10-second review: Students learn to visualize the elements of a story.
Title: “Picture It!” VM Naughton. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 65-68. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: The five elements of a story consist of setting, characters, problem, attempts to resolve the problem and resolution. Students learn to create visual story maps of the stories they read.
Comment: This activity is not the same as “mapping” in which words are arranged in a diagram of the organization of the story or article. This approach actually tries to use pictures and/or drawings, even stick figures, and words to visualize the elements of the story. The possibilities for creativity are interesting. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Topic: Young Writers in Children's Books
10-second review: Analyzed books in which young people are writers.
Title: “To Be a Writer: Representations of Writers in Recent Children’s Novels.” LT Parsons and L Colabucci. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 44-52. A publication of The International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: Asked the following questions about writing in the analyzed children’s books: Why does the character write? What does writing do for the writer? If the writing is taken public, what effect does the text have on the audience?
Why do they write? Want to be known; need to remember; seek to communicate; expose injustice; inspired by a teacher; instinctively like to write.
What does writing do for the character? Helps cope with experience; documents experience; builds relationships; defines identity.
Effect on an audience? Entertains; brings about change; reveals the author; builds relationships.
Concludes that most writing in school “doesn’t count.”
Comment: Interesting study. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Title: “To Be a Writer: Representations of Writers in Recent Children’s Novels.” LT Parsons and L Colabucci. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 44-52. A publication of The International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: Asked the following questions about writing in the analyzed children’s books: Why does the character write? What does writing do for the writer? If the writing is taken public, what effect does the text have on the audience?
Why do they write? Want to be known; need to remember; seek to communicate; expose injustice; inspired by a teacher; instinctively like to write.
What does writing do for the character? Helps cope with experience; documents experience; builds relationships; defines identity.
Effect on an audience? Entertains; brings about change; reveals the author; builds relationships.
Concludes that most writing in school “doesn’t count.”
Comment: Interesting study. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Topic: Comprehension
10-second review: Author charts the sequence of activities students use in reading.
Title: “START comprehending: Students and Teachers Actively Reading Text.” TD Scharlach. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 20-31. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: Here is the chart showing how students can read successfully:
Before Reading: ………. predicting/Inferring………”In this chapter, I think….”
During Reading: ………. Visualizing………. “In my mind I see….”
………………………… Making connections………. “This reminds me of….”
………………………… Questioning………. “I wonder….”
After Reading: ……... Main idea………. “I think the most important thing….”
………………………. Summarizing………. In 10 words or less….
………………………. Checking predictions………. “My original prediction…..”
……………………….. Making judgments………. “My favorite part….”
Comment: I would add to “Before Reading”: building background knowledge of the topic; pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary; survey: read the first paragraph, first sentence of each intermediate paragraph, and the last paragraph. Formulate questions to read to answer, and then prediction. In "After Reading," I would add applying or extending what has been read. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Title: “START comprehending: Students and Teachers Actively Reading Text.” TD Scharlach. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 20-31. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: Here is the chart showing how students can read successfully:
Before Reading: ………. predicting/Inferring………”In this chapter, I think….”
During Reading: ………. Visualizing………. “In my mind I see….”
………………………… Making connections………. “This reminds me of….”
………………………… Questioning………. “I wonder….”
After Reading: ……... Main idea………. “I think the most important thing….”
………………………. Summarizing………. In 10 words or less….
………………………. Checking predictions………. “My original prediction…..”
……………………….. Making judgments………. “My favorite part….”
Comment: I would add to “Before Reading”: building background knowledge of the topic; pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary; survey: read the first paragraph, first sentence of each intermediate paragraph, and the last paragraph. Formulate questions to read to answer, and then prediction. In "After Reading," I would add applying or extending what has been read. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Topic: ELL's and Sight Words
10-second review: Part of work in reading should be practicing reading materials that are familiar to the reader.
Comment: “English Language Learners” (ELL) are what used to be called “English as a Second Language” (ESL) learners. English Language Learners are learning English as a second language. RayS.
Title: “What Does Oral Language Have to Do With It? Helping Young English-Language Learners Acquire a Sight Word Vocabulary.” LA Helman and MK Burus. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 14 – 19. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: An important part of teaching young students whose native language is not English is to help them learn sight words. One method to help them reinforce their sight words is to have them re-read materials with which they are familiar.” “Repeated reading has been shown to increase fluency and consolidate the automatic recognition of sight words. Meaningful repeated readings can occur when students read with a partner, to a younger buddy, for their parents at home….”
Comment: Time to resurrect the time-tested language experience approach? Students (as a group or individually) dictate a story which is recorded by the teacher on chart paper. Teacher and students read it together. Then the students as a group, or individually, read it. They can re-read it again to buddies, the teacher or to parents at home. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Comment: “English Language Learners” (ELL) are what used to be called “English as a Second Language” (ESL) learners. English Language Learners are learning English as a second language. RayS.
Title: “What Does Oral Language Have to Do With It? Helping Young English-Language Learners Acquire a Sight Word Vocabulary.” LA Helman and MK Burus. Reading Teacher (September 2008), 14 – 19. A publication of the International Reading Association (IRA).
Summary: An important part of teaching young students whose native language is not English is to help them learn sight words. One method to help them reinforce their sight words is to have them re-read materials with which they are familiar.” “Repeated reading has been shown to increase fluency and consolidate the automatic recognition of sight words. Meaningful repeated readings can occur when students read with a partner, to a younger buddy, for their parents at home….”
Comment: Time to resurrect the time-tested language experience approach? Students (as a group or individually) dictate a story which is recorded by the teacher on chart paper. Teacher and students read it together. Then the students as a group, or individually, read it. They can re-read it again to buddies, the teacher or to parents at home. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Topic: Non-standard Comprehension
10-second review: What should we do when students respond creatively to what they have read and go beyond the “right” answer?
Title: “In Praise of Wiggle Room: Locating Comprehension in Unlikely Places.” M. Aukerman. Language Arts (September 2008), 52-60. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Summary: Some students will not respond to comprehension questions with “correct” answers. Why? Sometimes they are thinking beyond the “correct” answers. How should you deal with this “problem”? Suggested answer: give students the opportunity to hypothesize other possible answers.
Comment: The problem is to respond in a positive way. One method is standard—ask students to find in the text evidence for their answer.
Giving students the opportunity to speculate about other additional possible answers will give the opportunity to think creatively beyond restrictive answers.
Instead of using “canned” questions with the right answer prescribed in the teacher’s manual, have students generate their own questions. They read the first paragraph of the chapter, the fist sentence of each middle paragraph, and the last paragraph and then students suggest questions they will read to answer.
Teach students that there are three levels of questions: questions of fact that can be supported in the text. Questions of interpretation that usually begin with the question “why?” Questions of criticism that discuss the author’s facts, ideas and style of writing. Questions of interpretation and criticism would have possible multiple answers. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Title: “In Praise of Wiggle Room: Locating Comprehension in Unlikely Places.” M. Aukerman. Language Arts (September 2008), 52-60. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Summary: Some students will not respond to comprehension questions with “correct” answers. Why? Sometimes they are thinking beyond the “correct” answers. How should you deal with this “problem”? Suggested answer: give students the opportunity to hypothesize other possible answers.
Comment: The problem is to respond in a positive way. One method is standard—ask students to find in the text evidence for their answer.
Giving students the opportunity to speculate about other additional possible answers will give the opportunity to think creatively beyond restrictive answers.
Instead of using “canned” questions with the right answer prescribed in the teacher’s manual, have students generate their own questions. They read the first paragraph of the chapter, the fist sentence of each middle paragraph, and the last paragraph and then students suggest questions they will read to answer.
Teach students that there are three levels of questions: questions of fact that can be supported in the text. Questions of interpretation that usually begin with the question “why?” Questions of criticism that discuss the author’s facts, ideas and style of writing. Questions of interpretation and criticism would have possible multiple answers. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Topic: Teachers and Policy
10-second survey: How teachers can begin to chip away at restrictive teaching policies.
Title: “Building the Realism Bridge: Shaping Policy Through Collective Research.” M Proctor and P Demerath. Language Arts (September 2008), 42. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Summary: Narratives by teachers of how they teach successfully will contrast sharply with prescriptive teaching policy and will gradually lead to changing the policy.
Comment: Apparently a word I never heard—“policy”—in my years of teaching and supervising from 1956 to 1990, has become the new buzz word in education The authors of this article have discovered a new approach to research in which teachers gather their narratives of successful teaching practice to contrast with prescribed “policy.” Makes sense.
These narratives should enrich any prescribed curriculum—if teachers will be willing to share the secrets of their success. A counterforce could be payment to successful teachers. Then teachers might not be willing to share. I worry about that. One day I will tell you about my experience with a group of talented primary teachers who were asked to suggest a curriculum in writing for the early elementary grades. It might have been a vision of the future, and it was frightening. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Title: “Building the Realism Bridge: Shaping Policy Through Collective Research.” M Proctor and P Demerath. Language Arts (September 2008), 42. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Summary: Narratives by teachers of how they teach successfully will contrast sharply with prescriptive teaching policy and will gradually lead to changing the policy.
Comment: Apparently a word I never heard—“policy”—in my years of teaching and supervising from 1956 to 1990, has become the new buzz word in education The authors of this article have discovered a new approach to research in which teachers gather their narratives of successful teaching practice to contrast with prescribed “policy.” Makes sense.
These narratives should enrich any prescribed curriculum—if teachers will be willing to share the secrets of their success. A counterforce could be payment to successful teachers. Then teachers might not be willing to share. I worry about that. One day I will tell you about my experience with a group of talented primary teachers who were asked to suggest a curriculum in writing for the early elementary grades. It might have been a vision of the future, and it was frightening. RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Topic: Teacher Self-Determination
10-second survey: Teachers have become less and less professional as they are forced to follow prescriptive reading programs and guidelines.
Title: “Negotiating a Top-Down Reading Program Mandate: The Experiences of One School.” L Pease-Alvarez and KD Samway. Language Arts (September 2008), 32-41. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Quote: “This leads us to ponder the value of change that is imposed through policies and mandates, and to contrast it with change that is rooted in teacher self-reflection, initiative and collaborative inquiry.”
Comment: In the days when basal readers were questioned because the program, not the teacher, was doing the teaching, I felt that there was value in the basal because teachers learned how to teach reading—phonics as needed, the directed reading assignment, and progressive difficulty of word recognition and vocabulary. In my experience, teachers gradually weaned themselves from the basal, using those parts that were valuable and adding what teachers had learned from their experience.
The new prescriptions apparently threaten the teachers if they do not adhere strictly to the prescribed program, giving teachers no room to use what they have learned from experience. The problem does not seem so different from what is occurring with doctors and insurers.
I think teachers need to define themselves professionally, as educated people who use their judgment to do what is best for the students.
What do you think? RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
Title: “Negotiating a Top-Down Reading Program Mandate: The Experiences of One School.” L Pease-Alvarez and KD Samway. Language Arts (September 2008), 32-41. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Quote: “This leads us to ponder the value of change that is imposed through policies and mandates, and to contrast it with change that is rooted in teacher self-reflection, initiative and collaborative inquiry.”
Comment: In the days when basal readers were questioned because the program, not the teacher, was doing the teaching, I felt that there was value in the basal because teachers learned how to teach reading—phonics as needed, the directed reading assignment, and progressive difficulty of word recognition and vocabulary. In my experience, teachers gradually weaned themselves from the basal, using those parts that were valuable and adding what teachers had learned from their experience.
The new prescriptions apparently threaten the teachers if they do not adhere strictly to the prescribed program, giving teachers no room to use what they have learned from experience. The problem does not seem so different from what is occurring with doctors and insurers.
I think teachers need to define themselves professionally, as educated people who use their judgment to do what is best for the students.
What do you think? RayS.
The purpose of this blog, English Updates, is to review interesting contemporary (2008-2009) articles from professional English education journals at all levels—elementary, middle school, junior high school, high school and college.
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