Chapter 6, Interactive read- aloud: Talking Our Way Through Texts, focused on how to engage young children in think-alouds, modeling, and interactive discussions with literature books. This chapter taught the difference between traditional read-alouds and interactive read-alouds. Before reading this chapter, I thought traditional read-alouds and interactive read-alouds were the same thing, but I learned from the text that interactive read-alouds are critical pieces of our literacy instruction for all readers. Traditional read-alouds require the child to sit and listen without really interacting with the story and the teacher. Using a picture book to teach is an interactive read-aloud. According to the text, "a purposefully, planned instruction provides the teacher time to model the reading process through think-alouds and interactive discussions as he or she helps readers, struggling or otherwise engage with books in a safe, risk-free environment". I learned that ineractive read-alouds are very critical to literacy instruction. All children, but especially ELLs need to be able to hear several books read aloud to them in English so that they can hear how English sounds (p.98). One of the biggest problems I've had with interactive read-alouds is student getting off topic. This chapter taught me several ways to manage this problem in the class. According to the text, "Books can be mirrors into our selves, our culture, our life experiences, and our community. Children need books that reflect who they are as people and that reflect what is happening in our world, our school, and our daily lives. Children need to see themselves in the literature they read and that is read to them". On page 102, there is a list of tips for an effective think-aloud. I found that making sure the texts are interesting, engaging, and a good match to be most effective in helping students to be able to stay on topic during the interactive read-alouds. I really like the idea of teaching the students how to "turn and talk". Turning and talking to a partner allows all the students to participate in preparing to read and gives them a chance to connect to the book personally as they activate and share their prior knowledge (p. 104).
Chapter 7, I Thought I knew How to Teach Reading, but Whoa, focuses on struggling readers at the emergent level who need lots of support as they learn to take on the earliest strategic actions (Johnson, p. 108). I really enjoyed reading this chapter because it was very informative of teaching teachers how to teach: directionality, voice/ print matching, phonemic awareness, early self-monitoring, and early fluency. The part of the chapter that was most informative to me was page 120, Phonemic Awareness I previously was confused on the difference between phonics and phonemic awareness. Phonics is the relationship between written and spoken sounds and letters. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that spoken words are made up of distinct sounds and that these sounds can be manipulated. On page 120, there is a visual use that shows the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics Phonemic awareness refers to hearing and noticing things about the sounds (ears), and being able to manipulate the sounds (mouth), but it does not include being able to identify letters (eyes) (Johnson, p. 120). The most shocking fact I learned from this chapter is that, "The federal government's research warns against too much emphasis on phonemic awareness. In fact, as little as five hours of training a year is more effective than programs that use more than eighteen hours of training in a year (85)" (Johnson, page 121). By the time a child is in the first grade, phonemic awareness should only be targeting students who really need it. According to the text, "Children who have severe issues with letter identification can be taught how to look at print by sorting and manipulating magnetic letters based on features: curvy letters, letters made with sticks, letters with circle parts, and so on".
Chapter 8 ,Comprehension: The Bottom Line, examines the thinking and the teaching behind comprehension strategy instruction (p.133). This chapter taught me that comprehension strategies in reading don't stop in elementary; it's a prolonged learning strategy. According to the text, "In order to have an efficient and integrated reading process system, the child must self-initiate the strategies, using them when he or she deems necessary to understand a text or solve a problem while reading". I found the Gradual Release of Responsibility chart to be most effective in helping to see what the students can apply on their own. The teachers perform the modeling, shared demonstration, and guided practice part of the chart. The students are responsible for the independence part of the chart.
I found chapter 7 of this book to be very interesting as well. I agree that this chapter was very informative for teaching teachers how to teach. It provided great insight for where to begin if you are unsure!
ReplyDeleteHi Tatiana,
ReplyDeleteExcellent reflection of the last three chapters of your text. You shared what you learned about interactive reading and how it benefits all learners, specifically ELLs. You also shared how in chapter 7 you learned the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics and how it is important that we do not isolate and emphasize phonics instruction to the detriment of our students' reading. Last you shared how you learned that comprehension instruction needs to be ongoing and teachers can utilize the gradual release of responsibility model to help support students' growth at all stages. The quote you shared in chapter 6 is one of my favorites. ""Books can be mirrors into our selves, our culture, our life experiences, and our community. Children need books that reflect who they are as people and that reflect what is happening in our world, our school, and our daily lives. Children need to see themselves in the literature they read and that is read to them".
Sincerely,
Dawn and Melissa
Hi Tatiana,
ReplyDeleteI like how you made a reference to the difference between traditional and interactive read-alouds. Having the children interact with the story helps students learn strategies to use during reading as well as being able to hear the story helps ELLs. Modeling for students is important because it shows them what they should be doing when they read.