Conditions for Literacy Learning: Turning Learning Theory into Classroom Instruction:
A Minicase Study
Author(s): Brian Cambourne
Source: The Reading Teacher , Dec., 2000 - Jan., 2001, Vol. 54, No. 4 (Dec., 2000 - Jan.,
2001), pp. 414-417
Published by: International Literacy Association and Wiley
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20204927
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms
Wiley and International Literacy Association are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve
and extend access to The Reading Teacher
This content downloaded from
144.82.8.137 on Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:59:32 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Conditions for
Literacy Learning
Turning learning theory into classroom
instruction: A minicase study
Brian Cambourne
theory as it's evolved. Accordingly I jointly constructed knowledge as
'3?f? Teachers the world over are emi have no desire to attempt to recover au "shared meanings."
?W$t nently practical beings. There is thorial intent. Does shared meanings mean the
a strong practicality ethic embedded Rather, my aim is to illustrate how same as shared values and beliefs ? Do
within their psyches. Those of us inter teachers in one Western educational the shared meanings in the Table nec
ested in designing and teaching profes culture (Australia) went about address essarily mean that all members of this
sional development courses will have ing an issue that has a long tradition in knowledge-building community shared
experienced just how strong this lust teacher-culture?namely, turning theo the same beliefs and values? Not nec
for good practical ideas can be. A com ry into classroom practice. By so doing essarily. My data suggest that there is
mon response most staff developers I hope to illuminate the nature of the is another layer or level of debate that
have experienced would be identical sues that have to be addressed when needs to occur before shared meanings
with, or at least similar to, "Yes. That teachers seek to engage in the theory - begin to emerge. This level of debate
sounds good in theory, but what does into-practice process. Finally I hope to typically involves the teachers who cre
it look like in practice?" draw some conclusions about the level ate and maintain a group culture that en
of debate that necessarily underpins the courages open and frank examination of
attempt to translate any theory (not just some deeper, more ideological values
A theory-into-practice venture mine), into effective classroom practice. and beliefs.
Between 1984 and 19991 had the op Developing shared meanings. The While some of these beliefs and val
portunity to be a participant observer Table resulted from a complex social ues are commonly held and could there
with school staffs who were engaged in process involving a community of fore be considered to be the same as
the process of turning theory into class learners jointly constructing knowl shared meanings, some are not. In fact
room practice. The Table is an example edge through the use of language. Like some significant differences, often hot
of what one group produced after most knowledge-building communi ly debated, begin to emerge. For exam
spending some time engaged in this en ties, this group engaged in a range of ple, this particular group of teachers
terprise. language behaviours that included dis shared one belief that strongly united
What's the point? The Table is not cussing, arguing, questioning, describ them: "Being able to read effectively is
intended as a back-door way of review ing, drawing analogies, writing on an extremely important part of the main
ing or reconsidering a particular theory erasable boards and chart paper, and stream culture." (There was some doubt
of learning. Nor is it an attempt to rem clarifying. The result is the set of gen that indigenous Australians who have an
edy what I might perceive as misrepre eral principles (the centre column) and oral culture that is over 50,000 years old
sentations of a theory in which I have a the set of teacher behaviours (the right would have the same opinion.)
strong vested interest. As Luke and hand column) in the Table. These two All members of the group believed
Freebody (1999) pointed out, "an axiom columns are an example of the practi that teaching their students to be both ef
of mid-century New Criticism holds cality ethic in action. Turbill (1994), fective readers and effective writers was
that trying to recover authorial intent is whose work clearly showed that this one of the most important roles that
a waste of time." Furthermore, I have process is a prerequisite of the theory - teachers, schools, and education systems
continually modified and explicated the into-practice enterprise, referred to this perform. In my opinion, this point of
414 The Reading Teacher Vol. 54, No. 4 December 2000/January 2001 ?2000 international Reading Association (PP. a\a^\d
This content downloaded from
144.82.8.137 on Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:59:32 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
A framework for turning a theory of learning into classroom reading instruction
Condition What we think this condition means Some possible classroom strategies that we can
employ to implement this condition
Immersion Providing multiple opportunities for students to ex Make functional use of wall print through regular
perience (a) visual saturation of print and text "print walks"; sustained silent reading (SSR);
and (b) aural saturation of sounds of written teacher read-alouds; shared reading (SR); taped
texts. books; choral reading (e.g., poems, rhymes,
songs, jingles) on wall print.
Demonstration Doing lots of teacher modeling of the processes of Do teacher read-alouds and SR accompanied by
reading, with special emphasis on making ex think-alouds.
plicit the invisible processes that make reading Use joint construction of texts accompanied by
possible. think-alouds.
Collecting, displaying, and discussing models Focus on processes, knowledge, and understand
(examples) of different kinds of texts. ings that make effective reading, spelling, and
writing possible.
Engagement Continually communicating and modeling a set of "Propagandize" the value of reading through con
reasons for becoming powerful, critical readers. stant messages, explicit reasons, personal
These reasons must be relevant to the pupils stories, "nagging," posters, models, and
we teach. demonstrations of power and value of reading.
Expectations Communicating, through language and behaviour, Use flexible, mixed-ability groups that continually
the message that every pupil is capable of change and avoid communicating subtle nega
learning to read, and that you expect every tive expectations through ability grouping, odi
child to become a reader. ous comparisons, and "put-down" language.
Make explicit the processes, knowledge, and un
derstanding that effective readers use.
Constantly remind students that they all learned to
talk?a much harder task.
Responsibility Encouraging pupils, and giving them opportuni Devise activities that don't have simple right
ties, to make some, not all, decisions about wrong answers.
what and how they learn. Insist that comments and judgments be justified
Making explicit the idea that good learners know wherever possible.
how to make learning decisions. Set up support structures, processes that allow
Modeling and demonstrating examples of "taking pupils to take responsibility for learning.
responsibility" or "ownership" of learning. Use language that invites open-ended responses
and reflection (e.g., "What else could you do
when you're reading and you come to something
you don't understand? Why would you do that?").
Approximation Communicating through discourse, (i.e., language Share stories of how we learn to do things outside
and behaviour) such messages as these: of school?like learning to talk, skate, or play
Having a go (i.e., making an attempt and not tennis.
getting it perfect at first) is fundamental to Highlight the role that approximations and re
learning. sponses play.
Mistakes are our friends in that they help us ad Model and demonstrate good/bad miscues as ap
just and refine our knowledge, understand proximations that help/hinder the reader.
ings, and skills so that next time we do Discuss spelling approximations as temporary
better. spellings (not invented) and study
Ultimately our approximations must become similarities/differences to conventional spelling.
conventional (expectations). Model/demonstrate how effective readers deal
with approximations.
(continued)
Conditions for Literacy Learning 415
This content downloaded from
144.82.8.137 on Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:59:32 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
A framework for turning a theory of learning into classroom reading instruction (continued)
Condition What we think this condition means Some possible classroom strategies that we can
employ to implement this condition
Use Providing multiple opportunities for learner-readers Provide lots of structures, opportunities for students
to apply their developing skills and to engage in acts of reading for specific purpos
understandings about reading and the reading es, problems, and events.
process in authentic and meaningful ways. Try SSR and DEAR (Drop Everything and Read).
Use reading for a range of purposes, do lots of
meaningful and authentic writing, and develop a
pool of authentic reading/writing activities and
tasks that can be constantly reused without bor
ing the students (e.g., read and retell on different
text types).
Response Paying close attention to learners' approximations Set up structures/processes that make it possible
and recycling demonstrations and models that for learners to receive feedback (responses) from
contain information; knowledge they've not yet multiple sources, e.g., other students as well as
got under control. the teacher.
Drawing explicit attention to salient features of Constantly model how effective readers use various
demonstrations/models that will help learners cues available to create/understand meaning.
modify approximations.
strong agreement was an important fac hended." On the other hand, some em and purposefully created by the teacher.
tor that supported and maintained group phasised attitudinal factors such as "love They argued that learner-readers should
cohesion as the members engaged in the of reading," "becoming lifelong read be "acculturated into a community of
deeper levels of debate I alluded to ear ers," "love of literature," "avid users of readers and writers." Those who held
lier. These deeper levels of debate usu text," and similar descriptors. this view seemed to believe that such
ally begin to occur when teachers With respect to the second question learning cultures were the result of care
address such value-laden questions as, ("How is it best learned?"), the differ ful decisions regarding resources, per
"What is 'good' reading?" "How is it ences were much more pronounced. sonal relationships, and organisational
best learned?" and "After it's been One strongly held point of view was that routines and programs.
learned, what should it be used for?" the knowledge, skills, and understand With respect to the third question
It seems that when teachers have the ings that underpin effective reading need ("After it's been learned, what should
opportunity to address such questions, a to be "explicitly, systematically, and di it be used for?") the responses were
wide range of long-held beliefs and val rectly" taught. Of those who favoured again more different in degree than in
ues, which up until this time have been the "explicit-systematic-direct" instruc kind. Essentially three main uses to
implicit, are exposed to the light of ar tion option, there was some confusion which reading could be applied, once
gument and debate (Turbill, 1994). This about what the term actually meant. Did learners became skillful in it, emerged.
group was no different. For example, it mean the same as "linear-lockstep These were as a tool for (a) communi
with respect to the first question ("What sequential" instruction? What should be cation and information gathering; (b)
is 'good' reading?"), while there were made explicit? What, if anything, could personal growth and development; and
significant differences within the group, be left implicit? Did systematic mean (c) gaining access to power, righting
these were mainly of degree rather than evidence of careful proactive planning wrongs, and working towards a better,
kind. There were many references to by the teacher as opposed to "unplanned fairer, kinder society.
"comprehending" what the author of the learning by osmosis"?
text being read intended and to "con A subgroup believed that being ex
structing appropriate meanings." plicit and systematic was not enough Final thoughts
Others in the group agreed, but they unless there were also high degrees of These different emphases, values, and
emphasised such things as "automaticity what they called "mindful and contex beliefs needed to be brought together
in basic skills to allow comprehension to tualised" teaching. The members of this into a sophisticated consensus before the
occur," while yet others emphasised subgroup strongly believed that com Table could be completed. Although rel
"comprehension plus the ability to apply plex learning like learning to read could atively short in length and simple in for
critical analysis to the 'truth-value' of occur only if a certain kind of learning mat (three columns and eight rows), the
the meanings which have been compre community or culture was deliberately Table represents the product of some
416 The Reading Teacher Vol. 54, No. 4 December 2000/January 2001
This content downloaded from
144.82.8.137 on Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:59:32 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
very complex learning. Turbill's (1994) edge individually through deep re References
work strongly supported the conclusion flection of their own assumptions or Luke, A., & Freebody, P. (1999). Further notes
that most groups of teachers need the states of knowledge; on the four resources model: Transcript of on
line conversation with the authors. Available:
opportunity to do similar things when there is an authentic need for learn
Reading Online: www.readingonline.org.
engaged in learning how to turn theory ers to construct meaning and knowl Chat held October 26,1999; transcript posted
into practice. edge collaboratively around these November 1999.
Like the students they teach, it seems assumptions and current states of Turbill, J.B. (1994). From a personal to a
grounded theory of staff development.
that teachers also benefit from being in knowledge, predominantly through
Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of
learning settings that go beyond mere oral and written language; and Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
transmission of how-to knowledge. It there are both time and opportunity
seems that they too need learning set for these things to occur.
tings in which
the relationships between those
who make up the learning commu The editor welcomes reader comments on this department. E-mail:
nity are supportive, honest, inclu brian_cambourne@uow.edu.au. Mail: Brian Cambourne, Faculty of
sive, and collaborative; Education, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong,
there is an authentic need for learn NSW 2522, Australia.
ers to construct meaning and knowl
Call for articles for themed issue of The Reading
Teacher: Technology
In our inaugural editorial, we discussed technology as a force that will affect literacy learning in the 21st century. In
this themed issue, which will appear April 2002, our goal is to explore the ways in which technology has become a
cognitive tool for literacy learning in PreK through Grade 6 classrooms.
We raise the following questions that we hope authors will address in their submissions for this special issue of
The Reading Teacher:
How has technology changed the lives of teachers and children in schools?
What are the new responsibilities for teachers in this technological age?
How do our understandings of the reading process and reading acquisition apply to processing onscreen text?
Have our hopes for the impact of technology on instruction been met?
Where are we now and where will we be in 20 years in our use of technology in classrooms?
What are the questions we should be asking about the potential for technology to transform teaching?
Articles submitted for this themed issue should arrive at IRA Headquarters by April 30, 2001. Include a cover letter
indicating that the manuscript is being submitted for the themed issue. Send manuscripts to The Reading Teacher
themed issue, Attention: Mich?le Jester, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, PO Box 8139,
Newark, DE 19714-8139, USA.
Conditions for Literacy Learning 417
This content downloaded from
144.82.8.137 on Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:59:32 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
