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.
In the classroom I would utilize the comprehensive literacy approach. This allows for skill integration, while surrounding students in a print-rich environment. Through this approach, I will model appropriate reading strategies in order to boost reading confidence. By reading aloud, I am modeling reading with expression, introducing new concepts, and building and expanding on background knowledge, as well as life connections. By integrating reading and writing workshops, children will have the opportunities to express themselves in many different ways. They will be allowed to have choice, and I will offer them guidance along the way. It is important to surround them with topics that peak their interests. Shared reading and writing are other opportunities that prove to be effective literacy strategies.
Outside the classroom it is also important to integrate reading. Shared reading experiences should take place each day with an adult, or strong reader. This allows for motivation and discussions. Soon students will become motivated to read on their own. They will be able to recognize items of interest, and book handling skills will soon develop. It is important that all students have an at home library. This is a place to organize and keep their books. They can focus on strategies learned within the classroom.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Module 6: Reading Reflection
After reading chapter 15 I agree with Weaver. Students need to be surrounded by various prints and contexts in order to increase student engagement while reading. Learning should continue outside of the classroom into their homes. Reading should take place at home, and parents should become involved. Reading together boosts confidence, while instilling good reading habits. Weaver described a "book flood" prior to chapter 15. I felt this was an excellent idea in order to surround students with a multitude of texts. Teachers can "flood" their classrooms with many different types of genres in which various connections can be made throughout the classroom.
Shared reading is a great way to allow children to become involved with the text. They are able to practice fluency, and reading with expression. The teachers and students read the stories together, elaborate, and create class discussions and multiple connections. It is through these experiences in which the confidence will rise.
After retaking the DeFord TORP test my beliefs really didn't change. I am consistent with my beliefs and I can attribute that to seeing what works within my own classroom, and the gains my students make.
Shared reading is a great way to allow children to become involved with the text. They are able to practice fluency, and reading with expression. The teachers and students read the stories together, elaborate, and create class discussions and multiple connections. It is through these experiences in which the confidence will rise.
After retaking the DeFord TORP test my beliefs really didn't change. I am consistent with my beliefs and I can attribute that to seeing what works within my own classroom, and the gains my students make.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Final Model of Reading Theory
Link to Final Model of Reading Theory
Click on the link above to visit my final model of reading theory.
Click on the link above to visit my final model of reading theory.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Module 5: Instructional Challenge
As your school year starts, you realize that you have three ELLs who are newcomers to the United States. Discuss how a comprehensive literacy program addresses their needs, drawing attention to specific components of the framework that are particularly relevant. Then discuss any additional scaffolding you would offer to support these children's needs.
As a teacher of a diverse school. I found this post to be very beneficial. In order to push my newcomer ELL students I feel that it would be beneficial to implement reading and writing workshops. Weaver states, "reading and writing workshops are the heart a comprehensive literacy program." (p.280) ELL students need intensive instruction that allows them broad exposure to multiple contexts. Each day I would read aloud to my students. By reading aloud, I am able to "think aloud" strategies that may be beneficial while reading, and by reading aloud I am also modeling appropriate reading fluency. Reading aloud allows the children to develop a love for reading, the story, and knowledge of reading. I would also involve my students in shared reading experiences. Each student would have a copy of the text I am reading. Shared reading promotes book handling, book language, vocabulary, letter-sound relationships, word-level skills, strategies for processing written texts, punctuation conventions, grammar and structure in reading, critical thinking and meaning, and exposure to many genres (Weaver, 2002). During a guided reading group, I will prepare mini-lessons that fit the needs of the students within the group. These mini-lessons will guide future instruction and will allow me to assess and chart their growth. I can utilize multiple individual conferences to invite students to share their books with me. I will listen to them read, and we will have discussions on appropriate strategies that can be used, as well as their personal opinions of the book. By integrating reading and writing, the students use skills that build upon one another to promote learning. The comprehensive program is key to success!
By implementing a comprehensive literacy program, these ELL students' confidence will soar. They will be exposed to many contexts and will soon begin to have motivation to read. Students will become aware of the reading process, and they will have opportunities to work with others. It is through collaboration, that many new ideas and connections will evolve.
As a teacher of a diverse school. I found this post to be very beneficial. In order to push my newcomer ELL students I feel that it would be beneficial to implement reading and writing workshops. Weaver states, "reading and writing workshops are the heart a comprehensive literacy program." (p.280) ELL students need intensive instruction that allows them broad exposure to multiple contexts. Each day I would read aloud to my students. By reading aloud, I am able to "think aloud" strategies that may be beneficial while reading, and by reading aloud I am also modeling appropriate reading fluency. Reading aloud allows the children to develop a love for reading, the story, and knowledge of reading. I would also involve my students in shared reading experiences. Each student would have a copy of the text I am reading. Shared reading promotes book handling, book language, vocabulary, letter-sound relationships, word-level skills, strategies for processing written texts, punctuation conventions, grammar and structure in reading, critical thinking and meaning, and exposure to many genres (Weaver, 2002). During a guided reading group, I will prepare mini-lessons that fit the needs of the students within the group. These mini-lessons will guide future instruction and will allow me to assess and chart their growth. I can utilize multiple individual conferences to invite students to share their books with me. I will listen to them read, and we will have discussions on appropriate strategies that can be used, as well as their personal opinions of the book. By integrating reading and writing, the students use skills that build upon one another to promote learning. The comprehensive program is key to success!
By implementing a comprehensive literacy program, these ELL students' confidence will soar. They will be exposed to many contexts and will soon begin to have motivation to read. Students will become aware of the reading process, and they will have opportunities to work with others. It is through collaboration, that many new ideas and connections will evolve.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Module 5: Reading Response
Where does phonics instruction fit within a comprehensive literacy program? When and how would you teach phonics?
Weaver states that, "comprehensive literacy is not just a "balanced" literacy program, which typically turns out to be skills like phonics taught in isolation, "balanced" by the isolation of teaching comprehension skills perhaps some opportunities to read and write in whole texts." (p. 279). Comprehensive literacy is an integration of various components in order to build upon comprehension. Phonics can be integrated in multiple contexts, through whole group instruction, guided reading, individual help, or while in a tutoring session.
As a first grade teacher, I teach phonics in many ways. I often integrate it within different assignments and allow my students to use real application. Prior to reading this text, I didn't even realize I taught using these strategies. However, I soon realized that I was giving my students many opportunities to practice phonics skills while reading and writing. Each day while my students ate snack, I read aloud. This helped to model reading with expression, and I often utilized a "think aloud". I modeled appropriate reading strategies I could use if I were to get to a difficult word. My students really enjoyed this. Each day we had guided reading groups for an hour. I had four groups within my class and I saw each group for 15 minutes. During this instruction I developed mini lessons in order to help with various "word attack strategies". I would base instruction based on the student's individual needs. Each morning after completing morning work, we transitioned into independent reading time. They were allowed to read aloud, quietly, with our without a partner. This is when I often saw the most discussions going on. They were all engaged in reading and often worked with one another teaching phonics, or skills we had been practicing throughout the week. By allowing them to read independently, my students were fully engaged in the reading process.
Weaver states that, "comprehensive literacy is not just a "balanced" literacy program, which typically turns out to be skills like phonics taught in isolation, "balanced" by the isolation of teaching comprehension skills perhaps some opportunities to read and write in whole texts." (p. 279). Comprehensive literacy is an integration of various components in order to build upon comprehension. Phonics can be integrated in multiple contexts, through whole group instruction, guided reading, individual help, or while in a tutoring session.
As a first grade teacher, I teach phonics in many ways. I often integrate it within different assignments and allow my students to use real application. Prior to reading this text, I didn't even realize I taught using these strategies. However, I soon realized that I was giving my students many opportunities to practice phonics skills while reading and writing. Each day while my students ate snack, I read aloud. This helped to model reading with expression, and I often utilized a "think aloud". I modeled appropriate reading strategies I could use if I were to get to a difficult word. My students really enjoyed this. Each day we had guided reading groups for an hour. I had four groups within my class and I saw each group for 15 minutes. During this instruction I developed mini lessons in order to help with various "word attack strategies". I would base instruction based on the student's individual needs. Each morning after completing morning work, we transitioned into independent reading time. They were allowed to read aloud, quietly, with our without a partner. This is when I often saw the most discussions going on. They were all engaged in reading and often worked with one another teaching phonics, or skills we had been practicing throughout the week. By allowing them to read independently, my students were fully engaged in the reading process.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Module 4: Activity 2
After reading Allington's response to the "missing pillars", I agree that allowing children to have access to multiple texts and contexts is the best practice we can give our students. I find it more beneficial to surround them with a print rich environment rather than drilling phonics instruction. Often times, teachers drill using phonics, and the children can decode when prompted, but it is difficult for them to use the rules in real application. I have seen this struggle repeatedly within my own classroom while assessing emerging readers. If I prompted them saying, "This is a non-sense word, what is the word?" They could easily decode. While in reading circles, it was difficult for them to carry over the specific rules we had been practicing in order to make sense or real words. I then decided students needed to be actively involved by reading everyday. By allowing them the opportunities to read on their own, with a peer, or to me, they saw many contexts, genres and were introduced to new vocabulary, as well as experiences. They began seeing words repeated, and they were often engaged in many discussions. The discussions alone also proved to be effective, and often transferred over while reading and writing.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Module 4: Instructional Challenge
Marcus is a student who very frequently miscues by substituting words that start with the same letter or first few letters of the word in the text, but his substitutions often are not syntactically or semantically acceptable (they neither sound right grammatically nor make sense). What possible teaching strategies would you suggest to help Marcus? Post your response to your blog and name the posting "Module 4: Instructional Challenge."
If Marcus were in my class, I would work diligently in order to provide him with as many print materials as I could. I believe that by allowing children to read and be exposed to a variety of material they are able to become more familiar with certain words, as well as various contexts. I think this strategy will boost his confidence as an emerging reader. He may be making miscues because he is nervous or timid. He may be guessing in order to take off some pressure that has been provided by either the teacher or other students.I have often seen this several times within my own classroom.
Ways to broaden print-rich experiences are endless. Within the classroom you should make time for sustained or silent reading. This strategy proves to be effective in order to boost the reader's mindset that they can actually read. Shared reading would be another beneficial approach. The teacher would begin to read a story aloud to the entire group. They they would all reread the same story together, and the children would begin to chime in. This strategy helps with word recognition as well as context. Peer reading could also help with this. Getting the reader involved with another reader is a great idea. This allows for discussions, and comparisons. They can discuss the book together while sharing and adding to various experiences. They can work together to dissect new words and their meanings. There are tons more of strategies, these are just a few I implemented and I found them to be effective. The text did a great job of also explaining a multitude of strategies in order to help emerging readers.
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