"... We make a case for encouraging students to talk about what they have read. Bulding on that premise that classroom literature is important, I'd like to suggest that it is more critical for dependent readers to talk about texts during the reading experiences than after it." Page 104
I don't think teachers encourage students to talk about what they read as much as they need to. I know when I was in school, I read the assigned reading and took a quiz or a test over it. The next day I would repeat the same thing until the book was finished. We did the same thing over and over. I wish my teacher would have asked me what I think of the reading while I was reading it. I think it would have helped me better understand and be a better reader. Teachers should have in class reading and encourage students to talk about the book. It could be in literature circles, groups, pairs, or one-on-one with a teacher. Just as long as they are talking about the book.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Chapter 6 -When Kids Can't Read
"Dependent readers often struggle because they don't predict what the section might be about... Probable Passage helps stops passive reading habits." Page 87
I liked the idea of of the Probable Passage worksheet. I think it is a simple way to have students find all the main points of a story. It is easier to write and read then a paper or a book report. It was helpful to have the Step Inside the Classroom section also. It was interesting to read what students were thinking about the worksheet. They had a wide variety of responses, some were right on target, while others struggled. This is a valuable tool for readers who don't activate their prior knowledge or visualize what they read.
I liked the idea of of the Probable Passage worksheet. I think it is a simple way to have students find all the main points of a story. It is easier to write and read then a paper or a book report. It was helpful to have the Step Inside the Classroom section also. It was interesting to read what students were thinking about the worksheet. They had a wide variety of responses, some were right on target, while others struggled. This is a valuable tool for readers who don't activate their prior knowledge or visualize what they read.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Chapter 5 - When Kids Can't Read
"He put down $10.00 at the window. The woman behind the window gave $4.00. The person next to him gave him $3.00, but he gave it back to her. So, when they went inside, she bought him a large bag popcorn." Page 64
This passage is an example of types of inferences that can be made based on a few simple sentences. This section of the book provides 10 examples that we can infer. I think this basic strategy can be a helpful tool when we are trying to help our students understand the deeper meaning in their reading. This chapter was full of helpful information about infrencing.
I would write up a small paragraph similar to the one mentioned above. There are no names or specific information. They have to use their our knowledge to understand the passage. I would pass it out and ask the students 'What's going on in this passage? How do you know? What information is there to help you come to this conclusion?'
This passage is an example of types of inferences that can be made based on a few simple sentences. This section of the book provides 10 examples that we can infer. I think this basic strategy can be a helpful tool when we are trying to help our students understand the deeper meaning in their reading. This chapter was full of helpful information about infrencing.
I would write up a small paragraph similar to the one mentioned above. There are no names or specific information. They have to use their our knowledge to understand the passage. I would pass it out and ask the students 'What's going on in this passage? How do you know? What information is there to help you come to this conclusion?'
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Chapter 4- When Kids Can't Read
I love the idea of a Think Aloud! It is such a basic idea but it can be very helpful for struggling readers. A good readers, we understand what is going on in our minds and we can process that information, but some students have trouble with this process.
"I constantly remind my undergraduate students that education is not a Nike commercial: you can't say,” Just Do It'. Instead, we must show students HOW to do it. That means we have to be very direct and explicit in strategy instruction." Page 41
We must model and be direct in our instruction. Our students can’t read our minds, we must help them and show them the correct way to visualize, compare and contrast and predict, among many others, in their heads.
"I constantly remind my undergraduate students that education is not a Nike commercial: you can't say,” Just Do It'. Instead, we must show students HOW to do it. That means we have to be very direct and explicit in strategy instruction." Page 41
We must model and be direct in our instruction. Our students can’t read our minds, we must help them and show them the correct way to visualize, compare and contrast and predict, among many others, in their heads.
Chapter 3 - When Kids Can't Read
"While I still catch myself saying, 'This kid can't read,' I now clarify what that means. Not being able to read can mean a range of things, depending on the student's strengths and weaknesses." Page 24
We have always said this kid has trouble reading or this kid doesn't understand, but what does that mean? The list she mentions gives you an opportunity to explore many possibilities in order to find the problem. It give you a good jumping off point. Does the students struggle with sight words and vocabulary? Or is the problem recalling information from the text? We can't be teachers and say this student can't read. We have to be the ones to find the problem and fix it the best we can.
We have always said this kid has trouble reading or this kid doesn't understand, but what does that mean? The list she mentions gives you an opportunity to explore many possibilities in order to find the problem. It give you a good jumping off point. Does the students struggle with sight words and vocabulary? Or is the problem recalling information from the text? We can't be teachers and say this student can't read. We have to be the ones to find the problem and fix it the best we can.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)