2016 Foundations of Reading Union County - EDLCU720W: Blog 5: Comprehensive Literacy Framework In t...

2016 Foundations of Reading Union County - EDLCU720W: Blog 5: Comprehensive Literacy Framework
     In t...: Blog 5: Comprehensive Literacy Framework      In their book, Catching Readers Before They Fall, Johnson and Keier refer to the classroom en...

Blog 5: Comprehensive Literacy Framework
     In their book, Catching Readers Before They Fall, Johnson and Keier refer to the classroom environment as a comprehensive literacy framework.  This framework includes reading and writing to children, with children, and by children during every school day.  Johnson and Keier agree that these components be included every day, but that the frequency and duration will differ based on the needs of the students.
    In chapter 5 they talk about the components of a Comprehensive Literacy Framework.  The framework they support and discuss states that writing is a key component in children learning the reading process.  Marie Clay says, " Writing can contribute to the building of almost everything."  Therefore, reading and writing workshop should be included in our instructional plans everyday. 
     I agree with the facts that reading and writing workshop be taught everyday.  My concern is....TIME!!!  I have my 4th grade class for ELA and Science from 7:45-11:30.  During this time, there is a 45 minute activity class from 9:55-10:40 and a 15 minute recess from 11:15-11:30.  I have 3rd grade ELA and Science from 12:00-2:45 with a 45 minute activity time and we dismiss at 2:45 so we have to stop and make sure we have everything ready to go home.  I know I am not the only one in this "boat" that there just never seems to be enough time in the day.  I do like the fact that Johnson and Keier suggest that the frequency and time spent on each component will differ and that you are not locked into an amount of time for each component.
    I have enjoyed reading ideas from others in this class and have started to look at how to work with these ideas.  I don't want to leave things on a negative with my comments about time, this has just been a real struggle for me.  But we are working it out and making it happen.  I really love what I do.
    Merry Christmas to all and to all a good year.  I welcome the start of the new year and a new semester with exciting ideas.

Blog #4  Catching Readings Before They Fall
Who's to Blame?

   When students walk in our classrooms and they are struggling to achieve or they are grade levels behind, what is our first thought?  We start looking for someone or something to blame.  We want to blame it on the previous teacher, or the child's home life. 
   Johnson and Kier share with us in their book that Carol Lyons asked us to acquire three positive self fulfilling stances instead of faulting others:
-expect that the lowest achieving children can learn to read and write
-support children as they learn how to learn
-BELIEVE that you are the one who will teach this child to read and write
   If we look hard enough and long enough we can find strengths in every student.  As teachers, we have the power to make a difference.  One way to do this is to start them off with a positive attitude about themselves as readers.  Sometimes all it takes is for a student to know that we believe they can do it.  Having those expectations for them, expecting them to learn to read.
   At-risk children who do not get off to a good start, according to Johnston and Kier, "They become embroiled in negative spirals of failure, deepening emotional challenges, and continued failure that often results in behavior problems."
   I feel that we often don't high enough expectations for our at-risk, low achieving students.  We just expect that they will always be low achievers, and that is simply not the case.  They need to know that we believe in them and they we have a vested interest in their achievement.

Sharing Information with Families

Remember that the majority of parents are NOT educators. They rely on teachers to inform them on how their child is doing.  Parents’ method for helping their child is doing it “the way they were taught.” How many times have you heard a parent say “School has changed so much since I was in there. I don’t how to do this new stuff”? One way to ward off these types of questions and comments is to keep the parents informed all along the way.

• When parents come to you with a concern, take their concern seriously. No matter how simple the question seems to you, it is huge to the parent!! Parents want to know that they are being heard. Rephrase their question to make sure that you understood the parent correctly. This gives the parents a chance to clarify the question if you misunderstood but also lets them know that you are listening to them and addressing their concern.                                                                            
• Whatever you agree to do for the student, make sure you follow through!! The parents will be watching and waiting for you to follow through with your promise.

• When speaking to the parent, don’t talk above their head. Speak in terms that they can understand and not feel intimidated. This will help keep a positive open line of communication. If you use acronyms, explain what they mean. Before you end your conversation, ask parents if they have any questions.

• “Don’t overwhelm the parents with too much information. Give them something to walk away with, and then offer a follow-up appointment.” I know that there are times where we feel like we will never get the parent back in but remember that parents do not want to come in and hear everything that their child is doing wrong or not doing at all. Make sure to include what the students can do so that the parent will leave on a positive note. This will help the parent feel better about coming to another meeting to discuss their child.

• Ever dealt with an angry parent? We all have. Remember that the anger that may be directed towards you most of the time is not truly meant for you. When the parents are angry, they are usually just very frustrated with their child. When dealing with an upset parent, “it’s best to keep listening, paraphrase, and let the parent talk out the issue until you are sure you understand. You may need to involve another professional, such as the principal or reading specialist, to help you talk through and solve the problem.”

• Have you ever had a parent catch you in the hallway or even in a store? If so, acknowledge the parent’s question and respond with “I’m so glad you brought this up. Let’s set up a meeting so we can discuss this in more detail.”

Blog 5 – “Father…I mean…TEACHER KNOWS BEST”!

In the fourth and final section of Reading Essentials by Regie Routman, there is an emphasis (as there has been throughout the book) on the teacher needing to take a stand for what they feel, as the professional educator, is best for their students.  “Only you, as a knowledgeable teacher, can decide what your reading program should encompass and how it should be organized” (Routman 186).   Too often teachers or forced or feel like they have to do the latest program.  Teachers need to be informed about or do research about the programs they may use, to make sure they feel it is what is best for their students.  “At best, any program, no matter how good it is, is a resource and tool.  It can never take the place of the knowledgeable teacher” (Routman 192). 

Another emphasis in this section was on using our time wisely.  “Spend it in the most meaningful, productive ways possible” (Routman 202).  The key is to make sure that every minute is useful, effective, and counts.  Too often teachers get too caught up in making sure so many different things are done (programs, curriculum, etc.) that the most important thing…the students…get lost in the commotion!  Make sure that whatever is being done is effective, meaningful, and creating a love of learning for the students.  I loved the quote by a teacher, ’I have been reevaluating everything I do to see if the activity has a true purpose or if it’s just busy work and a time filler’ – Donna Kline (Routman 201).  So many times teachers know what their students need the most of, and what would be the best use of their time.  Sometimes, it just has to be what takes precedence.  

When you look at all of this, and this whole book, it all keeps focusing on the fact that the teachers not only know their students, but know what is best for them!

One Last KISS

As I sit down to write this last blog post, my mind is filled with a million tasks on my "to do" list and quite frankly I am almost at the panic stage.  Thanksgiving meal preparations, packing for a trip to NYC, housecleaning, interim grades, course assignments, and lesson planning are weighing heavily on my mind. Where will I find the time and energy to get everything done? And then I remember to KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid is what I have garnered from Routman's closing chapters of Reading Essentials. She states, "the elusive balanced life remains a mirage. Your time is valuable. Spend it in the most meaningful way possible." Amen!


How many days have I spent staying after school hours to grade papers, create the perfect project, or attend meaningless meetings?  How many times have I had to decline invitations from friends and family because I had work to do? I wholeheartedly agree with Routman's comment, "We are not only role models for learning; we are role models for living." My students are quick to know when I am stressed, overburdened and moody. They pick up on my impatience and frustration. They can certainly tell when my energy is zapped and I am operating on auto-pilot.  "Kids can't be joyful if we're not," puts it all in a nutshell. Do I choose to enrich their lives (and my own) with a love of learning over a mastery of the standards?  What am I doing each day to foster joyfulness in my students as well myself?


The book ended with a trite but true piece of advice that we can all take to heart...."Enjoy your students, enjoy your teaching and enjoy your life."  Just don't forget to KISS!  


Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Blog 5/Module 6

While reading No More Independent Reading Without Support, I have come across many great ideas for how to work with building my students reading comprehension and skill.  Now it is time for me to take the information that I have gathered and develop a plan to use in my own classroom.  The authors stated that "when students are engaged in their reading they can read for longer periods of time, read through more difficult text, and increase their reading achievement."  Currently I am working at making an interest inventory for my upcoming class to take in order to grow my library with books that these students may find interesting.  I have also been arranging my books by lexile levels.  I am hoping by knowing  student reading levels and interest I will be able to give them opportunities to read books they find interesting, and that they will be able to read.

The authors also stated, "having student's respond to their IR creates time for them to reflect on what they have read and to push their thinking further by sharing those reflections with others.  I am hoping to try to do a number of types of reflections in the classrooms, hopefully the students will enjoy them all.  Of course if I find that they do not enjoy some monitoring and adjusting will be done!  

As I get closer and closer to teaching this class, I find myself actually excited!!  I have a lot of ideas and even a field trip planned!!!    Wish me luck!

Blog 5 / Module 6

     I finished reading Reading Essentials by Reggie Routman and found it to be very useful for
me and my students.  The content was so dead on and realistic. " We want our students to be excited about literacy, they need to have teachers who love coming to work..." This is essential for success of both the student and the teacher. This book gives many tips, opinions and strategies for success in the
Reading classroom. " There is no right or best way" we as educators are so focused on doing things
correctly or the way it should be done that this quote was so helpful to me. I relaxed a little and
enjoyed finding great new ways to teach without it being correct or incorrect. "Bond with your students". This has to be the most important for me. Bonding with your students will help the student
and teachers life much easier when reading. There is a lot of one on one time and it is essential
to feel comfortable together.
     The Try It Apply It and teaching tip  sections were so helpful and I used and plan to try more of these in my classroom with my students in the future. The book is designed for success and if used properly I think it will help me create stronger readers. I am realistic and know that not all my students will be successful for may reasons but I will be comfortable in knowing that I will do all I can to help guide them be excited and successful in reading to the highest of each ones potential.

Blog Post #5

Blog Post #5

            The last part of the book No More Independent Reading Without Support is about ways to keep things going during the Independent Reading time.  I really like all the tactics for teachers to use during IR.  In a world where we as educators hear that we need to differentiate our classrooms, I never even thought about conferencing being a way to differentiate my instruction.  According to the authors, “Conferring is differentiation at its fines!  When we confer with children one-to-one, we’re working hard to personalize our instruction and support children as they apply what we’ve taught them in large and small group settings.”  The next time someone asks me about how I am differentiating instruction in my classroom, I will definitely be able to include conferencing during Independent Reading.  Conferencing is a powerful tool, and if used as it should be we will be able to catch children that are not using the skills taught and reteach them in a one on one setting.

            The last part of the book that I really like was Tactic 8.   According to the text, “Tactic 8:  Use partner reading and book clubs to get students talking and reading independently.”  I also think that we need to start small and do a lot of modeling how to talk to each other about what they are reading and what they need to talk about.  When I ask my middle school students to turn and talk, they still look at me like I’m crazy.  I guess it goes with the territory.  I asked them to do an activity where they were moving around the room and they complained.  If I ask them to sit, they would rather stand, just like if I ask them to not talk they want to talk.  I guess I can try reverse psychology next time to see if it helps.  

            I have really enjoyed having a refresher on Independent Reading and I will recommend this book to anyone that needs to know what do during Independent Reading and how to keep your kids involved and engaged. 

Independent Reading (Blog 5/Module 6)

There is no greater impact on students' reading growth than giving them time to read.

This quote introduces the Afterword in No More Independent Reading Without Support.  Ellin Oliver Keene states that when she heard those words in 1979, she was terrified of the responsibility that had been laid on her shoulder.  She, like many other teachers, wanted to learn some magic trick to teach children how to read.
If it were only that simple...

Keene goes on to say that what she did know in 1979 was that children needed "the support of clear, focused instruction."  This is the basis of this book.  It has allowed me to consider what practices might work best and what might inhibit students from learning to read.  Reading is the basis for every other subject and without the ability to read, we miss out on so much that school has to offer.  As teachers, we need to find more time for our students to have meaningful reading experiences by letting them select their own books.  They need access to books and lots of them with a wide variety.  To be meaningful, they need explicit instructions on what, why, and how readers read.  Teachers need to monitor the progress of the students and then last, but certainly not least, students need to talk about what they read.

Now, if there was only a magic potion to make my 9 year-old enjoy reading....

As I close on Reading Essentials by Routman, her final thoughts are "you only have so much time" (Routman, 201).  Routman points out that teachers are always demanding more time  as more things keep being added upon us.  Routmans says that most of our time should be spent thinking and using our best judgement for what works best with our students by "keeping work simple and providing opportunities for them to expand their skills, knowledge, and thinking"(Routman 204).  I liked Routman's ideas about "bell ringers"- read by yourself, read with a partner, or write a note to a friend.  I would definitely like to try something a bit different in my room, even though I feel like my morning work procedures are great reviews and front loaders of information.  Always keeping students reading and writing and making it worthwhile.  "Enjoy your students, enjoy your teaching, and enjoy your life" (Routman, 221).

I really enjoyed reading this text and have learned a great deal about reading and writing, writing and reading.  Happy teaching!

Blog 5 - Final Tatics for Successful IR

In the previous blog I discussed the first four tatics for a successful IR, which all have made a huge change in this time in my classroom! These final five are making a great improvement also.

Tatic 5: Differentiate instruction and conference. How can we know if are students are actually learning and understanding during IR time, if we do not conference with them? This time needs to be used for instruction (and not just as free time). A great way to improve the success of your IR is to sit down with your students and discuss the books they are reading. You can also make sure students are reading text that are appropriate for their levels.

Tatic 6: Use a catch to refocus the group. This is another tatic that you have to be monitoring your students for it to successfully work. We have all had that moment where we are working with one student, and the rest of the class is slowly getting off task because they realize you are not paying close attention anymore. By having a catch ready to refocus the group and get them back to work, it saves you from having to fuss at students, and quickly gets them back on task.

Tatic 7: Let the students speak. Students want to tell you what they are learning and reading! There have been several times where I have just let me student talk, because many times they just want to be heard. By letting them discuss what they are learning and reading, it gives them a way to feel that what they are doing is important, and you a quick way to assess students' understanding!

Tatic 8: Partner reading and book clubs. My students love to read together. Now, they are sixth graders and sometimes this does come with some chatting, but often times if they know I am going to ask comprehension questions or conferencing with them, they know that I am going to hold them accountable.

Tatic 9: Assess students progress. This is all for the teachers, in my opinion. This helps you as a teacher see if your IR time is successfully working, or if adjustments need to be made for your students. Assessing does not have to be a big formal test, but can be short conferences with your students.

Tatic 10: Assessment choices lead to independence. This is hard for educators, because you're giving students a choice and you may have multiple assessments going on a once. However, we all know that some of our students do well on standard assessments while others do not. By giving them the choice of their assessments, they can truly show their knowledge, and even their creativity.


I have thoroughly enjoyed reading No More Independent Reading Without Support and have found some many great things that are working for my classroom IR time!

Chapter 8  Teach Comprehension

I absolutely love reading to my students.  I always try to read at least 3 books each day to them. I talk to them about how the words in the story are telling them something. We talk about the pictures, tricky words, and talk about what the words are telling them. It is so surprising that some children and even their parents think that reading is just word calling. " When we spend most of our energy focusing on words,students get the message that reading is about words rather than meaning".(R117)      I always let my students know that the words on the pages of stories are there for a reason and that reason is not just for them to "word call". The  words are giving meaning to the story just as their words tell a story when they create a story. In my class, we try to dig deep ( as deep as a 6 year old can) within the text, make connections ( these can be pretty interesting LOL), monitor for meaning (i love to ask them if what they just read to me makes sense), make inferences, and ask questions about the story. We also read like "news reporters and not robots!! We use voices like we think the characters would sound. This seems to  helps them to understand the story better in first grade. We read poems, fiction and non fiction books, magazines, children's articles and anything else we can get our hands on. As a class as well as an individual we make meaning out of what we have read and respond to it by writing or by telling a partner what we have learned about the reading.
      We practice fluency by reading easier text and by reading with a friend. Routman says, "The best way to improve fluency is through repeated reading of familiar text". R128) Fluency helps children understand the meaning of the words and is not that word calling that will put you to sleep. :-/
     When I am doing a read aloud, I always stop and ask if someone can tell me what the author is telling us. It is wonderful when the children catch on and start really understanding.  This is helpful to little children when teaching comprehension and is exciting when they can tell you things such as why the character may be "feeling" or a"acting" the way he/she is. I start teaching comprehension on day one of first grade!!! :) Children can understand more than we give them credit for.

Sound It Out...Wait There's More!

When a child struggles with a word, you've always heard a teacher say "sound it out." "Many teachers are beginning to realize that although "sound it out" often comes to their lips, it isn't necessarily the best response. Why not? For one, the English language is not consistently phonetic." There have been so many times that I have told a child to sound it out but then say "Wait! This word doesn't follow the traditional rule." At that point, I have thought to myself... I have just truly confused this child! Did you know that 40 to 50% of the words in the English language cannot be sounded out? This is why we need to come up with other ways to help a child figure out to pronounce unknown words. When you watch a proficient reader, you know they don't rely solely on phonetics to figure out the unknown word. They use a variety of strategies and these are the strategies that we need to share with emerging readers and struggling readers. Do you prompt your students? Be sure "to keep your prompts short, specific, and to the point." When you prompt a student, this is asking the him to self-monitor. Proficient students continuously self-monitor as they read.  One prompt that is useful is asking the student "Does that make sense?" This is a powerful phrase which causes the student to think. "Our frequent repetition also fully supports the concept that everything we read is supposed to make sense." One way to model this is to make an intentional error and show how you monitor yourself for making sense. Another way to prompt is to use symbols to represent various strategic behaviors. "Introduce the symbols on strategy cards and show how we use them. The symbols represent in order: (1) checking the picture, (2) thinking about the story, (3) going back to reread, (4) checking the first letter(s), (5) checking unknown parts of the word, and (6) rereading to check and confirm." Leave these symbols on a nearby chart or on an index card next to the student so that the child can refer to it when you ask them for a strategy to solve the unknown word. Another strategy is to model rereading. When we model the rereading of a sentence or part of a sentence, it encourages children to do the same. We need to model in front of the entire class, in small groups, and when we work with students individually. While using these various strategies, we also prompting children to use meaning, structure, and visual information. All students need to use a balance of meaning, structural, and phonetic information simultaneously as they figure out unfamiliar words.  

Blog 5 Build on Best Practice

       In our schools today, teaching reading has become a hot topic. Many teachers are confused about how to teach reading because for many years, they were taught to teach reading based on what's best for their students.  This does not seem to be case in public schools today.   In the last chapter of Reading Essential, Routman talked about teachers are being required to implement reading programs that are not working.  She stated, "Never before in our history has so much federal money been set aside for prescribed programs.  There is no best program or perfect model for teaching reading"
    Routman believes that teachers should build on Best Practices in teaching reading.  Therefore, effective teachers should reflect on how to teach reading.  Routman stated, "Only you as a knowledgeable teacher, can decide what your reading program should encompass and how it should be organized."  She provides the Best Practice in Teaching Reading. 
     In this chapter, Routman stressed the importance of teachers being knowledgeable about relevant research concerning reading.  She talked about how teachers should be willing to  have courage to ask difficult questions and take stands for what's best for their students.  Students have different needs, and they are not all the same.  Therefore, teachers should be allowed to use Best Practice strategies to meet the needs of all students.  

Blog 4 - Tactics for IR

We all know that Independent Reading time can be a tricky time within the classroom. Often we are trying to work with one student, while others are either not reading or talking. Sometimes, it can cause more stress than harm. No More Independent Reading Without Support, gibes us tactics to help keep IR time "hopping."

Tactic 1: You need to get the books in the student's hands. "...you'll need a wide range of text and levels to ensure that all children have books that meet their needs and allow them to participate fully as readers and learners." Ask around for books! You would be amazed at how many books are thrown in the trash (gasp!!) a year.

Tactic 2: Organize your books. This is something that I struggle with as a middle school teacher. I have seen the millions of ways to organize your books - levels, genres, etc, but I have not taken the time to complete it in my classroom. The best way to figure out how to organize your books is to ask your students. I've found with talking to my students over the last week that they love different genre books, so I will be working on organizing by genre, so it is easier for them to find books they enjoy reading.

Tactic 3: Start with small chunks of classroom IR time. "Our job as teachers is to listen to children, learn from them, and teach them something they need to know to move forward and accomplish their goals." I teach a 70 minute block of ELA to my students. I have 70 minutes, five times a week, to teach my students reading, writing, and grammar. To me, giving away time is a sin. However, I have realized that I can use IR time to help strengthen my students reading skills. I've changed my mindset from "giving time away to IR," to "using IR to strengthen reading skills."

Tactic 4: Monitor IR. Guilty as charged. Before reading this book, IR time was often used as a time for me to get things done. I would set the students off reading, get them focused, and then either do some reading of my own, or use it as time to get stuff done. Now, after just taking a few seconds to look around, I can tell so much about my students during IR. I have found that many of my students enjoy reading out of their desk, many have trouble focusing if people are up moving around, and some just plain will not read if they know you are not watching them. It has been such a learning experience to just watch my students read.

.....last five tactics coming next blog!

Blog #5-Independent Reading With Support

The last part of Section 3 of No More Independent Reading Without Support by Debbie Miller and Barbara Moss outline how to get the most out of independent reading. They use acronym PACE to help us guide our instruction (Miller 47):

Purpose- What are the learning goals? What are they working towards?

Authenticity- Does this work actually happen outside the classroom?

Choice-Are students able to choose what to read, where to read, and/or with whom to read it?

Explicit Instruction-How will I model what I want them to practice?

I think these guidelines are great no matter what subject area you teach. Since moving to sixth grade, I believe I have focused mostly on the first three and have neglected the last one. I didn’t want to teach “down” to my students. Debbie Miller reminds me,” Children don’t necessarily come to us knowing how readers make meaning, how to talk about texts in meaningful ways, or the conversational moves they can make to take the conversation deeper.” (Miller 51). Research shows that children need multiple exposures to a topic before mastery. I need to spend more time thinking about explicit instruction and how I can make it more meaningful for my students.

Miller continues to offer advice on setting up Independent Reading by offering tactics to keep things “hopping.” Her advice includes getting books into students’ hands, organizing the books, starting with small chunks of times, monitoring , using a catch, reflecting, and more. The tactic that leaped out at me is conferring. “Conferring is differentiation at its finest.” I know in my teacher soul that differentiation is THE BEST THING for my students. I do confer but I am terrible at documenting it. Miller encourages me by stating the conferring helps to , ”ensure that no child falls through the cracks and all children grow.” (Miller 60). Ouch- I needed that reminder.

I enjoyed reading this practical book. Despite its small size, it is a heavy hitter- packed with research and teacher-tested strategies. I, so, so WISH I could have read it when I made the transition from the basal to reader’s workshop. I would’ve saved me time, heartache, and headache!

Blog 4 – “MEAT and TATERS”

In section three of Reading Essentials by Regie Routman, Teaching Essentials, the focus is on doing what is best for the individual student, make sure they are getting the “meat and taters” by comprehending and understanding what they are reading, and not overdoing it with the individual strategies (aka, the “trimmings”).  “Ask yourself, ‘What’s most important to teach at this moment for this child to move him forward?’” (Routman 115)   Many times too much emphasis is put on the individual strategies, but the students are not getting enough independent reading time to practice these strategies or learn how to apply them.  “Effective strategy instruction is about developing readers who actively and independently monitor and regulate their own comprehension” (Routman 120).  One strategy that Routman recommends as the single most useful, is rereading.  “And research consistently shows that rereading is one of the most highly recommended strategies for struggling readers” (Routman 122).  Rereading is something that I have found myself doing quite often. 

Another “slice of meat” is shared reading where teachers can display examples of good reading.  It is also an opportunity for more of the bonding that has been a major focus throughout the book.  “Perhaps best of all, shared reading is fun, and these days fun is sadly missing in too many classrooms” (Routman 131).  Wow, enough said!  Anything that makes the learning process more effective and enjoyable, needs to be a major emphasis!   

Sometimes I think that too much emphasis is put on the new “fads” or as Routman put it, “prepackaged curriculum”.  Many times that means that more time is put into the “trimmings” and keeping students from really learning and understanding the overall importance of reading and comprehending.  “When we spend most of our energy focusing on words, students get the message that reading is about words rather than meaning.  Additionally, we do lots of assessing of comprehension but not much teaching that makes it possible for students to comprehend on a deep level” (Routman 117).  “Give me more ‘meat and taters’ please!” -- students

Module 5/ Blog 4 Comprehension

     As I continue to read Reading Essentials by Reggie Routman I feel like she wrote it just for me. Most of the questions I have are answered in her book. Chapter 8 Teach Comprehension is so helpful for me as I teach Reading everyday. Comprehension is a word I hear constantly as the key to a successful reader. "Teach comprehension right from the start".  Starting in the early grades is most helpful. If we focus on words only then the students feel the most important  part of reading is
the words not the meaning. So simply put and beneficial. Without comprehension "we are turning out
lots of superficial readers".

     Effective strategies to teach comprehension  shared by Routman are: Predicting, Questioning, Creating images, Seeking clarification, Constructing summaries. If our students are aware what the
comprehension strategies are they will be more successful using them to become great readers. Let them make a chart or personal note that include the strategies. Make the process visible for the readers. What they can do as a reader is important for them to know while learning.

     Discussing why you are reading and what your are reading. Start comprehension with short
nonfiction pieces. Let the students tear the short piece apart and comprehend it completely ( use the strategies) before moving on to the next. Some great tips to help with comprehension...the most important part of reading.

Module 5/Blog 4

As the semester continues and the end of the semester draws closer to an end I find myself preparing more and more for next semester.  Where the elementary and middle school teachers come back from the WONDERFUL and I mean WONDERFUL Christmas break, high school teachers will be coming back to all new classes and all new students.  For me, I will be coming back to an ENGLISH class, I know SCARY!!!  After reading my blogs and other posted works many of you are probably cringing at this moment, sorry not my decision!  However, I am preparing myself and I am up to the challenge!!  I am excited and have been taking many key notes from the course to heart when it comes to preparing for my upcoming class.  One thing I have been working on is building a nice classroom library, I was trying to decide how to go about building my library?  When discussing the number of books needing in a classroom library, Miller and Moss wrote "more importantly, you need materials that address topics that kids want to read about."  After reading this I have decided that I am going to give my upcoming students an interest inventory (something I can have them do while in their career class) to help determine some types of books/magazines that I will try to make sure I have in my library.

Another concept I have been looking at is the idea of having the students respond to what they are reading.  Miller and Moss wrote "having students respond to their IR creates time for theme to reflect on what they have read and to push their thinking further by sharing those reflections with others."  I love the ideas of having my students reflect and respond to what they are reading.  I have been working on coming up with  a few different ways to have my students do these reflections.  I feel that these reflections can be beneficial in a number of ways and I am really excited to see how they will respond to all of this!!!

Wish me luck on my new adventure!!

Independent Reading (Module 5/Blog 4)

And finally, the 7th strategy to help students grow as independent readers....to talk about what they read.

"Having students respond to their IR creates time for them to reflect on what they have read and to push their thinking further by sharing those reflections with others." I cannot tell you how many times I have read something only to think back, "now what did I just read???"  Having students discuss what they have read is a way to give students a chance to process the information further.  One study suggests that "talk appears to play a fundamental role in text-based comprehension."  The author of No More Independent Reading Without Support suggests several ways to do this including peer discussions, small group conversations, or having students become the author.  Another strategy the author suggests is Reciprocal Teaching which uses questioning, clarifying, summarizing, and predicting. 

To me, this makes perfect sense.  If I want to remember something, I say it over and over in my head.  So why not have students talk about what they read?  This can be first modeled by the teacher, but can then be student-centered.  If you want students to remember what they read, have them talk about it!

Blog Post #4

As I continue to read No More Independent Reading Without Support by Miller and Moss I have noticed a shift into making the students more responsible for not only the reading, but the thinking during Independent Reading.  As the authors say, “Talking about text together not only improves comprehension and makes children aware of how they can use strategies according to the kind of text and the demands it places on them as readers, but also motivates them to read independently so they’ll have something to talk about with their peers.  Students need teacher scaffolds toward independent talk.”  This really hit home to me this week not only during the Independent Reading time of my school day, but during my science classroom time.  I am making a shift from being the one at the front of the room giving all the information, to having my students do investigations and telling me why this happened.  It also makes them more accountable for the learning.  When I asked my students to turn and talk to their neighbor during the investigation, I received some strange looks.  I then had to back up and explain what I wanted them to do.  These strategies can work with other subjects than just reading, but we can’t expect students to just know what to talk about.  We need to guide them with the types of questions we use. 

This week during Independent Reading, we started a read aloud on the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe I started using think alouds as I was reading.  Again the students looked at me as if I had lost my mind, but once I started thinking aloud the students started doing this and have become more engaged in the read aloud process.  They don’t want me to ever stop reading.  I had to explain to them that they need time to read books of their choice independently.   The book also states that, “We’ve come full circle now—children have had explicit teaching in a focus lesson, they have had opportunities during IR to practice applying

 it, and now they come back together to talk about what they’ve discovered.  These daily opportunities for teaching and learning set this instructional framework apart from programs like Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) and Sustained Silent Reading.”  I want to add the come back together part to my Independent Reading, but I guess I let time slip away from me while my students are reading.  I hope that one day I will be able to make Independent Reading a more valuable and important time for my students as long as I keep striving to improve this time with my students.