Reading for Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Fall, 2011

K-W-L (Know-Want to Know-Learn)

I use K-W-L very often in my classes. It is always interesting to have the students brainstorm what they know about a subject before we discuss and research it. (K) After doing that, we then try to brainstorm what we would like to know about the subject. (W) Sometimes it is best to share our "want to know" thoughts because the students at times get lazy and do not want to know anything else about the subject OR think they are already the expert about the it. After discussing together what we want to know-we then research and try to find out the answers to our questions. We record this in what we have "learned." ("L") This is a very helpful tool in getting the children to think deeper about topics. There are always things we can learn about any subject-even if we think we know all about it. Maybe we need to look at another perspective to find a "what I want to know." Everyone ALWAYS learns something new using this strategy!!
Sarah Patten

Alphabet Brainstorming involves students working in groups to brainstorm terms related to a topic that they are going to be studying. Each group is given a sheet and the topic, and they are to try and come up with terms related to that topic that start with different letters of the alphabet. At the end of the given time period, groups share their answers and compare with other groups.
This strategy would be a nice change up to the usual “What do you know about...?” question that we usually ask our students before introducing a topic. Instead of simply asking and having a few students telling, using the Alphabet Brainstorming, students could work together to inform each other and share what they already know. If they have a goal of trying to fill in as many boxes as they can, they might have extra motivation as well. Misconceptions about the new topic can also be addressed right away during this time. This also gives students some responsibility and control over their learning. Before starting a unit on responsibility, I will ask them to fill out an Alphabet Brainstorming chart about ideas related to the topic of responsibility to see what they already know about the term.
Kim Strzelecki

I use K-W-L very often in my classes. It is always interesting to have the students brainstorm what they know about a subject before we discuss and research it. (K) After doing that, we then try to brainstorm what we would like to know about the subject. (W) Sometimes it is best to share our "want to know" thoughts because the students at times get lazy and do not want to know anything else about the subject OR think they are already the expert about the it. After discussing together what we want to know-we then research and try to find out the answers to our questions. We record this in what we have "learned." ("L") This is a very helpful tool in getting the children to think deeper about topics. There are always things we can learn about any subject-even if we think we know all about it. Maybe we need to look at another perspective to find a "what I want to know." Everyone ALWAYS learns something new using this strategy!!
Sarah Patten

This instructional strategy is an excellent way for students to create visual images of the text they are listening to. Students learn how to create meaning from the words they hear and develop an illustration that matches their interpretation of the text. This is a great way for students to actively read or listen to poetry because of the descriptive and figurative language used in poetry. Students are more engaged in the text because they are focused on creating the image. It is a relaxing and fun way to enjoy reading!

Michelle Carlson

I use K-W-L very often in my classes. It is always interesting to have the students brainstorm what they know about a subject before we discuss and research it. (K) After doing that, we then try to brainstorm what we would like to know about the subject. (W) Sometimes it is best to share our "want to know" thoughts because the students at times get lazy and do not want to know anything else about the subject OR think they are already the expert about the it. After discussing together what we want to know-we then research and try to find out the answers to our questions. ("L") We record this in what we have "learned." This is a very helpful tool in getting the children to think deeper about topics. There are always things we can learn about any subject-even if we think we know all about it. Maybe we need to look at another perspective to find a "what I want to know." Everyone ALWAYS learns something new using this strategy!!
Sarah Patten

The strategy that I will be discussing in class is Illustrating stories. This is a common strategy that is often times used by primary teachers. This strategy allows students to illustrate a particular event or sections in a story. When using this strategy students can improve their comprehension and interpretation of the selection. Often time’s students will use their own personal understandings and responses when they visually depict the story’s characters, settings, events and objects.

Rachel Hicks

The strategy that I will talk about is Think/Pair/Share. Think pair share is a great strategy for younger students. it allows each child a chance to talk and it really allows them a chance to learn from their peers. There are many times when you are asking a question and everybody in your classroom wants to share something, I use this then. Instead of allowing each child a chance to talk one a time it allows them all a chance to talk about what is being asked. The students really enjoy this because it gives the students a chance to be the teacher. There are many times when a child does not know what is going on and what is being asked, so the other person in the pair can teach them about the subject. I find that my students do really well learning from other and they seem to grasp more that way.

Natalie Enns

I first heard about creating concept maps years ago, but never knew anything about it. I saw it as a strategy on readingrockets.org. I put my own touch to it when I use it in my classroom. I usually have my students do characteristics of the concept, examples of the concept, words connected to the concept. This leads us to our final area on the concept map, a student created definition.This strategy works in all curriculum areas. The thing I most like about concept mapping is that it allows the students to create their own examples and add their own ideas to the new concept we are discussing.

I was intrigued by the Point of View Strategy, presented in Diane Lapp’s column for the International Reading Association. This strategy can be easily used in Reading/Language Arts classes, but it can also be effective in other content areas as well. With this strategy the students delve deeply into texts – both fictional and nonfictional – to the point that they can portray or assume a new perspective. Lapp said that the student should “acquire deep insights allowing them to view life as ‘the very hungry caterpillar,’ ‘the rainbow fish,’ or even America’s first president. However, in order to accurately portray such a character, the students have to think about how that character would feel, what events would look like to that character, what that character would think.

Probable passage is an instructional strategy that would be effective in upper elementary classrooms and beyond. It is generally considered a pre-reading activity that will expose students to vocabulary and help students make predictions about the story. Important words and/or phrases are selected from the story by the teacher and are displayed in a random order for students to see. The words should represent different elements of the story, such as characters or setting. The students work in small groups to sort these words and phrases into the different story elements, and finally make a prediction about the story. After each group shares their predictions, the story is read and finally the predictions are compared with the actual text. This strategy is flexible, in that it can be used in both a small group (guided reading) or a large group format. It allow students to use their prior knowledge along with the important words and phrases to spark interest in what they are about to read and will help them in making predictions about what might possibly happen in the story.

MaryBeth Davenport