This week we only went one day and it was our last. It was pretty sad. I’m glad we were able to focus on the students though and everything they were experiencing in class though. During silent reading I asked a student about an extra book he had on his desk. It was “Micky & Me” by Dan Gutma. The student was really excited and told me about how great the book is. It is one of a series of books about baseball. I started reading the book and actually greatly enjoyed the portion I did read. I told him I’d have to pick the book up at a library and finish it. He seemed really pleased that I enjoyed the same thing he did. I think it is important to learn about what your students enjoy and try to relate to them when reading. When I am a teacher I plan to have a variety of books to appeal to the interests of students in my classroom. Reading is fun; especially when you find books about things you already find interesting. This was a very rewarding experience. I’m glad we were able to go into the classroom and finally interact with the students.
This week the students began reading “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George. Students are reading this book as an entire class rather than in the small groups they were using before. Mrs. Osborne asked the students to look at the book cover, read the back, and write a brief explanation as to why they think they will like or dislike the book. Many of the students said they thought they were going to like the book based on the illustration on the cover and the detailed summary on the back of the book. In the beginning of the book there was a map about the location of the story. Mrs. Osborne made this much more interesting by pulling up Google Maps and showing the students on the satellite where the story takes place. This really captured the attention of the students and I thought it was a fun idea. I love technology and having the ability to do fun things like that. Overall, this week went well too. I think I enjoyed it more because we were not so focused on completing our assignments for Block.
My second week went just as well! I really enjoy being able to observe and work with the students. This week the students took a test on the book The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden. The students were able to use their books to go back and find the answers as needed. Some of the questions had page numbers for students to reference the text and find the answer. They also were read The Last Treasure by Janet S. Anderson. The teacher would stop and review the story with the students as she went along. She asked them to make predictions about what they were reading and many of them were actively engaged in this activity. It was fun listening to some of the things they could come up with. I payed more attention to some of the books the students were reading in their silent reading time. It was mind boggling to see how varied their reading abilities were. Some students were on level while others were on as low as a first grade level. Looking forward to next week!
I am having such a wonderful time in the classroom! The fifth graders are so much fun to observe and work with. I was surprised to find that so much of the time students are in class is spent focused on reading. They have nearly an hour of Guided Reading, half an hour of silent reading, an hour of Teacher Directed Reading, and fifteen minutes of read aloud. There is very little time focused on other subjects. During silent reading students are allowed to read anything as long as it is a book on their reading level. Some students take AR tests while the rest of the class reads. The teacher has soft music playing in the background and I think this helped the students concentrate on their reading. The students were very well behaved and for the most part stayed on task. I was very excited when they were assigned an I AM poem to complete for homework. The teachers used this project in an interesting way and had the students write the poem from the perspective of a character in a book they were reading. I actually got a chance to look over some of the poems and the assignment was very interesting! My first week was wonderful.
1. What are the three dimensions of fluency? How can you assess each dimension?
1) Accuracy in Word Decoding: in this dimension, the reader should be able to sound out words without help and with very few errors.
2) Automatic Processing: readers in this dimension are able to use their finite cognitive resources to make meaning out of what they are reading and do not have to think about the letters to form the words.
3) Prosodic Reading: readers in this dimension are able to read the story with expression in their voice to avoid making the story sound boring and monotone. In this stage they also take note of punctuation and pause in the correct places.
2. Rasinski refers to fluency as a “bridge” between decoding and comprehension. What does he mean by the “bridge” metaphor?
He means students must first be able to read fluently before they can comprehend what they are reading. The bridge means the two are directly connected.
3. What instructional methods does Rasinski suggest for students with difficulties in automatic and prosodic reading?
Assisted and repeated readings.
4. Multidimensional Fluency Scale (MFS) is used to measure prosodic quality of oral reading. List components of the MFS and describe briefly what each refers to (p. 49).
-Expression and Volume: to me this is part of the Prosodic Reading. This stage encompasses readers who are reading without emotion and in a monotone voice to readers who can express the correct enthusiasm throughout the story.
-Smoothness: has varying levels that are used to determine how smooth the reader is reading. A child who smoothly reads corrects themselves quickly and has few breaks in reading.
-Phrasing: measures the student’s qualities in reading a phrase. This is based on the number of times they break a phrase and the correct pauses involving punctuation.
-Pace: this is the rate or speed of a reader. A conversational rate is the highest level anyone can read.
1. What grade is Curt in?
Third grade
2. What was the flash score for words at: first-grade level? second-grade level? third-grade level?
1st: 75% (instructional)
2nd: 50% (frustration)
3rd: 20% (frustration)
3. What was the accuracy score at: 1-2 level? 2-1 level? 2-2 level?
1-2 level: 98% (instructional)
2-1 level: 90% (frustration)
2-2 level: 84% (frustration)
4. What was the rate score at: 1-2 level? 2-1 level? 2-2 level?
1-2 level: 65 wpm
2-1 level: 44 wpm
2-2 level: 36 wpm
5. What was the percentage correct score for: first-grade words? second-grade words?
First grade words: 60% correct
Second grade words: 0% correct
Consider the following expected scores, then compare those expectations to the scores Curt produced. With the Word Recognition Test, flash scores are generally interpreted as follows: 90-100% indicates Independent Level; 60-85% indicates Instruction Level; Below 50% indicates Frustration Level.
With oral reading accuracy, scores are generally interpreted as follows: 98-100% indicates Independent Level; 95-97% indicates Instruction Level; Below 92% indicates Frustration Level.
With oral reading rate, expected grade-level ranges are as follows:
Grade–Words per minute
1st–45-85
2nd–80-120
3rd–95-135
With spelling scores, around 50% correct indicates Instruction Level.
6. Which grade-level flash score is the best choice for Instruction Level? (*Note: 92-94% accuracy is marginal; take a close look at Rate.)
Level 1-2
7. Which grade-level accuracy score is the best choice for Instruction Level?
Level 1-2
8. What do Curt’s rate scores indicate about his grade-level reading? Where is he instructional according to rate?
He is reading at a first grade level and as a result should be on a first grade instructional level instead of a third grade level.
9. What do Curt’s spelling scores indicate about his Instruction Level.
He is instructional and on a first grade level.
10. Put all of these scores together, and what do they indicate Curt’s reading level to be?
Everything is indicating Curt is reading on a first grade level.
1. Describe in broad stokes the reading processes that take place during comprehension of informational text (p. 362, under Construction of Meaning and Concept Development with Informational Texts).
This involves accessing accurate and relevant background knowledge, managing mental processes through the use of limited working memory, and organizing and shaping the information to create a clear mental representation.
2. Specify the effect that background knowledge may have on constructing mental representations from informational text. Why should teachers be concerned about activating prior knowledge?
When constructing mental representations from informational text, children are relying on the background knowledge they possess to construct meaning from the new information they are acquiring. The information students are drawing from may not be relevant to the material they are learning or their knowledge about the material may be inaccurate.
3. What are the three instructional approaches that can be used to help primary-grade students comprehend informational text? Describe their common (p. 365) and distinctive features (p. 363-5).
1)Picture Walk (PW)- the teacher directs the students in a discussion about the pictures and discusses the new vocabulary words with the students. This is only a preview of the book.
2) Know-Want to Know-Learn (KWL)- this allows the students to engage in a more broad discussion of background knowledge of the students and as a result is the most open-ended of the three. This approach does increase the chances of the discussion straying from the text or the presentation of inaccurate information.
3) Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA)- this method allows readers to discuss each section of the story as they go through to ensure everyone has an understanding of what is happening in the story. Stopping within the story allows the readers to make sure they know what is occurring in the story and allows them to make personal connections to the book.
Each of the methods place emphasis on the social learning and engagement of the child; call upon background/prior knowledge that pertains to the story; and at some point ask the students to make predictions about the story.
4. What is the purpose of the experimental study reported?
On page 367 the purpose is listed as an exploration of the impact PW, KWL, and DRTA on developmental reading abilities and content acquisition when used with informational text in the primary reading group context.
5. Who were the subjects?
31 Second Graders from two separate schools that had similar demographics and were in the same district.
6. Describe the reading materials used during the intervention.
Texts that were both informational and descriptive were used. These texts involved information the students had been taught previously.
7. How long did the experiment last?
This experiment was over a ten week period. There were two four-week periods of intervention.
8. What were the experimental conditions?
Each of the groups were treated randomly with either PW, KWL, DRTA, or the control.
9. Describe the procedures specific to the Picture Walk, KWL, DRTA, and the Control Group conditions.
-Picture Walk: a preview of the story occurred that allowed students to see the text, headings, and pictures. New vocabulary words were discussed as well. This period is to allow students to call upon their prior knowledge and predict what may happen in the story. Following the picture walk, students read the text individually. They were then asked to summarize the information and talk about their predictions and the accuracy of those predictions.
-KWL: the story is introduced and the students talk about their prior knowledge. Information is placed under the “know” column in the chart as the students discuss what they already know about the topic. This is done individually and discussed as a class on a later day. Students were to create a list of information they think they will learn by using the table of contents. After reading the story the students discuss information from the story that answered their questions. The class later fills out a chart as a whole with the information they learned.
-DRTA: students are again making predictions about the text. They use pictures, headings or titles, and table of contents to create these predictions. They made predictions, read a few pages, and discussed. This time allows students to understand what is happening and make predictions about the next portion of the story. The book is briefly summarized in the end.
-Control: the teacher gave the students an overview of the texts. The students read the text and wrote or drew a picture pertaining to the text that they could share with their peers.
10. What measures were used to determine the relative effectiveness of the treatments? Describe the measures briefly.
-Vocabulary Recognition Task: estimates vocabulary recognition; ensures students have similar levels of prior knowledge.
-Maze: students are asked to fill in the blanks (choosing from a list) where words from the text were omitted. This allows us to examine the processing, reading, and monitoring for meaning aspects of students.
-Free Recall: students are asked to tell any information they remember about the book they read and what it made them think about. Coding sheets were used to analyze the information the students relayed.
-Cued Recall: students responded to explicit and implicit questions about the text. Responses were then scored and analyzed.
-Post-intervention Interview: this is to determine whether or not students learned anything concerning the use of prior knowledge and predictions.
11. Which treatment(s) were found to be more effective in increasing students’ vocabulary knowledge and maze performance (p. 381)?
The three each worked well and were relatively equal when looking at vocabulary gains when compared to the control. The PW and DRTA proved more effective than the KWL for the maze task.
12. Students’ comprehension of the texts was greater under the DRTA condition than KWL and the control conditions. What do you think explains DRTA’s advantage over the KWL condition (p. 382)?
The teacher guides the students through each section of text in the DRTA method. This allows students to focus on the important ideas and concepts. The DRTA method allows the students to more wholly understand or comprehend the information being presented in the text.
13. It was found that the treatments did not differ in the quality and quantity of students’ retellings (p. 384). In other words, students were not differentially affected by the treatments in the way they integrated textual information with prior knowledge. What does this finding mean in terms of the different emphases employed by experience-based (KWL) vs. text-based (DRTA) treatments?
I think this means both the KWL experience-based emphases and the DRTA text-based emphasis work well for student retelling. Which ever method a student chooses to use they should have similar results in their retelling of the story.
14. In light of the findings from this study, what conclusions can you draw about the role of teacher support in children’s construction of mental representations from informational text?
Teachers need to help students when informational texts are being read. The teacher needs to ensure students are drawing upon accurate and relevant background knowledge. It is also important to help students construct mental images that accurately represent the text. The three methods we learned about are good ways to help students comprehend what they are reading.
1. How does a Preliterate (Emergent) Speller read and write?
An Emergent speller’s writing appears as scribbles, shapes that look like letters, or random letters that have no phonetic relationship to the words they are trying to write. They read stories they have been read or that have pictures to provide cues about the story.
2. How does a Letter Name-Alphabetic speller read and write?
A Letter Name speller is actually reading and uses the systematic letter sound matches to identify and store words in their memory. They are only writing the beginning and ending letter sounds. A letter name speller understands that there are matches between sound and letters that need to be made when they are writing.
3. How does a Within Word Pattern speller read and write? A Within Word speller generally uses single syllables; use short vowels accurately; can spell beginning consonant digraphs and two letter blends; can use silent and long vowel markers. These spellers use both guided and supported reading. As you can imagine, the more they read the better and quicker they can do so.
4. How does a Syllable and Affixes speller read and write?
A Syllable and Affixes speller consolidates single letter-sound units into patterns and internalizes some other spelling regularities. In this stage they begin to focus on the vowel and what follows it. Reading is done independently and the students learn ways to help them read more efficiently.Finger point reading ceases and silent reading begins. In this stage they begin to enjoy specific genres and are fluent writers.
5. How does a Derivational Relations speller read and write?
A Derivational Relations reader tries to incorporate their knowledge with that of others. They choose books based on their personal interests and can write well.
6. What is the existing research evidence on the relationship between spelling and reading?
Briefly describe research findings discussed on page 20. There was a correlation of .68 to .86 between reading and spelling while another study found spelling accounted for 40-60% of the difference in oral reading. Spelling was found to be the most consistent prediction of achievement for reading.
Sheila Rae, the Brave
By: Kevin Henkes
Summary: Shelia Rae is a brave mouse. She thinks she can handle anything frightening. One day Shelia Rae decides to take a different way home from school and she gets lost. Shelia Rae discovers there are things even she is not brave enough to deal with. Fortunately for Shelia Rae, her baby sister Louise comes to the rescue.
Focus: The focus of this story is bravery. Shelia Rae proves time and time her bravery but she finds herself in situations where she needs someone else.
Comments and Questions:
Cover: Show cover and read the title. Ask children if they have heard the story before. Can they make predictions about what will happen?
Page 1: Show students the picture. What is Sheila Rae doing here?
She’s kissing a spider!
Page 5: What makes Shelia Rae Brave?
She kisses spiders, isn’t afraid of the dark or thunder and lightning or the scary dog; giggles at the principal; ties bullies up
Page 8: What is Shelia going to do?
Walk home a different way.
What do you think will happen next?
She’ll get lost. She’ll get scared.
Page 10: “Fearless” is one of our vocabulary words for this story. It means to be brave and calm in a scary ordangerous situation.
Page 13: What are some things Shelia Rae is doing to be “fearless?”
She is stepping on cracks, walking backwards with her eyes closed, growling at stray dogs.
Page 15: What is Shelia Rae’s problem?
She’s lost; sad; alone
What do you think will happen now?
She’s going to cry.
Page 17: “Convince” is another of our vocabulary words for this story. It means “to make yourself or someone else believe something you say.
Page 19: How do you think Sheila Rae feels now?
Sad, scared
(Her sister is in the tree!)
Page 21: How did Louise find her sister?
She was following her the whole time.
Page 23: What is Louise doing?
Everything Shelia Rae did on the way.
Page 26: “Dashed” is another of our vocabulary words. It means to move quickly or fast.
Page 28: How do you think Shelia Rae feels?
Happy to be home
What do you think Shelia Rae learned from getting lost?
Not to walk home by herself; to be nice to her sister; she sometimes needs help from others.
1. What was the hypothesis tested by the researchers?
“students will learn the pronunciations and meanings of new words better when they see spellings of the words during study periods than when they do not.”
2. Who were the subjects?
The first group was of 20 second graders with a mean age of 7 years and 7 months. These students were members of an urban school that consisted of a large minority population. The second group consisted of 32 fifth graders from the same urban school.
3. What were the experimental conditions?
Each student was taught the pronunciations and meanings of two sets of six concrete nouns. Spellings were shown as students learned one set. Spellings were not shown as students learned the other set. The particular word set was counterbalanced across students. The words were defined and used in sentences to clarify meanings and connections to other words. Meanings were taught with pictures, defining sentences, and clarifying sentences.
4. What did the treatment involve?
- An initial study trial
- the words, meanings and spelling were introduced
- drawings of the objects were presented for the students and the word was printed below the image
- the word is pronounced by the person conducting the study
- the definition is given
- the child repeats the word
- other trials conducted to test what the student’s recall about the words
- a minimum of six and a maximum of nine trials were conducted so students could learn pronunciations and meanings and there needed to be three successive trials.
5. Which group (spelling-present vs. spelling-absent) gained more in vocabulary learning? How were the groups’ recall of pronunciations affected by the treatment?
According to the chart which shows the scores, the spelling-present group gained more in vocabulary learning than the other group.
6. Why do you think that fifth graders who were high on a word reading task benefited more from the spelling aids than their peers with less orthographic experience and knowledge, even though the two groups did not differ on receptive vocabulary knowledge?
The article says students with higher orthographic knowledge would acquire richer vocabulary over time than those students with lower orthographic knowledge. They also likely have more experience and background knowledge.
7. What general conclusions were derived from the study findings by the authors? What implications were offered for vocabulary learning and instruction?
Teachers need to understand the importance of spellings for vocabulary learning and incorporate it in their teaching. When students learn the correct spellings of words they have a greater chance of learning the proper way to pronounce them as well as their meaning.
