Final Personal Model of Reading Theory

Sharla Bryant

7/10/2013

Final Personal Model of Reading Theory

            At the beginning of this course, I was so confused on what method was best for teaching reading. There are so many programs out there, all with different methods to the same claim: that they are the best method in reading instruction. After all I have learned in this course, I realize that a comprehensive approach to literacy is the most effective method. There is so much more to reading instruction than I had previously realized.

            In my first model of reading theory, I was struggling to make sense of what I had learned. In my classroom experience, I implemented a direct instruction program, while in college, I learned of the wonderful results of a constructivist approach to literacy. For me, there is no more confusion. What I love about the idea of the comprehensive literacy approach is the inclusion of so many different types of activities that engage all types of learners. The compressive approach includes guided reading, guided writing, shared reading, shared writing, journaling, reading aloud, reading to self, and reading conferences. It also involves working in small groups, whole groups, and individually. Every student is exposed to a variety of activities while still getting just the right kind of instruction to help them thrive.

            In my reading instruction in my classroom, I have always focused heavily on what I now know is called the skills approach. I focused so much on teaching students letter sounds and the process of putting those sounds together to make words. When students were becoming more proficient at reading words, they were able to read texts. When checking students to allow them to move up to the next level, I would time them and count their miscues, but did not ask comprehension questions. I know now that even the most proficient readers miscue. This could be a sign of using context clues or reading ahead. I hope to take what I’ve learned of reading proficiency and miscues back to my classroom and the teachers in my team so that we can better assess the reading levels of our students.

            As a kindergarten teacher, phonics instruction will always be a part of my curriculum. I still believe that the basics of phonics are necessary for reading readiness. Throughout this course I have learned ways to better include phonics instruction. Phonics can be embedded in other activities and not separated from other areas of reading. The more I think about this, the more it makes sense. Why wouldn’t we teach phonics through reading activities instead of flashcards? When phonics is taught separately from reading, students do not relate phonics and reading. When they are taught together, students automatically use phonics skills to aid in the reading process.

            Something that did not change, but only grew stronger throughout this course is my belief that students must be inspired to read. I feel that it is my duty as a teacher to give students books that interest them to create passionate readers. Reading has always been important to me and one of my favorite pastimes. I want my students to feel the same way about reading. Reading can be so much more than an assignment. It can be a source of entertainment and knowledge. Students that are passionate readers often turn into passionate learners.

Module 6 Instructional Challenge

Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom.

Even in a school that is socioeconomically disadvantaged and has low achievement, I believe that a comprehensive literacy program would still be best. In chapter 15, we learned that even low achieving students benefit from a comprehensive literacy program.  It would be important for me to put the students in homogeneous groupings be achievement levels to make them comfortable and build their confidence levels. I would be sure to give a lot of positive reinforcement. The strategies that I would incorporate include reading aloud, shared reading and writing, and giving students access to books that interest them. I would also make sure that students had access to books that they could take home with them. If the student had homework, I would make sure they took all necessary supplies home with them.

Module 6 Reading Reflection

Does any of the information presented in Chapter 15 influence your personal philosophy of reading? In what ways? How has your perspective this changed since you took the DeFord TORP a few weeks ago?

Chapter 15 confirmed my growing support of a comprehensive reading program. In the reading this week, I was able to see the data proving that students who were involved in a comprehensive reading program were more successful than students who learned to read in individualized parts. These students were involved in shared reading and writing, read alouds, guided reading, reading to themselves from student selected books, and learning phonics embedded in these activities. 
I love that there is such an emphasis on allowing students to read books that interest them. That is so important to me. I always try to gain the interest of my students in each lesson that I teach. My school does book swaps where students can bring in books that they have read or do not like and swap them with other students to find a book that interests them.  
With a scripted phonics program, it is sometimes difficult to incorporate aspects of a comprehensive reading program. Throughout this course, I have realized how important it is to make an effort to incorporate these activities. 
When I took the TORP, my focus was on skills. While I still believe the development of reading skills is important, each of the sections is important to the reading process. One of the main changes in my beliefs over the course of this semester is that proficient readers don't miscue. I now know that just because a student doesn't get every word in a text correct, it doesn't mean that they are not proficient readers.

Module 5 Instructional Challenge

As your school year starts, you realize that you have three ELLs who are newcomers to the United States. Discuss how a comprehensive literacy program addresses their needs, drawing attention to specific components of the framework that are particularly relevant. Then discuss any additional scaffolding you would offer to support these children's needs.

Components of the comprehensive literacy program that I would be prepared to immediately involve my ELLs in are guided reading and shared reading.  For guided reading, I think that it is so important to have a small peer group that is at the same reading level for support. Positive reinforcement and feeling successful is a huge key to reading success, so if a student feels comfortable and supported, they are ready to learn. I think read alouds an shared reading are also important for ELL students. It is helpful for students to see the words you are reading and hear how the words are pronounced. Pictures are also helpful if the students do not understand the language, the pictures will help them decode. 
I think that working with partners or small groups would also be helpful in this situation. Social interactions help language development.

Module 5 Reading Response

As a Kindergarten teacher, I have always believed that phonics is an important component of a comprehensive literacy program. I believe that there are many parts of the program in which phonics can fit. Phonics can fit in guided reading to help students decode words that they do not recognize. It can be used in word work using a variety of activities. I have found phonics to be especially fun in shared writing. Since writing takes words and breaks them down into sounds, I think phonics is an important part of spelling, especially when young students are using unconventional spelling.
Being a kindergarten teacher, I realize that phonics plays a larger role in my classroom than it may in a higher grade where readers are more proficient. However, in primary grades when students must learn sounds in order to decode words and become a proficient reader, phonics serves as a building block to a comprehensive literacy program.

Module 4 Activity 2

Which NRP topic area(s) or �missing pillar(s)� that Allington describes do you find to be most vital for children�s literacy success? Why? 

I agree with Allington that there are some vital missing pillars in literacy success. I think that one of the most important pillars introduced in giving students texts that interest them and providing them with a choice. I believe that when students are given a choice, they are more likely to be willing to read. I also think that when students are given texts that interest them, they are more likely to want to read and enjoy it. When a students enjoys reading from an early age, they are more likely to grow up loving reading. Giving students texts that spark their interests creates more passionate readers.

Module 4 Activity 1

Even though this video has strong religious overtones, (please let me know if it offends you, and I will provide an alternate assignment), it is useful for determining strategies that beginning readers use when becoming literate, even at age 50. Watch the video and reflect on what strategy or strategies Robin used most to help him learn to read. 

This video is so inspirational! I loved watching Robin's journey and found myself rooting for him to get it. There were several strategies that I saw Robin using throughout his reading instruction. He often used the strategy of "chunking" or breaking the word into parts in order to make them easier to read and more manageable than a larger  word.  Robin also used context clues to figure out when he was making miscues. He knew when he was reading when something didn't make sense and would start the sentence over, trying to make sense of what he was reading.

Module 4 Instructional Challenge

Marcus is a student who very frequently miscues by substituting words that start with the same letter or first few letters of the word in the text, but his substitutions often are not syntactically or semantically acceptable (they neither sound right grammatically nor make sense). What possible teaching strategies would you suggest to help Marcus?

Since Marcus is making miscues that aren't making sense, he is obviously not comprehending what he is reading. To help Marcus, I would work with him one on one. I would break down the text and ask him questions throughout his reading. I would also take a book walk with him to look at the pictures and make predictions of what he thinks the book will be about. He may also want to use notes or drawings to help him remember what he is reading. It may also help Marcus to buddy read the book, or read aloud and see if everything sounds right. 

Module 4 Reading Reflection

Looking across Chapters 10 and 11, which of the understandings and strategies in the comprehensive literacy program are you already addressing/doing with your students (or have you done, or do you plan to do)?

This question is slightly tricky for me. My school is a test school for a direct instruction phonics program. We must exactly follow the program without supplementing it in order to not skew the data. Outside of this program, there is not much time that can be used to incorporate other activities. Although the program may not say that it is incorporating certain strategies, it is obvious that some of these strategies are embedded in the program. After students have gained mastery of  letter sounds, they move on to reading words, and then reading passages. When the students get to the section of the program that involves reading passages, it is very similar to a guided reading program. The students read texts, the teacher checks for mastery on leveled texts. The students are leveled by ability and cannot move up a level until they have mastered a level. The program allows teachers to model everything before students try to do it alone.  

When students are working independently while they are waiting for their turn to be in the group with me, they journal, work on writing, listen to audio books, fill out story maps. read books independently or with partners, or work on phonics activities with partners or independently. 

In time outside of the program, I love to incorporate shared reading and writing activities. I have found these activities to be especially beneficial when teaching science and social studies.

Through my reading this week, I realized that I already incorporate many of the activities discussed, but could improve my implementation of many of them by using them to supplement the reading program that we already use.