Module+9

1. What does research say about this topic? JULY 15, (JM AND LYNN) Lynn: Skilled reading involves fluent word recognition and "active reading". Those who comprehend well use a variety of comprehension strategies in an articulatee fashion. Comprehension strategies should be taught beginning in the primary grades. However, research also shows that many times comprehension strategies are not taught.

JM: Good readers are taught and use a vareity of strategies while reading. Comprehension strategies are used before reading, during reading, and after reading. These skilled readers are also fluent in word recognition.

Lisa: I love the term 'active reading', it reminds us that reading is not a passive activity but a very complex one involving several cognitive facets. Research states the importance of fostering active reading. Research also states that comprehension strategies can and should be taught and by teaching them in an appropriate way (for example transactional methods) comprehension can be improved.

ML: Good readers are capable and active readers that knowlingly employ a variety of reading strategies. Transactional strategies instruction improves reading comprehension. Reciprocal teaching is beneficial. Comprehension strategies instruction should begin in early elementary.

RV: Active readers are using the brain power to monitor themselves as well as use their own internal comprehension strategies to make sense of their reading.

2. In what ways does strategically active reading affect metacognition?

Lynn: If you are strategically active during the reading process, you as questions while you are reading and construct images of those ideas. You are alert to the possibility that some parts of the text may be confusing, and you react to that confusion with "fix up" strategies such as rereading.

JM: An active reader will determine the goal of their reading before they begin. They will skim the text and use prior knowledge to make connections. During reading, active readers will monitor as they read, and reread parts that are unclear or difficult. They will also try to make connections. Active readers will summarize what they read once they are done.

Lisa: Both Lynn and JM summed up B-D-A or Before-During and After reading activities. I don't think you can limit it to just one section of your reading, being strategic, or metacognitive must flow through all areas of reading in your classroom. Being strategically active means you are monitoring your reading for comprehension and fixing any difficulties as they arise. The two go hand in hand. ML: Metacognition is affected when strategically reading in that the reader is continually monitoring, evaluating, predicting, and self selecting what strategies to use at different times. When a problem arises, they are thinking about which strategy could get them through the issue.

RV: As an active reader myself, I am constantly making my own connections and trying to comprehend without realizing I am even doing it. I think about new terms and try to understand them in context as soon as I see them. I also think about what I have read afterwards to help me remember what information I took from the text.

3. Plan ways to have students become active readers within your classroom.

Lynn: Children who do not have good word recognition skills many times use too much of their cognitive processes in decoding words, leaving little to comprehend the text they are reading. Therefore, word recognition and fluency must be a part of having active readers in the classroom. It is also important to provide high-interest reading materials that they will enjoy reading. However, there is more to active reading than fluency and prior knowledge. Comprehension strategies should be modeled by the teacher and then scaffolded as the students practice those strategies. Lisa: AMEN! You cannot jump right into comprehension strategies if your students are struggling with word recognition and decoding skills. Sometimes you have to back way up to ensure all studetns have the foundational skills needed to build strategic, metacognitive readers. JM: I think that the Reciprocal teaching is a great way to help your students become active readers. This strategies allows students to be in control of their learning. Each student within the group will have the responsibility of being the leader. As the leader, they must use comprehension strategies for predicting, questioning during the reading, clarifying when there is confusion, and summarizing. ML: I really like the concept of reciprocal teaching. I think it would be a great way to get students to think about the strategies they are using. The sharing part of that is very important. The text said that they should collaborate and discuss the strategies. They need to be able to articulate what strategy they used and why. Lisa: I don't think there is one specific way. I have a list of BDA activities that I keep inside my strategy notebook. I plan to use it as a reminder of all the BDA activities I have to activitat prior knowledge, build motivation, ect. I think the way to build strategic readers is to offer many and varied strategies and allow them ample time and opportunity to apply the strategies. I also think a teacher could go overboard and introduce too many strategies without enough time spent on each to really learn it well enough to remember and apply it. I plan on reminding myself each quarter to plan and teach a variety of strategies and monitor how well the kids are doing with each strategy before moving onto another one.

RV: Working with young readers, I am constantly modeling and thinking outloud about readin strategies they might need to make sense of what they are going to be reading. I even will make mistakes and then fix-up my reading out loud in order to help them think about this and how they could use it in thier own reading.

4. Your questions from your group. Lynn: 1. Can children who do not have a good fund of background knowledge ever “catch up” with their peers in reading comprehension skills?* MS: RESEARCH SAYS NO!!! RESEARCH SAYS ONCE BEHIND, ALWAYS BEHIND. THAT IS A TERRIBLE THOUGHT. I THINK EXPOSURE TO MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES, PLACES, TECHNOLOGY BASED EXPERIENCES, BOOKS, AND PEOPLE CAN HELP WITH BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND THUS HELP WITH LITERACY. I WAS A FARM KID WHO DIDN'T HAVE "EYES" OUTSIDE OF KINGFISHER, OKLAHOMA AND IT SHOWED IN MY VOCABULARY AND READING KNOWLEDGE. THEN CAME THE LIBRARY AND AN AUNT WHO HELPED ME LOVE TO READ. THEN CAME A JOB WHERE I HAD TO READ TO SURVIVE, THEN CAME TRAVEL, AND MULTIPLE EXPERIENCES. I FEEL TEACHERS AND PARENTS CAN ACTIVELY MAKE THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE GREATER BY EXPOSURE TO MULTIPLE IDEAS AND EVENTS. //Lisa: I encountered the same research during my capstone regarding early literacy skills. Skills measured as early as preschool were highly predictive of future reading skills. With so many head start/early start/preschool programs that we have now, maybe this fact will begin to slowly change. Since research has proven the importantce of these early literacy skills and early expereinces to build background knowledge, parents and educators should put emphasis on it.// 2. Is metacognition related to motivation? Is a child who is not motivated to learn develop those metacognitive processes? 3. Why do many teachers not teach comprehension strategies ? JM: Do good readers develop any of the reading comprehension skills naturally? *  MS: THERE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN HISTORY AND IN THOUGHT BELIEVE READING IS A NATURAL ACT AND THE MORE THE CHILD IS EXPOSED TO LITERATURE, THE CHILD WILL LEARN TO READ. THIS WAS THE PHILOSOPHY OF NSU ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO. NOW WE BELIEVE IN THE BALANCED APPROACH TO READING AND YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF APPROACHES TO FIND THE BEST APPROACH TO READING. (Lisa: when I got my Bachelors, most of what I learned at NSU was based on the 'whole language' approach. It was interesting to me when I started on the reading masters program what a change of philosophy had occured.) ML: This is interesting. The reason I began the Master's program was that I was missing something. I didn't feel that I had been prepared to teach reading to the extent that I needed and wanted to. I can see the change in philosophy as well. I graduated in 1997.

MANY PRE-SCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS READ WELL WITHOUT PHONICS. MANY STUDENTS COMPREHEND NATURALLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A NEED TO COMPREHEND. MANY STUDENTS ARE NEVER TAUGHT THE BEST SKILLS IN COMPREHENSION.

THUS, COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO LEARN OR IMPROVE COMPREHENSION. AT THE THIRD GRADE WHEN THE READING FOCUS CHANGES FROM LEARNING TO READ TO READING TO LEARN, MANY HOURS OF PREPARATION MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE READING CURRICULUM. THIS READING IS SO DIFFERENT AND THUS COMPREHENSION CAN BE HARDER TO DO.

Lisa: Sorry for the two *s but this is a struggle our school is going through not, determining what is "developmentally appropriate". I am interested in other's opinions of what can be done in pre-k and kdg. THE FIRST STEP OF COMPREHENSION IS A LEARNING JOURNAL. WRITE ME SOMETHING ABOUT THE STORY I JUST READ OR WENT TO OR ???. THEN THE NEXT STEP IS BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END. OR RETELLING. THERE ARE STEPS TO TEACH COMPREHENSION TO PRE-SCHOOLERS ON THE INTERNET.
 * Should comprehension strategies be modified to fit differing texts, a science textbook vs a narrative story text?
 * *Please give me some points to use when convincing someone that teaching comprehension skills in kindergarten is appropriate.* COMPREHENSION SKILLS SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF EVERY READING STARTING AT THE EARLIEST LEVEL. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THIS STORY? CAN YOU RETELL THE STORY?
 * *Is is approapriate to begin some comprehension strategies in Pre-K(4 year olds)?*

ML: I would like to know more about how often to teach new strategies. I have a basal and class sets of chapter books available for my reading curriculum. Last year the teacher spent two weeks on each basal story. Do you recommend using the basal and extend the time spent on each story for teaching comprehension strategies, or do you recommend using actual chapter books and taking as long as it takes to finish the book?* I am just trying to plan my year ahead and want to do what is most beneficial for the kids. RV: I would like to know how important it is to teach comprehension strategies in Pre-K and K? I like Lisa am seeing some "interesting" things being done with this. 2. Would comprehension strategies lend themselves better to mini-lessons or whole class instruction? 3. When do you believe is the most critical age for literacy development?