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Applying Reading Comprehension Strategies in the Content Areas Discussion: Week 7

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Applying Reading Comprehension Strategies in the Content Areas Discussion: Week 7

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Establishing partners for each content area is a useful strategy for not only your English learners, but all learners.  Providing opportunities for discussion is essential for the growth of our EL students.  Students need time to engage in dialogue, while also receiving scaffolding and support in vocabulary development or comprehension. The ELD/ELA framework states that opportunities for peer collaborative conversations allows students to engage in meaningful, challenging dialogue (p.26).  Students will feel safer discussing with a small group of partners versus the entire class.  Furthermore, discussing a text will provide more comprehension for students than simply reading it independently.  Specifically for ELs, partners can help clear up misconceptions, reinforce concepts and provide support.

Partnerships can be used in the following ways:

Established writing partners based off heterogeneous skills.  Students sit with and work with their partner during writing time for the duration of an entire unit.

Established reading partners based of homogeneous reading level.  Students read daily with the partner and participate in reading discussions.

Guided Reading Groups

Strategy Reading Groups: Pull students at different reading level that all struggle with the same skill.

Math partners

Socratic Seminars

Jigsaws

Language brokers: Partnering newcomers with native speakers (ELA/ELD Framework, p.26)

Long-term established partnerships differ from random grouping.  These partnerships are based of data and needs.  Teachers take into account academic and behavior needs.  The partnerships are used daily and for the duration of a unit.  This long term grouping builds trust between partnerships.

Here is a link that provides 15 unique ways to use random partnering:

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/genia-connell/15-quick-and-creative-ways-group-and-partner-students/

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How have you grown as an author?

In this discussion post we were asked to share a strategy that would support all learners' comprehension in a content area. As I read back over the post, I immediately began thinking of edits or revisions I wanted to make. As an author, I always want my writing to be stronger. I understand now more than ever that writing is a flexible process. Our craft changes as our perspectives shift and our understanding grows. My craft has grown to include many other modalities. This course has allowed me to experiment with presenting information in various ways. Prior to this semester, I preferred more traditional assignments such as responding by posting a paragraph. Now, I feel more confident and comfortable expressing my understanding in various forms.

Below I used my post to create a bubble map:

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I used my post to make a visual.

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What did you learn in relation to the writing/text authoring process?
Over the course of this Masters program, I have been reminded how it feels to be a student. Students enter our classrooms with an identity of their academic abilities. This might include students feeling like they aren't "good" writers or "good" at math. These perspectives determine what our students are willing to share with us. It is important as teachers that we make our students feel comfortable to share. In this specific writing assignment we were asked to share a strategy. The presentation of this prompt made me feel that my opinion was valued. I felt comfortable sharing something that I have experience using in my classroom and that I have seen work! It made the writing and ideas flow naturally. I learned that the type of questions and assignments we are giving our students matter! We want them to feel supported and excited to share.

How might you implement what you learned in language arts?
In my own classroom, I could implement more open-ended questions that foster diversity. Instead of asking fixed questions, I could ask students to share their opinion or learning in a broader context. I could also allow students to respond in various ways and provide platforms for sharing. Students should be able to share their writing, receive feedback and acknowledgement.

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I am From Poem : Week 8

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How have you grown as an author?
I do enjoy writing poetry, but it is still something I am not very confident in. However, I loved that this poetry assignment came with a frame. I have realized that I work best when I have examples. I noticed that my own thinking has shifted from the beginning of this course. When completing assignments, I would often wonder if I was doing it right. I would wonder if I was writing the "right" answers. I would wonder if the way I was answering questions was acceptable. Now, I understand that assignments are about me expressing my own understanding and insights. It is not about the assignment, but my growth in the content area.

What did you learn in relation to the writing/text-authoring process?
When writing this poem, I was thinking about the tone I wanted to set as a writer. I thought about what I wanted the reader to understand about me after reading this poem. This writing process allowed me to explore the purpose behind writing and how that might change an author's craft. I learned the power that words have. Since the poem only included one word or short phrases, the words I chose were crucial to the tone of my poem.

How might you implement what you learned in language arts?
In my own classroom I have used this form of writing based off the poem, "If The World Was Crazy," by Shel Silverstein. I posted the poem below along with the frame I used.

If The World Was Crazy

If the world was crazy, you know what I'd eat?
A big slice of soup and a whole quart of meat,
A lemonade sandwich, and then I might try
Some roasted ice cream or a bicycle pie,
A nice notebook salad, and underwear roast,
An omelet of hats and some crisp cardboard toast,
A thick malted milk made from pencils and daisies,
And that's what I'd eat if the world was crazy.

If the world was crazy, you know what I'd wear?
A chocolate suit and a tie of eclair,
Some marshmallow earmuffs, some licorice shoes,
And I'd read a paper of peppermint news.
I'd call the boys 'Suzy' and I'd call the girls 'Harry,'
I'd talk through my ears, and I always would carry
A paper unbrella for when it grew hazy
To keep in the rain, if the world was crazy.

If the world was crazy, you know what I'd do?
I'd walk on the ocean and swim in my shoe,
I'd fly through the ground and I'd skip through the air,
I'd run down the bathtub and bathe on the stair.
When I met somebody I'd say 'G'bye, Joe,'
And when I was leaving - then I'd say 'Hello.'
And the greatest of men would be silly and lazy
So I would be king... if the world was cazy.

Shel Silverstein

After we read the poem the students completed this frame:
If the world was crazy, you know what I'd eat?  I’d eat __________________

If the world was crazy you know what I'd wear?  I’d wear ________________

If the world was crazy, you know what I'd do?  I would _________________

So I would be ______________

If the world were crazy

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Our nation's demographics are rapidly changing.  In the past 30 years, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in public schools has increased by 20 percent  (Huerta & Jackson, 2010). Often, schools are comprised of students with rich linguistic backgrounds, non-English speakers, and bilingual youth who speak a language other than English in their home. With the enrollment of English Language Learners (ELLs) predicted to only increase in the future, teachers and schools must continue to seek out researched-based instructional practices. These practices should meet the needs of diverse learners by increasing language acquisition and vocabulary through meaningful learning activities.

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How have you grown as an author?
I have grown immensely in terms of writing literature reviews. I did not have any prior experience in writing literature reviews before entering this Masters program. I still remember our first course when Dr. Hansen said we should find literature reviews we think are well written and use them as guides for our own writing. When writing my own literature reviews, I will spend a great deal of time reading reviews of others to study the flow of their writing, transitions and word choice. The portion of my literature review I chose for this post is the first paragraph of my introduction. I feel that I have grown in my ability to introduce a topic concisely.

What did you learn in relation to the writing/text-authoring process?
I have learned many specific techniques in regards to APA style and citations. I have learned that literature reviews synthesize articles and demonstrate the connectedness of multiple research studies. I have learned that the best types of writing are the ones most examined. The more we revise and ask for feedback the stronger our writings become.

How might you implement what you learned in language arts?
The aspect of this class that has made me grow the most as a writer is the process of sharing drafts for feedback. The feedback is essential. I know that I am still learning how to correctly use all aspects of APA and I appreciate the feedback I receive on my citations and references. From beginning to end of writing a literature review, my paper changes a great deal. Students benefit from support and feedback. The concept of teaching writing opposed to expecting writing is so profound. When we assign writing, we need to teach students how to write. How to write an introduction, incorporate transitions, or include details. One of my favorite quotes about writing is, "If the writer knew how to do it, they would have already done it." This quote by Lucy Calkins demonstrates that our teaching needs to go beyond asking or telling. We must show students how.