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.