The teacher must become proficient as a highly effective teacher to ensure that these children catch up to the average norm. Highly effective teachers not only understand how oral language effects reading and writing, they also understand that children develop language at different rates. Furthermore, these teachers must adapt reading instruction to meet the needs of this diverse population of students. In my classroom I will incorporate structured times, thus allowing children to read every day, and giving ample opportunity for class and individual discussions to help develop oral language. Furthermore, I intend to give my students a wide variety of books that can accommodate their reading levels. For those students just entering school, my instruction will need to be modified to meet their needs, therefore I intend to model language by doing read alouds and read alongs, with quality children’s literature.
Dr. Seuss
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
— Dr. Seuss (I Can Read with My Eyes Shut)
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Using Reading Programs Effectively
In the school system, teachers, parents, and children often complain about the reading programs. However, it isn't the reading program that is ineffective, it is the way that one uses it. The Reading Program is a guide to be used. It acts as a guide for the teacher, giving tips and advice on when to ask questions, and what topics to cover for preselected texts. Here is a site that I found that helps explain the purpose of Reading Programs, READING PROGRAMS
As for the way the the program is implemented in the classroom, the teacher can elaborate and incorporate many different subjects in the text included in the program. My CT found it important to allow the children the opportunity to read a plethora books related to the topic of the story in the program. He also allowed the children to have many creative activities that the children could participate in. The program can be used by itself alone, or the teacher can elaborate and build off whats given to them. It is all in the eyes of the teacher. I plan on using the program to the best of my ability as well as elaborating on its text to incorporate its ideas into other subject areas.
As for the way the the program is implemented in the classroom, the teacher can elaborate and incorporate many different subjects in the text included in the program. My CT found it important to allow the children the opportunity to read a plethora books related to the topic of the story in the program. He also allowed the children to have many creative activities that the children could participate in. The program can be used by itself alone, or the teacher can elaborate and build off whats given to them. It is all in the eyes of the teacher. I plan on using the program to the best of my ability as well as elaborating on its text to incorporate its ideas into other subject areas.
Parental Involvement
It is highly important that teachers get parents involved in their classroom. Especially when it comes to reading. Parents can come in a read to students with read alouds or just listen to students read. Students love an audience and are eager to read to someone. I recently found an article that studies prove the effects of Parental Involvement, here is a link. The full article can be found Questia Online Library, a trusted online research site.
Parental Involvement At Home and IN the Schools
Parents can also help in the process of reading by reading to their children at home. This allows the students to hear proper reading, and gives them an opportunity build confidence in their own reading. Here is a website that I found that gives tips for successfully implementing reading in the home, Tips for Successfully Implementing Reading
Parental Involvement At Home and IN the Schools
Parents can also help in the process of reading by reading to their children at home. This allows the students to hear proper reading, and gives them an opportunity build confidence in their own reading. Here is a website that I found that gives tips for successfully implementing reading in the home, Tips for Successfully Implementing Reading
Essential Components of Reading Instruction
Highly effective teachers must teach the essential components of reading, using evidence based instructional practices. (2009) Teachers can achieve this by focusing on their curriculum essentials, allowing access to print materials, and through effective instruction. Furthermore, highly effective teachers must model reading and writing for the children. The process of modeling will help emergent readers; an individual who has little or no skills in the task assessed and requires instruction, to learn the skills necessary to succeed. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
As emergent readers begin, they will first need to be taught that there are Concepts of Print. Teachers must first teach these readers that a book has a front and a back, and beginning and end. Then that as a rule, print corresponds to speech, readers read from left to right, and read from the top of the page to the bottom. Furthermore, the reader must understand that print comes in many forms. (Blevins, 2006) As a future teacher, I intend to teach these Concepts of Print by modeling how a book is read, through guided practice, and by using large text so that the students may follow along as I am reading. I plan to assess my students by using a checklist and individually asking students to identify the different parts of the book, as well as where to begin reading, the title, and other established concepts of reading text.
Alphabet Knowledge is another highly critical aspect for emergent readers. As an educator, I intend to teach my students the alphabet by first teaching the names of the letters. In addition to that, I plan to allow my students many opportunities to practice writing letters. Furthermore, I plan to teach my students memory strategies to help children write letters. I can assess my students by implementing the three second rule; which is that if a child does not know the information by that point the student probably does not know it. I also plan on using the Letter Naming Test to assess my students, because without a firm understanding of the alphabet students will fail to become successful readers.
Phonological Awareness is another important factor for the emergent learner to comprehend and is important for speaking and writing correctly. Phonological awareness is defined as a broad term that includes phonemic awareness and can involve things such as syllables, onsets, rimes, words, and rhyming (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2008). One idea that I will use is substituting; by substituting letters the students can make new words and build on existing ones. Furthermore, I will incorporate rhyming activities so that the students in the classroom, can hear the sounds, but are creating new words. Finally, I will blend sounds, segment, and delete sounds so the children can build new words to add to their vocabulary. I can assess my students by writing a word on the board and asking them to create new words with similar endings or sounds, either verbally or written.
The third component, that is important to reading success, is Phonemic Awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2008). This aspect is important for emergent readers due to the fact that without this knowledge the child would fail to recognize individual sounds and be able to read words and spell correctly. One way I will teach my students is by using Elkonin boxes, this is a manipulative that allows children to separate sounds by using chips to mark each sound. I will teach a majority of this verbally and by modeling for the students. Furthermore, with the use of instructional aides, such as personal dry erase boards, I will ask students to add or delete phonemes to build new words. This last tool will be one way I can assess my students. In addition to that assessment, I can also make corrections consistently during the day to correct errors.
Another component that is important to the emergent reader is Alphabet Principle. The Alphabetic principle is the knowledge that a specific letter or letter combinations represent each of the speech sounds (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009). For students to progress in reading they must understand that the alphabet letters and the sounds they represent, speech is made up of sounds represented by those letters, and that the spelling of those words remain the same no matter where they are seen. I will teach the children in my classroom by introducing two letters at a time, so that the students can contrast the way each letter is written and how the letter sounds. Furthermore, I will have the alphabet around the classroom on the wall, and in other areas so the children can constantly be reminded. With the use of skilled base worksheets, I can assess my students and their progression. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
According to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2009), phonics is defined as the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes, the sounds of spoken language, and graphemes, the letters and spellings that represent those sounds. Teaching phonics allows children to learn and use the alphabetic principle, and help them recognize familiar words accurately and automatically. The first thing I will do is to create a word wall in my classroom. On the wall I will place high frequency words and one exemplar word. Each week I will place six new frequency words on the wall, to build the students’ vocabulary and also serve as a reference for the students throughout the year. (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2009)
Time must be set aside for proper instruction of phonics. I will begin by setting aside thirty minutes in the day for working with words. During this thirty-minute period I will first begin by introducing the words of the week and explain how each word works. I will segment and sound out the words, so that the children will hear the correct pronunciation. On the second day I will focus my attention on word building. Using magnetic letters and a magnetic board, I will line the letters up at the top and build words with similar patterns, for word manipulation. The third day, we as a class, will work on word sorting, reading, and gluing words into the children’s journals. As a class we will analyze the words and focus on the word in its entirety. On the fourth day, I will work with the children on building and writing high frequency words on personal wipe board and playing word games, to strengthen their accuracy and automaticity. Finally, on the fifth day I will work on word knowledge, I will give the students a test on ten spelling words, five spelling pattern words, five high frequency words, and two dictated sentences for the children. After the assessment, I will go over the test and re-teach if necessary.
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and quickly according to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2009). Fluency is important for children due to the bridge it creates between word recognition and comprehension. Furthermore, fluent readers are able to read with expression. In my classroom, I intend to model fluent reading, and allow my children the opportunity and time to practice oral reading. I will also have my students participate in choral reading, reader’s theater, and tape assisted reading. Furthermore, I will have a variety of genres and levels of books allowing children the opportunity to find “just right” books. Finally, in my classroom I will guide children’s reading in small and large group and give them the appropriate feedback. I will be able to assess my students by listening to them read, using timed passages, and using a well defined rubric
1. PHONEMIC AWARENESS—The knowledge and manipulation of sounds in spoken words.
2. PHONICS—The relationship between written and spoken letters and sounds.
3. READING FLUENCY, INCLUDING ORAL READING SKILLS—The ability to read with
accuracy, and with appropriate rate, expression, and phrasing.
4. VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT—The knowledge of words, their definitions, and context.
5. READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES—The understanding of meaning in text.
Must be based on scientifically based research.
Must include classroom-based screening, and instructional and diagnostic
reading assessments.
Should provide ongoing, high-quality professional development focused on
essential elements of reading.
As emergent readers begin, they will first need to be taught that there are Concepts of Print. Teachers must first teach these readers that a book has a front and a back, and beginning and end. Then that as a rule, print corresponds to speech, readers read from left to right, and read from the top of the page to the bottom. Furthermore, the reader must understand that print comes in many forms. (Blevins, 2006) As a future teacher, I intend to teach these Concepts of Print by modeling how a book is read, through guided practice, and by using large text so that the students may follow along as I am reading. I plan to assess my students by using a checklist and individually asking students to identify the different parts of the book, as well as where to begin reading, the title, and other established concepts of reading text.
Alphabet Knowledge is another highly critical aspect for emergent readers. As an educator, I intend to teach my students the alphabet by first teaching the names of the letters. In addition to that, I plan to allow my students many opportunities to practice writing letters. Furthermore, I plan to teach my students memory strategies to help children write letters. I can assess my students by implementing the three second rule; which is that if a child does not know the information by that point the student probably does not know it. I also plan on using the Letter Naming Test to assess my students, because without a firm understanding of the alphabet students will fail to become successful readers.
Phonological Awareness is another important factor for the emergent learner to comprehend and is important for speaking and writing correctly. Phonological awareness is defined as a broad term that includes phonemic awareness and can involve things such as syllables, onsets, rimes, words, and rhyming (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2008). One idea that I will use is substituting; by substituting letters the students can make new words and build on existing ones. Furthermore, I will incorporate rhyming activities so that the students in the classroom, can hear the sounds, but are creating new words. Finally, I will blend sounds, segment, and delete sounds so the children can build new words to add to their vocabulary. I can assess my students by writing a word on the board and asking them to create new words with similar endings or sounds, either verbally or written.
The third component, that is important to reading success, is Phonemic Awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2008). This aspect is important for emergent readers due to the fact that without this knowledge the child would fail to recognize individual sounds and be able to read words and spell correctly. One way I will teach my students is by using Elkonin boxes, this is a manipulative that allows children to separate sounds by using chips to mark each sound. I will teach a majority of this verbally and by modeling for the students. Furthermore, with the use of instructional aides, such as personal dry erase boards, I will ask students to add or delete phonemes to build new words. This last tool will be one way I can assess my students. In addition to that assessment, I can also make corrections consistently during the day to correct errors.
Another component that is important to the emergent reader is Alphabet Principle. The Alphabetic principle is the knowledge that a specific letter or letter combinations represent each of the speech sounds (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009). For students to progress in reading they must understand that the alphabet letters and the sounds they represent, speech is made up of sounds represented by those letters, and that the spelling of those words remain the same no matter where they are seen. I will teach the children in my classroom by introducing two letters at a time, so that the students can contrast the way each letter is written and how the letter sounds. Furthermore, I will have the alphabet around the classroom on the wall, and in other areas so the children can constantly be reminded. With the use of skilled base worksheets, I can assess my students and their progression. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
According to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2009), phonics is defined as the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes, the sounds of spoken language, and graphemes, the letters and spellings that represent those sounds. Teaching phonics allows children to learn and use the alphabetic principle, and help them recognize familiar words accurately and automatically. The first thing I will do is to create a word wall in my classroom. On the wall I will place high frequency words and one exemplar word. Each week I will place six new frequency words on the wall, to build the students’ vocabulary and also serve as a reference for the students throughout the year. (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2009)
Time must be set aside for proper instruction of phonics. I will begin by setting aside thirty minutes in the day for working with words. During this thirty-minute period I will first begin by introducing the words of the week and explain how each word works. I will segment and sound out the words, so that the children will hear the correct pronunciation. On the second day I will focus my attention on word building. Using magnetic letters and a magnetic board, I will line the letters up at the top and build words with similar patterns, for word manipulation. The third day, we as a class, will work on word sorting, reading, and gluing words into the children’s journals. As a class we will analyze the words and focus on the word in its entirety. On the fourth day, I will work with the children on building and writing high frequency words on personal wipe board and playing word games, to strengthen their accuracy and automaticity. Finally, on the fifth day I will work on word knowledge, I will give the students a test on ten spelling words, five spelling pattern words, five high frequency words, and two dictated sentences for the children. After the assessment, I will go over the test and re-teach if necessary.
Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and quickly according to Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn (2009). Fluency is important for children due to the bridge it creates between word recognition and comprehension. Furthermore, fluent readers are able to read with expression. In my classroom, I intend to model fluent reading, and allow my children the opportunity and time to practice oral reading. I will also have my students participate in choral reading, reader’s theater, and tape assisted reading. Furthermore, I will have a variety of genres and levels of books allowing children the opportunity to find “just right” books. Finally, in my classroom I will guide children’s reading in small and large group and give them the appropriate feedback. I will be able to assess my students by listening to them read, using timed passages, and using a well defined rubric
1. PHONEMIC AWARENESS—The knowledge and manipulation of sounds in spoken words.
2. PHONICS—The relationship between written and spoken letters and sounds.
3. READING FLUENCY, INCLUDING ORAL READING SKILLS—The ability to read with
accuracy, and with appropriate rate, expression, and phrasing.
4. VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT—The knowledge of words, their definitions, and context.
5. READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES—The understanding of meaning in text.
Must be based on scientifically based research.
Must include classroom-based screening, and instructional and diagnostic
reading assessments.
Should provide ongoing, high-quality professional development focused on
essential elements of reading.
Assessments
Assessment, according to Reutzel and Cooter (2009), refers to the observations, record keeping, and ongoing performance test that a teacher uses to gather information about each student’s reading progress. The reason I will assess is to inform my teaching, to find out what my students can and cannot do, to communicate student progress, and evaluate my teaching strategies. These assessments further allow the children to gain the knowledge of becoming better readers. (Reutzel and Cooter, 2009)
Reutzel, R.D. and Cooter, R.B., Jr. (2009). The essentials of teaching children to read:
the teacher makes the difference (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson
This semester, I was assigned to tutor a student that had been struggling in the subject of reading. I began my assignment by talking with my cooperating teacher in order to find the student with the most needs. After discussing several students with the teacher we determined that my student would be Jonathon.
I began my intervention by asking the teacher specific questions as to where Jonathon was currently at in his reading ability. The teacher told me that he was further behind than any of the other students, but could not determine the cause. I decided that it would not be best to just begin asking questions, so I introduced myself, and told Jonathon about myself, including my lies and dislikes. I was hoping that this conversation would form a bond with the child so a mutual trust could be formed. I decided to interview Jonathon, after our initial conversation, to find out as much as possible that I could about him. I began with an interest inventory, asking him what he was most interested in, the types of books he likes to read, and what he liked to do in his spare time. He answered honestly and this gave me a great starting point on where to begin.
I started out as if I knew nothing about Jonathon’s reading ability. Therefore, I decided to give the QRI III Assessment. Jonathon ability to read words above grade level was astounding. He was able to go up to the seventh grade level before I stopped him. Since his reading ability was so high, I began by giving Jonathon a narrative story to read from the fifth grade. He read the words perfectly but could not comprehend what he was reading. Therefore, I worked my way down until he could read and answer the questions proficiently. At this point, I concluded that Jonathon’s reading level was third grade.
Before I was able to pull Jonathon up to grade level, I had to come up with a plan for instruction. I began by writing my ideas that I have learned in school and in the classroom. I wanted to work with Jonathon on making predictions, mental images, recognizing main ideas, and organization. With my plan complete, I began to work with Jonathon on a bi-weekly basis. Each day, I would work on the previously mentioned strategies in order to help him succeed. Since Jonathon could read almost anything I put in front of him I knew that my goal was to work on comprehension. Each day I worked with him, he seemed willing to cooperate and learn. He wanted to succeed and pull up his reading level.
After many hours and days of working with Jonathon, I decided to give him another informal assessment. I decided to have him read another passage, and answer specific questions based on the text. He improved from the previous assessment, but still had trouble picking up on some of the easier questions. At this point I felt that it was important to work with Jonathon on his visualization of the text. I felt that if he created good mental images in his head then he would have an easier time comprehending. Therefore, for the next few weeks I worked with Jonathon on his mental images, as well as other comprehension strategies. Furthermore, I felt that if I accompanied him to the library then we may be able to find just right books, and some that would be easier for him to visualize.
Therefore, throughout the following weeks, we worked together on many strategies. Specifically on the mental images, main ideas, and supporting ideas. We would read stories together and I would ask questions that allowed him to pick out supporting details. I would also have him describe the mental images he perceived while reading. He would describe everything he saw in his head and we would compare those things with what I mentally saw as he read. I feel that him knowing what I saw might help him pick out the points to mentally see.
As the semester was coming to a close, I felt that Jonathon was ready for his final assessment. I decided it would be best to give the QRI III again. We discussed all that we had worked with all semester before the test. I asked him if he had any questions, and he informed me that he was ready. I began again on his level of fifth grade. I asked a few questions to introduce the text to him, and he read the story perfectly. I took a running record as he ran and determined that he could read with a 97% accuracy, and very few errors. I began asking him the questions included in the test, and he struggled to answer a single on e correct.
At this point I allowed him to finish the test, and asked him to read another story. Unknown to him I had changed from a fifth grade narrative to a fourth grade expository. At this point I reminded him to pause and take a breath at each period or other punctuation mark. Later, I again asked him a few introductory questions, and he was able to answer to the best of his ability. Jonathon began reading the new text. I asked him the questions at the end of the test, and graded his score. Jonathon was successfully able to answer all but two of the questions. This meant that he was at the instructional level.
After going over everything with him, I determined that he had gone up a grade in comprehension. He began at a third grade narrative, and was now at the fourth grade expository. Jonathon had advanced one grade level after the weeks of tutoring. I told him of his advancement and he seemed very happy. I also informed the teacher and we decided that Jonathon might need to have his AR level upgraded to a higher level. I think Jonathon knew he was a struggling reader, and is now able to read some books that his fellow classmates read.
This semester, while working with Jonathon, I understand the importance of working with students to improve their reading ability. In terms of time, I feel that a few minutes out of each day just listening to students, can give the teacher or others an idea of how the student reads. It is important to assess each student to determine where he/she may be struggling. Then even by listening to the student read during class the teacher can suggest and teach the student new strategies to use, without causing the student any embarrassment. Unfortunately however, I understand that in some cases the student may need to be pulled and have some one on one time, where the teacher can focus his/her attention on creating a trusting environment where the child feels comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes without stress. I have learned that there is no reason that time cannot be taken out of the day to see where students need help. I have also learned that it does not take long for the student to be pulled up to the level that he/she needs to be on. Jonathon was able to advance one grade level with only a semester of work, I can only imagine what his level will be at the end of the year.
Reutzel, R.D. and Cooter, R.B., Jr. (2009). The essentials of teaching children to read:
the teacher makes the difference (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson
This semester, I was assigned to tutor a student that had been struggling in the subject of reading. I began my assignment by talking with my cooperating teacher in order to find the student with the most needs. After discussing several students with the teacher we determined that my student would be Jonathon.
I began my intervention by asking the teacher specific questions as to where Jonathon was currently at in his reading ability. The teacher told me that he was further behind than any of the other students, but could not determine the cause. I decided that it would not be best to just begin asking questions, so I introduced myself, and told Jonathon about myself, including my lies and dislikes. I was hoping that this conversation would form a bond with the child so a mutual trust could be formed. I decided to interview Jonathon, after our initial conversation, to find out as much as possible that I could about him. I began with an interest inventory, asking him what he was most interested in, the types of books he likes to read, and what he liked to do in his spare time. He answered honestly and this gave me a great starting point on where to begin.
I started out as if I knew nothing about Jonathon’s reading ability. Therefore, I decided to give the QRI III Assessment. Jonathon ability to read words above grade level was astounding. He was able to go up to the seventh grade level before I stopped him. Since his reading ability was so high, I began by giving Jonathon a narrative story to read from the fifth grade. He read the words perfectly but could not comprehend what he was reading. Therefore, I worked my way down until he could read and answer the questions proficiently. At this point, I concluded that Jonathon’s reading level was third grade.
Before I was able to pull Jonathon up to grade level, I had to come up with a plan for instruction. I began by writing my ideas that I have learned in school and in the classroom. I wanted to work with Jonathon on making predictions, mental images, recognizing main ideas, and organization. With my plan complete, I began to work with Jonathon on a bi-weekly basis. Each day, I would work on the previously mentioned strategies in order to help him succeed. Since Jonathon could read almost anything I put in front of him I knew that my goal was to work on comprehension. Each day I worked with him, he seemed willing to cooperate and learn. He wanted to succeed and pull up his reading level.
After many hours and days of working with Jonathon, I decided to give him another informal assessment. I decided to have him read another passage, and answer specific questions based on the text. He improved from the previous assessment, but still had trouble picking up on some of the easier questions. At this point I felt that it was important to work with Jonathon on his visualization of the text. I felt that if he created good mental images in his head then he would have an easier time comprehending. Therefore, for the next few weeks I worked with Jonathon on his mental images, as well as other comprehension strategies. Furthermore, I felt that if I accompanied him to the library then we may be able to find just right books, and some that would be easier for him to visualize.
Therefore, throughout the following weeks, we worked together on many strategies. Specifically on the mental images, main ideas, and supporting ideas. We would read stories together and I would ask questions that allowed him to pick out supporting details. I would also have him describe the mental images he perceived while reading. He would describe everything he saw in his head and we would compare those things with what I mentally saw as he read. I feel that him knowing what I saw might help him pick out the points to mentally see.
As the semester was coming to a close, I felt that Jonathon was ready for his final assessment. I decided it would be best to give the QRI III again. We discussed all that we had worked with all semester before the test. I asked him if he had any questions, and he informed me that he was ready. I began again on his level of fifth grade. I asked a few questions to introduce the text to him, and he read the story perfectly. I took a running record as he ran and determined that he could read with a 97% accuracy, and very few errors. I began asking him the questions included in the test, and he struggled to answer a single on e correct.
At this point I allowed him to finish the test, and asked him to read another story. Unknown to him I had changed from a fifth grade narrative to a fourth grade expository. At this point I reminded him to pause and take a breath at each period or other punctuation mark. Later, I again asked him a few introductory questions, and he was able to answer to the best of his ability. Jonathon began reading the new text. I asked him the questions at the end of the test, and graded his score. Jonathon was successfully able to answer all but two of the questions. This meant that he was at the instructional level.
After going over everything with him, I determined that he had gone up a grade in comprehension. He began at a third grade narrative, and was now at the fourth grade expository. Jonathon had advanced one grade level after the weeks of tutoring. I told him of his advancement and he seemed very happy. I also informed the teacher and we decided that Jonathon might need to have his AR level upgraded to a higher level. I think Jonathon knew he was a struggling reader, and is now able to read some books that his fellow classmates read.
This semester, while working with Jonathon, I understand the importance of working with students to improve their reading ability. In terms of time, I feel that a few minutes out of each day just listening to students, can give the teacher or others an idea of how the student reads. It is important to assess each student to determine where he/she may be struggling. Then even by listening to the student read during class the teacher can suggest and teach the student new strategies to use, without causing the student any embarrassment. Unfortunately however, I understand that in some cases the student may need to be pulled and have some one on one time, where the teacher can focus his/her attention on creating a trusting environment where the child feels comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes without stress. I have learned that there is no reason that time cannot be taken out of the day to see where students need help. I have also learned that it does not take long for the student to be pulled up to the level that he/she needs to be on. Jonathon was able to advance one grade level with only a semester of work, I can only imagine what his level will be at the end of the year.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Independent Reading
While working throughout the semester I have found that the children really do enjoy reading. It has taken a while and a lot of work from my CT and myself, but finding just right books has made a difference. The teacher and I question each student about what he or she likes and we encouraged them to find books, or we found some, for the children to read. I have noticed that as the semester progressed the children read without being told. They enjoy it. It is important to talk to the students and find out their interests in order to help the student become an avid reader. Here is a picture I took of one of the students enjoying reading, and he didn't even know I was there because he was so engrossed.
Inetgrating other subjects into Reading
One way that we incorporated reading into other subjects, was through the use of newspapers during social studies. We worked with the children reading different portions of the papers. Furthermore, we would ask the students to recognize main ideas, facts and opinions, and sequencing. I was able to incorporate sequencing using my social studies lesson. I had the students create a sequenced movie strip in order to tell an explorer's journey. In addition to that particular lesson, we allow the children to further investigate information found in the newspapers with trips to the library, in order to find other relevant books on the specific topic. Here is a picture of me helping students read their paper, as well as a picture of an example of my movie strip lesson.
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