Sunday, August 25, 2013
Assessing Reading and Writing Powerpoint
This powerpoint is a great resource for determining the steps to assess reading and writing. The fact that the powerpoint lays out very specific instructions on assessing both of these skills is extremely beneficial to use as an educator. My favorite part of the powerpoint is the insight into creating and using rubrics. Rubrics are essential for grading, but they must be done correctly in order to ensure they are measuring the correct skill or strategy. I like the idea of having the students participate in creating a rubric. If students help to create the rubric, they are in-tune with what they will be assessed on. This can provide them with direction for meeting their goals. From the teachers perspective, it is also important to know what the end goal of a lesson or unit is. If you know what you will be testing students on, you are better prepared in creating lesson plans. Although you should not teach to the test, you should have a firm idea on what you will expect of students and how best to prepare them to meet those expectations.
Opitz Ch. 5/6 and Article Comparison
When researching an article on informal assessments, I read an article by a fifth grade teacher. This teacher wrote specifically about a type of informal assessment he did on a struggling reading in his class. Through informal observations, as well as placement tests at the beginning of the year, the teacher determined the need for extra reading tutoring for one of his students. This student had very few comprehension abilities and often just got the basics of what he was reading. The reader needed both reading instruction as well as comprehension instruction. I enjoyed reading about the informal reading survey the teacher gave to the struggling student. The informal survey the teacher gave is very similar to the informal student interviews Opitz, Rubin, and Erekson discuss (Opitz, 2011).
Pages 79 through 88 in the Opitz text discuss how to use informal student interviews and what can be gained from them. The teacher in the article chose this type of assessment based on many of the benefits Opitz discusses. The first reason to use informal student interviews is because they are the easiest way to determine what students like and dislike. Teachers can do this throughout the school day or during specific times set up to meet with individual students. The second reason this is a great informal assessment is because it lets the teacher know how the student perceives reading. Do they enjoy reading? Do they dislike reading? Does reading give them anxiety? The way a student perceives reading typically determines what type of reader they are. If a student dislikes reading, he or she likely reads very little and is not as fluent of a reader as they should be. A third purpose for this assessment is to help students understand themselves. This informal interview gives the student the opportunity to reflect on his or her own perceptions and views on reading. The teacher in the article found it interesting to hear how the student perceives his abilities and enjoyment versus how the teacher views his abilities.
The teacher in the article only performed this student interview/survey once. However, Opitz gives a rubric for doing a student interview at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. This will allow the teacher to track how the students perspective has changed and whether or not their reading abilities have changed because of it. The text is a great resource for different types of interest inventories, rubrics, and interview forms to use when doing an informal assessment like the student interviews.
Weih, T. G. (2013). The Melding of Literacy Strategies to Enhance Reading Fluency, Comprehension, and Enjoyment. Online Submission,
Pages 79 through 88 in the Opitz text discuss how to use informal student interviews and what can be gained from them. The teacher in the article chose this type of assessment based on many of the benefits Opitz discusses. The first reason to use informal student interviews is because they are the easiest way to determine what students like and dislike. Teachers can do this throughout the school day or during specific times set up to meet with individual students. The second reason this is a great informal assessment is because it lets the teacher know how the student perceives reading. Do they enjoy reading? Do they dislike reading? Does reading give them anxiety? The way a student perceives reading typically determines what type of reader they are. If a student dislikes reading, he or she likely reads very little and is not as fluent of a reader as they should be. A third purpose for this assessment is to help students understand themselves. This informal interview gives the student the opportunity to reflect on his or her own perceptions and views on reading. The teacher in the article found it interesting to hear how the student perceives his abilities and enjoyment versus how the teacher views his abilities.
The teacher in the article only performed this student interview/survey once. However, Opitz gives a rubric for doing a student interview at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. This will allow the teacher to track how the students perspective has changed and whether or not their reading abilities have changed because of it. The text is a great resource for different types of interest inventories, rubrics, and interview forms to use when doing an informal assessment like the student interviews.
Weih, T. G. (2013). The Melding of Literacy Strategies to Enhance Reading Fluency, Comprehension, and Enjoyment. Online Submission,
Making the Most of Assessments to Form Instruction
As teachers, it is imperative that we use assessments to guide and shape our instruction. Assessments give us insight into where are students are excelling, and where they are struggling. Assessments form a way for teachers to reflect on their own instruction and adjust accordingly. Using assessments is a way to get quick feedback rather it is a formal or informal assessment. Risko and Walker-Dallhouse say, "because of their timeliness and representation of specific data, assessments are far preferable to pacing guides that require every teacher and student to be on the same page at the same time" ( 2010, p.420). Classroom assessments are a reliable and relevant way to reach the goals set forth by the curriculum in the classroom.
There are many different types of assessments that match the assessment to the curriculum in order to improve instruction. When assessing a single skill set, it is important to go beyond the comprehension questions. To truly understand if the student has mastered a particular standard in the curriculum, they need to be assessed using higher order thinking questions. These types of questions will require that students apply the skills and strategies in order to form the correct answer.
Curriculum can also be enhanced when using formal assessments int he classroom. Benchmark assessments are a way to look at the skills taught and determine whether or not the teachers instruction has been effective. There is research that shows the importance of using this data to form instruction and change existing instruction. Teachers should also involve the students in this type of assessment. Students should show what they know prior to instruction, and they should then be reassessed at the end of a unit or lesson.
The goal of a teacher is to ensure that each student in the classroom masters the given curriculum for the year. What better way to determine if this goal is met, than by using assessments throughout the year to reflect on the instruction. When teachers match the assessments to the curriculum, instruction is enhanced and students are more likely to find success in the classroom. Teachers must be experts in designing assessments that match the curriculum and give students a chance to show what they know.
Risko, V. J., & Walker-Dalhouse. (2010). Making the most of assessments to inform instruction.
The Reading Teacher, 63(5), 420-422. DOI:10.1598/RT.63.5.7
Discuss ways
QRI-5 Video Reflection
This video did a nice job of showing how to introduce the word lists in a QRI-5. I think many times we forget to properly introduce a reading inventory or word lists and go straight into having the students read the words. The teacher in the video took about a minute to learn more about the reader she was assessing. She asked her if she likes to read, what types of books she likes to read, and if she knows a good reader. These questions tell the teacher a lot about the student and can help her in determining how best to help her. Once the teacher establishes what level reader the student is, she can pull the types of books that will interest the student. When students are interested in the books they are reading, they are more likely to want to continue reading and become a better reader. When doing a QRI-5 with my own students, I will take time to get to know what kind of reader they are and what they are interested in before asking them to go straight into reading word lists. A solid introduction to the activity was my main take away from watching the video.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Opitz pg. 14 Activity #4
Use Table 1.1 “Summary of Proficient and Less Proficient Reading Behaviors” to observe a reader. Highlight the characteristics you notice and provide an example of what you see.
The student I have focused on, exhibits many of the qualities of a less than proficient reader. I was able to determine this based upon pretests. The young boy has good phonemic awareness and is on target for the beginning of first grade. However, he struggles with decoding the words and putting together the phonemes that he knows. He attempts to identify all of the words correctly, however, he often mispronounces correspondences between letters and their sounds. Because of his slow decoding, like the girl in the video, he struggles with being able to comprehend what he reads. When I spend time asking comprehension questions, he often doesn't remember the majority of what the book or story was about. he relies heavily on visual information, using the pictures to guide what the words might be or what the story is about. He also doesn't use punctuation to guide his inflections in reading. He reads very monotone and doesn't use those clues to help with reading questions or exclamations. This student is able to recognize a miscues when he pronounces a word that doesn't sound like it would fit in the sentence. These are all characteristics of a less than proficient reader found in Optiz's text. I think there are many ways in which I can help this reader become a proficient reader. This student needs extra instruction in learning correspondences, specifically of vowels. He also would benefit from read-alouds in order to hear what a good reader sounds like. I think he has the potential to be a proficient reader, he just needs more instruction in phonics, decoding, and comprehension.
The student I have focused on, exhibits many of the qualities of a less than proficient reader. I was able to determine this based upon pretests. The young boy has good phonemic awareness and is on target for the beginning of first grade. However, he struggles with decoding the words and putting together the phonemes that he knows. He attempts to identify all of the words correctly, however, he often mispronounces correspondences between letters and their sounds. Because of his slow decoding, like the girl in the video, he struggles with being able to comprehend what he reads. When I spend time asking comprehension questions, he often doesn't remember the majority of what the book or story was about. he relies heavily on visual information, using the pictures to guide what the words might be or what the story is about. He also doesn't use punctuation to guide his inflections in reading. He reads very monotone and doesn't use those clues to help with reading questions or exclamations. This student is able to recognize a miscues when he pronounces a word that doesn't sound like it would fit in the sentence. These are all characteristics of a less than proficient reader found in Optiz's text. I think there are many ways in which I can help this reader become a proficient reader. This student needs extra instruction in learning correspondences, specifically of vowels. He also would benefit from read-alouds in order to hear what a good reader sounds like. I think he has the potential to be a proficient reader, he just needs more instruction in phonics, decoding, and comprehension.
Watch & Learn: Assessing Reading Skills Video
I thought the video was very interesting for many reasons. Many students can relate to this young girls struggles with reading. She is a slow decoder, which in turn effects her ability to comprehend a passage. I found it especially interesting that she was in the 90th percentile and doing math in the 94th percentile. However, she is only in the 12th percentile in reading. I think this is a great example of IQ not having a major impact on reading ability. She is clearly a very smart young girl, but she still has troubles with reading and that doesn't make her unintelligent. The video also talks about the importance of ongoing assessment. This is important for all students in order to ensure that the teacher is aware of each students' progress as well as areas of improvement. The video also addresses an important factor of struggling readers. Trouble reading is not just an academic issue, but it is a motivational issue and emotional issue. Students don't want to sound stupid when they read aloud in class, so it is important that all teachers find how best to help each student become a successful reader.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Final Personal Model of Reading Theory
Over the course of the semester, my personal model of reading
theory has evolved based on Constance Weaver’s perspective in Reading Process & Practice. I have
used many of the approaches Weaver discusses, however I learned a great deal
more about incorporating them all together. I have some experience with
teaching with a balanced approach, but now have a greater understanding of how
children learn to read. I believe this will be very beneficial to my teaching and
my students.
My
biggest take away is the importance of a whole-to-part literacy instruction.
This essentially emphasizes the importance of not isolating instruction of
rules or strategies. Phonics rules and reading strategies should be taught
through reading and writing rather than individually. Much of my teaching
experience and observations isolated teaching of rules and strategies. However,
I now see the reasons why this is an ineffective teaching strategy. Rules and
strategies should be taught as a part of a comprehensive literacy program.
A
comprehensive literacy program is a teaching technique that I want to further incorporate
into my lessons. This program is a balanced approach to reading and writing
instruction that allows students to get more reinforcement on the skills being
taught. A comprehensive literacy program has many pieces that make up the whole.
I love Weaver’s quote when she says, “teachers and students attend to
skill-related knowledge like phonics by drawing examples from texts being read
and relating the skills back to their reading (Weaver, 2002, p.3). It is important that skills are
constantly being tied back to reading and writing. Text is the foundation of
building fluent readers in he early years.
Pieces of a
comprehension literacy program include read/write alouds, share
reading/writing, guide reading/writing, sustained reading/writing,
reading/writing conferences, literature discussion, journals, opportunities for
response, and reading/writing to learn. Each of these components eliminates the
skill being taught in isolation. I see my students benefiting immensely through
a comprehensive literacy approach. I believe it is important to take the focus
off phonics and decoding instruction and put more focus on a balanced approach.
I
also believe in the importance of providing multiple opportunities for children
to read and write. Reading and writing should be incorporated across the
curriculum and students should have multiple chances each day to practice. The
more students engage in reading experiences, the stronger their writing will become
and they faster they will develop into fluent readers. I believe this starts by
modeling. As I teach, I think it is necessary that I model reading and writing
strategies to my students. Students need to be shown how to decode words as
well as comprehension strategies like “think-aloud” or predicting the text. Read
alouds are a great opportunity for such modeling. Read alouds show the students
how to read with expression, teach about concepts of print, and teach comprehension
strategies. This should also be done in writing. Students need instruction in
writing from the beginning stages of planning to the final publication of their
product.
Overall
I feel this class has transitioned my thinking from taking a skills approach to
an approach focused on comprehension. The purpose of reading is to comprehend.
Teaching skills are important, however phonics instruction should not be the
main focus. Weaver discusses readers’ abilities to derive meaning from a text
even when the text is not read with 100% accuracy. Instruction should be aimed
at teaching comprehension strategies with phonics instruction integrated through
reading. By putting the focus on comprehension, a comprehensive literacy
program can be easily implemented. I believe my new knowledge in this course is
going to provide my students with new learning opportunities that emphasize reading
and writing instruction in a variety of methods. I am looking forward to using
these new strategies and my knowledge in my lessons with my upcoming classes.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading process and practice.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books.
Module 6: Instructional Challenge
Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom.
First, I believe the most important aspect of literacy instruction is to read to and with my students. Modeling how to read and reading alongside students teaches them about print and language which are necessary for becoming fluent readers. Students who are read to at a young age have shown to be more successful in school. Children need multiple opportunities to interact with print as they learn to decode words and practice comprehending text. Reading to and with students should also be done outside of school. Parents can have a profound effect on their students' education simply by reading with them at home.
I would also ensure that students have access to age appropriate books. This starts by allowing students to visit the school library and having ample amounts of books in my own classroom library. Students need constant access to books that will encourage and support them as they read. I want to develop life long readers in my classroom by giving them the resources and opportunities needed.
Another strategy I would use is building background knowledge. Before guided reading, shared reading, or read alouds, it is important that students have the appropriate knowledge to comprehend the text. This can be done by a short lesson to introduce a book, enhance a picture walk, or open up a discussion on the main topic of the text. Students comprehend a text better when they have the background knowledge to relate to what they are reading.
First, I believe the most important aspect of literacy instruction is to read to and with my students. Modeling how to read and reading alongside students teaches them about print and language which are necessary for becoming fluent readers. Students who are read to at a young age have shown to be more successful in school. Children need multiple opportunities to interact with print as they learn to decode words and practice comprehending text. Reading to and with students should also be done outside of school. Parents can have a profound effect on their students' education simply by reading with them at home.
I would also ensure that students have access to age appropriate books. This starts by allowing students to visit the school library and having ample amounts of books in my own classroom library. Students need constant access to books that will encourage and support them as they read. I want to develop life long readers in my classroom by giving them the resources and opportunities needed.
Another strategy I would use is building background knowledge. Before guided reading, shared reading, or read alouds, it is important that students have the appropriate knowledge to comprehend the text. This can be done by a short lesson to introduce a book, enhance a picture walk, or open up a discussion on the main topic of the text. Students comprehend a text better when they have the background knowledge to relate to what they are reading.
Module 6: Reading Reflection
Chapter 15 does a nice job of bringing together many of Weavers main ideas from the text. After reading the text and chapter 15, my personal philosophy has definitely evolved for the better. In chapter 15, Weaver shows data to support a comprehensive literacy approach in a kindergarten classroom. This data further shows the benefits of implementing a comprehensive literacy program into the curriculum. I found the graph on page 370 to be really interesting in that is shows the 21% difference between traditional instruction and contemporary instruction like the comprehensive literacy program.
I also found Weaver's perspective on background knowledge to be incredibly useful. It makes perfect sense that students will have better comprehension when they have the appropriate background knowledge. This makes me think about the way I introduce a story and the importance on ensuring the each student has to background knowledge needed to comprehend the text. The purpose of reading is to comprehend, thus as teachers we must set our students up with the skills to read text and derive meaning form it.
Chapter 15 also discusses the importance of access to age appropriate books. This is not only important in the classroom, but students also need access to appropriate books at home. This is a more difficult task to monitor students' reading at home, but I try to have good relationships with parents in order to encourage them to spend time reading with their child.
When I first took the DeFord TORP I felt I leaned more towards the importance of decoding and phonics instruction. Looking back at it, I see my ideas have developed greatly from this course. My second set of scores reflected a more balanced approach to literacy instruction. I think this comes from learning about the comprehensive literacy approach we discussed so frequently this semester.
I also found Weaver's perspective on background knowledge to be incredibly useful. It makes perfect sense that students will have better comprehension when they have the appropriate background knowledge. This makes me think about the way I introduce a story and the importance on ensuring the each student has to background knowledge needed to comprehend the text. The purpose of reading is to comprehend, thus as teachers we must set our students up with the skills to read text and derive meaning form it.
Chapter 15 also discusses the importance of access to age appropriate books. This is not only important in the classroom, but students also need access to appropriate books at home. This is a more difficult task to monitor students' reading at home, but I try to have good relationships with parents in order to encourage them to spend time reading with their child.
When I first took the DeFord TORP I felt I leaned more towards the importance of decoding and phonics instruction. Looking back at it, I see my ideas have developed greatly from this course. My second set of scores reflected a more balanced approach to literacy instruction. I think this comes from learning about the comprehensive literacy approach we discussed so frequently this semester.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Module 5: Instructional Challenge
There are many components of a comprehensive literacy program that would be beneficial to an ELL student. Many aspects of this program can provide instruction to help ELL students become proficient readers. I see reading and writing workshops as an excellent way to provide for ELL students' needs. The best part about the conferences is the opportunity to spend one on one time with each student. ELL students can benefit immensely from having individualized instruction. It allows for the teacher to work on specific sounds or letters that a student is struggling with.
I also think read alouds would be excellent for assisting these students. Read alouds allow for students to learn about print in a fun and engaging way. The students would be able to see the words of the story while hearing the teacher read those words and make connections between the letters and the sounds. Modeling is extremely important for the students to develop into fluent readers.
Lastly, I would place these students with partners in which to work with. Students benefit greatly when they read aloud with another student. This could benefit the ELL students by allowing them to learn from a skilled reader and have someone to assist them when they struggle with a particular word or sound.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading Process & Practice (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
I also think read alouds would be excellent for assisting these students. Read alouds allow for students to learn about print in a fun and engaging way. The students would be able to see the words of the story while hearing the teacher read those words and make connections between the letters and the sounds. Modeling is extremely important for the students to develop into fluent readers.
Lastly, I would place these students with partners in which to work with. Students benefit greatly when they read aloud with another student. This could benefit the ELL students by allowing them to learn from a skilled reader and have someone to assist them when they struggle with a particular word or sound.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading Process & Practice (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
Module 5: Reading Reflection
I think phonics instruction fits well within a comprehensive literacy program. I think components of phonics education should be seen in many areas of a comprehensive literacy program and across a variety of activities. Beginning readers need instruction in decoding and understanding letter/sound relationships. Weaver discusses the ineffectiveness of isolating phonics instruction. Phonics instruction is most effective when it is used alongside other teaching strategies like guided reading and writing conferences. Phonics instruction is extremely beneficial in guided reading. Guided reading is an opportunity to work with small groups of students and reinforce the skill being taught that week. The teacher can guide students in reading a passage that allows for discussion of that phonics skill. This allows the student to have multiple interactions with that skill both visually and verbally. Writing conferences are also a key opportunity to integrate phonics instruction. Spelling is all about the understanding of letter/sound correspondences. When looking over a students writing, it becomes very clear which correspondences the student is missing. What phonics skills need to be reinforced or re-taught? Is there a particular sound that the student struggles with? The teacher can use this time to go over why a student misspelled a word and talk about the phonics component of that word.
The majority of my teaching experiences have been in a first grade classroom. Because those students are still in the early stages of learning to read, phonics instruction is more heavily intertwined into the curriculum. I believe that phonics instruction does not need to play a large role in the upper grades, but I do believe it is very important in the younger grades. Phonics instruction builds the foundation for students' reading abilities as they develop into fluent readers.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading Process & Practice (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
The majority of my teaching experiences have been in a first grade classroom. Because those students are still in the early stages of learning to read, phonics instruction is more heavily intertwined into the curriculum. I believe that phonics instruction does not need to play a large role in the upper grades, but I do believe it is very important in the younger grades. Phonics instruction builds the foundation for students' reading abilities as they develop into fluent readers.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading Process & Practice (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Module 4: Activity 2
I personally believe Allington does the better job of outlining key components of reading instruction. Allington does this by listening and explaining the five missing pillars of reading instruction that NRP left out. The five pillars he lists are all incredibly important to the reading success of a child or any beginning reader.
The first pillar is the "access to interesting texts and choice". I agree with this pillar that kids needs available texts that they are not only able to read but they are also interested in reading. The second pillar is "matching kids with appropriate texts". He makes a great point that students will not learn from reading texts that they are unable to read. As teachers, it is important to plan our instruction around finding texts that meet students' reading level and comprehension abilities. The third pillar focuses on "writing and reading having reciprocal positive effects". Decoding texts and spelling words should be incorporated together in lessons rather than separately. The fourth pillar discusses the need for balancing "whole class teaching with small group and side-by-side instruction". Whole class instruction is important for introducing the topic or skill for the day or week. Students need the small group instruction to deepen their understanding and to get clarification on skills they are struggling with. The last pillar is the "availability of expert tutoring". This pillar essentially hopes that each child has access to an expert to provide addition support. I would argue that this pillar is often the hardest to establish. Most schools have a reading coach, however, it is nearly impossible to ensure that the reading coach can spend ample time with each student.
Although I agree with each of Allington's five pillars, I believe the most vital is pillar two which emphasizes matching kids with the right text. The goal of reading is to gather meaning and understanding. If students are reading text way above their abilities, they will have little to no comprehension and entirely too many miscues. Children need to feel confident in their reading abilities, which begins by providing the correct text. So much learning is gained when children read well and comprehend a story. If students are receiving appropriate texts, they will be able to participate in fluent reading.
The first pillar is the "access to interesting texts and choice". I agree with this pillar that kids needs available texts that they are not only able to read but they are also interested in reading. The second pillar is "matching kids with appropriate texts". He makes a great point that students will not learn from reading texts that they are unable to read. As teachers, it is important to plan our instruction around finding texts that meet students' reading level and comprehension abilities. The third pillar focuses on "writing and reading having reciprocal positive effects". Decoding texts and spelling words should be incorporated together in lessons rather than separately. The fourth pillar discusses the need for balancing "whole class teaching with small group and side-by-side instruction". Whole class instruction is important for introducing the topic or skill for the day or week. Students need the small group instruction to deepen their understanding and to get clarification on skills they are struggling with. The last pillar is the "availability of expert tutoring". This pillar essentially hopes that each child has access to an expert to provide addition support. I would argue that this pillar is often the hardest to establish. Most schools have a reading coach, however, it is nearly impossible to ensure that the reading coach can spend ample time with each student.
Although I agree with each of Allington's five pillars, I believe the most vital is pillar two which emphasizes matching kids with the right text. The goal of reading is to gather meaning and understanding. If students are reading text way above their abilities, they will have little to no comprehension and entirely too many miscues. Children need to feel confident in their reading abilities, which begins by providing the correct text. So much learning is gained when children read well and comprehend a story. If students are receiving appropriate texts, they will be able to participate in fluent reading.
Module 4: Activity 1
Robin learned to read at the age of 50 thanks to a teacher who taught him numerous reading strategies and believed in his ability to read. In the beginning, the instructor helped Robin by using letter tiles to learn word families like -ick and -ack. He began putting the tiles together to read words like pack and brick. He next caught on the strategy of chunking words. He became overjoyed when he realized ay says /A/ and used that knowledge to further chunk words. He read the sentence about Egglands best and noticed the word egg and land and was able to chunk those letters to break up a long word he was unfamiliar with. This strategy was seen again when he read his email account set-up page that said "Congratulations".
The instructor also taught Robin by reading simple text like Stone Soup. He caught himself saying gave instead of give, because he knew it was not grammatically correct and did not make sense in the story. The strategy of being able to monitor your own reading is extremely important for all beginning reading. Like Robin, students need to read and reread a sentence if it doesn't make grammatical sense to see which word they are miscueing on.
I also thought the idea of "reading the world" was so important throughout the entire video. For all of his life, Robin's wife had to read him the world. He would call her for help with signs and billboards, but now he is able to read them himself. Making real world connections are so important for beginning readers. They need to realize why reading is a necessary skill and important at every stage of life. Robin was able to finally read the world by setting up an email account, reading birthday cards and thank you notes, comic strips, the newspaper,and most importantly, reading his bible.
The instructor also taught Robin by reading simple text like Stone Soup. He caught himself saying gave instead of give, because he knew it was not grammatically correct and did not make sense in the story. The strategy of being able to monitor your own reading is extremely important for all beginning reading. Like Robin, students need to read and reread a sentence if it doesn't make grammatical sense to see which word they are miscueing on.
I also thought the idea of "reading the world" was so important throughout the entire video. For all of his life, Robin's wife had to read him the world. He would call her for help with signs and billboards, but now he is able to read them himself. Making real world connections are so important for beginning readers. They need to realize why reading is a necessary skill and important at every stage of life. Robin was able to finally read the world by setting up an email account, reading birthday cards and thank you notes, comic strips, the newspaper,and most importantly, reading his bible.
Module 4: Instructional Challenge
Marcus frequently miscues by substituting words that start with the same letter or first few letters of a word. His substitutions do not sound grammatically correct or make any sense. Based on this information about Marcus, I have a few suggestions as to how a teacher can best help him make fewer miscues and become a more accurate reader.
Guided Reading is a wonderful way to help a student like Marcus. Guided Reading refers to placing students into groups based on their reading needs. In a class, Marcus would be placed with other students having similar reading troubles, and the teacher would focus on working with beginning sounds and possibly chunking words. The teacher could also focus on comprehension strategies since his substitutions do not make sense in the story. If he has a better understanding of the text, he will catch himself making substitutions that do not go along with a story. For example, if the story was about Cinderella, Marcus might catch himself reading carpet instead of carriage. They have the same first three letters, but Cinderella wouldn't get into a carpet. These strategies could help Marcus immensely.
I would also provide a listening center where Marcus can follow along in a book while listening to a recording of the text. By listening to the text, Marcus can hear exactly how each word is pronounced and catch himself if he was reading it incorrectly. Weaver also discusses the importance of providing a reading tape that is slightly faster than the readers abilities. I would encourage Marcus to listen to the tape multiple times while following along, in order to practice fluency. Once Marcus feels confident in the story given to him, I would ask him to read a few pages to me. I would listen to see if any miscues still exists and listen for the improvement in his reading ability. I would also ask him comprehension questions. He struggled with comprehension since he substituted words that don't make sense in the story. I would want to ensure that he is comprehending and not just fixing the miscues he was making.
Lastly, I think Marcus could benefit from reading with a buddy. When two students read together, they can help each other with words they are not familiar with. They will catch each others miscues and help one another with comprehending the story. I would ask that the students pause after every one to two pages and discuss what has occurred so far. I believe this strategy will help Marcus with this understanding of letter sounds as well as reading comprehension.
Guided Reading is a wonderful way to help a student like Marcus. Guided Reading refers to placing students into groups based on their reading needs. In a class, Marcus would be placed with other students having similar reading troubles, and the teacher would focus on working with beginning sounds and possibly chunking words. The teacher could also focus on comprehension strategies since his substitutions do not make sense in the story. If he has a better understanding of the text, he will catch himself making substitutions that do not go along with a story. For example, if the story was about Cinderella, Marcus might catch himself reading carpet instead of carriage. They have the same first three letters, but Cinderella wouldn't get into a carpet. These strategies could help Marcus immensely.
I would also provide a listening center where Marcus can follow along in a book while listening to a recording of the text. By listening to the text, Marcus can hear exactly how each word is pronounced and catch himself if he was reading it incorrectly. Weaver also discusses the importance of providing a reading tape that is slightly faster than the readers abilities. I would encourage Marcus to listen to the tape multiple times while following along, in order to practice fluency. Once Marcus feels confident in the story given to him, I would ask him to read a few pages to me. I would listen to see if any miscues still exists and listen for the improvement in his reading ability. I would also ask him comprehension questions. He struggled with comprehension since he substituted words that don't make sense in the story. I would want to ensure that he is comprehending and not just fixing the miscues he was making.
Lastly, I think Marcus could benefit from reading with a buddy. When two students read together, they can help each other with words they are not familiar with. They will catch each others miscues and help one another with comprehending the story. I would ask that the students pause after every one to two pages and discuss what has occurred so far. I believe this strategy will help Marcus with this understanding of letter sounds as well as reading comprehension.
Module 4: Reading Reflection
Chapter 10 does an excellent job of outlining various strategies of a comprehensive literacy program. There are many major components that make up a comprehensive literacy program that teachers should strive to include in their teaching. I just finished my undergraduate degree and thus my teaching experience is limited to my student teaching and internship. I have no had the opportunity to have my own classroom yet, and thus have not had experience will all of the strategies listed in the text. I am familiar with all of them and have thankfully incorporated quite a few of them into my own teaching. However, there are many that I do not have experience with and would like to try when the opportunity presents itself.
I am a huge believer in the importance of Read-Alouds. This strategy allows teachers to demonstrate reading with expression. Like the book suggests, read-alouds give me the opportunity to read books to my students that they would not be able to read themselves. I tried to include a read-aloud in almost every subject area. I found them to be most beneficial when teaching social studies. Historical read-alouds tend to have much larger and more complex words that young children aren't quite reader for. These books however are full of important information that will help my students in understanding the topic at hand. My students were engaged in the story, asked high level comprehension questions, and became interested in learning more about social studies. I also liked the end the day reading a chapter book to my students when we had extra time left during pick up.
Journals are also a component of a comprehensive literacy program. My students each had a writing journal in which they were able to write during the language arts/reading block. As a center, students could get out their journals and write about anything that came to mind. At the beginning of the year, we did an activity together to list possible writing topics. This cut down on their inability to think of something to write about and refreshed their memory on topics they might enjoy journaling about. Students were required to included mostly writing in their journal but were allowed to add a drawing to accompany their story or thoughts. Their journals also provided a great way to show parents how much their student had progressed over the course of the year by comparing the beginning to the end of the year writings.
One are of improvement that I would like to see is in reading conferences. I had writing conferences with students to look over their journals, but did not take the time to discuss what students were reading. Children love to share about their favorite story or the really cool character in their book. This also promotes a love for reading and encourages students to read more since they love to share about it. I love Weaver's idea about having students read some of their book to the teacher. This allows the teacher to assess reading strategies being used as well as whether or not the student is reading a text that suits their reading abilities. With my next group of students, I will definitely try to incorporate reading conferences.
I am a huge believer in the importance of Read-Alouds. This strategy allows teachers to demonstrate reading with expression. Like the book suggests, read-alouds give me the opportunity to read books to my students that they would not be able to read themselves. I tried to include a read-aloud in almost every subject area. I found them to be most beneficial when teaching social studies. Historical read-alouds tend to have much larger and more complex words that young children aren't quite reader for. These books however are full of important information that will help my students in understanding the topic at hand. My students were engaged in the story, asked high level comprehension questions, and became interested in learning more about social studies. I also liked the end the day reading a chapter book to my students when we had extra time left during pick up.
Journals are also a component of a comprehensive literacy program. My students each had a writing journal in which they were able to write during the language arts/reading block. As a center, students could get out their journals and write about anything that came to mind. At the beginning of the year, we did an activity together to list possible writing topics. This cut down on their inability to think of something to write about and refreshed their memory on topics they might enjoy journaling about. Students were required to included mostly writing in their journal but were allowed to add a drawing to accompany their story or thoughts. Their journals also provided a great way to show parents how much their student had progressed over the course of the year by comparing the beginning to the end of the year writings.
One are of improvement that I would like to see is in reading conferences. I had writing conferences with students to look over their journals, but did not take the time to discuss what students were reading. Children love to share about their favorite story or the really cool character in their book. This also promotes a love for reading and encourages students to read more since they love to share about it. I love Weaver's idea about having students read some of their book to the teacher. This allows the teacher to assess reading strategies being used as well as whether or not the student is reading a text that suits their reading abilities. With my next group of students, I will definitely try to incorporate reading conferences.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Module 3: Activity 2
Nonsense words or pseudowords were a hot topic in many of my undergraduate reading courses. Similar to the teacher in the video, we worked with students using letter tiles to create the spelling of words. While we used similar strategies, like the slide to blend letters, we did this using actual words. The only work we did with nonsense words was in a pre- and post-test on the child's ability to read pseudowords. I see both viewpoints on using nonsense words to help struggling readers crack the code and become more proficient readers. If students are able to read pseudowords, they are likely able to read real words because they have a good understanding of letter sounds. However, pseudowords do not represent letter patterns that are typically found in words. This is where the problem with having students read nonsense words comes in. Students need to learn to read word by word rather than letter by letter. To read nonsense words, students are decoding each individual letter. Teaching real words with word patterns will help students develop more sight words and will make them more proficient readers. I like the techniques the teacher used with the letter tiles, because I have seen them to work effectively for young readers struggling with phonics. I would just adjust that strategy to include real words that follow traditional word patterns.
Module 3: Mock Memo from a Reading Specialist
Teacher,
It is wonderful to see that your students are fluent readers reading above the grade level norms. In the early years of elementary school, it is our goal as teachers to get our students to become fluent readers. As they get into upper grades, like third grade, we must put more time into teaching comprehension strategies and encouraging students to focus on the meaning of the text. The purpose of reading is to comprehend the text rather than to finish it quickly with few errors. I have a few suggestions on ways to encourage your students to focus on the meaning of the passage, while still reading quickly and efficiently.
First, encourage your readers to slow down. They are above grade level norms, so slowing down a bit will not hinder them in any way. Actually, slowing down is going to allow them to focus more on comprehension and less on speed. Make sure they know that their goal is to see who finishes the quickest, but rather who understands the most from what they read.
Second, model "thinking aloud" to your students as you read. Allow them to hear the questions you are asking as you read. Here are some examples of questions to ask aloud as you read. I wonder what the main character is going to do next? I predict ... is going to happen next. I wonder why the character acted in that way. Why does the character feel ....? These are questions that will have your readers constantly thinking about the plot of the text. This will make it easier to grasp the entire meaning once the reader finishes reading. Encourage the reader to stop and ask herself similar questions to the ones you model for her.
Lastly, make comprehension fun. I love using comprehension cubes or dice to make asking comprehension questions more exciting. Make a game out of it or allow two readers to ask questions to each other. Your readers need to know the importance of comprehension rather than speed. Make your readers feel proud of their fluency, but focus in on comprehending the text by incorporating games and make reading fun!
Happy Reading!
Ms. Boyd
Module 3: Reading Reflection
Marilyn Adams made a bold claim to say that rather than rely on context to read, good readers process individual letters and words in a text. I do not agree with this statement. Although this statement sounds accurate at first glance, there are large amounts of research that argue the opposite. As a reader, I would think I read letter by letter, word by word, and line by line as I go about reading a text. This however is much less efficient and takes more time. As a skillful reader, I in fact don't read the way Marilyn Adams believes I would.
Researchers have studied eye movements and fixations to prove Marilyn Adams wrong. Some key findings show how a skillful reader's eyes actually move during reading. First, "good readers do not read word-by-word if this means fixating on every word of reading every word as it is printed on the page" (Weaver, 2002). A good reader is able to understand the meaning of the text, without fixating on every word as it is printed on the page. Second, "good readers do not read word-by-word as if the words were in a list rather than in a context" (Weaver, 2002). Good readers use the context of words before and after in order to identify words. This allows readers to move at a greater speed and fixate on fewer words. Lastly, research shows that "good readers do not read strictly left to right" (Weaver, 2002). Skillful readers often look ahead or go back to repeat words and confirm their meaning. Readers go ahead in the text to identify words and clarify meaning.
The techniques of looking back in the text and looking forward, show that a reader is extremely skillful and is able to use resources in the text to derive the correct meaning. When readers read letter by letter, word by word, and line by line, they are not using all the possible resources available to them in order to grasp the meaning of the text. It takes that type of reader more time to gain meaning and comprehension, because their eyes are fixating on every word rather than checking their reading and looking ahead.
I would argue that beginning and emergent readers are the ones reading the way Marilyn Adams believes skillful readers do. When children are learning to read, they need to look at the letters for sounds in order to put them into words and then form sentences. This process reflects early reading rather than the type of reading skillful readers participate in. Marilyn Adams was more so describing this stage of reading rather than how skillful readers use previous words as well as upcoming words to read quickly and efficiently. As readers become more skillful, they too will read this way, rather than the way Marilyn Adams described.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading process & practice. (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Researchers have studied eye movements and fixations to prove Marilyn Adams wrong. Some key findings show how a skillful reader's eyes actually move during reading. First, "good readers do not read word-by-word if this means fixating on every word of reading every word as it is printed on the page" (Weaver, 2002). A good reader is able to understand the meaning of the text, without fixating on every word as it is printed on the page. Second, "good readers do not read word-by-word as if the words were in a list rather than in a context" (Weaver, 2002). Good readers use the context of words before and after in order to identify words. This allows readers to move at a greater speed and fixate on fewer words. Lastly, research shows that "good readers do not read strictly left to right" (Weaver, 2002). Skillful readers often look ahead or go back to repeat words and confirm their meaning. Readers go ahead in the text to identify words and clarify meaning.
The techniques of looking back in the text and looking forward, show that a reader is extremely skillful and is able to use resources in the text to derive the correct meaning. When readers read letter by letter, word by word, and line by line, they are not using all the possible resources available to them in order to grasp the meaning of the text. It takes that type of reader more time to gain meaning and comprehension, because their eyes are fixating on every word rather than checking their reading and looking ahead.
I would argue that beginning and emergent readers are the ones reading the way Marilyn Adams believes skillful readers do. When children are learning to read, they need to look at the letters for sounds in order to put them into words and then form sentences. This process reflects early reading rather than the type of reading skillful readers participate in. Marilyn Adams was more so describing this stage of reading rather than how skillful readers use previous words as well as upcoming words to read quickly and efficiently. As readers become more skillful, they too will read this way, rather than the way Marilyn Adams described.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading process & practice. (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Module 2: Activities 1 & 2
Pg. 58 Activity 3c
In order to provide a definition for these words, I tried two different approaches. First I used grammatical knowledge to determine if I thought the word was a noun, verb, or adjective. This helped me to them think of a word that sounded like word that was also a noun, verb, or adjective. For example, I thought the word creech was likely a verb. I then thought of verbs that sounded like creech. This brought the word creep to mind. Thus, I guessed that creech meant to slowly approach something.
creech: to slowly approach
droogs: a large group
glazzies: those who are disengaged from something
goloss: rain boots
malenky: easy going or laid back
messel: someone who is annoying
millicents: a group of happy people
poogly: flimsy
razrez: something sharp
skorry: unhappy
spatted: to leave angrily
zoobies: a group of animals
After reading A Clockwork Orange:
droogs: friends
spatted: to fight
skorry: quickly
malenky: small amount
zoobies: food
millicents: police or law enforcement
In order to determine the meanings while reading A Clockwork Orange, I relied heavily on context clues. I looked at the sentences before the word as well as the sentences after the word. Some words were easier to determine than others. Many of the words could have meant many different things based on the context. I still used the grammar of the sentence to determine if the word was a noun, verb, or adjective. Once I established that, I relied on the context of the story to help me come up with a definition. Although I used these strategies, I am not confident that my definitions are correct.
pg. 85 Activity 7
I did not try to read the words letter by letter. Because these words were unfamiliar to me, it would have taken too much time to read the words letter by letter. Instead, I recognized some word chunks that helped me in reading the words. For example, when reading the word submandibular, I chunked it to read it sub-man-dib-ular. This helped me break up a long and unfamiliar word in a way that made it easier for me to read.
I was not familiar with any of these words, however, I could derive some meaning based off word parts. Word parts like sub-, sapo-, -aur, extra-, and -ate help me establish some understanding of the word. To determine the definition for submandibular, I knew that sub means under something. From my knowledge of anatomy, I know the mandible is the jaw. So, submandibular must mean something about being under the jaw.
Pronouncing the words really didn't give me any insights into the meanings of the words. If anything, it helped me determine what part of speech the word was, but it did not help with the actual meaning of the word.
When I encounter words I am unfamiliar with, my first reaction is to use context clues and parts of speech. This is similar to what I did in activity 3c. If I am not able to determine meaning using these two strategies, I will typically read on. If I feel the word is necessary to my understanding of the text, I would then look it up in a dictionary.
In order for students to deal with unfamiliar words in print, we as teachers need to teach the reading process. This process should teach them how to quickly and correctly identify words they are unfamiliar with. This includes teaching them to use context clues to determine meaning. Rereading that portion of the text could also help them to understand the unknown word.If they aren't able to determine meaning from the context, they should then be equipped with the tools to look up the word.
In order to provide a definition for these words, I tried two different approaches. First I used grammatical knowledge to determine if I thought the word was a noun, verb, or adjective. This helped me to them think of a word that sounded like word that was also a noun, verb, or adjective. For example, I thought the word creech was likely a verb. I then thought of verbs that sounded like creech. This brought the word creep to mind. Thus, I guessed that creech meant to slowly approach something.
creech: to slowly approach
droogs: a large group
glazzies: those who are disengaged from something
goloss: rain boots
malenky: easy going or laid back
messel: someone who is annoying
millicents: a group of happy people
poogly: flimsy
razrez: something sharp
skorry: unhappy
spatted: to leave angrily
zoobies: a group of animals
After reading A Clockwork Orange:
droogs: friends
spatted: to fight
skorry: quickly
malenky: small amount
zoobies: food
millicents: police or law enforcement
In order to determine the meanings while reading A Clockwork Orange, I relied heavily on context clues. I looked at the sentences before the word as well as the sentences after the word. Some words were easier to determine than others. Many of the words could have meant many different things based on the context. I still used the grammar of the sentence to determine if the word was a noun, verb, or adjective. Once I established that, I relied on the context of the story to help me come up with a definition. Although I used these strategies, I am not confident that my definitions are correct.
pg. 85 Activity 7
I did not try to read the words letter by letter. Because these words were unfamiliar to me, it would have taken too much time to read the words letter by letter. Instead, I recognized some word chunks that helped me in reading the words. For example, when reading the word submandibular, I chunked it to read it sub-man-dib-ular. This helped me break up a long and unfamiliar word in a way that made it easier for me to read.
I was not familiar with any of these words, however, I could derive some meaning based off word parts. Word parts like sub-, sapo-, -aur, extra-, and -ate help me establish some understanding of the word. To determine the definition for submandibular, I knew that sub means under something. From my knowledge of anatomy, I know the mandible is the jaw. So, submandibular must mean something about being under the jaw.
Pronouncing the words really didn't give me any insights into the meanings of the words. If anything, it helped me determine what part of speech the word was, but it did not help with the actual meaning of the word.
When I encounter words I am unfamiliar with, my first reaction is to use context clues and parts of speech. This is similar to what I did in activity 3c. If I am not able to determine meaning using these two strategies, I will typically read on. If I feel the word is necessary to my understanding of the text, I would then look it up in a dictionary.
In order for students to deal with unfamiliar words in print, we as teachers need to teach the reading process. This process should teach them how to quickly and correctly identify words they are unfamiliar with. This includes teaching them to use context clues to determine meaning. Rereading that portion of the text could also help them to understand the unknown word.If they aren't able to determine meaning from the context, they should then be equipped with the tools to look up the word.
Module 2: Instructional Challenge
| OR: It my little monkey here. | ER: Is my little monkey here? |
| OR: We got to tell. | ER: We've got to tell. |
| OR: Frog look at Toad calendar. | ER: Frog looked at Toad's calendar. |
| OR: A word what sounded good. | ER: A word that sounded good. |
| OR: hisself | ER: himself |
| OR: I can come to your party? | ER: Can I come to your party? |
At first glance, I question whether or not this is considered proficient or non-proficient reading. The original response does not mirror what would be expected from a child speaking proper English. However, the child has still derived the proper meaning from the words read. Once I understood that the child still received the correct meaning, I determined that this child should be considered a proficient reader. For anyone deeming this child non-proficient, Weaver says, "this assumption should be reconsidered in light of the evidence that understanding usually precedes oral verbalization and in light of the evidence that proficient readers make miscues that reflect their predictions, their prior knowledge, and even their preferred language structures" (Weaver, 2002, p.74)
The idea that understanding usually comes before verbalization is a new concept to me. I had never thought about it before, but in order to verbalize what we are reading, we have already had to gain an understanding of the words. If the child did not understand the passage, they wouldn't have been able to verbalize it. Although they verbalized it in their own dialect, they simply changed the words into their preferred language structure. If we speak in what is considered "proper English", that is our preferred language structure.
I also consider this child a proficient reader based on his or her ability to change the surface structure. Weaver points out that "what we often fail to realize is that such dialect translation would not be possible unless the reader had understood the deep structure of the author's sentence. Actively transacting with the text, the reader has simply expressed it in his or her own surface structure" (Weaver, 2002, pg.74). We each add or take away from the surface grammatical features as we read. When speakers from other dialects read a passage of standard English, they are doing the same to best fit their dialect.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading Process & Practice (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Module 2: Reading Reflection
"The major folklore of reading instruction related to the 'theory' that reading is considered an exact process. In other words, the reader is expected to read everything exactly as printed on the page in order to understand the message of the author. In general the consuming public, legislatures, courts and too many educators hold to this theory. It is like the theory of the world being flat during the time of Columbus." -Robert Harper and Gary Kilarr
I agree with Harper and Kilarr's quote that it is folklore to consider reading an exact process. Reading is more than merging graphemes, morphemes, and phonemes to derive meaning from a word. The reading process takes into account syntactic and semantic context within sentences and an entire text. Just because a reader is able to read a passage correctly doesn't mean they are a proficient reader. A proficient reader not only correctly reads the passage, the proficient reader constructs meaning from what they have read.
Proficient readers use "tools" in order to construct meaning from words. Weaver says that "we can and do use our entire personal context of knowledge and experience, our schemas to help us identify words" (Weaver, 2002). Our social and cultural context as well as our background help us to identify words. Just because we read a word correctly, doesn't mean we have identified it. To identify a word, we pull together our background knowledge and schemas to determine what the words means to us. Person A and person B might derive two totally different meanings from a word based on their preexisting schemas or personal context. This is why we cannot consider reading an exact process. There is nothing exact about it.
The activity on pages 49 and 50 further show that reading cannot be consider an exact process. While I was able to read each sentence, many of the words had two meanings. I was able to derive meaning from the first four sentences based on the syntactic clues given. This allowed me to eliminate one of the meanings and narrow in on what the sentence is actually saying. The last four sentences, however, did not give enough context in order for me to determine the meaning. The dual meaning words caused confusion for me although I knew what each word meant. I either needed context to predict what was coming next or following context to confirm or correct my prediction (Weaver, 2002).
Lastly, page 71 sums up the idea of why we cannot consider reading to be an exact process. Weaver says "the goal of reading instruction should not be the accurate identification of every word, but rather the effective and efficient use of reading strategies in order to construct meaning" (Weaver, 2002). No reader is alike. As readers, we each use our own strategies and tools in order to construct meaning and gain an understanding of what we have read. While we both might be able to read each word correctly without any miscues, we cannot say that we had the same process in doing do. We must approach teaching reading like we approach any other subject. Each child learns in a different way. We must help them learn by presenting information in multiple ways. This will eliminate the notion that reading is an exact process where students must read words correctly in order to gain meaning.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading process & practice. (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
I agree with Harper and Kilarr's quote that it is folklore to consider reading an exact process. Reading is more than merging graphemes, morphemes, and phonemes to derive meaning from a word. The reading process takes into account syntactic and semantic context within sentences and an entire text. Just because a reader is able to read a passage correctly doesn't mean they are a proficient reader. A proficient reader not only correctly reads the passage, the proficient reader constructs meaning from what they have read.
Proficient readers use "tools" in order to construct meaning from words. Weaver says that "we can and do use our entire personal context of knowledge and experience, our schemas to help us identify words" (Weaver, 2002). Our social and cultural context as well as our background help us to identify words. Just because we read a word correctly, doesn't mean we have identified it. To identify a word, we pull together our background knowledge and schemas to determine what the words means to us. Person A and person B might derive two totally different meanings from a word based on their preexisting schemas or personal context. This is why we cannot consider reading an exact process. There is nothing exact about it.
The activity on pages 49 and 50 further show that reading cannot be consider an exact process. While I was able to read each sentence, many of the words had two meanings. I was able to derive meaning from the first four sentences based on the syntactic clues given. This allowed me to eliminate one of the meanings and narrow in on what the sentence is actually saying. The last four sentences, however, did not give enough context in order for me to determine the meaning. The dual meaning words caused confusion for me although I knew what each word meant. I either needed context to predict what was coming next or following context to confirm or correct my prediction (Weaver, 2002).
Lastly, page 71 sums up the idea of why we cannot consider reading to be an exact process. Weaver says "the goal of reading instruction should not be the accurate identification of every word, but rather the effective and efficient use of reading strategies in order to construct meaning" (Weaver, 2002). No reader is alike. As readers, we each use our own strategies and tools in order to construct meaning and gain an understanding of what we have read. While we both might be able to read each word correctly without any miscues, we cannot say that we had the same process in doing do. We must approach teaching reading like we approach any other subject. Each child learns in a different way. We must help them learn by presenting information in multiple ways. This will eliminate the notion that reading is an exact process where students must read words correctly in order to gain meaning.
Weaver, C. (2002). Reading process & practice. (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Module 1: Activity 2
a. What is corandic?
Corandic is an emurient grof with many fribs.
b. What does corandic grank from?
Corandic granks from corite.
c. How do garkers excarp the tarances from the corite?
Garkers excarp it by glarcking the corite and starping it in tranker-clarped storbs.
d. What does the slorp finally frast?
The slorp frasts a pragety, blickant crankle.
e. What is coranda?
Coranda is a cargurt, grinkling corandic and borigen.
f. How is the corandic nacerated from the borigen?
It does done by means of loracity.
g. What do the garkers finally thrap?
They finally thrap a glick, bracht, glupous grapant, corandic, which granks in many starps.
In order to answer the questions presented, I used the textbooks advice on what clues to follow. I used syntactic cues like function words, word endings, and word order. I relied heavily on words like other, several, is, which, with, and so on. These words were necessary in being able to decipher the order of the passage. Although I was able to answer each question, I did not comprehend any of the text. I simply used the syntactic clues and wrote verbatim. The questions were also given in the exact order in which they were written in the text. This made it very simple to look past the difficult words and answer the questions with ease.
Oftentimes, the workbooks and standardized tests our students are using ask comprehension questions like the ones above. Students are able to find the answer to the questions directly in the passage and write it word for word. Students are not required to infer or think critically. The student may be clueless about the plot of the story, but still perform well on an assessment. This gives the teacher very little data on whether or not the student actually understood what they read. This activity makes me rethink the way assessments are given. Are we really challenging our students or are we giving comprehension questions that don't require any comprehension at all?
Corandic is an emurient grof with many fribs.
b. What does corandic grank from?
Corandic granks from corite.
c. How do garkers excarp the tarances from the corite?
Garkers excarp it by glarcking the corite and starping it in tranker-clarped storbs.
d. What does the slorp finally frast?
The slorp frasts a pragety, blickant crankle.
e. What is coranda?
Coranda is a cargurt, grinkling corandic and borigen.
f. How is the corandic nacerated from the borigen?
It does done by means of loracity.
g. What do the garkers finally thrap?
They finally thrap a glick, bracht, glupous grapant, corandic, which granks in many starps.
In order to answer the questions presented, I used the textbooks advice on what clues to follow. I used syntactic cues like function words, word endings, and word order. I relied heavily on words like other, several, is, which, with, and so on. These words were necessary in being able to decipher the order of the passage. Although I was able to answer each question, I did not comprehend any of the text. I simply used the syntactic clues and wrote verbatim. The questions were also given in the exact order in which they were written in the text. This made it very simple to look past the difficult words and answer the questions with ease.
Oftentimes, the workbooks and standardized tests our students are using ask comprehension questions like the ones above. Students are able to find the answer to the questions directly in the passage and write it word for word. Students are not required to infer or think critically. The student may be clueless about the plot of the story, but still perform well on an assessment. This gives the teacher very little data on whether or not the student actually understood what they read. This activity makes me rethink the way assessments are given. Are we really challenging our students or are we giving comprehension questions that don't require any comprehension at all?
Module 1:Instructional Challenge
Hocked gems financing him, our hero defied the scornful laughter. Think of it as an egg, not a table, he said. Then three sturdy sisters sought proof, forging over vast calmness, and sometimes over turbulent peaks and valleys, until at last welcome winged creatures appeared, signifying monumental success.
1. What are the hocked gems?
From my limited knowledge on the word hocked, I believe it means to be taken or to be stolen. The man is being financed or paid for by stolen gems.
2. What should we think of as an egg and not a table?
I think the author is referring to some type of journey or task. Perhaps it is something that will require continuous work and the egg is used as a metaphor for something round with no end point. The table would be considered a representation for something with a definite starting and ending point.
3. Who are the three sturdy sisters?
I do not think the author means three literal sisters in this sentence. He could be referring to three people who will accompany him or support him on his journey or task. They could be described as sturdy to show that they are strong and will be able to stand by him on his journey.
4. What kind of winged creatures appeared?
I think the winged creatures that appeared were likely birds. They might have been a sign of good fortune on his journey or possibly a foreboding sign.
Reflection:
My interpretation of this passage is based on my own schemas and background knowledge. Thus, each student will have a different interpretation of this passage. This passage was extremely hard for me to understand because I struggled to find a schema that matched the text. I had very little background knowledge, so it took me quite a few times reading through to begin with an idea of why this was written. In order to activate my students' schemas, I would encourage them to look up words they might not be familiar with. A definition of one of those words could activate a schema they already have and help them when deciding what the author is trying to convey. If a student is having trouble with their schema and the text matching, I would revisit the text with them and see which words are causing the trouble. Perhaps just one word is being misinterpreted and is throwing the rest of the passage off. In a task like this one, I would ensure that my students understand there is not a right or wrong answer. They are being asked for their interpretation. As long as they are able to tell me why they interpreted it the way they did, I feel they would have done an excellent job. I believe in challenging my students, but I also believe in selecting appropriate books for them. If they were to become too frustrated with a passage, I would adjust my teaching to provide a text for them that meets their needs.
1. What are the hocked gems?
From my limited knowledge on the word hocked, I believe it means to be taken or to be stolen. The man is being financed or paid for by stolen gems.
2. What should we think of as an egg and not a table?
I think the author is referring to some type of journey or task. Perhaps it is something that will require continuous work and the egg is used as a metaphor for something round with no end point. The table would be considered a representation for something with a definite starting and ending point.
3. Who are the three sturdy sisters?
I do not think the author means three literal sisters in this sentence. He could be referring to three people who will accompany him or support him on his journey or task. They could be described as sturdy to show that they are strong and will be able to stand by him on his journey.
4. What kind of winged creatures appeared?
I think the winged creatures that appeared were likely birds. They might have been a sign of good fortune on his journey or possibly a foreboding sign.
Reflection:
My interpretation of this passage is based on my own schemas and background knowledge. Thus, each student will have a different interpretation of this passage. This passage was extremely hard for me to understand because I struggled to find a schema that matched the text. I had very little background knowledge, so it took me quite a few times reading through to begin with an idea of why this was written. In order to activate my students' schemas, I would encourage them to look up words they might not be familiar with. A definition of one of those words could activate a schema they already have and help them when deciding what the author is trying to convey. If a student is having trouble with their schema and the text matching, I would revisit the text with them and see which words are causing the trouble. Perhaps just one word is being misinterpreted and is throwing the rest of the passage off. In a task like this one, I would ensure that my students understand there is not a right or wrong answer. They are being asked for their interpretation. As long as they are able to tell me why they interpreted it the way they did, I feel they would have done an excellent job. I believe in challenging my students, but I also believe in selecting appropriate books for them. If they were to become too frustrated with a passage, I would adjust my teaching to provide a text for them that meets their needs.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Module 1: Reading Reflection
Weaver’s first two chapters focus
on approaches to literacy and how children establish their motivation for
reading. When learning to read, children are heavily influenced by how the
teachers teach reading, which shapes how a child views reading and writing.
There are two main approaches to literacy. The skills approach and the
sociopsycholinguistic approach both represent two methods for teaching, both
with a different focus.
The skills approach is rooted in
the belief that instruction should be heavily based off phonemes. This approach
focuses on teaching letter-sound correspondences, teaching children to decode
words, patterns for identifying words, and often puts little emphasis on
understanding the meaning of the text. This approach is more of a bottom-up
model in which children begin with phonemic awareness, then add letter sounds,
recognize words, and then arrive at the meaning. This type of approach also
emphasizes fluency. How quickly and accurately can the student read? Often
times when students are reading for speed, they don’t focus on the meaning of
the text, but rather how many words per minute they have accomplished. This is
one of the downfalls with this particular approach.
The sociopsycholinguistic approach
works the opposite way. This approach would be considered a top-down theory.
Understanding the meaning is the main goal for children being taught with this
approach. Children start by understanding the meaning before going into
recognizing words, adding letter sounds, and having phonemic awareness. How can
a child gain meaning from a text if they can’t read the words? In order to gain
meaning, the reader is encouraged to use background knowledge, existing
schemas, context clues, and visual aids that might be provided. We read in
order to gain meaning from a text, which is why this approach sounds like the
better alternative to me. However, a child’s phonemic awareness is an excellent
indicator of future success in reading. Because I understand the importance of
phonemic awareness and phonics, I believe there needs to be a balance. I would
focus more heavily on teaching meaning, while still incorporating lessons in
phonemic awareness and word recognition.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Person Model of the Theory Reading
One of my greatest motivations to go into education stems
from my love of seeing children learn to read. Aside from reading being an
integral part in schooling, the ability to read is an essential skill that an
individual needs. Literacy leads to exploration of the world around us. It
allows us to connect with one another, to learn about someone else’s
experiences, and to gain an understanding of other individuals. It can take
children beyond their own experiences and into their imagination.
I have developed a love for reading over the years, however
at an early age, I saw reading as boring and irrelevant. Why did my teachers
always make me read books about events from hundreds of years ago? How can I
relate to the story I am reading? How many pages do I need to read today to
finish the book on time? These were the questions I asked myself daily. I
always saw reading as an assignment. It was something I had to do in order to
pass a test or make a good great. Never would I have imagined reading for
enjoyment. Reading for fun was a foreign concept to me.
My junior year of high school was when it all finally
clicked for me. At last I had a teacher who managed to make reading
interesting. She challenged me to think beyond the text and interpret the real
meaning behind the author’s words. This is the kind of teacher I try to be. I
want my students learn to love reading at an early age and to see the beauty
behind sharing ideas through a story.
I believe in the importance of treating students as
individual readers. Not every student should be given the same book. Not every
student should be expected to read at the same pace. In order for a student to
feel confident in their reading ability, they need to be given books that suit
them. They should be challenged but capable readers. This past semester, the
Daily Five was incorporated into my classroom. During the reading and language
arts block, students could choose a variety of centers, all aimed at improving
their literacy. Each student was given a briefcase in which to keep books
specially selected for him or her. When selecting the books, I worked alongside
each student. They played a part in selecting the books. My role was simply to
guide them in choosing books that would best fit their reading abilities.
Allowing students to have a say in what they read is one of the most important
aspects of my reading philosophy. Students are much more likely to pick up a
book that they had a role in choosing. I saw this each and every day as
students flew through the books in their briefcase and also enjoyed reading a book
or two to a friend.
I also believe that reading should be incorporated across
the entire curriculum. I have found ways to use reading in math, social
studies, and science. To become accurate and fluent readers, students need
every opportunity to practice. I do this by including reading material into
each lesson I teach. Math problems can be given as word problems. Students can
read interesting text about history or important events. Students can read
educational books about animals, weather, or the earth. Reading impacts all
aspects of our daily lives, so why not involve it in all aspects of teaching?
Lastly, reading should be fun! It took me many years to
enjoy reading, because teachers along the way took the fun out of it. As
teachers, we need to motivate our students to develop a love and passion for
reading. The best way to do this is by making reading fun. When students enjoy
reading, they will want to continue even without being told to. Tap into what
each student is reading. Ask them about the book they have in their hand. Act genuinely
interesting in what they are reading about, and they will be proud to tell
about all they have learned.
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