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.