Key Point #1: If student learning does not occur, they (the literacy coach & teacher) recycle and start the process again.
Reflection: I think this goes along with the comment our guest speaker made, "If they're not learning, it's your fault." I think there are some teachers (I have worked with some of them myself) out there who do not hold themselves accountable when students are not learning or making progress. They seem to find others to blame (students, other teachers, parents) rather than starting over and brainstorming new ideas. I think the literacy coach can help change that way of thinking in those teachers and refocus these teachers on student learning.
Key Point #2: The literacy coach, as a member of the school community, can provide sustained, ongoing, and intensive support through frequent encounters with teachers.
Reflection: I think I may have mentioned this in class when we were discussing the new roles of reading specialists and literacy coaches. My concern is that literacy coaches seem to have so many responsibilities to keep up with and they will not be as available as frequently as teachers need them. I just wonder how frequently the author thinks these encounters are supposed to occur. In many schools and even districts, there is only one literacy coach to take care of all teachers and classrooms. How effective can that one person be and how often do they really get to interact with each teacher? I think the suggested roles of literacy coaches and relationships with teachers are great ideas, but they may need additional support and resources because there is a lot to do and numerous teachers to address.
Key Point #3: This respect for individual perspectives and unique personalities is the cornerstone of collaboration.
Reflection: I think it's important for everyone in the learning community to put their pride and egos aside in order to build an effective collaborative group. People never like to admit that others know better than they do or know more than they do. In the learning community, however, I think everyone needs to accept the fact that they do not know everything; and that other teachers and literacy coaches can be very helpful. Working together generates more ideas, perspectives, and experiences to build on to help improve student learning. Like the author says, if all teachers and literacy coaches focus on student learning rather than on themselves.
Key Point #4: As they had done in their book club, they encouraged their students to tell personal stories as they discussed their understanding.
Reflection: I think this is a great way to spark interest and strike up conversation in the classroom. Students have so much to offer to the discussion about a story or text. The other students can relate to what their classmates are saying. These shared experiences and stories offer a real understanding of what is being talked about in the text and improve reading comprehension. I do not think it is in the students' best interest to read and not discuss their interactions with and reactions to the text. That's what makes reading enjoyable, being able to relate to the text and bring the story to life with your own ideas.
Key Point #5: Literacy coaches, teachers, and administrators who want to create this support for teacher development need parameters for developing this yearlong experience.
Reflection: I think it is very common, especially in education, to mandate or role out some new program or experience without proper information, training, and follow-up. Literacy coaches and working collaboratively with them as classroom teachers is something relatively new for many teachers. I think teachers (and some literacy coaches) need an organized set of parameters to know where to begin. I know it's not likely that there will be parameters for how to build relationships with one another, but I think there should be some guidelines for building and properly implementing the intended goals of the learning community.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Chapter 9
Key Point 1: Teachers, however, often persist in using inappropriate materials because they lack the knowledge of how to make suitable selections.
Reflection: I agree with this completely. I would consider myself one of those teachers that lacks the knowledge, but I am learning how to make more suitable selections. While student teaching, I was given the reading materials to use and those were textbooks. I hate using textbooks because many of them are not suitable for the majority of the class. I think textbook reading is much more difficult and many students struggle while trying to read through a textbook. In my current classroom, I use picture books and newspapers to engage my students in reading. I think these are suitable for the population of students that I work with.
Key Point 2: Chapter books tell stories similar to everyday life events, but the author captivates the imagination by making these events larger than life.
Reflection: This is why I like using and reading chapter books. I like using chapter books that most of my students can relate to in some way. These books are much easier and more enjoyable for most students. I also think these types of stories create better classroom discussions and conversations because the students can and do relate to the events in the story. Students are excited to share their ideas with others after reading about a similar idea or situation in a book. Students can also gain different perspectives and ways of dealing with such events that they may not have been aware of prior to reading. I think most students would much rather read a chapter book that reinforces or shows some application of the content material they are learning instead of reading the content material directly from a textbook.
Key Point 3: Media are often essential for struggling readers to get a sense of the whole topic or story.
Reflection: I think this is true for many readers, not just struggling readers. Media sources such as books on tape and videos offer great help to those readers that have difficulty reading a given piece of text. Students can see and hear how they should be reading the text before, during, or after they actually perform the reading task. Such media options offer students a model they can learn from and use to compare their own reading style and technique to. During my student teaching, I tried to incorporate video clips, sound clips, games, and technology into almost every lesson to reiterate and reinforce the topic of the lesson. The students loved it because it broke up the monotony of a typical math lesson and also showed them different ways of learning and doing math. They looked forward to that part of class each day.
Key Point 4: Interest is crucial in selecting books.
Reflection: I have probably said something similar to this on more than one occasion in my blog entries. I have seen students struggle through a reading task simply because they are so bored or turned off by the topic or story presented in the reading. I have found that students typically have an easier time reading when they are interested and engaged in the reading. This is especially true in many of the content areas (math, science, ELA, and social studies). For this reason, it is so important that the teacher finds a way to spark interest in the students prior to assigning them a reading task. Once students have that spark, they will be more ready and willing to read the text. I think too many teachers assign reading tasks without using any introduction or activity to capture the students' attention and interest. Students are bound to be less successful with such reading tasks.
Key Point 5: The length of the text does influence readers' perceptions of their ability to read the text and, in turn, their attention and motivation while reading.
Reflection: I think it is pretty common to hear students complain that a reading assignment is too long. If students have that negative attitude and perception of the reading task, they will either not read the passage at all, or try to get through it as quickly as possible just to get it over with. The author suggests breaking reading tasks up into smaller chunks (i.e. 2 chapter books rather than a textbook) for struggling readers. I think that is a great way to maintain positive attitudes toward reading and keep students motivated. Students feel they have a better chance of succeeding if the task appears to be manageable. Shorter tasks are much more appealing to students and more students are willing to attempt short reading passages.
Reflection: I agree with this completely. I would consider myself one of those teachers that lacks the knowledge, but I am learning how to make more suitable selections. While student teaching, I was given the reading materials to use and those were textbooks. I hate using textbooks because many of them are not suitable for the majority of the class. I think textbook reading is much more difficult and many students struggle while trying to read through a textbook. In my current classroom, I use picture books and newspapers to engage my students in reading. I think these are suitable for the population of students that I work with.
Key Point 2: Chapter books tell stories similar to everyday life events, but the author captivates the imagination by making these events larger than life.
Reflection: This is why I like using and reading chapter books. I like using chapter books that most of my students can relate to in some way. These books are much easier and more enjoyable for most students. I also think these types of stories create better classroom discussions and conversations because the students can and do relate to the events in the story. Students are excited to share their ideas with others after reading about a similar idea or situation in a book. Students can also gain different perspectives and ways of dealing with such events that they may not have been aware of prior to reading. I think most students would much rather read a chapter book that reinforces or shows some application of the content material they are learning instead of reading the content material directly from a textbook.
Key Point 3: Media are often essential for struggling readers to get a sense of the whole topic or story.
Reflection: I think this is true for many readers, not just struggling readers. Media sources such as books on tape and videos offer great help to those readers that have difficulty reading a given piece of text. Students can see and hear how they should be reading the text before, during, or after they actually perform the reading task. Such media options offer students a model they can learn from and use to compare their own reading style and technique to. During my student teaching, I tried to incorporate video clips, sound clips, games, and technology into almost every lesson to reiterate and reinforce the topic of the lesson. The students loved it because it broke up the monotony of a typical math lesson and also showed them different ways of learning and doing math. They looked forward to that part of class each day.
Key Point 4: Interest is crucial in selecting books.
Reflection: I have probably said something similar to this on more than one occasion in my blog entries. I have seen students struggle through a reading task simply because they are so bored or turned off by the topic or story presented in the reading. I have found that students typically have an easier time reading when they are interested and engaged in the reading. This is especially true in many of the content areas (math, science, ELA, and social studies). For this reason, it is so important that the teacher finds a way to spark interest in the students prior to assigning them a reading task. Once students have that spark, they will be more ready and willing to read the text. I think too many teachers assign reading tasks without using any introduction or activity to capture the students' attention and interest. Students are bound to be less successful with such reading tasks.
Key Point 5: The length of the text does influence readers' perceptions of their ability to read the text and, in turn, their attention and motivation while reading.
Reflection: I think it is pretty common to hear students complain that a reading assignment is too long. If students have that negative attitude and perception of the reading task, they will either not read the passage at all, or try to get through it as quickly as possible just to get it over with. The author suggests breaking reading tasks up into smaller chunks (i.e. 2 chapter books rather than a textbook) for struggling readers. I think that is a great way to maintain positive attitudes toward reading and keep students motivated. Students feel they have a better chance of succeeding if the task appears to be manageable. Shorter tasks are much more appealing to students and more students are willing to attempt short reading passages.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Chapter 7
Key Point #1: For this student, a text that was read near frustration without teacher direction could be read at independent reading level with instruction by the teacher.
Reflection: I think this goes to show that proper instruction can result in improvement in reading achievement. Struggling readers can make great strides in reading when they are given the proper tools and instruction to succeed. I have seen situations in which students try to complete a task or assignment independently, but give up or fail when they become frustrated. When they are offered some suggestions and guidance on how to approach the task or how to rethink their approach, they are able to complete the task or assignment independently. I think this helps students feel better about themselves and makes them more willing to approach challenging tasks in the future.
Key Point #2: She decides whether the reading task will be silent or oral and whether the story will be read as a whole or in segments. She decides whether she will introduce new vocabulary words and how to do it.
Reflection: The approach a teacher takes to reading can impact how the student performs on the reading task. I think vocabulary instruction is very helpful, especially when introducing text on an unfamiliar topic or subject. Students will struggle less while reading the text if they have been introduced to some of the challenging vocabulary ahead of time. Student will be able to read with greater ease and understanding because they will understand the meaning of these new words and concepts. Students may also notice that some words are used differently depending on the context in which they are used. I like to introduce students to multiple meanings of a word and the different ways the word can be used. The students see how the meaning of the word changes when used in different situations.
Key Point #3: The teacher demonstrated the next segment of the text. Terry was asked to follow the example, but he again read the words without thinking.
Reflection: I think this just goes to show that even with explanation and demonstration (modeling), not every student will use every reading strategy. Some students may just need more practice, but some may never use this strategy successfully. Those students will need to be given additional options to use for similar reading tasks. This could also show that this teacher does not have an accurate understanding of what the student's reading needs are. The teacher may be using strategies that do not support the student's needs and reading difficulties.
Key Point #4: She (the diagnostic teacher) focuses on teaching rather than testing to reveal those instructional adjustments that produce reading change for a particular student.
Reflection: Sometimes I think teachers forget that their are other ways (rather than testing) to determine if change or improvement has been made. I think observations are much more helpful than any written test. I also find open discussion to be more helpful than oral tests. I think tests can intimidate students and induce unnecessary panic and anxiety. I believe students read with more ease and greater accuracy when they are reading comfortably (under comfortable conditions) and casually. I also do not think tests can accurately measure all aspects of the reading process. I think each test measures one or two aspects of the reading process so students have to be put through several tests to test the entire process. I just think this is so frustrating and stressful for these poor kids.
Key Point #5: Whenever the diagnostic teacher can conduct a series of diagnostic lessons to compare the effectiveness of several techniques, she increases her ability to confirm the diagnostic hypotheses and select the best possible instructional approach for the reader.
Reflection: I think it is very important to introduce a variety of strategies and techniques to help students. There are teachers that will stop looking for possibilities when they find one technique or strategy that works. I think this will hurt the student in the long run because his/her options are limited to one. They do not have the option to choose which works best in a given situation or context. The more options and strategies you can offer a student, the better off they will be. Not every student will excel with every strategy-some work better than others for each student. If teachers can incorporate several strategies in their diagnostic lessons, they can see which strategies are most effective and helpful for the student. This can help them modify their instructional approach when needed using other techniques that they have seen success with.
Reflection: I think this goes to show that proper instruction can result in improvement in reading achievement. Struggling readers can make great strides in reading when they are given the proper tools and instruction to succeed. I have seen situations in which students try to complete a task or assignment independently, but give up or fail when they become frustrated. When they are offered some suggestions and guidance on how to approach the task or how to rethink their approach, they are able to complete the task or assignment independently. I think this helps students feel better about themselves and makes them more willing to approach challenging tasks in the future.
Key Point #2: She decides whether the reading task will be silent or oral and whether the story will be read as a whole or in segments. She decides whether she will introduce new vocabulary words and how to do it.
Reflection: The approach a teacher takes to reading can impact how the student performs on the reading task. I think vocabulary instruction is very helpful, especially when introducing text on an unfamiliar topic or subject. Students will struggle less while reading the text if they have been introduced to some of the challenging vocabulary ahead of time. Student will be able to read with greater ease and understanding because they will understand the meaning of these new words and concepts. Students may also notice that some words are used differently depending on the context in which they are used. I like to introduce students to multiple meanings of a word and the different ways the word can be used. The students see how the meaning of the word changes when used in different situations.
Key Point #3: The teacher demonstrated the next segment of the text. Terry was asked to follow the example, but he again read the words without thinking.
Reflection: I think this just goes to show that even with explanation and demonstration (modeling), not every student will use every reading strategy. Some students may just need more practice, but some may never use this strategy successfully. Those students will need to be given additional options to use for similar reading tasks. This could also show that this teacher does not have an accurate understanding of what the student's reading needs are. The teacher may be using strategies that do not support the student's needs and reading difficulties.
Key Point #4: She (the diagnostic teacher) focuses on teaching rather than testing to reveal those instructional adjustments that produce reading change for a particular student.
Reflection: Sometimes I think teachers forget that their are other ways (rather than testing) to determine if change or improvement has been made. I think observations are much more helpful than any written test. I also find open discussion to be more helpful than oral tests. I think tests can intimidate students and induce unnecessary panic and anxiety. I believe students read with more ease and greater accuracy when they are reading comfortably (under comfortable conditions) and casually. I also do not think tests can accurately measure all aspects of the reading process. I think each test measures one or two aspects of the reading process so students have to be put through several tests to test the entire process. I just think this is so frustrating and stressful for these poor kids.
Key Point #5: Whenever the diagnostic teacher can conduct a series of diagnostic lessons to compare the effectiveness of several techniques, she increases her ability to confirm the diagnostic hypotheses and select the best possible instructional approach for the reader.
Reflection: I think it is very important to introduce a variety of strategies and techniques to help students. There are teachers that will stop looking for possibilities when they find one technique or strategy that works. I think this will hurt the student in the long run because his/her options are limited to one. They do not have the option to choose which works best in a given situation or context. The more options and strategies you can offer a student, the better off they will be. Not every student will excel with every strategy-some work better than others for each student. If teachers can incorporate several strategies in their diagnostic lessons, they can see which strategies are most effective and helpful for the student. This can help them modify their instructional approach when needed using other techniques that they have seen success with.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Chapter 4
Key Point #1: Allowing the reader to choose what she will read increases engagement.
Reflection: I completely agree with this and believe this idea holds true for most activities and assignments. Allowing students a choice in reading and assignments gives them a sense of independence and ownership about their learning. They are more engaged in the reading because it is something they are interested in and can relate to. I know that when I have to read for my classes, I am much less focused and interested in the reading if I am uninterested in the topic being discussed. The same holds true for assignments and projects. When I am allowed to choose what I want to do for an assignment or project, I take much more pride and ownership in it. I like the freedom to bring in my own ideas and be creative with whatever I decide to do.
Key Point #2: Personalized reading and writing offer students time of quiet reflection to respond personally using the language arts.
Reflection: I think this quiet reflection time is extremely helpful for many students. Not all questions are answered in class and not all students feel comfortable asking questions or expressing their opinions in class. Journal writing is a great way to get those questions answered and voice those opinions. It is another time in which students have the freedom to write about what they are interested in or concerned with. I think it can open up communication between teachers and their students; and make students feel more comfortable about approaching the teacher with questions or concerns.
Key Point #3: Open-ended questions need to focus on predictions that will engage the student in active reading through the entire length of the story.
Reflection: The author mentions that good predictions cannot be answered within the first few minutes of reading. Effective questioning can help guide students to make valuable predictions that require reading most or all of the text to prove or disprove the prediction. Students will lose interest and desire to read if they find the answer to their questions or predictions right off the bat. However, if they are constantly looking and waiting to find those answers as they read, they are more engaged and pay closer attention to the text.
Key Point #4: Initially, students are informed of their inefficient strategies and shown the efficient counterpart.
Reflection: I do think it is important to identify and correct inefficient strategies, however, I think this can be a sensitive issue for some students. Not all students can take criticism, even if it is followed up with suggestions for improvement. Pointing out a student's poor reading habits may hurt their sense of self-esteem and confidence. After all, you are telling them that what they have been doing all along is wrong and ineffective. On the other hand, pointing out a student's poor reading habits may offer a sense of relief, especially if the student has been struggling with reading. The student may welcome criticism and alternative strategies. I think teachers need to be careful and sensitive when addressing the issue.
Key Point #5: Students are taught to match the book to their reading level by using the rule of thumb.
Reflection: I had never heard of this rule before and found it quite helpful. It goes back to the idea of allowing students choice and independence when selecting reading materials. Teaching students easy ways of selecting appropriate texts helps reduce or eliminate the problem of frustration level reading materials being selected. Students are given a tool that will help them choose reading materials that will best meet their needs and reading level. As a result, they have a greater chance of seeing success when reading.
Reflection: I completely agree with this and believe this idea holds true for most activities and assignments. Allowing students a choice in reading and assignments gives them a sense of independence and ownership about their learning. They are more engaged in the reading because it is something they are interested in and can relate to. I know that when I have to read for my classes, I am much less focused and interested in the reading if I am uninterested in the topic being discussed. The same holds true for assignments and projects. When I am allowed to choose what I want to do for an assignment or project, I take much more pride and ownership in it. I like the freedom to bring in my own ideas and be creative with whatever I decide to do.
Key Point #2: Personalized reading and writing offer students time of quiet reflection to respond personally using the language arts.
Reflection: I think this quiet reflection time is extremely helpful for many students. Not all questions are answered in class and not all students feel comfortable asking questions or expressing their opinions in class. Journal writing is a great way to get those questions answered and voice those opinions. It is another time in which students have the freedom to write about what they are interested in or concerned with. I think it can open up communication between teachers and their students; and make students feel more comfortable about approaching the teacher with questions or concerns.
Key Point #3: Open-ended questions need to focus on predictions that will engage the student in active reading through the entire length of the story.
Reflection: The author mentions that good predictions cannot be answered within the first few minutes of reading. Effective questioning can help guide students to make valuable predictions that require reading most or all of the text to prove or disprove the prediction. Students will lose interest and desire to read if they find the answer to their questions or predictions right off the bat. However, if they are constantly looking and waiting to find those answers as they read, they are more engaged and pay closer attention to the text.
Key Point #4: Initially, students are informed of their inefficient strategies and shown the efficient counterpart.
Reflection: I do think it is important to identify and correct inefficient strategies, however, I think this can be a sensitive issue for some students. Not all students can take criticism, even if it is followed up with suggestions for improvement. Pointing out a student's poor reading habits may hurt their sense of self-esteem and confidence. After all, you are telling them that what they have been doing all along is wrong and ineffective. On the other hand, pointing out a student's poor reading habits may offer a sense of relief, especially if the student has been struggling with reading. The student may welcome criticism and alternative strategies. I think teachers need to be careful and sensitive when addressing the issue.
Key Point #5: Students are taught to match the book to their reading level by using the rule of thumb.
Reflection: I had never heard of this rule before and found it quite helpful. It goes back to the idea of allowing students choice and independence when selecting reading materials. Teaching students easy ways of selecting appropriate texts helps reduce or eliminate the problem of frustration level reading materials being selected. Students are given a tool that will help them choose reading materials that will best meet their needs and reading level. As a result, they have a greater chance of seeing success when reading.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Chapters 5 and 6
Key Point #1: Diagnostic teachers use both oral and silent reading to assess students' reading processes.
Reflection: I do not think all teachers are aware of this. I'm sure reading and literacy specialists are aware, but not many content area and general education teachers. I think so many teachers try to determine a student's reading strengths and weaknesses based on how they hear the student read. They pay little attention to the student's silent reading skills. I think this is partially due to the fact that silent reading skills are not as easy to observe and measure as oral reading skills. However, I also do not think most teachers are aware of the additional skills that are required when reading out loud. It takes some of the student's focus away from the actual reading process and puts more stress on the student to properly and fluently pronounce and articulate each word and sound. There are many students that appear to have poor reading skills during oral reading, but in fact have outstanding silent reading skills.
Key Point #2: When students read within their borderline region (between frustration and acceptable instructional level), tailored instruction that is sensitive to their particular reading profile might result in increased student learning.
Reflection: Proper instruction and materials have a lot to do with which side of the borderline the student will end up on. Students can easily fall back into the frustration level if the reading materials are too advanced for their skills and abilities; or if the if the reading instruction is poor. On the other hand, students can easily be pushed forward into the acceptable instructional level if the reading materials are appropriate and the reading instruction is of high quality. The book suggests one-to-one tutoring and reading materials of moderate difficulty to help students improve to an appropriate instructional level of reading. I think reading instruction for students within their borderline region must be designed with the students' specific needs in mind. Text and strategies must be selected on an individual basis and customized for each student based on his/her strengths, weaknesses, and needs. I think a lot of the students' success is determined by the teacher's ability and willingness to personalize instruction for each student.
Key Point #3: The diagnostic teacher evaluates whether the student is effectively using the system she has been taught. If so, he plans a program to help her refine this system and integrate it with other suing systems.
Reflection: I really like the fact that the author encourages building upon whatever system the student was taught; not what the teacher prefers. I have seen teachers try to get students to stop using previously learned strategies, systems, and processes because the teacher does not particularly like them or agree with them. I have found it much easier and more effective to work with what students already know and to introduce additional strategies they can use if they choose. For example, when I was teaching math, students had several different strategies and techniques for solving problems depending on what teachers they had the year or two before. I always allowed students to use whatever solving strategy and method they were most comfortable with when no specific method was specified. Some students used traditional multiplication while others preferred lattice multiplication. Some students drew out algebra tiles when combining like terms, others circled like terms, and others showed no work at all. As long as the method of solving was accurate, they could use it. If I was not familiar with a method, I'd find another teacher that was. I never told the students they could not use a strategy because it wasn't my favorite or preferred way of doing a problem. I found students were interested in learning new ways to do the same problem, but they always reverted back to what was most comfortable for them.
Key Point #4: The diagnostic teacher uses data to formulate hypotheses about the most advantageous instructional design for the student.
Reflection: Again, I like that the focus here is on the student. I have heard in previous courses that many teachers choose instructional designs that are easiest and most comfortable for them to use. Often times, these strategies are not effective or appropriate for the students' needs and learning styles. I see many older teachers using older teaching techniques and instructional styles. These teachers incorporate a lot of lecture and drill; and allow little time for exploration, discussion, and discovery. Newer teachers, however, seem to incorporate multiple teaching strategies and instructional styles that address a diverse population of student' needs and learning styles. As a newer teacher, I know that these more creative and diverse lessons take much more time to plan and prepare. I also know, however, that the time and energy is well worth it because the lessons are much more interactive, fun, and effective. Students seem to gain more from these types of lessons and they are the ones that matter most. The focus of planning and preparing lessons should always be on the students' needs and what they will benefit from.
Key Point #5: Often poor readers do not organize textual information as they read.
Reflection: The author describes the randomness that may occur when a poor reader summarizes text. I notice that poor readers tend to leave out important characters, information, themes, and events while summarizing. The reader may jump from one topic or event to another that has nothing to do with the previous one. I also notice this lack of organization in poor readers' writing. They do not gather, organize, and relate information in a logical order. They do not always list or discuss events in sequential order. Before taking this class and reading this book, I liked to think that students who summarized and wrote in this manner read differently, not poorly. I just thought that they found different things more important or interesting; and those were the things they remembered from the text. I can definitely see, however, that these tendencies could indicate a reading comprehension problem. The author described this as changing the meaning of the text. I had never thought of it that way, but that truly is what is happening. These readers aren't retaining the intended meaning of the text because they are reading and interpreting the text incorrectly.
Reflection: I do not think all teachers are aware of this. I'm sure reading and literacy specialists are aware, but not many content area and general education teachers. I think so many teachers try to determine a student's reading strengths and weaknesses based on how they hear the student read. They pay little attention to the student's silent reading skills. I think this is partially due to the fact that silent reading skills are not as easy to observe and measure as oral reading skills. However, I also do not think most teachers are aware of the additional skills that are required when reading out loud. It takes some of the student's focus away from the actual reading process and puts more stress on the student to properly and fluently pronounce and articulate each word and sound. There are many students that appear to have poor reading skills during oral reading, but in fact have outstanding silent reading skills.
Key Point #2: When students read within their borderline region (between frustration and acceptable instructional level), tailored instruction that is sensitive to their particular reading profile might result in increased student learning.
Reflection: Proper instruction and materials have a lot to do with which side of the borderline the student will end up on. Students can easily fall back into the frustration level if the reading materials are too advanced for their skills and abilities; or if the if the reading instruction is poor. On the other hand, students can easily be pushed forward into the acceptable instructional level if the reading materials are appropriate and the reading instruction is of high quality. The book suggests one-to-one tutoring and reading materials of moderate difficulty to help students improve to an appropriate instructional level of reading. I think reading instruction for students within their borderline region must be designed with the students' specific needs in mind. Text and strategies must be selected on an individual basis and customized for each student based on his/her strengths, weaknesses, and needs. I think a lot of the students' success is determined by the teacher's ability and willingness to personalize instruction for each student.
Key Point #3: The diagnostic teacher evaluates whether the student is effectively using the system she has been taught. If so, he plans a program to help her refine this system and integrate it with other suing systems.
Reflection: I really like the fact that the author encourages building upon whatever system the student was taught; not what the teacher prefers. I have seen teachers try to get students to stop using previously learned strategies, systems, and processes because the teacher does not particularly like them or agree with them. I have found it much easier and more effective to work with what students already know and to introduce additional strategies they can use if they choose. For example, when I was teaching math, students had several different strategies and techniques for solving problems depending on what teachers they had the year or two before. I always allowed students to use whatever solving strategy and method they were most comfortable with when no specific method was specified. Some students used traditional multiplication while others preferred lattice multiplication. Some students drew out algebra tiles when combining like terms, others circled like terms, and others showed no work at all. As long as the method of solving was accurate, they could use it. If I was not familiar with a method, I'd find another teacher that was. I never told the students they could not use a strategy because it wasn't my favorite or preferred way of doing a problem. I found students were interested in learning new ways to do the same problem, but they always reverted back to what was most comfortable for them.
Key Point #4: The diagnostic teacher uses data to formulate hypotheses about the most advantageous instructional design for the student.
Reflection: Again, I like that the focus here is on the student. I have heard in previous courses that many teachers choose instructional designs that are easiest and most comfortable for them to use. Often times, these strategies are not effective or appropriate for the students' needs and learning styles. I see many older teachers using older teaching techniques and instructional styles. These teachers incorporate a lot of lecture and drill; and allow little time for exploration, discussion, and discovery. Newer teachers, however, seem to incorporate multiple teaching strategies and instructional styles that address a diverse population of student' needs and learning styles. As a newer teacher, I know that these more creative and diverse lessons take much more time to plan and prepare. I also know, however, that the time and energy is well worth it because the lessons are much more interactive, fun, and effective. Students seem to gain more from these types of lessons and they are the ones that matter most. The focus of planning and preparing lessons should always be on the students' needs and what they will benefit from.
Key Point #5: Often poor readers do not organize textual information as they read.
Reflection: The author describes the randomness that may occur when a poor reader summarizes text. I notice that poor readers tend to leave out important characters, information, themes, and events while summarizing. The reader may jump from one topic or event to another that has nothing to do with the previous one. I also notice this lack of organization in poor readers' writing. They do not gather, organize, and relate information in a logical order. They do not always list or discuss events in sequential order. Before taking this class and reading this book, I liked to think that students who summarized and wrote in this manner read differently, not poorly. I just thought that they found different things more important or interesting; and those were the things they remembered from the text. I can definitely see, however, that these tendencies could indicate a reading comprehension problem. The author described this as changing the meaning of the text. I had never thought of it that way, but that truly is what is happening. These readers aren't retaining the intended meaning of the text because they are reading and interpreting the text incorrectly.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Chapter 3
Key Idea #1: At the core of effective teaching is a teacher who reflects on her instruction, rethinking her instructional adjustments.
Reflection #1: I learned during student teaching that personal reflection is a critical part of being an effective teacher. It is hard to think about what you are doing and what you could do differently and better while you are teaching. I've found it very helpful to keep a journal and take a few minutes at the end of each day (each class would be ideal, but there is not always time) to write down some positive and negative things about my lessons for the day. I also like to jot down any eye-opening experiences or conversations that arose throughout the day. At the end of each week, it is helpful to read through all of my journal entries for the week. I like to see if I have made the same types of mistakes repeatedly; or if I have learned from my mistakes and made changes throughout the week. I also think writing in a journal helps you unwind at the end of the day and think about the events of the day.
Key Idea #2: She (the diagnostic teacher) is sensitive to multiple cultures in her classroom and how that enhances the literate community.
Reflection #2: I think that being aware and respectful of multiple cultures within a classroom is very important, especially since the student population is so diverse these days. Each student brings different background knowledge, personal experiences, and perspectives to the classroom. Teachers should embrace these differences and allow students to share their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences with one another to enhance learning and elaborate on topic being discussed. One topic, word, or story may have one meaning in one student's culture, but take on an entirely different meaning in another student's culture. Allowing students to discuss these differences gives students opportunities to actively participate and learn from one another. Each student has something to contribute and teach his/her classmates. The students and teacher are also gaining valuable knowledge about the text or topic being discussed.
Key Idea #3: She (the diagnostic teacher) uses humor and laughter to develop a relaxed atmosphere where students learn to cope with their mistakes and produce well-thought-out ideas.
Reflection #3: I was once told that an important part of being an effective teacher is having a sense of humor without faking it. Learning is always increased and enhanced when class is fun and enjoyable. I think it is important to be able to laugh at your mistakes and learn from them, rather than taking them too seriously and dwelling on them. Mistakes are part of the learning process for everyone. The most important part of making mistakes is learning from them and discussing better ways to approach a similar text, reading event, or situation. Encouraging students to talk about their mistakes and discuss their reasoning behind their mistakes often allows them to catch and correct their own mistakes. It also leads students to discover alternative strategies and coping skills.
Key Idea #4: Other studies found that in Title I and special education programs, the amount of contextual reading was reduced rather than increased when students were placed in these special programs.
Reflection #4: I find this to be very ironic and confusing. One would think that the readers who need the most help would need and receive more practice and motivation. According to these studies, however, the exact opposite is happening. Struggling readers and students with disabilities would benefit greatly from increased practice with authentic and contextual reading. As discussed in the chapter, contextual reading increases motivation for struggling readers. Most students in special education need increased motivation to push on and make educational progress, especially in reading.
In my classroom, we have to use contextual and authentic texts and stories so my students can relate to them. These stories often have to do with activities of daily living or current events. We read the newspaper, magazines, and other real stories that apply to the students' daily lives. For my students, increased practice is necessary for all tasks and activities-grooming, academics, social skills, gym, music, art, etc. The repetition increases the number of opportunities for my students to practice the skills addressed and discussed in the stories/text.
Key Idea # 5: Not only does the diagnostic teacher increase her wait time, but she must also deal effectively with inappropriate responses.
Reflection #5: Increasing wait time is something that a lot of teachers need to work on. Many teachers, including myself, ask a question and provide little or no time to think before they expect a response. Students, however, need time to think, organize their ideas, and come up with a response. During this thought process, students are often silent; and I think that silence creates an uncomfortable feeling for the teacher. The teacher then prompts students for an immediate response or gives the students the answer. If teachers just waited an additional minute or two before asking for a response, students would have more time to think through their answers and come up with more well-thought-out responses.
Dealing effectively with inappropriate responses is also a challenging tasks for many teachers. I think many teachers just shrug off or disregard inappropriate responses rather than taking something from them. I believe that inappropriate responses have something important to offer. Often times, students can be guided to a more appropriate response through effective questioning techniques. This is a much more effective way of dealing with an inappropriate response.
Key Idea #6: To support students, the diagnostic teacher helps them develop independence by sharing how she thinks while she is reading.
Reflection #6: I think that proper modeling of efficient thinking while reading is extremely helpful for all students. Students are not born with an innate ability to read and think through various texts. Students need to be taught and shown how to do so. I think this concept can be especially helpful in the different content area classes. Students would benefit greatly from their social studies teacher modeling how to read and think through their social studies textbook. The same holds true for math, science, and ELA . If teachers took a day or two at the beginning of each quarter, semester, or school year to teach students proper reading and study skills, I think teachers and students would see greater success in their classrooms.
Reflection #1: I learned during student teaching that personal reflection is a critical part of being an effective teacher. It is hard to think about what you are doing and what you could do differently and better while you are teaching. I've found it very helpful to keep a journal and take a few minutes at the end of each day (each class would be ideal, but there is not always time) to write down some positive and negative things about my lessons for the day. I also like to jot down any eye-opening experiences or conversations that arose throughout the day. At the end of each week, it is helpful to read through all of my journal entries for the week. I like to see if I have made the same types of mistakes repeatedly; or if I have learned from my mistakes and made changes throughout the week. I also think writing in a journal helps you unwind at the end of the day and think about the events of the day.
Key Idea #2: She (the diagnostic teacher) is sensitive to multiple cultures in her classroom and how that enhances the literate community.
Reflection #2: I think that being aware and respectful of multiple cultures within a classroom is very important, especially since the student population is so diverse these days. Each student brings different background knowledge, personal experiences, and perspectives to the classroom. Teachers should embrace these differences and allow students to share their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences with one another to enhance learning and elaborate on topic being discussed. One topic, word, or story may have one meaning in one student's culture, but take on an entirely different meaning in another student's culture. Allowing students to discuss these differences gives students opportunities to actively participate and learn from one another. Each student has something to contribute and teach his/her classmates. The students and teacher are also gaining valuable knowledge about the text or topic being discussed.
Key Idea #3: She (the diagnostic teacher) uses humor and laughter to develop a relaxed atmosphere where students learn to cope with their mistakes and produce well-thought-out ideas.
Reflection #3: I was once told that an important part of being an effective teacher is having a sense of humor without faking it. Learning is always increased and enhanced when class is fun and enjoyable. I think it is important to be able to laugh at your mistakes and learn from them, rather than taking them too seriously and dwelling on them. Mistakes are part of the learning process for everyone. The most important part of making mistakes is learning from them and discussing better ways to approach a similar text, reading event, or situation. Encouraging students to talk about their mistakes and discuss their reasoning behind their mistakes often allows them to catch and correct their own mistakes. It also leads students to discover alternative strategies and coping skills.
Key Idea #4: Other studies found that in Title I and special education programs, the amount of contextual reading was reduced rather than increased when students were placed in these special programs.
Reflection #4: I find this to be very ironic and confusing. One would think that the readers who need the most help would need and receive more practice and motivation. According to these studies, however, the exact opposite is happening. Struggling readers and students with disabilities would benefit greatly from increased practice with authentic and contextual reading. As discussed in the chapter, contextual reading increases motivation for struggling readers. Most students in special education need increased motivation to push on and make educational progress, especially in reading.
In my classroom, we have to use contextual and authentic texts and stories so my students can relate to them. These stories often have to do with activities of daily living or current events. We read the newspaper, magazines, and other real stories that apply to the students' daily lives. For my students, increased practice is necessary for all tasks and activities-grooming, academics, social skills, gym, music, art, etc. The repetition increases the number of opportunities for my students to practice the skills addressed and discussed in the stories/text.
Key Idea # 5: Not only does the diagnostic teacher increase her wait time, but she must also deal effectively with inappropriate responses.
Reflection #5: Increasing wait time is something that a lot of teachers need to work on. Many teachers, including myself, ask a question and provide little or no time to think before they expect a response. Students, however, need time to think, organize their ideas, and come up with a response. During this thought process, students are often silent; and I think that silence creates an uncomfortable feeling for the teacher. The teacher then prompts students for an immediate response or gives the students the answer. If teachers just waited an additional minute or two before asking for a response, students would have more time to think through their answers and come up with more well-thought-out responses.
Dealing effectively with inappropriate responses is also a challenging tasks for many teachers. I think many teachers just shrug off or disregard inappropriate responses rather than taking something from them. I believe that inappropriate responses have something important to offer. Often times, students can be guided to a more appropriate response through effective questioning techniques. This is a much more effective way of dealing with an inappropriate response.
Key Idea #6: To support students, the diagnostic teacher helps them develop independence by sharing how she thinks while she is reading.
Reflection #6: I think that proper modeling of efficient thinking while reading is extremely helpful for all students. Students are not born with an innate ability to read and think through various texts. Students need to be taught and shown how to do so. I think this concept can be especially helpful in the different content area classes. Students would benefit greatly from their social studies teacher modeling how to read and think through their social studies textbook. The same holds true for math, science, and ELA . If teachers took a day or two at the beginning of each quarter, semester, or school year to teach students proper reading and study skills, I think teachers and students would see greater success in their classrooms.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Chapters 1 and 2
Key Concept #1: 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. (p. 5)
Reflection #1: I think this is an important thing to keep in mind when helping and teaching students with reading difficulties and disabilities. I have seen many teachers (reading, ELA, and special education) that try so hard to figure out why students struggle when reading, rather than focusing on what the students can do. I believe that this mind set takes away valuable time and energy that could be put to better use working with the students to improve upon their reading strengths; and decrease or eliminate their reading weaknesses and difficulties. I have learned that you may not always know or understand why things/people are the way they are.
Key Concept #2: The goal of diagnostic teaching is to establish exceptional and appropriate learning opportunities for struggling readers. (p. 10)
Reflection #2: I think this should be the goal for all students in all content areas. All students deserve appropriate and exceptional opportunities; regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Struggling readers may need some modifications or additional instruction and guidance, but the quality of reading instruction and education should be high and no less than that of non-struggling readers.
I think that appropriate education and learning opportunities are often lacking in special education; especially for those students with more significant disabilities. Many students are given reading material that is far below their reading ability; and inappropriate for their needs. Many of these students are never given exceptional learning opportunities because teachers are not properly trained or prepared to accommodate their intense needs.
Key Concept #3: Diagnostic teaching means that assessment is continuous as the student is learning. The diagnostic teacher adjusts instruction as she teaches, not after she has gathered the facts. (p. 12)
Reflection #3: I think it is important for teachers to monitor student progress during a lesson. Effective discussion and questioning can be helpful in determining if and what students understand from the lesson. Teachers need to be able to adjust accordingly to meet the needs of the students. Sometimes teachers will need to reteach some or all of the material; or they may need to find a different way to explain the material. I think it is important to anticipate and be well prepared to answer students' questions. I also think it is important to be able to explain things in multiple ways. One method of instruction will not work for all students. There are times when I ask questions and get few or no responses. I know at that point that I have not clearly communicated the information; and need to do something else to reach my students.
Key Concept #4: Authentic tasks have been found to provide opportunities for students to discuss ideas both before and after reading. (p. 17)
Reflection #4: I believe that real-life situations and authentic tasks are more effective for motivating and engaging students. I also feel that real-life experiences make reading more interesting and easier to understand. When students are presented with a real-life situation while reading, they relate and interact more naturally with the text. This helps encourage and enhance richer class discussions because students have more to talk about and share. Real-life experiences also make the lesson applicable outside the walls of the classroom. These types of experiences let students see how the concept or material relates to their lives. Numerous students ask the questions "Why do I need to know or do this?" or "When will I ever use this in real-life?" Authentic tasks will help answer those questions.
Key Concept #5: Consequently, the readers respond to the teachers' expectations. (p. 41)
Reflection #5: Children and students feed off of and react to teachers' expectations. If teachers don't expect much from students, they will not get much. On the other hand, if they expect a great deal, students are more likely to strive to meet those higher expectations. I think it is important that teachers maintain high, positive expectations for all students. Regardless of a student's disabilities, each student has great abilities. I have learned this first hand working with students with autism. Each of my students has things they excel at, but they also have those that they struggle with. I hold high expectations for them, even when others do not. I do believe they can achieve more than they are, but they will only try to do more if I encourage them to and truly believe they can.
Just a side note: I consider myself to be a pretty strong reader, but I found this book a bit challenging with the errors I kept coming across, especially in chapter 2. For example, on page 25, the author writes, "In other words, the diagnostic teacher examines the text to evaluate these features which that affect student reading performance." Then on page 23 in the last paragraph, the author starts by referring to a lamp and a cat, then it switches to a dog and a chair, then back to the cat and lamp. I don't know if that was an error or the author's intention, but the references didn't flow or connect to one another. At the top of page 22, the "s" is left out of the word diagnostic. There are more if you look for them, or maybe you noticed them as you were reading. They are all minor things, but were distracting when I was trying to read. I guess I just expected better quality and greater attention to detail considering that it is centered on effective literacy instruction and proper writing is part of that. For $63.00, I would hope a book was proofread and edited before being published and put on the shelves.
Reflection #1: I think this is an important thing to keep in mind when helping and teaching students with reading difficulties and disabilities. I have seen many teachers (reading, ELA, and special education) that try so hard to figure out why students struggle when reading, rather than focusing on what the students can do. I believe that this mind set takes away valuable time and energy that could be put to better use working with the students to improve upon their reading strengths; and decrease or eliminate their reading weaknesses and difficulties. I have learned that you may not always know or understand why things/people are the way they are.
Key Concept #2: The goal of diagnostic teaching is to establish exceptional and appropriate learning opportunities for struggling readers. (p. 10)
Reflection #2: I think this should be the goal for all students in all content areas. All students deserve appropriate and exceptional opportunities; regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Struggling readers may need some modifications or additional instruction and guidance, but the quality of reading instruction and education should be high and no less than that of non-struggling readers.
I think that appropriate education and learning opportunities are often lacking in special education; especially for those students with more significant disabilities. Many students are given reading material that is far below their reading ability; and inappropriate for their needs. Many of these students are never given exceptional learning opportunities because teachers are not properly trained or prepared to accommodate their intense needs.
Key Concept #3: Diagnostic teaching means that assessment is continuous as the student is learning. The diagnostic teacher adjusts instruction as she teaches, not after she has gathered the facts. (p. 12)
Reflection #3: I think it is important for teachers to monitor student progress during a lesson. Effective discussion and questioning can be helpful in determining if and what students understand from the lesson. Teachers need to be able to adjust accordingly to meet the needs of the students. Sometimes teachers will need to reteach some or all of the material; or they may need to find a different way to explain the material. I think it is important to anticipate and be well prepared to answer students' questions. I also think it is important to be able to explain things in multiple ways. One method of instruction will not work for all students. There are times when I ask questions and get few or no responses. I know at that point that I have not clearly communicated the information; and need to do something else to reach my students.
Key Concept #4: Authentic tasks have been found to provide opportunities for students to discuss ideas both before and after reading. (p. 17)
Reflection #4: I believe that real-life situations and authentic tasks are more effective for motivating and engaging students. I also feel that real-life experiences make reading more interesting and easier to understand. When students are presented with a real-life situation while reading, they relate and interact more naturally with the text. This helps encourage and enhance richer class discussions because students have more to talk about and share. Real-life experiences also make the lesson applicable outside the walls of the classroom. These types of experiences let students see how the concept or material relates to their lives. Numerous students ask the questions "Why do I need to know or do this?" or "When will I ever use this in real-life?" Authentic tasks will help answer those questions.
Key Concept #5: Consequently, the readers respond to the teachers' expectations. (p. 41)
Reflection #5: Children and students feed off of and react to teachers' expectations. If teachers don't expect much from students, they will not get much. On the other hand, if they expect a great deal, students are more likely to strive to meet those higher expectations. I think it is important that teachers maintain high, positive expectations for all students. Regardless of a student's disabilities, each student has great abilities. I have learned this first hand working with students with autism. Each of my students has things they excel at, but they also have those that they struggle with. I hold high expectations for them, even when others do not. I do believe they can achieve more than they are, but they will only try to do more if I encourage them to and truly believe they can.
Just a side note: I consider myself to be a pretty strong reader, but I found this book a bit challenging with the errors I kept coming across, especially in chapter 2. For example, on page 25, the author writes, "In other words, the diagnostic teacher examines the text to evaluate these features which that affect student reading performance." Then on page 23 in the last paragraph, the author starts by referring to a lamp and a cat, then it switches to a dog and a chair, then back to the cat and lamp. I don't know if that was an error or the author's intention, but the references didn't flow or connect to one another. At the top of page 22, the "s" is left out of the word diagnostic. There are more if you look for them, or maybe you noticed them as you were reading. They are all minor things, but were distracting when I was trying to read. I guess I just expected better quality and greater attention to detail considering that it is centered on effective literacy instruction and proper writing is part of that. For $63.00, I would hope a book was proofread and edited before being published and put on the shelves.
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