Jetton, Tamara L. & Dole, Janice A. (Eds.). (2004). Adolescent Literacy Research and Practice. Reviewed by Patricia A. Gross, University of Scranton

Jetton, Tamara L. & Dole, Janice A. (Eds.). (2004). Adolescent Literacy Research and Practice. NY, NY: The Guilford Press. Pp.v + 468         ISBN 1-59385-021-2 Reviewed by Patricia A. Gross University of Scranton August 21, 2007 This text offers secondary level teachers, teacher candidates (undergraduate and graduate), teacher educators and curriculum developers a wealth of information regarding the changing and challenging faces of adolescents and literacy. Steeped in thorough research and supported by useful bibliographies and real world examples from actual practitioners and classrooms, this text provided 20 chapters of rich, thoughtful insights from interpretations of multiple studies by long-standing leaders in the field of literacy. Long overdue, this text focused on areas of literacy teaching and learning specifically for an age group that continually redefines itself. In the Introduction, the editors explained that they weighed the variables of increasingly more difficult texts and growing amounts of information adolescents must process against the expanding diversity of literacy skills that adolescents possess. They noted the discrepancy between academic expectations across content areas and real world literacy applications adolescents employed outside the classroom. The recommendations made by the International Reading Association Committee on Adolescent Literacy (1999) and resulting publications regarding the examination of adolescent literacy spurred them on to compile a text that synthesized research findings and engaged teachers and curriculum leaders (aspiring and veteran) in reconsidering approaches to literacy learning. This text makes clear connections between research and practice, effective teaching and responsible learning, integrating technological advances and stimulating all learners in the pursuit of knowledge. The editors have divided the book into four parts 1) Teaching Content Domains Through Literacy, 2) Teaching Adolescents with Literacy Difficulties, 3) Critical Issues in Adolescent Literacy, and 4) Reflections on Theory and Current Practice. Within each section, thought-provoking chapters touched upon important aspects of adolescence and literacy. Those in Part I raised concerns related to critical thinking, reading and writing in different academic areas and provided helpful suggestions in how to facilitate student thinking and learning along various domain paths. Individual chapters attended to a perspective on English, science, and history. In Part II, the focus on striving readers, first described the specific difficulties encountered, then proffered possible interventions. Within these essays are critiques of available commercial programs and descriptions of successful projects. Part III analyzed relevant literacy issues such as motivation, concept-oriented reading instruction, special needs of English-language learners, culturally sensitive pedagogy, new media and technology, goals of assessment, and teacher education. In Part IV, somewhat wistfully, Pressley compared elementary and secondary classrooms, noting distinct differences in levels of attention to reading and literacy skills, then Graves summarized the potential of so many theories of literacy that has yet to be realized. Throughout the book, each chapter consisted of a clear definition of terms, an overview of relevant research, practical concerns, and examples of possible solutions. This organization created a structure and flow of information that led the reader from considering the issue through the lenses of various studies and identifying aspects from personal experiences to brainstorming about necessary changes and improvements that would best serve students. The specificity of information grounded the reader, while the open-ended approach to a wide range of suggestions freed the reader to fashion adaptations appropriate for particular content areas and age groups within middle and high school. For adolescent literacy to be incorporated into domain learning (content area knowledge), authors Jetton and Alexander urged teachers to communicate the depth of knowledge in each area through a variety of representation forms, including analogies, examples, demonstrations, and discussions. They argued that within each academic discipline, students learn culturally accepted principles, organized by the interrelationships among principles, along with particular syntaxes, semantics, and patterns of meaning. As a result, authors stressed the need for teachers across disciplines to employ print and non-print literacy strategies consciously and reflectively to engage and challenge students to recognize and utilize “the complex interplay of knowledge, interest, and strategic processing as readers engage in text at each of the phases of learning” (p.33). In terms of reaching each individual student, authors addressed the value of word identification instruction to assist all students, including inclusion and English language learners, to succeed in grasping specialized vocabularies. The authors also underlined the concerns raised by instructional approaches that require only one right answer, as opposed to more open-ended efforts that allow students to express what they know and what they need to know. Rather than expecting students to just literally comprehend written text, they espoused opportunities for students to personalize learning and deeply process and transform text, accessing prior knowledge and developing student-generated analysis. Levels of comprehension instruction were carefully delineated to assist teachers in integrating literacy strategies into their courses. Inquiry learning, group work, student presentations were among the many specific practices offered to enable students to be actively engaged in constructing new knowledge in all academic fields. The chapter devoted to differentiating instruction, by Tomlinson, stressed the three key elements to promote adolescent literacy as being awareness of individual students, quality of curriculum, and flexible approaches to teaching. The pressures experienced by adolescents during their middle and high school years were well explored, particularly in the chapter by Reed, Schallert, Beth and Woodruff. Distracted by growing pains and technological advances, adolescents may resist traditional literacy approaches, while actively engaging in voluntary out-of-school activities like text messaging, chat rooms and email. The authors outlined the connections among motivation, adolescent experiences, and adolescent development. They urged teachers to consider how to incorporate the adolescent enthusiasm for technological advances into the curriculum “to appeal to competence, that allows for authentic choice, and that encourages peers to work together” (p. 255). They suggested that personally meaningful texts and authentic writing opportunities facilitate student critical thinking and oral or written expression. The chapter, “Assessing Adolescent Reading,” by Afflerbach, posed excellent questions regarding what are considered successful measures of learning while detailing a number of authentic assessment methods that would serve as useful guidelines. He stressed the essential difference between reading development and content area knowledge, calling for a balance of the two. He also demarcated the distinctions between formative and summative assessments, highlighting the importance of formative assessments since they provide diagnostic information that guides teaching and learning yet are usually missing or lacking in most efforts to measure content area reading. His suggested approaches were well defined, guiding teachers and students to employ three categories of questions – those that address actual content learning, others that analyze reading skill usage, and still others that engender adolescent question-posing. Bean and Harper were clear and to the point in their chapter, “Teacher Education and Adolescent Literacy.” They reviewed research that expounded on the complexity of adolescent identity and multifaceted literacy practices, noting the real disparity between the fast-paced information flow outside of school and the traditional print-based literacy practices in school. They urged teacher preparation and professional development efforts be driven by critical inquiry and reflection through the development of communities of literacy learners that recognize the social and psychological aspects and therefore incorporate choice and diversity in literacy activities. Critique, perspective, and a variety of expressive arts would strengthen inquiry, problem-posing, and idea generation for teachers and students alike. This book serves as an excellent resource because the authors raised topics and issues that reveal the extent of research and the lag of practical applications in literacy teaching and learning vital to effective teaching and to increased student involvement and responsibility for learning. The concerns raised in this text were those of national interest in the current No Child Left Behind climate of standardized testing and high-stakes outcomes. The necessity of integrating the best literacy practices in middle and high school classrooms across disciplines was clearly defined and developed, providing secondary level teachers, current and future, and teacher educators with strong rationales for revising approaches to traditional domain teaching. In addition, the concerns and challenges expressed throughout this book paralleled those that created the impetus for literacy coaching on the secondary level. The International Reading Association (IRA) and the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) promoted literacy across academic disciplines through coaching (2004), determined Standards for High School Coaches (2005) and created the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse that went online in October 2006. This book would support efforts of literacy coaches by defining concerns and exploring approaches to meet the inherent challenges of successfully integrating adolescent literacy in content area courses. References International Reading Association (1999). Summary of adolescent literacy, a position statement for the Commission on Adolescent Literacy of the International Reading Association. Retrieved August 20, 2007 from http://www.reading.org/positions/adol._lit.html. International Reading Association (2004). The Role and Qualifications of the Reading Coach in the United States. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. International Reading Association (2005). Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. About the Reviewer Patricia A. Gross, Ed.D. is an Associate Professor of Education at The University of Scranton. She has authored Joint Curriculum Design (1997) and published papers and presented workshops on literacy and diversity at the state, national and international levels.