October 28 - November 8 - Chapter 2
Chapter 2 is filled with many comprehension ideas to help us “grow” great readers. In the chapter much emphasis is placed upon learners merging their thinking with the text as they begin to gain knowledge from the text. One way for students to do so is to articulate the processes that they are using to make meaning.
What does it mean to articulate the processes one is using in order to make meaning? Why is it important to take the time to have students talk with and share their learning with each other after reading?
Please share a personal learning experience or the learning experience of your students when thinking was merged with text and comprehension occurred or took root.
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Last year, I lead a student group in reading "Chasing Vermeer". It was a great text for interaction, because it was a mystery with many layers, and clues were in the illustrations as well as the text. Puzzles were also part of the story. Students were very excited to define, discuss and defend their ideas and theories. Each chapter brought conflicting clues, and students had to revise their theories. Students were motivated to do research on tangential material like art history, to find clues. Enthusiasm for reading was very high.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, at Making Connections, I attended a session that fits right in with having students read and think about the text. It was about Dialectic Journaling, which has the students respond to the text by choosing quotes and then writing a personal reaction to each one. This is a great basis for discussion. I like that the teacher can make it very structured, for example, by directing the students to find quotes that address a specific topic (conflict, characterization), or open, and student directed. This type of journaling encourages students to make a personal connection to the text.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter reminds me of the first session I went to yesterday at Making Connections. (Comprehension: Any Time, Any Place, Everybody.) They shared an article ("The Usefulness of Brief Instruction in Reading Comprehension Strategies) from a cognitive scientist (Daniel T. Willingham).
ReplyDeleteOf course, the article discussed background knowledge as being essential for comprehension. The article presented some interesting information. Research shows that strategy instruction improves comprehension, but it went on to explore how much strategies help, how they work, whether all students benefit, and how much time should be spent on them.
"Reading strategies do not build reading skill, but rather are a bag of tricks that can indirectly improve comprehension...students must be able to decode fluently before these strategies can be effective." It goes on to point to research that shows the effectiveness of reading strategies is weak for students in third grade or earlier. (But I'm still going to teach comprehension strategies!) It also points to research that shows reading strategy programs that were short (around 6 sessions) were no more or less effective than longer programs (up to 50 sessions).
Willingham advocates that students need to know that the goal of reading is to understand the author's message and students need to engage in different processes to comprehend difficult material. ("Reading is thinking" as the fourth grader in chapter 2 yelled out.) Whenever possible, I use "think-alouds" in my classroom to show students my thinking and how I'm interacting with text. In third grade we are using the "Making Meaning" program (which is the reading version of "Being a Writer") and students share their thinking about books a lot with each other.
Willingham concludes by stating that strategy instruction (which does not need to be lengthy) is only a small part of reading instruction--students also need to decode fluently, have a broad vocabulary, and "wide-ranging background knowledge."
In the end, I don't think that what Willingham is believes is much different than what Harvey and Daniels believe. They say that to research questions in inquiry circles, students are more successful if they are "proficient" readers. (Proficient readers monitor their comprehension, decode fluently, have a broad vocabulary, and "wide-ranging background knowledge.")
What I struggle with are the students who start school behind...who haven't been exposed enough to books, haven't been exposed to broad vocabulary, and who haven't had a variety of experiences that help build background knowledge. A lot of that groundwork starts well before kids enter school. It seems that once kids enter school, that gap widens between the students who have those experiences and students who don't. We do as much as we can in the classroom to build background knowledge and increase reading skills and vocabulary, but isn't our effectiveness limited to some extent by family culture and dynamics? How much can we close that gap between students in a year?
I will be interested to read on and see how Inquiry Circles works with or can be adapted for students who are not yet "proficient" readers.
Sorry, Sue. I know I didn't answer your question the way you posed it. I just wanted to share the learning experience I had yesterday as I merged my thinking of both texts and my own classroom experience. :)
I was struck by what I read on page 22 about the relationship between reading difficulties and prior knowledge. This makes so much sense when I reflect on my struggling readers. Their life experiences have not necessarily prepared them for many of the texts we read in class. However, this relationship also reinforced my conviction that merging language arts and social studies is critical - providing the background knowledge in social studies helps them make meaning of the historical fiction we are reading. I saw this in our book groups earlier this year with the focus on Jamestown and survival in U.S. history. The field trip to Jamestown really enriched their thoughts/discussion in literature circles. Now, I'm looking forward to their insights as we begin our study of the American Revolution later this month. I only wish we could take another field trip!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the Chapter 2 comments uploaded so far to this blog. Thank you for revleaing your insights and experiences. I also liked the connections that were made to "Making Connections"! As I also reflect on Sue's question above it reminds me of how a student I observed read the text in a book but was apparently thinking about something totally different at the same time. Since comprehension is about understanding, acquiring and actively using knowledge, it was clear that this important component to deep learning was not there. Yet, upon re-reading and purposefully staying tuned into the meaning of the author's purpose and intent, comprehension emerged.
ReplyDeleteLianna, I heard another teacher comment on the same session from Making Connection to which you refer. She also loved the ideas gleaned. I will be interested in hearing how this approach of using author’s quotes as a springboard to personal connection with text goes when you try it with your students.
ReplyDeleteJanice, when I read your post about Willingham’s research, it sounded much like Harvey and Daniels to me too. The point about background knowledge definitely is one with which I too struggle. I guess that I believe that if students are given the time to talk with others about their reading they will have a better chance at increasing their background knowledge than if they just read and answer a few questions. I know that always helps me have a deeper and clearer understanding.
Beth, your point about field trips is well taken. Again from a personal standpoint I know that I have better insights on topics dealing with things within my realm of personal experiences. Maybe we can take our students with limited background experiences on a world cruise and teach as we travel Do you think that we can find a grant for such an educational experience?:)
When I think about this chapter and my initial posting, I contrast what is included in the chapter to many of my experiences in church. I go, I listen, I am a good pew sitter, but sometimes I am off in other thoughts because the text that is being shared is out of my experiences and it only comes alive when I talk with others about it.
Sue, when you find that grant, please sign me up for the world cruise!
ReplyDeleteThis chapter made me think about my two most 'advanced' reading groups this year. I have been amazed at their low level of comprehension in the chapter books we are reading together. They are BIG TIME word callers; often they don't even pause for commas or punctuation. I have been asking lots of inferential questions that they are missing because they are speed reading without processing. I love the comprehension continuum questions on page 30 and notice that they put more of the questioning on the students. I will keep a copy with me at the reading table and see if using more of those strategies helps with student comprehension. (I would like to see some of the strategies in the book mentioned: Strategies that Work. Does anyone have a copy?) Perhaps I need to also have my students discuss the purpose of reading. It will be interesting to see what 7 year olds think!
Lisa, I will check to see if I have the book the book that you mentioned. I bet that one of the coaches has it.
ReplyDelete