Module 6: Instructional Challenge

Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom.

 

          Throughout this semester I have learned a great deal about using a comprehensive literacy program to teach reading and writing.  Since I support the information I have read about this program I would implement the components of a comprehensive literacy program with my students to increase reading success. Reading and writing workshops make up this program and allow opportunities for students to work in whole-group, small-group, and individual settings. I think this model would help encourage those who are struggling readers/writers and those who may not enjoy reading/writing because it involves student choice in the reading material and it includes opportunities for partner and group work. When teaching reading I would use the contemporary whole-to-parts reading approach, because I learned from Weaver’s text that it is a more logical approach to teaching children how to read. Also, I would be sure to include predictable texts instead of decodable texts after learning from Weaver’s book that predictable texts is more effective because of its natural language flow that is familiar to children. I would then work with small groups of students during guided reading to focus on specific needs and reading strategies. I would also try to focus on teaching new words in context rather than using word lists. It would be important to incorporate time to read-aloud to the students and have group discussions about the text as well as have students participate in partner reading and silent reading.

            To aid with their reading practice outside of the classroom I would send home weekly fluency passages for students to practice repeated reading at home. I would also allow students to check out one book at a time from my classroom to take home for reading practice and provide reading journals for them to record their thoughts after reading while at school and at home. I think it is also important to encourage parents to read with their children at home and stress how important it is for young children to hear fluent readers. I would also look for information about local reading events/activities at libraries and book stores that parents could take their children to for a real-world literacy experience.  Hopefully, there would be some free activities available, so parents would be more willing to take their child. Participating in these types of activities may help to get students more excited about reading. I believe once these strategies are implemented properly students will become more successful readers.          

Module 6: Reading Reflection

Does any of the information presented in Chapter 15 influence your personal philosophy of reading? In what ways? How has your perspective this changed since you took the DeFord TORP a few weeks ago?

 

          The information presented in Chapter 15 of the Weaver text does influence my personal philosophy of reading. Weaver starts by discussing decodable texts verses predictable texts.  I have always found decodable texts somewhat awkward to read but assumed they must be an effective way to teach a child to read since they are available.   However, Weaver discusses how the language and flow of decodable texts is unnatural, which makes predictable texts a better resource to use when teaching reading. The language in books should be familiar to children unlike the language in decodable texts. Traditional parts-to-whole reading instruction supports decodable texts, while contemporary whole-to-parts reading instruction supports predictable texts. In the past I’ve thought teaching reading from parts-to-whole was the logical order, but now I completely believe in and support teaching reading with the contemporary whole-to-parts approach. Based on what I’ve read and learned this semester it now seems to be the more logical approach.

           Chapter 15 also discussed reading words in context verses reading words in lists. Before I’ve really seen nothing wrong with testing students using sight word lists and spelling lists, but I now question that approach. Reading isn’t about isolated words, so it seems more appropriate to expose students to new words in context rather than a list. Weaver also points out that children learn how to separate words into onsets and rimes before phonemes, which seems to be more beneficial for developing an understanding of words and to make words.

            Throughout Chapter 15 Weaver provided several examples of studies with groups of children being taught with a comprehensive literacy approach verses a traditional parts-to-whole reading approach. The comprehensive approach repeatedly produced better results. This, along with everything else I’ve learned throughout this course, proves to me that a comprehensive literacy approach is how I should teach reading and writing in my classroom.

            My perspective hasn’t changed that much since I took the DeFord TORP a few weeks ago, but my scores show that my theoretical orientation is closer to a whole language approach now than a skills approach. I appreciate everything I have learned this semester, and I think the knowledge I have gained will help me be a more productive reading teacher in the future.     

Personal Model of the Theory of Reading 2

Nikole Hilterman

EDRD 7715-W02

Dr. Ritchie                   

July 09, 2012

Personal Model of the Theory of Reading

I chose this endorsement course to improve my ability to teach children to read, and I believe it is doing just that. My theory of reading hasn’t completely changed, but it has definitely been enhanced the past six weeks. It was nice to be reassured that some of the practices and strategies I am already implementing in my classroom are proven to be effective, but this course has also increased my knowledge of literacy and reading practices that I was less familiar with. I now feel that implementing the all components of a comprehensive literacy program is critical for creating a classroom environment that promotes reading success. This approach allows students to be exposed to a variety of reading strategies and text while learning to read which assists students with becoming independent readers.

As I reflect on the past six weeks three points stand out to me about teaching reading. First, the importance of gathering meaning while reading has been reiterated for me. Even though I already knew comprehension was the main goal of reading I now feel that I should analyze the miscues my students make more carefully and focus more on comprehension. This past year I used benchmark books and running records to determine the reading level of my students. These running records focused solely the number of miscues the student made without ever checking for comprehension. I am now questioning if that is actually the best method to determine the students’ reading levels, because even if a student only has a few miscues I have no proof that they actually comprehended and understood the story.

Next, this course has brought to my attention the significance of incorporating student choice into my reading instruction. Sometimes as teachers it is difficult to not always be the leader and make the decisions. From reading the Weaver text and researching the reading workshop model I understand the necessity of providing students with choice throughout their reading journey to make their reading experience more effective. I am now very interested in implementing reading workshop in my classroom in the future and including literature circles as well.

Finally, the significant role that modeling reading plays for developing readers has been brought to my attention this semester. As lifelong learners we are constantly learning from one another, so it is just as important for students to hear fluent reading as it is to practice reading fluently themselves. In the past I’ve often felt like students need to be doing most of the reading themselves, during my reading block, in order to become an independent reader, but this isn’t technically true. I am now confident that listening to a read aloud, participating in book discussions, and reading with a partner are just as important and are all effective strategies for developing independent readers.

Also, I appreciate how some of the activities I’ve participated in during this course have helped to put me in the role of the leaner instead of the teacher. It was interesting to see and understand the process of trying to understand reading for the first time through the activities involving nonsense words, and it helped me realize how important context clues are to understanding unfamiliar words. I feel that reversing roles and being the student from time to time is beneficial to teachers.

As this semester ends, it is still important to me to instill a passion for learning and reading in my students. I feel that when I show an excitement for learning my students are more interested and motivated. I can honestly say that because of entering this master’s program I am more eager to get back into the classroom this summer than ever before. I have thought more about my students and what I would like to implement or change in my classroom due to what I’ve recently learned. I am looking forward to continuing to learn even more about the reading process and effective reading practices throughout the remainder of this course.

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.

 

Since a comprehensive literacy program allows for whole group and individual instruction there would be several opportunities to meet the needs of these new students.  During reading and writing workshops students have time to collaborate with peers and the teacher.  I think this collaboration is important for all learners, but I believe ELLs could especially benefit from seeing how other students work and communicate.  From reading the Weaver text, I’ve been reassured that reading aloud in the classroom is a very effective way to demonstrate how reading should sound and a great time to have students interact with the book.  This oral demonstration along with the group interaction and hearing the discussion would greatly benefit ELLs.  Then, small guided reading groups would allow time for direct instruction for these students’ individual needs.  I would also partner each ELL with a classmate who I felt could assist them with their reading and have them work their way up to silent reading once I was sure they were able to gather meaning while reading.  Also, modeling how to write, though the use of write-aloud, would be beneficial because they get to see how sentences are formed and the thought process that goes into creating a story.  Then, through guided writing I could focus more on their individual needs.  Later, I may suggest a tutor for these students depending on how they progress with these reading and writing strategies mentioned.