Module 4 Summary

Literacy Across the Curriculum: I really enjoy looking at thematic units that focus on one topic, yet are discussed in a variety of subject. I find that thematic units are usually a win for students, as they enjoy learning about a particular topic in such depth. However, what I have found is that they are extremely time consuming to create. What I do feel that I am getting more proficient with is connecting my reading and writing with social studies. My students this year really enjoy reading picture books about social studies events and people that we have previously discussed.

RTI-I have had the opportunity to work with the RTI process a good but in the past 2 years. Being an EIP inclusion and reduced sized classroom teacher has given me several opportunities to identify students performing below grade level. I am thankful for the Tier process, as it gives students additional support that they truly need. One thing that I have personally learned about the tier process is that students who make the best candidates struggle in one academic area, typically math or reading. However, students who are general “slow learners” do not usually advance to a tier 4. The charts and pyramid in the RTI PowerPoint was such a great visual to see how the tier process builds and progresses throughout.  

Video-I did not grow up on the TV show Reading Rainbow. I think the song is catchy, thus inviting students to explore the concept of reading as anything can happen in a book. I think the song does a good job of showing students that in a book you can be anything you want to be.

Strategic Reading Instruction PPT: I really found the slide about the Reading Components and the Big Five eye-opening. When I looked at the chart I visualized the two stages of reading: learning to read, and reading to learn. I felt that these two categories connected with “Decoding” and “Comprehension.” As a 5^th grade teacher, I have found that I tend to focus on the Comprehension stage verses the Decoding stage.

Webquest PPT: In my undergraduate courses, I had the opportunity to create a web quest. This is something I would like to get a refresher on. I find myself researching for pre-made webquests that tie into the standards and curriculum. Students enjoy webquests because it gives them time to research on the computers, and it is much like a scavenger hunt for them. This is something I would like to do more of.

Conquer the Code: Reading is such an important key to living in today’s world. I found that the following quote, “In today’s world, learning to read well is a key to the future success of our children. Not only is reading fluently and with comprehension by third grade a legislated priority, it is an ethical and professional imperative.” (Wolfe and Nevills, 2004) When teaching, I have found that students, who struggle in reading, virtually struggle in all academic areas. They do not know how to read text that connects to science, social studies, health etc., as well as decode mathematical word problems.

Module 3 Summary

Encouraging Enthusiasm for Reading: I found this video touching, as I have never been an avid reader until now. I still don’t consider myself a big reader, but I must encourage my students to still become lifelong readers. I am beginning to find books enjoyable, but it takes one that is “just-right” for me to not want to put it down. I do not remember being read to as a child, which I believe is such a powerful tool at a young age. I loved the quote in regards to us not teaching great books, but about us teaching a love for reading. It is my hope and desire that I am able to instill this love in my students, as well as my own children on day.

Using the SMART table for Collaboration: This video was neat to see because our technology teacher won our school a SMART table by entering and winning an essay contest.  The table was supposed to arrive Tuesday, and we are all excited to use it. When we were being briefed about the table, collaboration was one thing that stuck out to me. As students are working on the table, they have to make unanimous decisions when working together. For example, if they want to close out of an activity, they all have to be touching the screen. I think this will be such a great tool to help teach our students learn to work together.

Exploring Social Studies and Technology: I loved seeing how to use the SMART table more. I think this tool can really be beneficial in the classroom (especially for Special Education students), as there are educational activities, such as math. From the looks of it, it appears that you are able to import your own activities to enhance the learning opportunities.

Integrating Science and Literacy in Early Childhood: This video did such a good job explaining what literacy includes. Literacy is not just reading and writing, but also listening, speaking and thinking skills.  Assessing is often associated with testing, but when teachers assess students, it means they are looking at how they learn and what they, as an educator, need to do to help their students move forward as a literate individual. I love how the alphabet was brought up. Although I am not a primary teacher, parents often think that their child knows their ABCs if they can sing the song, but students must be able to make that one to one correspondence as well. This often times is a big debate.

Informational Literacy: As a 5^th grade teacher, we use a lot of informational text to help foster our learning. According to the definition given in this video, it is my hope that through the various texts we read in class, my students “know when and why to you need information, where to find it and how to evaluate, use and communicate in an ethical manner.” When we read informational texts in class, I now want to do more with the text than just connect it to the specific standards such as how the text would benefit them as an individual.

Five Expository Text Structure and their Associated Signal Words:   I absolutely love teaching expository text structures to my students. It Is 5^th grade a standard I taught during the 1^st quarter, and I enjoy showing students the graphic organizers and how they can use them for various texts they read. Although this standard has been taught, I find myself referring to venn diagrams, character webs, and sequence, problem-solver, and cause-effect charts often. There are so many lessons and activities that allow me to refer back to the different kinds of text structures.

The Effect of Explicit Instruction on Reading Preferences Research: What a neat action research! I truly believe that what students see you, the teacher, read or reference to during class, influences their selection of books. I will recommend books to my students because I think they will enjoy them (especially if they are a non-reader). We have DEAR time daily. I read books during this time that I think my students will enjoy. When I put books back on the self, it is a race to the bookshelf to see who can get to it first. I also think book talks have such an impact on student’s selection of books. One thing that I find intriguing is that after we read any type of book in its entirety, my students will want to read it by themselves. It is amazing how the teacher can impact a student’s reading selection.