Emily Edison

Trino's Choice

ALAN book chat response

While a chat room isn’t a traditional method of learning, this book chat was quite informative. If my future classroom is more middle school or high school, I would probably use this type of setting. However, it would also depend on the socio economic status of the children since some students may not have a home computer. I found that the chat room was very non confrontational and relaxed. I think students are more likely to ask more questions electronically than face-to-face. I thought Dwight MacPherson was very interesting and willing to answer questions. Although at first I was somewhat surprised that he chose the sheriff to be the ‘bad guy,’ after his explanation his decision made more sense. While most place law enforcement on a higher standard, it is important to remember that all are fallible regardless of education or occupation. Despite my former wariness of graphic novels in the classroom, I think they could help the struggling reader since this group usually relies heavily on pictures. Also, since graphic novels aren’t traditional ‘school books’ this may heighten interest in reading. The ALAN book chat brought up numerous valid questions and discussions. 

Chapter 15 reflection

"You come from all nations, from all ethnic groups, as a boy or a girl. You are from rich families and poor families. You've seen parents divorce, siblings leave home, and grandparents die. You speak many languages. You go to school in small towns and large cities."

page 301

It is imperative for educators not to stereotype struggling readers. Also, since all struggling readers are different, educators should have a variety of tool to help.

"We wonder how we can convince you that a single state-mandated test is important when you've arrived at school fearful of failure or hungry or saddened by another night of loneliness. We question how to attend to individual needs when each year classes are more crowded. We ask how to grow as professional when districts continually restrict the number of days we can attend local, state, and national conferences." 

page 301

While education is essential, sometimes a student's home-life has added stress or lack of necessities. It is important to realize that a student has a life outside of academics. Although a teacher must respect a child's privacy, the classroom should have a safe welcoming atmosphere. 

Chapters 12 &13 reflection

Chapter 12

"The problem, however, isn't with the spelling list; the problem is in presuming that all students should have the same list."

page 250

The above was very interesting to me, since it defies traditional spelling methods. While I think this would be beneficial in the long run, I am somewhat concerned with the comparisons between students. However, students are pretty perceptive, they probably already have at least an idea of who is/are 'the brain(s)' and who is/are 'the dummies' of the class. Not to say that those who know certain words are smarter than those that don't. The previously mentioned students have just developed academically more rapidly than the latter. 

"Post a list of spelling demons that all students are required to spell correctly at all times."

page 255

I think this is a great idea. Not only does it ease the frustration of "Teacher! How do I spell ____" over the same tricky words; it also allows the students to become more independent and thus more confident spellers. 

Chapter 13

"Where does the first-grade energy go? When does that spark in their eyes--that demand that you listen to them--disappear? When does apathy replace activity and reluctance to learn replace an insistence for always knowing more? These difficult questions are more easily answered when we remember that as students move through the grades, they come to value their peers more and more. Fitting in , finding a group, and forming relationships with peers become more valuable than stickers on homework papers or nods of approval from the teacher."

page 259

In my opinion, in most cases, not only do students' demeanors change, so do teachers'. In the first grade or even a few subsequent grades further, teachers are excited about the learning process. There are encouraging and helpful posters throughout the room. There are colors everywhere. The room almost beacons those who enter to shout a thought. Yet, in the higher level grades, excitement turns to exam preparation, posters are replaced by emptiness  and the walls are silenced in white paint. Teachers can only excite learning, and thus receive answers, when they themselves change the school's  sterility. 

Chapters 10 &11 reflection

Chapter 10

"One of the best ways to improve fluency is through the repeated rereading of texts..."

page 217

I have found the above statement to be quite true during my field placements. If a student has difficulty decoding throughout a sentence, he/she is prompted to re-read it. This allows the student to practice the words again and increase his/her fluency. Also, book bags are used to encourage students to re-read entire books. This helps them not only with fluency, but also with reading comprehension or even to notice other elements of the text. Re-reading should be an aspect of any future teacher's classroom. 

"Whether done out of kindness, offered out of frustration, or offered because we don't know other strategies, telling the dependent reader the word encourages more dependence."

page 217

Although a student's reading can be painfully slow, teachers and peers must remember that learning to read well is a process. I think sometimes we as the listeners are too impatient to encourage correct decoding and fluency skills for time's sake. We are actually doing students a disservice rather than aid if we automatically give them the word. 

Chapter 11

"Once called 'word families' rime patterns help readers identify chunks of words quickly. Instead of decoding phoneme by phoneme, readers decode by onset and rime."

page 233

In my limited teaching reading experience, this has really help students recognize patterns in words. I used manipulative paper letters for the students to spell a word such as 'cat,' and would have them make it into the word 'bat.' Usually, after about three words, one child would discover the pattern. I think this would also help older students. 

"...remember that studying prefixes, suffixes, and root words not only helps with vocabulary but helps them move through big words quickly."

page 241

As much as I hated studying root words growing up, I now realize how consistently I use this knowledge to either decode a word or figure out a definition. It also can help one explain a concept or word to another. For example, a word may have the prefix 'sub,' by explaining that 'sub' means under, the listener can better form their own definition or word picture. In order for readers to become independent, we as educators, must give them a variety of tools. 

When kids Can't Read chp 8&9 response

Chapter 8

" 'Just because the book is done, doesn't mean that the thinking is done...' "

pg 138

To many educators, and in turn  most students, the opposite preconceived notion is valid; when a book is finished, 'you' can be done with it. After all, the students have probably answered questions verbally or manually. However, isn't this a disservice to the students? One of our jobs as educators is to encourage a continual love of learning. As the author's co-worker suggested "instead of asking _______ what he did understand, shouldn't you be helping him figure out how to understand?"  The goal cannot be to bubble in the correct answer or draw about the plot. While these are good tools, educators must have the higher goal of the students' further will to learn and for the students to increase their background knowledge. 

"Students read a story and then decide who the somebody is, what the somebody wanted, but what happened to keep something from happening, and so, finally, everything works out."

-page 145

I think a  SWBS chart would greatly assist students in summarizing a text. This will help them break down the task into steps, think through the story, and possibly discuss the text more with their classmates. 

Chapter 9

"Vocabulary Treat

Ingredients

5-10 great words you really could use

1 thesaurus 

map colors and chart paper

1 game like jeopardy or bingo

1 teacher who thinks learning is supposed to be fun

Mix 5 to 10 words into the classroom. Have students test each word for flavor. Toss with a thesaurus to find other words that mean the same. Write definitions on chart paper and let us draw pictures of words to remind us what they mean. Stir often all week by a teacher who thinks learning is supposed to be fun. Top with a cool game on Fridays like jeopardy or bingo to see who remembers the most."

-pg 177

I found the author's entry of the vocabulary casserole as compared to the vocabulary treat insightful. In order for students to learn vocabulary it must be relevant and reusable. Students learn best when the lesson correlates with a hands activity or game. School doesn't have to be a boring quiet drudgery! As educators, we must show students how exciting and helpful learning can be.  

" ' Yeah, but the kids don't feel that bad because they don't ever really have to use the words....I never really expected that they'd learn them to actually use them. It never bothered me that there were so many because I always must have known deep down that they were only learning them for a test. Not to really ever use them.' " 

-page 182

In my opinion, the traditional way of teaching vocabulary is too sterile. As the author pointed out in her experiment with the other teachers, most if not all educators, couldn't live up to their expectations for their students since there were too many words and most words were random and rarely used. How can educators expect students to have a large vocabulary by merely listing words with their definitions? As the author also suggested, students learn their vocabulary by the words they hear consistently, how much they read, and hands on activities. 

Response to Chapters 6&7 WK

Chapter 6

"Anticipation Guides first act as a prereading strategy and encourage students to connect to ideas and make predictions. Then, they allow students to look for cause and effect relationships as they read. Finally, they allow students to generalize, to discuss those generalizations, and to explore their own responses to a text." 

page 77

I really liked this idea. In my opinion, this discussion would heighten interest and encourage reading. While this approach may be difficult in a special education setting, it might could be incorporated on a smaller scale. When I first was reading, I wasn't sure I agreed with Beers. In my literature class we are teaching kindergarten and first graders how to read. Before we begin reading we take a picture walk and discuss 'unfriendly' book words. Although this has validity, I think Beers' activity would benefit readers of all ages. 

"That's what makes them good readers, because they can answer the questions.....There are just some things we aren't supposed to know the answer to. It's just the way things are."

page 102

In my opinion, to much emphasis is placed on reading comprehension questions rather than preforming reading comprehension strategies. Students, in turn, believe this myth as the above quote indicates. We as educators must model our thoughts throughout the text. Otherwise, it seems like we are 'just reading.' 

When Kids Can't Read chp 4&5 response

 Chapter 4

"Though we spend much time testing comprehension---using everything teacher-made quizzes over literary selections to chapter tests in content area classes to standardized exams such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to state mandated skill exams---we actually spend little time teaching comprehension strategies." 

-page 40

To often, it seems, educators 'teach to the test' rather than encouraging students to broaden their outlook and actually learn. While testing is important, the goal is not to stifle a student's educational  excitement, rather it is to develop a life long love of learning. If students are merely given worksheets to assist with comprehension or math facts for example, they can't really learn from these. Learning must be active and valid. As students get older, they want to know why they are doing something. In all honesty, there is life after TAKs. We as educators must promote the skills of the test in a variety of ways. 

Chapter 5

"At least once a day, read aloud a short passage and think aloud your inferences."

page 69

Reading aloud, even to middle level and beyond is extremely important. This is when students can hear the correct formation of words and just think about the text rather than decoding words or context clues. As educators, reading has become such second nature that we don't realize  how much thinking goes on in our brain while we are reading, therefore forgetting that students need help inferencing. By doing what the book suggests in the excerpt, students can better understand what we mean by inferencing and how much occurs during a simple story. 

When Kids Can't Read chp 2 &3 response

"The biggest problem was that four times her question remained the same. 'What is it?' I, not understanding any of the subtext of her question---or perhaps not even recognizing there was a subtext--kept answering the question essentially the same way, though I believe I did move from not very helpful to not helpful at all..."

chapter 2 page 9

In my opinion, we as educators don't understand the child's question rather than the child not understanding their dilemma. We must be willing to take the time to fully grasp what exactly they are wondering rather than hurrying off to the next project.

"Initially, I thought that if I made sure kids would sound out all the words .....then students would become readers."

chapter 2 page 12

Children do not effectively learn to read using the 'sound it out' motto. I find myself in my field placement constantly reminding myself that it's not the only way to learn to read. As my teacher would say, "You have to give kids lots of 'tools' to know how to read, not just the traditional sound it out technique." 

"We cannot make the struggling reader fit one mold or expect one pattern to suffice for all students." 

chapter 2 page 14

A person may be a 'struggling reader' but not necessarily be a slacker. We cannot stereotype a student because of their difficulties, rather teachers must give them the 'tools' and encouragement to get them motivated. 

" 'You know, when you finish reading do you understand what you are reading?'  Sharmee replied ' Well, sometimes that part's a little hard. But the reading I do real good.' "

chapter 3 page 32

As educators we must stress the importance of comprehension rather than pace. While to read smoothly is necessary, being able to retain the information is more vital. 

"You mean there is something you do to be a good reader?" 

chapter 3 page 35

As educators, one must allow students to discover what works for them. In my opinion, most people don't like to read at a desk, maybe students would read better if they were able to get more comfortable. Also, do they pay attention to what the author is saying by highlighting, or taking notes or would they understand the text better when they read it out loud to themselves? One cannot merely be a good reader, they have to become a good reader. 

Literature Circles, a Do or a Don't?

In my opinion, literature circles can be a great asset to any classroom. I would probably use this in a general education classroom, rather than a special education classroom. While I think this type of discussion is important, it would be a difficult process for low functioning students. However, one could modify the assignment, so that the students would read a page or so depending on their grade level, and relate their experiences.  I liked Dr. Saldana's suggestion of having a question sheet so that the students stay on task. Also, having each child play a role in the literature circle is crucial. This will deter off-task behavior and increase unity. The teacher should be walking around the room, listening to the students' responses and forming a discussion after the actual literature circle.  Literature circles would assist a student's speech, expressiveness, and social relationships. 

Building a Knowledge Chps 2-3 Reflection

"...learners must be free to approximate the desired model-mistakes are essential for learning to occur." 

chapter 2 page 26

To often as educators we try to force perfection rather than attempts. This is evident in many teachers' dialogue. For example, a kindergardener spells 'wish' as 'yish.' One may want to rescue this  child from the spelling mishap; however, to an extent, allow students to experiment. Students should do their best, rather than worrying about getting a perfect score or praise. 

"Families influence literacy development in three ways (Leichter,1984): through interpersonal interactions (literacy experiences shared by family members), the physical environment (literacy materials found in the home), and the emotional and motivational climate (the relationships and their attitudes towards literacy.)"

chp 2 page 33

I found this interesting. So much of a child's willingness to learn hinges on their background. As a child, my parents encouraged reading, trips to the library, and other learning opportunities such as museums. As I result, I love reading and encourage others to do so. Others may not have the same access or time to explore libraries or read for fun. Therefore, they haven't truly discovered the love of reading. Not every person is going to enjoy reading, but one must ask, why? What turned them off of reading? When did this occur, and how we can encourage them to get back into reading? 

"Walqui suggests that teachers use the following strategies to create classrooms that are particularly supportive for adolescent ELLs .....amplify and enrich--rather than simplify--the language of the classroom, to give students more opportunities to learn the concepts involved."

chp 3 page 51

I think this is a common misconception of both teachers with ELLs and special needs children. All students should be surrounded by variety and more challenging words than they are used to. This is not to say that one doesn't use smaller words; however, one may want to increase a child's vocabulary and explain the word with other smaller words they are used to. A stronger vocabulary will help their reading as well as their communication skills. 

When Kids Can't Read chp 14 response

"The problem was....that I was handing students books that I loved instead of focusing on what the students might enjoy." 

pg 282

I found the above quote so obvious yet usually overlooked. Not all students are going to love Agatha Christie,  the Twilight series, or biographies. My roommate and I had been hearing about the Twilight hype for a good while before we decided to give it a try. Jen is not one to read 'just for fun' as I was. She started reading the Twilight series and was amazed at not only how fast she was reading them but how much she liked it. I think sometimes educators put too much emphasis on specific books 'have' to read, when actually the students need read and enjoy doing so.

"...Mom said if you'll give me a copy of the itinerary she'll take me to the library. We'll check out books of the places you'll be seeing."

pg 292

I loved this story. My mom was always excited about library trips. My sister and I had our very own library card by the time we were four. I agree with the author that library trips should be a regular occurrence. Libraries are not only wealths of information but also have potential to be great adventures. Some students may not be familiar with libraries and therefore think of them as stuffy and uninviting; however, it is our job as educators to continually disprove this myth. Each teacher should strive for students to discover what books they enjoy reading.

Chapter 1 Reflections

I found this chapter very insightful. On page 3 the author is discussing the diversity of definitions for literacy. 

"Signature literacy, the ability to read and write one's name, was the mark of a literate person at the time of the American Revolution. By the mid-19th century, 'recitation literacy' was the standard, demonstrated by oral recitation of memorized texts, such as Bible verses. Then in the early 20th century the bar was raised: The measure of literacy was the ability to read previously unseen text."

I didn't realize literacy had previously been so crude. This quote made me think about how much plantation owners really understood, how literate they were compared to the modern definition. The 'masters' were probably only a few grade levels above their slaves. 

Another comment I found noteworthy is found on page 7: 

"The diversity of students in public schools today does not support a 'one size fits all' program of reading instruction; rather, teachers must be able to provide instruction appropriate to the wide range of students' experiences and needs."

I thought this was a good point. Since it would be difficult to give one-on-one instruction in a public school setting, smaller groups would be more conducive.

On the same page the author makes a very valid statement.

"teachers must recognize and work to eliminate the ways in which students' ethnicity, culture, language, and social class are used by schools consciously or unconsciously as an explanation for students' success or failure." 

It is important for educators to promote and 'live out' this viewpoint. 

Literature Circles

In my opinion, literature circles could be a useful tool to encourage classroom participation.

  As www.literaturecircles.com states "Group meetings aim to be open, natural conversations about books so personal connections, digressions, and open ended questions are normal." 

This type of activity allows all students, regardless of reading level, to gain different perspectives and converse with their peers. Literature circles may not be the best choice for any student. Some special needs students may have difficulties expressing their thoughts, be socially inept, or even nonverbal. In these cases, a teacher may try a literature journal where each child writes a sentence or two, depending on grade level, about what they enjoyed or found confusing. As the student progressed, depending on the situation, the teacher could include more students in the journal and begin practicing conversations with their peers.

I like how www.literaturecircles.com suggests "when books are finished readers share with their classmates and then new groups form around new reading choices."

I think this would help students become more outgoing and have better communication skills.