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.