Module 6: Instructional Challenge

            To ensure my students success, I would do several things in and out of my classroom.  For starters, I would immediately implement a Comprehensive Literacy Program.  This would give my students ample authentic experience with text.  Next, I would make sure that my classroom library was well stocked with age-appropriate books.  Of course, these books would also be available for the students to “check-out” and take home.  Lastly, to encourage literacy outside of my classroom, I would use age-appropriate books as birthday gifts, incentives, and rewards.  In my current classroom, my winter and end of the year gifts are books, but for children with limited access to books, this would help them start their own library at home.  

Module 6: Reading Reflection

            As I had already written my second personal model of reading theory before reading Chapter 15, it was eerie to see some of the conclusions I had drawn printed in our textbook.  I agree with Moustafa that “reading is more that decoding (pronouncing) print.  It is making sense of print” (Weaver, 2002).

            From this course, I have come to realize that a Comprehensive Literacy Program is what students need to become successful readers and writers.  Originally, when I took the DeFord TORP, I scored a 65, which put me right at Phonics/Skills.  Honestly, I don’t think that would be a true reflection of my feelings at this time.

            Students learn from experience, plain and simple.  As teachers, we need to provide authentic experiences for them to learn from.  Teaching a phonics or skills lesson out of context does not make sense.  By incorporating it with reading and writing instruction, this provides a more realistic experience for the students.

Weaver, C. (2002). Foundations for Universal Literacy. In Reading Process and Practice (3^rd),

(pp. 373). Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Personal Model of Reading Theory Two

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies,” said Jojen. “The man who never reads lives only one.”

-  George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

            In her book Reading Process and Practice, Constance Weaver outlines the three views on learning to read:

            “View 1: Learning to read means learning to pronounce words.

             View 2: Learning to read means learning to identify words and understand their meaning.

            View 3: Learning to read means learning to bring meaning to a text in order to get meaning from, or understand, a text” (2002).
After a semester of graduate work, I can without any hesitation dismiss the first two views as I feel that they do not adequately describe what it means to read.  Being able to read is more than just being able to pronounce words.  It is more than identifying and interpreting the words in context.  Reading is being able to do all that plus see the big picture – to make a personal connection to the text.

            In my first personal model of reading theory assignment, I stated that in order to be able to read children needed to be fluent, comprehend what they were reading, and make connections to what they read.  I still believe that, however, my attitude about how they get to those places has changed.  Now, I feel that a Comprehensive Literacy Program is definitely the way to go. 

Over the course of this semester, I have learned about the different aspects of a Comprehensive Literacy Program and I feel that this design is incredibly beneficial to the students.  For starters, take the read-aloud part of the program.  It is so important for readers to hear proper modeling of texts so that they start doing it themselves.  Another piece that I think is crucial is sustained reading.  Unfortunately, most schools have moved away from any kind of sustained reading in the name of time, but I remember as a child looking forward to that time where I could “escape” into my current book.  Lastly, take the individual conferencing piece.  While this is something that I had not considered using in the past, I am now looking forward to using in the future.

Reading is a magical experience.  It is also one of those things that is hard to explain to someone else.  Sure, I can summarize a book for you, but that would not be the same as you having read the book for yourself.  I want my students to have those firsthand experiences and live those thousands of lives.  I want them to want to read and not think of it as just something they are doing for school.  To instill this passion, I believe, is where those pieces of a Comprehensive Literacy Program come in.   If I read-aloud a book and show emotion, if I let them read something that interests them, and if I show genuine interest in what they are reading during our individual conferences, I feel, they will develop a lifelong love of reading.

Reference

Weaver, C. (2002). Schemas and Transactions in the Reading Process. In Reading Process and

            Practice (3^rd), (pp. 14). Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Module 5: Instructional Challenge

A Comprehensive Literacy Program is a great way to address the needs of ELLs.  The components of a Comprehensive Literacy Program provide great scaffolding to support these students’ needs.  For example, during the read-aloud component, the teacher can encourage the students to interact and respond to the text while modeling phrasing.  During shared reading, the teacher can demonstrate the key concepts present in the large texts.  Guided reading time allows the teacher to select texts that are developmentally appropriate for the students.  For independent reading, the teacher can provide books for the ELLs at their level and help them understand if it is too easy or too hard.

This scaffolding also applies to the writing components of a Comprehensive Literacy Program making this a great strategy for working with ELLs.

Module 5: Reading Reflection

After completing the reading for the week, I do feel that phonics plays a small part in the Comprehensive Literacy Program.  I would not have a separate time period allotted for phonics, but I would embed the teaching of phonics within my shared reading time.  During shared reading, phonics instruction could be used to help predict or identify words.  Students that needed extra support with any specific phonics skill could be re-taught during individual conferencing.

Module 4: Activity 1

What an inspiring video!

Robin used several strategies to learn how to read.  He began by making words from phonograms.  He then applied this during reading in the form of “chunking.”  Next, he began writing to read.  After that, Robin got lots of exposure to text in many different ways.

I really think that Robin’s chunking strategy helped him the most.  He used that in addition to his prior knowledge when he encountered words he did not know (i.e. Congratulations).

Module 4: Instructional Challenge

Marcus is a student who very frequently miscues by substituting words that start with the same letter or first few letters of the word in the text, but his substitutions often are not syntactically or semantically acceptable (they neither sound right grammatically nor make sense).

            Based off the information given above, it sounds like Marcus is not using his prior knowledge and context to predict what it coming next.  To help Marcus, Weaver (2002) suggests the following strategies:

-          Book previewing

-          Read Alouds with Discussion

-          Literature Discussion Groups

-          Language Experience

-          Guided Writing

-          Tape recordings of books

-          Buddy reading with Discussion

-          Retrospective Miscue Analysis

-          Sustained Reading

Module 4: Reading Reflection

            In the past, I have utilized the Comprehensive Literacy Program strategies of modeled reading/writing, guided reading, and independent reading/writing.  However, I doubt that I was always using them true to the Comprehensive Literacy Program standard.

            This coming school year, my school has adopted a Balanced Literacy Program called Good Habits, Great Readers.  GHGR seems to have the same components as a Comprehensive Literacy Program (leading me to believe that the terms might be synonymous): read aloud/modeled reading, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading.  GHGR’s format for writing is also similar: modeled writing, shared writing, guided writing, and independent writing.  Ongoing throughout these steps are assessment and conferencing.

            Although I am nervous about the change from what I have been using for the past three years, I am excited to see the difference with my students.  After attended several trainings this summer, I am looking forward to implementing GHGR in my classroom.