Literacy Now

Grammar worksheets ask, "Can you spot it?" Mini-inquiries ask, "Can you understand it?" However, the imitation and innovation experience asks the most important question: "Can you create with it?"

Let's help students answer with a resounding "Yes!"

Imitation and Innovation Method

In grammar instruction, "imitation" is the practice of copying or repeating a grammatical structure to mimic a model sentence or pattern. "Innovation" is the active creation of new sentences or variations using the grammatical concept, demonstrating a deeper understanding through the application of the rule in novel ways, going beyond simple copying.

Here is how imitation and innovation may unfold:

• Select a portion of the mentor text that exemplifies the grammar concept you're teaching. If you are using the mentor text from this article, you may want to focus on varying sentence structure or building paragraphs. 
• Together with students, analyze the sentence structures or grammar patterns used by the author.
• Create a template based on the mentor text's grammatical framework. For example, if teaching complex sentences using When a tree is attacked by insects, it releases airborne chemical compounds to warn nearby trees of danger, you might extract the pattern: Subordinating conjunction: simple sentence: comma: simple sentence. 
• Students then use this template to collaboratively write their own sentences, following the same grammatical structure but with original content. 
  As they gain confidence, encourage them to innovate beyond the template while maintaining correct grammar usage.

This method allows students to practice applying grammar concepts directly, using the mentor text as scaffolding that can gradually be removed as their skills develop. (For even more, check out the Patterns of Power collection by Jeff Anderson and Whitney La Rocca.)

A Few Friendly Tips

After some trial and error, here's what I've learned:

• Mentor texts do not work well when they are cold reads. Read the text aloud a few times so that students are able to do the work of a reader through understanding the content. Once the reading work is out of the way, it is easier to study how grammar is used.
• Take it slow – don't try to tackle too many grammar concepts at once. It's like eating a delicious meal; you want to savor each bite.
• Choose texts that speak to your students' hearts. If the content feels relevant to their lives, they'll be much more invested in exploring the grammar.
• Remember that mentor texts are partners in grammar instruction, not replacements. We still need to explicitly demonstrate how to use grammar, but now we're giving context to why grammar matters.

Your Turn: Transform Your Grammar Instruction Today

Ready to revolutionize your grammar instruction? Take these three simple steps:

• Commit to trying just one mentor text lesson in the next two weeks.
• Share this post with a colleague who might be interested in trying this, too. Compare notes.
• Remember, every grammar lesson is an opportunity to empower writers.

I'd love to hear about your journey with mentor texts!

Patty McGee is a nationally recognized literacy consultant, speaker, and educator with a passion for transforming classrooms into spaces where language and learning come alive. With decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and advocate for delightful literacy practices, Patty has worked alongside educators across the country, partnering to unlock the full potential of their students through innovative and practical teaching strategies. Not Your Granny’s Grammar is her third book. Connect with Patty at www.pattymcgee.org.

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Using Mentor Texts and AI to Transform Grammar Instruction: Part I 

Literacy Today magazine: Reflecting Every Reader

Have you ever watched your students ace grammar worksheets only to see those same skills vanish in their writing? You're not alone! When I discovered mentor texts for grammar instruction, everything changed in my classroom.

Mentor Texts and the Standards Challenge

Think of mentor texts as your grammar instruction's best friends. They're amazing pieces of writing that showcase the grammar concepts you want to teach. Here's something important I discovered along the way: While published authors create beautiful, effective writing, they often bend grammar rules for stylistic purposes. For example, many skilled writers skip the comma before a conjunction in compound sentences—which works beautifully for their style, but doesn't align with state standards.

This created a dilemma for me. I loved using authentic texts, but I needed to teach standard grammar conventions. What to do?

Mentor Text Workarounds

Thankfully, you don't need to abandon your favorite mentor texts! Here are three approaches that have worked wonderfully:

• Cherry-pick perfect examples: Select individual sentences or short passages from mentor texts that do align with standard grammar. Use these gems to study sentence construction and expansion.
• Adapt beloved texts: I've found success taking published text and adapting it (with proper attribution) to demonstrate standard grammar usage. This gives students the best of both worlds—engaging content they love with the grammar patterns they need to learn.
• Create custom examples: Sometimes, I ask AI to generate content about topics my students care about, specifically requesting standard grammar usage. Just be sure to review the text carefully to confirm it truly follows the standards you're teaching! AI is not always accurate.

Here’s an example of one piece of text generated by AI. I indicated the different types of sentences by keeping simple sentences in plain text, underlining compound sentences, and italicizing complex sentences.

The Hidden Language of Trees

Trees may appear silent and solitary, but they participate in complex communication networks beneath our feet. Simple mycorrhizal fungi connect tree roots through an intricate web scientists call the "Wood Wide Web." These fungal threads allow trees to share nutrients while they send chemical signals to neighboring trees.

When a tree is attacked by insects, it releases airborne chemical compounds to warn nearby trees of danger. Once alerted, the neighboring trees begin producing defensive chemicals to protect themselves. This remarkable system resembles an early warning network that protects the entire forest community.

Older, larger "mother trees" serve as hubs in these networks, and they support younger saplings by sharing essential nutrients. Although these connections are invisible to the human eye, they create a cooperative environment where trees support one another during times of stress or limited resources.

Scientists have discovered that some tree species recognize their relatives and preferentially share resources with them. They maintain these connections through the seasons, and they create a resilient forest over time. As we learn more about these communication networks, we gain a deeper appreciation for the sophisticated relationships that exist in seemingly quiet forests.

Two Possibilities for Mentor Text and Grammar Learning

One of the most engaging parts of science instruction can also be used in grammar instruction. In science, phenomena provide a real-world context for learning, allowing students to actively engage with observable events and "figure out why" something happens. Essentially, phenomena act as a driving force for inquiry-based learning, sparking curiosity and motivating students to explore and explain what they see around them. In grammar instruction, a mini-inquiry using a mentor text acts as a phenomenon, allowing for context, curiosity, and collaboration. How a mini-inquiry may unfold:

• Read the mentor text aloud (maybe a few times), allowing students to enjoy and understand the content.
• Return to the text and pose an inquiry question. For the mentor text above, consider the question: What are some similarities and differences in simple, compound, and complex sentences?
• Partner (or trio) students up and ask them to come up with as many similarities and differences as they can. They may even jot these down.
• Listen in as students discuss their ideas. Jot down relevant theories or questions.
• Share something you jotted down and ask students to explore. Share a theory: Simple sentences are shorter (which is not a plausible theory). A question: Is there always a comma in a complex sentence?
• Explore the mentor text for proof of the theory or potential answers to the question.
• Gather guidance from the inquiry in a resource for students to use when writing.
  
   

It is true that mini-inquiries can transform grammar instruction by turning mentor texts into “phenomena” that spark curiosity, helping students discover grammar patterns in authentic contexts rather than isolated worksheets.  

In the next post, we’ll explore another powerful approach to grammar instruction using mentor texts called Imitation and Innovation. Can’t wait for you to add this to your grammar instructional repertoire!

Patty McGee is a nationally recognized literacy consultant, speaker, and educator with a passion for transforming classrooms into spaces where language and learning come alive. With decades of experience as a teacher, coach, and advocate for delightful literacy practices, Patty has worked alongside educators across the country, partnering to unlock the full potential of their students through innovative and practical teaching strategies. Not Your Granny’s Grammar is her third book. Connect with Patty at www.pattymcgee.org.

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Using Mentor Texts and AI to Transform Grammar Instruction: Part II

Literacy Today magazine: Reflecting Every Reader

There’s no need to imagine a world where apps can create essays, generate artwork, and even make decisions for us. That world is already here. As we enter an era of increasingly advanced artificial intelligence (AI), educators must guide students through the complexities of technology that will inevitably shape the future by modeling ethical engagement with AI.

My own experience with AI led me to approach AI instruction in my classroom through a critical lens, using scenarios to allow students to analyze the potential consequences as well as the potential benefits of their use of AI. When we challenge students to think deeply, it is inevitable that they confront their own beliefs and values. This method allows them to approach AI with a level of mindfulness and responsibility that will serve them well not only in the classroom but also as responsible citizens in society.

Gradual release of learning in AI

As teachers, we have the unique opportunity to guide students in understanding that AI is a tool to enhance learning, not a replacement for critical thinking. This foundational understanding is essential to using AI responsibly. Using the gradual release of learning, I model how to engage with AI critically and ethically.

For example, I might show how to use an AI tool like ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas for a persuasive essay. I guide students in evaluating AI’s suggestions, identifying those aligned with their goals, and refining them using their own creativity and critical thinking.

Another example is a scenario in which a student uses AI to complete their homework without disclosing it to the teacher. Through an interactive think-aloud, I model reflecting on the importance of honesty and responsibility in learning. We discuss the potential consequences of such actions, including how it undermines personal growth, academic integrity, and living and working as responsible citizens.

Next, students participate in guided group discussions where they analyze a scenario together. In these discussions, students learn to use critical thinking along with their morals and beliefs to analyze different situations. A good scenario for this is a student who uses AI to create a presentation for a science fair project. Students could discuss whether relying solely on AI’s response and content diminishes the student’s ownership of the work and explore how the student might incorporate their research, creativity, and unique perspective. Through this collaboration, students learn from each other to develop a foundation for using AI based on morals and values.

Finally, I give students the opportunity to independently analyze scenarios. For example, I might ask students to reflect on how they could use AI in their history class to create a timeline of major events. They could explore how AI can support their learning by quickly organizing events or suggesting connections between them, while also considering how over-relying on AI might hinder their understanding or prevent them from developing their own insights into historical analysis. By applying the learned lessons from our discussions to real-life situations, students gain confidence in their ability to make informed and responsible decisions about AI.

Through these lessons and scenarios, students are encouraged to think critically, analyze diverse perspectives, and develop a strong ethical framework. By discussing the ethical implications of AI in a safe and guided classroom environment, we prepare them for a future in which AI will play an increasing role.

Critical thinking

In addition to ethical reasoning, I also emphasize the importance of critical thinking and individualized voice in academic work. AI can be a game-changing tool for brainstorming ideas, organizing thoughts, or even improving writing, but it should not replace a student’s own voice and personal experiences. For example, I demonstrate how to use an AI tool to brainstorm potential topics for a narrative essay. After generating a list of ideas, I guide students to choose a topic that resonates with their personal experiences and interests, encouraging them to expand on it using their unique perspective rather than relying solely on AI suggestions. Personalizing their work to take ownership is something they should never surrender to AI.

When integrating AI into the classroom, it is crucial to prioritize ethical decision-making. By discussing “what if” scenarios, we can help students become responsible, thoughtful users of AI. For instance, I might present a scenario where a student uses AI to generate the entire content of a science lab report. We would discuss the ethical implications of submitting work that doesn’t represent their own analysis and how this could hinder their ability to develop critical reasoning.

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results highlight the importance of reading assessments that require students to demonstrate deeper analysis, synthesis, and critical thinking skills, influencing state educational standards. This aligns with the importance of teaching students to engage with AI as a tool that supports, rather than replaces, these skills. Empowering students with the tools to make informed, ethical decisions as they navigate this rapidly changing era requires these real-world connections. By bringing relatable scenarios, concrete examples, and research-based insights into the classroom, we help students understand the balance between leveraging AI and staying true to their values and individual learning goals.

Preparing the next generation

It is our moral responsibility as educators to guide students through models and support. By taking small, thoughtful steps and engaging our students in meaningful conversations, we can help ensure that the next generation of AI users engages in wise, ethical decision-making.

Catherine Gibbons serves as a reading specialist for grades 7–12 at Gateway Regional High School in Woodbury Heights, NJ. She also works as a graduate reading adjunct professor. 

The October/November/December issue of Literacy Today, ILA’s member magazine, is focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and literacy education.

This edition’s guest editor is Kip Glazer, principal of Mountain View High School in Mountain View, CA, who has worked for nearly a decade with learning science researchers in connecting research to practice in the K–16 education space. She is a 2023 Computer Science Teachers Association Equity Fellow and a member of the Engage AI Practitioner Advisory Board.

“As a school leader and educator, I am passionate about supporting fellow educators and school leaders in making safe and ethical choices when it comes to AI tools,” she wrote in her opening note to readers.

Read on to learn more about the issue, how Glazer approached its curation, and what she hopes readers take away from it.

Tell us how you developed your vision for this issue. What were your goals? How did you choose your authors and topics?

I value learning about different perspectives immensely, so I posted a form on LinkedIn to ask if anyone was interested in submitting an article to the issue. I also reached out to a few colleagues, such as Bill Bass, Stacy Lovdahl, Vera Cubero, and Nneka McGee, who I have worked with in the past. I focused on representing different perspectives, and I believe I succeeded.

You’ve worked with learning science researchers and have a background in connecting research to practice. How does that experience inform your views on integrating AI into literacy education?

I believe in forming my opinions based on rigorous learning science research, and I have been fortunate to have access to the learning science research community since 2012. It is extremely important to me that my fellow educators and school leaders know what I share with them has solid research behind it, and I work hard to be a thoughtful participant in both research and practice fields.

Your opening letter mentions the importance of ethical AI use in education. What do you think are the most pressing ethical considerations for educators adopting AI tools?

Never forgetting that good pedagogy and caring teachers shaping the learning experiences of their students are so much more important than any shiny new tool that is being introduced. Fast and more aren’t always better. Students of today can acquire discrete pieces of knowledge from all sorts of sources with or without AI, and being deliberate to ensure that the students’ (and staff’s) data and privacy are protected is extremely important.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions educators have about AI, and how does this issue of Literacy Today aim to address them?

That AI is so new and so complex that a “typical” educator couldn’t possibly understand, or that it is capable of replacing educators. The fact is that AI has been around for several decades, and no AI will replace teachers. I believe that this issue of Literacy Today has shown the depth of strong pedagogy and collaboration among researchers and practitioners to emphasize that point.

Stacy Lovdahl’s article, “The Urgency of AI,” emphasizes the need for educators to “move fast and innovate responsibly” when it comes to incorporating generative AI into the classroom. Why was this angle important to highlight in this issue?

Stacy has done a lot of work in policy and educator AI literacy development, and she understands the importance of responsible iteration that is required in today’s educational environment. She has been a huge advocate of a balanced approach focused on student examples, and she has done a fantastic job of reminding us why a student-centered approach is important.

Jennifer Elemen’s piece on cultivating critical GenAI literacy explores how critical digital pedagogy can empower students to engage with GenAI in ways that promote social justice and counter harmful narratives. Why did you feel this was a crucial topic to include in the conversation?

Jennifer has been a huge advocate of social justice in ensuring that we don’t introduce or implement yet another tool that can augment previous harm, which is extremely important as we continue to bring in more AI-enabled tools. Just as a doctor takes the Hippocratic oath, I would love to see the tech companies focusing on the idea of “first do no harm” when it comes to developing any classroom-ready tool. I believe that Jennifer’s article highlights the importance of staying vigilant.

Carey Swanson’s article, “Whose Intelligence Is Needed in the Classroom?,” highlights the need for educators to be supported with proper training when incorporating AI into their classrooms. Why was it important to include a focus on professional development in this issue?

We all now live in an information-rich society, and educators and school leaders are bombarded with so much information. With generative AI (GenAI) rapidly advancing, educators and school leaders are asked to be the voice of reason in this new educational environment, and we must support them with time and resources to carry out that important task. I believe that Carey did a great job of highlighting that need.

Bonnie Nieves’s article, “AI and Experiential Learning: A Powerful Combination for Culturally Relevant Teaching,” explores how GenAI can help create personalized, culturally relevant learning experiences. How do you think this topic helps to broaden the discussion of AI in education?

Bonnie highlights the importance and true potential of GenAI in being able to create personalized learning experiences. Her argument of making sure these experiences are culturally relevant is so important because, as we bring in more tools that are creating refinement based on big data and mass user groups, true personalization can be lost, and I believe educators need to guard against off-loading that critical perspective.

Vera Cubero’s article, “Navigating the Future: North Carolina’s AI Literacy Initiative,” emphasizes the importance of careful and purposeful integration of AI literacy into education. Why was it important to feature this initiative?

Vera has been a leading voice in the educational policy area, and I appreciate her wisdom and perspective in this space so very much. She brings a well-researched perspective of planning forward while keeping the past in sight. Her work of guiding North Carolina’s AI Initiative is a model to follow as other states continue to create and implement their AI policies and frameworks. It was my honor to have her add her thoughts to this edition. 

Khechara Bradford and Nneka McGee’s article, “AI on the Edge: Embracing Tech in Early Literacy Education,” discusses the potential of AI in supporting early literacy development. What made this angle significant in terms of shaping the future of AI in literacy instruction?

Although I don’t know Khechara very well, I have been on the same panel as Nneka multiple times. I really appreciate their perspective of beginning early with literacy development that is tool-agnostic. Nneka has always spoken about how to improve literacy with or without digital tools, and how important it is to develop fundamental skills. I think the article speaks to that well.

What do you hope readers will take away from this issue of Literacy Today, and how do you envision it sparking further conversations about AI in education?

I hope that the readers get a wise insight as to how the research and practice fields are grappling with AI literacy from varying perspectives that are both hopeful and cautionary. I also hope that they were introduced to many wise writers whose work has inspired me! I am proud to have been the guest editor of this issue, and I hope to come back after some time to see how we have changed.

This article is the second in a series that will explore AI, particularly the topics of how it can foster student agency, cultivate a love of reading that celebrates cultural diversity, and support multilingual learners in literacy instruction.

One of the challenges faced in classrooms worldwide is the lack of student engagement and motivation—a disconnect that often stems from a sense of disempowerment and detachment. Many curricula depend on teacher-centered instruction, leaving students to feel stuck in the monotony without the agency to be meaningfully included.

However, when the same students have a sense of agency, they can become active participants in the learning process. Fostering student agency leads to increased motivation, higher academic achievement, and enhanced critical thinking skills. It cultivates a positive classroom culture where students feel valued, respected, and empowered to voice their opinions and ideas.

As we explore ways to empower students and foster engagement in literacy instruction, it is essential to consider how innovative tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), can play a pivotal role. AI offers educators new opportunities to personalize learning experiences, promote student choice, and streamline the creation of a diverse range of activities.

In part II of our series, we dive into how AI can enhance student agency, making the classroom a more dynamic and inclusive space for all learners.

The empowerment path

To empower students with agency in their literacy development, teachers can provide options for how they can demonstrate their understanding of a text through presentations, analytical essays, or creative projects such as storyboards or visual narratives. All of the choices assess the same skills while also allowing the students to make the choice of what to complete. We know that hands-on learning with authentic practice is important, but how can a teacher do this without spending hours and hours creating these learning experiences?

Eduaide. One way AI can help a teacher create a range of activities in a short amount of time can be found at Eduaide, which offers a tool called Engagement Activities. When a teacher enters the grade level and subject area along with the prompt “enhance student choice and agency,” Eduaide will create a list of activities, “Would You Rather?” questions, applied scenario-based questions, thought experiments, and even riddles.  

 

MagicSchool AI. Offering choice boards or menus with a variety of learning tasks enables students to select activities that align with their learning goals and preferences, promoting intrinsic motivation and self-directed learning. Teachers can pick and choose to ensure that anything they add to a choice board is acceptable to them and fits their own classroom. You can use MagicSchool AI make a choice board in a few seconds. Just click on the Choice Board (UDL) option and type in your standard, objective, or content.  

ChatGPT. For teachers ready to move to the next level, ChatGPT offers great opportunities for personalized learning paths based on student choice. Many schools offer opportunities for students to explore topics they are interested in, but it is difficult for a teacher to be an expert in all these subjects. AI can support teachers’ creation of paths for students to research and design projects based on their interests. Start by asking ChatGPT to “create a personalized learning path for students in [grade level] to explore [subject], including [key topics or skills].” For the following example about volcanoes, ChatGPT gave seven activities to work on. Two are shown here:

Sometimes, the bot doesn’t get it right from the start. You will still need to wear your teacher hat to decide if the resources given are right for your purposes. From your original prompt and response, you can have a conversation with ChatGPT to guide it to what you want. Maybe you need to specify that it is for the whole group or only two students. Maybe you want more ideas. When asked for specific links to the activities suggested, ChatGPT delivered.

Unleashed potential

The results of fostering student agency in the classroom are profound. Students who are empowered with agency exhibit increased motivation, engagement, and academic achievement. They develop essential skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and self-regulation, which are vital for success in both academic and real-world contexts.

Fostering student agency through acceptable choices is essential for creating inclusive, engaging, and empowering learning environments. By embracing strategies that prioritize student voice, choice, and autonomy, teachers can foster a culture of agency that unleashes the full potential of every learner.  

Natalie Beach, lecturer of special education, Lindsey Braisted, instructor of ESL and literacy, Cassie Brown, PhD graduate assistant, and Amber Spears, associate professor of literacy methods, are all affiliated with Tennessee Tech University. 

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in blog posts on this website are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ILA. We have taken reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in blog posts but do not warrant the accuracy or completeness of such information.