4.+Ask+the+Expert

//4. Ask the Expert - After Reading - Utilizing Reading Strategy://

· **Rationale: ** One important aspect of the utilizing/after reading strategy is allowing students opportunities to be independent learners and thinkers. Ask the Expert encourages students to become the class authority on a particular topic. · **Courses in which it could be implemented: ** I use this utilizing or after reading strategy with Language Arts learners. I think it could be used in other courses such as history, science, etc. My classes consist of inclusion (struggling learners), gifted or accelerated learners, and regular Language Arts students. Students who are considered experts are more apt to feel confident about learning and when they commit to memory the knowledtge they learned, they will then be ready to build on that foundational learning.

· **Diverse learners: ** All learning styles benefit from this reading strategy because students can become independent thinkers from utilizing this strategy. Students of all levels can become an expert in an area and it builds their confidence levels when they can learn something and share their new knowledge with others. It is also a way to learn and commit it to long term memory which can then be pre-existing knowledge or a foundation for new knowledge and learning. · **Procedure: ** 1. The teacher models researching specific topics for in-depth information using a wide range of recourse materials, such as books, Internet, magazines, pictures, etc. 2. The class members brainstorm a list of topics related to a particular theme or area currently being studied. 3. Each student selects a topic or offers an alternate topic to research in order to become the expert. 4. The teacher assists students by directing the research by providing materials. 5. The students research topics and prepare to share the findings with the class. 6. In the classroom, the teacher has a display, entitled Ask the Expert, where the students are recognized along with the topic they have explored. · **Potential Issues: ** Students need assistance from the teacher to direct them with resources and facilitating their research throughout step 4 and 5 above, especially with the inclusion (struggling learners and readers). Variations include: some teachers have files of the reports that students have done previously in loose-leaf notebooks as a resource for other students to view. Even setting up a discussion panel for classmates to ask the experts questions would be another interesting variation and support the idea of creating independent learners and thinkers in the classroom.

Quotes are also good as writing prompts for class warm-ups. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msolist: Ignore; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; mso-list: Ignore;">· **<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">References (Bibliography Information & Cross reference the Resource Binder): ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Stephens, E. C. & Brown J. E. (2005). A handbook of content literacy strategies: 125 practical reading and writing ideas. Strategies for utilizing (pp. 188-189). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">