Putting Your Theory into Action!

The reading The Schools We Have. The Schools We Need. by Richard Allington was an eye opening call to action for current and future educators. So many notions that have been either overtly or more covertly implemented in classrooms are the sources of many flaws in literacy education. I liked reading all the 'versus' paragraphs in the article. For instance, experience versus ability. Associating reading experience with ability has caused students to be labeled unfairly at a young age and haunted by it throughout their school years and even beyond that. How has this contributed to an already hard to break cycle for children from backgrounds that are not conducive to literacy?
Every child a reader: What one teacher can do had some great tips on how to turn personal theories into effective practices. That being said, my personal favorite was 'Put your theory into action.' It is so important to know yourself as an educator and to persist with those attitudes despite facing setbacks. Putting the practices learned in college or picked up in field experience into action is the only way to ensure schools will continue to proactively evolve. Are there any practices you have seen in your practicum or learned in class you will strive to implement in your future classroom?

Reading with Asperger's- Reading Inquiry

I am going to begin with some background information about the child on whom this is based. I chose to focus on the oldest child of the family I babysit for. He is thirteen years old and is a very high functioning child with Asperger's syndrome, which is an Autistic spectrum disorder. He is currently reading on a 5th grade reading level. He is home schooled two days a week and attends a school program for home schooled children the other days. His mother is a special educator who has chosen to teach him at home rather than working in a school setting. His biggest challenges are his tendencies to "compartmentalize" concepts, difficulties understanding social complexities, idioms, and foreshadowing/inferring. Certain aspects of comprehension also give him difficulty. For instance, reading directions that have multiple instructions in one sentence are very confusing, and reading silently to himself is completely ineffective.

The day I came to observe his reading lesson he was reading a short story to himself. His mother told me she wasn't sure if this had anything to do with Asperger's syndrome but he has to read aloud in order to understand what he just read. Being a thirteen year old boy he often protests to doing this and she simply asks him, "Do  you want to read it once or twice?" Sometimes he reads twice, once aloud and once quietly. While reading aloud, he reads with great fluency and proper intonation. It is very clear he has seen this modeled and picked up on how to read expressively. While he reads he encounters new/novel vocabulary. Once, he encounters this he and his mother have a conversation about the meaning of the word and he then continues reading.

Another issue with books as the reading level approach fifth grade and beyond is the very frequent use of idioms, or figurative language. His tendency to compartmentalize information makes this a struggle for him. When reading his mother has to overtly make connections for him initially and as he progresses and becomes more familiar with the book he makes his own connections. However, with figurative language often the expressions cannot be literally interpreted and this causes him to struggle to derive meaning from the phrase. Sometimes he interprets it literally. For example, one sentence made a reference to the main character "Hanging up her holsters." His mom stopped him after he read that and asked him what he thought that meant and he said, "Well, she was wearing holsters but then took them off." His mom explained to him it meant she was done, or quitting. Once she explained he brought it up again later and used it correctly. Also, when reading he needs explicit cueing in order to foreshadow or infer meaning from a sentence.

As far as social complexity, with Asperger's things tend to be black and white. Emotions in text can sometimes appear the same way. He can have a hard time understanding you can be happy for your friend who is going to the beach, but also sad because you are going to miss them. When those instances come up in a story or in real-life experiences they need to be discussed to aid the development of understanding social complexity.

He has a worksheet he and his mother work on after he is finished reading. They go back to a worksheet he is given to complete to check for understanding. He works on this independently first. His mother often has to modify the directions to help him understand what he is being asked to do. For instance, if the instructions say read the passage, circle the proper nouns and underline the verbs he will have to have the simplified and broken down for him. His mother will typically have him write 1. Read passage, 2. Circle the proper nouns (and actually circle the word "proper noun"), 3. Underline the verbs (and actually underline the word "verb") as a way to help him grasp all three concepts more clearly.

Overall, his reading skills and the improvements I have seen him make since first meeting him make me feel very positive about his future. As I have mentioned many times, there are so many obstacles individuals with processing difficulties have to overcome. The stages may not be met at a "typical" pace. But they ARE being met at an individually natural pace for him. He is an avid reader. Many times he will pick up a book independently he has read many times and read it because he loves to read  and do it well. At his younger siblings' school they have guest readers who dress up in-character and read to the students. He participated in this last year. His mother said while reading he did voices for the different characters and used proper intonation throughout the whole story. He also reads to his three year old sister frequently. All of these are signs that he is learning not only read but to love and appreciate reading.

I feel that Laura Pardo's article What Every Teacher Needs to Know about Comprehension was a great source for understanding the uniqueness of all reading abilities. With a student with Asperger's it is important to know the reader in order to foster connections that may not be there or may be in a different "compartment." This article touched on many of the areas that can be difficult for students with Asperger's syndrome or any other comprehension barriers.

Guided Reading: A Meaning Making Process

I chose the article Modified Guided Reading: Gateway to English as a Second Language and Literacy Learning. This article describes the importance of differentiated small group instruction. The groups can consist of students with similar needs or a heterogeneous mixture. The article indicated the need for ELL students to have a modified version of guided reading that involved more time spent on each text, culturally relevant texts, and engaging word work. For many ELL students there is a great variety in their reading proficiencies due to different language backgrounds. Children who have language support at home, even in their native language, took considerably fewer years to become proficient in English. Having modified guided reading time daily can greatly help those children who may not be receiving adequate help at home. This article described the areas that will potentially need to be modified for ELL students. One of the first steps to effective modifications involves preparation from the teacher by analyzing the text being used. Some of the consistent issues found within the texts were with grammatical structure, figurative language, and homographs and homophones.The article stated the best way for ELLs to learn was from authentic uses of skills embedded in the text rather than workbook exercises. Another important step is to properly introduce and set the scene for what is about to be read. Have the students sample concepts before-hand to know where extra time should be spent. Shared reading is another aspect that is a great way to engage diverse learners. Some other areas of importance the article mentioned gave more independence, and were returning to the text and responding to the text. Finally, word work was recommended. Word work provides significant explicit instruction on word-solving skills, and pronouncing sounds which is crucial to the language development of ELLs.

Modified guided reading was used in two classrooms and the growth was measured over nine months. The two classes ranged in size from 10-13 students in inner-city and urban environments. Each day the two classes would spend 24-30 minutes receiving modified guided reading instruction. At the end of the nine months the first class gained an average of 1.8 reading levels in the second language (English), and the second class gained an average of 1.3 grade levels within four months. The number of grade levels improved astonished me considering these were students who were learning a second language and making such drastic improvements. I feel that guided reading is student centered can be used in all settings, and the modifications this article suggests would be beneficial to all students. Below I included a table that shows the difference modifications can make in guided reading.

Text received from ERIC:
3/25/12 http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.utk.edu:90/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=b13dc531-e628-4b05-8196-7c4a3f03008d%40sessionmgr13&vid=4&hid=112
Authors: Avalos, Mary A.; Plasencia, Alina ; Chavez, Celina ; Rascón, Josefa

Play on Words

My favorite article was Vocabulary Lessons by Blachowicz and Fisher. Reading about the STAR model of explicit vocabulary instruction thoroughly explained how to plan purposeful instruction. Another aspect I enjoyed reading about how to use was the word wall the students shared vocabulary they have encountered and now understand what they mean. This seemed to be a great way to empower students and facilitate social learning. I wasn't sure if I agreed on the authors' suggestion to make it a contest. Would offering extrinsic rewards for writing words on the word wall undermine the intrinsic motivation of sharing knowledge with others? Is there an age group where extrinsic rewards could work? The word search I snipped and included in this post is actually one I created for free...here is the link! It is extremely user-friendly to those of us who may not consider ourselves tech savvy.

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/

"One Size Fits All" Comprehension Strategies

My title is basically suggesting that strategies that get adults to read are very likely to get students to read. Think about it. How many times have you started a book and never ended up finishing it? Is it because you can't read? Or was the book full of vocabulary you had to keep looking up in a dictionary? Or did it simply not interest you at all? I think when children chose not to read a book that is placed in front of them, many times it is because they either aren't interested, are intimidated by the level indicated. In Prado's article, she mentioned how a very crucial transaction must take place between the reader and the text. Often this connection is based on personal interests and experiences. Comprehension is a complex process that seems to be highly achievable when students feel motivated to try. I enjoyed how  Prado explicitly described the steps to fostering reading comprehension. Rather than heaping this huge challenge on a student it is does step-by-step, with each step increasing in difficulty. In the other article I read by Gregory and Cahill, the Velcro Theory was mentioned. I am a firm believer in the constructivist approach. I believe new information  is much more easily sorted in schemas that already exist. Having conversations about reading with young will ultimately always be reinforcing what some already knew, but be completely unfamiliar to other students. What role could reteaching play in a kindergarten reading lesson?

In my classroom one day I know I will have many students in different stages with their reading comprehension. I believe this is one of the trickiest and vulnerable situations for both teacher and student. How can you appropriately scaffold lower-level readers while still engaging higher-level readers? Is it safe to find that "happy medium" and teach to that level? Or can that be damaging?

Word Study

I felt the Making Words activity was a very constructive approach to teaching literacy. It appealed to many different levels of students. More advanced students will be reinforced and engaged when creating larger words typically. Whereas, the students who may be struggling can see words broken down and sounded out. Understanding word endings and root words is essential to reading fluently and for meaning. Can allowing students to misspell words initially create incorrect spelling habits in the long term?
I also really enjoyed reading the Ten Important Words Plus article. It seems to be a great way to teach reading explicitly without dulling down the instruction. The bigger picture was focused on which is all about connecting key words and ideas. This strategy seems to be a long term ability that will help students derive meaning from texts at an appropriate rate. Even the struggling readers can use this strategy to help confirm the main points they took away from the reading were truly the main points the writer was trying to convey. Giving the students actual prompts to discuss seems to be a subtle way of getting everyone thinking on the same page yet still divergent. These prompts and discussions may serve as reinforcement to some students and learning moments for others. How are some ways this reading strategy could be beneficial to English language learners or students with reading disabilities? Could this be confusing for some students ultimately?

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemes were referred to as building blocks in developing phonemic awareness and other aspects of literacy. This indicates the importance of phonemic awareness, but also the ability for all to develop phonemic awareness. The process begins smalls and then expands to something so broad. I definitely agree that instruction of phonemic awareness needs to be very purposeful and deliberate, as mentioned in Cunningham's and Allington's fifth chapter. However, I feel that word play and student interactions can create literacy experiences unintentionally and those should be embraced and extended. By doing so students will become more observant and feel connected to everyday language. Not spending a considerable amount of time on things such as "Word of the Day" is another point I completely agree with. Having the letters of the alphabet displayed along with a picture seem to be adequate enough. Associating literacy sounds with letters is something that often unfolds naturally, and should be elaborated on rather than dwelling on the simple notion. What are your thoughts on classroom rituals you experienced growing up, such as Word of the Day maybe? Helping our students move along at a comfortable pace is all about learning to be a literacy coach. As a future special educator I plan on having to focus more of my time of specific cuing and coaching to help my students grasp concepts. The Make a Word, Bag Game and the clapping of syllables seem like great ways to get students up and moving. I also LOVED the word sorts that Dr. Gilrane showed in my El Ed Friday class as a way to break down and introduce new language patterns and vocabulary. Having as many outlets as possible with phonemes and all aspects of literacy seems to be an affective and achievable route for teachers (aka coaches) and students. Are there any phonemic or other literacy activities you engaged in as a student that grabbed your attention and fostered understanding?

Fostering Fluency

The main idea I picked up on in each of the readings was that reading fluency is an ongoing process that has to be taught explicitly. No matter what the age of a student is they are never too young to pick up a lower level book and refresh their basic fluency skills. For many students word-for-word reading has gotten them through but just barely. After many years of barely squeaking by they often encounter many difficulties with reading that are ultimately discouraging and detrimental to comprehension. The one-minute reading screens seem to be a great time efficient way to identify students who are struggling with fluency, or a component of fluency. However, my greatest concern is that some students may have learned to disguise their lack of comprehension because they are capable of reading aloud to sound as though they are deriving some meaning from the text.
I loved how fostering fluency was explained as a very explicit process. For instance, echo and choral reading. These both will help students see how the components of fluency are relevant to them and their understanding. I think something funny and additional to correctly modeling fluency would be to read to them and show how it sounds when someone uses the components incorrectly. For example, having the teacher or a student reading a statement, that could be viewed as sad by the context, cheerfully and joyfully. Above I inserted a Wordle which can be a source for creating a word cloud for new units, or when reviewing previously covered. More over, word walls seemed to be a great way to engage the students when selecting the words and creating them. The word walls could also serve as reminders when students are unsure of how to spell or use a word. In Dr. Gilrane's class this past Friday we talked about sorting, and how it can be effective for introducing new words more so than having a word of the week. Basically students are constantly adding to their vocabularies and reading skills. Even as adults we are all still learning. How many times have you been reading or engaged in a conversation and came across an unfamiliar word? Did you ask what it meant, go home and look it up, or do you still not know what it means? I think we shouldn't assume our students will do what we would do necessarily when they are in a situation where they are presented with unfamiliar language or texts. We should treat reading and fluency as a process that is continual and provide them with many outlets to help them or to show them how to help themselves.

Below is the link to a YouTube video I found of two young students echo reading to one another.

Everyone is a Reader!

I enjoyed the readings for this week SO much. I loved the second article I read, "Letting Go of Letter of the Week." The determination of the teachers and the students was very uplifting. For so long phonics has been the major emphasis in learning to read. I feel that phonics is an important part of learning to read, but it should not be valued more than making reading meaningful to students. Having the alphabet and the students' pictures under the first letter of their name makes the classroom a student-centered environment. Students who come from diverse backgrounds where literacy isn't the main focus need to feel connected to their classroom especially. Many children may be intimidated by coming to a school where their native language isn't spoken. Being able to use their friends' names as references to the letters and sounds of the English alphabet can make the language more meaningful. It was really touching when the kindergarten girl stated "We are already writers." I enjoyed when the teacher asked the kindergarteners to raise their hands if they could read ,after she initially asked them,Also, giving the students chances to write to the caefteria ladies, and asking the principal questions is a very inquiry centered environment for the students. Growing up I remember having Word of the Week and being drilled on phonics. It wasn't until high school was creative writing promoted where I grew up. Letting go of the phonics-first/skill-and-drill approach seems to be one of the best ways to getting our students to have a positive relationship with reading and writing.

Building Literacy Foundations

 I really enjoyed reading about Kiki constantly learning in her different environments. The Jones Family's Culture of Literacy opened my eyes to how generations of a family actively chose to pursue literacy. Understanding the amount of literacy that is involved in every day life opens the doors to the many natural learning moments, and to importance of print rich environments. The significance of extendedness in the Jones family was very evident through the interactions of the Sally, Harriet, and Lola. Kiki's interactions with the elements of literacy every day truly brought to life the words of Cunningham's and Allington's chapter three reading. Having positive role models, and making connections between words and surroundings are essential to establishing a solid comfortable foundation with reading and writing. It is so important to capture the eagerness young learners possess and to explore every aspect of literacy with it. Letter actions stood out to me as an activity that can be used as an outlet to release energy, and a hands on learning experience. Every day occurances that happen around the house, such as making a grocery list and reading from a cook book, are made possible with literacy.

Growing up I remember making pretend books and reading to my stuffed animals. All of these things began happening before I even went to kindergarten because someone got me interested in literacy without me even knowing it. My parents read to me often and I would look at the words and wonder how my parents knew what they meant. I do not remember much about when I learned to read but I do know that I was extremely ready to be able to read all of those words around me.    

Here is one of my favorite examples of "pretend reading." See if you can spot it...