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Integrative Strategies for Teaching Informational Text

3/24/2014

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by Christina Roth, Talent Development Teacher at Oaklawn Language Academy & 
Hornets Nest Elementary
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What is your first memory of learning to read?  Perhaps your parent read aloud to you every night before you went to bed or maybe you recall the week your kindergarten teacher read the names of the month book every single day, until it was time for the class to recite them from memory.  Regardless of your initial exposure to reading, whether positive or negative, there is a good chance that you remember the experience.  This reading experience is what Newkirk (2012) calls the "journey" that we travel on while reading a piece of writing, both fiction and nonfiction. (p. 32) A journey that allows us to gather knowledge about characters, the moral of the story, and most importantly, an overall plot (Newkirk, 2012).  But is it possible for information text to have a plot - a traditional storyline?  How do we inspire gifted students to consider a novel and a newspaper article as equally appealing?

     I have taught several gifted students who read at or above grade level when it comes to literature, but their comprehension of informational text is below standard. They prefer to read novels and love participating in literature circle discussions, but shy away from anything that resembles nonfiction.  They insist that textbooks are boring, the words are too hard to understand, and they cannot relate to the information.  As I considered all the wonderful ways to teach informational text, I realized I could provide solutions these concerns. In fact, I feel a sense of urgency and obligation to make sure my gifted students are equipped with the most purposeful strategies for learning with informational text.  I want them to enjoy the informational text journey, and continue reading for information long into future.

     How is the journey and exploration of nonfiction, especially informational text, so different from those childhood storybooks? Why is it so easy for gifted children to listen to a bedtime story, but difficult for these same students to comprehend the vocabulary in a sixth grade science textbook in order to learn about the anatomy of an amphibian? Does technology provide an outlet for the gifted population to understand the academic language of nonfiction?  Finally, is it possible to combine traditional reading methods and more innovative strategies, in order to teach gifted students the complexities of informational text?  Regardless of the strategies we use for teaching gifted students about informational text, we must have resources and current technology on campus.


Research
     As students move from elementary school to middle school, they are exposed to more informational text, however, they are no more prepared to tackle the difficult, academic vocabulary (Ness, 2011).  The strategies used for teaching narrative text does not translate to the material found in traditional textbooks (Ness, 2011), so this leaves students struggling to make connections with the information (Ness, 2011; Shanahan, Fisher, & Frey, 2012). Soalt (2005) suggests the developing units that incorporate fiction and informational texts in order to provide students with a "big picture" for the material. (p. 680) Oftentimes, students have difficulty understanding the academic vocabulary presented in the text, so this hiccup in understanding creates a severe chasm between reading and comprehension (Dalton & Grisham, 2011; Newkirk, 2012; Shanahan, Fisher, & Frey, 2012; Soalt, 2005). Informational texts are also more subject-specific and require greater background knowledge (Mantzicopoulos & Patrick, 2011; Shanahan, Fisher, & Frey, 2012; Soalt, 2005).  

     The good news is gifted students have a strong preference for “adding to their storehouse of knowledge” (Leal & Moss, 1999, p. 88) so learning new math vocabulary or background knowledge on the start of World War II is a way for them to increase their information bank.  Gifted children also appreciate out-of-the ordinary information and more creative aspects of informational texts, such as charts, graphs, illustrations and “mind-boggling details that stimulate the imagination” (Leal & Moss, 1999, p. 97).  Learning new information, specifically content vocabulary gives gifted students a chance to transfer their knowledge into other areas of school, in turn increasing their confidence for learning and possibility for reaching their full academic potential (Robinson, 2002).  For instance, reading Susan B. Anthony’s biography and learning about the elements of a great newspaper article could inspire one gifted child to write an editorial on women’s rights to the local newspaper.

Back to Basics
       Remember that initial memory of hearing a story read aloud? At some point the read-alouds might disappear from the every day school schedule, but students need those story-like elements in order to process informational text (Cummins & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011; Leal & Moss, 1999; Newkirk, 2005; Mantzicopoulos & Patrick, 2011).  Reading an informational text aloud provides gifted students the chance to decipher the overall language of the text (Mantzicopoulos & Patrick, 2011) and gives them a chance to spark their natural curiosity for learning new material (Robinson, 2002). The spark for learning translates into life-long learning and researchers with a love and motivation for new information (Mantzicopoulos & Patrick, 2011).  I have a gifted student, Zoe, who reads with an amazing fluency rate, but her informational text comprehension is not where it should be at her age.  We recently read Nelson Mandela’s biography, in an attempt to prepare for a Black History Month project.  She told me one of her favorite parts of the time we spent reading the book was when I read aloud to the small group.  Children, especially gifted students, benefit from “continuous interactions between the reader, the text, and the context” (Leal & Moss, 1999).  Zoe could have read every bit of the biography on her own, but I knew she would be more engaged and more likely to comprehend the information if I read aloud during our learning sessions.
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Technology Connections
     In order to increase background knowledge on an upcoming unit, students could also take a virtual scavenger hunt through various websites and resources.  During a recent unit on Penguins, I created an interactive exploration page for gifted second graders.  The students traveled from one informational website to another skimming and reading for information to satisfy each component of the scavenger hunt.  The students were not looking for terribly in-depth information; they were just gathering knowledge on a particular subject, so they would be prepared for the more complex tasks I had planned. This information exploration provided just enough knowledge to give them the confidence they needed to more forward in becoming a true expert on the topic (Robinson, 2002).  Moving forward, the students entered into a series of tasks such as making connections, sequencing, and summarizing.  Without the initial background knowledge they gathered on the virtual scavenger hunt, my gifted students may have become more concerned about the process than the actual product.

     Since we know that students need a working, content-related vocabulary to comprehend complex informational texts (Dalton & Grisham, 2011; Newkirk, 2012; Shanahan, Fisher, & Frey, 2012; Soalt, 2005), it is important to engage gifted learners in creating their own vocabulary banks.  One way to incorporate new vocabulary and technology is the use of online word webs, especially the free web application Wordle (www.wordle.net).  On Wordle students can create a word cloud with new content-specific vocabulary, giving them the chance to design and adjust the word web as they learn new vocabulary.  The word webs can be manipulated to show relationships, such as cause and effect or an underlying theme to the informational text (Dalton & Grisham, 2011).  Gathering new words can be a pre-reading activity at the beginning of a new unit in their biology textbook or a culminating project after reading Helen Keller’s biography.  

Change and Choice
            It is important to provide gifted students, especially gifted boys, the choice to be involved in their academic opportunities (Hebert & Pagnani, 2010; Robinson, 2002).  Interestingly enough, boys typically choose nonfiction over fiction, while gifted girls will often choose fictional stories (Hebert & Pagnani, 2010).  Allowing students to choose their reading material or learning products will give them a sense of motivation and potentially increase their overall engagement in the process (Hebert & Pagnani, 2010; Leal & Moss, 1999; Robinson, 2002; Soalt 2005).  For example, I use the R.A.F.T. strategy with many upper elementary gifted students.  R.A.F.T., which stands for Role/Audience/Format/Topic (Santa, 1988), is a “writing-to-learn” strategy for improving the understanding of informational texts.  Students have the option to choose each of the four elements, as it relates to the topic or subject they are currently studying in class.  The process of completing the R.A.F.T. is engaging, multi-disciplinary, and motivating for many gifted students. 

            Sam, a gifted fifth grader, completed a R.A.F.T. after reading about the events leading up to the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America.  He chose the role of a 21st Century American, writing a thank-you letter to James Madison.  He mentioned how important it was for Madison to sign the U.S. Constitution, and incorporated informational elements that he had been studying throughout their social studies unit.  His writing was very specific and full of excellent, factual details.  Typically Sam is apprehensive when it comes to writing his thoughts on paper, but knowing his love of U.S. history, I encouraged him to choose something he was passionate about.Using the R.A.F.T. gave Sam the confidence to proceed with the assignment, while still satisfying the need for processing and incorporating informational text into the task.

Informational Advocate
     Although there are many ways to integrate informational text into the classroom, sometimes the technology and resources are unavailable (Baker, Dreher, Shiplet, Beall, Voelker, Garrett, Schugar, & Finger-Elam, 2011; Jeong, Gaffney, & Choi, 2010; Ness, 2011).  In fact, Baker et al. (2011) reports that many classroom libraries contain mostly fiction.  However, children chose informational texts twice as often as fiction during their weekly library visits (Ness, 2011), which indicates a growing interest in informational text.  The amount of informational text within school assessments and state standardized tests continue to increase every year (Ness, 2011). Providing informational text options within the classroom is important for academic preparation, but more importantly, it is a general life skill (Ness, 2011).

     So, how do teachers use informational text in their lessons if the resources are not available?  The absence of informational texts presents a complication for encouraging students to dig deeper into content-specific books and current events.  As teachers, we must encourage administrators to consider subscriptions to online informational resources, such as Discovery Education (www.discoveryeducation.com) and magazines like Time for Kids.  Perhapsfunding for these materials should be included in grade level requests from year to year, or a part of the donations that come from the school community.  Regardless of the source, it is evident that securing proper informational text materials is imperative for the success of each student, especially those students who may not have exposure to the materials at outside of the school community.

Parenting Partners
            Parents are an integral part of making the connection to understanding informational texts outside of school.  For example, encourage parents to read aloud to their children, regardless of the age.  Reading aloud to lower elementary students gives them a chance to hear the “sound of informational text” (Cummins & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011, p. 400) at an early age, which gives them a chance to make connections to other similar texts.  Another superior way to increase comprehension of informational text structure is through general conversation (Cummins & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011).  Talking about sporting events, new math topics, or the evening news encourages students to fully understand what they are hearing, seeing, and reading.  This process will eventually translate to the classroom, and give them a proper segue for comprehending information text at an independent level (Cummins & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011; Ness, 2005;Soalt, 2005).  Something as simple as working through a family recipe could provide the connections to comprehending informational text at a higher level.

Conclusion
            The ability to comprehend informational text is gaining greater importance within the educational community (Cummins & Stallmeyer-Gerard, 2011; Ness, 2011), so the strategies for tackling this genre are equally important.  With the proper resources and technology, gifted students will have what they need in order to succeed and excel as informational learners.  As educators, we have a duty to ensure that students are given the tools they need to master the many components of informational text, and walk away feeling successful.

For a full list of References, please click here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christina Roth is currently the Talent Development/Catalyst Teacher at Oaklawn Language Academy and Hornets Nest Elementary School. She has been an educator for almost 14 years, with experience in both elementary and middle school. She received her master's from Winthrop University in Middle Level Education, followed by her National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist. As a passionate life-long learner she went on to get her AIG Certification from UNCC and recently finished her ESL Certification through the CMS cohort experience. During her spare time she is an avid CrossFitter and works as a contracted writer for the CrossFit Games website, runs a small online, gluten-free bakery business, and loves to travel with family and friends.
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Literacy Across Disciplines with Subtext

3/16/2014

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by Margareta Tripsa, English as a Second Language Teacher at Smithfield Elementary
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Success in our modern global society requires postsecondary learning and postsecondary learning requires students to display disciplinary literacy. Literacy, the ability to read, write, listen, speak, think critically and perform in different ways and for different purposes, begins to develop early and becomes increasingly important as students pursue specialized fields of study in high school and beyond.

The Common Core State Standards, which target college and career readiness, were built on four Key Considerations. According to the first consideration (a focus on results, rather than means), teachers are free to employ whatever approach and tools fit their teaching style and help their students meet all instructional standards. This gives schools a lot of flexibility, but at the same time their accountability increases. According to the second consideration (an integrated model of literacy) reading, writing, speaking, and listening must be integrated into each discipline across all grades so that all students gradually build knowledge and skills toward college and career readiness. A third consideration (research and media skills blended into the standards as a whole) talks about the need to embed technology throughout all standards as opposed to having separate standards for technology and media skills because of the nature of today’s society which is increasingly technological- truly an information age. The way we deliver instruction should reflect the reality of the society. Only by doing this, we ensure the fact that the new generation will be ready to succeed as future productive citizens who need to be active consumers and producers of content. This key consideration also points out the need for our students to be presented with both print and nonprint texts in old and new formats. The fourth consideration (shared responsibility for students’ literacy development) disseminates the fact that all teachers are language teachers. Literacy is a shared responsibility not only of the ELA teachers, but of all subject area teachers. The Common Core requires us to adopt an interdisciplinary approach.


These four considerations represent a good justification for the use of a tool like Subtext in the classroom. Subtext is a FREE collaborative reading app for the iPad. Subtext claims that it promotes and facilitates an elevated reading experience on tablets. It is a great tool to help students break down complex texts and it is perfectly suited for close reading. It allows groups to exchange ideas and interact within the pages of digital texts. Just think about the benefit of being able to leave notes or questions in the margins of a digital book and getting replies in real time from teachers and other peers as opposed to just you scribbling on a paper book, let alone the fact that you wouldn’t even be allowed to do this when using regular classroom textbooks or library books. Subtext provides many other tools to support reading. It can be used with 2nd grade through high school/college students. I have used it with 2nd grade, and my students have enjoyed it tremendously.

To begin, you can watch the following video about it:

Teachers Talk About Subtext from Subtext Video on Vimeo.

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What does Subtext bring new to the table? Why would you use a collaborative reading app like Subtext as opposed to using paper books? I will start by asking you several questions:

-How many of your students would take the time to look up words in a dictionary, and how often would they do it? What would you say if you had the opportunity to have instant access to definition for all words in a text?

-How often would students be allowed to annotate the books they are reading and to highlight key information? And how easy would it be for you to check out everybody’s annotations and answer the questions they might have?

-How easy is it for students to both read at their own pace and have academic conversations about their reading while reading without interrupting their peers or the instruction?

-What would you say about the possibility to supplement students’ reading with multimedia resources embedded in their passage to build background, reinforce concepts, or address all learning styles all provided at the right time according to each student’s reading pace?

-What would you say about giving the students the opportunity to get feedback in real time from you and from their peers?

-What would you think about the possibility to quickly check for understanding through polls, true/false questions, or multiple choice questions right in the middle of their reading and again tailored to their reading pace?


By using Subtext, you can do all these and even more! There are three options available for adding digital documents to Subtext. First, you can use any free book you find online in the public domain, second, any Web article you find on the web can be automatically converted to an eBook while being uploaded to Subtext, or third, any PDF document. I found it very easy to email PDF documents to my inbox, and then open the document in Subtext, but I also tried the other options, too. So far, I have used only the free version, and have enjoyed a great variety of features. The paid version offers extra features such as the possibility to have the whole text read aloud to the students (text to speech), the possibility to give students assignments and to use Common Core aligned assignments designed and shared by other teachers, and also the possibility to track students’ progress. This last feature offers great insight into students use of Subtext features such as how many minutes they spend on a page, how many look ups they did, how many comments they typed in, how many annotations they made, etc. In addition, you can also see each student’s data compared to the group average. 

Today there is much talk about the impact of digital resources on learning and instruction. A good technology tool allows users to do much more than they would be able to do without it. Because of the versatility of the digital text and its various features, using Subtext is much more than just having a book on a tablet instead of on a paper book. Teachers are able to differentiate their instruction much easier and respond to each student’s needs with just the right tools helping them approach rigorous content and increasingly complex texts. Students are able to interact and collaborate in a dynamic learning environment.

You can see below what a page looks like after the students have interacted with each other, with the text, and with the teacher in Subtext. 
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For step to step screenshot directions and to see what it looks like in practice, you can access my post about Subtext on my teacher blog, Techie Teachers’ Tricks. 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Margareta Tripsa is a visiting international faculty teacher and has been teaching for 5 years in CMS (out of 13 years of teaching experience), currently she teaches ESL at Smithfield Elementary, CMS, NC. She earned her Master’s of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Ms. Tripsa was awarded the Global Educator Award 2013. She loves both engaging students with technology tools and helping teachers build technology fluency while working with ELLs.  She is passionate about the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) framework and believes that effective technology integration involves skills and knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and content taken together, not in isolation. You can connect with her, visit, or follow her educational blog, Techie Teachers’ Tricks for more resources.

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Everything I Need to Know about Independent Reading I Learned from Reading Independently

3/1/2014

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by Theodore Mueller, Academic Facilitator at Bruns Academy
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Today’s reflection came as a result of reading “Out of the Shadow of SSR: Real  Teachers’ Classroom Independent Reading Practices” by Sherry Sanden. Language Arts, Volume 91 Number 3,  January 2014.  

The main purpose of the article was to provide an authentic contrast to the National Reading Panel’s 2000 findings that suggest that reading models like Sustained Silent Reading provide no notable benefits for the development of students as readers.  Without taking a stance on either SSR or Independent Models more similar to a “Reader’s Workshop” model of Independent Reading I was immediately prompted to consider myself as a reader now, as an adult, and look for comparisons to the kind of readers I see on a daily basis in the students I serve.

The first, and most obvious similarity, is autonomy of text selection.  In fact, within both SSR and Independent Reading, self selection is essential.  Whether it is a novel by Matthew Pearl, a timeless classic like My Antonia, or a recent article in a professional magazine I am pretty picky in what I want to spend my time reading, especially since there is no guarantee how long my eyes will stay open when I sit to read.  It is not a rare occurrence for me to table a book within the first chapter if I am not captured or intrigued by some aspect of the text.  In the recent, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children I was captured by the immediate connection to the narrator and the intrigue in the story. And as the story became more bizarre and the characters more whimsical I easily turned page upon page until I came to the ending. I also know enough about myself as a reader that I would love a good historical fiction novel, or a good piece of literary nonfiction; such as, Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea.  


It is this first point, however, that produces one of the major roadblocks I have encountered with students.  Yes, students know when they like or don’t like a book when reading it. But do they actually know enough about themselves as a reader to determine prior to reading they will or wont like the novel? Have they had enough exposure to genre types and authors to know up front if a text is likely to appeal to them? I think the term “well-read” often refers to a reader who has read numerous titles from an extensive list of must-read texts.  However, I would argue that to be well-read is not contingent upon the titles read, but that the reader has read a wide variety of genres and authors to make decisions about texts both prior to and during reading.

The first step to help this process is to offer students a way to reflect/uncover/express their reading preferences through reading inventories. I also recommend talking to students during 1 on 1 time or at lunch/class change about the books they like to read and the topics they enjoy.  As the classroom teacher the response now becomes, I need to help my students become well read.  I have to have choices in abundance.  I cannot exclude Blueford High Series books, but I also cannot limit the collection to the series and graphic novels.  I must include mysteries, dramas, trade books, biographies, classics and modern works of fiction.  The classroom library needs to promote the idea that there are many different readers in the room and they are all valued and appreciated.  I think advertising books that I’ve read and showcasing student recommendations through a “Hot Reads” board is an excellent way to promote books that might get overlooked.  Even starting a routine, student-driven book talk will help students see themselves as valued readers.

The second area of congruence is a conducive environment.  When I read, unless at the dentist office, I prefer to be comfortable, near a lamp, with a cup of tea, coffee or glass of water. I think one of the things we tend to do, especially with older students, is park them in their desks.  I don’t know what other locations within a classroom are more comfortable than a desk if spaces aren’t intentionally created.  I think bringing in lamps, padded chairs, bean bags, carpets, etc is a must.  Though it wont necessarily be for all students, I think it shows a commitment to honoring the reader’s autonomy. I think when anyone walks into the classroom, they should immediately tell reading happens and is enjoyed here.

Third is time.  I have not come across a single model in my research in which reading time is completely random.  In looking at SSR and Reader’s Workshop, time is specifically scheduled routinely for students to read.  This is critical.  Based on a 2004 study Journal of Literary Research, Guthrie J.T., “experts typically spend 500% more time engaged in the performance of a skill than novices. Reading is apparently no different…proficient 4th grade readers engage in reading activity on average 2.5 hours per day, while the poorest readers participate with reading for 30 minutes or fewer, a difference of 500%.” If we don’t provide students with adequate time to become “well-read” readers then we are leaving it up to chance that it will happen somewhere else besides our classrooms.  There are those few readers, so captured by their novels, they can hardly wait for the second of downtime so they can open up their novel and continue reading. There have been times when I have been able to fight off sleep just to finish a great read. But then there is the contrary, the time when students, and adults, resist reading.  Even to this day over a decade later I hate to be told what to read because I had to read 22 novels across 3 courses during 1 semester of college. These are the readers I mostly encounter.  They don’t have the time or access to texts outside of school. The year they sit in front of me is not the first school year they did not enjoy or struggle when reading. I must help them see the importance by protecting time in class for reading.

Determining when to read independently is addressed in models like Reading Workshop, Cafe, or SSR. I am not going to attempt to answer the when question, but would encourage you to research and reflect on your own. It is, however, important to consider the implications of when students read in your classroom because the impact can be positive or negative.  For example, if independent reading happens like a DEAR approach (drop everything and read) the results are most likely a FART (Forget all you read Today). When there has been no clear purpose for reading set, or no connection between reading and instruction from day to day made, students lose interest in reading.  We then, in an attempt to explain their negative reading behaviors, blame the results on the students effort, but in actually we were the cause.  On the contrary, when students understand the purpose for their reading, have a nurtured value in that purpose, and can see the connection and relevance between classroom instruction and what they are reading we foster a love for reading and place value in the students as readers.

Lastly, readers need to share their experiences. Anytime I can stomach a conversation with a Harry Potter fan I make sure to recommend a “real book about magic,” Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I love sharing my 10th grade reading experience with students. I was typically bored by what we read in class and seldom found delight in school reading. That is until Ms. Boar’s English class and Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations.  It is not just students listening to me tell my story, they have to tell their own and hear their peers’.  Furthermore, just like the article that got this post started, readers want to immediately share their experiences.  While promoting reading we must allow for this to occur at all stages of reading (Before, During, and After).  This should happen through many types of activities, including but not limited to, book talks, conferring, Book Recommendations, Literary Circles, class/individual blogs, reading journals etc.  It really is about creating a culture where readers and reading are valued. (Notice I made no mention of typical assessment yet students are still held accountable.)

I think the more opportunities students have to be excited about what they read the more likely they will be to read outside of the class- the more likely they will be to seek out texts and authors they like on their own, and read them.  We are social creatures. We see movies, watch TV shows or sporting events, we take vacations and then we look forward to sharing and discussing those experiences with others. In some cases it is to share something that may be new to someone else. Other times, it is to find commonality, or even companionship, in the experience. Reading must afford the students the same opportunity in our classes so the discussion will continue outside. Eventually conversations will sprout outside of classrooms naturally, and if that occurs I know that 75% of my job is complete. They still need to be proficient on their end of year assessment (there I said it).

I should briefly mention why I did not include “at their level” as a key feature of independent reading in this post.  Students need to have exposure to and opportunity to struggle with challenging texts.  We need to be prepared to talk with students about why it is tough and coach them through it.  I don’t ever consider reading level when I pick up a book to read. If the culture is in place and, connecting to my previous point about selection autonomy, if students are well-read they will know enough about themselves as readers to make the determination if a book is just-right or not. I need to help them grow as a reader in more ways than just to pass a test or to complete a box and bullet organizer.  Helping students to grow as a reader and develop a toolkit of strategies to unlock all texts, including challenging texts, based on their own experiences while reading is my main goal as a reading teacher anyway. I welcome the opportunity.

In conclusion, my point is not to favor one model or program over another. It is to prompt some introspection and reflection about who you are as a reader and how you can enable students to learn about themselves as a reader and grow. I will conclude with questions from the study(Language Arts pg 164) to serve as reflection:

1. What does the term independent reading mean to you?

2. In what ways do you currently use independent reading with your students?

3. What experiences have influenced the decisions you make about independent reading in your classroom?

4. What are some of the pros and cons you see in using independent reading with your students?

5. What impact do you think independent reading has on your students’ reading growth?

6. What is your reasoning for the balance of reading and reading-related activities in your classroom?

7. In what ways do you provide support for your students’ independent reading before, during, and after independent reading episodes?

8. How important is a program (AR, Daily 5, etc) in supporting independent reading in your classroom?

9. What are the characteristics of the program that are important to students’ success with independent reading? Why?

10. What role will student interest surveys and autonomy play in students’ success with independent reading?

ReadWriteThink.org support: Search “support Independent Reading”


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Theodore Mueller's professional career is one shaped by motion, from potentiality to actuality. He is continually striving towards becoming a better educator than he was the day before.  He received his M.Ed. from Valparaiso University in 2004 and completed his NBPTS certification in 2010.   He has taught English/Language Arts for 10 years total in both Chicago and Charlotte.  Recently, he has spent two years as a facilitator. His number 1 passion is still the students in the building, though he has grown to find working with adults just as rewarding.  The similarity working with both is simple: It is all about the relationships!  Hes enjoy the English/Language Arts Content and has enjoyed working with the Humanities Department to write and develop Curriculum and Performance Tasks for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for the past three years. In addition, he has had numerous great experiences delivering PD and working with colleagues.  But more importantly, he has learned a great deal and continues to grow daily. He would love to connect with you on Twitter and invites you to be part of his growing PLN.
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We Only Get Stronger When It Is Difficult

10/4/2013

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by Joshua Lemere, Fifth Grade Teacher at Barringer Academic Center
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The mantra of Common Core has required each and every one of us to redesign and upgrade our incredible craft of teaching.  One huge aspect of this has been to heighten our expectations of what students should be able to do.  No longer are students required to simply memorize mathematical algorithms or piecemeal reading strategies in the hopes that they “pick the right bubble” on the EOG.

The Common Core and Next Generation Assessments are requiring us to truly evaluate student learning and to take our expectations of them to great levels.  To sum it up, rigor has become a central theme to the way we instruct students.  This has been a huge focus in my classroom this year as we decided our class motto would be, “We Only Get Stronger When It Is Difficult.”

I focus on making my lessons “difficult” using one key concept – higher level questioning.  Many of us are familiar with the traditional “Bloom’s Taxonomy” where you move up the multi-colored triangle.  However, within the past ten years, this taxonomy has been revised, placing more of an emphasis on evaluating (providing valid reasoning for the way a thing is) and creating (using the design process to create, reflect, and refine your work).

While the lower levels are needed to ensure a basic understanding of topics, the higher levels are crucial to ensure that students have a sound and thorough understanding of the concepts you are teaching.  For example, in my fifth grade class, we just finished reading a World War II historical fictional novel entitled Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs.  In this story, two young Jewish girls live in a concentration camp near Poland and walk about 6 miles every day to a factory to produce clothing for the German soldiers.  Life was grim and brutal.  However, the prisoners in the camp made the best of life.  One of the skills I wanted to teach was to consider multiple perspectives of characters in a novel to better understand how characters can have multifaceted character traits.  With this understanding of the “hows” and “whys” of a character, they are more able to make deeper inferences as well as improving analytical skills as to the thoughts and actions of all the characters within a novel.


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A specific activity that they worked on was to create an “underground” newspaper, where the various Jewish prisoners would tell of the latest gossip and various rumblings of life in the concentration camp.  This activity required the students to look at camp life with a “positive” spin, rather than a “negative” spin, allowing them to explore ways in which characters can make the most out of an incredibly terrible and unfortunate situation.

We utilized our “BYOT” capabilities to research various work camps in Nazi Germany (in addition to the real one in our novel) to have a deeper understanding of what day-to-day living would be like.  Students then took pieces of what they knew from the text, their additional research, and are currently in the process of creating of their underground newspaper.  They are also adding creative touches such as making the paper look rough-edged, worn, and slipshod as the Jewish prisoners had very little materials to produce underground newspapers.

I’m excited to see the end products and see how the students synthesized their understanding of the characters in the novel into having a different perspective about life in the camp.  The thinking required is deep, complex and matches my class motto of “difficult.”  In the end, they are better off for having a more complete and well-rounded understanding of the characters rather than just a one-dimensional view.  I also look forward to seeing the finalized creative touches they utilize to make it look like a genuine and authentic underground newspaper.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Joshua Lemere is a 5th grade Talent Development Teacher at Barringer Academic Center, a partial magnet school for gifted students.  He has a passion for teaching, learning, and technology. He would love to be added to your PLN and learn more about what you are doing in your school.  You can connect with him on Twitter @mrlemere.  
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