English+Benchmarks+and+IT

Certain English benchmarks at MKIS require both IT and Information Literacy integration. As there is no way to fully meet these benchmarks without integration, I feel it is essential to make this a priority when schedulng time with the IT resources.

1.3 Editing & Publishing- …proofreads using reference materials, word processor and other materials; uses a word processor or other technology to publish written work… 3.11 uses appropriate format in written compositions (e.g. italics for titles) 4.2 Uses library catalogs and periodical indexes to locate sources for research topics 4.4 Determines the appropriateness of an information source for a research topic 4.5 Organizes information and ideas from multiple sources in systematic ways 4.6 Writes research papers 4.7 Uses appropriate methods to cite and document reference sources 7.1 Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational text 7.3 Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts 9.2 Uses a variety of criteria to evaluate and form viewpoints of visual media (e.g. evaluates the effectiveness of informational media such as web sites…) 10.2 Understands the different purposes of various media

There is a very high correlation among these English benchmarks and certain benchmarks in both the IT and IL curricula.

When the above benchmarks are 'hit' in English class, the following IL benchmarks are usually also covered-particularly when utilizing the Big 6 Skills process: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.2, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2, 4.3

Likewise, the following IT benchmarks receive emphasis when students work on the above English benchmarks: 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 5.3, and 6.1

A review of all of the above benchmarks indicates that these are indeed highly essential skills that the students will need to have accomplished to ensure success througout their academic years and beyond. The content area courses will also need students to demonstrate competancy in the above. We need to make sure adequate access to resources is available for students to cover the above during the school day so that timely and consistent formative assessment can occur. Without immediacy of feedback, very poor habits slip in that can cause a lot of problems for the student in all classes.

I would suggest ensuring English 6 has about 3 to 5 sessions per month to build word processing skills as they work toward the English writing standards, and at least 12 team teaching sessions in the library plus another 10 in the classroom with laptop sets to hit those objectives related to research.