***Reading takes work and since the work goes “underground” the concept becomes daunting for students who need to work harder than others because it is not a visual process. How do we impress upon all students that reading at any age takes practice and work?
I try to show my readers that reading takes practice and work. Modeling these practices and strategies is important. The interactive read aloud is a great way to do this. During the interactive read aloud I am able to model fluent reading, show strategies for decoding, scaffold understanding of text, model comprehension strategies and teach various other skills. Students are actively engaged in this process. They interact with the text and each other. During guided reading or strategy groups we prioritize practice. In reading conferences we set goals for the practice and work. I also talk to my kids about my own reading. I have “teacher books” in my room and refer to them often. I discuss these books with my students. I show them my annotations and sticky notes. I want them to see that reading takes work and that it is work that I value.
-What stood out to you in these chapters?
A few things stood out to me. The first thing I noticed when I got the book was the Instructional Assessment Chart on the inside cover. Hello, how awesome is this?? I love the organization of this chart. I love that it has what a students can do but has difficulty with and tells me then what the student needs help with. I love that there are also chapters listed. I feel like this is a gift of specificity that is setting me up for success. Thank you Kylene Beers. I noticed figure 2.1 The Interdependent Relationship Among Scaffolds, Thinking Processes and Skills to Foster Comprehension. I like figure 3.1 List of Reading Behaviors for Skilled and Unskilled Readers. It is all there on 4 pages. I love the specificity and sequence of this. I feel like this will help guide not only reading instruction but also conversations about readers. It will help with a plan for instruction as well as goal setting. It will help all involved to have a clear understanding of where the reader is and where the reader needs to be. I like the break down and connection of responsible reading and responsive reading.
-How does the Science of Reading impact your instruction?
The “Science of Reading” means different things to different people. I try to keep the term as simple as possible so to me it means research that shows how a child’s brain learns to read. SOR has impacted my instruction drastically in the last few years. A few years ago I noticed a greater number of students were coming to third grade reading at levels lower than in years past. I realized that they were not growing or going up the number of expected levels in third grade. I knew that I had to make a change. I knew that my instruction needed to be explicit and systematic. I also knew that I needed a scope and sequence of some sort. As a lifelong learner I began a journey to learn as much as I could about how a child’s brain learns to read. I did research, read books, watched videos. Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates was a huge help to me. This book made me want to learn more. I took that learning and I have put it into practice in my classroom. I have noticed a big difference in growth during the last two years. Although I know that there is still so much to learn and more changes to be made, I feel that I am on the right track.
-What skills are important to be able to read?
-phonological awareness
-phonemic awareness
-phonics
-listening comprehension
-decoding
-fluency
-vocabulary
-comprehension skills
This is a simple and incomplete list. Each skill has subskills. I have to admit that I was not doing enough in phonological awareness and phonemic awareness prior to my shift in teaching a few years ago. That has changed and I am seeing a results.