form to another, and the use of different modalities (ways of representing ideas) together in ways that converse and complement each other.

PA Process Analysis. A tool of teacher reflection and teacher research. A PA answers these questions: What did you do? How did it go? What did you learn? What will you do differently next time? IPA – Inquiry Process Analysis – reflection on a lesson or an attempt to try a new inquiry tool PPA – Peer Coaching Process Analysis – reflection on a peer coaching session or discussion with a peer RPA – Research Process Analysis – reflection on use of a teacher research tool Note: research in teacher development shows that teacher practice is most powerfully transformed when teachers 1) teach in an inquiry framework and continually experiment with new strategies, 2) have peer assistance and coaching, and 3) reflect on and research their own teaching – learning from students how these students best learn and are best taught. These processes can be very informal and when all are present, teacher improvement and development is enhanced.

PPA Peer-Coaching Process Analysis. See PA.

Placehold to keep track of evolving ideas and data by putting them in a form in which the data can be retrieved, and in which new patterns and relationships can be seen. Notes, graphic organizers, visual representations can all serve as placeholding devices

Procedural Goals unit goals related to strategic mastery of various processes as Reading, composing, learning or problem-solving tools

Procedural Strategic; wide-awake use of tools to get something done

Protocols aka think-aloud, problem-solving process. A protocol is a template for navigating a procedure or task. Think alouds are a kind of on-line protocol that reports on how one is navigating a task or reading as it is being done. The reporting out of what one is noticing, thinking, and doing as one reads a text or engages in another kind of problem solving procedure.

Reservation in argument, a counterclaim

Ritual Structures Repeated classroom schedules, events, or techniques that assist students to work together, use various tools in consistently more sophisticated ways. Having students write exit tickets each day with a quick record of what they learned of importance and what questions they have is an example of a ritual structure promoting reflection, feeding back, and self-monitoring.

RPA Research Process Analysis. See PA.

Scaffolding a temporary support system provided by the teacher or class structures and rituals until the student is sufficiently able to handle a concept alone, typically consists of modeling, mentoring and monitoring activities

Schema a rich set of understandings around a particular topic

Self-Efficacy a person’s belief in their capacity to organize, orchestrate and execute all the tools needed to complete a task or manage a situation

Semiotic Tools Any form of mediation in human-environment interaction (Vygotsky). Semiotic tools for interacting with and coming to understand and construct and communicate meaning may include, but are not limited to, language, speech, writing, counting, symbols, schemes, and diagrams. It is important to use a variety of semiotic tools (modalities) when pursuing an inquiry.

Sequencing instruction that takes students from where they are to where they need to be to understand and perform that understanding. An interlocking process of scaffolds that assist students step by step to deeper understanding and mastery of appropriate tools

situated cognition meaningful context, a context in which understanding and problem-solving repertoires are actually developed and used.

Socioculturalism/ In cognitive science, the theory that all knowledge is developed, cultivated, and used in social and cultural contexts that influence the construction and use of that knowledge.

Sociocultural The study of the social and cultural formation of mind. Psychology

SRI Symbolic Representation Interview— also known as “symbolic story representation” or “reading manipulative” - a kind of text or story manipulative in which the content of a text and the processes used to comprehend and respond to it are demonstrated through found objects, cutouts, and other concrete devices. Can also be used to symbolically represent problem-solving process in math, science, etc. (see Wilhelm, 2007 You Gotta Be the Book, 2ndE and forthcoming for full descriptions) Is an excellent technique not only for teaching the processes of reading and problem-solving with specific texts and content, but also for conducting teacher research into student reading, or helping students research their own reading and problem-solving processes. Also known as Reading Manipulatives or Hands On Reading

Stamina the willingness to begin tasks and the capacity to pace oneself, persevere, organize and sustain effort through difficulties and over time.

Strategy specific method to try to understand a text or solve a problem. Differentiated from “skill” because those who are strategic proceed with understanding of why, when and how the strategy works and is used. Metacognitive awareness is involved.

Tableau a drama activity used to visually demonstrate (act out) the meaning of a text

Text features various methods used by an author to draw the reader’s attention to particular points, e.g. italics, bold type “Title,” caption, glossary, appendix, etc.

Text Structures a genre or text structure that uses conventional combinations and organizational features to assist in meaning making, e.g. comparison-contrast, description, definition, extended definition, narrative, argument, classification, ironic monologue, satire, lyric poem, etc.

Throughlines the instruction that continuously and repeatedly pursues the central concepts, procedures/strategies that students must develop over the course of a unit or year to develop understanding of the studied topics

Tools, cognitive In socioculturalism, tools are any concept or procedure that can be used to do something and get work done in the ways consistent with expert problem-solving in a particular discipline or community of practice

Topical Inquiry Inquiry into established sets of information, operating on established data sets to see new connections and patterns. The pre-requisite to critical inquiry, which creates new data and insights.

Transactional The interpenetration of reader (learner) and the text (data) to create a meaningful experience (learning).

Transfer the ability to take an understanding forward to a new situation and adapt or apply it usefully

Transformation of The way to understanding – by having one’s methods Participation participating in a real community of practice gradually transformed to become more and more like the practical participation of real experts.

Understanding Knowing the story behind the story – knowing why experts believe what they do and how things work. Knowing how they came to their conclusions. Knowing what other alternatives exist. Knowing how to apply, perform, expand, define, offer alternative perspectives to what is understood

Vygotsky Russian psychologist whose theory concerned actively assisting and instructing students to do complex cognitive tasks for guiding them through the “zone of proximal development”—the level at which they can do things with help that they cannot do alone

Warrant something that assures, attests to, or guarantees some event or result; an explanation of evidence, usually a general rule or principle about how things work

Zone of Actual what students can do unassisted lies in this zone Development

Zone of Frustrational what students cannot do successfully no matter the assistance Development lies in this zone. Issues in this zone are not worth teaching at this Point in time. Students must develop further expertise

Zone of Proximal the level at which students can do things with assistance that they Development cannot do alone. This is the zone in which all learning occurs, according to Vygotsky and sociocultural theorists.