Reading is Comprehensive

In Chapter 5 of Catching Readers Before they Fall, I found it interesting that Johnson and Keier pointed out that there were two types of read-alouds: traditional and interactive. I think it is important to keep kids engaged in reading and listening to books for the sole purpose of recreation and enjoyment because it makes reading seem less like a chore. Reading silly books, or having time where lessons are not the main focus is very important. I also found it interesting that she mentions a time when Katie, a fellow teacher, was reading aloud a traditional book and it turned into an interactive read aloud that utilized the "making connections" reading strategy all due to a kid making an intuitive observation about the similarity between two stories.

Another point in Chapter 5 that I found to be relevant was the discussion of scheduling groups to meet with the teacher. Having a chart, like the one page 81, allows teachers to be organized and flexible. It also found relevance in the point that struggling readers will need to be met with more often than those proficient readers. This does not mean that anyone will be ignored, and in fact there will be different groups meeting in regards to needs that are always changing. What one student is struggling with one week, might be different the next. This allows the teacher to observe and assess the child's reading level so independent reading time becomes beneficial for every individual.

Another concept I enjoyed reading about was the idea of community writing. Because these pieces are generated from authentic talk and shared thoughts. This makes the idea of writing a little less scary for the shy students because they have friends to back them up. In particular, I like the idea of shared writing. This lets the students orally express themselves while the teacher writes things out. (This would be good for younger grades.) Overall, it is extremely import for the students to be engaged in active literacy through out the day! Writing, reading, storytelling, workshops, centers, etc are all ways to incorporate new strategies for the students to learn and use on their own.

Chapter 6 dives deeper into the importance of utilizing read-aloud time for instruction. The strategy described on page 103 is something I would like to use in teaching. Letting the children talk before, during, and after reading is a great way to hold a meaningful conversation that will greater increase comprehension. Noting that for ELL this is a great time to practice working with the language, talking to a neighbor and working through their thoughts will make the language more contextual. One last thing I liked about this chapter was the discussion of assessing your own read aloud abilities. The model teacher, Katie, explains that she considered herself a good reader and a teacher who made read alouds fun and inviting for her students. But she also mentions that there was a time in her student teaching where that was not always the case. My issue is with slowing down, I need to take my time more when I am reading, this allows students to really absorb the lesson. Its a nice reminder that we can always improve as teachers!

Hooked on Phonics-

After reading Chapter four I feel like I have had a whole new window of teaching opportunities open up for me. It is as if I had been blinded by phonics. Before I read the chapter, if someone had asked me what to do when working with a child and he or she gets stuck on a word, my first go-to would be "sound it out." I never realized how limiting and unfair that answer was until I read this chapter. The authors mention words like know and night, there are so many words in the English language that do not look like they sound, so sounding it out is really not an option. One of the main points I have taken away from this reading is that there are three reading strategies that should be integrated and used collaboratively while a student reads: Structure, Meaning, and Visual cues (Does it sound right? Does it make sense? and Does it look right?). These questions and prompts will allow the teacher to guide the student on a path towards understanding for not only the one book they are reading at that time, but for all text they will encounter in the future.

At first I will have to be more straightforward, and point to the word the child gets wrong, and ask questions like: "I see you used a word that sounded right in the sentence, but let's look at the first letter," or "Think about the story and try again," etc. Another point I thought was interesting was how the authors used other words the children knew already to prompt understanding of similar sounding words such as: day and stay. By recognizing parts of words, either in the beginning or at the end of the word, students can make associations and solve problems easier.

 It will then be my goal to have the student self-monitor on their own with little help from me. By modeling these strategies in class and making it clear that everyone is capable of reading if they use meaning, structure, and visual cues, I will have a more confident classroom. I thought it was important that the authors pointed out that phonics was not something to be ignored, but to be used when the time is right and throughout each lesson. This is more of an additional strategy than a separate entity.

Catching Readers Chapter 1-3 refelection

In Catching Readers Before They Fall, Pat Johnson and Katie Keier discuss the importance of teachers acknowledging and guiding readers who are struggling and falling behind in class. In chapters 1 through 3 the authors explain the idea of a reading processing system. It should be the goal for all teachers to provide as many opportunities as possible for the child to read and utilize various comprehension strategies. In many cases it is just assumed that the child is the problem, or they have a deficit in reading, but Johnson and Keier have an alternate view that I completely agree with: It is never the child's fault, if they are struggling with their reading we as teachers need to look at our teaching strategies and adjust. 

By learning to construct a reading processing system, a child will be able to self-monitor, notice when their reading does not sound right, adjust or stop when coming to a word or phrase they do not understand, and read with more fluency. In most cases the child is unaware of the possibility of developing these strategies, and all it takes is a teacher to introduce them. By modeling these skills in read alouds, such as visualization, and talking about what their inner voice is saying while reading, the student can pick up on these habits. Moving toward independence, the teacher can then scaffold the child by helping with a guided practice where the teacher asks the students questions and provides support. Finally, the student is able to try it on their own and eventually develop various strategies learned in class. Vygotski is famously known for coining the term: zone of proximal development, which is basically tasks that the child is capable of doing with help from a more knowledgeable other, or teacher in this case. If the child is constantly stuck in their zone of actual development, they will never be challenged, but if they are put in a position where they are given material too difficult they are put in a  position where development will not occur. It is out of reach, even with help. 

After reading these chapters it really got me thinking about how I want to teach my classroom in the future. I find it so important that I get to know my students better because the better I know them, and their strengths or weaknesses, the more likely I am going to be able to place the child into tasks that are in their zone of proximal development. I want my students to be challenged, but not lost. Through conferences and group work I might have more opportunities to reach this goal. Making inferences and visualizing will be something each kid considers uniquely because experiences are what make up our thoughts about certain things we read, bit if a teacher never guides the students to an understanding of these strategies and their usefulness, struggling students may never progress. 

Reading and Good Teachers

 Reading and writing are fundamental parts of everyday communication and literacy. As future educators, it is our job to take the time necessary to allow our students to reach their unique potentials. According to Allington, for kids to grow as readers and to fully comprehend learning, it is important for teachers to look at what really matters. It seems to me a lot more simple than it is made out to be. There is a direct link between reading proficiency and volume. The more students read, the more they will learn. Practice makes perfect. Students need more time on task to focus on age appropriate reading for longer periods of time. If students have more options, and the school allows teachers to work towards matching the student to the text, there is a better chance that the student will enjoy the learning journey. Instead of reading text aloud, it is more efficient to have students read silently. In  the time that they read, teachers could practice what Allington describes as "near" and "far" observation. By watching the students' posture, noticing their facial expressions, and being aware of their comfortability with a text, teachers can gauge reading levels, or at least notice when a student is struggling. With "near observation" a teacher may stand next to a student who is having difficulty and provide guidance. the students also need to be interested in what they are reading, or at least believe in their potential to understand a text in order to grow from reading a book. The difficulty level of a book may be established through the "three finger method" that Allington explains. have the student read a few lines in the beginning of the book, each time a word or phrase is not understood, the child simply puts one finger up. If the student finds three words they do not know, it means the book is too difficult. This allows the teacher to keep record and better accommodate a students unique reading level.

Every student is different, and a child's grade level has little relevance to the exact reading level they will be at. Instead of allocating a specific book for the whole class to read, it is far more beneficial to provide options for the students that best fit their literacy needs. If a book is too difficult, it will only hurt the child's confidence, and push them back further. The learning environment the students have also has a direct effect on their reading proficiency. A classroom with limited access to books or an ill-equipped library has a correlation with lower academic achievement. In most cases it is the student in a  low-income family or school district that will suffer.  Not having books at home is another issue, and this is why programs that allow students to obtain books for cheap is a great addition to a community. We want to teach children to love reading and encourage them to read for fun, as well as for school. The author makes note that series books are often debated between being beneficial or unworthy of the student's time. In this case, it seems to me that if it is something the student can follow or brings out a desire to read int he child, I say go for it. Why discourage a young reader? I will say that it is important to have a wide variety of texts available, but that does not necessarily mean the student should be restricted completely.

Teachers need to consider class structure. Time in school is so valuable, and what happens from 8 am to 2:30 pm Monday through Friday has a monumental impact on literacy in school-aged children. There needs to be better management of time and teacher collaboration among all subjects in school. Just because a student is in history class or math class and not in reading workshop, does not mean their reading time should be limited. There needs to be more reading incorporated across the whole curriculum. Textbooks should be approachable as well. There is no sense in having a textbook if the student struggles to read the words on the pages. Overall, the real issue at hand is finding a creative way to interest the students and create several opportunities throughout the school day for students to read and get to know themselves better in the process. This is going to take more than state standards and funding, it is going to take passionate and motivating teachers.