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?
If we want our students to read better and think deeper, we have to show them what that looks like, at all levels. In chapter one when Beers described how when she reads, she is not only aware of the author's thoughts and knowledge, but is aware of her own, I agree that the best way to prove reading takes practice at all ages is by sharing/showing our own interactions with a text. We need to show that reading is so much more than just knowing the words on the page; that we are open to the thoughts of an author but know that it is okay to have our own and to share and question our interpretations of a text.
-What stood out to you in these chapters?
The importance of marking reading behaviors to show what readers can do so a plan can be made for what they can't has always been a practice of mine but in the past, I most definitely have focused too much on the "can't". I am going to try to recognize their strengths more and build on those abilities opposed to focusing on their weaknesses, thinking that I have to start over with them on a specific skill.
I also couldn't agree more when it was highlighted in chapter 3 that many times our students spend so much time trying to read through a word that there is no energy left to understand its meaning. This is the case for so many of our struggling readers. I loved when it mentioned how we need to focus on not making our struggling readers successful, but on helping those readers struggle successfully. So many times we are expecting too much, not seeing the process ourselves.
-How does the Science of Reading impact your instruction? (regardless of content area)
As the book mentioned, for so long we had that basic idea of comprehension being made up of decoding and oral reading. Having once acquired, defining a good reader. I too have put word recognition to the forefront, not realizing that the how and why were just as important. Now, we do a much better job at incorporating the rules and patterns, understanding how the brain learns to read and use that to guide instruction. The importance of reaching a more balanced approach where students again, are not simply reading the words on a page but are interacting with them through their currents thoughts, past experiences and openness to change through the thoughts of others builds that independence we so want each of them to have; making them not just responsive, but also responsible.
-What skills are important to be able to read?
Looking over figure 3.1, the list is long but helps to support that fact that you cannot simply have good and bad readers. All of the characteristics mentioned are important but show how many of us, no matter what age will (as stated above) continually have to work at being a successful reader. If I can get my students to enjoy reading, even if they're not good at it yet...then they're well on their way to becoming a skilled reader.