Hello,
Good sites for early readers starfall.com, kidsasaurus.
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Building a Culture of Reading
Hi All,
Have a look at this video clip from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMEBBwO6J8
Reading is not the same as it was in years gone by. Silent reading of the traditional, notes and records between two covers may be a passing trend. However, it would seem that the deep-rooted culture of reading has gained as much as it has lost. We now have the introduction of new literacies emerging out of widespread and all pervading technology such as; e books, blogs, wikis, kindle, iPad, digital photo stories. It is up to the educators to ensure that students continue to read and read well.
What can we, as teachers do to build a culture of reading in our immediate environments? It is helpful to have famous people endorse the value of reading as in the video clip shown above. However, this may be short lived. The Gravelly Hill Middle School which earned the IRA’s Exemplary Reading Program Award has implemented a whole school focus on Literacy.
The strategies they incorporated in improving school literacy can be employed by any school, if they are looked to as a benchmark. Their approach was to bring the entire school on board. They put up pictures of staff holding their favourite books, and signs encouraging students to read. The staff implemented the “Grizzly Acceleration Programme” developed by literacy experts such as, Robert Marzano, Irene Fountas, Gay Su Pinnell and Jerry Johns. This is, “an intervention Programme that uses a 30 minute literacy block of intensive and targeted intervention that is data driven, supports core instruction and monitors student growth and achievement.”Reading Today, (2010).
The school gave priority to professional development. They also made considerable use of technology. They added resources such as magazines in every classroom, the cafeteria the offices the gym and in the auditorium. The staff worked as a team to ensure that students’ written work was well organized and planned and grammatically correct.
All schools can implement such a programme with support from administration and proper planning.
Reference :
Anonymous, A culture of reading: Whole-school focus on literacy earns IRA’s exemplary reading program award for Gravelly Hill Middle School. Reading Today, Vol.27, No. 6 June/July 2010.
Syndy Jahoor
Have a look at this video clip from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMEBBwO6J8
Reading is not the same as it was in years gone by. Silent reading of the traditional, notes and records between two covers may be a passing trend. However, it would seem that the deep-rooted culture of reading has gained as much as it has lost. We now have the introduction of new literacies emerging out of widespread and all pervading technology such as; e books, blogs, wikis, kindle, iPad, digital photo stories. It is up to the educators to ensure that students continue to read and read well.
What can we, as teachers do to build a culture of reading in our immediate environments? It is helpful to have famous people endorse the value of reading as in the video clip shown above. However, this may be short lived. The Gravelly Hill Middle School which earned the IRA’s Exemplary Reading Program Award has implemented a whole school focus on Literacy.
The strategies they incorporated in improving school literacy can be employed by any school, if they are looked to as a benchmark. Their approach was to bring the entire school on board. They put up pictures of staff holding their favourite books, and signs encouraging students to read. The staff implemented the “Grizzly Acceleration Programme” developed by literacy experts such as, Robert Marzano, Irene Fountas, Gay Su Pinnell and Jerry Johns. This is, “an intervention Programme that uses a 30 minute literacy block of intensive and targeted intervention that is data driven, supports core instruction and monitors student growth and achievement.”Reading Today, (2010).
The school gave priority to professional development. They also made considerable use of technology. They added resources such as magazines in every classroom, the cafeteria the offices the gym and in the auditorium. The staff worked as a team to ensure that students’ written work was well organized and planned and grammatically correct.
All schools can implement such a programme with support from administration and proper planning.
Reference :
Anonymous, A culture of reading: Whole-school focus on literacy earns IRA’s exemplary reading program award for Gravelly Hill Middle School. Reading Today, Vol.27, No. 6 June/July 2010.
Syndy Jahoor
Friday, July 30, 2010
What is different about Online Literacy?
Online reading is quite different from offline reading as suggested by Leu et al, in their article entitled “What is new about the New Literacies of Online Reading Comprehension.” (2007) Retrieved from http://www.newliteracies.uconn.edu/reading.html.
Interestingly, online reading skills seem to be best acquired through social exchange instead of formal, direct instruction. Web users synthesize text in two ways, as proposed by Leu et al. Firstly, they formulate a meaning from what they have read as they do when reading offline. Secondly, “they actively construct the texts that they read through the choices that they make about which sites to visit, which links to follow, whom they communicate with and whose messages they choose to read.” Leu et al, (2007) (p.13)
In addition to this, “…new comprehension skills appear in five areas: developing and important question, locating information online, critically evaluating information that readers locate, synthesizing across texts to determine a likely answer, and communication their discoveries to others.” (Coiro, 2006; Coiro & Dobler, in press; Henry, 2006; Leu, et.al, 2004)
Syndy Jahoor
Interestingly, online reading skills seem to be best acquired through social exchange instead of formal, direct instruction. Web users synthesize text in two ways, as proposed by Leu et al. Firstly, they formulate a meaning from what they have read as they do when reading offline. Secondly, “they actively construct the texts that they read through the choices that they make about which sites to visit, which links to follow, whom they communicate with and whose messages they choose to read.” Leu et al, (2007) (p.13)
In addition to this, “…new comprehension skills appear in five areas: developing and important question, locating information online, critically evaluating information that readers locate, synthesizing across texts to determine a likely answer, and communication their discoveries to others.” (Coiro, 2006; Coiro & Dobler, in press; Henry, 2006; Leu, et.al, 2004)
Syndy Jahoor
Standardized testing vs Authentic assessment
Standardized Testing has its merits in ensuring that standards are met by schools. They can also give an indication of how individual students are performing within the schools so that areas of weakness can be identified and so specific resources may be allocated to these schools.
However, many questions about the validity and reliability of such tests in assisting and planning instructional goals have been raised. According to Koretz (2008), studies suggest that standardized teat scores may be higher than the students’ understanding of the material. Also research has not shown a link between increased standardized testing and increased reading achievement, (Afflerbach, 2004). In fact, studies have shown standardized testing to have the effect of catering positively to a minority of students while consequently leading to a portion of low income and minority students dropping out of school (Darling-Hammond 2003). Further compounding the effect of such tests on students is that they can diminish both their self-efficacy for learning and their motivation to attempt academic pursuits (Nichols & Berliner 2008).
For these reasons, Authentic Testing may be more suited to catering for individual students’ needs since it involves close and intensive teacher interaction with students, with ongoing assessment developed by teacher and students. Blogs and wikis can allow for this intensive interaction despite it being online. In such a situation the teacher makes qualitative judgments about students’ performance based how they respond to posts made by the teacher and other students and evaluation is continuous,to test understanding of course content. This is generally a more holistic method of gathering information about students’ performance and developing strategies to assist them in the classroom.
Reference
Vacca, R.T., Vacca, J.L., Mraz, M. Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum. 10th Edition (2010)
Syndy Jahoor
However, many questions about the validity and reliability of such tests in assisting and planning instructional goals have been raised. According to Koretz (2008), studies suggest that standardized teat scores may be higher than the students’ understanding of the material. Also research has not shown a link between increased standardized testing and increased reading achievement, (Afflerbach, 2004). In fact, studies have shown standardized testing to have the effect of catering positively to a minority of students while consequently leading to a portion of low income and minority students dropping out of school (Darling-Hammond 2003). Further compounding the effect of such tests on students is that they can diminish both their self-efficacy for learning and their motivation to attempt academic pursuits (Nichols & Berliner 2008).
For these reasons, Authentic Testing may be more suited to catering for individual students’ needs since it involves close and intensive teacher interaction with students, with ongoing assessment developed by teacher and students. Blogs and wikis can allow for this intensive interaction despite it being online. In such a situation the teacher makes qualitative judgments about students’ performance based how they respond to posts made by the teacher and other students and evaluation is continuous,to test understanding of course content. This is generally a more holistic method of gathering information about students’ performance and developing strategies to assist them in the classroom.
Reference
Vacca, R.T., Vacca, J.L., Mraz, M. Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum. 10th Edition (2010)
Syndy Jahoor
Evaluating Reading
The Informal Reading Inventory is a very useful tool in determining reading problems in students. Several inventories exist. Most are written to incorporate a country’s cultural setting, to ensure that students have some background knowledge on text’s subject matter. This evaluation instrument helps to determine a child’s Independent reading level, Instructional reading level, Frustration reading level and Potential reading level. This is determined after students read a passage and answer questions related to the passage. Students are evaluated on their fluency in reading as well as their ability to gather Literal and Inferential meaning from the passage read.
Some Specific Reading Difficulties that may be ascertained by using the IRI
1. Word by Word Reading
2. Incorrect Phrasing
3. Poor pronunciation
4. Omissions – Word endings, Words, Phrases, Sentences
5. Repetitions
6. Reversals
7. Insertions
8. Substitutions
9. Guessing at words
10. Pointing at words
11. Poor sight vocabulary – basic sight words not known
12. Phonic difficulties – letter sounds, blends, digraphs
13.Contractions not known
14. Poor comprehension skills – literal, inferential, creative/ critical
Sunday, July 25, 2010
What is Comprehension?
Reading comprehension or text comprehension is not easily defined since it requires several skills. It is a complex activity. Comprehension may be regarded as the ultimate goal of reading.
Notwithstanding its complexities several authors have posited definitions of what comprehension is. Julie Coiro in the article Reading Comprehension on the Internet: Expanding our understanding of Reading Comprehension to Encompass New Literacies quoted the RAND Reading Study Group’s Report (2002) as defining reading comprehension as “the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing measuring through interaction and involvement with written language.”
Since the comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading, the other fundamental skills in reading are prerequisites for comprehending to take place. The ability to decode words and know their meanings in their contexts, because words carry different meanings depending on the context.
Teachers therefore must provide the learner with tools for skillful decoding. These include phonics skills, structural analysis, word-picture association and use of context clues. These tools can be reinforced by the reading of stories, and discussions on topics of interest as well as use of multimedia, such as videos, music digital stories, e books blogs and wikis. Parental involvement in these activities is an integral part of this process and the advent of new literacies allows for this.
Notwithstanding its complexities several authors have posited definitions of what comprehension is. Julie Coiro in the article Reading Comprehension on the Internet: Expanding our understanding of Reading Comprehension to Encompass New Literacies quoted the RAND Reading Study Group’s Report (2002) as defining reading comprehension as “the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing measuring through interaction and involvement with written language.”
Since the comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading, the other fundamental skills in reading are prerequisites for comprehending to take place. The ability to decode words and know their meanings in their contexts, because words carry different meanings depending on the context.
Teachers therefore must provide the learner with tools for skillful decoding. These include phonics skills, structural analysis, word-picture association and use of context clues. These tools can be reinforced by the reading of stories, and discussions on topics of interest as well as use of multimedia, such as videos, music digital stories, e books blogs and wikis. Parental involvement in these activities is an integral part of this process and the advent of new literacies allows for this.
To Read or Not To read
It has been found that children who have interests are engaged and that engaged thinkers and readers are better students (Guthrie & Humenick, 2004). This is so according to (Guthrie, Wigfield, Metsala, & and Cox, 1999) because children, who are motivated to read, spend more time reading than those who are less motivated. Unfortunately, many students are not motivated to read.
One research study took the form of a National Survey of motivation to read (Donahue, Daane & Yin, 2005). From this survey it was found that a large portion of fourth graders felt that reading was not a favourite activity and that they did not read frequently for enjoyment. Most of these students also related that they did not learn much from books and were not motivated to read, even if they are permitted to choose their own reading material. An even greater challenge may be found in getting students to read required content texts.
Authors Brozo & Flynt proposes the implementation of six evidence based principles in the content area classroom, which include: Elevating Self-Efficacy, Engendering Interest in New Learning Connecting Outside with Inside School Literacies, Making an Abundance of Interesting Texts Available, Expanding Choices and Options and Structuring Collaboration for Motivation.
Contained in these Principles is an overwhelming need for the teacher to create situations that build a perception of competence in the student and a belief that they have the ability to achieve meaningful results in an academic setting. Another major theme presented, is that students need not only possess the skill in reading but equally important is the will to read. This may be encouraged by the use of a variety of teaching strategies, using multiple forms of literacy. To do this, information may be taken from many sources, which students themselves may influence. An example of this is the use of new media; e-mailing, instant messaging, participating in chat rooms and blogs and video games.
Syndy Jahoor
One research study took the form of a National Survey of motivation to read (Donahue, Daane & Yin, 2005). From this survey it was found that a large portion of fourth graders felt that reading was not a favourite activity and that they did not read frequently for enjoyment. Most of these students also related that they did not learn much from books and were not motivated to read, even if they are permitted to choose their own reading material. An even greater challenge may be found in getting students to read required content texts.
Authors Brozo & Flynt proposes the implementation of six evidence based principles in the content area classroom, which include: Elevating Self-Efficacy, Engendering Interest in New Learning Connecting Outside with Inside School Literacies, Making an Abundance of Interesting Texts Available, Expanding Choices and Options and Structuring Collaboration for Motivation.
Contained in these Principles is an overwhelming need for the teacher to create situations that build a perception of competence in the student and a belief that they have the ability to achieve meaningful results in an academic setting. Another major theme presented, is that students need not only possess the skill in reading but equally important is the will to read. This may be encouraged by the use of a variety of teaching strategies, using multiple forms of literacy. To do this, information may be taken from many sources, which students themselves may influence. An example of this is the use of new media; e-mailing, instant messaging, participating in chat rooms and blogs and video games.
Syndy Jahoor
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