Space to move around
Children talking, playing, learning
Freedom to explore
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Sound it Out
Young children and their families often indicate that sounding it out is a prominent and useful reading strategy. It is a "cultural model for reading that is repeatedly voiced by students and their parents"(Compton-Lilly, 2005, p. 449). Despite, society' focus on sounding in out and phonics, "it is essential that children develop multiple strategies for solving words in text" (Compton-Lilly, 2005, p. 450). In the classroom I work in during field experience, the teacher explicitly teach strategies for word solving. The strategies are added to the wall as they are taught.
I have observed my cooperating teacher do two mini lessons where the subject was reading strategies such as skip the word and come back and use the picture to guess the word. During the mini lesson, the teacher would model how to use the strategy and then the students would practice with the teacher. After the mini lesson, the students had daily five where where they read to self. My cooperating teacher and I walked around to listen to students read. When I sat with one boy, he got stuck on the word ocean. I suggested that he use the picture that showed a whale swimming underwater. He then was able to correctly figure out the word on his own.
However, sometimes the first strategy tried doesn't work and another one is necessary. Although, the boy above was able to figure out the word ocean by using the picture, initially I suggested that he skip the word and come back. He wasn't successful using that strategy and needed to try something else. As Compton-Lilly asserted, children should develop multiple strategies because some will work better than others in different situations.
Reference:
Compton-Lilly, C. (2005). "Sounding it out": A pervasive cultural model of reading. Language Arts. 82(6).
I have observed my cooperating teacher do two mini lessons where the subject was reading strategies such as skip the word and come back and use the picture to guess the word. During the mini lesson, the teacher would model how to use the strategy and then the students would practice with the teacher. After the mini lesson, the students had daily five where where they read to self. My cooperating teacher and I walked around to listen to students read. When I sat with one boy, he got stuck on the word ocean. I suggested that he use the picture that showed a whale swimming underwater. He then was able to correctly figure out the word on his own.
However, sometimes the first strategy tried doesn't work and another one is necessary. Although, the boy above was able to figure out the word ocean by using the picture, initially I suggested that he skip the word and come back. He wasn't successful using that strategy and needed to try something else. As Compton-Lilly asserted, children should develop multiple strategies because some will work better than others in different situations.
Compton-Lilly, C. (2005). "Sounding it out": A pervasive cultural model of reading. Language Arts. 82(6).
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Focusing On the Strengths
When teaching reading or any subject, it is important for the teacher to focus on the strengths of a child rather than his or her weaknesses. All children develop skills at a different pace. When teachers focus on weaknesses, they are comparing the child to his or her peers in a negative way.
Teachers need to assess the skills the child does possess and then decide how lessons can be structured to help the student progress in their education. In the text, the authors assert that "teaching is most effective (and learning is most likely to happen) when it takes place within the child's zone of proximal development" (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 31). Every child's zone will be unique to their individual needs. To determine a child's zone of proximal development, the teacher must look at what the child can do and what they are ready for. The skills they cannot do are irrelevant and not as significant.
It is especially important that teachers make an effort to make note of a child's strengths and document their skills Cusumano notes in her article that "most family and community members will notice the apparent mistakes before noticing the strengths of the piece" (2008, p. 11). Teachers are responsible for educating the families and the community about how to look at a child's work. Focusing on mistakes can damage a child's confidence and lead parents to believe that highly structured drill instruction is best.
A child's strengths and skills informs instruction better than looking at weaknesses. By looking at what they can do, teachers can prepare appropriate lessons that readies them for the next step.
References:
Teachers need to assess the skills the child does possess and then decide how lessons can be structured to help the student progress in their education. In the text, the authors assert that "teaching is most effective (and learning is most likely to happen) when it takes place within the child's zone of proximal development" (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 31). Every child's zone will be unique to their individual needs. To determine a child's zone of proximal development, the teacher must look at what the child can do and what they are ready for. The skills they cannot do are irrelevant and not as significant.
It is especially important that teachers make an effort to make note of a child's strengths and document their skills Cusumano notes in her article that "most family and community members will notice the apparent mistakes before noticing the strengths of the piece" (2008, p. 11). Teachers are responsible for educating the families and the community about how to look at a child's work. Focusing on mistakes can damage a child's confidence and lead parents to believe that highly structured drill instruction is best.A child's strengths and skills informs instruction better than looking at weaknesses. By looking at what they can do, teachers can prepare appropriate lessons that readies them for the next step.
References:
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Thinking About Early Concepts of Reading
Typically, adults view reading instruction as learning the letters and sounds of each word. While they focus on phonics, they neglect the many other aspects of learning how to read and write. As students are learning how to read, they must master directionality, voice/print match, fluency, phonemic awareness, self-monitoring, and thinking strategies in addition to phonics and letter identification.
Children in K-3 will easily pick up on some of the concepts such as directionality and phonemic awareness without much extra guidance (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 120). But students who are struggling may need one-on-one focused instruction. Assessments at the beginning of the year can reveal each child's individual strengths and weakness. Using that information, teachers can build upon what the students know and assign appropriate activities.
The text, Catching Readers Before They Fall: Supporting Readers who Struggle, K-4, goes through each skill and suggest activities for struggling students and simple ways to embed the concepts into everyday instruction. For example, teachers can model fluency when reading books out loud to the class. Also, particular texts may support a skill while others don't. Fluency is easier to achieve in texts with "characters talking" (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 125) or "with sing-song patterns" (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 125). Teachers should consider their goals when they choose a book and analyze its presentation, its meaning, and its relevance to the class.
Children in K-3 will easily pick up on some of the concepts such as directionality and phonemic awareness without much extra guidance (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 120). But students who are struggling may need one-on-one focused instruction. Assessments at the beginning of the year can reveal each child's individual strengths and weakness. Using that information, teachers can build upon what the students know and assign appropriate activities.
The text, Catching Readers Before They Fall: Supporting Readers who Struggle, K-4, goes through each skill and suggest activities for struggling students and simple ways to embed the concepts into everyday instruction. For example, teachers can model fluency when reading books out loud to the class. Also, particular texts may support a skill while others don't. Fluency is easier to achieve in texts with "characters talking" (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 125) or "with sing-song patterns" (Keier & Johnson, 2010, p. 125). Teachers should consider their goals when they choose a book and analyze its presentation, its meaning, and its relevance to the class.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Comprehensive Literacy Framework
Johnson and Keier's textbook, Catching Readers Before They Fall, dedicates a chapter to the comprehensive literacy framework and how to apply it inside the early elementary classroom. It encompasses teacher directed, teacher facilitated, and student directed work in reading and writing. The components of the literacy framework include reading to, with, and by children through read alouds, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading, and writing to, with and by children through morning messages, community writing, and independent writing (Johnson and Keier, 2010, p. 73). There are separate sections dedicated to each smaller component of the framework.
The authors are adept at showing the applicability of the strategies and methods presented. I appreciated the author’s inclusion of an example of a classroom implementing the framework successfully. Also, there are sample schedules included on pages 81, and 91 that detail how a teacher can cover all of the tasks involved in comprehensive literacy. The authors encourage teachers to “integrate literacy in all subjects” (Johnson and Keier, 2010, p. 91). Students can read and write about math, social studies, and science experiences, observations, and facts. The teacher can use community writing or read aloud as opportunities to discuss different subjects and practice literacy skills simultaneously. Covering different subjects in one lesson or project is more efficient and allows for authentic experiences with reading and writing.
The authors are adept at showing the applicability of the strategies and methods presented. I appreciated the author’s inclusion of an example of a classroom implementing the framework successfully. Also, there are sample schedules included on pages 81, and 91 that detail how a teacher can cover all of the tasks involved in comprehensive literacy. The authors encourage teachers to “integrate literacy in all subjects” (Johnson and Keier, 2010, p. 91). Students can read and write about math, social studies, and science experiences, observations, and facts. The teacher can use community writing or read aloud as opportunities to discuss different subjects and practice literacy skills simultaneously. Covering different subjects in one lesson or project is more efficient and allows for authentic experiences with reading and writing.
Picture credit
Monday, September 22, 2014
"What does literacy look like in my community--and why should I care?"
Literacy presents itself in a various forms from print, media, and drawings. Its presence is an unavoidable and young children are constantly exposed to different kinds of literacy. In our community, the most pervasive form of literacy is reading and writing. College students are expected to demonstrate understanding through writing out answers, taking notes, writing essays, or research new topics. While letters and print are literacy, symbols and drawings can also be considered a type of literacy. Anything that someone else can make meaning from is literacy. In our community, the most common language is English, but other languages may present themselves as we strive to understand one another. Technology is also frequently used form of literacy. Children today are becoming more well-versed in how to use it, what its symbols and buttons mean and how to communicate and create with it.
Children are exposed to all types of literacy even before they start schooling. They observe their families writing lists, reading books, playing games, and sending emails on the computer. Literacy is best taught when it the experiences are authentic and connected to to their worlds. Building a bridge between home and school can be an effective method for introducing reading and writing. Teachers must acknowledge children's prior experiences with literacy and not consider them blank slates.
Children are exposed to all types of literacy even before they start schooling. They observe their families writing lists, reading books, playing games, and sending emails on the computer. Literacy is best taught when it the experiences are authentic and connected to to their worlds. Building a bridge between home and school can be an effective method for introducing reading and writing. Teachers must acknowledge children's prior experiences with literacy and not consider them blank slates.
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