Struggling Readers

Synthesis
Ch. 5
This chapter focuses on students who have a lack of motivation, little enjoyment with reading, and lack necessary reading skills.  To help these types of students we must look deeper into academic literacies.  Academic literacies are about helping students learn not just knowledge but how knowledge is created and communicated within each discipline.  Students that are unmotivated actually are unhappy with their status and want to improve.  That's a positive.  When working with these kids, we must know their literacy identities.  A student can have several: their own and what their peers, teachers, and parents think.  Changing these identities isn't simply a matter of reading more or applying more strategies.  One way to help change their identities is give them ownership of their reading.  Schools can be a place were students have little to no voice on their reading text.  Letting them have a choice of material can help motivation.  Then asking the student what areas they think they need help in.  Focusing on 3 goals for improvement is a way to start.  Teachers can create instruction that foster these goals.  Another great way to help struggling readers is to celebrate struggles.  Teacher's shouldn't avoid reading difficulties or look at them as something negative.  Struggles are normal.  Kids should feel safe to admit them.  Once students can discuss them, they can begin solving them.

Ch. 15
The textbook remain the main source of text within most classrooms.  Some students struggle with academic literacy and reading text books.  This chapter gives practical ideas on how to help students. One way for content area teachers to help is by engaging readers in pre-reading activities.  Anticipation guides are a great way to students with comprehension.  Another great strategy is using twin text.  In twin text, you pair the text book up with popular culture book that goes with the topic.  Text sets are collections of books and materials that go along with a particular subject.  It shows how students can use different text to compare and understand the topic.  Another strategy is using embedded strategy instruction.  This method focuses on skills that are required to read a specific content area.  Teachers should work together to decide a list of skills that can be taught across grade levels.  The list should be exhausted.  It should be manageable so that they become routine within classes.

Ch. 18
Differentiated instruction is important to use with adolescence.  This chapter talks about 4 areas of modification: content, process, product, and assessment.  Within those context the following areas can also be differentiated: readiness, interest and learning styles.  One way to differentiate is by using multiple intelligence.  This gives students a variety of ways to express themselves.  There are 9 learning styles: verbal, body, visual, musical, logical, interpersonal, interpersonal, naturalistic, and existential.  This theory allows for a diverse group of students learners to be reached.  Universal Design for Learning (UDL) draws on 3 main brain networks: recognition, strategic, and affective.  UDL focuses on using technology with instructional practices while differentiating student instruction.  The last theory discussed is called Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol.  This model has 30 features grouped under 8 conents.  Making it very diverse for all types of learners.  These three methods help meet all types of learning styles.

Fisher and Frey
This article focuses on a systematic approach to teaching writing that would help improve student's writing and reading.  The gradual release model begins by teachers having the control and slowly releasing it to the students, as they gain understanding.  This model was used on a 9th grade below level class.  The year began with a Language Experience Approach (LEA).  This approach helped bridged print to text connections.  It also helped with their understanding of different registers of language, specifically formal writing.  The next phase was using interactive writing.  The students work in small and large groups to write together.  The teacher models and involved the students in this approach.  The authors then go on to explain many activities that supported these models.  They worked on figurative language, fluency, and independent writing.  The article then goes on to talk about how these approaches helped raise the scores of these struggling 9th grade students.  Ever instructional opportunity is important when working with students.  The school days should be thoroughly thought out and purposeful.

Text to Text
The text relate by giving explicit instructional ideas to struggling adolescent readers.  The over arching theme shows that no matter where a student is in regards to their level and grade, there is always something that can be done.  We can't give up on students just because they've reached a certain grade.

Text to Self
I thought these text worked well together.  They were encouraging.  At times I feel overwhelmed, as a future literacy coach, with how many adolescence are behind on their literacy.  These chapters gave no only great instructional strategies, but approaches that work over a school year.  I think it's important to remember the big picture.

Text to World
These chapters were eye opening.  As a future literacy coach, I think an article study over these topics would be beneficial to middle school teachers.  I think we need to encourage adolescent teachers.  Giving them hope of actually helping kids and showing then evidence of change.


Questions:
Megan: Do you find a lot of your students are struggling with reading and writing?  Do these approaches (in the article) appeal to you?

Courtney: Since you are not in a school setting yet, do you think you might want to work with younger or older kids?  Has this semester changed your mind in anyway?  Do you feel overwhelmed, like me at times, with amount  of struggling readers? or do you feel encouraged that you can eventually begin teaching and making a difference?