Adolescent Literacy Instruction —
Abstract of

Chapter 9
Academic Literacy: Principles and Learning Opportunities for Adolescent Readers

Jill Lewis

Is it true that today's adolescents in the U.S. are not reading as well as those of earlier generations, or that their literacy is not as well developed? Perhaps not, but what we might say is that there is some evidence to suggest that the academic literacy of today's students is not as sophisticated as their other literacies, such as those they use for recreational technology-based activities. Academic literacy, after all, involves skills, dispositions, language, and relationships adolescents rarely experience in their out-of-school Discourse communities. But without question, teachers can promote academic literacy and reduce the disparity between out-of-school literacies students use well and the academic literacies necessary for high achievement in school. This chapter takes an in-depth look at these issues, then offers 10 principles and illustrative learning opportunities that integrate these principles within collaborative, reflective classrooms.

Lewis, J. (2007). Academic Literacy: Principles and Learning Opportunities for Adolescent Readers. In J. Lewis, & G. Moorman (Eds.), Adolescent Literacy Instruction (pp. 143-166). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.