This chapter addressed different components that make for good literacy teachers. The thing that seemed to be emphasized the most was variety – whether it was in the kind of written texts the students read or how they reported on what they read. Allowing students to choose different methods to do their reading, whether it is choosing the subject of their book or choosing a magazine over a book, will help students learn to enjoy reading. This was one of the reasons given for students not liking to read, so if we as teachers can let students choose what they want to read, it will be a big motivator in getting them to read.
Ways to add variety to the reading instruction were also given in this chapter. One important aspect is to know the learning styles of the students, as they don’t all learn the same. The book also emphasized that a specific curriculum is not the goal of reading. Rather, educators should be working to develop an enriched environment for the students, giving them options of reading materials and getting them excited about reading.
I have seen the Fry’s Readability Graph before in Curriculum and Assessments, and I really like this graph as it is an aid in evaluating both textbooks and library books to see if they are on the right grade level. I also liked the online text that was mentioned to see which intelligence category I fell in. I have read about Gardner’s multiple intelligences in a number of different classes, and often wondered which one I would fit into. So it was interesting to take the quiz to find out for sure!
The book also mentioned modeling reading for our students. This raised a question in my mind. I am an avid reader (I read The Tale of Two Cities and Dietrich Bonhoeffer over Christmas break), but not one of my six children truly enjoy reading as a leisurely activity. Modeling is obviously not enough! I read to my kids when they were younger, and they checked books out of the library. They have been exposed to books and reading! So, are some children just not going to be interested in reading? Can reading be classified as a hobby such as cooking or gardening, and some like it and some don’t? I realize it’s different, because reading is something everyone needs to learn how to do and do well to function in our society. But thinking that reading just may not be someone’s love makes me realize the even greater responsibility I will have as a teacher to make it as interesting as possible so that those children still learn how to read. And who knows? Maybe if it is taught with more variety and freedom, more students will get excited about reading?
I like how you mention sometimes modeling is just not enough. As adults we list reading as a hobby, but when students are growing up they have to read regardless. I think this will be a challenge. I model reading whenever I can, but no matter what, there may always be a student that just does not likes it. Just like how you said about your children. I think once we are teachers, and get to know our students we will figure out something to make them enjoy reading. I want to involve as much choice as I can with reading while still following the curriculum.
I remembered the Fry's Readability Graph from Curriculum and Assessment as well and thought this diagram was a lot better. It seems that finding readings that students enjoy is one of the biggest challenges, I hope to learn many ways to do this.
I agree with your post on several points Jenny and your kids will probably develop into readers just as you have. I believe if chidren continue to be exposed to reading they will ultimately become better at it and find books that they really enjoy which will reinforce that behavior. I also liked the part about different learning styles and enjoyed how the text broke down how readers use the four cues to decipher the text they are reading (syntax, semantics, graphophonics, and pragmatics) This was informative.
I agree with you that it is a conundrum about do some students just like to read and some don't? I didn't become an avid reader until I was an adult. I never minded reading, but it wasn't a "hobby". With that said, I never really had an adult around me that was passionate about it either. While it is one thing to model reading habits, I think it is a whole other issue of striking the passion for reading in students. Your reading passion has to envoke a passion in kids to do the same.
In this chapter it talks about a variety of ideas to create a positive reading environment. In classes, some students will not want to read. They do not like reading, because they are not interested in what they are reading. This was my problem when I was in high school. I did not want to read because the material was had not relation with my interest. I could not connect to the reading, so therefore I had no interest.
When involving reading in the classroom, the teacher should allow a time for students to access books that interest them. When students go to library, the class should be able to check out at least one "fun" or "free choice" book. By doing this, it is allowing students to explore their interests and have a time where they can enjoy a book. Although reading assessment and testing is so stressed throughout the school year, teachers should be able to create an environment where students want to read. Taking the time to get to know the students as individuals will help with this. Although material is required, the teacher can take the given reading material and find a way to make a connection with the class. The more the lesson can relate to the students, the higher chance of a student learning and enjoying the reading will be present. No matter what, some students will not want or like to read. It may be a challenge for teachers to find a way for all students to read. The teacher needs to lead by example, and I think showing the students you read may help them as well. I think read aloud are very important to incorporate in the daily schedule. This will give the students the chance to just listen to a fun book read by the teacher to get a break of what is being taught in the reading block.
Getting to know our students is SO important! It's important in all areas - one example: last week when subbing, I got to talking about a boy who's been wearing a brace for months. I asked him exactly what was wrong, what the brace was supposed to do, etc. I ended up subbing the next two days, and every time that boy saw me, he looked me in the eye to make contact and asked how I was doing. So it helps in developing relationships and letting the students know we care about them as individuals. In my mind, this is the main reason for getting to know the students. But then it is also a huge help when choosing books for reading. If we can learn to know their interests and find reading materials that fit that subject, we can hopefully encourage them to read - even if they wouldn't say they enjoy reading. For too long we have made reading too structured. All students have had to read the same book, with many of them finding it boring. I see the value in the questions on the Corrections enrollment form of learning to know about our students so we can help choose books along their interests. I'm excited about the possibilities that exist in creating different reading materials for students with different interests.
The chapter was talking about the five essential components that come together and create a meaningful learning experience. These are: teacher, students, text, context, and task. These are the components that an effective teacher possesses. Along with this they talked about the six critical qualities of knowledge and practice that excellent literacy teachers possess. It discussed why students lose motivation to read, and what the teacher can do to rejuvenate that motivation again. When talking about the students it is mentioned that each is unique and comes from different backgrounds and experiences. The effective teacher will activate background knowledge, or provide it to those that did not have those types of experiences. Students need the skills, strategies, and metacognition to learn at their fullest potential. They talked about the four cueing systems that students use to make sense of the text: syntax, semantics, graphophonics, and pragmatics. Next is text and finding ones that are suitable for students to read. It talks about the different reading levels and helping the student choose the right book for the occasion. Content and task are the things that are going on in the classroom. Discussion and time to talk with peers is effective, but so is reading and doing activities independently.
When creating background experiences for those that may not have had it, how do you do that in a district with a low budget where you can’t go on field trips, or don’t have the different technology?
Though it does make sense, I never thought of teachers having more influence on the literacy learning process than any other curriculum or strategy, like this chapter suggests. They suggested that all effective literacy teacher exhibit similar characteristics like: time students are engaged in reading and writing authentic passages; read text that the students find interesting; teachers do more than assign and asses, they do a lot of demonstrating and modeling; they talk and foster communication skills by posing higher-level thinking questions and discuss with their peers; students have a choice of tasks that require them to integrate reading, writing, thinking, speaking, and listening; and testing where the teachers grade process as well as product with rubrics. I have never heard of the term of a global style reader. It is opposing to the analytic reader which are auditory learners and process information in logical sequential steps. They learn to read best when when first presented with phonics then proceed to whole text with decodable words. Global style readers tend to learn best if they first read the text then learn the skills in the context of the passage; they usually are more poor readers. I guess I wasn't aware of all of the different ways to level books.
The section on teachers talked about differentiating instruction. This is something we are thinking a lot about in the methods courses, and any other courses, when we are designing a lesson plan. It is so essential to be able to reach all of the students in the class at their level to better improve them from where they are. I saw this often in my internship last semester. She had a very wide range of abilities and she often had three different things going on at once to be able to touch all of the students. As I read through the section that talked about the reasons for the decline in the motivation to read I realized how spot on those were for me. I don’t ever remember liking to read, but I know I didn't like to read because I knew I wasn't good and I was self-conscious about it, I didn't like to compete with my reading because I knew I wouldn't do very well, and I seemed to never like anything that my teachers made me read. All three of these things pushed me away from reading, since I had an underlying disability that no one found until I was 18. I had good reason why I didn't read well, but we didn't why what that was at the time.
When I was observing in a kindergarten classroom last semester, one way the teacher gave the student background knowledge was by taking them on a "virtual" field trip. They used the Lead 21 reading program which gave her access to all kinds of online resources, one being the virtual field trips.
The virtual field trip that Kayla mentioned is a great way but if you don't have access to a program that uses the virtual field trip you may be able to create a kind of field trip through an online search. There are so many videos and other information online that you may be able to use it to help the students understand.
I can relate to you as well. I never seemed to be able to get into the text that was assigned to me; however mine started much earlier than high school. I don’t know if I could not get into it because I could not understand it because I was dyslexic and had ADHD that was undiagnosed until the last month of my senior year, or if I truly was not interested. I remember my parents bringing me to the library and asking me what I wanted to read about, I remember my response was, “Nothing, there is nothing that I have ever like to read about so why would there be now?” My poor parents! I think that if you give the students opportunities to read the things they really like they will be more apt to be successful in reading the things that they may not like as well, but have to read because of testing. It is so essential to keep the lessons relatable to the students. I love your idea with read alouds. When reading is modeled for students they will take better to it and will enjoy it. Still to this day my favorite book is a book that was a read aloud when I was in 3rd grade that the teacher wrote in when I moved.
This chapter really focused on making sure students are reading at the correct levels. For example, when they are reading on their own they need to be reading at the independent reading level, a level where they can read at an appropriate speed and also with good accuracy. Now, when students are working with a teacher or another adult they should be reading at the instructional reading level, a level where they can comprehend most of the words quickly and accurately. The next level of reading is the frustration level where students really shouldn't be reading because they struggle with both, accuracy and comprehension, and can then get discouraged and not want to read at all.
The chapter also discussed ways of leveling books for students such as age, grade, lexile, and gradient leveling, which I found interesting because sometimes one way of deciding whether a book is at the correct level is not always accurate. For example, just because a student is 8 years old doesn't mean they are at the reading level where 8-year-olds normally are. They could either be above or below and in this situation it would probably be better to find them a book using the lexile leveling process.
The chapter also focused on making sure students are getting to read material that relates to their interests because they are more likely to stay motivated with their reading and because they have background knowledge on the topic so they may also be more able to figure out what a word or phrase means that they have not seen or heard before. Reading this chapter made me look at this issue a little differently because so often in schools, and usually in the upper grades, teachers tell the students that they are all going to read this one certain book together as a class. I absolutely hated this in school because I never liked any of the books and so I struggled reading it and had a hard time motivating myself to read the book. So this chapter made me realize that you can assign books to a class, but give them more than one option and then have the students who chose one book work/read together in one group, and the rest work/read together in groups that chose the other book(s). This way students don't feel like they are being forced to read something they don't want to. It also keeps them from putting a negative feeling towards reading. Honestly, today I would do just about anything else than read. Hardly ever do I read for pleasure and I sometimes wonder if part of it is because I was "forced" to read so many books I didn't like.
One last thing that I always find interesting when it's covered in our readings is Gardner's multiple intelligences. Maybe it's me, but every time I read over these I always come up with a person or two in my life that fits each one. Some are harder to figure out than others, but I think it is so interesting how we are each better at some things than we are others. I always seem to relate to mainly the logical intelligence and but also the spatial one too.
The chapter begins by outlining the 6 qualities and characteristics of excellent literacy teachers. A few of them being: believing all children can learn to read and write, offering a variety of materials and texts for them to read, continually assess individual progress, having students read real texts they find interesting, spend time demonstrating and modeling strategies and finally to foster communication skills by posing higher-level thinking questions. These are some of the things I felt were the most important aspects of what was being discussed but at the same time, they also seem to me to be common sense. Maybe that’s because I am a para and it comes more naturally to me while I assist students as they struggle reading. I have learned many ways to form some kind of connection with certain students to get them interested in reading.
The reasons listed for the decline in motivation to read are very real in my everyday work with high school students who do not have any incentive to read. They have lost something along the way as they fell behind, unnoticed by anyone. It’s even harder now that they are older to help them understand the importance of reading because they see no importance. Just today in a classroom the teacher asked for volunteers to read aloud and none of “my” kids ever offer to read but at some point they know they have to because the teacher requires all of them to read aloud. They are too self-conscious about reading aloud because they aren’t good readers. They also do not see any point in reading because they do not comprehend what they are reading so it seems like a waste of time to them. The kids do quite well when we read from the text as a group when I take some of them out of class and we can discuss paragraph by paragraph what we have read. They get it then! They don’t have a problem reading outloud in our small group because they are all about the same reading ability.
Having some general knowledge about a topic is a huge advantage for kids to like reading and to comprehend what they have read. I like to make as many connections ahead of time for them as possible because they are more engaged in discussion and reading. The text talks about the strategies for reading that activate prior knowledge before, during and after reading.
The four cueing systems readers use are syntax (does it sound right), semantic (does it make sense), graphophonic (does it look right) and pragmatic (the situational context). This leads into the levels of readability where independent readers have 95% or higher accuracy with a high level of comprehension; instructional readers have a 90 to 94% accuracy with 60% comprehension; and the frustration level where they read with less than 90% accuracy and have almost no comprehension from what they have read because it a struggle just to be able to say the words correctly. Leveling texts becomes necessary for success. Readability test can help teachers chose appropriate level texts for students. I have used the Fry Readability formula in previous classes and find it quite helpful in selecting texts.
Chapter two in the Devries text reminded me of the characteristics of an effective teacher in the classroom. This particular chapter went into depth more than I have read in other classes but this text gives ideas on how to be effective when it comes to teaching literacy. Understanding the individual student is just as important as being effective. Every student has their own learning style as well as language system. Would it be a good idea to give the multiple intelligences inventory to our students? If we know what they prefer would be develop lesson plans to include a bit of everything or would we hit on some for one lesson plan and then hit on a couple of others for the next? The Readability Formula allowed me to look at text books for students differently. Just because a text says it is a 6th grade Math book (or Reading) does not mean it is. I tried the Readability Formula out on a math book at the school I work at and it turned out to be at a 7th grade level. What is worse is that the teacher I work under has me use this same book for fifth graders in the special education classroom. This does not make sense to me. In reading this chapter I found some strategies that I use that I did not realize was a strategy. The Language system including syntax, semantic, graphophonic, and pragmatic are all ways that I have helped struggling readers. I ask some of those same questions in order to get the student to get into the habit of asking the same questions to themselves when they read an unfamiliar word.
Jeannette you pose a great question in your post regarding multiple intelligence inventory. Depending on the grade level, I think it would be a great idea (it couldn't hurt). Based on the response you could provide instruction or activities that promote or lend itself to the prominent intelligences in your classroom. Additionally, it would provide learning opportunities for students to explore activities focused on different intelligences.
Jeannette, I agree with you on that this chapter really gave some great ways to be an effective teacher. I feel that it helps show new avenues to getting the students engaged and setting them up for more success. We need to really learn all we can about each individual student so we can pinpoint their interest in our lessons. The book issue of 7th grade readability and using it in the 5th grade special needs program...if your teacher was willing to see the Fry's readability, maybe she would be able to approach the administration and help get a more appropriate book for the 5th graders. You must have plenty of frustration in reading from your students!
I am shocked that the teacher you are working with wants you to use the 7th grade reading level math book for the 5th grade students in the special education classroom! Surely he or she does not realize the readability level it is. What have you done? You really need to explain it to them in a way that they would understand...IF they are even capable of doing the work. I helped a new student today in the second grade. I had to use manipulatives, a number chart, talking through the problems, and finger counting so this student could add 2 digit numbers. I mentioned this to my Special Education supervisor who told me we have his brother but that the parents did not request services for the 2nd grader who thought 9 + 1 = 2. This child needs to be in Special Ed with appropriate grade level math and reading. It sounds like your 5th grade students need the same.
Gosh that has got to be a tricky situation trying to tell the teacher they are wrong but I know it can be done in a professional and tactful way....but it's still an uncomfortable situation. I have an issue right now with a teacher and I just don't want to hurt her feelings. She is a high school science teacher, been teaching for years, and does not pronounce words correctly so now students are not saying the words properly. For example, one of the words that bothers me the most is the word "peninsula" which she pronounces "peninCHula" - What do I do?? She also says "chromozone" instead of chromosome and "ribozone" instead of ribosome. She is a dear sweet person but those inaccuracies really drive me crazy! Many of the kids know the pronunciation is incorrect but others do not.
I am not sure of a great solution to help you out. Maybe ask her if she would help you do the readability test on her books with you to make sure you are doing it correctly. Hopefully at this time she will realize that her book is no where near the grade level for her students. As far as the MI inventory, I never think you can know too much about your students. I would not overwhelm them by presenting all the information at one time though. I would use a little each do so they stay attentive.
I have mentioned several times that I would rather use the 5th grade Everyday Math book but just go at a slower pace. Every time I bring it up she just says well I think we can just skip around in this book (the one she is set on using). I can honestly say the students are making huge learning gains from the beginning of the year because when I began they did not know double digit multiplication such as 16*13 and now they can work it out. However, I truly believe if I was able to use the same book the rest of the 5th grade uses there could have been many more gains. I am only hurting them and bringing them further behind their class, in my opinion. I have begun to complain to the 5th grade teacher, which may not be a good idea but I think by next year something else will be in place. This is my hope anyway.
This chapter provided a detailed look into the importance of the literacy from an educational perspective, in addition to the importance of being an effective literacy educator. General information regarding literacy involves the importance of understanding the key components that impact literacy knowledge; literacy skills, reading strategies and metacognition. Additionally selecting the appropriate text based on readability and other indicators is essential. Statistics and research as indicated in this chapter proved that “educators/teachers are more influential in the literacy learning process than in any other curriculum or strategy.” In order to be successful in literacy instruction differentiating instruction is essential in addition to aspiring to replicate many of the effective literacy teacher characteristics listed in the text; time, text, teaching, talk, tasks, testing.
The most essential component of this chapter, in addition to the section that made the biggest impact on me was the focus on motivation and reading. I wasn’t aware of the statistical implications and trend of students losing interest or motivation during 1-4 grade. The four characteristics that leads to this include; self-consciousness about reading, emphasis on competition and lack of interest in assigned reading. As I future reader wanting to teach K-6 grade, this is essential to remember. Reflectively for me as I think back to my childhood, I can relate to all of these influences. Reader’s theater was notorious in one of my classes and students would count ahead to try to practice their assigned paragraph, it was high pressure to read your paragraph flawlessly or receive social scrutiny. Additionally, I remember participating in the AR program and being extremely competitive with peers, to the point that we would take tests of books we hadn’t even read in hopes to score points. As the text mentions, creating differentiated instruction that promotes motivation is essential. However, one question that I had was in regards to reader’s theater—other courses and instructors have suggested simply eliminating it from the curriculum, at least at the large group level, is this appropriate??
My favorite quote from this text is, “…good readers become lifelong readers.” It’s scary to think that just a few grade levels could impact an individual’s lifelong reading ability or inability. Therefore as a future teacher I realize the need to motivate and to focus on providing appropriate text that are at the reading level and also provide interest to students. I felt this chapter was extremely helpful and thought-provoking.
That is a powerful quote! One thing that I remember best is modeling and I feel that it's extremely powerful. If students see that reading is important to you, it will reinforce everything that you are trying to teach them. In RLA, we talked about how modeling this is simply letting students see you read and share what you are reading with them. Seems like such a simple thing it wouldn't be helpful, but I'm sure it would be!
This chapter was full of new information for me as well. I remember the AR tests when I was younger and we had to do them for a grade and pass with a certain percentage. Now I'm not seeing that at the school I work at. The students are encouraged to read and take the test for the book, their goals all seem to be to do the best they can for the large pizza party at the end of the school year. The students here are also earning ribbons for their AR points. I feel that this has changed a lot since when I first started taking them.
As I read this chapter, I kept thinking of the things that I learned in Reading and Language Arts with Dr. Walizer. In her class we learned that competition in reading with students is bad and that Round Robin reading is evil. I have to say that as a fan of the Beers book in RLA, I found a lot of repeat information. Using pre, during, and post reading strategies help increase motivation and comprehension, as well as the absolute necessity of differentiated instruction for students were familiar concepts from this book. Apart from similarities, I felt that there were many important parts to this chapter. All students are different and come to the class each day with completely different schemas. They all require their uniqueness to be accepted, understood, and then taught too. To remain motivated and engaged, students must be able to control (to a clearly defined extent) the books they read and the choices they make. Instead of forcing students to read specific books, allow them to choose from “this level” or “one of the books on this shelf.” I work in a school and find myself frequently torn between two viewpoints – that students should simply mindlessly obey adults and that there should be an exchange between student and teacher. Personally, I believe there should be an exchange, a compromise, between student and teacher to ensure that the student feels in control of their education. I was surprised at the sheer number of leveling methods mentioned in this book – there are a lot out there! I learned about Fry’s readability in Curriculum and Assessment and keep a copy of it in my teacher binder. It definitely is helpful for the non-AR books in our library!
Sarah, I enjoyed reading your post. I also absolutely LOVED the Beers book from RLA methods. I definitely feel of any textbook thus far, it's my favorite. The reading strategies and other information in this chapter were similar to the readings in our RLA methods books. Great information though! Competition is a terrible thing - which we did learn then and then read again in this text. I wrote how I remembered doing the very example provided in the book about receiving ice cream scoops on a cone for each book you read. After so many we received a treat and other who didn't get scoops or didn't read, got nothing. As someone who loved to read I never paid attention to the students who got nothing - but as a future educator, I look back and think "HOW TERRIBLE!!!"
Allowing students to to choose from "their level" as you stated was a great statement that was brought forth from this chapter - THIS is the way to motivate them! Great post!!
My daughter's school uses AR levels. Each student is required to have at least one book in their AR level checked out to them at all times. What I love is that the library has multiple books pulled out for each and every level so the choices are immense! By doing this each student is sure to find something within their level that they will enjoy. It works out really well!
Chapter two stressed the five components in the reading event. This includes teacher, student, text, context and the task. The teacher sets the mood and scenario for the learning event by differentiating instruction to reach all their students. I really enjoyed the scenario that the chapter opened with. The entire time I was reading it, I was saying “wow, how I would have thrived with a teacher showing me so many great ways to learn the subject.” The students would have such lasting memories with the fun, engaged atmosphere of that classroom. I did find it somewhat of a surprise that competition is the 2nd reason for students to decline their interest in the given subject. So much is set up as a competition, not only in school, so I think it is sometimes just natural to use it as motivation. I did like the idea of using a large gumball machine for an incentive and the entire class tributes to it. Hopefully students will see others names going on the gumballs and want to be a part of it, and not look at is a draw back from participating. The student portion of the reading event is having them learn different strategies to improve their learning styles. Since we are all different, it is very important for the teacher to introduce many methods so the student can find the technique that works best for them. The text part of the event is making sure that the book is matching up with the readability of the student. I like the Fry Readability chart and how it helps assess not only level readers, but text books for each subject that we teach. Last semester, I took a class that has us do an activity with the readability chart, and I was amazed on how it worked. By finding the books appropriate to each student is a must for success and keeping the student’s frustration level down. The context is the classroom climate or atmosphere. As discussed earlier, I feel that the scenario of Ms. Young’s classroom would be one that a student would really strive with. The learning is placed in a real-life situation and they probably don’t even know that they are learning the requirements of the school curriculum. The final reading event is task, and that is where you are setting the expectations high for the students to achieve their goals. This is engaging the students, setting personalized goals, and fostering them for higher level thinking. The book states that 50% of ever school day is reading and writing. I would have even guessed that percentage would have been even higher. Taking a look at the entire reading event is very important, and one for me to consider while designing my lesson plans in the future.
I was also very impressed with Ms. Young's classroom. It is easy to see how many different ways she had her students involved in reading. I also liked the idea of a whole class incentive instead of each student. I think struggling readers would try to help earn the reward this way instead of seeing how far behind they are compared to the other students personal incentives.
Chapter two of the text covers the five components in reading. The components are the teachers, students, text, context, and task. It is critical for teachers to understand how reading develops, in order to be able to adjust instruction, offer a variety of materials, flexible groups, and to coach reading strategically. Due to multiple levels of intelligence, learning styles, cueing systems, and knowledge, it is important to provide differentiated instruction in order to reach all students. When creating success in the classroom, it is important to understand student and text levels, to create an engaging and positive climate with personalization of tasks and higher-level thinking. The text seemed to really stress the importance of using groups that change due to needs of students, and to find what interests the students in order to motivate them to succeed. It also helps enforce how important classroom climate is as a factor in student success. I found the text section very helpful with references to finding book grade levels and it gave me a clearer understanding of the levels of readability. I liked how the text stated to require time for silent reading. Over the past few years, I have seen younger students who had silent reading time compared to students who did not, and the ones who did, had better literacy skills. This chapter will definitely be helpful in regards to tutoring, by helping me understand students learning more and ways to help them.
Samantha, I noticed the emphasis on finding the interests of students as a motivator in this chapter as well. It's evident that this makes perfect sense - who doesn't enjoy something they are interested in? I also wrote about the classroom climate which I loved the information provided in the book about this. Discussed how the teachers beliefs' or attitudes create this climate which is true. When I read this, I thought about when Gary Hogg presented and said, "If you want children to love to read, show them that you love to read." Teachers create the climate..and provide the motivation! Great post!!
I agree that silent reading time is extremely important in our K-8 classrooms, but what is more important is making sure they are actually reading. I have witnessed many students who do struggle to read staring at the same page for the entire reading period. I think that we as educators must take an active role in what the student is reading. When I did my RLA internship last semester I watched one particular student go from book to book each day and never got past 2 or 3 pages. The next time we went to the library I pulled the student aside and just talked to him a little about what his interests were, and we went from there. I started him on the Percy Jackson series, and within a month he had already finished the first two books. The student was hooked, we talked about the characters, and I gave him little hints about what was to come. Finding something that can interest the student is quite fulfilling.
I find it very interesting that those who have trouble reading, don't like to read (I know, I know, that's a given) but those who can read tend to love reading. Then we look at those students who possess an IEP and we find that as a rule, reading levels are well below their grade level. Further statistic say that only about 5% of those students with IEP's will grow into productive self-sufficient individuals, the remaining 95% will live in group homes or with his or her parents and if they work, hold part time menial jobs. (Is this due to their learning disabilities, or due to the individuals lack of reading and writing skills, since the better reading and writing skills we have the better speaking skills we have?) This may be a case of "Well...yeah" but I find the whole thing fascinating. Is there connections or am I just being silly? So how do we help students learn to read? Our text tells us to get to know each students uniqueness and I must agree with this. After all we all have different learning styles and rates, likes and dislikes, and sometimes, we don't even know what they are. If we hit on the individuals specifics can we then help that student to be in that 5%? I am far from a great reader, yet when I find an interesting book, I want to do nothing but read! I get into the book so much that I begin to see the action rather than the words! But...finding the books are extremely difficult because it has to catch my attention and interest within the first or second page! When I was in 8th grade my English teacher wanted us all to do a book report (something I despised doing because I did not like to read) When I found the book "The Jungle" I thought it might be able to hold my interest since I already knew the story. I thought it was "The Jungle Book". My teacher thought it was too advanced for me but encouraged me saying I might find it interesting if I can read it. "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair is a story of how the food and drug law came to be. It caught me in the first page and I was hooked. I think I got a "B" for my report even though I didn't finish it. I am also a very slow reader. Discover the individual, find the interest, and you will create a person who loves to read. Help a student find their love of reading, you just may help the student step into that illusive 5%!
Linda, if you don't mind, I would like to know where it talks about the IEP statistics, or where you got that information. I am sure you read it somewhere, that is not what I am disputing, I just would like to know the source. I work with IEP students and talked with teachers who have worked with many who have been through college and are successful at what they do. I have even worked with several Autistic students who are doing amazing things with their life on their own. I was a slow reader and if I had been tested back then, I probably would of been considered LD. I hated to read, could never find books that interested me, read only enough to get by, so I can relate very well with students who struggle. You are so right when you said you have to discover the students likes and interests before you can work on their reading abilities.
Chapter 2 focused in on the 5 components of reading which included teachers, students, text, context, and task. I enjoyed reading through the various aspects of each of these individual components. The first section which discussed teachers talked about how differentiating instruction is beneficial to the students. It discussed positive ways to motivate students, especially in regards to reading. It was interesting to me to read about the reasons why there is a decline in the motivation to read which was on page 26. The second reason discussed an "emphasis on competition" as a reason why students become less motivated to read. It talked about how teachers sometimes provide rewards for students and praise the ones who receive numerous rewards but not those who receive fewer. I specifically remember this in elementary school. Our teacher had an ice cream cone and we'd get scoops (similar to what was in the book!) - we'd even get to choose our "flavor" for reading a book..after getting so many we got special treats but those who didn't, got nothing. As an adult, and future educator, I see now how traumatizing that can be!
Another component of reading is the students and it was interesting to read in print the role that is played by them, besides reading and receiving a grade. I really focused on the beginning statement which said, "Understand the uniqueness of each student." In every situation, classroom, lesson, etc. this is so important I feel. When continuing to read I was able to see its relatedness to reading. It's undoubtedly important to understand the literacy knowledge and skills, reading strategies that are used, etc. of each individual student in order to be able to teach and motivate them in a way that works effectively.
Climate of the classroom in the context section was also very interesting to read. We all know that a peaceful and nurturing environment will clearly foster better learning than one that is not - however, the teachers' beliefs are what determine this environment, placing a large responsibility on the educator. When reading this section I thought about my internship classroom from last semester and what I experienced during the reading class. I remember the kids being so happy, ALL seeming to absolutely love to read, getting into their groups, etc. It was evident that the environment that had been created in that classroom had truly fostered their learning abilities. The students were focused, ready to learn, and seemed to love the subject. The teacher worked endlessly to help each student and expressed her love for reading which I feel had an impact on them. Like Gary Hogg said, "If you want children to love to read, show them that you love to read." Definitely true in this case!
I don't have any questions regarding the reading from this week! Excellent information though!
LaDonna- I enjoyed your post very much! I could tell that you really read the chapter and processed the information that was given to us. I agree with you that it is so important to understand the uniqueness of each student. This is because if we don't fully understand our students, then we as teachers cannot teach them and help them understand what is being taught. I personally like getting to know my students and sympathize with them. I sometimes get too attached to them which can be a good thing, but when its time for them to move on I have a hard time letting them go! This is a good thing, because still to this day I have students who remember me and will see me and go hey I remember you! And this brings a smile to my face!
I think your comment in the first paragraph about knowing your students is absolutely critical. I think that in order for a teacher to get the most out of each child, they have to not only know their strengths but more importantly their weaknesses. I think this allows the teacher to push those children out of their comfort zone and by doing that, allows them to expand their horizons. I know throughout my academic career, I have been constantly pushed outside of my comfort zone, and it is in those moments that I have honestly found myself.
Chapter 2 was such a great read! I loved the scenario of Miss Brooke's classroom. Her classroom sounded so fun and entertaining. Not only did the students have fun while learning to read, they involved other classes and their parents. The students were able to show that they learned by their test scores. I strongly believe that you can have fun while learning! Who wants to be in a classroom that all the teacher does is stand up there and lecture and tell the students to copy notes? Not me! I remember my favorite teachers growing up and those are the ones that made an impact in my school career. After reading this chapter I really thought back why they were such effective teachers and how they impacted me! Effective teachers play such an important role in our schools and I have seen that there are more and more teachers who think outside of the box and stray away from the traditional teaching. I'm not saying traditional teaching is bad, but we see that this traditional teaching doesn't stick with the students today as they did in the past!
In my personal opinion I think motivation is the key to being an effective teacher. After reading the section of motivation I really think that I am right! If you want to be an effective teacher you need to show that you are by being motivated. This goes back to getting to know your students and finding out what their likes and interests are. If you can incorporate that into a lesson and be excited about it the students are more likely to participate and remember what is being taught. Just like in Miss Brooke's classroom, the students were actively involved in the lessons and were able to share what they have learned with other classes and it showed by their test scores!
Last week my son's first grade classroom invited parents to come visit their classroom for parents day! My husband wasn't able to attend so I invited my father in law to join me! My father in law could not believe how the students were being taught in school! He thought it was amazing that during math centers the students were given math games and how fast those students were able to learn their math facts! I remember him whispering to me, "I wish I learned my math facts like that! I would have enjoyed school a whole lot better!" To me that showed that the students being actively involved and doing things they liked are more effective than the traditional teaching. We left the school and my father in law just kept saying, "Wow, I really enjoyed that!" Makes me proud as a mother and a future teacher that the older generation can appreciate the new ways of teaching and it shows for it! Parents day was an amazing way to show us parents and grandparents how students learn in the classroom! This chapter went right along with what we seen in my son's classroom and I am so proud that my son has a teacher who is effective and my son enjoys going to school!
Cassandra I also loved the scenario of Miss Brooke’s classroom. My favorite part was when the students recorded themselves reading books that they found at garage sales and gave them to a first grade class. What a great project that taught the fourth graders about fluency, reading with expression, giving, and creativity just to name a few. I was just learning how to use Audacity in my instructional technology class so now I want to try it out and see if I could do this activity with future students. You are right, it is those kinds of creative and effective teachers that we remember and that impacted our lives in such a positive way. I also enjoyed your reflection on your father-in-law’s visit to your son’s classroom. It was a great observation that education has changed and improved over the years. Sometimes with all the current new changes to education, we forget to keep perspective on how far we have come.
Chapter 2 talks about the different ways to teach reading, and how to motivate students to become active readers. The text goes into great detail about the traits that effective teachers share and what we can do to motivate students. The chapter also discusses the reasons why students lack that same motivation to read, which include self consciousness, the emphasis on competition, or the lack of interest in the reading. In my opinion the most important aspect of the chapter is the part about increasing motivation in students to read. The text states that students become more engaged when they are interested in the topic. This makes sense that a student of any age is going to be more inclined to read something they care about, or want to learn more about, than some random book that has no real entertainment value. My question would be more along the lines of aside from doing a book report, how can we as educators assess what our students have learned if we focus on having students read what sparks their personal interest. I would imagine that making individual assessments would be a waste of time; also it would mean that we as the teachers would be required to read each of the books as well so we know what to ask. In the reading it gives many different recommendations on increasing motivation by providing an abundance of texts, expanding choices, and a few other choices, but how do you assess the students if they all choose something different? I have always thought that students should be able to read what interests them. I didn’t want to read half of the books I was forced to read when I was in school, so why should I expect this generation to be any different. Finding out what the student’s interest is in should be the focus from day one, and guide the students to books that fit into their interests. Looking at this from another point of view I can see how assessment of the students, based on my opinion may be a little difficult to accomplish. We still need to have students find something to read that is personal, or meaningful to them, but this would be to help them become better readers. We still need to have them read the appropriate age or grade level books so we can assess the students properly. Personally when I was in school I hated to read. I was good at it, I never had any problems with reading, but I wanted to be active, I didn’t want to sit down and read. If the sun was up I was outside playing something with friends, so by the time the sun went down, it was homework and then to bed. Within the last decade I found interest in reading, thanks to Harry Potter of all characters. It seems a little silly to me that watching a movie would spark my interest to read, but it did. After having watched the first Potter movie I found myself interested in what was going to happen next. Since patience isn’t exactly my strongest attribute, I went out and purchased books 2-4 and read them as fast as I could. I may not be the enthusiast that most reading teachers are, but I am proof that reading can be fun, if you find something that catches your attention and makes you want more.
Chapter 2 started out with a great story about Mrs. Brooke's fourth grade class. This sounds like a great classroom for these students. They seem to be always doing something active as well as involving their parents and other students from other classes, these types of activities are the ones that the students will learn from and remember. After reading this story about her classroom, it wouldn't surprise me either that her student's have higher test scores than other classrooms that are not like Mrs. Brooke's. This chapter then goes on to give examples and features that the "good teachers" that we remember would do. I believe that it is true that we all remember our good teachers and can remember their qualities, but I also believe that we all remember our bad teachers as well. I know I can remember the teachers I didn't like and why I didn't like them. To this day, I remind myself of the things they did that I didn't like so that I can make sure I am not doing what they did with my students and others. These "good teachers" were always the ones that I remember would model what they wanted their students to do and were actively involved in our learning and motivating us to do well. Each of these are mentioned in this chapter as what the affective teachers do in their classroom, I'm sure these were also done in Mrs. Brooke's classroom as well. Another important part of this chapter is the topics of the text the students are reading. It is important for the teacher to know and have different leveled books available for their students. Like we have been hearing in our recordings, the students will all be at different reading levels, it is important for the students and teachers to know each students reading level as well as having multiple book choices in each level for the students. It is important for the students to understand what they are reading about. Schools have really turned to the "Accelerated Reading" (AR) programs that test the students on their comprehension of the books they have read. I have been able to help students with reading the test questions to them as well as helping out with the parties that are given at the end of the school year for the students who do great with their tests. The schools do these types of things for the students to try and encourage them to read more and help them understand what they are reading about.
Megan, Yes, I was amazed by the quantity and quality of activities and projects with which Miss Brooke’s students were involved. She really seems like the perfect teacher; the classroom activities she plans engage the students. They are totally participating in these learning experiences, working together and keeping their creative juices flowing. Miss Brooke does keep her students active, and I love that she provides opportunities for her students’ parents to come observe what their children are doing in the classroom. I would love to find a teacher like Miss Brooke to share ideas with; she seems to have a wealth of knowledge in regards to teaching and planning unique learning activities for her students.
The literacy event is a complex process that involves many facets. The bulk of the chapter appropriately involved the literacy event in relation to the teacher and the student. While I understand that the text, content, and task contribute to the learning process, these literacy components would seem to be determined by the teacher and student rather than separate components.
Effective teachers always make a big difference in student learning. I found the section on motivation interesting. I had never thought about individual rewards for reading actually being discouraging for the struggling readers because it is just one more visible way that they feel like their reading does not measure up. A class reward is an interesting twist and may work to motivate everyone in the class since everyone is contributing.
Another point that stood out to me was the discussion of the lack of interest in the assigned reading. I know I am less motivated to read a book in which I have no interest. My question is though; if you have a classroom of twenty five students with twenty five different interests then how do you match assigned readings to your class? For example, if a teacher wants to do a novel study with the entire class, it would be impossible to match every student’s interest. I could see tying in students’ interests during guided reading with smaller groups or literature groups with students matched for interests. Maybe the answer is that effective teaching is more about differentiating and not using one novel for the entire class.
For the students, I think that it is important for the teacher to understand that they all learn in different styles and as teachers, we need to use methods that will support those different styles and intelligences. I think that it is also important to teach students reading strategies and skills and the metacognition to know when to use the strategies and skills. Struggling readers benefit greatly from these approaches to the literacy event.
Ellen, I agree with you that effective teachers can make all the difference to the learners. Motivation is such an important part of the learning process and it is our job as teachers to find out how to best motivate our students through content and activities. Differentiated instruction is a great way to meet the needs of all students as well as considering their learning types. I enjoyed your post, Kara
Wow, I hope to someday be the type of teacher that Miss Brooke is! Her classroom seems to be a place the children enjoy being in. She gives the students many opportunities to work on collaborative activities that they really seem to enjoy and learn from. One thing I noticed she is doing that I learned about in my reading and language arts methods class is having the students read and use different typed of literature that include magazines, newspapers etc. I really like the idea of letting the students read and work with song lyrics. So many children relate to and really enjoy music and I think this would be a great motivator. This chapter discusses continuously assessing the students and adjusting the instruction accordingly. I believe this is the key to meeting the needs of all learners. Teachers must not only assess their students continuously but get to know them and what type of learner they are as well as what motivates them. I enjoyed reading about the different characteristics that effective teachers exhibit. This list could be used as a guide to ensure I am covering many of the important areas of instruction. I like that the author mentions the importance of creating a safe and comfortable learning environment. I know that I learn better if I am comfortable and confident and hope to create an environment like that someday for my students. Something I am experiencing as a substitute teacher is the need for motivation. If the students are not interested and motivated it is very hard to get and keep their attention. I thought the list of recommendations to increase motivation had some great ideas. Last semester I had the opportunity to have my own guided reading group in my internship class and I could definitely see a difference in the discussions and motivation if the students helped choose the book and were interested in it. I like the idea of rewards where the whole class benefits and think it is nice to encourage the students to work towards a common goal as well as individual goals. It was nice to have a review of the Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. I have learned about these in previous classes but it has been awhile and it is always good to be reminded of things. Many of the topics covered in this chapter were a review but nice to be reminded of them since I will be tutoring real live students this semester! One area I found interesting was about leveled books and the different ways they can be leveled. I had not previously learned about lexile and gradient leveling and was interested to be given an overview about these levelings.
Kara, I am with you, I can only hope to be as creative as Miss Brooke. I think it will depend on the school and the district we work. Administration at some buildings have a pretty strict policy that all grade levels should do the same thing, I can see this to a point, but as the saying goes, "not all students learn the same", and so that policy to me is not right. Good for you that you got your own Guided Reading group, it is so fun to see the growth. I had a low group I read with when I first started working at the school, they were all boys in the 5th grade. We read through the Gary Paulson "Hatchet" series and they loved it. We even tracked the character on a map as we read, so much fun.
This chapter of our text begins by focusing on effective teachers and the “essential components”, teacher, student, text, context, and task, which are all necessary for creating a more worthwhile experience in the classroom. The text goes on to list six very important qualities an effective teacher should possess; these primarily center on the teacher’s positive belief in student success, implementing appropriate instructional methods, utilizing a variety of teaching strategies, and providing unique and diverse reading material and opportunities for students. Differentiating instruction is critical in today’s diverse classrooms; an effective teacher adapts instruction to accommodate the various learning abilities and possibly special needs, as well as English learner students. One lesson will most likely not fit all of one’s students; this is when things like modifications and re-teaching may come into play. Areas of differentiating instruction can include content, learning activities, the product, and learning styles. There are definitely issues for students which can lead to a decreasing interest in reading; teachers obviously want to focus on building the motivation to read. It’s imperative that we get to know our students well, find out their interests, and use this information to engage them in the learning experience. Background knowledge, or lack of it, will affect a student’s literacy skills and progress. Teachers need to keep this in mind with their planning and instruction. There are reading strategies to use before, during, and after reading to activate students’ background knowledge, as well as to improve comprehension. Effective teachers also try to learn and understand everything possible about their students' learning styles; making this determination helps teachers to provide the most appropriate environment for learning. Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory definitely plays a role in reading instruction, as people usually possess a more dominant intelligence that can be used to the benefit of the student’s learning. Choosing texts that are at the appropriate reading level can either contribute to students’ reading success or hinder their progress. I do appreciate the idea of the whole class benefitting or getting rewarded; however, the text seemed to be somewhat discouraging of individual recognition. I feel like students should all receive encouragement and positive feedback, and I feel like it’s okay to give individual recognition and rewards to students for their accomplishments. If they have worked hard, then they’ve earned the acknowledgment and/or award. As the text stated, students are all unique, and we need to recognize and appreciate those differences. They should not all receive credit for the hard work and effort of a few. I really felt like the Teaching recommendations to increase motivation section in this chapter contained some fabulous suggestions for helping to engage one’s students. These recommendations discuss integrating students’ interests in activities and assignments, connecting to the world outside their classroom, using other reading materials like magazines, newspapers, etc., to provide variety. Collaboration was suggested, as well as implementing plenty of technology use whenever possible. I could see how these ideas would really interest students and engage them in their learning experiences. When I was in grade school, worksheets and textbook reading were the norm. I remember something really cool that our 2nd grade teacher did with her students every year that really promoted connection to the outside. We wrote letters and attached them to helium-filled balloons. We let them go, and then we waited to see if someone received them. They were asked to write back to us, (using our school’s address), and we would read their letter in return to see who received it and where. It was a fun, engaging activity to encourage reading and writing, something different.
I love the activity you took part in with the helium balloons. Those are the type of activities that get students excited about learning and school. Great Idea!!
One of the main things I liked about the reading this week was the part about why students lose their “want” to read or learn to read between the grades 1st – 4th. It has been a long time since I was in 1st grade, but I still remember not being as good of a reader as many of my friends and when it came to reading out loud, I hated it. I would count the number of people ahead of me then count the sentences so I could practice ahead, thus missing out on the content. I really like what the text stated about not having students read a loud to the entire class, but to break them up into partners or small groups. Finding a book in the students reading level is huge as well. I work with struggling readers, and once they find an interesting book in their level and see success, they are amazed they “like” to read. There have been times that I will read an entire book with a student over a period of days, talk about the book as we go, have the student take an AR test, then have them read another book in the same series, (because they already are familiar with the characters) on their own, and get them hooked that way. In the reading it talks about different literacy teachings, and this is one that I have found successful for struggling students. I am anxious to read Chapter3, there are so many times a teacher has shown me certain assessment results, and I have to ask what certain numbers mean, sometimes, they don’t even know.
I remember having to read out loud in school and hating it. I was always an okay reader but I just didn't like reading out loud so I can remember spending most my time trying to convince my friends not to pick me thus I was missing out on what the story was about. I think it is good to break students into small groups to read and find books that are at their reading level. Having small groups will allow you to put students with the same reading levels in each group so that they can work better and read books at their levels.
Jared!!! Good point!!! Look how much you missed out on just because you were stressed about having to read. When I take my sped kids out of a classroom, I read the chapter assignments to them, stopping to explain vocabulary and making real world connections. Occasionally I will ask the kids to read but they are more comfortable doing that in our small setting because none of them are really good readers so their comfort level is much better when they are in their group.
I think that small groups only is not the answer. While I do think that children need some small group time so that they can work on the foundation of reading, I also think that reading in front of a large group is just as important. If we do not push children to overcome their fears, then those fears will just continue to grow until they become crippling. I think that being able to read, speak, etc in front of a larger group sets children up for later in their life.
When reading chapter 2 about Mrs. Brooke's class room was enjoyable to see how she had the students doing many creative things and not just setting in the class room. In elementary it is important to have the students engaged in school and to make learning fun.. It then talks about how we remember are "good" and "bad" teachers along the way. This made me think of how good teachers possess so many different qualities that are good and make them successful teachers. After reading the section about motivation I think this is an important quality that all teachers need to have. If you aren't motivated to be your best and make your students become better students everyday you are in the wrong business. As a teacher you have to motivate your students to become better readers and writers. Some students become disengaged in reading and aren't motivated to be a better reader. This talks about ways to increase motivation such as expanding choices and options. There are many strategies to use for helping a student learn to read but one important part is having an environment that is good for reading. Making sure that students are choosing and reading books that are at their level so that they can become proficient independent readers. My question relates to a special education class room I go to. When the class goes to the library they are allowed to get four books of any kind. There are several kids that get chapter books that can't read well. Shouldn't the teacher make these students get at least two books that are at their reading level so that they can work on improving their reading ability? This chapter allowed me to look at the issue of being motivated as a teacher differently. It is so important to be motivated as a teacher to make the learning experience awesome for your students. You have to be creative in coming up with different ways to teach things so that the students don't become bored. Teaching reading takes a lot of energy and motivation because their are many students who struggle to read. In my own experience after reading the section about Miss Brooke's class it made me think about my 2nd grade teacher and how we did so many fun things. I remember going out to a pasture to read and after we were done we picked dandelions in which we then fried them and ate them. They actually aren't too bad. I hope to be like my 2nd grade teacher but with my own personal twist to it.
When my son was in the first grade (and he is a very good reader) he wanted to read chapter books like his sister who was in fifth grade. To encourage him in his quest for chapter books, I got him some frog and Toad books. That made him happy because he was able to read by chapter just like his sister. I think it is good to encourage students to read something that challenges them. However, if it is too far above their reading level, they don’t comprehend what they are reading and the challenge can end up just causing frustration. My suggestion would be to find out what it is they like about these harder books, and their interests. Then you can try to find books that are similar but more on their level.
I really enjoyed the break down in this chapter, especially the section on motivation. This is an area that I am always interested in and feel that I need more information on. This is also one of the main reasons I don't like teaching older students as much. They seem so very unmotivated many times and that is super frustrating for me. I found figure 2.5 on page 32 to be of great use to me. I really like these little charts that contain so many helpful suggestions in such a tiny space. I can't wait to try out some of these ideas this semester. The end of the chapter was especially helpful to me as well. I find that it is hard for me to keep track of and remember all of the different texts, levels, systems and what not that are out there. As a substitute I have the chance to see many different things put into place but it is hard for me to keep track of what is what in my mind, because they all kind of run together after awhile. I am really grateful for the last part of this chapter. I think it did a really nice job breaking things down for me. I especially like the information about the leveled book publishers and the comparison between the different levels. This book is proving to be a great resource for me already.
I have the same feelings as you about teaching older students. I have worked with a few classes of sixth graders and the students in those classes always seem less motivated. At that age they also start to develop their attitudes a little more and don't really enjoy being in school. I look forward to reading this more and more and developing the skills to make school more enjoyable for my students, even when they get to that older age.
1- This chapter introduced ways to help the students and our children become more successful readers. This chapter really caught my attention because it discussed the traits/characteristics, practices, and activities that a good literacy teacher has. This is so important to me because I want to know how the best teachers do it, I want to know where I need to focus and how to best help the students. This chapter was mostly just a review of the information I had learned in past courses. However, it was really good for me to just have that bit of a refresher to remind me of some of the very important information. The most important component out of the 5 components (the teacher, students, text, context, and task) is the student. Everything within the learning environment and when administering instruction should be focused on the students’ needs and skill areas. Nothing is more important than the student and I definitely feel as though that cannot be stressed enough.
2- I really did not have any questions or concerned with this week’s reading because quite a bit of it was review. I have a few concerns about administering the assessments but that is just because there is so much information for it that I do not want to forget.
3- The more I read through this text the more excited I am to work with my tutoring group. It also makes me more excited to eventually have my own classroom and work with students and try and make reading more fun and interesting for them. I love the different ideas for interactive reading lessons that I have read about through the text and while discussing the information with my fellow classmates. This text just continues to make me look at reading and reading instruction in a whole new and exciting way.
4- Looking at the main concerns for why motivation to read has declined really caught my attention because one of the reasons was that there is lack of interest in the assigned reading. I can definitely relate to that because there have been so many times throughout my life that I have been forced to read something that I have no interest in. I love reading and could read all day, it is just hard for me to want to read when there is nothing interesting to me in what I am reading. I think that is why I am so excited about these small tutoring groups because it is much easier to work with the individual students and meet their interests.
I also have a few concerns about administering the assessments. I liked the idea that Mrs. Stoppel had of bringing along a recording device to record the student reading, this way we can go over it when we are not with the students. I think that will help me be able to concentrate more on what they are saying and I won't miss anything that way.
Having a recording device is very helpful. At my school, many teachers record struggling readers and then have other colleagues listen to the recording to get their opionion for strategies, etc...
One of the most important things we do as educators is ensuring that our students have an environment conducive to learning. We need to be sure that our students are engaged, that we provide meaningful learning experiences, and that the students are active participants in their own learning. Some of the other traits of good teachers this chapter mentions include believing all students can learn, continually assessing individual progress, teaching in a variety of ways and with a variety of materials, modeling, and a huge list of others on page 25. Motivating students is very important, and including their interests and building on their background knowledge and experiences will help motivate them. I enjoyed the review of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, and feel it is very important to keep these in mind when teaching. The appendix in the back of the book (C-1) gives a checklist for assessing students' multiple intelligences. This would be very time consuming to do with an entire class. It might be easier to note one or two sections at a time for a few students each day. The section about selecting appropriate texts went along well with the recordings we had this week. Also, the Fry readability was an activity I did in a different class last year. I don't have any questions this week on the readings. I am excited to begin the tutoring, but am a little nervous about the assessment process. I am hoping that next week’s recordings (or sometime before the tutoring begins) demonstrate HOW the assessments are given.
This week’s chapter was titled The Literacy Event. The chapter began with a list of 29 things that are traits and activities of an effective literacy teacher. Within this list, I felt that setting time limits for tasks and responding to and providing feedback on students’ assignments while they work stood out to me as being the most significant. The chapter then went on to cover topics such as how to deal with a lack of interest in assigned reading, recommendations on increasing motivation, reading strategies, learning styles, leveled books, and finishes with readability tests. I feel that this chapter did a good job of laying the foundation for the rest of the book. With being a para-educator, I deal with lack of motivation quite often. This chapter gave me some fresh ideas about how to deal with that within the classroom. Many of the struggling children that I work with in small groups simply need a reason to try harder. Once they are provided that motivation, the sky is the limit in regards to their reading abilities. One question I do have is how do you motivate a child without over doing it? I mean, some children almost need you to hold their hand the entire lesson.
I think many teachers deal with a lack of motivation on the students part but in many cases I believe the student might be demonstrating this behavior because they lack the confidence in their ability to read well and by being presented with competition in the classroom like our text presented. I think the biggest two things we can do as future educators is make sure these children are getting the foundation set with the Big five (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocab, fluency, and comprehension) and having a big choice of books so students can read material that interest them. This will ultimately be the best motivator. In addition, positive reinforement.
That is a good question. I personally believe that "holding your student's hand the entire lesson" is completely disabling them from moving forward and is just holding them back. I feel like some students lack motivation or pretend to in order to get attention. I feel like there are so many strategies out there to motivate a child and if they are constantly wanting you to be by them during a whole lesson, it is for attention needs and then that needs to be addressed.
I enjoyed reading this chapter as it points out many of the things that effective literacy teachers are doing in the classroom. I agreed with the sentiment that students are going to be more interested in reading books that they have an interest in. When they have the interest, they will read more, which in turn will improve their literacy skills such as fluency and comprehension. One statement that stood out from the text referenced that effective literacy teachers engaged their students in reading and writing activites for nearly half of the school day. I like how the chapter was essentially broken down into 3 sections- the teacher, the students, and the texts. Teachers build the motivation and use strategies to engage the students. Students come from all different backgrounds and come to the table with different amounts of knowledge and ability as well as styles of learning. The type of texts that we give students is vital to their literacy growth. If the text is too difficult, frustration will occur and the student may not want to read. Determining whether the student is at the independent,instructional, or frustrational level is key in choosing a book for them to read. There are leveled books based on age, grade, the Lexile scale, and gradient leveling. In addition, there are online programs or one can use the Frye readability formula to guage the level of a book. One part of the chapter that hit home with me was the section that talked about the literacy knowledge and skills that students come to school with and how diverse these students are in this area. I see this so much in my internships as well as when I substitute teach. I know there are many cases where this may be caused from a student having a learning disability or where the student may be an ELL, but there are many cases where students aren't being exposed to reading and books at home. Parents can do so much for their children by just reading to them and having their children read to them. I look forward to applying many of the reading strategies that we are learning,just like with the example from our text with the word "humungous" and how the teacher modeled the correct strategy.
Like the previous semesters, I find it extremely beneficial to read about, "what makes an effective teacher." I always take note of the points that matter the most to me as a student and future educator and then I note it in my "Future Classroom Binder" to remind me of the teacher I want to be and need to be. I also work in a school so that point hit home as well. Many cases from home to school are so diverse and its nice to read about different ways to teach things to students. Thank you for sharing!
Chapter two started with another great scenario, which gave a lot of great literacy ideas to use in the classroom. One idea, I want to use is the daily reading of poetry. This was something that I use to do every day and want to begin using again, to help with fluency. The chapter also reviewed the five essential components of reading activities: teacher, student, text, context, and task. The one aspect the text mentioned about the role of the literacy teacher was helping students’ foster higher-level thinking. This is something that I have focused on for the past two years. The discussions that come with the higher level questions, is amazing. Last year I taught first grade and once I started challenging students to answer and ask higher level questions to construct meaning, their comprehension soared. In regards to students, the text mentioned incorporating a combination of strategies, skills adn metacognition. Our reading series (LEAD21) does a great job of using a balance of skills and strategies. The students have a nice understanding that strategies are their tools to use while reading.
While students are using their strategies it is imperative to have a classroom library equipped with books at their independent and instructional reading levels. The book mentioned having a combination of fiction, nonfiction and poetry books in their book bags. I love this idea and will definitely use this in my classroom. The chapter also had a book-leveling comparison chart, which is nice to have as a resource. While reading about context the book mentioned the importance of mixing students regularly so they are not always reading with the same students. After reading this, I am working on reworking my rotation groups so my students are working with students from different groups for some of the rotations. Finally, while reading about task the book mentioned higher-level thinking again. This is such an importance skill to foster and the discussions that occur are very meaningful to students. This section also mentioned having a variety of books for students to use in the classroom. Providing students with a large selection of books gives them the opportunity to find books that match their interests. Overall, the chapter gave a lot of great ideas to use in the classroom and stressed the importance of realizing decisions need to be made based on the student and not the method.
Lisa, You make a lot of great points that I agree with. I really enjoy the scenarios at the beginning of the chapters too. They give great examples. I agree with you about having a variety of genres available for students to read and I will definitly use this in my classroom too. I also like the idea of rotating reading groups so students get to experience reading with others at different reading levels. I think it is important for students to be able to read material that is meaningful and interesting to them as well. This was a great chapter full of great information and ideas! ~Lori
Chapter 2 focuses on the five components in reading and the roles behind them. The first component is the teachers. For me it is really easy to remember the best and worst teachers throughout my learning career. I was really impressed with the list of six critical qualities that excellent literacy teachers possess. I can only hope that one day I practice each and every one that is listed in our book. This chapter goes really into depth about qualities that effective teachers portray. The next component is the students. It is important for us as educators and future educators to remember that each student is unique and learns at a different pace. In this part of the text, there are many strategies list to try. The next component shown in this chapter is, Text, Effective teachers do not give students texts that are too difficult or too easy because it causes frustration and really is not beneficial to the student or to us. It goes into how to choose the correct text for each student which I found to be very helpful. The fourth component is Context. The context of the reading vent is the climate of the classroom. The last component discussed in this chapter is Task. We should personalize tasks to help each student by considering their interests, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. This chapter was extremely beneficial to me because their was so much useful information and new strategies that I can introduce and practice in my classroom. They will be helpful during my tutoring sessions and in my future classroom as well. I also really like how there is a reflective learning part at the end of the chapter for students at risk.
Of course it goes without saying that this reading was packed full of useful knowledge about reading. There were several times during this reading where I felt a little panic arises and I kept thinking what in the world qualifies me to be an expert for struggling readers?? What if I don't serve them correctly? What if I make it worse? I then took a deep breath and told myself that it is all just a process and to take it one step at a time. The charts and forms in the book are very plainly laid out and easy to follow. I didn't have trouble with reading as a kid and in fact it the 4th grade me and another boy got to go tutor 1st graders in reading. I didn't grow up in a house with parents who were readers no was anyone else in my immediate family. I also never really came across a teacher who just thought books are the bee's knees. So while I was good at it and didn't mind reading, I never really was a reader until I was an adult. I think that as a teacher not only do I need to be aware of strengths, weakness and interests, I need to instill a passion for books and show students how they can feed their interests with good books. As a parent I have always made books a part of my childrens' lives and I know they will come and go from how much time they spend with books, I just hope that they always remain a part of their lives.
I had the exact same thought. How am I ever suppose to do this? I have been entrusted with two kids for this semester, and need to help them achieve amazing things.
I have also always made books a part of my kids' lives. Now I need to make books a part of my students' lives.
This chapter discusses the five components of the literacy event. The first one is the teacher and his/her responsibility to modify lesson plans to accommodate each student’s individual needs. The others are the student, the text, the context, and the task. I realized just how critical it is to administer pretests to determine what content and concepts that students know and which ones they don’t., then adjust lessons accordingly. Another thing that I think is important is that the teacher engages students in a variety of reading materials that are meaningful and interesting to them. The uniqueness of each student is what makes teaching enjoyable, but also challenging for a teacher. Each student has unique learning styles and back grounds so it is the teacher’s job is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each student in regards to their literacy skills. The text leveling and readability tests were interesting to me. Our school uses the Accelerated Reader program. Students are tested at the beginning of the year and given their ZPD range. When they go to the library to choose a book to read during silent reading they just look on the inside label and see if it is in their reading level. This is very a effective and easy system. Each child sets an individual goal each quarter and, if they reach it, they get to go to the AR party at the end of the nine weeks. The students really seem to like this and are motivated to read. Reading this chapter has made me more aware of why we are required to do some of the things we are expected to do in our methods classes, like writing diverse lesson plans, doing pre and posttests, and incorporrating integrations within and across. In chapters 1 and 2 the author says, “Teachers teach children, not curricula” I think that is a very important thing to remember as an educator.
I think it is also important to engage the students. It is always unfortunate, when a group of students is not enjoying the book. I witnessed a literacy circle read of Because of Winn Dixie last year that was amazing. Kids that did not like to read were very excited to read, and even asked to stay in from recess to read.
I feel like this chapter was just introducing us to the idea that teaching reading is a huge job. We need to consider the students' likes, abilities, and even look at Maslow's theory and think if they are ready to learn.
It is very important to differentiate instruction for the students, as well as make sure the instruction is tailored towards their likes. Teachers need to draw the student in and make them look forward to learning and reading.
Most of the information in chapter 2 I have came across in other courses, but it is always nice to have a refresher and to have a different authors opinion on things. The text points out that in order to be able to select texts for your students you must first know your students. I think this is the best piece of advice to give anyone tutoring or teaching children to read. It is just like getting children to eat, they will eat the things they like but if you put liver in front of them they will turn their head and become uninterested. The same is true for reading. If you give a student that loves trains a book about trains he will read it or pay attention to you while you read it, but if you give that student a book about gardening he will become uninterested and not do well.
I found the paragraph about learning styles interesting as well. I never realized how when analytical thinkers learn they put things into steps and this would include learning to read. Global readers would first like to attempt to read a passage then learn how to break it apart. I could see how this would make global readers less likely to be good readers. I wonder though, in kindergarten when you are first formally teaching students to recognize letters, sounds, basic phonics, could you make a global learner a analytical learner or is this something that cannot be changed?
I am very pleased with the quality of your comments about the chapter, but more pleased with your insightful and encouraging responses to each other. The collaboration and support you are giving each other is phenomenal! Keep up the excellent work!
This chapter addressed different components that make for good literacy teachers. The thing that seemed to be emphasized the most was variety – whether it was in the kind of written texts the students read or how they reported on what they read. Allowing students to choose different methods to do their reading, whether it is choosing the subject of their book or choosing a magazine over a book, will help students learn to enjoy reading. This was one of the reasons given for students not liking to read, so if we as teachers can let students choose what they want to read, it will be a big motivator in getting them to read.
ReplyDeleteWays to add variety to the reading instruction were also given in this chapter. One important aspect is to know the learning styles of the students, as they don’t all learn the same. The book also emphasized that a specific curriculum is not the goal of reading. Rather, educators should be working to develop an enriched environment for the students, giving them options of reading materials and getting them excited about reading.
I have seen the Fry’s Readability Graph before in Curriculum and Assessments, and I really like this graph as it is an aid in evaluating both textbooks and library books to see if they are on the right grade level. I also liked the online text that was mentioned to see which intelligence category I fell in. I have read about Gardner’s multiple intelligences in a number of different classes, and often wondered which one I would fit into. So it was interesting to take the quiz to find out for sure!
The book also mentioned modeling reading for our students. This raised a question in my mind. I am an avid reader (I read The Tale of Two Cities and Dietrich Bonhoeffer over Christmas break), but not one of my six children truly enjoy reading as a leisurely activity. Modeling is obviously not enough! I read to my kids when they were younger, and they checked books out of the library. They have been exposed to books and reading! So, are some children just not going to be interested in reading? Can reading be classified as a hobby such as cooking or gardening, and some like it and some don’t? I realize it’s different, because reading is something everyone needs to learn how to do and do well to function in our society. But thinking that reading just may not be someone’s love makes me realize the even greater responsibility I will have as a teacher to make it as interesting as possible so that those children still learn how to read. And who knows? Maybe if it is taught with more variety and freedom, more students will get excited about reading?
I like how you mention sometimes modeling is just not enough. As adults we list reading as a hobby, but when students are growing up they have to read regardless. I think this will be a challenge. I model reading whenever I can, but no matter what, there may always be a student that just does not likes it. Just like how you said about your children. I think once we are teachers, and get to know our students we will figure out something to make them enjoy reading. I want to involve as much choice as I can with reading while still following the curriculum.
DeleteI remembered the Fry's Readability Graph from Curriculum and Assessment as well and thought this diagram was a lot better. It seems that finding readings that students enjoy is one of the biggest challenges, I hope to learn many ways to do this.
Deletemjb
DeleteI agree with your post on several points Jenny and your kids will probably develop into readers just as you have. I believe if chidren continue to be exposed to reading they will ultimately become better at it and find books that they really enjoy which will reinforce that behavior. I also liked the part about different learning styles and enjoyed how the text broke down how readers use the four cues to decipher the text they are reading (syntax, semantics, graphophonics, and pragmatics) This was informative.
DeleteI agree with you that it is a conundrum about do some students just like to read and some don't? I didn't become an avid reader until I was an adult. I never minded reading, but it wasn't a "hobby". With that said, I never really had an adult around me that was passionate about it either. While it is one thing to model reading habits, I think it is a whole other issue of striking the passion for reading in students. Your reading passion has to envoke a passion in kids to do the same.
DeleteIn this chapter it talks about a variety of ideas to create a positive reading environment. In classes, some students will not want to read. They do not like reading, because they are not interested in what they are reading. This was my problem when I was in high school. I did not want to read because the material was had not relation with my interest. I could not connect to the reading, so therefore I had no interest.
ReplyDeleteWhen involving reading in the classroom, the teacher should allow a time for students to access books that interest them. When students go to library, the class should be able to check out at least one "fun" or "free choice" book. By doing this, it is allowing students to explore their interests and have a time where they can enjoy a book.
Although reading assessment and testing is so stressed throughout the school year, teachers should be able to create an environment where students want to read. Taking the time to get to know the students as individuals will help with this. Although material is required, the teacher can take the given reading material and find a way to make a connection with the class. The more the lesson can relate to the students, the higher chance of a student learning and enjoying the reading will be present.
No matter what, some students will not want or like to read. It may be a challenge for teachers to find a way for all students to read. The teacher needs to lead by example, and I think showing the students you read may help them as well. I think read aloud are very important to incorporate in the daily schedule. This will give the students the chance to just listen to a fun book read by the teacher to get a break of what is being taught in the reading block.
Getting to know our students is SO important! It's important in all areas - one example: last week when subbing, I got to talking about a boy who's been wearing a brace for months. I asked him exactly what was wrong, what the brace was supposed to do, etc. I ended up subbing the next two days, and every time that boy saw me, he looked me in the eye to make contact and asked how I was doing. So it helps in developing relationships and letting the students know we care about them as individuals. In my mind, this is the main reason for getting to know the students. But then it is also a huge help when choosing books for reading. If we can learn to know their interests and find reading materials that fit that subject, we can hopefully encourage them to read - even if they wouldn't say they enjoy reading. For too long we have made reading too structured. All students have had to read the same book, with many of them finding it boring. I see the value in the questions on the Corrections enrollment form of learning to know about our students so we can help choose books along their interests. I'm excited about the possibilities that exist in creating different reading materials for students with different interests.
Deletemjb
DeleteThe chapter was talking about the five essential components that come together and create a meaningful learning experience. These are: teacher, students, text, context, and task. These are the components that an effective teacher possesses. Along with this they talked about the six critical qualities of knowledge and practice that excellent literacy teachers possess. It discussed why students lose motivation to read, and what the teacher can do to rejuvenate that motivation again. When talking about the students it is mentioned that each is unique and comes from different backgrounds and experiences. The effective teacher will activate background knowledge, or provide it to those that did not have those types of experiences. Students need the skills, strategies, and metacognition to learn at their fullest potential. They talked about the four cueing systems that students use to make sense of the text: syntax, semantics, graphophonics, and pragmatics. Next is text and finding ones that are suitable for students to read. It talks about the different reading levels and helping the student choose the right book for the occasion. Content and task are the things that are going on in the classroom. Discussion and time to talk with peers is effective, but so is reading and doing activities independently.
ReplyDeleteWhen creating background experiences for those that may not have had it, how do you do that in a district with a low budget where you can’t go on field trips, or don’t have the different technology?
Though it does make sense, I never thought of teachers having more influence on the literacy learning process than any other curriculum or strategy, like this chapter suggests. They suggested that all effective literacy teacher exhibit similar characteristics like: time students are engaged in reading and writing authentic passages; read text that the students find interesting; teachers do more than assign and asses, they do a lot of demonstrating and modeling; they talk and foster communication skills by posing higher-level thinking questions and discuss with their peers; students have a choice of tasks that require them to integrate reading, writing, thinking, speaking, and listening; and testing where the teachers grade process as well as product with rubrics. I have never heard of the term of a global style reader. It is opposing to the analytic reader which are auditory learners and process information in logical sequential steps. They learn to read best when when first presented with phonics then proceed to whole text with decodable words. Global style readers tend to learn best if they first read the text then learn the skills in the context of the passage; they usually are more poor readers. I guess I wasn't aware of all of the different ways to level books.
The section on teachers talked about differentiating instruction. This is something we are thinking a lot about in the methods courses, and any other courses, when we are designing a lesson plan. It is so essential to be able to reach all of the students in the class at their level to better improve them from where they are. I saw this often in my internship last semester. She had a very wide range of abilities and she often had three different things going on at once to be able to touch all of the students. As I read through the section that talked about the reasons for the decline in the motivation to read I realized how spot on those were for me. I don’t ever remember liking to read, but I know I didn't like to read because I knew I wasn't good and I was self-conscious about it, I didn't like to compete with my reading because I knew I wouldn't do very well, and I seemed to never like anything that my teachers made me read. All three of these things pushed me away from reading, since I had an underlying disability that no one found until I was 18. I had good reason why I didn't read well, but we didn't why what that was at the time.
When I was observing in a kindergarten classroom last semester, one way the teacher gave the student background knowledge was by taking them on a "virtual" field trip. They used the Lead 21 reading program which gave her access to all kinds of online resources, one being the virtual field trips.
DeleteThe virtual field trip that Kayla mentioned is a great way but if you don't have access to a program that uses the virtual field trip you may be able to create a kind of field trip through an online search. There are so many videos and other information online that you may be able to use it to help the students understand.
DeleteI can relate to you as well. I never seemed to be able to get into the text that was assigned to me; however mine started much earlier than high school. I don’t know if I could not get into it because I could not understand it because I was dyslexic and had ADHD that was undiagnosed until the last month of my senior year, or if I truly was not interested. I remember my parents bringing me to the library and asking me what I wanted to read about, I remember my response was, “Nothing, there is nothing that I have ever like to read about so why would there be now?” My poor parents! I think that if you give the students opportunities to read the things they really like they will be more apt to be successful in reading the things that they may not like as well, but have to read because of testing. It is so essential to keep the lessons relatable to the students. I love your idea with read alouds. When reading is modeled for students they will take better to it and will enjoy it. Still to this day my favorite book is a book that was a read aloud when I was in 3rd grade that the teacher wrote in when I moved.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter really focused on making sure students are reading at the correct levels. For example, when they are reading on their own they need to be reading at the independent reading level, a level where they can read at an appropriate speed and also with good accuracy. Now, when students are working with a teacher or another adult they should be reading at the instructional reading level, a level where they can comprehend most of the words quickly and accurately. The next level of reading is the frustration level where students really shouldn't be reading because they struggle with both, accuracy and comprehension, and can then get discouraged and not want to read at all.
ReplyDeleteThe chapter also discussed ways of leveling books for students such as age, grade, lexile, and gradient leveling, which I found interesting because sometimes one way of deciding whether a book is at the correct level is not always accurate. For example, just because a student is 8 years old doesn't mean they are at the reading level where 8-year-olds normally are. They could either be above or below and in this situation it would probably be better to find them a book using the lexile leveling process.
The chapter also focused on making sure students are getting to read material that relates to their interests because they are more likely to stay motivated with their reading and because they have background knowledge on the topic so they may also be more able to figure out what a word or phrase means that they have not seen or heard before. Reading this chapter made me look at this issue a little differently because so often in schools, and usually in the upper grades, teachers tell the students that they are all going to read this one certain book together as a class. I absolutely hated this in school because I never liked any of the books and so I struggled reading it and had a hard time motivating myself to read the book. So this chapter made me realize that you can assign books to a class, but give them more than one option and then have the students who chose one book work/read together in one group, and the rest work/read together in groups that chose the other book(s). This way students don't feel like they are being forced to read something they don't want to. It also keeps them from putting a negative feeling towards reading. Honestly, today I would do just about anything else than read. Hardly ever do I read for pleasure and I sometimes wonder if part of it is because I was "forced" to read so many books I didn't like.
One last thing that I always find interesting when it's covered in our readings is Gardner's multiple intelligences. Maybe it's me, but every time I read over these I always come up with a person or two in my life that fits each one. Some are harder to figure out than others, but I think it is so interesting how we are each better at some things than we are others. I always seem to relate to mainly the logical intelligence and but also the spatial one too.
mjb
DeleteChapter 2 DeVries
ReplyDeleteThe chapter begins by outlining the 6 qualities and characteristics of excellent literacy teachers. A few of them being: believing all children can learn to read and write, offering a variety of materials and texts for them to read, continually assess individual progress, having students read real texts they find interesting, spend time demonstrating and modeling strategies and finally to foster communication skills by posing higher-level thinking questions. These are some of the things I felt were the most important aspects of what was being discussed but at the same time, they also seem to me to be common sense. Maybe that’s because I am a para and it comes more naturally to me while I assist students as they struggle reading. I have learned many ways to form some kind of connection with certain students to get them interested in reading.
The reasons listed for the decline in motivation to read are very real in my everyday work with high school students who do not have any incentive to read. They have lost something along the way as they fell behind, unnoticed by anyone. It’s even harder now that they are older to help them understand the importance of reading because they see no importance. Just today in a classroom the teacher asked for volunteers to read aloud and none of “my” kids ever offer to read but at some point they know they have to because the teacher requires all of them to read aloud. They are too self-conscious about reading aloud because they aren’t good readers. They also do not see any point in reading because they do not comprehend what they are reading so it seems like a waste of time to them. The kids do quite well when we read from the text as a group when I take some of them out of class and we can discuss paragraph by paragraph what we have read. They get it then! They don’t have a problem reading outloud in our small group because they are all about the same reading ability.
Having some general knowledge about a topic is a huge advantage for kids to like reading and to comprehend what they have read. I like to make as many connections ahead of time for them as possible because they are more engaged in discussion and reading. The text talks about the strategies for reading that activate prior knowledge before, during and after reading.
The four cueing systems readers use are syntax (does it sound right), semantic (does it make sense), graphophonic (does it look right) and pragmatic (the situational context). This leads into the levels of readability where independent readers have 95% or higher accuracy with a high level of comprehension; instructional readers have a 90 to 94% accuracy with 60% comprehension; and the frustration level where they read with less than 90% accuracy and have almost no comprehension from what they have read because it a struggle just to be able to say the words correctly. Leveling texts becomes necessary for success. Readability test can help teachers chose appropriate level texts for students. I have used the Fry Readability formula in previous classes and find it quite helpful in selecting texts.
Chapter two in the Devries text reminded me of the characteristics of an effective teacher in the classroom. This particular chapter went into depth more than I have read in other classes but this text gives ideas on how to be effective when it comes to teaching literacy. Understanding the individual student is just as important as being effective. Every student has their own learning style as well as language system.
ReplyDeleteWould it be a good idea to give the multiple intelligences inventory to our students? If we know what they prefer would be develop lesson plans to include a bit of everything or would we hit on some for one lesson plan and then hit on a couple of others for the next?
The Readability Formula allowed me to look at text books for students differently. Just because a text says it is a 6th grade Math book (or Reading) does not mean it is. I tried the Readability Formula out on a math book at the school I work at and it turned out to be at a 7th grade level. What is worse is that the teacher I work under has me use this same book for fifth graders in the special education classroom. This does not make sense to me.
In reading this chapter I found some strategies that I use that I did not realize was a strategy. The Language system including syntax, semantic, graphophonic, and pragmatic are all ways that I have helped struggling readers. I ask some of those same questions in order to get the student to get into the habit of asking the same questions to themselves when they read an unfamiliar word.
Jeannette you pose a great question in your post regarding multiple intelligence inventory. Depending on the grade level, I think it would be a great idea (it couldn't hurt). Based on the response you could provide instruction or activities that promote or lend itself to the prominent intelligences in your classroom. Additionally, it would provide learning opportunities for students to explore activities focused on different intelligences.
Deletemjb 7th grade readability for 5th grade special needs? Is the teacher unaware or is a district mandated text?
DeleteJeannette, I agree with you on that this chapter really gave some great ways to be an effective teacher. I feel that it helps show new avenues to getting the students engaged and setting them up for more success. We need to really learn all we can about each individual student so we can pinpoint their interest in our lessons. The book issue of 7th grade readability and using it in the 5th grade special needs program...if your teacher was willing to see the Fry's readability, maybe she would be able to approach the administration and help get a more appropriate book for the 5th graders. You must have plenty of frustration in reading from your students!
DeleteI am shocked that the teacher you are working with wants you to use the 7th grade reading level math book for the 5th grade students in the special education classroom! Surely he or she does not realize the readability level it is. What have you done? You really need to explain it to them in a way that they would understand...IF they are even capable of doing the work.
DeleteI helped a new student today in the second grade. I had to use manipulatives, a number chart, talking through the problems, and finger counting so this student could add 2 digit numbers. I mentioned this to my Special Education supervisor who told me we have his brother but that the parents did not request services for the 2nd grader who thought 9 + 1 = 2.
This child needs to be in Special Ed with appropriate grade level math and reading. It sounds like your 5th grade students need the same.
Gosh that has got to be a tricky situation trying to tell the teacher they are wrong but I know it can be done in a professional and tactful way....but it's still an uncomfortable situation. I have an issue right now with a teacher and I just don't want to hurt her feelings. She is a high school science teacher, been teaching for years, and does not pronounce words correctly so now students are not saying the words properly. For example, one of the words that bothers me the most is the word "peninsula" which she pronounces "peninCHula" - What do I do?? She also says "chromozone" instead of chromosome and "ribozone" instead of ribosome. She is a dear sweet person but those inaccuracies really drive me crazy! Many of the kids know the pronunciation is incorrect but others do not.
DeleteI am not sure of a great solution to help you out. Maybe ask her if she would help you do the readability test on her books with you to make sure you are doing it correctly. Hopefully at this time she will realize that her book is no where near the grade level for her students.
DeleteAs far as the MI inventory, I never think you can know too much about your students. I would not overwhelm them by presenting all the information at one time though. I would use a little each do so they stay attentive.
I have mentioned several times that I would rather use the 5th grade Everyday Math book but just go at a slower pace. Every time I bring it up she just says well I think we can just skip around in this book (the one she is set on using). I can honestly say the students are making huge learning gains from the beginning of the year because when I began they did not know double digit multiplication such as 16*13 and now they can work it out. However, I truly believe if I was able to use the same book the rest of the 5th grade uses there could have been many more gains. I am only hurting them and bringing them further behind their class, in my opinion. I have begun to complain to the 5th grade teacher, which may not be a good idea but I think by next year something else will be in place. This is my hope anyway.
DeleteThis chapter provided a detailed look into the importance of the literacy from an educational perspective, in addition to the importance of being an effective literacy educator. General information regarding literacy involves the importance of understanding the key components that impact literacy knowledge; literacy skills, reading strategies and metacognition. Additionally selecting the appropriate text based on readability and other indicators is essential. Statistics and research as indicated in this chapter proved that “educators/teachers are more influential in the literacy learning process than in any other curriculum or strategy.” In order to be successful in literacy instruction differentiating instruction is essential in addition to aspiring to replicate many of the effective literacy teacher characteristics listed in the text; time, text, teaching, talk, tasks, testing.
ReplyDeleteThe most essential component of this chapter, in addition to the section that made the biggest impact on me was the focus on motivation and reading. I wasn’t aware of the statistical implications and trend of students losing interest or motivation during 1-4 grade. The four characteristics that leads to this include; self-consciousness about reading, emphasis on competition and lack of interest in assigned reading. As I future reader wanting to teach K-6 grade, this is essential to remember. Reflectively for me as I think back to my childhood, I can relate to all of these influences. Reader’s theater was notorious in one of my classes and students would count ahead to try to practice their assigned paragraph, it was high pressure to read your paragraph flawlessly or receive social scrutiny. Additionally, I remember participating in the AR program and being extremely competitive with peers, to the point that we would take tests of books we hadn’t even read in hopes to score points. As the text mentions, creating differentiated instruction that promotes motivation is essential. However, one question that I had was in regards to reader’s theater—other courses and instructors have suggested simply eliminating it from the curriculum, at least at the large group level, is this appropriate??
My favorite quote from this text is, “…good readers become lifelong readers.” It’s scary to think that just a few grade levels could impact an individual’s lifelong reading ability or inability. Therefore as a future teacher I realize the need to motivate and to focus on providing appropriate text that are at the reading level and also provide interest to students. I felt this chapter was extremely helpful and thought-provoking.
That is a powerful quote! One thing that I remember best is modeling and I feel that it's extremely powerful. If students see that reading is important to you, it will reinforce everything that you are trying to teach them. In RLA, we talked about how modeling this is simply letting students see you read and share what you are reading with them. Seems like such a simple thing it wouldn't be helpful, but I'm sure it would be!
Deletemjb
DeleteThis chapter was full of new information for me as well. I remember the AR tests when I was younger and we had to do them for a grade and pass with a certain percentage. Now I'm not seeing that at the school I work at. The students are encouraged to read and take the test for the book, their goals all seem to be to do the best they can for the large pizza party at the end of the school year. The students here are also earning ribbons for their AR points. I feel that this has changed a lot since when I first started taking them.
Deletemjb
DeleteAs I read this chapter, I kept thinking of the things that I learned in Reading and Language Arts with Dr. Walizer. In her class we learned that competition in reading with students is bad and that Round Robin reading is evil. I have to say that as a fan of the Beers book in RLA, I found a lot of repeat information. Using pre, during, and post reading strategies help increase motivation and comprehension, as well as the absolute necessity of differentiated instruction for students were familiar concepts from this book.
ReplyDeleteApart from similarities, I felt that there were many important parts to this chapter. All students are different and come to the class each day with completely different schemas. They all require their uniqueness to be accepted, understood, and then taught too. To remain motivated and engaged, students must be able to control (to a clearly defined extent) the books they read and the choices they make. Instead of forcing students to read specific books, allow them to choose from “this level” or “one of the books on this shelf.” I work in a school and find myself frequently torn between two viewpoints – that students should simply mindlessly obey adults and that there should be an exchange between student and teacher. Personally, I believe there should be an exchange, a compromise, between student and teacher to ensure that the student feels in control of their education. I was surprised at the sheer number of leveling methods mentioned in this book – there are a lot out there! I learned about Fry’s readability in Curriculum and Assessment and keep a copy of it in my teacher binder. It definitely is helpful for the non-AR books in our library!
mjb
DeleteSarah,
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post. I also absolutely LOVED the Beers book from RLA methods. I definitely feel of any textbook thus far, it's my favorite. The reading strategies and other information in this chapter were similar to the readings in our RLA methods books. Great information though! Competition is a terrible thing - which we did learn then and then read again in this text. I wrote how I remembered doing the very example provided in the book about receiving ice cream scoops on a cone for each book you read. After so many we received a treat and other who didn't get scoops or didn't read, got nothing. As someone who loved to read I never paid attention to the students who got nothing - but as a future educator, I look back and think "HOW TERRIBLE!!!"
Allowing students to to choose from "their level" as you stated was a great statement that was brought forth from this chapter - THIS is the way to motivate them! Great post!!
My daughter's school uses AR levels. Each student is required to have at least one book in their AR level checked out to them at all times. What I love is that the library has multiple books pulled out for each and every level so the choices are immense! By doing this each student is sure to find something within their level that they will enjoy. It works out really well!
DeleteChapter two stressed the five components in the reading event. This includes teacher, student, text, context and the task. The teacher sets the mood and scenario for the learning event by differentiating instruction to reach all their students. I really enjoyed the scenario that the chapter opened with. The entire time I was reading it, I was saying “wow, how I would have thrived with a teacher showing me so many great ways to learn the subject.” The students would have such lasting memories with the fun, engaged atmosphere of that classroom. I did find it somewhat of a surprise that competition is the 2nd reason for students to decline their interest in the given subject. So much is set up as a competition, not only in school, so I think it is sometimes just natural to use it as motivation. I did like the idea of using a large gumball machine for an incentive and the entire class tributes to it. Hopefully students will see others names going on the gumballs and want to be a part of it, and not look at is a draw back from participating. The student portion of the reading event is having them learn different strategies to improve their learning styles. Since we are all different, it is very important for the teacher to introduce many methods so the student can find the technique that works best for them. The text part of the event is making sure that the book is matching up with the readability of the student. I like the Fry Readability chart and how it helps assess not only level readers, but text books for each subject that we teach. Last semester, I took a class that has us do an activity with the readability chart, and I was amazed on how it worked. By finding the books appropriate to each student is a must for success and keeping the student’s frustration level down. The context is the classroom climate or atmosphere. As discussed earlier, I feel that the scenario of Ms. Young’s classroom would be one that a student would really strive with. The learning is placed in a real-life situation and they probably don’t even know that they are learning the requirements of the school curriculum. The final reading event is task, and that is where you are setting the expectations high for the students to achieve their goals. This is engaging the students, setting personalized goals, and fostering them for higher level thinking. The book states that 50% of ever school day is reading and writing. I would have even guessed that percentage would have been even higher. Taking a look at the entire reading event is very important, and one for me to consider while designing my lesson plans in the future.
ReplyDeleteI was also very impressed with Ms. Young's classroom. It is easy to see how many different ways she had her students involved in reading. I also liked the idea of a whole class incentive instead of each student. I think struggling readers would try to help earn the reward this way instead of seeing how far behind they are compared to the other students personal incentives.
Deletemjb
DeleteChapter two of the text covers the five components in reading. The components are the teachers, students, text, context, and task. It is critical for teachers to understand how reading develops, in order to be able to adjust instruction, offer a variety of materials, flexible groups, and to coach reading strategically. Due to multiple levels of intelligence, learning styles, cueing systems, and knowledge, it is important to provide differentiated instruction in order to reach all students. When creating success in the classroom, it is important to understand student and text levels, to create an engaging and positive climate with personalization of tasks and higher-level thinking.
ReplyDeleteThe text seemed to really stress the importance of using groups that change due to needs of students, and to find what interests the students in order to motivate them to succeed. It also helps enforce how important classroom climate is as a factor in student success.
I found the text section very helpful with references to finding book grade levels and it gave me a clearer understanding of the levels of readability. I liked how the text stated to require time for silent reading. Over the past few years, I have seen younger students who had silent reading time compared to students who did not, and the ones who did, had better literacy skills.
This chapter will definitely be helpful in regards to tutoring, by helping me understand students learning more and ways to help them.
Samantha,
DeleteI noticed the emphasis on finding the interests of students as a motivator in this chapter as well. It's evident that this makes perfect sense - who doesn't enjoy something they are interested in?
I also wrote about the classroom climate which I loved the information provided in the book about this. Discussed how the teachers beliefs' or attitudes create this climate which is true. When I read this, I thought about when Gary Hogg presented and said, "If you want children to love to read, show them that you love to read." Teachers create the climate..and provide the motivation! Great post!!
I agree that silent reading time is extremely important in our K-8 classrooms, but what is more important is making sure they are actually reading. I have witnessed many students who do struggle to read staring at the same page for the entire reading period. I think that we as educators must take an active role in what the student is reading. When I did my RLA internship last semester I watched one particular student go from book to book each day and never got past 2 or 3 pages. The next time we went to the library I pulled the student aside and just talked to him a little about what his interests were, and we went from there. I started him on the Percy Jackson series, and within a month he had already finished the first two books. The student was hooked, we talked about the characters, and I gave him little hints about what was to come. Finding something that can interest the student is quite fulfilling.
Deletemjb
DeleteI find it very interesting that those who have trouble reading, don't like to read (I know, I know, that's a given) but those who can read tend to love reading. Then we look at those students who possess an IEP and we find that as a rule, reading levels are well below their grade level. Further statistic say that only about 5% of those students with IEP's will grow into productive self-sufficient individuals, the remaining 95% will live in group homes or with his or her parents and if they work, hold part time menial jobs. (Is this due to their learning disabilities, or due to the individuals lack of reading and writing skills, since the better reading and writing skills we have the better speaking skills we have?)
ReplyDeleteThis may be a case of "Well...yeah" but I find the whole thing fascinating. Is there connections or am I just being silly?
So how do we help students learn to read? Our text tells us to get to know each students uniqueness and I must agree with this. After all we all have different learning styles and rates, likes and dislikes, and sometimes, we don't even know what they are. If we hit on the individuals specifics can we then help that student to be in that 5%?
I am far from a great reader, yet when I find an interesting book, I want to do nothing but read! I get into the book so much that I begin to see the action rather than the words! But...finding the books are extremely difficult because it has to catch my attention and interest within the first or second page!
When I was in 8th grade my English teacher wanted us all to do a book report (something I despised doing because I did not like to read) When I found the book "The Jungle" I thought it might be able to hold my interest since I already knew the story. I thought it was "The Jungle Book". My teacher thought it was too advanced for me but encouraged me saying I might find it interesting if I can read it. "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair is a story of how the food and drug law came to be. It caught me in the first page and I was hooked. I think I got a "B" for my report even though I didn't finish it. I am also a very slow reader.
Discover the individual, find the interest, and you will create a person who loves to read. Help a student find their love of reading, you just may help the student step into that illusive 5%!
Linda, if you don't mind, I would like to know where it talks about the IEP statistics, or where you got that information. I am sure you read it somewhere, that is not what I am disputing, I just would like to know the source. I work with IEP students and talked with teachers who have worked with many who have been through college and are successful at what they do. I have even worked with several Autistic students who are doing amazing things with their life on their own. I was a slow reader and if I had been tested back then, I probably would of been considered LD. I hated to read, could never find books that interested me, read only enough to get by, so I can relate very well with students who struggle. You are so right when you said you have to discover the students likes and interests before you can work on their reading abilities.
Deletemjb
DeleteChapter 2 focused in on the 5 components of reading which included teachers, students, text, context, and task. I enjoyed reading through the various aspects of each of these individual components. The first section which discussed teachers talked about how differentiating instruction is beneficial to the students. It discussed positive ways to motivate students, especially in regards to reading. It was interesting to me to read about the reasons why there is a decline in the motivation to read which was on page 26. The second reason discussed an "emphasis on competition" as a reason why students become less motivated to read. It talked about how teachers sometimes provide rewards for students and praise the ones who receive numerous rewards but not those who receive fewer. I specifically remember this in elementary school. Our teacher had an ice cream cone and we'd get scoops (similar to what was in the book!) - we'd even get to choose our "flavor" for reading a book..after getting so many we got special treats but those who didn't, got nothing. As an adult, and future educator, I see now how traumatizing that can be!
ReplyDeleteAnother component of reading is the students and it was interesting to read in print the role that is played by them, besides reading and receiving a grade. I really focused on the beginning statement which said, "Understand the uniqueness of each student." In every situation, classroom, lesson, etc. this is so important I feel. When continuing to read I was able to see its relatedness to reading. It's undoubtedly important to understand the literacy knowledge and skills, reading strategies that are used, etc. of each individual student in order to be able to teach and motivate them in a way that works effectively.
Climate of the classroom in the context section was also very interesting to read. We all know that a peaceful and nurturing environment will clearly foster better learning than one that is not - however, the teachers' beliefs are what determine this environment, placing a large responsibility on the educator. When reading this section I thought about my internship classroom from last semester and what I experienced during the reading class. I remember the kids being so happy, ALL seeming to absolutely love to read, getting into their groups, etc. It was evident that the environment that had been created in that classroom had truly fostered their learning abilities. The students were focused, ready to learn, and seemed to love the subject. The teacher worked endlessly to help each student and expressed her love for reading which I feel had an impact on them. Like Gary Hogg said, "If you want children to love to read, show them that you love to read." Definitely true in this case!
I don't have any questions regarding the reading from this week! Excellent information though!
LaDonna-
DeleteI enjoyed your post very much! I could tell that you really read the chapter and processed the information that was given to us. I agree with you that it is so important to understand the uniqueness of each student. This is because if we don't fully understand our students, then we as teachers cannot teach them and help them understand what is being taught. I personally like getting to know my students and sympathize with them. I sometimes get too attached to them which can be a good thing, but when its time for them to move on I have a hard time letting them go! This is a good thing, because still to this day I have students who remember me and will see me and go hey I remember you! And this brings a smile to my face!
I think your comment in the first paragraph about knowing your students is absolutely critical. I think that in order for a teacher to get the most out of each child, they have to not only know their strengths but more importantly their weaknesses. I think this allows the teacher to push those children out of their comfort zone and by doing that, allows them to expand their horizons. I know throughout my academic career, I have been constantly pushed outside of my comfort zone, and it is in those moments that I have honestly found myself.
Deletethanks,
Julie Copeland
mjb
DeleteChapter 2 was such a great read! I loved the scenario of Miss Brooke's classroom. Her classroom sounded so fun and entertaining. Not only did the students have fun while learning to read, they involved other classes and their parents. The students were able to show that they learned by their test scores. I strongly believe that you can have fun while learning! Who wants to be in a classroom that all the teacher does is stand up there and lecture and tell the students to copy notes? Not me! I remember my favorite teachers growing up and those are the ones that made an impact in my school career. After reading this chapter I really thought back why they were such effective teachers and how they impacted me! Effective teachers play such an important role in our schools and I have seen that there are more and more teachers who think outside of the box and stray away from the traditional teaching. I'm not saying traditional teaching is bad, but we see that this traditional teaching doesn't stick with the students today as they did in the past!
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion I think motivation is the key to being an effective teacher. After reading the section of motivation I really think that I am right! If you want to be an effective teacher you need to show that you are by being motivated. This goes back to getting to know your students and finding out what their likes and interests are. If you can incorporate that into a lesson and be excited about it the students are more likely to participate and remember what is being taught. Just like in Miss Brooke's classroom, the students were actively involved in the lessons and were able to share what they have learned with other classes and it showed by their test scores!
Last week my son's first grade classroom invited parents to come visit their classroom for parents day! My husband wasn't able to attend so I invited my father in law to join me! My father in law could not believe how the students were being taught in school! He thought it was amazing that during math centers the students were given math games and how fast those students were able to learn their math facts! I remember him whispering to me, "I wish I learned my math facts like that! I would have enjoyed school a whole lot better!" To me that showed that the students being actively involved and doing things they liked are more effective than the traditional teaching. We left the school and my father in law just kept saying, "Wow, I really enjoyed that!" Makes me proud as a mother and a future teacher that the older generation can appreciate the new ways of teaching and it shows for it! Parents day was an amazing way to show us parents and grandparents how students learn in the classroom! This chapter went right along with what we seen in my son's classroom and I am so proud that my son has a teacher who is effective and my son enjoys going to school!
Cassandra
DeleteI also loved the scenario of Miss Brooke’s classroom. My favorite part was when the students recorded themselves reading books that they found at garage sales and gave them to a first grade class. What a great project that taught the fourth graders about fluency, reading with expression, giving, and creativity just to name a few. I was just learning how to use Audacity in my instructional technology class so now I want to try it out and see if I could do this activity with future students. You are right, it is those kinds of creative and effective teachers that we remember and that impacted our lives in such a positive way. I also enjoyed your reflection on your father-in-law’s visit to your son’s classroom. It was a great observation that education has changed and improved over the years. Sometimes with all the current new changes to education, we forget to keep perspective on how far we have come.
mjb
DeleteChapter 2 talks about the different ways to teach reading, and how to motivate students to become active readers. The text goes into great detail about the traits that effective teachers share and what we can do to motivate students. The chapter also discusses the reasons why students lack that same motivation to read, which include self consciousness, the emphasis on competition, or the lack of interest in the reading.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the most important aspect of the chapter is the part about increasing motivation in students to read. The text states that students become more engaged when they are interested in the topic. This makes sense that a student of any age is going to be more inclined to read something they care about, or want to learn more about, than some random book that has no real entertainment value.
My question would be more along the lines of aside from doing a book report, how can we as educators assess what our students have learned if we focus on having students read what sparks their personal interest. I would imagine that making individual assessments would be a waste of time; also it would mean that we as the teachers would be required to read each of the books as well so we know what to ask. In the reading it gives many different recommendations on increasing motivation by providing an abundance of texts, expanding choices, and a few other choices, but how do you assess the students if they all choose something different?
I have always thought that students should be able to read what interests them. I didn’t want to read half of the books I was forced to read when I was in school, so why should I expect this generation to be any different. Finding out what the student’s interest is in should be the focus from day one, and guide the students to books that fit into their interests. Looking at this from another point of view I can see how assessment of the students, based on my opinion may be a little difficult to accomplish. We still need to have students find something to read that is personal, or meaningful to them, but this would be to help them become better readers. We still need to have them read the appropriate age or grade level books so we can assess the students properly.
Personally when I was in school I hated to read. I was good at it, I never had any problems with reading, but I wanted to be active, I didn’t want to sit down and read. If the sun was up I was outside playing something with friends, so by the time the sun went down, it was homework and then to bed. Within the last decade I found interest in reading, thanks to Harry Potter of all characters. It seems a little silly to me that watching a movie would spark my interest to read, but it did. After having watched the first Potter movie I found myself interested in what was going to happen next. Since patience isn’t exactly my strongest attribute, I went out and purchased books 2-4 and read them as fast as I could. I may not be the enthusiast that most reading teachers are, but I am proof that reading can be fun, if you find something that catches your attention and makes you want more.
mjb
DeleteChapter 2 started out with a great story about Mrs. Brooke's fourth grade class. This sounds like a great classroom for these students. They seem to be always doing something active as well as involving their parents and other students from other classes, these types of activities are the ones that the students will learn from and remember. After reading this story about her classroom, it wouldn't surprise me either that her student's have higher test scores than other classrooms that are not like Mrs. Brooke's.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter then goes on to give examples and features that the "good teachers" that we remember would do. I believe that it is true that we all remember our good teachers and can remember their qualities, but I also believe that we all remember our bad teachers as well. I know I can remember the teachers I didn't like and why I didn't like them. To this day, I remind myself of the things they did that I didn't like so that I can make sure I am not doing what they did with my students and others. These "good teachers" were always the ones that I remember would model what they wanted their students to do and were actively involved in our learning and motivating us to do well. Each of these are mentioned in this chapter as what the affective teachers do in their classroom, I'm sure these were also done in Mrs. Brooke's classroom as well. Another important part of this chapter is the topics of the text the students are reading. It is important for the teacher to know and have different leveled books available for their students. Like we have been hearing in our recordings, the students will all be at different reading levels, it is important for the students and teachers to know each students reading level as well as having multiple book choices in each level for the students. It is important for the students to understand what they are reading about. Schools have really turned to the "Accelerated Reading" (AR) programs that test the students on their comprehension of the books they have read. I have been able to help students with reading the test questions to them as well as helping out with the parties that are given at the end of the school year for the students who do great with their tests. The schools do these types of things for the students to try and encourage them to read more and help them understand what they are reading about.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMegan,
DeleteYes, I was amazed by the quantity and quality of activities and projects with which Miss Brooke’s students were involved. She really seems like the perfect teacher; the classroom activities she plans engage the students. They are totally participating in these learning experiences, working together and keeping their creative juices flowing. Miss Brooke does keep her students active, and I love that she provides opportunities for her students’ parents to come observe what their children are doing in the classroom. I would love to find a teacher like Miss Brooke to share ideas with; she seems to have a wealth of knowledge in regards to teaching and planning unique learning activities for her students.
The literacy event is a complex process that involves many facets. The bulk of the chapter appropriately involved the literacy event in relation to the teacher and the student. While I understand that the text, content, and task contribute to the learning process, these literacy components would seem to be determined by the teacher and student rather than separate components.
ReplyDeleteEffective teachers always make a big difference in student learning. I found the section on motivation interesting. I had never thought about individual rewards for reading actually being discouraging for the struggling readers because it is just one more visible way that they feel like their reading does not measure up. A class reward is an interesting twist and may work to motivate everyone in the class since everyone is contributing.
Another point that stood out to me was the discussion of the lack of interest in the assigned reading. I know I am less motivated to read a book in which I have no interest. My question is though; if you have a classroom of twenty five students with twenty five different interests then how do you match assigned readings to your class? For example, if a teacher wants to do a novel study with the entire class, it would be impossible to match every student’s interest. I could see tying in students’ interests during guided reading with smaller groups or literature groups with students matched for interests. Maybe the answer is that effective teaching is more about differentiating and not using one novel for the entire class.
For the students, I think that it is important for the teacher to understand that they all learn in different styles and as teachers, we need to use methods that will support those different styles and intelligences. I think that it is also important to teach students reading strategies and skills and the metacognition to know when to use the strategies and skills. Struggling readers benefit greatly from these approaches to the literacy event.
Ellen,
DeleteI agree with you that effective teachers can make all the difference to the learners. Motivation is such an important part of the learning process and it is our job as teachers to find out how to best motivate our students through content and activities. Differentiated instruction is a great way to meet the needs of all students as well as considering their learning types. I enjoyed your post, Kara
Wow, I hope to someday be the type of teacher that Miss Brooke is! Her classroom seems to be a place the children enjoy being in. She gives the students many opportunities to work on collaborative activities that they really seem to enjoy and learn from. One thing I noticed she is doing that I learned about in my reading and language arts methods class is having the students read and use different typed of literature that include magazines, newspapers etc. I really like the idea of letting the students read and work with song lyrics. So many children relate to and really enjoy music and I think this would be a great motivator. This chapter discusses continuously assessing the students and adjusting the instruction accordingly. I believe this is the key to meeting the needs of all learners. Teachers must not only assess their students continuously but get to know them and what type of learner they are as well as what motivates them. I enjoyed reading about the different characteristics that effective teachers exhibit. This list could be used as a guide to ensure I am covering many of the important areas of instruction. I like that the author mentions the importance of creating a safe and comfortable learning environment. I know that I learn better if I am comfortable and confident and hope to create an environment like that someday for my students. Something I am experiencing as a substitute teacher is the need for motivation. If the students are not interested and motivated it is very hard to get and keep their attention. I thought the list of recommendations to increase motivation had some great ideas. Last semester I had the opportunity to have my own guided reading group in my internship class and I could definitely see a difference in the discussions and motivation if the students helped choose the book and were interested in it. I like the idea of rewards where the whole class benefits and think it is nice to encourage the students to work towards a common goal as well as individual goals. It was nice to have a review of the Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. I have learned about these in previous classes but it has been awhile and it is always good to be reminded of things. Many of the topics covered in this chapter were a review but nice to be reminded of them since I will be tutoring real live students this semester! One area I found interesting was about leveled books and the different ways they can be leveled. I had not previously learned about lexile and gradient leveling and was interested to be given an overview about these levelings.
ReplyDeleteKara, I am with you, I can only hope to be as creative as Miss Brooke. I think it will depend on the school and the district we work. Administration at some buildings have a pretty strict policy that all grade levels should do the same thing, I can see this to a point, but as the saying goes, "not all students learn the same", and so that policy to me is not right. Good for you that you got your own Guided Reading group, it is so fun to see the growth. I had a low group I read with when I first started working at the school, they were all boys in the 5th grade. We read through the Gary Paulson "Hatchet" series and they loved it. We even tracked the character on a map as we read, so much fun.
Deletemjb
DeleteThis chapter of our text begins by focusing on effective teachers and the “essential components”, teacher, student, text, context, and task, which are all necessary for creating a more worthwhile experience in the classroom. The text goes on to list six very important qualities an effective teacher should possess; these primarily center on the teacher’s positive belief in student success, implementing appropriate instructional methods, utilizing a variety of teaching strategies, and providing unique and diverse reading material and opportunities for students. Differentiating instruction is critical in today’s diverse classrooms; an effective teacher adapts instruction to accommodate the various learning abilities and possibly special needs, as well as English learner students. One lesson will most likely not fit all of one’s students; this is when things like modifications and re-teaching may come into play. Areas of differentiating instruction can include content, learning activities, the product, and learning styles. There are definitely issues for students which can lead to a decreasing interest in reading; teachers obviously want to focus on building the motivation to read. It’s imperative that we get to know our students well, find out their interests, and use this information to engage them in the learning experience. Background knowledge, or lack of it, will affect a student’s literacy skills and progress. Teachers need to keep this in mind with their planning and instruction. There are reading strategies to use before, during, and after reading to activate students’ background knowledge, as well as to improve comprehension. Effective teachers also try to learn and understand everything possible about their students' learning styles; making this determination helps teachers to provide the most appropriate environment for learning. Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory definitely plays a role in reading instruction, as people usually possess a more dominant intelligence that can be used to the benefit of the student’s learning. Choosing texts that are at the appropriate reading level can either contribute to students’ reading success or hinder their progress.
ReplyDeleteI do appreciate the idea of the whole class benefitting or getting rewarded; however, the text seemed to be somewhat discouraging of individual recognition. I feel like students should all receive encouragement and positive feedback, and I feel like it’s okay to give individual recognition and rewards to students for their accomplishments. If they have worked hard, then they’ve earned the acknowledgment and/or award. As the text stated, students are all unique, and we need to recognize and appreciate those differences. They should not all receive credit for the hard work and effort of a few.
I really felt like the Teaching recommendations to increase motivation section in this chapter contained some fabulous suggestions for helping to engage one’s students. These recommendations discuss integrating students’ interests in activities and assignments, connecting to the world outside their classroom, using other reading materials like magazines, newspapers, etc., to provide variety. Collaboration was suggested, as well as implementing plenty of technology use whenever possible. I could see how these ideas would really interest students and engage them in their learning experiences.
When I was in grade school, worksheets and textbook reading were the norm. I remember something really cool that our 2nd grade teacher did with her students every year that really promoted connection to the outside. We wrote letters and attached them to helium-filled balloons. We let them go, and then we waited to see if someone received them. They were asked to write back to us, (using our school’s address), and we would read their letter in return to see who received it and where. It was a fun, engaging activity to encourage reading and writing, something different.
I love the activity you took part in with the helium balloons. Those are the type of activities that get students excited about learning and school. Great Idea!!
DeleteOne of the main things I liked about the reading this week was the part about why students lose their “want” to read or learn to read between the grades 1st – 4th. It has been a long time since I was in 1st grade, but I still remember not being as good of a reader as many of my friends and when it came to reading out loud, I hated it. I would count the number of people ahead of me then count the sentences so I could practice ahead, thus missing out on the content. I really like what the text stated about not having students read a loud to the entire class, but to break them up into partners or small groups. Finding a book in the students reading level is huge as well. I work with struggling readers, and once they find an interesting book in their level and see success, they are amazed they “like” to read. There have been times that I will read an entire book with a student over a period of days, talk about the book as we go, have the student take an AR test, then have them read another book in the same series, (because they already are familiar with the characters) on their own, and get them hooked that way. In the reading it talks about different literacy teachings, and this is one that I have found successful for struggling students. I am anxious to read Chapter3, there are so many times a teacher has shown me certain assessment results, and I have to ask what certain numbers mean, sometimes, they don’t even know.
ReplyDeleteI remember having to read out loud in school and hating it. I was always an okay reader but I just didn't like reading out loud so I can remember spending most my time trying to convince my friends not to pick me thus I was missing out on what the story was about. I think it is good to break students into small groups to read and find books that are at their reading level. Having small groups will allow you to put students with the same reading levels in each group so that they can work better and read books at their levels.
DeleteJared!!! Good point!!! Look how much you missed out on just because you were stressed about having to read. When I take my sped kids out of a classroom, I read the chapter assignments to them, stopping to explain vocabulary and making real world connections. Occasionally I will ask the kids to read but they are more comfortable doing that in our small setting because none of them are really good readers so their comfort level is much better when they are in their group.
DeleteI think that small groups only is not the answer. While I do think that children need some small group time so that they can work on the foundation of reading, I also think that reading in front of a large group is just as important. If we do not push children to overcome their fears, then those fears will just continue to grow until they become crippling. I think that being able to read, speak, etc in front of a larger group sets children up for later in their life.
Deletethanks,
Julie Copeland
mjb
DeleteWhen reading chapter 2 about Mrs. Brooke's class room was enjoyable to see how she had the students doing many creative things and not just setting in the class room. In elementary it is important to have the students engaged in school and to make learning fun.. It then talks about how we remember are "good" and "bad" teachers along the way. This made me think of how good teachers possess so many different qualities that are good and make them successful teachers. After reading the section about motivation I think this is an important quality that all teachers need to have. If you aren't motivated to be your best and make your students become better students everyday you are in the wrong business. As a teacher you have to motivate your students to become better readers and writers. Some students become disengaged in reading and aren't motivated to be a better reader. This talks about ways to increase motivation such as expanding choices and options. There are many strategies to use for helping a student learn to read but one important part is having an environment that is good for reading. Making sure that students are choosing and reading books that are at their level so that they can become proficient independent readers.
ReplyDeleteMy question relates to a special education class room I go to. When the class goes to the library they are allowed to get four books of any kind. There are several kids that get chapter books that can't read well. Shouldn't the teacher make these students get at least two books that are at their reading level so that they can work on improving their reading ability?
This chapter allowed me to look at the issue of being motivated as a teacher differently. It is so important to be motivated as a teacher to make the learning experience awesome for your students. You have to be creative in coming up with different ways to teach things so that the students don't become bored. Teaching reading takes a lot of energy and motivation because their are many students who struggle to read.
In my own experience after reading the section about Miss Brooke's class it made me think about my 2nd grade teacher and how we did so many fun things. I remember going out to a pasture to read and after we were done we picked dandelions in which we then fried them and ate them. They actually aren't too bad. I hope to be like my 2nd grade teacher but with my own personal twist to it.
When my son was in the first grade (and he is a very good reader) he wanted to read chapter books like his sister who was in fifth grade. To encourage him in his quest for chapter books, I got him some frog and Toad books. That made him happy because he was able to read by chapter just like his sister. I think it is good to encourage students to read something that challenges them. However, if it is too far above their reading level, they don’t comprehend what they are reading and the challenge can end up just causing frustration. My suggestion would be to find out what it is they like about these harder books, and their interests. Then you can try to find books that are similar but more on their level.
Deletemjb
DeleteI really enjoyed the break down in this chapter, especially the section on motivation. This is an area that I am always interested in and feel that I need more information on. This is also one of the main reasons I don't like teaching older students as much. They seem so very unmotivated many times and that is super frustrating for me. I found figure 2.5 on page 32 to be of great use to me. I really like these little charts that contain so many helpful suggestions in such a tiny space. I can't wait to try out some of these ideas this semester. The end of the chapter was especially helpful to me as well. I find that it is hard for me to keep track of and remember all of the different texts, levels, systems and what not that are out there. As a substitute I have the chance to see many different things put into place but it is hard for me to keep track of what is what in my mind, because they all kind of run together after awhile. I am really grateful for the last part of this chapter. I think it did a really nice job breaking things down for me. I especially like the information about the leveled book publishers and the comparison between the different levels. This book is proving to be a great resource for me already.
ReplyDeleteI have the same feelings as you about teaching older students. I have worked with a few classes of sixth graders and the students in those classes always seem less motivated. At that age they also start to develop their attitudes a little more and don't really enjoy being in school. I look forward to reading this more and more and developing the skills to make school more enjoyable for my students, even when they get to that older age.
DeleteWeek 2-Chapter 2 BLOG-
ReplyDelete1- This chapter introduced ways to help the students and our children become more successful readers. This chapter really caught my attention because it discussed the traits/characteristics, practices, and activities that a good literacy teacher has. This is so important to me because I want to know how the best teachers do it, I want to know where I need to focus and how to best help the students. This chapter was mostly just a review of the information I had learned in past courses. However, it was really good for me to just have that bit of a refresher to remind me of some of the very important information. The most important component out of the 5 components (the teacher, students, text, context, and task) is the student. Everything within the learning environment and when administering instruction should be focused on the students’ needs and skill areas. Nothing is more important than the student and I definitely feel as though that cannot be stressed enough.
2- I really did not have any questions or concerned with this week’s reading because quite a bit of it was review. I have a few concerns about administering the assessments but that is just because there is so much information for it that I do not want to forget.
3- The more I read through this text the more excited I am to work with my tutoring group. It also makes me more excited to eventually have my own classroom and work with students and try and make reading more fun and interesting for them. I love the different ideas for interactive reading lessons that I have read about through the text and while discussing the information with my fellow classmates. This text just continues to make me look at reading and reading instruction in a whole new and exciting way.
4- Looking at the main concerns for why motivation to read has declined really caught my attention because one of the reasons was that there is lack of interest in the assigned reading. I can definitely relate to that because there have been so many times throughout my life that I have been forced to read something that I have no interest in. I love reading and could read all day, it is just hard for me to want to read when there is nothing interesting to me in what I am reading. I think that is why I am so excited about these small tutoring groups because it is much easier to work with the individual students and meet their interests.
I also have a few concerns about administering the assessments. I liked the idea that Mrs. Stoppel had of bringing along a recording device to record the student reading, this way we can go over it when we are not with the students. I think that will help me be able to concentrate more on what they are saying and I won't miss anything that way.
DeleteHaving a recording device is very helpful. At my school, many teachers record struggling readers and then have other colleagues listen to the recording to get their opionion for strategies, etc...
DeleteOne of the most important things we do as educators is ensuring that our students have an environment conducive to learning. We need to be sure that our students are engaged, that we provide meaningful learning experiences, and that the students are active participants in their own learning. Some of the other traits of good teachers this chapter mentions include believing all students can learn, continually assessing individual progress, teaching in a variety of ways and with a variety of materials, modeling, and a huge list of others on page 25. Motivating students is very important, and including their interests and building on their background knowledge and experiences will help motivate them. I enjoyed the review of Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, and feel it is very important to keep these in mind when teaching. The appendix in the back of the book (C-1) gives a checklist for assessing students' multiple intelligences. This would be very time consuming to do with an entire class. It might be easier to note one or two sections at a time for a few students each day. The section about selecting appropriate texts went along well with the recordings we had this week. Also, the Fry readability was an activity I did in a different class last year. I don't have any questions this week on the readings. I am excited to begin the tutoring, but am a little nervous about the assessment process. I am hoping that next week’s recordings (or sometime before the tutoring begins) demonstrate HOW the assessments are given.
ReplyDeleteThis week’s chapter was titled The Literacy Event. The chapter began with a list of 29 things that are traits and activities of an effective literacy teacher. Within this list, I felt that setting time limits for tasks and responding to and providing feedback on students’ assignments while they work stood out to me as being the most significant. The chapter then went on to cover topics such as how to deal with a lack of interest in assigned reading, recommendations on increasing motivation, reading strategies, learning styles, leveled books, and finishes with readability tests. I feel that this chapter did a good job of laying the foundation for the rest of the book. With being a para-educator, I deal with lack of motivation quite often. This chapter gave me some fresh ideas about how to deal with that within the classroom. Many of the struggling children that I work with in small groups simply need a reason to try harder. Once they are provided that motivation, the sky is the limit in regards to their reading abilities. One question I do have is how do you motivate a child without over doing it? I mean, some children almost need you to hold their hand the entire lesson.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Julie Copeland
I think many teachers deal with a lack of motivation on the students part but in many cases I believe the student might be demonstrating this behavior because they lack the confidence in their ability to read well and by being presented with competition in the classroom like our text presented. I think the biggest two things we can do as future educators is make sure these children are getting the foundation set with the Big five (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocab, fluency, and comprehension) and having a big choice of books so students can read material that interest them. This will ultimately be the best motivator. In addition, positive reinforement.
DeleteThat is a good question. I personally believe that "holding your student's hand the entire lesson" is completely disabling them from moving forward and is just holding them back. I feel like some students lack motivation or pretend to in order to get attention. I feel like there are so many strategies out there to motivate a child and if they are constantly wanting you to be by them during a whole lesson, it is for attention needs and then that needs to be addressed.
DeleteI enjoyed reading this chapter as it points out many of the things that effective literacy teachers are doing in the classroom. I agreed with the sentiment that students are going to be more interested in reading books that they have an interest in. When they have the interest, they will read more, which in turn will improve their literacy skills such as fluency and comprehension. One statement that stood out from the text referenced that effective literacy teachers engaged their students in reading and writing activites for nearly half of the school day. I like how the chapter was essentially broken down into 3 sections- the teacher, the students, and the texts. Teachers build the motivation and use strategies to engage the students. Students come from all different backgrounds and come to the table with different amounts of knowledge and ability as well as styles of learning. The type of texts that we give students is vital to their literacy growth. If the text is too difficult, frustration will occur and the student may not want to read. Determining whether the student is at the independent,instructional, or frustrational level is key in choosing a book for them to read. There are leveled books based on age, grade, the Lexile scale, and gradient leveling. In addition, there are online programs or one can use the Frye readability formula to guage the level of a book. One part of the chapter that hit home with me was the section that talked about the literacy knowledge and skills that students come to school with and how diverse these students are in this area. I see this so much in my internships as well as when I substitute teach. I know there are many cases where this may be caused from a student having a learning disability or where the student may be an ELL, but there are many cases where students aren't being exposed to reading and books at home. Parents can do so much for their children by just reading to them and having their children read to them. I look forward to applying many of the reading strategies that we are learning,just like with the example from our text with the word "humungous" and how the teacher modeled the correct strategy.
ReplyDeleteLike the previous semesters, I find it extremely beneficial to read about, "what makes an effective teacher." I always take note of the points that matter the most to me as a student and future educator and then I note it in my "Future Classroom Binder" to remind me of the teacher I want to be and need to be.
DeleteI also work in a school so that point hit home as well. Many cases from home to school are so diverse and its nice to read about different ways to teach things to students.
Thank you for sharing!
Chapter two started with another great scenario, which gave a lot of great literacy ideas to use in the classroom. One idea, I want to use is the daily reading of poetry. This was something that I use to do every day and want to begin using again, to help with fluency.
ReplyDeleteThe chapter also reviewed the five essential components of reading activities: teacher, student, text, context, and task. The one aspect the text mentioned about the role of the literacy teacher was helping students’ foster higher-level thinking. This is something that I have focused on for the past two years. The discussions that come with the higher level questions, is amazing. Last year I taught first grade and once I started challenging students to answer and ask higher level questions to construct meaning, their comprehension soared.
In regards to students, the text mentioned incorporating a combination of strategies, skills adn metacognition. Our reading series (LEAD21) does a great job of using a balance of skills and strategies. The students have a nice understanding that strategies are their tools to use while reading.
While students are using their strategies it is imperative to have a classroom library equipped with books at their independent and instructional reading levels. The book mentioned having a combination of fiction, nonfiction and poetry books in their book bags. I love this idea and will definitely use this in my classroom. The chapter also had a book-leveling comparison chart, which is nice to have as a resource.
While reading about context the book mentioned the importance of mixing students regularly so they are not always reading with the same students. After reading this, I am working on reworking my rotation groups so my students are working with students from different groups for some of the rotations.
Finally, while reading about task the book mentioned higher-level thinking again. This is such an importance skill to foster and the discussions that occur are very meaningful to students. This section also mentioned having a variety of books for students to use in the classroom. Providing students with a large selection of books gives them the opportunity to find books that match their interests.
Overall, the chapter gave a lot of great ideas to use in the classroom and stressed the importance of realizing decisions need to be made based on the student and not the method.
Lisa,
DeleteYou make a lot of great points that I agree with.
I really enjoy the scenarios at the beginning of the chapters too. They give great examples.
I agree with you about having a variety of genres available for students to read and I will definitly use this in my classroom too. I also like the idea of rotating reading groups so students get to experience reading with others at different reading levels. I think it is important for students to be able to read material that is meaningful and interesting to them as well.
This was a great chapter full of great information and ideas!
~Lori
Chapter 2 focuses on the five components in reading and the roles behind them. The first component is the teachers. For me it is really easy to remember the best and worst teachers throughout my learning career. I was really impressed with the list of six critical qualities that excellent literacy teachers possess. I can only hope that one day I practice each and every one that is listed in our book. This chapter goes really into depth about qualities that effective teachers portray. The next component is the students. It is important for us as educators and future educators to remember that each student is unique and learns at a different pace. In this part of the text, there are many strategies list to try. The next component shown in this chapter is, Text, Effective teachers do not give students texts that are too difficult or too easy because it causes frustration and really is not beneficial to the student or to us. It goes into how to choose the correct text for each student which I found to be very helpful. The fourth component is Context. The context of the reading vent is the climate of the classroom. The last component discussed in this chapter is Task. We should personalize tasks to help each student by considering their interests, needs, strengths, and weaknesses.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was extremely beneficial to me because their was so much useful information and new strategies that I can introduce and practice in my classroom. They will be helpful during my tutoring sessions and in my future classroom as well.
I also really like how there is a reflective learning part at the end of the chapter for students at risk.
Of course it goes without saying that this reading was packed full of useful knowledge about reading. There were several times during this reading where I felt a little panic arises and I kept thinking what in the world qualifies me to be an expert for struggling readers?? What if I don't serve them correctly? What if I make it worse? I then took a deep breath and told myself that it is all just a process and to take it one step at a time. The charts and forms in the book are very plainly laid out and easy to follow. I didn't have trouble with reading as a kid and in fact it the 4th grade me and another boy got to go tutor 1st graders in reading. I didn't grow up in a house with parents who were readers no was anyone else in my immediate family. I also never really came across a teacher who just thought books are the bee's knees. So while I was good at it and didn't mind reading, I never really was a reader until I was an adult. I think that as a teacher not only do I need to be aware of strengths, weakness and interests, I need to instill a passion for books and show students how they can feed their interests with good books. As a parent I have always made books a part of my childrens' lives and I know they will come and go from how much time they spend with books, I just hope that they always remain a part of their lives.
ReplyDeleteI had the exact same thought. How am I ever suppose to do this? I have been entrusted with two kids for this semester, and need to help them achieve amazing things.
DeleteI have also always made books a part of my kids' lives. Now I need to make books a part of my students' lives.
This chapter discusses the five components of the literacy event. The first one is the teacher and his/her responsibility to modify lesson plans to accommodate each student’s individual needs. The others are the student, the text, the context, and the task.
ReplyDeleteI realized just how critical it is to administer pretests to determine what content and concepts that students know and which ones they don’t., then adjust lessons accordingly.
Another thing that I think is important is that the teacher engages students in a variety of reading materials that are meaningful and interesting to them.
The uniqueness of each student is what makes teaching enjoyable, but also challenging for a teacher. Each student has unique learning styles and back grounds so it is the teacher’s job is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each student in regards to their literacy skills.
The text leveling and readability tests were interesting to me.
Our school uses the Accelerated Reader program. Students are tested at the beginning of the year and given their ZPD range. When they go to the library to choose a book to read during silent reading they just look on the inside label and see if it is in their reading level. This is very a effective and easy system. Each child sets an individual goal each quarter and, if they reach it, they get to go to the AR party at the end of the nine weeks. The students really seem to like this and are motivated to read.
Reading this chapter has made me more aware of why we are required to do some of the things we are expected to do in our methods classes, like writing diverse lesson plans, doing pre and posttests, and incorporrating integrations within and across.
In chapters 1 and 2 the author says, “Teachers teach children, not curricula” I think that is a very important thing to remember as an educator.
I think it is also important to engage the students. It is always unfortunate, when a group of students is not enjoying the book. I witnessed a literacy circle read of Because of Winn Dixie last year that was amazing. Kids that did not like to read were very excited to read, and even asked to stay in from recess to read.
DeleteI feel like this chapter was just introducing us to the idea that teaching reading is a huge job. We need to consider the students' likes, abilities, and even look at Maslow's theory and think if they are ready to learn.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to differentiate instruction for the students, as well as make sure the instruction is tailored towards their likes. Teachers need to draw the student in and make them look forward to learning and reading.
Most of the information in chapter 2 I have came across in other courses, but it is always nice to have a refresher and to have a different authors opinion on things. The text points out that in order to be able to select texts for your students you must first know your students. I think this is the best piece of advice to give anyone tutoring or teaching children to read. It is just like getting children to eat, they will eat the things they like but if you put liver in front of them they will turn their head and become uninterested. The same is true for reading. If you give a student that loves trains a book about trains he will read it or pay attention to you while you read it, but if you give that student a book about gardening he will become uninterested and not do well.
ReplyDeleteI found the paragraph about learning styles interesting as well. I never realized how when analytical thinkers learn they put things into steps and this would include learning to read. Global readers would first like to attempt to read a passage then learn how to break it apart. I could see how this would make global readers less likely to be good readers. I wonder though, in kindergarten when you are first formally teaching students to recognize letters, sounds, basic phonics, could you make a global learner a analytical learner or is this something that cannot be changed?
I am very pleased with the quality of your comments about the chapter, but more pleased with your insightful and encouraging responses to each other. The collaboration and support you are giving each other is phenomenal! Keep up the excellent work!
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