Planning Strategic Reading Lessons PowerPoint
I found this presentation to be extremely useful and insightful. I sometimes am quick to plan my lessons and often do not take into account all of the steps that go into making a strategic reading lesson. Although I am overwhelmed by all of the steps I think the most important part to remember is that these steps, all of this preparation is for the children. These students need these steps in a specific order in order for them to be ready to jump into reading. I specifically liked the point that said these lessons call for exploration. Exploration is such a "hot" word right now in education but I believe it is critical for students to learn, grow, and questions. I think the biggest take away is making sure that once you have planned this lesson and are ready for execution, it is essential that the student(s) understand the purpose BEFORE the reading activities begin. Giving them an idea of what learning is going to take place with help with readiness as well as make the students aware of the learning strategies that are occurring.
Literacy Practice: Promotion Content Area Reading PowerPoint
Content reading is very important in a student's later years. I believe that because there is such a heavy emphasis on it in middle and high school that teachers need to be aware and begin to implement it into their classrooms so that students begin to familiarize themselves with the process. Many schools, including my own, back away from textbooks. I believe that with the right text book and execution, that these texts can be powerful tools. Texts are not meant to be the teacher, but a guide, a tool, and framework that can help reach students in another form.
What was most important to me in this presentation was the scaffolding reminders. I remember my undergrad professor telling me that when providing scaffolding you are holding out the carrot right above their heads so that they can reach it WITH your help. That has always helped me to remind me what my goals are when working with each student. I think that when working with each student, the teacher must be totally aware and in sync with this student and his/her needs. Assessing, observing, and making goals/teaching points for this student is so important so that the teacher can prepare the student for what is to come.
Bloom's Taxonomy Wheel
I think this is such a great resource. Not only for lesson planning but for execution. I try to make a habit out of telling my students what they will be doing during each lesson. This wheel has great action words that I can use to take my lessons to "the next level"
Differentiated Instruction Dr. Coffey PowerPoint
I found this PowerPoint to be a refresher of the importance of differentiated instruction. Although I work in a private school my students are all on different levels and are all from different backgrounds. I think that what Dr. Coffey said about all students being given the opportunity to learn and reach their highest potential is my biggest takeaway. Each student in my class should be given the chance to learn the material I am teaching. It is my job to relay that information to each of them in a way that makes sense to them!
The Story of Differentiation- Carol Tomlinson
I enjoyed learning about Carol Tomlinson's story of differentiation. This presentation was also a refresher. What I liked the most about it was that she reminded me that I shouldn't differentiate for one specific set of students (high or low) but for ALL the students in my class so that each of their needs are met! :)
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
EDRD 7718- Module 1 Learning Summary
Struggling Readers Video
This video did a great job of catching my attention. I think that the strategies they gave, such as the nonsense word game are great strategies that teachers can use to teach kids without an actual structured lesson. Students who are struggling are almost always aware that thy struggle. I think that this video did a great job of sharing different strategies teachers can use that the whole class or a small group can grow from so that these child do not feel picked out of lower than anyone else.
Expository Texts PowerPoint
With this PowerPoint my greatest takeaway is understanding text organization. Text organization is not always evident. It is important to be aware of this so that when the students are looking through the text, the teacher and the students can take a moment to look at the structure and physical text, looking for cue words to have a better understanding. In my classroom we already have the sequencing words up but I think that teaching other signal words is a great way for student to dissect the text to figure out where the text is "going". As the children get older, they will see these same expository texts, and same signal words, but the content will be harder. Teaching them this at an early age is bound to be helpful as they progress throughout the different grades
Fry's Readability Test
When I first read this, I had a hard time deciphering the graph because of how the document was scanned in. After researching and reading about it in the Vacca test I think it is a very successful and strategic way to determine a reading level. There are so many ways for a child to determine if a book is too easy or too hard for them, and although this is nothing like that, it is another tool that teachers can use when teaching literacy in the classroom.
Vacca Chapter 14: Making the Transition to Content Area Texts
When I first read the title of the chapter I immediately thought of the difficulties of content area texts. As I began to read the chapter the author pointed even more of them out. When working with younger children like most of us do I sometimes find it hard to find just right texts for everybody because my students' Guided Reading level vary from a K-N. What I found to be most interesting in this chapter was the use of non-fiction trade books. In our units of study we do two whole units on non-fiction. This is a great way for students to learn not only about specific non fiction topics, but how to read these books. These students often pick up fun facts or content specific vocabulary that can be applied elsewhere. I absolutely loved when Vacca talked about using the interdisciplinary model when teaching reading. I often use reading in every subject, even math (problem solving). I think that by combining the subject areas the students are forced to see the connections across the disciplines. I find it very easy to incorporate more than 2 subjects together without even realizing it. It is important for students to realize that all of the subjects are not isolated, but strung together to give them a better understanding of the world around them.
This video did a great job of catching my attention. I think that the strategies they gave, such as the nonsense word game are great strategies that teachers can use to teach kids without an actual structured lesson. Students who are struggling are almost always aware that thy struggle. I think that this video did a great job of sharing different strategies teachers can use that the whole class or a small group can grow from so that these child do not feel picked out of lower than anyone else.
Expository Texts PowerPoint
With this PowerPoint my greatest takeaway is understanding text organization. Text organization is not always evident. It is important to be aware of this so that when the students are looking through the text, the teacher and the students can take a moment to look at the structure and physical text, looking for cue words to have a better understanding. In my classroom we already have the sequencing words up but I think that teaching other signal words is a great way for student to dissect the text to figure out where the text is "going". As the children get older, they will see these same expository texts, and same signal words, but the content will be harder. Teaching them this at an early age is bound to be helpful as they progress throughout the different grades
Fry's Readability Test
When I first read this, I had a hard time deciphering the graph because of how the document was scanned in. After researching and reading about it in the Vacca test I think it is a very successful and strategic way to determine a reading level. There are so many ways for a child to determine if a book is too easy or too hard for them, and although this is nothing like that, it is another tool that teachers can use when teaching literacy in the classroom.
Vacca Chapter 14: Making the Transition to Content Area Texts
When I first read the title of the chapter I immediately thought of the difficulties of content area texts. As I began to read the chapter the author pointed even more of them out. When working with younger children like most of us do I sometimes find it hard to find just right texts for everybody because my students' Guided Reading level vary from a K-N. What I found to be most interesting in this chapter was the use of non-fiction trade books. In our units of study we do two whole units on non-fiction. This is a great way for students to learn not only about specific non fiction topics, but how to read these books. These students often pick up fun facts or content specific vocabulary that can be applied elsewhere. I absolutely loved when Vacca talked about using the interdisciplinary model when teaching reading. I often use reading in every subject, even math (problem solving). I think that by combining the subject areas the students are forced to see the connections across the disciplines. I find it very easy to incorporate more than 2 subjects together without even realizing it. It is important for students to realize that all of the subjects are not isolated, but strung together to give them a better understanding of the world around them.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Trip to Hawaii
Prompt: Describe what you found most interesting during our trip to Hawaii.
At the beginning of the first video I really enjoyed how you got us all ready to go on the flight. I found it engaging that you went into detail and explained the order of events and preparation of our class "going" to Hawaii. During the second video, I found that the variety of examples of graphic oragnizers explained was thorough and engaging. I use a lot f graphic organizers in my room for every subject (being Type A) and I liked that it reminded us (teachers) to introduce these organizers creatively. I think that teaching students about graphic organizers for both narraitve and expository texts allows the students to begin to construst their answers. The oragnizers are merely a skeleton. I had never heard of the Frayer Model and found it to be a wonderful resource. I think that using words and pictures together really helps students understand and make a connection with a new vocabulary word. I found it interesting to see that all of these graphic organizers throughout the grades all include higher level thinking skills (Bloom's). This is what learning is all about. These organizers are not rote learning and allow the students to be engaged but not overwhelmed with the amount of material. I often use charts before a lesson and during a mini lesson to teach the students the type of thinking I want them to do on their own. I think that remembering to use graphic organizers at the end of a lesson would be a great way to recap and review what was taught. The most important take away from our trip is: match the tool to the text! Pinterest has so many wonderful charts, organizers, and graphs right at our fingertips! :)
At the beginning of the first video I really enjoyed how you got us all ready to go on the flight. I found it engaging that you went into detail and explained the order of events and preparation of our class "going" to Hawaii. During the second video, I found that the variety of examples of graphic oragnizers explained was thorough and engaging. I use a lot f graphic organizers in my room for every subject (being Type A) and I liked that it reminded us (teachers) to introduce these organizers creatively. I think that teaching students about graphic organizers for both narraitve and expository texts allows the students to begin to construst their answers. The oragnizers are merely a skeleton. I had never heard of the Frayer Model and found it to be a wonderful resource. I think that using words and pictures together really helps students understand and make a connection with a new vocabulary word. I found it interesting to see that all of these graphic organizers throughout the grades all include higher level thinking skills (Bloom's). This is what learning is all about. These organizers are not rote learning and allow the students to be engaged but not overwhelmed with the amount of material. I often use charts before a lesson and during a mini lesson to teach the students the type of thinking I want them to do on their own. I think that remembering to use graphic organizers at the end of a lesson would be a great way to recap and review what was taught. The most important take away from our trip is: match the tool to the text! Pinterest has so many wonderful charts, organizers, and graphs right at our fingertips! :)
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