You are responsible for creating a weekly summary of the assigned readings. When more than one reading/chapter is assigned, you may write an individual summary for each reading or write an integrated summary that pulls the ideas together from across the readings. In the summary, include the following:

1. Key Ideas:  These can be listed as a set of bullets or a short summary of what you -- in your own words -- see as the main points of the reading.
2. Questions:  This is an optional section. If you have questions as you read, this is the section in which you would list those questions. Having this section is useful when I ask you in class what questions you have from the week's readings. Your questions will influence what we focus on each week in our class discussions.
3. Summary:  This section captures the essential ideas that were raised by the authors. Do not simply copy section headers, but instead, think about what is important in the chapter or reading and write in your own words what the chapter is about.

Turn in each week, at the end of class, using them during class to support participation in the discussions.

Select one of the following organizations:

1.  International Reading Association
2.  American Educational Research Association
3.  National Council for the Teachers of English
4.  National Reading Conference
5.  Association for Supervision and Curriuclum Development

Getting started:
Get together in a group of 4/5
From the list on the conference slide SELECT a  research organization that you would like to know more about.
Find the website for the organization and make notes of the kinds of “stuff” they have available (journals, freebies, brochures,pens etc).  Get it!  
Use the display boards I”ll give you to develop a “shop-front” for your booth.  
Work out a staffing schedule for the conference and a good recruitment policy. (You will need to actively recruit people to your organization!)
Allocate jobs EQUALLY. (Your cohort will allocate some of this grade so pull your weight!)

Identify a topic you are interested in learning more about, based on ones from the textbooks as well as the list of instructional strategies in Appendix C (and on the website). Within this area, identify three original sources that provide evidence about ways of teaching that relate to your chosen area of interest. For your convenience, a list of high quality journals relevant to literacy is available on the website and in Appendix C.

In your paper, describe the area of interest you have chosen and explain why you think this is an important one for the situation in which you work. Using the three articles you have identified, describe what you have learned about how to address this area in your teaching. In addition to describing what you have learned, critique how well you believe each of the articles addressed the area of interest in terms of (a) how it was studied, (b) how the authors explained what they have found, and (c) the degree to which the three articles support, extend, or even contradict one another.

Below is a suggested process for getting started:

• From your own interests or using the list in Appendix C, SELECT a topic that interests you and that you would like to find out more about.
• READ your current (and older) TEXTBOOKS to get some background information on the topic you have selected.
• FORM A QUESTION of interest focused on this area that you will answer through a mini-synthesis of the research literature (e.g. Why should teachers be careful about the WORD WORK they undertake with their students?)
• Now SEARCH on ERIC (try for the recommended journals) through the library to find articles on the topic you have selected.
• READ abstracts and summaries and mark those articles you want to explore further.
• READ the selections (probably 7-10 or so - depends on how careful and to some extent, a good detective that you are)
• Are there new questions being raised for you?  If so adjust your question.
• From those you have selected, take THREE that fit together to ANSWER your question.
• Write a 4 to 6 page synthesis to answer the question/s you set up and which details RELATED AND RELEVANT points of interest.  
• The synthesis should be of presentation quality with correct citations and a complete bibliography (we’ll talk about these in class).

Turn in your guided inquiry project, with the primary source articles attached. The project is due November 3rd.