Module 8: Video Analysis

What is Reading Recovery?

                We have the Reading Recovery program at my school, but it was not until after viewing this video that I had a general understanding of what it was, how it was ran, how students were picked etc. I remember getting my tour of the school last year and being told that there were rooms with two way mirrors. I now see what those are used for and just how effective they truly can be. Reading Recovery seems to be the ideal reading program that provides one on one support to struggling readers. Students who are below grade level need more than just small group instruction and to know that they are getting 30 minutes of reading support on a daily basis with a trained teacher is just great news. I found it intriguing how Reading Recovery teachers must go through an entire year of trainings and professional developments to be certified for this program. Last year I had a student (5^th grade), who was able to exit Reading Recovery. She did not attend Reading Recovery like the video stated due to being in the upper grade levels, but she did receive additional support through other reading programs and support teachers. This student still did struggle some with her reading abilities and comprehension, but she had come a long way and met the criteria to be dismissed from the program.  

Module 8: PowerPoint Analysis

Factors Involved in Reading and Writing Difficulties

                I absolutely loved viewing this PowerPoint as it brought to my attention the MANY different reasons and circumstances that might affect a child’s ability to read and/or write. The best part about this presentation was on slide 2. The elements of success are huge in my opinion because many students who have known nothing but failure tend to use that as a crutch (i.e. “well I have never been a good reader/writer”). Through this excuse, I feel that students do not put forth their best. The elements of success are effort, drive, a healthy self-esteem, and parental support. In the example I just gave- effort, drive, and healthy self-esteem are absent; three out of the four necessities to being a successful reader and writer. In order to break this cycle, we as teachers have to help them believe that they can be successful, one by giving them choices. By allowing children to read what they want, fosters opportunities for them to find and discover literature that they love and want to read.  Aside from all the other learning barriers mentioned and described, I truly believe that it comes down to the student’s desire to want to do better and an attitude that says “I can do it”. 

Module 7: Perspectives of the Learning Process

Perspectives of the Learning Process

v  Through my tutoring experience, I always began each session with a conversation, asking Tyler* how he has been keeping up with his reading. We would discuss what he has been doing well at and what he needs to work on. This would give us time to reflect on his behavior and how it is impacting his studies and academics. Tyler would always tell me he thinks he is doing “good,” which is what he would tell him mom as well. The issue with Tyler was/is lack of effort and motivation. Tyler in fact was not doing “good” as he claimed he was.

v  From a parent's aspect, Tyler’s mom is concerned about Tyler’s progress or lack of and is at a loss for what she should do next. Tyler’s mom is very busy with work, as she does not spend as much time with Tyler that is needed to keep up with his progress and deficits. She is very concerned though and knows he needs help. Tyler went to his doctor Friday, 11/16/12 to discuss his grades and attention. Hopefully we will get Tyler the help he needs and get him on the right track to excel from here on out. Tyler’s mom does not go over his homework with him as she gets home late from work. I rarely get back progress reports and papers that require a parent signature.

v  Tyler is reading on an early third grade level. As I teach at a Cobb County school, we are required to assess our student’s reading levels by using a program called DRA2. In fourth grade, Tyler did not perform very well. Tyler did not pass the math CRCT, scoring a 783 (Level 1); however, he barely passed reading with an 807. This is still very alarming and signals to me that this student needs additional support in reading. Through this reading process, I began to notice a speech issue with Tyler. Honestly I am not sure the exact letter sounds/combinations he has difficulty with, but street is one of the words that I know is not pronounced correctly. Tyler’s behavior is not up to par, as he tends to act out, trying to be our class clown. He looks to others for recognition when he acts up, trying to cause a disruption. Another issue I have with Tyler is the lack of effort he puts forward. Tyler does not think through his work when he actually does it. Motivation is a huge factor in whether or not Tyler is a successful student.  

*Tyler-name changed to protect identify of student 

Module 7: Video Analysis

Video: Success For All

Success For All seems to be a wonderful reading program. I work at a Title 1 school, and we use a reading program that sounds very similar. Read 180, is a small group reading program that works one on one with students through computer based tutoring and teacher instruction. This program works on the student’s reading level to where they can understand what is happening in a text. Robert Slavin made several good points through his video, one being that when a program is successful, schools and teachers must be willing to pay for continuous professional development and training. He also made a valid point that schools that are willing to use the program will have success, whereas schools who do not want to change will not be successful with the very same program. Success is up to the teachers and the attitude and desire of an individual school. 

Module 7: PowerPoint Analysis

PowerPoint: Classroom Instruction that Works (9 Best Practices)

In my classroom, we have been doing a lot of comparing and contrasting between texts. Specifically, we have been working on identifying text structures such chronological order, cause and effect, compare and contrast, inferring etc.) When comparing and contrasting two different informational texts, the level of thinking the students exerted was intense and wonderful to see. Students had to think beyond the text, make conclusions about the text, and state what is the same between the two texts and what was different. I really enjoyed the sites that had premade graphic organizers. I love using graphic organizers, as the students are the ones that are ultimately responsible for their learning. I feel that the MIP strategy is very similar to teachers asking students what the main ideas of different passages are.  One strategy that “9 Best Practices” mentions is note taking. I love using this strategy especially with the student’s science and social studies textbooks. Movie watching also works well with note taking. I have found that students have never been taught how to take notes, as some struggle with this a great deal. I have never heard of the 10-2 strategy, but it makes perfect sense. We teach our students so much information in such a small amount of time.

I really like the Effort Rubric. There are so many assignments that students simply work on, but are never graded. What students do not understand is that through these assignments, graded or not, they are learning and applying previously learned knowledge. I find myself constantly saying, “You are getting a grade based on your level of effort and participation.” The Effort Rubric would be a great resource to give the students to refer back to when working on assignments. The Achievement Rubric is also a great resource that scores the students not only on their efforts but on their accuracy as well.  By seeing the graph of a class’s growth when using these two rubrics, really encourages me to try this strategy in my classroom as well.

Effective praise is a huge deal in my classroom. Many of my students have known nothing but negativity through their educational years. Through positive reinforcement, I feel that students are given hope and encouragement to do things that they never dreamed possible. I find this strategy to be extremely effective with behavior challenged students as well.

This PowerPoint lists lots of good strategies like Think Pair Square, similar to Think Pair Share and Ball Share.

PowerPoint: Comprehension Evidence and Strategies

I really liked slide 10 about Best Practices in Comprehension Instruction. I feel that these strategies have such potential to boost comprehension instruction when used correctly. I believe that it is possible to do too much thinking for the child when reading and discussing a passage. By letting the child to think through the reading by them self, allows for deeper understanding. Modeling how to identify key concepts and ideas is important in trying to make sense of text. Students who do not understand a passage due to unfamiliar words and difficult vocabulary tend to shut down, ultimately unable to comprehend a story or passage. Another reading strategy that I believe in and teach about is visualization. Students who are unable to follow a storyline would benefit from this skill, as creating a visual imagine in their head might help create meaning. This will also assist with creating mental imagines, in the end helping students make connections. 

Module 6: Videos

Flipping The Classroom

I have heard of flipping the classroom this year as a few of my classmates in the M.Ed program have discussed using it for their action research. I could only imagine what flipping the classroom truly meant, but I was way off. I really like the idea of flipping the classroom, but I do not know if it would be effective in my school area. Many of my students do not have computers or access to the internet at home. In addition, my students, along with the rest of the grade level, do not complete homework as a means of reviewing and creating questions for future discussion. A good handful of students either do not complete homework consistently or do not put thought into their assignments. I could see the efforts of a teacher flipping the classroom going to the wayside as not all students would watch the videos, thus not being prepared for class. I do love the idea, but not at this point in time in my teaching career. It was very informative as I now can carry on a conversation with a colleague about flipping the classroom.  

Using Assessment to Improve Instruction

“Good assessment is part of the learning process, not just a document to gauge learning.” I often feel that we are constantly testing our students that we are running out of time to actually teach for understanding. This video helped put assessment into perspective, where we can assess through projects and performance tasks, not just tests and quizzes. We should see all teaching as a form of assessment, even though students do not necessarily have a pencil and paper or standardized test on their desk.  Good teaching like the video stated, is assessing through teaching. 

Module 6: PowerPoints

Reading Strategies: Reading in the Upper Grades

I absolutely loved reading and learning about the word walls. This is actually something that I am being required to implement in my classroom as of the last week. I think that word walls have such a wonderful purpose when used correctly and effectively. I plan on creating a word wall in which includes content words and synonyms. Although my classroom colors do not include yellow, I definitely plan on using black writing on yellow paper like the PowerPoint suggest. I cannot wait to use the Guess the Word game. What a fun and engaging way to help students learn their vocabulary, especially when it is related to what they are learning. All the games that are discussed in this PowerPoint, I am definitely using once I get my word wall up and running. This actually is motivating me to get on the ball.  As a teacher in the upper graders (5^th), we are constantly doing think alouds, initially  being modeled by me. I really like the strategy of reading ahead and going backwards to see if the author clears up any confusion for the reader or uses context clues to help the reader better understand unfamiliar words and phrases. I really like the 3-2-1 strategy. I always want to use it as a ticket out the door, but never know exactly what the 3-2-1 are meant to be. This gave me a good way to formally assess my students. I truly enjoyed this PowerPoint as it was informative and useful for the grade level I teach. I learned several strategies that I had heard mentioned but did not know the specifics such as the 4 types of reading questions. I definitely plan on applying much of what I learned in this PowerPoint to and in my classroom.

Assessment of Cognitive, School, and Home Factors

It was interesting to learn what “type” of students do well on and struggle with particular types of test. For instance, I have quite a few students being tested for Target this week. I know that the first test they are taking is a Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). I now can see why these tests are no longer used in wide practice. As intelligence tests do not measure neither problem solving skills nor other critical areas, and are also bias toward poor readers, I find that the best type of assessment is simply teacher observation. Through working with a student in a small group setting or even one-on-one, a teacher can learn so much about a student and their actual abilities. 

Module 5: Video Analysis

Rubrics-An Introduction

I loved this video on rubrics. This year we are using rubrics for everything… it seems at least. I am using rubric generator websites to help create these. This year, my school is using/creating rubrics for every standard. I love using rubrics, as they are simple to use; however, at this point in time we have to create them. Like the video stated, generic rubrics are the best way to go. We are striving to create rubrics that are subject conducive, not just for one particular assignment. I like the purpose of rubrics, as it keeps us from being bias of student’s work. One piece of student work might sound and look better, but if a student covered all requirements, then they should earn the same amount of points when compared to someone else’s work that is more visually appealing. With Common Core, our Benchmark tests are no longer just multiple choice like they have been in the past. This year there are constructed and extended responses that come with a rubric the county provided. We are going to have to take the rubrics and score the student’s Benchmarks in which the county looks that. The purpose of these open ended questions is to get our students thinking more than just an simple A, B, C, or D answer. I LOVE this idea of creativity and truly seeing what the students know. Rubrics allow creativity and true understanding of a standard to come alive.  

Module 5: PowerPoint Analysis

Teaching Phonics, High Frequency Words, and Fluency

As a fifth grade teacher, you initially think word and sound recognition are “conquered” in the primary grade levels. For me at least, I am mistaken. My struggling readers read very choppy, sometimes reading sound by sound. In our last reading class, I truly appreciated the skill of identifying onset and rimes. This helps students get away from sounding out words letter by letter, often times construing the true meaning of the word. I believe that by using onsets and rimes, students will become more fluent with their reading. I do understand though, that at times, you will need to work with a student on a letter/sound level in the upper grades. Many wonderful strategies are listed in this PowerPoint. I really liked how it mentioned students reading leveled books on their independent reading levels. This year, along with Common Core, my school is trying to establish leveled classroom libraries along with “book bags”. These “book bags” will contain a variety of books that the student can read comfortably without any frustration. I really like this idea, as Common Core emphasizes the importance of independent reading. I also like the method of using a word wall in the classroom. In a fifth grade classroom, I could see this being used as a synonym wall or even a vocabulary wall in which the students can use across all content areas. I use a variety of poetry in my classroom for close reading and to teach many different skills. I am working with my students to read poetry and to also write it.

Linking Phonics and Vocabulary

We must set our students up for success. As this PowerPoint states, whatever we are expecting our students to do with their piece of text must be reinforced prior to. Whether it is to understand vocabulary or simply to identify a specific skill in their text, we as teachers, must prepare them with the right tools.

Vocabulary Development

The two strategies that I most commonly use and teach to help students pronounce/understand unfamiliar words are context and pronounceable word parts. As students read a text where they come upon an unfamiliar word, students often times can read the surrounding words, gain meaning of the sentence, thus correctly ‘guessing’ the unfamiliar word. I often times stop students and ask the questions mentioned in the PowerPoint such as, “Wait, does that make sense,” or “What word could we inset to help that sentence make sense”. This strategy works well, even if they don’t get the exact word. My goal as a teacher is that they understand what they read, more so than getting EVERY word correct on the page.

Assessing Vocabulary

I really found it interesting and informative learning about the different tiers of words. Each tier builds, as the level of understanding specific words becomes more challenging. I could not agree more when it stated at “Vocabulary is one of the strongest contributors to comprehension.” Vocabulary comes down to understanding the meaning of specific words based on context clues and other strategies mentioned. However, if a student does not understand multiple words throughout a text, clearly the meaning of that particular text is going to be limited and construed. I really liked the vocabulary rating scale, as it would give the student and teacher a good idea about how developed a child’s vocabulary is. I have a collection of reading comprehension workbooks, as most teachers do. There are many that always include at least one question on vocabulary, asking the students to often times pick the synonym of that specific word. This allows me to understand if a student can use the surrounding context clues to further develop the initial word’s meaning/definitions. I absolutely believe that vocabulary acquisition is KEY for reading with meaning.

Module 4: Reading Analysis

Chapter 9

                “Read Every day, Live a Better Life” is taken from a poster that hangs on my classroom door. I received this poster from the Atlanta Scholastic Conference held this past summer. At this conference it discussed how reading is truly what fosters reading strategies. With Common Core, I feel that our students are given the time to actually read and use/find the standards in their independent reading books. I found this chapter to be extremely important, as it discussed different books to use for whole group and small group instruction. I am in the process of trying to set up “book bags” where the students have a bag of independent reading books specifically for their level. I absolutely LOVED the list of real-life texts, as I am striving to make as many real world connections as possible across all subject areas. I definitely plan to use the lists of books and real text examples in my upcoming lesson planning.

Chapter 10

                Reading includes lots of components that must all act together, for example fluency, understanding vocabulary, accuracy, comprehension etc. I find that comprehension tends to be what teachers focus on the most, as it tends to be the easiest to measure. Also, when looking at our state’s standardized test, the CRCT, a component of it is simply reading comprehension. As a fifth grade teacher, reading comprehension is a critical area that fifth graders MUST pass in order to be promoted to sixth grade. As Opitz states, the two major abilities of reading comprehension include knowing word meanings and using verbal reasoning. I find that these two abilities are very accurate when it comes to comprehension, as my students who are struggling readers do not understand the text as a whole, nor can follow a story line. I really liked the supporting details hand and the intermediate formal assessment in Figure 10.8. I think it is important to remember that reading has multiple levels, just as thinking does. The assessment strategies provided in this chapter are wonderful tools to help assess student’s comprehension on multiple levels and in a variety of ways.

Chapter 11

                A big part of reading for understanding is knowing how and when to use context clues. Context clues are defined as an item of information from the words surrounding a particular word in the form of a synonym, antonym, example, definition, description, explanation, and so on, that helps shed light on the meaning of that particular word. This is actually a standard we will be studying in the second 9 weeks for reading. This chapter highlights different context clue strategies that are specifically stated in our fifth grade reading standards such as antonyms, synonyms, and definition. On page 268, Chapter 11 lists a three day plan to teach students how to use context clues. The activities that are suggested are wonderful and truly foster understanding of context clues. In my opinion, understanding context clues are extremely important to a reader’s success. Without utilizing the use of context clues, a reader might not understand the text in front of them.  I am looking forward to implementing many of the ideas suggested in this chapter that promote the use of context clues.

Module 4- PowerPoint Analysis

Identifying Reading Disabilities

                RTI is such a familiar tool at my school as it is in my very own classroom. I find myself using the Response to Intervention process yearly, as a few of my students are consistently performing below grade level. It is one thing to be a slow learner, but I become concerned when a student is not making grounds and failing all assignments with a grade below 40%. I find that many of my “low learners” are very capable, they just take additional time and support. This is completely fine ,and I tend to not put these students on RTI. This year alone, I have put 3 on RTI for academics, and 1 for behavior. These students are consistently making 0% and maybe a 20% on a good day in math. I find it interesting that ELL students are often labeled as a struggling reader. Well of course there is going to be a disconnect because it is in their second language. It makes perfect sense to assess an ELL student in their own language in order to identify if there truly is a reading deficiency. As a fifth grade teacher, we are in the stage of Reading to Learn. We do this daily as reading is woven into all subject areas.  Reading to learn is such an important concept for students to understand.

Assessment: Formative and Summative

                The comic at the beginning of the PowerPoint was too cute. However, many of our students think that simply showing up is “good enough”. Earning an education takes much more than just showing up. I do use my data to drive instruction; however, it takes extra work on the teacher to get the assessment checked for the next day’s instruction.

Wow! The meaning behind assessment really is eye opening and makes me wonder what we have done to the meaning of assessment these days. Today in schools, we give assessments to the students not with the students. I can see how formative assessment is more useful in planning and implementing instruction than summative. With summative, we simply record the grades and move on. This is because summative assessments are given at the end of the units. Formative assessments truly are key to planning forthcoming lessons. Even after you’ve taught a skill/standard, formative assessments let you know if you need to review or if you are ready to move on. There are times I still have to stop and ask myself what is the difference between formative and summative assessments. Through these PowerPoints, I have a better understanding of which one is use for specific purposes and will be better able to assess my students when the times come. 

Module 4: Video Analysis

Running Records

                I really enjoyed getting a mini lesson on how to mark a running record. I have not given a running record since undergrad. As I gave the QRI for tutoring this semester, and even when marking our DRA2s that we give at the beginning of each school year, I seem to make up my own marks (very similar to the video), that make sense to me. Because I have to write so quickly, I simply write little notes that indicate to me what the reader did. It was nice seeing how to truly mark these errors that students commonly make when reading. Two concerns I still have with this is knowing if the marks discussed in this video are universal, where I can use them on whatever reading assessment I am giving. Also, I tend to get behind making marks when the student is actually reading. I was able to follow along with the lady in the video, visualizing where I would put the marks. I feel more comfortable now giving a running record and cannot wait to actually try out what I learned. I think the more you give running records or any type of reading assessment where you the teacher must document the student’s errors, the more confident you will become.

Analysis with Running Records

                I absolutely love how the teacher took the time to talk about the goals with the student she was working with. It is important for students to know what skill they truly need to focus on and work to improve. This year in my classroom, I am using CAFÉ and the CAFÉ board for my reading groups. The CAFÉ board lists the student’s names under comprehension, expanding vocabulary, accuracy or fluency. In addition, my class is utilizing student data notebooks. These notebooks are updated weekly. The students created goals they wanted to set for reading, math and writing. Also in the video, I really liked how the teacher went back and discussed the student’s errors with him. Once going back and looking, he realized his mistakes and how many of his substitutions did not even make sense. For the reader to understand this is a huge step in the right direction.

Module 3: PowerPoint Review

Overview of Assessment: This PowerPoint helped put into perspective some assessment terms and vocabulary that I was unfamiliar with. As scary as this might sound, the information and difference regarding formative and summative assessments was cleared up through this presentation. I have always had difficulty remembering what information was assessed with a formative assessment vs. summative. The way I will be remembering this difference is summative assessment “summarizes” what the students have already learned, where as the formative assessment helps guide instruction. This year I have assessed my students with both assessments, as a ticket out the door or a 3-2-1 are very informative and eye opening. For example, we are studying multiplication and division using the standard algorithm in fifth grade, and by giving my students problems to solve, I was able to easily see who knew what they were doing and who had never been exposed to this math concept before. I am being more intentional with my assessments this year, as they are what tend to drive your instruction.

Also, when it comes to keeping parents informed about their student’s behavior and academic progress (or lack of), I send home graded assignments every week. Biweekly, I send home a behavior progress report in which states the recorded grades for each subject that parents have the option to average. My goal is to have no surprises when it comes to report cards and conferences. I believe that with adequate parent communication, students have the means to make growth across the board.

Phonics Evidence and Strategies- I loved how this presentation gave us ideas of what things to look for in our struggling readers and how to help them better. I initially thought that the skills listed and explained were more geared toward primary grades, but the one that stuck out to me the most was syllabication. The student I am tutoring has difficulty with this reading strategy. When he reads, he is more focused on each individual sound, verses using blends and chunks. I found it very helpful to see the six different kinds of syllables, as I never knew there was a difference. I think it would be a good idea to look into what kind of syllable types my student and others are having the most difficulty with. 

Module 3: Video Analysis (2)

 The activities portrayed in these two videos showed ways reading can be assessed and hands-on. In one of the PowerPoints from this module, it stated how we as teachers must be careful not to teach reading from only worksheets. These activities supported simple and easy ways for students learn to like reading while also giving the teacher a solid idea of the student’s current understanding. As stated in the first video, I agree that phonemic awareness is crucial in developing reading skills, fluency and accuracy. Without these foundational skills, students are likely to fall behind in their early years of reading. Often times, it is hard for a student to get “caught up” if their fundamental skills are never developed. It is my goal, as a teacher, to teach reading in a hands-on way, in hopes that students understand that reading is much more than simply reading the words on a page.  

Module 3: Chapters/Article Reflections

Chapter 7
This chapter was packed with wonderful resources for tracking student progress in reading for primary grade levels. I could see how many of these tools would be useful to help organize and layout the areas a teacher needs to focus on. Figure 7.3 on page 117 was really neat to look at and digest. This print concept assessment would benefit the teacher in allowing them to see where a student is with their current print knowledge. I could also see the students enjoying an assessment/activity like this, as if they are almost on some sort of scavenger hunt. Any time you can make learning engaging and exciting, the students are more apt to jump aboard. As a fifth grade teacher, I enjoyed seeing and reading table 7.5 on page 127, as we use all of the listed reading and writing experiences in our reading and workshop models this. In addition, I believe in using picture books for instruction…even in the upper grades. Table 7.6 on page 129 laid out books that fostered different language elements. I use websites that list books under specific skills such as main idea, theme, characterization etc. to teach my daily mini-lessons. The students love being read to!

Chapter 8

This biggest concept that was reinforced for me in this chapter was the marking and scoring of oral reading assessments. We give the DRA twice a year, and I have the hardest time remembering what the symbols correlate with the various miscues. While I’m listening to a student read, I will find myself getting caught up on marking an error, that I lose track of where the student is, possibly skipping miscues that need to be marked. Also, as the student reads, I find myself marking “codes” and symbols that make sense for me at that given time. At the end of completing a DRA, I will go back and correct any of the miscues I scribbled down for the sake of time. My only concern with this table, (8.2) is that the different reading assessments available for our use, use slightly different coding and markings.


Chapter 12
Figure 12.6 on page 307 reminds me a lot of our reading endorsement class this past summer. We focused heavily on how successful students will read with the big picture in mind, verses reading every individual word and sound on the page. This figure made me realize how much harder students are making it for them when they focus in on letter sounds and words instead of the whole text. The more focused a student is on each individual letter or sound, the more likely they are missing the meaning of the text…which is what reading truly is all about.

"Formative Assessment: Simply No Additives"

This article was absolutely amazing and informative to read regarding the power formative assessment has. I text lifted the following quote as I thought it spoke high volumes of the capabilities of formative assessment. “Formative assessment is a gap-minder because it helps the teacher to stay alert to gaps in individual students’ reading development and to adjust instruction.” I have never heard of the term gap-minder before; however, it makes perfect sense as to why we conduct formative assessments. I also did not realize how much information a teacher can learn about their class by simply conducting a formative assessment. I always wondered why we took the Checkpoint Tests in which included a formative assessment component. Our students always performed poorly on that portion because we had not yet taught those skills and standards. It now makes more sense to me, as to the reasoning why. This data truly helps drive our future instruction, in which helps ensure enough time and not too much time are spent on one specific standard. 

Module 2: PowerPoint Summaries

PowerPoint: Strategies that Support Emergent Literacy by:  Dr. Debra J. Coffey and Dr. Alice F. Snyder

Reflections from the past:

Pre-school: I do not have any memories from this year of school in relation to literacy. I wonder if this was because I was just too young to understand what was going on, or it the impact of literacy was not evident.

Kindergarten/First Grades: I remember being read to a lot, especially gathering in the floor on my piece of tape. We would have visitors come and read books to us as well. As far as writing, I remember writing simple sentences, thus illustrating it afterwards.

Second Grade/Third Grade: This is the year I remember truly learning to read. My teacher would pull us individually, listening to us read and recording notes (probably some sort of reading level test). This is also the year where I remember having to actually write stories/papers.

Predictions:

What would you consider the top three predictors of early success in reading?

1.       I would be looking to see if children liked books and/or reading picture books (even just looking at the pictures).

2.       I would be looking to see if the parents were encouraging reading in the home. Typically when reading is being encouraged, students tend to adapt to that kind of life style as normalcy.

3.       I would be looking for children to make connections/tell stories from pictures or signs they see around town.

How would you rank the top three factors of early success in reading for young children?

Of the above mentioned factors, I believe they would be ranked in this order from most important factor to least: #2, #3, #1, however I really believe all three are great indicators of a successful reader.

I really enjoyed reading about the “Five Essential Elements of Reading” as it is such a good reminder that reading is not all about reading comprehension. In my opinion, all five elements must be present for reading success.

1.Phonemic Awareness/Phonological Awareness

2.Phonics

3.Fluency

4.Vocabulary

5.Comprehension

PowerPoint: Assessment of Reading and Writing Process

From this PowerPoint, I learned how valuable note taking can be. Last week, I had my students take their own notes on constructive and destructive forces. I believe that when students are in control of their learning, they are the ones doing the learning. Students do not learn to their fullest capacity when listening to a teacher. They, the students, must be in control of their learning by being the ones taking the notes and participating in rich discussions.

Also, as I am a fifth grade teacher, I enjoyed reading about the components a writing piece (5^th grade) can be and should be scored according to. When I grade my student’s writing pieces, three things that I check for that were mentioned in this PowerPoint are conventions, ideas and organization. Ideas count double on our writing rubric, as that holds the “meat” of the piece. 

Module 2: Video Analysis

                As I have already completed my tutorial session #1, I was thankful to see this video as a source of confirmation and reassurance. As seen in the video, the teacher/instructor began the tutoring session getting to know their student personally as a reader. It is important to show your student(s) that you care about them and desire to know them inside and out. By taking the time to get to know your student, you gain understanding on how your student views reading and their concerns. Their concerns and frustrations with reading can shed light on underlying problems affecting their reading abilities. The girl in this video voiced her concerns about reading, as did my tutee. I really liked how the teacher was reassuring and gave the student confidence, especially in a subject that causes so much anxiety and frustration. For example, the teacher told the student to say the word lists at a speed that was most comfortable for them. In my first tutorial session, I administered the third and fourth level word lists, in which I now think my student felt was a “timed test”. There were points where I had to tell him to slow down or repeat a few words so I could catch up. I really enjoyed using the QRI5, as it gives me another type of reading assessment to use besides DRA2s that Cobb County requires us to use. 

Module 1:PowerPoint/Reading Response

                This PowerPoint was such a good reminder of reading basics, definitions, and misconceptions that teachers often forget. Over the summer we mentioned how proficient readers read “whole to part” verses “part to whole”.  Proficient readers read for understanding instead of focusing their time and efforts on sounding out individual phonemes. I enjoyed learning different terms to apply to these approaches such as, “Bottom up” and “Top down”.  This year, it is my goal to assist and support my struggling readers to use context clues for unfamiliar words verses pronunciation.

                As a teacher who teaches reading, it is important for me to understand and refer back to The Stages of Reading Development. By knowing these stages, I am able to use an additional tool to assess student’s reading abilities. After looking at these stages, it is good to know that my previous thoughts about what fifth graders focus on according to reading were correct. Fifth grade students (or stage 4), focus on “Reading to Learn”, or comprehending a specific text.

                This year, my school is emphasizing Standards Based Bulletin Boards, and creating a central theme (unit) across all subject areas with the help of our wonderful academic coaches. This was the first time that I had ever heard of the importance creating a thematic unit can have on students. After reading this statement in the PowerPoint plus the information our academic coaches have provided us with, I am looking forward to using a theme and referring back to it across all standards and skills. We have not gotten too deep in our SBBB yet or thematic units, but the 5^th grade team plan to use the theme of Beliefs to guide our instruction across all content areas.  

                I am excited to learn various ways of assessing students, ensuring all areas of reading are evaluated and thoroughly reviewed. To be honest, I tend to focus on the comprehension aspect of reading, instead of including phonics and fluency. This class will help me be more detailed in my assessments, giving me the knowledge I need to understand my student’s strengths and weaknesses. As the text stated, teachers must create a “success cycle” for struggling readers instead of allowing students to continue down the path of being a “less proficient” reader.   

Module 1: Watch & Learn: Assessing Reading Skills Review

               From watching this video (Watch & Learn: Assessing Reading Skills Review) regarding Becca’s reading deficiencies, I was able to gain a better understanding about the importance of assessing students.  I think I am guilty of ‘labeling’ a student as less proficient, and moving on. I work with that student(s) on comprehension on a thorough and consistent basis, as fifth grade is a big year for being able to “read and understand”.  This video helped me see the importance of assessing students in all areas, such as phonics, fluency, comprehension etc. It is important as the teacher, to know what aspect of reading is slowing down the reader, not just saying they are a struggling reader.  By being able to pinpoint the direct issue, teachers will be able to differentiate instruction on a higher level, and ensure the needs of that student are met. I also found the comment regarding IQ very informative, as an IQ level is not an indicator of a student’s reading abilities. Like Becca, her IQ was high, where her math excelled but her reading struggled. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard IQ used to determine a student’s academic abilities. As a fifth grade teacher, it is my job to ensure that my struggling readers have not given up on reading. Many students do so, as their reading deficits become emotional over the years, instead of solely academics. By the time students reach fifth grade, they have a good idea of what “type” of reader they are. For example, they have been placed in particular groups, pulled out for extra support, or even made fun of by peers. I must ensure that the desire and confidence are instilled in the struggling readers I work with in the years to come.   

Module 1: Opitz- Pg. 14 #4

           This school year, I have a classroom full of 5^th graders who are predominately proficient readers. As I have completed DRA2s this past week, I have been able to understand where my students stand based on reading level. I have a couple of students whom are reading above grade level (60 and 70), while a hand full of students are still reading at a 40 (4^th grade). The majority of my class (about 25 students) is reading either on grade level or above for this point in the school year. When looking at my CRCT reading scores from last year, I have one student (out of 32) who scored a level one. This is great, as it allows to me spend time with him, helping him conquer his struggle with reading.

                I chose to focus question fourteen from Opitz’s text on my struggling, or less proficient reader. While I was listening to this student read, he read word by word, ultimately slowing down and hurting his fluency. From this past summer, I now have a better understanding of the difference between proficient and non-proficient readers, as one reads for understanding verses word by word or individual letter sounds. As my less proficient student would come across an unfamiliar word, he would substitute it with a word in which began with the same letter. Nine times out of ten, the substituted word did not have the same meaning as the initial text (he just guessed and did not take into mind context clues). My goal this year in assisting this student is to help him gain understanding as he reads. When he comes across an unfamiliar word, I will encourage him to explain what he thinks this sentence is about. By doing this, I hope he will be able to give me a word to replace the difficult word. In my opinion, if he can gain correct meaning from the text, it does not matter if he uses synonyms or the exact word.  

Module 6: Instructional Challenge

Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom.

Coincidentally, the description mentioned above is very similar to my current teaching situation. 95% of my school receives free or reduced breakfast and lunch; therefore, I am very familiar with how we as a school, currently handle this type of learning environment. I just completed my first year teaching, and next year I know will be very different as my reading philosophy has changed for the better. Next year, I plan to implement writing and reading workshop to their fullest. Having a structured and predictable schedule, especially for reading and writing, are important in successful instruction.

Implementing a comprehensive literacy program is very important for the success of these students. I plan to use guided reading groups in the form of ‘reading’ groups, but also to review skills. For many of these students, absence of books and a love for reading are not found in their homes.  As a teacher, it is my job to be excited and encourage a love and passion for reading and writing. Through sustained reading and writing, I will conference with students daily, complementing and recognizing their hard work and efforts. I have found that in my school, many of the student’s self-esteem is just demolished due to past years of failure and ‘let-downs’. Constant reminders that their hard work is not going unnoticed are important for these students.

Last year, I found myself offering tutoring to those students who truly needed prolonged small group math instruction (I will definitely offer reading tutoring as well next year). I would start my mornings with 5-6 students at 6:30, two days a week. I found that just this extra time truly helped these students feel caught up during regular math instruction. In addition, I stayed in constant communication with parents emphasizing the importance of nightly reading and completion of homework. The biggest changes I plan to implement next year are student choice through reading and writing and ample time for sustained reading and writing. With these changes, I hope to instill in the students who come through my door, a desire and aspiration to learn and grow as life-long learners and readers. 

Module 6: Reading Reflection

Does any of the information presented in Chapter 15 influence your personal philosophy of reading? In what ways? How has your perspective this changed since you took the DeFord TORP a few weeks ago?

My personal philosophy has changed significantly over the last six weeks. Chapter 15 reinforced and summarized what the rest of Weaver’s text has helped me understand and believe throughout this semester. Chapter 15 helped highlight the importance schema and student choice has on being a successful reader. In the big picture, Weaver’s text has helped me define what reading truly is. Reading is ‘whole to part’, verses ‘part to whole’. When I think about the ‘whole to part’ reading philosophy, I think about reading for meaning and a purpose, verses the individual words and sounds on the pages. I also found the different bar graphs informative, as they support my new belief of reading instruction. I now realize the difference between decodable text and predictable text. The effects these two different texts have on reading success are very intriguing. The importance of background knowledge and familiarity of text is crucial in the reading world.  I also found the results in the graphs about contemporary and traditional teaching enlightening. As reading and writing workshop (implemented correctly) fall under the category of contemporary teaching, the results seen in the bar graphs are unbelievable. The findings of this study not only encourage me to implement reading and writing workshops in my classroom, but they excite me as well.

After looking at the DeFord TORP, only a few of my opinions have since changed over this course. I did find however, that when I took the DeFord TORP initially, most of my opinions and thoughts were uncertain and were not well supported. I did not know what all the statements meant in a reading context. Now looking at the statements about reading, I now have a more clear sense of reading and I feel certain about each of my opinions.  One thing that has changed in my reading philosophy is number 6. From Weaver’s text and the various student examples shown within, I believe that sounding out words, by using individual phonemes, is not the best strategy for unfamiliar words. Phonemes are sometimes more confusing to readers than attempting to read for meaning. I think the biggest misconception I had about reading that was shown on the DeFord TORP, was reading instruction in primary grade levels. I now realize that phonemic awareness and phonics is not as ‘necessary’ as I once thought they were. Just like in intermediate grades, reading should reflect enforce gaining understanding through strategies that are grade level appropriate. 

Final Personal Model of Reading Theory

                The importance of reading and clarity of instruction have only deepened since the start of this program. Reading is much more than identifying the words on a page. Through this course, I now have a firm understanding of what reading is how and how to structure instructional time accordingly. Weaver’s text, Reading Process and Practice, has shaped and helped increase my love and excitement for reading instruction.

            Many believe that if students can simply sound out the words on a page proficiently, or with minor miscues they are demonstrating the process of reading. I believe this to not be true, as reading requires comprehension of the particular text, not identification of letter sounds or individual letters or words. In greater detail, reading takes place when the reader them self is able to gain meaning and literal understanding from what they are reading. In order for comprehension to take place, the reader’s schema must be established and aligned with the particular text. Schema is described as ‘an organized pattern of thought or behavior. It can also be described as a mental structure of pre-conceived ideas, a framework representing some aspect of the world, or a system of organizing and perceiving new information’. As a reading teacher, this means that if the reader has not be exposed to and/or taught the background knowledge or prior information of the text (schema), then the reader’s understanding of the text is construed and distorted. It is very important to equip readers with background knowledge of the text, in return building their schema.

            In primary grade levels, I once thought that letter-sound relationships were important and crucial for beginning readers. Through Weaver’s text, I now see how phonics and sounding out words by using phonemes can be detrimental to a student’s reading process. I think that using onsets and rimes when assisting students with unfamiliar words, is one of the more useful and beneficial strategies. The onset is the initial consonant sound (b- in bag, sw- in swim), and the rime is the vowel and the rest of the syllable that follows (-ag in bag, -im in swim). By using onset and rimes to help with unfamiliar words, students are more focused on ‘chunking’ word sounds verses the individual phonemes.

I have come to have a new appreciation for miscues. In the past, I have thought of miscues as merely errors, thinking of them with a negative connotation. In fact, miscues are not necessarily errors, as many of the most proficient (effective and efficient) readers miscue more often than non-proficient readers. It is important to understand the difference between miscues, as some miscues actually indicate proficient reading qualities. When miscues occur, it is imperative that the teacher identify whether or not the miscues impacted the meaning of the text or not. It is found, that the miscues proficient readers make do not change the meaning of the text. For example, the reader may change the word home to house, in the end keeping the meaning the same. Typically, proficient readers miscue more often, as they are more engaged in the meaning of the text, verses saying/sounding out every single word on the page. I am very interested to see what type of miscues my students make next year, as I now look at miscues differently.

Through Weaver’s text and the extension assignments of this course, I believe that I have broadened my understanding of the qualities an effective reading teacher must possess. I am looking forward to implementing reading instruction and the workshop model in my classroom next year, as my perspective and level of knowledge have grown.

Module 5: Instructional Challenge

            I think that with correct usage and balance, a comprehensive literacy program can be helpful and beneficial meeting the needs of the ELL students. By using read alouds, the students have the opportunity to hear proficient reading including correct grammar and reading techniques that the teacher models. I know that with read alouds, the reader is the only one with a copy of the book. However, for this circumstance, I would venture to put the book on the document camera. This will allow the ELL students to see the words and sentences as they are being read, but also allow the teacher to point to the text if they so choose. Very similar to read alouds, shared reading gives the students the opportunity to hear someone else model reading. As many schools are big on guided reading, this time would allow the teacher to not necessarily focus on reading levels of students, but more of skills that need developing. The teacher could pull a small group of students according to a skill (including the ELL students and those who are not as well), as to not single out the only ELL students in the classroom. By working closely with these students, the teacher is able to gauge what skills and reading strategies the students struggle with. Another important component of the literacy program is sustained reading. Research has shown how important this time of ‘student choice’ reading truly is. With sustained reading (not always independent), students could partake in buddy reading. In addition with reading, writing follows the same type of process (modeling and guided). As these reading and writing are often simultaneously taught, students will be able to apply and connect skills and strategies learned to both concepts. Overall, I think the biggest underlying theme of all the strategies I have mentioned to assist the ELL students is modeling.  

Module 5: Reading Reflection

          Through Chapter 13 (Research on Learning and Teaching Phonics), I have gained a whole new approach about phonics. Although reading is attaining understanding and not reading word by word or letter by letter, I still felt that phonics played an important role in the younger grades. I always questioned how they knew what their sight words said/were without using phonics. It is all beginning to make clear sense.
          I think teaching phonics could be ‘integrated’ into the different components of a comprehensive literacy program (Read-alouds, shared reading, guided reading, sustained reading, individual reading conferences, and literature groups). Teachers who insist on teaching phonics in isolation could easily teach it through one of the aforementioned reading categories.
            After seeing some of the examples in chapter 13, especially the one on page 311 (see example), I do not think teaching phonics is effective. If anything, I think that the importance of phonics weighed so heavily on this particular child’s education that it actually hurt their reading and understanding of the text as a whole. As a teacher, especially in the primary grade levels, I would choose to not focus so much on phonics, as I see the ability to read and gain understanding when students use onset and rimes and the ‘chunking’ strategy. Moustafa’s study suggests that ‘children draw upon chunks of known words to read unknown print words. That is, they read new print words by drawing upon the parts of words they already know in print’. In addition, other researchers have found, ‘…that emergent readers find it easier to sound out words in onset-rime chunks than to break the words into separate phonemes and then blend these phonemes to make a word’. According to the research and also the new knowledge I have gained from this reading, I am not an advocate of teaching phonics. As a teacher, you must be able to recognize what is and what is not working for particular students and be willing to use all the strategies you know for the betterment of the students. 

Prominent Researcher-Nancie Atwell

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Module 4: Activity 2

NPR “Topic Areas”

I think all five ‘topic areas’ are beneficial and necessary at some point in a student’s journey to read. However, some are definitely more important and are used more often when learning to read. Fluency is very important when it comes to making sense of the text a student is reading. If a student is not fluent, they create a bigger barrier between them and their reading. Also, I think the topic area of comprehension is key. As we have been learning in this class thus far, ultimately reading is the act of understanding a text while reading. A student can sit and read a book or even short passage all day long, but if they are not gaining insight into the story, they are not reading. Comprehension must be reached in order for a student to be a successful reader.

Allington’s ‘Missing Pillars’

Just like the NPR ‘topic areas,’ fluency and comprehension are very important to me as a teacher. In addition, I feel that in primary grades, phonics is necessary when beginning to learn to read. Just like with Robin in activity one, he used letter sound recognition and chunking to help him read. Also, vocabulary is important when trying to comprehend a passage. Vocabulary helps students use context clues to give meaning to unfamiliar words. Without vocabulary, students would not be able to put meaning with text.

  

Module 4: Activity 1

Wow! What an inspirational video. I must admit, it brought tears to my eyes to see how much Robin struggled in the beginning of his reading journey. I could not imagine being his age and not being able to read. However, it is reality for many people. Many of ‘those’ people are sitting in our classrooms today. They know nothing but failure and possibly wonder ‘what’s the point’? Toward the beginning of the video, I could tell Robin was using context clues as he was reading. For example, he was able to use syntactics when he read, “I’ll give you some when it is ready”. He tried to say “I’ll gave you…,” but he knew that did not sound grammatically correct. Also, Robin used chunking to help him read. He was able to recognize parts of words such as ate, est, art to help him decipher entire words. It was neat to see him sound out congratulations simply by knowing the word ‘rat’ and ‘con’. This was such a wonderful testimony to teachers. It reminds us that even though our students struggle (in any content area), do not give up because there is hope out there. 

Module 4: Instructional Challenge

In reference to Weaver, I feel that this student falls under two of the “Reader Characteristics” on pages 244 and 246: “Reader doesn’t seem to know that reading should make sense,” and “Reader doesn’t seem to use prior knowledge and context to predict what’s coming next. Reader may not know that this is an important reading strategy that makes even word identification easier”. Weaver offers “possible teaching strategies” for each of the reader characteristics provided. A few that I really think would be beneficial for my students are, 1) while previewing a book, discuss what you think the story will be about, 2) reading books to the class, followed by a discussion, 3) sustained reading, and 4) relevant mini-lessons pinpointing the student’s area of weakness. Aside from what the book suggest, using context clues in the text is coming to mind. Since Marcus is substituting words with familiar looking and/or sounding words, it appears that he is simply ‘guessing’ when he comes to an unfamiliar word. I would suggest, once he makes a miscue of this sort, to stop Marcus. Allow Marcus to explain what is happening in the text in general. Once he confirms that he understands the meaning of the text, ask him to reread the sentence in which he miscued. Ask him if the substituted word makes sense. If it does not make logical sense, discuss with Marcus why and continue with what word he could have substituted that would help make sense. In previous chapters, we have discussed that miscues that are semantically acceptable, are not to cause much concern. As a teacher, my goal would be to help Marcus recognize when he makes a semantics miscue and how to make meaning (even if it’s not the original word). In the end, we simply want our students to make sense of what they are reading, even if they miscue occasionally.  

Module 4: Reading Response

Read alouds are such a great teaching strategy and one of my personal favorites. This past year during our school wide DEAR (Drop Everything and Read), I read to my students several times a week the series of The Penderwicks. I think read alouds are such a great way to tie in skills/standards. You can find short story books to read that connect to whatever you need. With Common Core, we will be doing read alouds often, if not daily, to teach a specific skill. This past year, I had a co-worker who polled her students about what they enjoyed the most about last year. The majority of them said they like being read to, which she did almost every day. I am looking forward to implementing read alouds as a mini-lesson reading strategy.

Guided reading was a must for my school this past year. I am excited about where ‘guided reading’ is headed with Common Core. I do not feel that my guided reading rotations and time were beneficial this past year. With Common Core, students will be engaged in sustained reading or small group with the teacher. Sustained reading is becoming a huge part of my reading time. As Weaver stated, independent reading is such an important component to helping students become lifelong readers.

Next year, my school will take part in a simultaneous hour of writing time. This is to help build our writers across all grade levels. We have found (at my school), that when our students reach fifth grade, when we have the writing test, our students do not know how to write. We then find ourselves teaching our students how to simply write a sentence with a capital letter and correct punctuation. We feel that, as a fifth grade teacher, we should be extending our student’s writing, such as how to use similes, idioms, metaphors etc. Instead, we must teach the basics, in which results in poor writing scores. I am looking forward to having enough time to actually teach writing, verses only writing across the different content areas. The majority of this writing time will include guided writing, sustained writing, and individual writing conferences.

These are the components of the comprehensive literacy program that I implemented and plan to use next year. I cannot rave about Common Core enough. I think that this change will give us time to teach the depth of reading and writing knowledge that our students need.  

  

Module 3: Activity 2

       It is amazing how two ‘researched’ reading approaches vary such with instruction and beliefs. I do not think that the sole approach to reading is, as the video stated, sounding out words (phonics), particularly the non-sense words. I can however, see how it is a basic approach to beginning to learn to read. As the video stated, students must know some type of letter sound recognition, or else ALL the words they read would not make sense to them. If that were the case, our ultimate goal of comprehension and understanding is farfetched.

       I think that “cracking the code,” ultimately begins with understanding letter sound recognition. I know I have been reading in Weaver’s text how reading is simply reading for understanding verses the individual sounds and letters (and I completely agree); however, I think reading must begin with the letter-sound recognition in some shape or form. Even though I think phonics is a precursor to reading, I do not considered it to be the act of reading. Although I think phonics is the baby step of learning to read, nonsense words are a waste of time. Why not focus on the letter blends and sounds that students are going to physically see in text when dealing with real words? Spend your time wisely and hopefully it will prevent confusing the kids even more. I could see the students begin to use these made up words in their writing as well. Nonsense words would potentially do more harm than good, especially at the age they are being exposed to. All in all, I still am a strong believer in Weaver’s text. Reading is the process of putting meaning behind words and “cracking the code”. 

Module 3: Mock Memo from a Reading Specialist

Memorandum

To: Classroom Teacher

From: Katie Robinson

Date: June 19, 2012

Re: Comprehension Struggles 

I am glad you were able to identify this concern with your student. Often times, these ‘types’ of students are over looked because they are either reading on or above grade level. Teachers tend to assume that if students are reading at a grade appropriate level, then they are a proficient reader.

If you look in Weaver’s book, Reading Process and Practice, you will read that fluent readers are not necessarily proficient readers. For example, on page 215, the author suggests that fluent readers do not always comprehend what they are reading. Also, the text mentions that, “Fluent reading may actually mask a lack of attention to meaning. This sounds much like your student.

I think that since your student is paying so close attention to the text on the page, they are missing the underlying meaning. One thing that I would suggest is to have your student slow down. I find that the slower I read, verses breezing through a passage, the more I am forced to think about what I am actually reading. In addition, I would suggest pulling this student to read aloud to you. As the student is reading, stop periodically (ideally, after each paragraph) and check for understanding.  When you stop to discuss the text, have your student write one or two sentences about what happened in the text. It is wise to stop throughout; verse waiting till to end to find out your student did not retain the information (especially since you already know this student needs assistance with their comprehension). At this point in time, I am more concerned with discussing the text with the reader. I am not overly concerned at this point about comprehension questions, as the discussion throughout the text will in turn help with their general comprehension.

Always remind and encourage your student that they are a wonderful reader and even the best readers make mistakes. I hope I was able to assist with your instruction. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Module 3: Reading Response

Do you agree with Marilyn Adams (1990, p. 108) who argued that rather than relying on context, “Skillful readers of English thoroughly process the individual letters of words in their texts?” Why or why not?

Marilyn Adams stated that “Skillful readers of English thoroughly process the individual letters of words in their texts.” I completely disagree with this quote. Now that I have been able to ‘dig’ deeper into my understanding of reading, I know that reading is much more than processing individual letters, especially with ‘skillful’ readers. Weaver has explained very well how proficient readers are both effective and efficient. In order to read proficiently, a reader must read for understanding. In order to read for understanding, a reader must not focus on the individual letters and words, but more of what the passage means. When readers focus on individual letters and words, they are taking away from their ability to focus on the meaning. In contrary to what Adams believes, research has found that ‘skillful’ readers do quite the opposite. ‘Skillful’ readers often miscue; however, it is due to their ability to read past the specific letters and gain much understanding and meaning from the text.