Reading and Writing Instruction for Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Spring, 2009, Hickory, NC

These readings have been a real wake up call for me. Although I teach the primary grades, I can see these things happening with my 9th grader. His abilities still need development, and I have heard the cry of middle school content area teachers, “I don’t teach reading!” So how do we move these kids along? The four principles seem to be only common sense. High interest, longer and more challenging selections, opportunities for critical thinking, self-monitoring and meta-cog strategies are a big chunk of what teachers will need to address if our adolescent students are to progress. Integrated opportunities for reading and writing, collaboration with peers, and instruction tailored to individual learning styles would make it possible for these learners to practice academic language, experience exchange and feedback in the area Discourse, and broaden their thinking skills. These students need continued instruction which demands use of their particular literacies, exposure to newer technology, and assessments that really measure what we want to know, not just academic and school knowledge that may no longer be appropriate. These kids are different than any before them, and the sooner we recognize and acknowledge this fact, the quicker we will bring our instruction in line with their needs.
The expanded definition of text is an interesting concept, but fits like a puzzle piece into the understanding of a broader definition of literacy.
The recommended strategies, too, are only common sense when one considers the needs and strengths of these learners. I find myself thinking more about how to work these strategies into each lesson. Instruction in self-monitoring of comprehension, and the skills to get to understanding must be taught across the content areas. The influence of our social, global environment on reading and learning, and the diversity of background knowledge make possible interesting exchanges among Discourses.
The Buehl chapter is really a parallel to the chapter on ELLs. Some of our English-speaking students are as far away from an understanding of academic knowledge and language as our ELLs; so explicit instruction in any content area is not going to hurt anyone, and would only ensure success for all students in any classroom. Teaching the strategies, modeling them, and talking about their effectiveness at the end of a lesson is important if students are to consciously choose the right strategy, use it, and achieve understanding.
So that’s my take on some of the reading. I really have to go start writing up some strategies now while they are fresh in my mind. My next question is, how many of these are appropriate for elementary school students, and which ones might those be?

Click on "Comments" below to discuss the online Anticipation Guide you completed. Did completing the guide change the way you read the article? What do you see as the advantage to this guide? What are the disadvantages? How could you use an Anticipation Guide in your own teaching?

Summary:
The RAFT technique helps students to understand their Role as a writer, the Audience they will address, various Formants for writing, and the expected Topic of content. This allows the students to have a choice in their learning. The students choose a role or perspective, the audience they will address, and the format in which they will write from the brainstormed list. NAAEE, North American Association of Environmental Education, feels that students should be thoughtful, skillful, and active citizens in a democracy who can many informed decisions that consider future generations. RAFT can help meet the following standards in the environmental science classroom; make connections between prior and new knowledge, encourages personal engagement, provides students choices in their writing assignments, encourages students to think beyond the classroom, and RAFT is flexible. The purpose of a RAFT assignment is to allow the students to choose a role or viewpoint of someone besides themselves. The RAFT strategy has the potential to help students connect prior and new knowledge, to write in a rich context, and to develop literacy skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom.

Reading these articles enlightens my attitude towards strategies to motivate students in the classroom. We must not forget our power and carefully monitor teaching strategies and limiting our knowledge to self explore prior knowledge before we assume understanding of a subject. The ITRA directs dependent learning to student directed independent learning. Focusing on planning before instruction ; selecting and organizing during reading and intergration and applying solutions to everday problems is sometimes forgotten when strategies are implemented. The KWL chart is always affective. The post reading phase requires teacher to exercise judgement in selection of activities. Some things to remember
1) /discuss assignment for reading
2)organize info for students
3)evaluate and reflect
4)integrate with prior knowledge
I use these strategies although I'm kindergarten reading and research are at every center in theh classroom and when I introduce a new center such as presidents I gain insight by inquiring about prior knowledge of subject before we research interesting books about topics being taught. The students then have some independence as they explore new ideas about the topic and last they write about the topic.
Robin Hand

The double-entry journal allows the student to retell a story, record notes or tell what they think the author is trying convey on the left page. The student records his comments or reactions on the right page of the journal. The double entry journal can be used before, during and after reading. The student may write predictions or questions on the comment/reaction page before reading. As the student reads, he may take notes on the left page or write new questions or comments. After reading, the student can express his opinion about the book, verify his predictions, make connections or answer previously written questions. The double-entry journal shows a student's reading development which gives the teacher insight into how the student understands a story or text.

Zandra Hunt

9. Jigsaw

Aronson, E (2000). Jigsaw Classroom. Retrieved March 9, 2009, from Social Psychology Network Web site: http://www.jigsaw.org/

This strategy is a fabulous way to teach cooperative learning and content area subjects. Students are part of a group whose members each have a different assignment related to the whole classroom study. Students are divided into groups with 4-5 members each. In this group, each child has a specific portion to research in relation to the broader topic of the whole class. After the initial research time, the students who study the same specific topic come together to share their expertise. Next, the small groups reconvene to teach each other what they learned individually. These small “jigsaw” pieces of information fit together to give the students a whole topic picture.

If the class topic is an author study of Eric Carle, one set of students would research his childhood, one set could do schooling, one set could do professional career, one could do later accomplishments, and one could do family life. When the research and sharing of the pieces of his life finish, each student knows a complete picture of Eric Carle’s life and work.

This strategy effectively eliminates classroom competition. In other classroom situations, students vie for the teacher’s attention by raising their hands in a whole class question / answer format. The same students are usually ready with an answer, where other students “hide” from being called upon. This strategy is useful in that all students will have an opportunity to answer. To use this strategy:

1. The teacher numbers students off 1 – 4. The teacher may also use colors, card suits, etc. The teacher then asks a question or a set of questions. Students numbered “1” work together to develop an answer, as do all the “2s”, the “3s”, and so on.

2. The teacher calls out a number, and all students of that number raise their hands and are provided opportunity to give an answer to the question, or a part of the answer. By this random interaction, students may not withdraw from a classroom discussion.

This strategy may be used effectively with Think-Pair-Share. This exercise is excellent for developing interpersonal skills for all students. For students who work quicker than others, provide a “sponge”, or extension activity if assigned task is completed early.

Annie Croon

I am going to bring the bookmark strategy to Tuesdays class. It is a really great strategy that can be used with students of all ages. The bookmark strategy can be used to help students monitor comprehension during reading and make judgements about a text. This technique can be used for both narrative and expository texts. Students use a sheet of paper to create four bookmarks. As students read they record specific information on each bookmark. On the first bookmark, students write or sketch about what they find most interesting. On the second bookmark, students write or sketch about something that is confusing in the text. The third and fourth bookmarks are used to write words that they want to discuss with the class and to mark a text feature that helped them understand the text. After reading students use the information they put on the bookmarks to discuss what they have read.

This instructional strategy called 3-2-1 (Three-Two-One) is a great way to get students involved in a reading activity. Once students have been trained what to do, teachers should be able to tell children I would like for you to read this passage and complete a 3-2-1 on it. After students finish reading, students will write 3 key terms for what they have just learned, 2 ideas that they would like to learn more about, and 1 concept or skill they think they have mastered. In some ways, its a variation to doing a KWL, but better. KWL's can sometimes get lengthy. The 3-2-1 is a way to focus on key terms for what students should be learning. I use this strategy in my classroom all of the time. It's great for my 2nd graders because they understand what is being asked and it puts a limit on what they need to accomplish. They know exactly the number of items to complete and they do not have to ask me if they have enough or how much do I want!

The K-W-L lets active readers make predictions about what they will be reading before they start. Prior knowledge gives students interest about the topic they will be studying. I use this strategy with my kindergartners. The K-W-L is a three coloum chart labeling what they know, what they want to know and eventually what they will learn. When the students have finished their reading, the third column is foscused on what they have learned. When the K-W-L grid is complete the students bring together their information that they have studied and calloborate together brainstorming information. The advantages provide teachers with students background knowledge about a topic. Also students can make predictions about what they will be reading. This stragedy can be used with all grades and subjects.Students usually retain informatioin better if theyknow what they are looking for in their readings. This activity and strategy motivates reluctant readers to feel confident while answering questions in a group setting due to prior knowledge.

Reference

Buehl, D. (1995). Classroom strategies for interactive learning.
Madison, WI: Wisconsin State Reading Association.

Robin Hand

The strategy that I intend on sharing with my group in class is Sketch to Stretch. This is a visualizing activity that allows the student to think more deeply about and story and then represent the story using a picture. The picture is a combination of words, colors, shapes, and symbols that are important to the understanding of the story. This strategy is an after reading strategy that is typically used to focus on main idea, story elements and characters. Students work in groups which allows them to extend their understanding through sharing ideas.

KWL charts include what students Know, what they Want to know, and what they Learned. Before reading, students activate prior knowledge by brainstorming what they know or think they know about the given topic, creating the K-column. Students then begin to think about what they want to learn or what they think they will learn about the topic, listing ideas in the W-column. After reading, students compare what they “knew’ to what they learned from reading. Corrections or adjustments are made to the K-column. Information is compared to what students wanted to learn or predicted to learn and new knowledge is added to the L-column, what we learned. KWL charts are good strategies to begin discussion of a new topic, to activate prior knowledge, and to present questions or to set a purpose for reading and learning.

Sonia Pearson

I will present my third grade students with a specfic non-fiction topic. I will have a learning strategie page that they will complete before they read the selection. I will tell them they have five minutes to complete as much iformation as they can on this topic. They will be able to use what prior knowledge they have and the cover and title of the book to complete this part of the strategy. Each student must give at least 3-5 things they know or think they know the topic. After the given time period I will then instruct the students will be asked to turn their sheet over and read the book. After reading the book each student will then be asked to use the knowledge they gained from the book to complete the remainder of the guide. They will also be asked to compare and contrast what they thought they knew and what was fact about their topic. This lesson should be completed in a 30-40 minutes class period

A colleague of mine actually showed me this idea relating to science. In an admit/exit slip students are expected to complete each question/set of questions prior to and after the lesson. Students will be able to write down their thoughts, fill out questions to ensure understanding of the lesson taught, and to give feed back on the lesson/teaching of the lesson. Thus teachers will learn how to adjust the lesson to met certain needs, what needs to be clarified, or what concepts need more assistance. Students can either answer questions being asked on an index card, sheet of notebook paper, science notebook, or even a copy of the questions (which can be a very basic template of questions that can be used with every lesson being taught). This type of strategy can be used with any subject. My colleague just suggested science as a way to see what students are learning and give a grade on their slips. Normally science is very hard to grade since most science activities are hands on. I used the with my classroom and it seemed to work wonderfully. I am excited to use it again with our study of rocks and minerals.

Students are given an opportunity to think on their own before sharing with a neighbor. The teacher gives a question for the students to think about. After the students have thought about the question they write down a response on a piece of paper. Then the students are given the opportunity to share with a neighbor. I like the approach because the students are forced to think on their own before they have a chance to talk to a neighbor. Too often my students just take whatever answer their neighbor puts or tells their partner the answer without giving any explanation of how they arrived at that answer. This way the students need to think on their own before talking to a neighbor.

My third grade students will be given a specific non-fiction topic and book. They will be asked to observe the title and cover of the non-fiction book. They will also be prompted to use their knowledge of the topic to complete a before reading page. I want them to list 3-5 things they know about their topic. Students will be give 5-10 minutes to complete this part of the lesson. Students will then be given 15-20 minutes to read their book. After reading students will be asked recall what they have learned from the specific book they have read. They will then write 6-10 things they can recall from their topic. Each student will be given 10-15 minutes to complete this part of the lesson. After all students have completed the lesson they will be asked to share in samll groups what they have learned about their topic. This wil take 20 minutes to allow all students to share. The entire lesson should be completed in two fourty minute sessions.
Lynn

Billmeyer, R. and Barton, M.L. (1998). Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: If Not
Me then Who? Aurora, Co.

This strategy is a pre-reading strategy that gets students to make predictions about the text that they are preparing to read. The teacher selects ten to fifteen words from the text that are important vocabulary terms, character quotes, and theme and plot identifiers. The students take these words and categorize them into a graphic organizer that assists students in making a prediction. The areas that the students can put the teacher selected words are: Characters, Setting, Problem, Solution and Ending. Depending on the template you use, you can also add a section for unknown words. The students take the information and as a group write a prediction for what the story will be about.

The KWL Chart encompasses all three reading components-before, during, and after reading. This strategy improves comprehension by activating prior knowledge, encouraging student predictions, and thinking about the reading and learning. Students enjoy sharing what they know and are motivated to learn when they understand their purpose for reading.

The Jigsaw Classroom strategy is a cooperative learning technique. Each student is like a piece to a jigsaw puzzle. If you have missing pieces it is not complete, therefore in the Jigsaw Classroom Strategy, it is essential each group member do their part for the completion and full understanding of the objectives. Students are divided into small groups (5 or 6). Each student is assigned to learn about a specific topic, based on a broader topic. For example, in 4th grade we study NC. A student might be assigned to learn about crops grown in NC. Another in the group may be assigned to tourism in NC. After time and resources are made available to students for research to be done, groups come back together and share. Before getting back into groups to share, members meet with others who were assigned the same topic to compare information. This will give them a chance to work with other ‘experts’ who researched the same topic. This can be particularly helpful for struggling students. The members can help one another in organizing the information found. After members gather back together they educate one another about what they learned. This strategy is beneficial for several reasons. First, it makes students responsible for their own learning. The process encourages listening, engagement, and empathy by providing each student in the group an integral part to be responsible for in the activity. Team members must all work hard to accomplish a common goal. They must all work together to be successful. The strategy also teaches students to value one another as contributors to the assigned task.

The use of graphic organizers in a classroom can be very helpful. One of the strategies that I use on a constant basis is the brain web. The brain web was mentioned by Marzano. It is used to map out information that you are gathering or learning. You can provide your students with a pre-created web or you can have them create their own bubbles. Either way they can use these bubbles to reference information or organize information. I use this many times in writing. Children can gather information from various sources and also try to organize their thoughts into sentences.

Lydia Gwaltney

I teach ELL, therefore, I love concept sorts for my students. This is a great way for students (especially those with Limited English Proficiency) to organize their thoughts before they begin reading to help with reading comprehension. Students are introduced to difiicult content related vocabulary (selected by the teacher) before reading so they can better understand the material being read. This can be done individually, small group, or whole group. Words are written on index cards and then students group the words into categories (typically based on meaning) and then they explain how they grouped the words and how they relate to one another, giving them the background knowledge they need to understand and comprehend the text.

Using the Bloom’s Taxonomy six levels of questioning create your own wall charts using different colors of paper or poster board. Each color has its own set of numbered questions or activities. The questions and activities increase in difficulty from one to six. The students roll a dice to get a number and the teacher calls out a color. The student is required to answer the question that is the rolled number on the specific color of chart. For instance, the student rolls a five with their die then the teacher calls out green the student would look at the green chart and read number five. Activity five requires students to draw two new illustrations for the story. This can be done or the whole group or each student can have their own activity or question. Teachers can choose a number if there is something specific the students the students really need to work on however, the students really enjoy rolling the die.