Fast ForWord is a game-based, reading intervention program that strives to improve reading brain functions in the areas of attention and sequencing, as well as guided reading in the areas of fluency and vocabulary. The program is responsible for many success stories and helping at-risk schools improve their standardized test scores.
My sixth graders recently demoed the program, and their concentration was amazing. We plan to use this program in the second semester with our students as a means of remediation and intervention. Coupled with Read 180, the program is proven to help students, especially those who are “on the bubble” of passing our state ISTEP+ test. I am looking forward to using this program more in the upcoming year, and I think it is worth checking out for anyone interested in helping readers succeed!
Check out some of the following sites for more information:
Fast ForWord
Video Testimonials
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Inspiration
Inspiration software is a wonderful tool teachers and students can use in many ways, such as creating webs and other graphic organizers. This software program allows you to organize information in any content area, including reading. For example, a student can create a character web or story map after reading a book as an assessment piece rather than writing a dull book report. Inspiration and its companion programs allow students to develop 21st Century Literacy Skills by analyzing and interpreting information, as well as communicating clearly. The Inspiration website provides many more research-based reasons, as well as information for those interested in trying out this wonderful program.
http://www.inspiration.com/Educators
Here are just a few of the benefits cited on the above website.
• Teach and reinforce writing and critical thinking skills
• Engage students with collaborative learning
• Extend learning time and facilitate student-teacher interaction
Here are a few templates my district uses for Language Arts:
Inspiration Templates
http://www.inspiration.com/Educators
Here are just a few of the benefits cited on the above website.
• Teach and reinforce writing and critical thinking skills
• Engage students with collaborative learning
• Extend learning time and facilitate student-teacher interaction
Here are a few templates my district uses for Language Arts:
Inspiration Templates
Monday, December 13, 2010
Digital Book Talks
Motivating adolescent readers can often feel like an insurmountable obstacle. However with all of the new technology available to both teachers and students, learning about new, great reads is easier than ever. Digital book talks allow students to browse books they may be interested in reading and hear/watch a brief plot synopsis. I think this is a great idea to not only interest students, but to include them in making their own digital media creations. I just briefly showed my class one book talk last week, and they were very interested in making their own. For more information, visit any of the sites below:
The following link takes you to a research paper on digital book talks influence on reluctant readers: the file will open in a pdf document
Looking for a certain book? Just try your favorite search engine; I was surprised by the number of digital book talks I could find for common books and books I would love my students to read. Scholastic (a teacher's best friend) even has many online resources!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Lester Laminack
On October 6th, I was lucky enough to attend a conference at Valparaiso University. The subject was read alouds, and the speaker was author Lester Laminack. He really altered my thinking on read alouds, not that I didn't find them important before, but his words really hit home as to just how important quality read alouds are for nurturing readers and writers. Here are some snippets of the things that I learned that day. Some of them may repeat, but he drove some things home throughout the day and I figure if I wrote them more than once because I head them more than once... then I can share more than once!
Reading is a gourmet experience- slow down and enjoy it. I really feel like with all of the things I have to find into my day, that I did rush through books sometimes. It seems like something obvious, but I hadn't really thought enough about it I guess.
No one writes well until they've heard good language. Lester talked about "luscious language" and how much hearing stories that use this language helps developing writers flourish. It isn't just enough to read aloud to children- you have to be very selective in the books you choose because they are going to learn from the writing style of these authors. After his conference, I still kept some of my fun read alouds, but also brought in books with language that I used to deem above my students' heads, like some Patricia Polacco books with more in depth plots and sophisticated language. Well, thanks to the Fancy Nancy and brave word charts, my kids ate these books up! When they came back from library the next week, over half of my class had books written by Polacco checked out! I also noticed a shift in the vocabulary they used in their writing. Of course, they still write like first graders, as they should, but they attempted to use more sophisticated vocabulary and I noticed a change in the voice of their writing.
Don't ask a question if you don't intend for them to answer.
The things we do to raise test scores cost us the passion of reading. I feel that although I used quality read alouds in my reading workshop minilessons, I wasn't as passionate about them before this conference. Today when I was reading to the class, I said how much I loved the book ( Lester said sometimes we are so busy with a teaching point we don't read a book "just because" or because we love it) and one of my girls said, "You love EVERY book!" My passion was coming through in our new after lunch read aloud routine. During these read alouds I try (though it is hard) not to have a teaching point, not to turn and talk with partners, etc. Of course, I do have to talk about vocabulary once in a while, and I can't stop the kids from noticing fancy words themselves, but we stop as briefly as possible and just enjoy the language.
Revisit a set of 10 books 5 times each. Resist the temptation to teach the book. Introduce books like friends; revisit, not reread with a specific purpose. The first time you read any book, it should be just because. Explain to kids that we watch movies we love over and over, and we play video games we love over and over, too.
We need students to value knowledge, not comply to get it.
The best thing you can do when you read is question, not answer.
People that write a lot, read a lot. If you want them to write it, fill their ears with it.
Sit dow and practice read alouds with colleagues. To be honest, I have only done this once, with Skippyjonjones, by Judy Schachner. I have to admit, my colleague and I laughed pretty hard and we couldn't wait to read it to our kids to get a similar reaction!
Leveled readers are like training wheels, they are practice, not the actual game. Use read alouds to support leveled readers and provide background knowledge. Guided readers do not provide a lot of background knowledge or comprehension opportunities, especially at the lower levels.
Teach by function, not by definition. Learn how and why, not just how.
6 possibilities for read alouds throughout the day
1. Very first act of school- show them this is the most important part of school. It helps build community. Choose books on friends, families, exceptionalities. Choose books that help kids view people of other ethnicities or religions as equal.
2. First transition in the day, from reading to math or writing to math. We lose between 5 and 10 minutes a day in transition. Tell the kids you are going to start reading and be ready for math at the end of the read aloud. Keep in mind that it takes 20 days to change a pattern, so be consistent in using the book as a transition.
3. Right before lunch- read poems for 10 minutes. Read a poem a week and do 5 lessons per poem. He says only 1 by Jack Prelutsky and 1 from Shel Silverstein.
Monday- read the poem 2 or 3 times to find the rhythm, read it different ways.
Tuesday- read it again and find something in it
Poems are great places to find places for inferring.
4. Right after lunch
5. Link read aloud to math, social studies, science, etc.
6. To close the day. Put a basket of books near the door and give them a gift as they leave. He said that often during the day we are testing them and asking them to read to us, or answer questions about what we read to them, but this is a pure and simple gift.
Here are some links to books by Lester Laminack:
Unwrapping the Read Aloud: Making Every Read Aloud Intentional and Instructional (Theory and Practice in Action)
Cracking Open the Author's Craft: Teaching the Art of Writing (Theory and Practice in Action)
Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature: Making the Most of Read-Alouds Across the Day
Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum: How to Build Bridges in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies
Children's books by Laminack:
Reading is a gourmet experience- slow down and enjoy it. I really feel like with all of the things I have to find into my day, that I did rush through books sometimes. It seems like something obvious, but I hadn't really thought enough about it I guess.
No one writes well until they've heard good language. Lester talked about "luscious language" and how much hearing stories that use this language helps developing writers flourish. It isn't just enough to read aloud to children- you have to be very selective in the books you choose because they are going to learn from the writing style of these authors. After his conference, I still kept some of my fun read alouds, but also brought in books with language that I used to deem above my students' heads, like some Patricia Polacco books with more in depth plots and sophisticated language. Well, thanks to the Fancy Nancy and brave word charts, my kids ate these books up! When they came back from library the next week, over half of my class had books written by Polacco checked out! I also noticed a shift in the vocabulary they used in their writing. Of course, they still write like first graders, as they should, but they attempted to use more sophisticated vocabulary and I noticed a change in the voice of their writing.
Don't ask a question if you don't intend for them to answer.
The things we do to raise test scores cost us the passion of reading. I feel that although I used quality read alouds in my reading workshop minilessons, I wasn't as passionate about them before this conference. Today when I was reading to the class, I said how much I loved the book ( Lester said sometimes we are so busy with a teaching point we don't read a book "just because" or because we love it) and one of my girls said, "You love EVERY book!" My passion was coming through in our new after lunch read aloud routine. During these read alouds I try (though it is hard) not to have a teaching point, not to turn and talk with partners, etc. Of course, I do have to talk about vocabulary once in a while, and I can't stop the kids from noticing fancy words themselves, but we stop as briefly as possible and just enjoy the language.
Revisit a set of 10 books 5 times each. Resist the temptation to teach the book. Introduce books like friends; revisit, not reread with a specific purpose. The first time you read any book, it should be just because. Explain to kids that we watch movies we love over and over, and we play video games we love over and over, too.
We need students to value knowledge, not comply to get it.
The best thing you can do when you read is question, not answer.
People that write a lot, read a lot. If you want them to write it, fill their ears with it.
Sit dow and practice read alouds with colleagues. To be honest, I have only done this once, with Skippyjonjones, by Judy Schachner. I have to admit, my colleague and I laughed pretty hard and we couldn't wait to read it to our kids to get a similar reaction!
Leveled readers are like training wheels, they are practice, not the actual game. Use read alouds to support leveled readers and provide background knowledge. Guided readers do not provide a lot of background knowledge or comprehension opportunities, especially at the lower levels.
Teach by function, not by definition. Learn how and why, not just how.
6 possibilities for read alouds throughout the day
1. Very first act of school- show them this is the most important part of school. It helps build community. Choose books on friends, families, exceptionalities. Choose books that help kids view people of other ethnicities or religions as equal.
2. First transition in the day, from reading to math or writing to math. We lose between 5 and 10 minutes a day in transition. Tell the kids you are going to start reading and be ready for math at the end of the read aloud. Keep in mind that it takes 20 days to change a pattern, so be consistent in using the book as a transition.
3. Right before lunch- read poems for 10 minutes. Read a poem a week and do 5 lessons per poem. He says only 1 by Jack Prelutsky and 1 from Shel Silverstein.
Monday- read the poem 2 or 3 times to find the rhythm, read it different ways.
Tuesday- read it again and find something in it
Poems are great places to find places for inferring.
4. Right after lunch
5. Link read aloud to math, social studies, science, etc.
6. To close the day. Put a basket of books near the door and give them a gift as they leave. He said that often during the day we are testing them and asking them to read to us, or answer questions about what we read to them, but this is a pure and simple gift.
Here are some links to books by Lester Laminack:
Unwrapping the Read Aloud: Making Every Read Aloud Intentional and Instructional (Theory and Practice in Action)
Cracking Open the Author's Craft: Teaching the Art of Writing (Theory and Practice in Action)
Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature: Making the Most of Read-Alouds Across the Day
Reading Aloud Across the Curriculum: How to Build Bridges in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies
Children's books by Laminack:
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Noticing and Using "Fancy" Words
Last summer I read The CAFE Book by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser and started a CAFE wall with reading strategies: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expand Vocabulary. At the end of the year I was discouraged to see that while we had compiled many strategies under the first three categories, vocabulary was lacking. This became my goal for the next year: teach my students strategies to expand their vocabulary in reading and writing.
Over the summer, I read About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers by Katie Wood Ray and Lisa B. Cleaveland. One of the areas I felt my students always struggled in is word choice... not necessarily because they did not know words other than "good" or "cool," but because I really hadn't found an effective way to teach or inspire them not to use those "boring" words, other than just trying to model it in a few lessons and repeatedly discouraging boring words. It didn't really work! When reading this book, however, I came across an idea. The authors suggested a poster for the use of what my students and I now call "brave" words. Figure 4.4 on page 70 shows a chart entitled "I'm not afraid of my words!" Students are celebrated for attempting a challenging word by getting to put their name and their spelling of the word on the chart. Now comes the interesting part... the teacher lists the conventional spelling next to it. It seems over the years I have heard mixed reviews on this and I could never seem to decide if this would hurt children's feelings or not to see that they had been wrong, but with this approach it is a positive. When showing the conventional spelling, the class will either "celebrate how close the writer came or marvel at how different the spelling is from what the writer thought it would be." (Ray, 2004, p. 70). Ray (2004) also states that "It's a celebration either way because the focus is on not being afraid to try a hard word you know, not on getting the spelling right. " (p. 70)
I thought this was a great idea, but the next question was: How do I get my students to choose "better" words? We had tried in previous years to retire words like nice, good, and cool, but they just got replaced with really cool or awesome, a step up, but not where I wanted to be. I had come across a character named Fancy Nancy, who loved to use fancy words, but until reading the books by Boushey and Moser and Ray, I wasn't quite sure what to do with this. I decided to use these books to kick off our fancy word study, move onto the posters, and see where it led. Kids in previous years had grown attached to Skippyjonjones and the Pigeon, so maybe this could work. I read the book, and even had a little plush Fancy Nancy to show the class. I told them we would be fancy like her and find types of words she would like in our own books and even try to use them in our writing, and showed them some examples as I read another book out loud (one that did not stop and point out fancy words like Fancy Nancy stopped to do for her readers). I put them on a separate chart entitled, "We Use Fancy Words!" This was not for words we used in our writing, but instead for fancy words we found in our reading that were interesting. We periodically stop when we find these words, quickly use the context to discuss what they mean, and I Post-it that page so I can add the words to the chart when we are done. We use these words in our discussions when they are appropriate to give the students multiple exposures to the words. It was a good start.
This vocabulary goal just kept snowballing! In October I was fortunate enough to attend a conference with Lester Laminack. He talked about "luscious language" and reading to students daily just to let them hear this language, not as part of a reading or writing lesson, but just to listen and enjoy the book. He shared that one of his favorite authors was Cynthia Rylant and read one of her books aloud. I realized that while some of my books were great at teaching various reading strategies, some of them were not the best at providing opportunities to hear "luscious language." I started making it a point to read as the children were settling in after lunch each day, which was one of his suggested read aloud times. Sometimes I choose a book that goes along with a science or math theme, or matches what we are working on in reading workshop, but I try 2-3 times a week to pick a book that simply has great word choice. One author that my class has fallen in love with is Patricia Polacco and I am so excited to see that after reading her books together, children more often are walking back with her books in hand from the library rather than Captain Underpants. It seems that every time we turn around, we are noticing an interesting word in a book. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard a child gasp and whisper (ok, or sometimes shout), "That's a fancy word!" during a read aloud...!
Thanks to the professional development presented to me in my master's classes by way of the introduction of the Two Sisters and their CAFE method, Lester Laminack's advice, and the minilesson and chart ideas from Katie Wood Ray, I have been able to feel confident that I am finally providing students with ways to expand their vocabulary not just in reading, but in the even more risky task of writing... and celebrate and enjoy doing it. I am truly proud and amazed by my first graders and recommend these resources to any teacher who is exhausted by the overuse of the words, "good," "bad," "nice," "cool," etc. in their classrooms. I was fortunate to stumble across these resources all within a short time of one another and weave them into my reading and writing lessons, and now it's even spilling into the content areas as well. I hope that others can find these resources useful and inspiring as well! I am now onto 2 more books by Ray and excited to see where they will lead me next!
Resources:
Boushey, G., & Moser, J. (2009). The cafe book: engaging all students in daily literacy assessment and instruction. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
O'Connor, J. (2006). Fancy nancy. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Ray, K.W., & Cleaveland, L.B. (2004). About the authors: writing workshop with our youngest writers. Portsmouth, NH: Stenhouse.
Over the summer, I read About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers by Katie Wood Ray and Lisa B. Cleaveland. One of the areas I felt my students always struggled in is word choice... not necessarily because they did not know words other than "good" or "cool," but because I really hadn't found an effective way to teach or inspire them not to use those "boring" words, other than just trying to model it in a few lessons and repeatedly discouraging boring words. It didn't really work! When reading this book, however, I came across an idea. The authors suggested a poster for the use of what my students and I now call "brave" words. Figure 4.4 on page 70 shows a chart entitled "I'm not afraid of my words!" Students are celebrated for attempting a challenging word by getting to put their name and their spelling of the word on the chart. Now comes the interesting part... the teacher lists the conventional spelling next to it. It seems over the years I have heard mixed reviews on this and I could never seem to decide if this would hurt children's feelings or not to see that they had been wrong, but with this approach it is a positive. When showing the conventional spelling, the class will either "celebrate how close the writer came or marvel at how different the spelling is from what the writer thought it would be." (Ray, 2004, p. 70). Ray (2004) also states that "It's a celebration either way because the focus is on not being afraid to try a hard word you know, not on getting the spelling right. " (p. 70)
I thought this was a great idea, but the next question was: How do I get my students to choose "better" words? We had tried in previous years to retire words like nice, good, and cool, but they just got replaced with really cool or awesome, a step up, but not where I wanted to be. I had come across a character named Fancy Nancy, who loved to use fancy words, but until reading the books by Boushey and Moser and Ray, I wasn't quite sure what to do with this. I decided to use these books to kick off our fancy word study, move onto the posters, and see where it led. Kids in previous years had grown attached to Skippyjonjones and the Pigeon, so maybe this could work. I read the book, and even had a little plush Fancy Nancy to show the class. I told them we would be fancy like her and find types of words she would like in our own books and even try to use them in our writing, and showed them some examples as I read another book out loud (one that did not stop and point out fancy words like Fancy Nancy stopped to do for her readers). I put them on a separate chart entitled, "We Use Fancy Words!" This was not for words we used in our writing, but instead for fancy words we found in our reading that were interesting. We periodically stop when we find these words, quickly use the context to discuss what they mean, and I Post-it that page so I can add the words to the chart when we are done. We use these words in our discussions when they are appropriate to give the students multiple exposures to the words. It was a good start.
This vocabulary goal just kept snowballing! In October I was fortunate enough to attend a conference with Lester Laminack. He talked about "luscious language" and reading to students daily just to let them hear this language, not as part of a reading or writing lesson, but just to listen and enjoy the book. He shared that one of his favorite authors was Cynthia Rylant and read one of her books aloud. I realized that while some of my books were great at teaching various reading strategies, some of them were not the best at providing opportunities to hear "luscious language." I started making it a point to read as the children were settling in after lunch each day, which was one of his suggested read aloud times. Sometimes I choose a book that goes along with a science or math theme, or matches what we are working on in reading workshop, but I try 2-3 times a week to pick a book that simply has great word choice. One author that my class has fallen in love with is Patricia Polacco and I am so excited to see that after reading her books together, children more often are walking back with her books in hand from the library rather than Captain Underpants. It seems that every time we turn around, we are noticing an interesting word in a book. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard a child gasp and whisper (ok, or sometimes shout), "That's a fancy word!" during a read aloud...!
Thanks to the professional development presented to me in my master's classes by way of the introduction of the Two Sisters and their CAFE method, Lester Laminack's advice, and the minilesson and chart ideas from Katie Wood Ray, I have been able to feel confident that I am finally providing students with ways to expand their vocabulary not just in reading, but in the even more risky task of writing... and celebrate and enjoy doing it. I am truly proud and amazed by my first graders and recommend these resources to any teacher who is exhausted by the overuse of the words, "good," "bad," "nice," "cool," etc. in their classrooms. I was fortunate to stumble across these resources all within a short time of one another and weave them into my reading and writing lessons, and now it's even spilling into the content areas as well. I hope that others can find these resources useful and inspiring as well! I am now onto 2 more books by Ray and excited to see where they will lead me next!
Resources:
Boushey, G., & Moser, J. (2009). The cafe book: engaging all students in daily literacy assessment and instruction. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
O'Connor, J. (2006). Fancy nancy. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Ray, K.W., & Cleaveland, L.B. (2004). About the authors: writing workshop with our youngest writers. Portsmouth, NH: Stenhouse.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
What Is Right In Education... a Good Pick-Me-Up :)
I came across this post on the Catching Readers Before They Fall blog and wanted to share it. I think that the best thing about blogging is that through blogs you can find so many teachers who share your views and experiences, as well as seeking out advice from expert teachers all over the country. Katie Keier and Pat Johnson are literacy experts from Fairfax, Virginia; Katie is a literacy specialist in Fairfax County, with a Reading Specialist certificate and a master's degree in Literacy Studies, and Pat is a literacy consultant with a background in Reading Recovery and elementary reading. They have a combined total of 43 years experience in the classroom teaching reading! The title of their blog piqued my interest and I went to seek out some advice, but ended up reading this post that just made me feel good. Since we can all use that once in a while, here it is for you to enjoy. Celebrate being a teacher! :)
What’s RIGHT with education? by Katie Keier
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Social Networking for Classrooms
I wanted a way to socialize with students and parents, as well as a way for these groups to be able to socialize with each other, much like Facebook allows us to network with groups of friends and colleagues and share information quickly. Obviously, I am not comfortable setting up a Facebook account for my classroom, nor do I think it is appropriate for my first graders to have accounts! Today I stumbled across something interesting: Edmodo, a "trusted web 2.0 environment" and social network for classrooms. Teachers can give codes to students to allow them to sign up with the classroom, where they can share information and web resources. Parents can even have updates sent to their Android phones! I am going to research this site more and decide which would be more user-friendly to my students and their families: Edmodo or a classroom blog. This may also be a great way for colleagues to share information, and I know many of my colleagues love Facebook, so maybe this would catch on! What do you think?
Edmodo guide From the graphics included, this appears to be a network set up similarly to Facebook, but safe for students!
Monday, November 1, 2010
21st Century Writing
Every year, I (Rhiannon) teach letter writing to my first grade students. What I hadn't considered, however, is teaching students about crafting an e-mail, though I know that in the "real world" adults are more likely to create an electronic letter rather than a handwritten one. Here is a lesson idea shared by my professor with our graduate reading course.
What’s the Difference? Beginning Writers Compare E-mail with Letter Writing
(This is one of many great lessons from the ReadWriteThink website, which also has links for parents!)
I think that while it is still important to teach students what now seems to be the ancient practice of handwritten letter writing, I have to keep pushing to incorporate technology into my writing lessons as well. I have found typing to be an issue, due to the difficulty my students have finding letters on the QWERTY keyboard, but I am guessing that if I practiced this more in class, and also suggested that students practice typing at home when they want to practice word wall words or "write" a story or note, perhaps this would not be as trying as I once thought! I am going to consider this when doing our holiday letter writing, such as letters to Santa, or writing thank-yous to family and friends. Maybe we can send emails instead!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Two Writing Teachers
I know that this blog technically is about reading, but as writing is also a HUGE part of becoming literate, I couldn't pass up sharing this link. Ruth Ayers and Stacey Schubitz have created a blog all about writing workshop. Ruth Ayers is a writing coach from Indiana and Stacey is a reading specialist now living in Pennsylvania. Two Writing Teachers is a blog dedicated to writing, however this is infused with reading, as there are mentor texts to be used that could also be used in reading workshop, and there are also links to reading websites. The first blog entry that caught my eye on was today's entry about the use of flip cameras in the classroom to capture moments in writing workshop... what a way to bring your classroom into the 21st Century! They also have a companion website with resources worth checking out!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Reading Technology for Younger Readers
In today's technology-driven world, it is never too early to get our youngest learners on board! Articles and studies show that our society is embracing e-books and their popularity continues to grow, including with textbooks. Also, students have said that they would be more likely to read for fun if technology were to be incorporated, since they already use devices to text, email, listen to music, etc. As a first grade teacher, I see a huge gap between my students who are most and least skilled on the computer. It takes some students 5 minutes just to log on, while others can type in their own internet addresses and browse the web unassisted! It is important to give our youngest students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the technology they will be using in the future. I have been reading about e-readers, but felt they were too complicated for many first grade students, who are just learning to read. I was pleasantly surprised to find that V-Tech has designed an e-reader for our youngest learner! I think this is a great way to motivate students to 1) read and 2) learn to use technology as a tool to learn! This is an animated interactive reader that uses popular characters in stories, which would be very engaging for first grade students, but still educational with stories, story dictionaries, and reading games.
Links for more information:
VTech presentation on V.Reader
Information on Amazon about VTech Reader This site has videos that allow prospective buyers to watch the reader in action!
E-Readers
I recently read an article about a Scholastic study on digital reading. According to the NY Times article, which surveyed over 2,000 children ranging in age from 6-17, 25% of the children had already used a digital reading device, with 57% overall showing interest in reading digitally. There is a huge discrepancy between want and availability, however, since only 6% of these children's parents actually own a digital reader. Even with the other 16% that plan to buy one, that still does not meet the needs/wants of all 57% that showed interest.
So who does that leave to meet their needs? Schools!
I think that schools should survey their students about digital readers and if the interest matches that of this study, I think it is worth the investment. I think about all of the students who claim that they do not like to read and think that maybe this is a way to reach them! The article focused on reading for fun, not textbook reading, so if 57% of the students would read for fun on the digital device, I wonder how many of the 2,000 students would prefer their textbooks to be on these devices as well. But going back to recreational reading... I think that so many students would rather play video games, text, or play on the computer than read, and if this will draw some of them back in, it should be attempted! This plays into our topic this week about adolescent reading. If readers are more interested in reading, then they are more likely to put in an concerted effort and learn more! If we can pique interest of students, so much is possible!
Parents surveyed agreed as well, with 83% of parents stating that they would allow or even encourage their children to use digital readers. What this says to me is either parents hadn't considered digital readers until this survey, much as I hadn't until we read about 21st Century Learning, or they cannot afford to purchase this device. Parents and schools need to work together to discuss options for providing these to students that are interested! One thing I know is that after hearing so much about this device, I have now changed my mind and want a digital reader!
Textbooks are here to stay, at least for the time being, but I think this is a viable option to get students more motivated to read texts... and also lighten the load in their backpacks! Students would have access to any book at any time on one small device.
Here are some links with more information about the study and about e-readers:
Tech News Daily article about survey
Scholastic's Kids and Family Reading Reports
New Study on Reading in the Digital Age: Parents Say Electronic, Digital Devices Negatively Affects Kids' Reading Time
U.S. News & World Report: New Kindle E-Reader Enters Textbook Market This article contains comments from college students and educators as to their opinions about e-textbooks.
Textbooks Ditched at Clearwater, FL High School
EDU in Review Blog: iPad E-Book Reader to Offer Textbooks
So who does that leave to meet their needs? Schools!
I think that schools should survey their students about digital readers and if the interest matches that of this study, I think it is worth the investment. I think about all of the students who claim that they do not like to read and think that maybe this is a way to reach them! The article focused on reading for fun, not textbook reading, so if 57% of the students would read for fun on the digital device, I wonder how many of the 2,000 students would prefer their textbooks to be on these devices as well. But going back to recreational reading... I think that so many students would rather play video games, text, or play on the computer than read, and if this will draw some of them back in, it should be attempted! This plays into our topic this week about adolescent reading. If readers are more interested in reading, then they are more likely to put in an concerted effort and learn more! If we can pique interest of students, so much is possible!
Parents surveyed agreed as well, with 83% of parents stating that they would allow or even encourage their children to use digital readers. What this says to me is either parents hadn't considered digital readers until this survey, much as I hadn't until we read about 21st Century Learning, or they cannot afford to purchase this device. Parents and schools need to work together to discuss options for providing these to students that are interested! One thing I know is that after hearing so much about this device, I have now changed my mind and want a digital reader!
Textbooks are here to stay, at least for the time being, but I think this is a viable option to get students more motivated to read texts... and also lighten the load in their backpacks! Students would have access to any book at any time on one small device.
Here are some links with more information about the study and about e-readers:
Tech News Daily article about survey
Scholastic's Kids and Family Reading Reports
New Study on Reading in the Digital Age: Parents Say Electronic, Digital Devices Negatively Affects Kids' Reading Time
U.S. News & World Report: New Kindle E-Reader Enters Textbook Market This article contains comments from college students and educators as to their opinions about e-textbooks.
Textbooks Ditched at Clearwater, FL High School
EDU in Review Blog: iPad E-Book Reader to Offer Textbooks
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Reading Resources for Parents
Oftentimes parents will ask teachers what they can do at home to help. Promoting a love of reading is a must, but there are many other ways to build a child's schema to provide background information necessary for success in content-area classes and to learn about the world in general. For example, frequenting your local library or book store offers opportunities to hear books/stories read aloud, discuss common topics, and of course, explore the shelves for new fascinating reads! In addition, many museums offer a variety of engaging exhibits, family outing possibilities, and even online activities that just might spark an interest in a young learner!
The following sites are meant to be a starting point for parents who are looking for ways to help their children succeed in school, not only when it comes to content-area learning but in all facets of reading. There are so many ways to help a child become interested in learning about math, science, and social studies, and we hope these resources can be of help to those parents who wish to go beyond the doors of their child's classroom!
ALA- Great Websites for Kids
The American Library Association has compiled a comprehensive list of websites kids can use to learn about numerous topics. This is especially handy for parents who need a quick way to find an appropriate website for their children to learn and have fun! There are also links designed just for parents or caregivers.
Reading Rockets- For Parents
Here you can find multiple resources, such as newsletters, book recommendation lists, and even tip sheets or a family guide to help ensure literacy receives top billing in your family.
Bank Street College's Guide to Literacy
Before, during, and after reading strategies aren't just for teachers and students to use and practice at school. They are tools readers use daily when reading any type of text. This site gives "volunteers and tutors" a brief synopsis of how they can help readers learn and practice these strategies.
Literacy Matters- Parents
This site provides parents of struggling adolescent readers with several resources, such as online activities to practice important reading skills, ideas on strategies to try at home, and ways to help their child with reading.
ReadWriteThink- Parent & Afterschool Resources
ReadWriteThink...not just a site for teachers! Here interested parents will find suggested games, tips, activity sheets, and even podcasts all dedicated to helping children with their reading and writing!
Museumstuff.com actually offers an alphabetical list of museums for all fifty United States, and even across the world! This linked site focuses on our great state of Indiana. From there online users can access lists of museums by collection type or city. Each museum's own homepage is then linked for convenience. A sure hit with my family is the Children's Museum of Indianapolis! But I was quite surprised to see the number (152) of museums there are in just our one state. Maybe your family can check one out this summer!
The following sites are meant to be a starting point for parents who are looking for ways to help their children succeed in school, not only when it comes to content-area learning but in all facets of reading. There are so many ways to help a child become interested in learning about math, science, and social studies, and we hope these resources can be of help to those parents who wish to go beyond the doors of their child's classroom!
A Parent's Guide to Fostering Lifelong Literacy
Helping Children Become Successful Lifelong Readers
Lake County (IN) Public Library-Database Resources for School
This link takes you to a site for library-card holders in Lake County, Indiana (where we Brickies live!) Here you can access magazines, newspapers, and databases all from your own personal computer. There are specific sections dedicated to math and science, social studies, biographies, and more. If you don't live in Lake County (IN), check your own local library to see if they have a similar online resource.ALA- Great Websites for Kids
The American Library Association has compiled a comprehensive list of websites kids can use to learn about numerous topics. This is especially handy for parents who need a quick way to find an appropriate website for their children to learn and have fun! There are also links designed just for parents or caregivers.
Reading Rockets- For Parents
Here you can find multiple resources, such as newsletters, book recommendation lists, and even tip sheets or a family guide to help ensure literacy receives top billing in your family.
Bank Street College's Guide to Literacy
Before, during, and after reading strategies aren't just for teachers and students to use and practice at school. They are tools readers use daily when reading any type of text. This site gives "volunteers and tutors" a brief synopsis of how they can help readers learn and practice these strategies.
Literacy Matters- Parents
This site provides parents of struggling adolescent readers with several resources, such as online activities to practice important reading skills, ideas on strategies to try at home, and ways to help their child with reading.
ReadWriteThink- Parent & Afterschool Resources
ReadWriteThink...not just a site for teachers! Here interested parents will find suggested games, tips, activity sheets, and even podcasts all dedicated to helping children with their reading and writing!
Adolescent Literacy: Parent Tips
This site is geared towards students in fourth grade or higher, but all parents can appreciate this multi-paged list of helpful tips. Sample articles include information on summer reading and programs, questions to ask school officials, testing and grades, learning disabilities and special education, and even being a reading role model.
Chicago Museums of Art, Science, History, Culture, and Industry
From ChicagoTraveler, this is a one-stop resource with links to all of the well-known (and not so well-known) museums and learning centers in the great city of Chicago, Illinois! From each museum's link, parents can access information on new exhibits, overnight family experiences, and online games on a variety of cultural and educational topics. The site also offers coupons, dates of free admission, and maps to help plan a trip!
Museums in IndianaMuseumstuff.com actually offers an alphabetical list of museums for all fifty United States, and even across the world! This linked site focuses on our great state of Indiana. From there online users can access lists of museums by collection type or city. Each museum's own homepage is then linked for convenience. A sure hit with my family is the Children's Museum of Indianapolis! But I was quite surprised to see the number (152) of museums there are in just our one state. Maybe your family can check one out this summer!
The reading teacher can't do it alone!
Carol Lee and Anika Spratley are educators who are interested in the struggle of adolescent readers, and have written a report on the struggle of such readers in the content areas. Articles by these authors/educators are available on AdLit.org. They describe the challenges and benefits of teaching literacy in the various content areas, and the different types of reading and reading purposes involved. The article on reading in literature also points out that there are varying types of reading in even a "reading" class and the skills/prior knowledge needed for a reader of literature to be successful. I thought that these articles were helpful in understanding that each discipline has its own set of strategies and reading knowledge that a student must acquire/use for this type of reading. These articles truly demonstrate why reading must be taught in each subject area- not even the best reading teacher could teach such a wealth of information alone!
Content Area Literacy: Literature
Content Area Literacy: Mathematics
Content Area Literacy: History
For more information from Lee and Spratley read their entire report, Reading in the Disciplines: The Challenges of Adolescent Literacy.
Dr. Carol Lee's profile from Northwestern
Dr. Anika Spratley's profile from Johns Hopkins
Content Area Literacy: Literature
Content Area Literacy: Mathematics
Content Area Literacy: History
For more information from Lee and Spratley read their entire report, Reading in the Disciplines: The Challenges of Adolescent Literacy.
Dr. Carol Lee's profile from Northwestern
Dr. Anika Spratley's profile from Johns Hopkins
Using Before, During, and After Reading Strategies to Increase Comprehension
Ideally reading isn't just reading; reading is thinking. The goal of teaching reading isn't just to get students to decode the words, or even to understand the text, but to find a way to get students to make connections to what they read, to get them to connect and apply the information to their own lives. In Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?, Cris Tovani (2007) states that
When students find ways to capture their thinking while reading, they are more willing to return to texts. They tend to participate more in classroom discussions as well as in small-group discussions. They have an easier time beginning writing assignments. The marked text gives them a way to review and study for a test (p.68).
When students are doing all of the above in order to not just read the text, but interact with the text, they are making meaning of what they have read and will more than likely retain the information for future use.
The use of before, during, and after reading strategies allow students to find ways to connect the text to their own lives and to capture their own thinking about the text in order to apply this information and to participate in meaningful discussions. Tovani (2004) says that we often stop our readers' thinking too soon. Choosing the right comprehension activity/constructor to use before, during, and/or after reading can help students continue to think and process the reading throughout all 3 aspects. We should encourage students to ask themselves "So what?" as Tovani (2004) discusses in chapter 2. When reading, they should not just make a connection to the text, but think about the implications of this connection to their own lives.
What are the goals of before, during, and after reading strategies? Before reading strategies help get a reader thinking about what he or she already knows about the topic and how this will help him or her read the text. Making connections between "old" knowledge and "new" knowledge has been proven to help a reader retain new knowledge and store it in his/her long term memory. Before reading strategies also help a reader determine what information he/she would like to learn more about and helps to determine a purpose for reading. During reading strategies help a reader to monitor his/her reading and determine what has been learned, what he or she still wants to know, and helps the reader hold onto connections made in the text. Recognizing confusion and having a way to sort through the confusion through these strategies will go a long way in helping a student become a successful independent reader! After reading strategies help a student to analyze the text and continue to make connections. Thinking doesn't stop once the reading is over! Using a variety of before, during, and after reading strategies helps me to keep from relying on simple recall questions and other lower level learning strategies and instead push my students to use higher level strategies, such as asking questions, drawing conclusions, visualizing, making inferences, etc.
To read more about before, during, and after reading strategies, here are some resources:
All About Adolescent Literacy Strategies Page- information for grades 4-12
Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem- an article by Carol Lee and Anika Sprately about the benefit of the "rippling effect" caused when teaching these together. A helpful table of reading strategies is provided.
Read, Write, Think- Created by the International Reading Association, this site has a multitude of content reading lessons with fantastic before, during, and after reading activities!
Reading with Purpose in the Content Areas- research- based teacher support provided on ReadWriteThink.org. (for grades 6-12, but I have found that some ideas are easily modified for lower grades)
Preparing Students for Success with Reading in the Content Areas- another research-based ReadWriteThink.org guide for 6-12
Reading Rockets- upon searching for before, during, and after reading strategies, more than 10 pages of results came up! This is a very comprehensive site- definitely worth checking out.
Here are a few of my recommended links from the site:
103 Things to Do Before/During/After Reading
Classroom Strategies- an extensive list of reading strategies divided into the categories print awareness, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. Each strategy is marked for use before, during, or after reading. Upon clicking the link for each, a description as well as templates and examples are available!
Content-Area Instruction Podcasts! Hear it straight from the experts! I've watched podcasts from this site for some of my Ball State classwork and have always found it very informative!
Comprehension Podcasts- more helpful podcasts on topics such as building background knowledge, using periodicals in the classroom, checking for understanding, vocabulary instruction, and more!
Greece Central School District's Reading Strategies: Scaffolding Students' Interaction with Texts- another useful reference with descriptions and templates of various before, during, and after reading activities.
When students find ways to capture their thinking while reading, they are more willing to return to texts. They tend to participate more in classroom discussions as well as in small-group discussions. They have an easier time beginning writing assignments. The marked text gives them a way to review and study for a test (p.68).
When students are doing all of the above in order to not just read the text, but interact with the text, they are making meaning of what they have read and will more than likely retain the information for future use.
The use of before, during, and after reading strategies allow students to find ways to connect the text to their own lives and to capture their own thinking about the text in order to apply this information and to participate in meaningful discussions. Tovani (2004) says that we often stop our readers' thinking too soon. Choosing the right comprehension activity/constructor to use before, during, and/or after reading can help students continue to think and process the reading throughout all 3 aspects. We should encourage students to ask themselves "So what?" as Tovani (2004) discusses in chapter 2. When reading, they should not just make a connection to the text, but think about the implications of this connection to their own lives.
What are the goals of before, during, and after reading strategies? Before reading strategies help get a reader thinking about what he or she already knows about the topic and how this will help him or her read the text. Making connections between "old" knowledge and "new" knowledge has been proven to help a reader retain new knowledge and store it in his/her long term memory. Before reading strategies also help a reader determine what information he/she would like to learn more about and helps to determine a purpose for reading. During reading strategies help a reader to monitor his/her reading and determine what has been learned, what he or she still wants to know, and helps the reader hold onto connections made in the text. Recognizing confusion and having a way to sort through the confusion through these strategies will go a long way in helping a student become a successful independent reader! After reading strategies help a student to analyze the text and continue to make connections. Thinking doesn't stop once the reading is over! Using a variety of before, during, and after reading strategies helps me to keep from relying on simple recall questions and other lower level learning strategies and instead push my students to use higher level strategies, such as asking questions, drawing conclusions, visualizing, making inferences, etc.
To read more about before, during, and after reading strategies, here are some resources:
All About Adolescent Literacy Strategies Page- information for grades 4-12
Teaching Content Knowledge and Reading Strategies in Tandem- an article by Carol Lee and Anika Sprately about the benefit of the "rippling effect" caused when teaching these together. A helpful table of reading strategies is provided.
Read, Write, Think- Created by the International Reading Association, this site has a multitude of content reading lessons with fantastic before, during, and after reading activities!
Reading with Purpose in the Content Areas- research- based teacher support provided on ReadWriteThink.org. (for grades 6-12, but I have found that some ideas are easily modified for lower grades)
Preparing Students for Success with Reading in the Content Areas- another research-based ReadWriteThink.org guide for 6-12
Reading Rockets- upon searching for before, during, and after reading strategies, more than 10 pages of results came up! This is a very comprehensive site- definitely worth checking out.
Here are a few of my recommended links from the site:
103 Things to Do Before/During/After Reading
Classroom Strategies- an extensive list of reading strategies divided into the categories print awareness, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. Each strategy is marked for use before, during, or after reading. Upon clicking the link for each, a description as well as templates and examples are available!
Content-Area Instruction Podcasts! Hear it straight from the experts! I've watched podcasts from this site for some of my Ball State classwork and have always found it very informative!
Comprehension Podcasts- more helpful podcasts on topics such as building background knowledge, using periodicals in the classroom, checking for understanding, vocabulary instruction, and more!
Greece Central School District's Reading Strategies: Scaffolding Students' Interaction with Texts- another useful reference with descriptions and templates of various before, during, and after reading activities.
Monday, April 19, 2010
WebQuests and Other Internet Explorations
While it seems like textbooks are definitely here to stay, Cris Tovani (2004) points out in Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? that oftentimes textbooks are not accessible to students because they are too difficult. In my experience, textbooks were often not accessible to me because they just didn't hold my interest. In any event, a textbook that is not accessible prevents students from making meaning of what they read, and without additional instructional materials, students have a very hard time understanding vital concepts in that content area. It is important to teach students the features of a textbook and how to use them as well as how to apply reading strategies to the text. It is also, in my opinion, just as important to provide students with additional text that covers the same content as the textbook. This allows students choices as to the type and level of reading material, affording each student many chances to understand the concept presented. I feel that this is very important because in my first grade classroom students are taught to choose books that are "just right" for them, that are not too easy, but not too hard, and books that are engaging and help them to learn something. Why should this change as students get older? Students in higher grades are often handed a textbook as their only option for reading, which is not likely to meet the needs of all readers.
One way to provide motivating and engaging material at various levels is through WebQuests. According to WebQuest.org, a WebQuest provides a task similar to a "real world" task that adults would perform. This task also requires higher level thinking skills, such as analyzing, comparing and contrasting, or drawing conclusions. Prior to reading information on this website, I was unable to determine which site I had visited were WebQuests and which were not. I think, however, that the most important thing is not classifying the site as a WebQuest or not, but making sure that the lesson planned has a task that has meaning in the student's everyday life as well as providing the opportunity for the student to do some higher level thinking along the journey. While not all of the links I have provided would be classified according to WebQuest.org as a true WebQuest, they do provide students with an engaging medium through which to learn. Besides holding students' interest longer than a textbook probably would, another benefit is that a WebQuest may provide students with accompanying audio or video to assist them in their reading, as well as interactive activities that keep students moving through the material.
Premade WebQuests and other web explorations are readily available on the Internet, though it is important to check out all links first, as I found that many links were broken (See the Internet Expeditions adaptation page for ways around this, as well as ways to adapt some of these sites to fit the WebQuest criteria or simply to fit your needs!)
WebQuest.org- Read about what defines a true WebQuest, and watch tutorials on how to create your own.
Internet Expeditions- These are not all WebQuests, but all an excellent supplement to textbooks! This site also offers advice on creation and adaptation of WebQuests.
Springdale Schools- This site offers WebQuests organized by grades (K-6) as well as by content.
Just For Kids! from the University of Illinois Extension- This site has many links to explorations, including "Let's Talk About Insects", which I used when creating a unit on insects. Many of these were available in more than one language, making them accessible to those students for whom English is their second language.
Sci4Kids- Stories about various science topics provided by the USDA. Students click from page to page through text about various science topics, some of which have animation.
One way to provide motivating and engaging material at various levels is through WebQuests. According to WebQuest.org, a WebQuest provides a task similar to a "real world" task that adults would perform. This task also requires higher level thinking skills, such as analyzing, comparing and contrasting, or drawing conclusions. Prior to reading information on this website, I was unable to determine which site I had visited were WebQuests and which were not. I think, however, that the most important thing is not classifying the site as a WebQuest or not, but making sure that the lesson planned has a task that has meaning in the student's everyday life as well as providing the opportunity for the student to do some higher level thinking along the journey. While not all of the links I have provided would be classified according to WebQuest.org as a true WebQuest, they do provide students with an engaging medium through which to learn. Besides holding students' interest longer than a textbook probably would, another benefit is that a WebQuest may provide students with accompanying audio or video to assist them in their reading, as well as interactive activities that keep students moving through the material.
Premade WebQuests and other web explorations are readily available on the Internet, though it is important to check out all links first, as I found that many links were broken (See the Internet Expeditions adaptation page for ways around this, as well as ways to adapt some of these sites to fit the WebQuest criteria or simply to fit your needs!)
WebQuest.org- Read about what defines a true WebQuest, and watch tutorials on how to create your own.
Internet Expeditions- These are not all WebQuests, but all an excellent supplement to textbooks! This site also offers advice on creation and adaptation of WebQuests.
Springdale Schools- This site offers WebQuests organized by grades (K-6) as well as by content.
Just For Kids! from the University of Illinois Extension- This site has many links to explorations, including "Let's Talk About Insects", which I used when creating a unit on insects. Many of these were available in more than one language, making them accessible to those students for whom English is their second language.
Sci4Kids- Stories about various science topics provided by the USDA. Students click from page to page through text about various science topics, some of which have animation.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Academic Vocabulary
'Reading to learn' is a common phrase used to describe students in upper elementary grades as the transition begins to focus on content-area learning. One of the best ways students can prepare for this shift is through their background knowledge, or schema. A teacher must help students build their schema by explicitly teaching content-area vocabulary. In Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher's Manual (2005), Marzano and Pickering stress this by stating, "[g]iven the importance of academic background knowledge and the fact that vocabulary is such an essential aspect of it, one of the most crucial services that teachers can provide, particularly for students who do not come from academically advantaged backgrounds, is systematic instruction in important academic terms" (p. 3). Marzano and Pickering's resource helps teachers with not only creating a list of academic vocabulary terms, but also by providing instructional advice, activities and games, numerous graphic organizer templates, and leveled word lists. This resource truly is a great place to start for any teacher, or better yet school corporation, wanting to create a unified academic vocabulary program.
Creating a word wall of academic terms is a great tool for students to see and refer to on a daily basis. Taking this one step further would be to have students create their own Academic Vocabulary Journals, as my colleagues and I have done. Here is the template we use with our sixth grade students and a sample math terms list.
In addition, preparing students for vocabulary words and phrases they will encounter on high-stakes testing, such as the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus (ISTEP+) is an important task. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) recently released the Standards and Assessment Vocabulary "to help develop an awareness of the connections between the standards and assessment." Follow the link and scroll down a bit to access the lists, categorized by grade levels and subject areas.
Other resources you may wish to look into include:
Janet Allen's Inside Words: Tools for Teaching Academic Vocabulary, Grades 4-12
Tennessee's Department of Education Vocabulary Initiative or Tennessee Academic Vocabulary
Creating a word wall of academic terms is a great tool for students to see and refer to on a daily basis. Taking this one step further would be to have students create their own Academic Vocabulary Journals, as my colleagues and I have done. Here is the template we use with our sixth grade students and a sample math terms list.
In addition, preparing students for vocabulary words and phrases they will encounter on high-stakes testing, such as the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus (ISTEP+) is an important task. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) recently released the Standards and Assessment Vocabulary "to help develop an awareness of the connections between the standards and assessment." Follow the link and scroll down a bit to access the lists, categorized by grade levels and subject areas.
Other resources you may wish to look into include:
Janet Allen's Inside Words: Tools for Teaching Academic Vocabulary, Grades 4-12
Tennessee's Department of Education Vocabulary Initiative or Tennessee Academic Vocabulary
Instructional Tools for Content-Area Literacy
Teachers are always searching for tools that will make their instruction better. That one magical tool that will ensure all of their students will not only comprehend, but also enjoy, whatever content area they are attempting to teach. Janet Allen makes it very clear that no such tool exists, but she does reassure her colleagues that she has discovered, borrowed, modified, and created several aids that will help some students sometimes with some of the material they are learning. She has developed two teacher-friendly resources that not only provide the instructional strategies, but also why and how she would use them in her classroom. Both flip charts provide detailed explanations, origins, references, and best of all blank forms for each strategy she highlights.
Her wonderful resources by Stenhouse Publishers can be purchased inexpensively online through a variety of websites. Here is a link to a sample page from her first flip chart, Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Her second flip chart, More Tools for Teaching Content Literacy, includes, as the title suggests, even more tools designed to meet student and instructional needs.
In addition to Allen's resources, many websites contain a multitude of graphic organizers that can help students organize and structure the material they are learning. The key is to try different ones until you find those that work with a particular student for a particular lesson. No one graphic organizer will fit the mold for every student and every lesson!
Here are a few websites that offer useful graphic organizers or links to resources you can purchase:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Education Place
Nonfiction Graphic Organizers
Education Oasis- Graphic Organizers
Scholastic- Graphic Organizers
Amazon- Graphic Organizers
Her wonderful resources by Stenhouse Publishers can be purchased inexpensively online through a variety of websites. Here is a link to a sample page from her first flip chart, Tools for Teaching Content Literacy. Her second flip chart, More Tools for Teaching Content Literacy, includes, as the title suggests, even more tools designed to meet student and instructional needs.
In addition to Allen's resources, many websites contain a multitude of graphic organizers that can help students organize and structure the material they are learning. The key is to try different ones until you find those that work with a particular student for a particular lesson. No one graphic organizer will fit the mold for every student and every lesson!
Here are a few websites that offer useful graphic organizers or links to resources you can purchase:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Education Place
Nonfiction Graphic Organizers
Education Oasis- Graphic Organizers
Scholastic- Graphic Organizers
Amazon- Graphic Organizers
Integrating Literacy and Science/Math: Using Leveled Readers and More on Text Sets
"Many teachers, like their students, still think of math as a totally separate subject from language arts. They may not see the connections to what students are learning during reading and writing instruction. Or if they do, they may not know how to make those math-literacy connections explicit or use them effectively," (Bernstein, Fogelberg, Hiller, Satz, Skalinder, Satz, Vitantonio, 2008). However, as we have learned, students need to be able to read and comprehend not only books read during reading instruction, but also books in the content areas. Through reading the authors' book, Integrating Literacy and Math: Strategies for K-6 Teachers, as part of a book study, I learned to use similar language in my math lessons as I use daily in reading and writing workshop. I also began to learn to link what good readers and writers do to what good mathematicians do, and show my students how a strategy that helped them in reading or writing can help them in math as well.
One of the authors, Lisa Bernstein, visited our book study group in 2008. Together, we worked to learn how to create engaging math lessons using trade books or leveled readers rather than out of a math book. This made math more engaging, as well as providing the opportunity to practice reading strategies during math class!
There are many companies that offer leveled nonfiction readers that can be used to develop lessons in math and science (and social studies), or can be used as supplemental materials to the textbooks. Below are links to sites of companies I have used to order content area leveled readers. These sites would help create text sets for units in the content areas.
Reading A-Z: http://www.readinga-z.com/
This site provides downloadable, projectable, or printable leveled books to use with the whole class or in small group lessons. Each book comes with a lesson plan and comprehension/assessment resources. Nonfiction books cover a range of topics that can be used in the content areas and the search engine on the site allows books on specific subject areas to be easily located. It is also possible to search for a specific reading strategy as well! There are printable or projectable graphic organizers that may be used before, during, or after reading. Books range from Guided Reading Level A all the way up to Z, so these books allow for differentiation and use in any grade!
Booksource: http://www.booksource.com/
This company has extensive leveled reading catalogs available for free upon request. In the leveled reader catalog, books are divided both by level and by subject. Recently, they also made their collections available online. Here is a link to Guided Reading Level J math books: http://www.booksource.com/Products/Level-J-Nonfiction-Math__JNF-MAT-spc-09-10.aspx
On the Booksource website, I found a page of book collections that accompany the Everyday Math program. I have been piloting this series this year and wasn't even aware that I could order this collection! What a great way to integrate reading and math AND keep math from becoming routine and boring! http://www.booksource.com/Departments/Specialty-Lists/Math--Science-and-Social-Studies/Everyday-Math-3rd-Edition.aspx
Zaner-Bloser: http://www.zanerbloser.com/
For years, I always looked at Zaner-Bloser as a handwriting/spelling company! I was excited last year to find that they had leveled content area books to help me meet science, math, or social studies standards AND work on reading strategies at the same time.
Here is a link to the leveled readers for grade K-6 in the content areas: http://zaner-bloser.com/educator/products/index.aspx?id=7710
Scholastic
I used the main catalog sent to our school each year to browse by subject area and level to easily order titles. We also ordered a leveled reading library that contained many leveled nonfiction readers. I recently found that Scholastic has a list-builder feature online that allows you to create your own text sets for the content areas! You can even search based on your state's standards in each subject area! Check it out: http://listbuilder.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomeView?storeId=10001&ESP=SLP/ib//acq/listbuilder_slimnav_Teachers///nav/txtl////
Rigby: http://www.rigby.com/
Rigby offers many nonfiction titles that could be used in the content areas. My students frequently check out the books from the Sails collection, particularly the readers about animals. I have found that these have also been great in engaging boys in reading; they love the vivid photographs and interesting facts. To find content area readers, click on products and then leveled readers. On the left you will find links to science and math readers. I highly suggest using the catalog to order, however, as you can see the cover of each book. This is a feature not yet on the website.
To read more about integrating literacy and math/science:
Integrating Literacy and Math: Strategies for K-6 Teachers
Authors: Ellen Fogelberg (MST), Carole Skalinder (MST), Patti Satz, Barbara Hiller, Lisa Bernstein, and Sandra Vitantonio
Click the link to see inside the book and/or order!
http://www.amazon.com/Integrating-Literacy-Math-Strategies-Teachers/dp/1593857187
Book review in Canadian Journal of Education:
http://www.csse.ca/CJE/Articles/FullText/CJE32-2/CJE32-2-Review-MacDonald.pdf
Integrating Literacy and Science
Authors: Judy McKee, Donna Ogle (editor of Integrating Literacy and Math)
Click the link to see inside the book and/or order!
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Integrating-Instruction/Judy-McKee/e/9781593851576/?itm=4&USRI=integrating+literacy+and+science
One of the authors, Lisa Bernstein, visited our book study group in 2008. Together, we worked to learn how to create engaging math lessons using trade books or leveled readers rather than out of a math book. This made math more engaging, as well as providing the opportunity to practice reading strategies during math class!
There are many companies that offer leveled nonfiction readers that can be used to develop lessons in math and science (and social studies), or can be used as supplemental materials to the textbooks. Below are links to sites of companies I have used to order content area leveled readers. These sites would help create text sets for units in the content areas.
Reading A-Z: http://www.readinga-z.com/
This site provides downloadable, projectable, or printable leveled books to use with the whole class or in small group lessons. Each book comes with a lesson plan and comprehension/assessment resources. Nonfiction books cover a range of topics that can be used in the content areas and the search engine on the site allows books on specific subject areas to be easily located. It is also possible to search for a specific reading strategy as well! There are printable or projectable graphic organizers that may be used before, during, or after reading. Books range from Guided Reading Level A all the way up to Z, so these books allow for differentiation and use in any grade!
Booksource: http://www.booksource.com/
This company has extensive leveled reading catalogs available for free upon request. In the leveled reader catalog, books are divided both by level and by subject. Recently, they also made their collections available online. Here is a link to Guided Reading Level J math books: http://www.booksource.com/Products/Level-J-Nonfiction-Math__JNF-MAT-spc-09-10.aspx
On the Booksource website, I found a page of book collections that accompany the Everyday Math program. I have been piloting this series this year and wasn't even aware that I could order this collection! What a great way to integrate reading and math AND keep math from becoming routine and boring! http://www.booksource.com/Departments/Specialty-Lists/Math--Science-and-Social-Studies/Everyday-Math-3rd-Edition.aspx
Zaner-Bloser: http://www.zanerbloser.com/
For years, I always looked at Zaner-Bloser as a handwriting/spelling company! I was excited last year to find that they had leveled content area books to help me meet science, math, or social studies standards AND work on reading strategies at the same time.
Here is a link to the leveled readers for grade K-6 in the content areas: http://zaner-bloser.com/educator/products/index.aspx?id=7710
Scholastic
I used the main catalog sent to our school each year to browse by subject area and level to easily order titles. We also ordered a leveled reading library that contained many leveled nonfiction readers. I recently found that Scholastic has a list-builder feature online that allows you to create your own text sets for the content areas! You can even search based on your state's standards in each subject area! Check it out: http://listbuilder.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomeView?storeId=10001&ESP=SLP/ib//acq/listbuilder_slimnav_Teachers///nav/txtl////
Rigby: http://www.rigby.com/
Rigby offers many nonfiction titles that could be used in the content areas. My students frequently check out the books from the Sails collection, particularly the readers about animals. I have found that these have also been great in engaging boys in reading; they love the vivid photographs and interesting facts. To find content area readers, click on products and then leveled readers. On the left you will find links to science and math readers. I highly suggest using the catalog to order, however, as you can see the cover of each book. This is a feature not yet on the website.
To read more about integrating literacy and math/science:
Integrating Literacy and Math: Strategies for K-6 Teachers
Authors: Ellen Fogelberg (MST), Carole Skalinder (MST), Patti Satz, Barbara Hiller, Lisa Bernstein, and Sandra Vitantonio
Click the link to see inside the book and/or order!
http://www.amazon.com/Integrating-Literacy-Math-Strategies-Teachers/dp/1593857187
Book review in Canadian Journal of Education:
http://www.csse.ca/CJE/Articles/FullText/CJE32-2/CJE32-2-Review-MacDonald.pdf
Integrating Literacy and Science
Authors: Judy McKee, Donna Ogle (editor of Integrating Literacy and Math)
Click the link to see inside the book and/or order!
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Integrating-Instruction/Judy-McKee/e/9781593851576/?itm=4&USRI=integrating+literacy+and+science
Ensuring the Accessibility of Texts
Learning from textbooks is inevitable. At some point, all students will be expected to read and learn from these sources of information. Understanding how to read textbooks though is not an inherent trait, and often textbooks are written at a level that is too difficult for many of the students expected to use the book. As Cris Tovani states in Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?, (2004) "[w]hen students are always given text that is too hard for them to read on their own, they begin to associate school reading with reading that is pointless" (p. 41). Obviously, the goal of any teacher, whether a reading teacher or a content-area teacher is to help his or her students learn and make meaning from this new knowledge. If students view reading as "pointless," then teachers have an enormous obstacle to overcome.
One way to overcome this obstacle is to explicitly teach how to read a textbook, using the features of a nonfiction text. Another way is to develop a collection of supplemental texts that meet the needs of a diverse range of readers within one class. Below are several resources that teachers can use to do both.
Using THIEVES to Preview Nonfiction Texts
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/using-thieves-preview-nonfiction-112.html
Textmasters: Shaking Up Textbook Reading in Science Classrooms
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/textmasters-shaking-textbook-reading-1180.html?tab=1#tabs
An Exploration of Text Sets: Supporting All Readers
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-text-sets-supporting-305.html
Using Science Texts to Teach the Organizational Features of Nonfiction
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/using-science-texts-teach-413.html?tab=1#tabs
Multimedia Text Sets
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gipej/mts/textsets.htm
A Sample Text Set for a Sixth Grade Class Learning about Early European History
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139185
Conducting an Insectigation! Text Set and Unit for a First Grade Class
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139569
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139568
Two Sample Multicultural Text Sets for a Primary Classroom
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139713
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139705
One way to overcome this obstacle is to explicitly teach how to read a textbook, using the features of a nonfiction text. Another way is to develop a collection of supplemental texts that meet the needs of a diverse range of readers within one class. Below are several resources that teachers can use to do both.
Using THIEVES to Preview Nonfiction Texts
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/using-thieves-preview-nonfiction-112.html
Textmasters: Shaking Up Textbook Reading in Science Classrooms
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/textmasters-shaking-textbook-reading-1180.html?tab=1#tabs
An Exploration of Text Sets: Supporting All Readers
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploration-text-sets-supporting-305.html
Using Science Texts to Teach the Organizational Features of Nonfiction
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/using-science-texts-teach-413.html?tab=1#tabs
Multimedia Text Sets
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gipej/mts/textsets.htm
A Sample Text Set for a Sixth Grade Class Learning about Early European History
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139185
Conducting an Insectigation! Text Set and Unit for a First Grade Class
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139569
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139568
Two Sample Multicultural Text Sets for a Primary Classroom
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139713
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30139705
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Periodicals and Online Reading
As teachers, it is important to find and use text that is motivating, as well as accessible to students, meaning that it is at a level that students can read and comprehend. One way to do this is to incorporate magazines and newspapers into the classroom. These text options provide stories that are current and relevant to the students' lives. They also often offer internet companions with bright pictures and interactive capabilities that keep students motivated to learn the material. Providing material that interests the students and is meaningful in their own life increases the chances that they will comprehend and retain the information! Another important feature of these periodicals is that they are written at a reading level that should be accessible to most of your students, and offer supportive features (such as picture definitions at the 1st grade level of Scholastic News) to help struggling readers. Finally, students may keep these articles, which allows them to mark on them in order to hold onto their thinking or prepare for a discussion!
Here are links to publications that may aid you in teaching content area material.
Scholastic News: http://www.scholastic.com/
Click on the Kids drop-down, then click the Scholastic News quick link. In addition to news articles, there are also podcasts, videos, and more that kids can use to help them read the articles, as well as games and other fun links! Here's a sample newscast on Shakers with photos and audio to accompany the text: http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/shaker/index.htm.
There's also an article that helps teachers new to the site navigate all that Scholastic has to offer to support its publications! Check it out: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=369.
Scholastic also has many, many other publications for students from K-12! Check them out at: http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/classroommagazines.htm
Time For Kids: www.timeforkids.com/TFK
This is the kids' version of the widely read publication Time Magazine. This site has a teacher home page and a kids' home page. For grades 2-3 and 4-6, students may read the articles featured in the publication online, and may even search through past issues. There are also Spanish translations and comprehension quizzes! Kids can also do online research through this website, as well as send comments to TFK.
National Geographic Kids: http://www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/
While articles from the publications are not readily available to kids, there is the option to personalize the page and save articles, pictures, etc. for future reference. There are many videos, as well as picture slideshows with accompanying text. Other interesting features are links to recipes and activities, as well as the opportunity to email fun finds to a friend (or teacher)! Information is provided on the website about subscription to the magazine.
National Wildlife Federation for Kids: http://www.nwf.org/Kids.aspx
This site features highlights from publications such as Ranger Rick and Your Big Backyard.
Weekly Reader, etc.: http://www.weeklyreader.com/
This website has exclusive content for the subscribers to its many magazines, including the popular Weekly Reader, as well as free online printables. There are magazines available for grades PreK-12, and the K, 1, and 2 editions of Weekly Reader even have an adapted special education companion available for subscription.
Here are links to publications that may aid you in teaching content area material.
Scholastic News: http://www.scholastic.com/
Click on the Kids drop-down, then click the Scholastic News quick link. In addition to news articles, there are also podcasts, videos, and more that kids can use to help them read the articles, as well as games and other fun links! Here's a sample newscast on Shakers with photos and audio to accompany the text: http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/shaker/index.htm.
There's also an article that helps teachers new to the site navigate all that Scholastic has to offer to support its publications! Check it out: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=369.
Scholastic also has many, many other publications for students from K-12! Check them out at: http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/classroommagazines.htm
Time For Kids: www.timeforkids.com/TFK
This is the kids' version of the widely read publication Time Magazine. This site has a teacher home page and a kids' home page. For grades 2-3 and 4-6, students may read the articles featured in the publication online, and may even search through past issues. There are also Spanish translations and comprehension quizzes! Kids can also do online research through this website, as well as send comments to TFK.
National Geographic Kids: http://www.kids.nationalgeographic.com/
While articles from the publications are not readily available to kids, there is the option to personalize the page and save articles, pictures, etc. for future reference. There are many videos, as well as picture slideshows with accompanying text. Other interesting features are links to recipes and activities, as well as the opportunity to email fun finds to a friend (or teacher)! Information is provided on the website about subscription to the magazine.
National Wildlife Federation for Kids: http://www.nwf.org/Kids.aspx
This site features highlights from publications such as Ranger Rick and Your Big Backyard.
Weekly Reader, etc.: http://www.weeklyreader.com/
This website has exclusive content for the subscribers to its many magazines, including the popular Weekly Reader, as well as free online printables. There are magazines available for grades PreK-12, and the K, 1, and 2 editions of Weekly Reader even have an adapted special education companion available for subscription.
The Reading Teacher
In Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?, Cris Tovani states that if reading teachers are the only ones teaching reading that there is a problem. Students need to be taught how to apply reading strategies with all types of text, and a reading teacher cannot take on this task alone! However, many content area teachers are in their fields because they are experts on their content, not because they want to teach reading. Teaching reading as a content area teacher could be an overwhelming and daunting task, as it seems like this would add more work onto an already full workload. However, since the goal of all classes is to comprehend the material taught, and much of this information is conveyed through reading, combining content area instruction with reading really makes a lot of sense! In the end, this could actually save time spent teaching and reteaching reading strategies in reading classes, as students would have more exposure to these in their other classes and learn how to apply them in all types of texts in their everyday reading. It could also save the content area teacher from having to reteach content that the students did not comprehend due to difficulty understanding the reading material.
A great resource for content area reading is the International Reading Association's publication The Reading Teacher. This journal frequently features articles dedicated to content area reading and gives tips to alleviate the stress felt by teachers trying to teach content area material and reading strategies in one lesson. This entry features articles from the publication that pertain to content area reading. Visit the IRA's site at http://www.reading.org/ and click Publications to learn more about The Reading Teacher.
Comprehension Instruction in Content Area Classes
http://embedit.in/jnVfkCo8U6
Think Tac Toe
http://embedit.in/ptEFkCKPKT
QAR: Enhancing Comprehension and Test Taking Across Grades and Content Areas
http://embedit.in/hzICN9eU6V
The ABCs of Performing Highly Effective Think Alouds
http://embedit.in/z6CbsA8SrM
A great resource for content area reading is the International Reading Association's publication The Reading Teacher. This journal frequently features articles dedicated to content area reading and gives tips to alleviate the stress felt by teachers trying to teach content area material and reading strategies in one lesson. This entry features articles from the publication that pertain to content area reading. Visit the IRA's site at http://www.reading.org/ and click Publications to learn more about The Reading Teacher.
Comprehension Instruction in Content Area Classes
http://embedit.in/jnVfkCo8U6
Think Tac Toe
http://embedit.in/ptEFkCKPKT
QAR: Enhancing Comprehension and Test Taking Across Grades and Content Areas
http://embedit.in/hzICN9eU6V
The ABCs of Performing Highly Effective Think Alouds
http://embedit.in/z6CbsA8SrM
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