Literacy Partners in the Science Classroom Transcript
ECET - Strategies New Orleans - Shelia Darjean Banks

Shelia Banks:
This is a journal article that was written by researchers, and today you're gonna be reading the article is pairs or your literacy groups.

Banks (Interview):
So, Literacy Partners is a strategy that I use in the classroom. I have the students complete a self assessment of-- to gauge their own level of literacy, in terms of where they are now, and where they want to be after they leave this class. So I looked at the results of that assessment and I was able to pair the students together that had similar interests and were also of similar abilities.

Student:
Cantilever, cantilever--. Like, it's a-- It's some type of lever.

Student:
I think his purpose for writing the article is to describe in detail how bridges are made, and how structurally safe they are.

Banks (Interview):
I feel as though working with your literacy partner will enable you to have another person to rely on to just reinforce your concepts. Maybe they can assist you, and explain things to you as a student in a way that your teacher can't explain.

Student:
A case study is, like, the facts, right?

Student:
Yeah.

Student:
A case study is a long period of--

Student:
Information?

Student:
Of experimenting and stuff like that.

Student:
A case study is a long…

Banks (Interview):
I've engaged the students in many conversations, I've come to appreciate who they are. We have a mutual respect for each other. And I find that that fostered a mutual respect among the students themselves. They are, in general, very courteous with each other, I can pair them up, really as I wish, and know that they are gonna be courteous to the person next to them.