"No longer will the one-day workshop with no follow-up be sufficient. Teacher development is viewed as an active process..." pg. 161
Just recently at my school we have a new reading coach/specialist. The previous reading specialist was more of the one-day workshop type of person. There was little teacher involvement and teachers were free to pretty much teach how they wanted to. With the new reading specialist, it is more of an active learning process. She acts more like a reading coach than a reading specialist. However, there has been some resistance to her methods due to the drastic differences.
"They learn the students' names and become and extra set of eyes to observe students' responses and learning in the classroom." pg. 162
Again, we have a literacy coach in our building but she is more of a person in transition. I believe that we are moving away from the role of literacy specialist to the role of a literacy coach. I think that literacy coaches should be in the classroom and should get to know the students. (All of the students!) It is important to know each child individually in order to help understand where they are coming from when you are trying to teach them. Teaching a child is about more than just the results of their assessment!
"They wanted to share their discoveries, so they developed reflective discussion groups. The teachers consider ideas from each other and begin to express their new insights." pg. 163
I think that collaboration and discussion among teachers is great! However, I am just curious where is there time in the day, week or month for one more meeting? As a permanent substitute teacher in my building, I am constantly covering for teacher meetings. I think that colloboration is wonderful but between professional development, workshops, individual meetings with coaches/administrators, all during the regular school day, how much time away from your students is too much??
"In the first year, all teachers read and discussed the book Mosaic of Thought. As the faculty read the book, they began to implement suggested practices, and their classroom language changed." pg. 165
Just this past Monday our ELA teachers meet at a professional development meeting to read and discuss this book. Many of the teachers were not entirely thrilled about it. Has anyone read it before? According to this book it seems like Mosaic would be good for all literacy professionals to read. In it, the teacher is supposed to ask more connection-like questions, which have proven to aid in comprehension. As far as I'm concerned, anything that helps a student better comprehend the text is an excellent addition to a literacy lesson.
"This ongoing form of professional development changes not only practice but also beliefs and values about literacy and literacy instruction." pg. 167
I think that this collaboration in terms of professional development helps prevent teachers from becoming stuck in their ways. I'm sure we have all observed a teacher who fails to advance their teaching methods over time, and teaches the same exact material, the same exact way year in and year out. The world of education is constantly growing and changing and we all need to keep up! This collaborative method not only helps the teachers to become the best instructors possible, but it ultimately helps the students to succeed.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Chapter 9
“In the past, many teachers, including diagnostic teachers, used materials organized by others. This approach is convenient and time saving, but teachers need to make sure these materials align with the strengths and needs of the readers.” Pg.148
I think that this is very true. Last class, we talked a lot about packaged reading programs and how they are not always the best programs for our students. Teachers need a variety of materials to use because every student is different, no one programs is going to help every child, and variety is the key. I have noticed that the students in my district do not respond well to these packaged programs because 1) they do not focus on the strengths and weaknesses of all individual readers in the class, 2) they are boring and 3) the topics are not relevant to the student’s lives.
“These books [high interest, low readability] are stories that would appeal to an older student but are written at an easier level to provide interesting stories that help improve literacy.” Pg. 150
At the school I currently work at, we have many high-need, struggling readers. I think that by increasing the supply of high interest-low readability books we would improve their overall reading success. If we gave them books that are written for their age level in interest, but a lower reading level, there will be less stress and anxiety when it comes to reading and it will allow students to focus more on the story and their literacy skills/strategies. In class we discussed that more of these books are becoming available to teachers and students, but I have yet to see many in my building.
“Using videos with struggling readers helps them (a) predict what the words are, (b) understand word meanings, (c) understand the story organization or content information.” Pg. 151
I think that this is an excellent idea to enhance the curriculum and improve reading of students, particularly lower level students. If students already knew the basic outline of the story before they read, they could then focus more in-depth on the content, aiding in comprehension. In my literacy practicum we allowed the students to watch the movie “Molly – An American Girl” before proceeding into our historical fiction unit based on WWII. This movie helped the students to visualize what the events and vocabulary of the upcoming books/stories would be. With something like historical fiction, where topics are often older and less used in everyday language this tool was vital in helping students to understand their future readings.
“Interest is crucial in selecting books. In the topic and/or storyline is interesting and engaging, then the book is usually easier to read.” Pg. 159
I think that student interest is absolutely necessary to think about when picking out materials to read in class with your students. If the students are not interested in the topic, chances are they could care less about reading it. We need to find someway to connect the piece of text to interesting topics that the kids like to read about. One way to do this would be to give the class an informal reading survey, asking them their general likes and dislikes.
“The attention span of many struggling readers is relatively short; therefore, as the diagnostic teacher selects books, she looks for texts, such as chapter books, that are short.” Pg. 160
I think that this is a very important point that I had never really thought about before. I have noticed that when I tell students we are going to be reading a certain chapter, that many of them instantly skip to the back of the chapter to see how long it is. They dread chapters that are long in length. Currently, the book I am reading with my students in the practicum is a chapter book, and thankfully most of the chapters are very short. It helps the struggling readers get through them easier. I also find that they stay more engaged and focused with shorter chapters as well.
I think that this is very true. Last class, we talked a lot about packaged reading programs and how they are not always the best programs for our students. Teachers need a variety of materials to use because every student is different, no one programs is going to help every child, and variety is the key. I have noticed that the students in my district do not respond well to these packaged programs because 1) they do not focus on the strengths and weaknesses of all individual readers in the class, 2) they are boring and 3) the topics are not relevant to the student’s lives.
“These books [high interest, low readability] are stories that would appeal to an older student but are written at an easier level to provide interesting stories that help improve literacy.” Pg. 150
At the school I currently work at, we have many high-need, struggling readers. I think that by increasing the supply of high interest-low readability books we would improve their overall reading success. If we gave them books that are written for their age level in interest, but a lower reading level, there will be less stress and anxiety when it comes to reading and it will allow students to focus more on the story and their literacy skills/strategies. In class we discussed that more of these books are becoming available to teachers and students, but I have yet to see many in my building.
“Using videos with struggling readers helps them (a) predict what the words are, (b) understand word meanings, (c) understand the story organization or content information.” Pg. 151
I think that this is an excellent idea to enhance the curriculum and improve reading of students, particularly lower level students. If students already knew the basic outline of the story before they read, they could then focus more in-depth on the content, aiding in comprehension. In my literacy practicum we allowed the students to watch the movie “Molly – An American Girl” before proceeding into our historical fiction unit based on WWII. This movie helped the students to visualize what the events and vocabulary of the upcoming books/stories would be. With something like historical fiction, where topics are often older and less used in everyday language this tool was vital in helping students to understand their future readings.
“Interest is crucial in selecting books. In the topic and/or storyline is interesting and engaging, then the book is usually easier to read.” Pg. 159
I think that student interest is absolutely necessary to think about when picking out materials to read in class with your students. If the students are not interested in the topic, chances are they could care less about reading it. We need to find someway to connect the piece of text to interesting topics that the kids like to read about. One way to do this would be to give the class an informal reading survey, asking them their general likes and dislikes.
“The attention span of many struggling readers is relatively short; therefore, as the diagnostic teacher selects books, she looks for texts, such as chapter books, that are short.” Pg. 160
I think that this is a very important point that I had never really thought about before. I have noticed that when I tell students we are going to be reading a certain chapter, that many of them instantly skip to the back of the chapter to see how long it is. They dread chapters that are long in length. Currently, the book I am reading with my students in the practicum is a chapter book, and thankfully most of the chapters are very short. It helps the struggling readers get through them easier. I also find that they stay more engaged and focused with shorter chapters as well.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Chapter 7
“The student’s mediated reading level determines the level at which the student can efficiently be taught…the diagnostic teacher establishes the highest difficulty level at which the student profits from instruction.” Pg. 121
I think that this is what we would consider the student’s instructional reading level. This level is important for all teachers to know because that is the level at which we teach at. Instructional levels allow us to help students build the proper reading skills and strategies with a text that is just hard enough to promote instruction but not so hard that the student is overly frustrated and wants to give up. Although the process of finding students reading levels might be time consuming, as we are finding out with our QRI’s it is definitely an important process.
“A third consideration is the amount of teacher investment necessary to engage the student in an active interpretation of text. As she teaches, the diagnostic teacher adjusts her instruction to the needs of the student.” Pg. 123
It is important to build a positive and supporting relationship with each individual student, because this relationship will give you the tools to help the student succeed. For instance, Walker suggests “What does the student already know that will help him understand the story?” If the teacher does not understand the ins and outs of this child’s life and their personal reading skills, it might be difficult to help the student understand. I believe that in order for a child to succeed you must invest your time into them.
“Reading progress is indicated by a decrease in miscues and an increase in the number of questions answered correctly.” Pg.126
I like this statement because it shows that a student’s reading progress is not just reading aloud or answering comprehension questions, it is both. If a student is only progressing in one area, there really is not much overall reading progress, instead more instruction is necessary. I have noticed this with many students, often times I see that a student can read aloud fluently but will then have no idea what they just read. They clearly need further instruction to bring up their reading level.
“The teacher assesses reading change during the lesson as well as the amount of task modification and teacher investment needed to produce that change. These measures not only determine placement but also establish optimal instructional conditions.” Pg. 126
The diagnostic teacher is always assessing and changing instruction to best fit the needs of her students. I think that this is very important in any classroom. There is no point in continuing a lesson if the student(s) are not understanding something. Many lessons scaffold on top of one another and the student will be lost in the future. It is important to stop re-assess the situation and move forward. As we all have found out not all lessons begin and end the way we thought they would.
“She focuses on teaching rather than testing to reveal those instructional adjustments that produce reading change for a particular student.” Pg. 132
I find that students who are struggling with reading often do not like to be tested because they feel that they are tested so often. For example, I had to give a DRA to one student this year and before we even started, he saw the testing materials and said “Not another one!” This put him in a bad mood before we even started the assessment. I think that diagnostic teaching, which includes assessment during regular instruction, will benefit students more often than standardized tests will.
I think that this is what we would consider the student’s instructional reading level. This level is important for all teachers to know because that is the level at which we teach at. Instructional levels allow us to help students build the proper reading skills and strategies with a text that is just hard enough to promote instruction but not so hard that the student is overly frustrated and wants to give up. Although the process of finding students reading levels might be time consuming, as we are finding out with our QRI’s it is definitely an important process.
“A third consideration is the amount of teacher investment necessary to engage the student in an active interpretation of text. As she teaches, the diagnostic teacher adjusts her instruction to the needs of the student.” Pg. 123
It is important to build a positive and supporting relationship with each individual student, because this relationship will give you the tools to help the student succeed. For instance, Walker suggests “What does the student already know that will help him understand the story?” If the teacher does not understand the ins and outs of this child’s life and their personal reading skills, it might be difficult to help the student understand. I believe that in order for a child to succeed you must invest your time into them.
“Reading progress is indicated by a decrease in miscues and an increase in the number of questions answered correctly.” Pg.126
I like this statement because it shows that a student’s reading progress is not just reading aloud or answering comprehension questions, it is both. If a student is only progressing in one area, there really is not much overall reading progress, instead more instruction is necessary. I have noticed this with many students, often times I see that a student can read aloud fluently but will then have no idea what they just read. They clearly need further instruction to bring up their reading level.
“The teacher assesses reading change during the lesson as well as the amount of task modification and teacher investment needed to produce that change. These measures not only determine placement but also establish optimal instructional conditions.” Pg. 126
The diagnostic teacher is always assessing and changing instruction to best fit the needs of her students. I think that this is very important in any classroom. There is no point in continuing a lesson if the student(s) are not understanding something. Many lessons scaffold on top of one another and the student will be lost in the future. It is important to stop re-assess the situation and move forward. As we all have found out not all lessons begin and end the way we thought they would.
“She focuses on teaching rather than testing to reveal those instructional adjustments that produce reading change for a particular student.” Pg. 132
I find that students who are struggling with reading often do not like to be tested because they feel that they are tested so often. For example, I had to give a DRA to one student this year and before we even started, he saw the testing materials and said “Not another one!” This put him in a bad mood before we even started the assessment. I think that diagnostic teaching, which includes assessment during regular instruction, will benefit students more often than standardized tests will.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Chapter 4
“[Continuous diagnostic assessment] is a way for the teacher to assess growth by gathering data about students’ unaided performance in the text that is used for guided contextual reading. In this way, assessment occurs during an instructional setting, a critical aspect of diagnostic teaching.” Pg. 59
I think that this is a very important aspect of teaching, not only for a reading specialist/teacher but also for teachers in all subject areas. Often times in our graduate classes we discuss the enormous amount of assessments and standardized tests that students must take, no matter what their reading level. It seems that students who we think are struggling readers are often tested even more often to see if the teacher can pinpoint where the student needs help. I think a lot of students who are struggling readers grow to hate assessments that feel like they are tests. I believe that assessing students in their natural instructional setting is helpful for the student and might even bring out more accurate results.
“[During familiar text time] the interactions, among the teacher, the student, and the text provide a safety net for making and correcting mistakes, in turn increasing the active engagement of readers.” Pg. 61
I think that this piece of the diagnostic teaching session is vital for student engagement. In order to learn more about a certain topic or strategy one must experience it multiple times. Even television shows, I have noticed that students can quote characters from television as if they were the most important things on Earth. They get to know these phrases by watching/experiencing the specific show over and over again. This idea should work with text as well. I think that using older, familiar texts will help students to practice their skills with familiar material, making it less stressful for the student.
“Continuous diagnostic assessment allows the diagnostic teacher to collect a sample of reading behavior prior to or after instruction…these samples of reading behavior allow the diagnostic teacher to develop hypotheses about the changing reading needs of the students.” Pg. 61
These forms of assessment I think not only assess student progress in reading but also assess the level of instruction. Through continuous assessment, the diagnostic teacher is always aware of where his/her students stand. From these assessments one can determine if the student is benefiting from instruction or if a different route should be taken. For example, when the teacher feels the student has mastered enough skills and strategies to move up to a new reading level the teacher might assess the student to see if he/she is independent at their current level. If the assessment shows that the student is not independent at yet, more instruction needs to be done, the teacher cannot simply move forward.
“”During guided contextual reading, the diagnostic teacher differentiates instruction according to learner strengths. The ultimate goal is to focus on reading in connected text that will allow the students to integrate their prior knowledge with the text and to develop personal interpretations.” Pg. 65
This process is very much like guided reading in the comprehensive literacy model. During guided reading with students, we meet with small groups of students to work on skills and strategies while reading the same text. There are before, during, and after reading lesson plans. Walker says that GCR is based on the comprehensive literacy model; I am wondering how are they different? It seems as though the teacher is working with one individual student during GCR, where in guided reading it is a small group setting. Also, skill instruction is a separate piece of the diagnostic teaching session.
“Personal reading and writing allows time for students to define their literacy interest, to read and write for their own purposes, and to read and write without failing because they establish their purposes. In this way, they are defining themselves as literate individuals.” Pg. 69
I really like that the diagnostic teaching session allows time for personalized literacy. I think that students value reading and writing more when they get to have a say in what they read or write about. In this age of scripted programs and uniform curriculums I don’t know how much time teachers actually have for this stage, but I feel it is necessary. One day when I was subbing in an 8th grade ELA room, the students had some left over time, so I allowed them to either independently read or write. At first they moaned and groaned because they still had to do work, but then students began to become interested. A small group of girls wrote poems about their personal lives and shared them with me. This was some of the best work I had ever seen these girls do! I think this stage allows students to remember why reading and writing are so important in their lives.
I think that this is a very important aspect of teaching, not only for a reading specialist/teacher but also for teachers in all subject areas. Often times in our graduate classes we discuss the enormous amount of assessments and standardized tests that students must take, no matter what their reading level. It seems that students who we think are struggling readers are often tested even more often to see if the teacher can pinpoint where the student needs help. I think a lot of students who are struggling readers grow to hate assessments that feel like they are tests. I believe that assessing students in their natural instructional setting is helpful for the student and might even bring out more accurate results.
“[During familiar text time] the interactions, among the teacher, the student, and the text provide a safety net for making and correcting mistakes, in turn increasing the active engagement of readers.” Pg. 61
I think that this piece of the diagnostic teaching session is vital for student engagement. In order to learn more about a certain topic or strategy one must experience it multiple times. Even television shows, I have noticed that students can quote characters from television as if they were the most important things on Earth. They get to know these phrases by watching/experiencing the specific show over and over again. This idea should work with text as well. I think that using older, familiar texts will help students to practice their skills with familiar material, making it less stressful for the student.
“Continuous diagnostic assessment allows the diagnostic teacher to collect a sample of reading behavior prior to or after instruction…these samples of reading behavior allow the diagnostic teacher to develop hypotheses about the changing reading needs of the students.” Pg. 61
These forms of assessment I think not only assess student progress in reading but also assess the level of instruction. Through continuous assessment, the diagnostic teacher is always aware of where his/her students stand. From these assessments one can determine if the student is benefiting from instruction or if a different route should be taken. For example, when the teacher feels the student has mastered enough skills and strategies to move up to a new reading level the teacher might assess the student to see if he/she is independent at their current level. If the assessment shows that the student is not independent at yet, more instruction needs to be done, the teacher cannot simply move forward.
“”During guided contextual reading, the diagnostic teacher differentiates instruction according to learner strengths. The ultimate goal is to focus on reading in connected text that will allow the students to integrate their prior knowledge with the text and to develop personal interpretations.” Pg. 65
This process is very much like guided reading in the comprehensive literacy model. During guided reading with students, we meet with small groups of students to work on skills and strategies while reading the same text. There are before, during, and after reading lesson plans. Walker says that GCR is based on the comprehensive literacy model; I am wondering how are they different? It seems as though the teacher is working with one individual student during GCR, where in guided reading it is a small group setting. Also, skill instruction is a separate piece of the diagnostic teaching session.
“Personal reading and writing allows time for students to define their literacy interest, to read and write for their own purposes, and to read and write without failing because they establish their purposes. In this way, they are defining themselves as literate individuals.” Pg. 69
I really like that the diagnostic teaching session allows time for personalized literacy. I think that students value reading and writing more when they get to have a say in what they read or write about. In this age of scripted programs and uniform curriculums I don’t know how much time teachers actually have for this stage, but I feel it is necessary. One day when I was subbing in an 8th grade ELA room, the students had some left over time, so I allowed them to either independently read or write. At first they moaned and groaned because they still had to do work, but then students began to become interested. A small group of girls wrote poems about their personal lives and shared them with me. This was some of the best work I had ever seen these girls do! I think this stage allows students to remember why reading and writing are so important in their lives.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Chapters 5 & 6
"To determine the level, the diagnostic teacher can administer passages from a standard informal reading inventory...three estimates of reading performance are derived...independent reading level, instructional reading level, and frustration reading level." pg. 75
I was lucky enough to student teach in the beginning of the school year in a third grade class. I was able to give students a informal reading inventory to determine their reading levels. I thought it was interesting that a student doesn't really have one reading level, but instead they have three (independent, instructional, frustration). I thought it was interesting because these levels were done by their 2nd grade teacher in June, and most students levels changed by September. Due to these observations I think that it is necessary for every teacher to administer the informal reading inventory to all students personally.
"Students use self-report to reveal their strategy use...students become aware of the strategies they use while they read." pg. 95
Often times in literacy classes we have talked about what the teacher should do to assess the student's progress; not necessarily what the student should be doing to assess their own progress. I think that students should think about their own reading skills and strategies. A self report such as the one in our textbook may be helpful not only for the student but the teacher as well. I think that when a teacher observes the student reading he/she may not always know what strategy the student is trying to use because they are not inside the student's head. For instance, they might be trying to re-read for comprehension, but is not sure how far back in the text he/she should go. A strategy make not be physically present, but mentally the student knows it is a strategy they can try.
"Proficient readers' text interpretations maintain the basic intent of the author. Although they make miscues and continue reading, their miscues are insignificant in terms of the context of the entire selection." pg. 102
I think that this point is important because even if a reader is not completely fluent through a text, they could still be proficient. I have noticed that when I read aloud I still make mistakes and miscues from time to time, but that does not mean I do not understand the text. It is probably due to nerves from public speaking. The same can be said for our students. I have noticed that there are some times when a student will make a miscue during their reading and not correct their error, but when asked to summarize the text they can do an outstanding job. The student clearly is a proficient reader, with minor oral reading errors.
"Some students simply call words and fail to correct miscues. They believe that reading is orally reading words without constructing meaning. They are unaware of the mistakes they make because they are not reading to make sense of the text." pg. 103
I have come across a few students while student teaching and subbing that would fall under this category. They seem like very fluent readers at first but have no understanding for the text that they have just read. I find that these students might struggle the most because their concept of what reading is, is skewed. They think that to be a good reader, they just have to read aloud to others, not understand what they have read. In their mind what they are doing is perfect reading, when in fact they need much more instruction. Two weeks ago I was proctoring the ELA exam, and I had a student that would be considered a word caller as one of my students. He was so frustrated that he could not understand the questions that he shut down and refused to finish the exam. I felt terrible that this student, who is a 7th grader, still struggles so much to understand what he is reading.
"The diagnostic teacher makes sure the student is familiar enough with the topic to construct summaries. If the student is not familiar with key vocabulary words or larger concepts, then the teacher carefully selects texts that include familiar topics and less challenging vocabulary." pg. 110
This point is important because as with any assessment, the administrator must make sure the test is fair to the student. If a student starts an assessment without the necessary background knowledge for the text, then the assessment is actually harder than intended. In order for the assessment to be fair, the student should already know major vocabulary and concepts. I have noticed during some reading assessments in the middle school, teachers attempt to use the same text for all students because with 100+ students, formal assessments are a time consuming project. However, each student is different therefore you might not be able to use the same text with all students. As we already know, background knowledge is key for comprehending, but during a retell assessment we are checking the student's reading process and use of strategies, not their prior knowledge.
I was lucky enough to student teach in the beginning of the school year in a third grade class. I was able to give students a informal reading inventory to determine their reading levels. I thought it was interesting that a student doesn't really have one reading level, but instead they have three (independent, instructional, frustration). I thought it was interesting because these levels were done by their 2nd grade teacher in June, and most students levels changed by September. Due to these observations I think that it is necessary for every teacher to administer the informal reading inventory to all students personally.
"Students use self-report to reveal their strategy use...students become aware of the strategies they use while they read." pg. 95
Often times in literacy classes we have talked about what the teacher should do to assess the student's progress; not necessarily what the student should be doing to assess their own progress. I think that students should think about their own reading skills and strategies. A self report such as the one in our textbook may be helpful not only for the student but the teacher as well. I think that when a teacher observes the student reading he/she may not always know what strategy the student is trying to use because they are not inside the student's head. For instance, they might be trying to re-read for comprehension, but is not sure how far back in the text he/she should go. A strategy make not be physically present, but mentally the student knows it is a strategy they can try.
"Proficient readers' text interpretations maintain the basic intent of the author. Although they make miscues and continue reading, their miscues are insignificant in terms of the context of the entire selection." pg. 102
I think that this point is important because even if a reader is not completely fluent through a text, they could still be proficient. I have noticed that when I read aloud I still make mistakes and miscues from time to time, but that does not mean I do not understand the text. It is probably due to nerves from public speaking. The same can be said for our students. I have noticed that there are some times when a student will make a miscue during their reading and not correct their error, but when asked to summarize the text they can do an outstanding job. The student clearly is a proficient reader, with minor oral reading errors.
"Some students simply call words and fail to correct miscues. They believe that reading is orally reading words without constructing meaning. They are unaware of the mistakes they make because they are not reading to make sense of the text." pg. 103
I have come across a few students while student teaching and subbing that would fall under this category. They seem like very fluent readers at first but have no understanding for the text that they have just read. I find that these students might struggle the most because their concept of what reading is, is skewed. They think that to be a good reader, they just have to read aloud to others, not understand what they have read. In their mind what they are doing is perfect reading, when in fact they need much more instruction. Two weeks ago I was proctoring the ELA exam, and I had a student that would be considered a word caller as one of my students. He was so frustrated that he could not understand the questions that he shut down and refused to finish the exam. I felt terrible that this student, who is a 7th grader, still struggles so much to understand what he is reading.
"The diagnostic teacher makes sure the student is familiar enough with the topic to construct summaries. If the student is not familiar with key vocabulary words or larger concepts, then the teacher carefully selects texts that include familiar topics and less challenging vocabulary." pg. 110
This point is important because as with any assessment, the administrator must make sure the test is fair to the student. If a student starts an assessment without the necessary background knowledge for the text, then the assessment is actually harder than intended. In order for the assessment to be fair, the student should already know major vocabulary and concepts. I have noticed during some reading assessments in the middle school, teachers attempt to use the same text for all students because with 100+ students, formal assessments are a time consuming project. However, each student is different therefore you might not be able to use the same text with all students. As we already know, background knowledge is key for comprehending, but during a retell assessment we are checking the student's reading process and use of strategies, not their prior knowledge.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Chapter 3 Points 1/28/08
"Diagnostic teachers plan on having students read entire stories and passages and relate them to personal and cultural experiences." pg.47
I think that students learn the most when they can relate it to something. I find that even my own personal reading material reflects thoughts or events that I can relate to. Why would a student be much different? I've found students enjoy making connections between stories and their own lives.
"Not only does the diagnostic teacher plan successful reading experiences by placing the students at the appropriate reading level, but she also carefully selects authentic texts that are familiar and interesting to her students." pg. 47
Working in the middle school setting I notice that students who are struggling readers also struggle to find enjoyable reading material. One student I am thinking of is in 7th grade but only reads at a K-1 reading level. The student has such a hard time finding something to read in the library because most of our books are middle school reading levels. He often ends up getting books with lots of pictures to look at and fails to even try and read the words. I think one useful type reading/genre would be anime or comic books. The pictures help to tell the story and it is more engaging that a typical K-1 book.
"They [students] continue to rely on the teacher to monitor reading performance." pg. 51
In this section, Walker discusses strategies to help students build independence. Working at the middle school I see this struggle all the time. (Both in life and in reading!) One minute the student is independently working but once they've hit a road block they instantly ask me for help. Not that asking for help is a bad thing, however, I think students need to try and use the strategies they've learned before asking for help. I think sometimes struggling readers rely a lot on their teachers. I think we are there for support, but it is necessary to teach the skills and strategies for independence!
"This attitude [encouragement] eases the need to conform and acknowledges that even though a particular process or strategy for solving problems is not an effective strategy for reading, it may be effective in other areas." pg. 56
I think that students learn the most when they can relate it to something. I find that even my own personal reading material reflects thoughts or events that I can relate to. Why would a student be much different? I've found students enjoy making connections between stories and their own lives.
"Not only does the diagnostic teacher plan successful reading experiences by placing the students at the appropriate reading level, but she also carefully selects authentic texts that are familiar and interesting to her students." pg. 47
Working in the middle school setting I notice that students who are struggling readers also struggle to find enjoyable reading material. One student I am thinking of is in 7th grade but only reads at a K-1 reading level. The student has such a hard time finding something to read in the library because most of our books are middle school reading levels. He often ends up getting books with lots of pictures to look at and fails to even try and read the words. I think one useful type reading/genre would be anime or comic books. The pictures help to tell the story and it is more engaging that a typical K-1 book.
"They [students] continue to rely on the teacher to monitor reading performance." pg. 51
In this section, Walker discusses strategies to help students build independence. Working at the middle school I see this struggle all the time. (Both in life and in reading!) One minute the student is independently working but once they've hit a road block they instantly ask me for help. Not that asking for help is a bad thing, however, I think students need to try and use the strategies they've learned before asking for help. I think sometimes struggling readers rely a lot on their teachers. I think we are there for support, but it is necessary to teach the skills and strategies for independence!
"This attitude [encouragement] eases the need to conform and acknowledges that even though a particular process or strategy for solving problems is not an effective strategy for reading, it may be effective in other areas." pg. 56
I agree with this statement because encouragement and engagement go hand in hand. Walker suggests that the impulsive child's quick decision making may help her to become an artist but she needs to focus on slowing down while she is reading. This encourages the child be sending a positive message. The child's strategy is not wrong, but it is not the most effective in this particular situation.
"Continually, she demonstrates that real life requires coping with mistakes." pg. 57
I think that this is an excellent point. Using your own life as an example is a great model for your students. I know that students think it is funny when I make a mistake while reading or writing but they need to learn that everyone makes mistakes and it is okay! When I make a mistake, I can use that time to teach/model appropriate strategies and behaviors. This thought doesn't just apply to reading, but life in general!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Learning Log 1/21/09
1) "They found that effective teachers focused on higher level questioning strategies like prompts to use background knowledge and figure out a theme. This possibly indicated that they believed that readers in high poverty schools could actually read and think." pg. 5
I think that this statement is very true. Working in an urban setting, I see this everyday. I find that when I can pull from experiences in the students lives they respond very well. I believe there are some teachers that believe these kids do not know how to read or think. With that negative attitude I don't know how they can expect students to be successful in any subject area.
2) "Rather than looking for causes of reading disabilities the diagnostic teacher focuses on what students can do, then coordinates their strengths with suitable reading experiences." pg.5
I think that many times when a student is struggling with reading we sit and wonder what went wrong. We often analyze the negatives without promoting the things that the student did right. If we work on the negatives while accentuating the positives, I think we may get an overall better result.
3) "Assessment is continuous. As the student learns, diagnostic information is immediately incorporated into the lesson. The teacher thus deals with the problems as she teaches, not after she has gathered the facts." pg.12
I think that this is a very interesting point. I agree that we should deal with the problems as they come up and that there is no point in continuing the lesson if the student does not understand. However, what about when multiple students have various problems? Or only one student struggles while the others are all ready to move forward?
4) "Reading difficulties can arise from interactions among the task, the text, technique and situational context." pg. 15
I never really thought about all of the pieces of an assignment that a student might not understand and how one piece of the equation can throw a student's reading off kilter. If a student simply doesn't understand the assignment, then they could be viewed as a poor reader or slow learner when they simply just needed further explanation.
5) "If students come from homes where reading is valued, they are likely to value it too." pg. 29
For several literacy classes I have looked further in depth at this topic. Jim Trelease's "Read-Aloud Handbook" gives great insight on this topic. He suggests that motivation and engagement towards reading must start at an early age and that it should come from the parents or other family members. If children have not been exposed to the act of reading by a parent they will be at a significant disadvantage when they start school.
I think that this statement is very true. Working in an urban setting, I see this everyday. I find that when I can pull from experiences in the students lives they respond very well. I believe there are some teachers that believe these kids do not know how to read or think. With that negative attitude I don't know how they can expect students to be successful in any subject area.
2) "Rather than looking for causes of reading disabilities the diagnostic teacher focuses on what students can do, then coordinates their strengths with suitable reading experiences." pg.5
I think that many times when a student is struggling with reading we sit and wonder what went wrong. We often analyze the negatives without promoting the things that the student did right. If we work on the negatives while accentuating the positives, I think we may get an overall better result.
3) "Assessment is continuous. As the student learns, diagnostic information is immediately incorporated into the lesson. The teacher thus deals with the problems as she teaches, not after she has gathered the facts." pg.12
I think that this is a very interesting point. I agree that we should deal with the problems as they come up and that there is no point in continuing the lesson if the student does not understand. However, what about when multiple students have various problems? Or only one student struggles while the others are all ready to move forward?
4) "Reading difficulties can arise from interactions among the task, the text, technique and situational context." pg. 15
I never really thought about all of the pieces of an assignment that a student might not understand and how one piece of the equation can throw a student's reading off kilter. If a student simply doesn't understand the assignment, then they could be viewed as a poor reader or slow learner when they simply just needed further explanation.
5) "If students come from homes where reading is valued, they are likely to value it too." pg. 29
For several literacy classes I have looked further in depth at this topic. Jim Trelease's "Read-Aloud Handbook" gives great insight on this topic. He suggests that motivation and engagement towards reading must start at an early age and that it should come from the parents or other family members. If children have not been exposed to the act of reading by a parent they will be at a significant disadvantage when they start school.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Intro
Hi everyone! I am Brittany Matiash, I am a SOSA (sub on special assignment) at Gaskill Prep School in Niagara Falls, which houses 7th and 8th graders. I am certified to teach grades 1-12, with a concentration in Social Studies for the upper grades. I am pursuing my Master's degree in Literacy for grades 5-12. See you all soon!
http://bmatiash.blogspot.com
http://bmatiash.blogspot.com
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