As a teacher, I can comfortably say that I am fairly good at what I do. That being said, I am not afraid to admit that there also are many areas of my teaching practice I know I need to improve. One of these key areas is how I teach children how to read, especially those who struggle with reading. It seems like countless times I have had to tell a reluctant student at one time or another to stop moving around, stop talking with classmates, and stay focused on their book when everyone is supposed to be reading. I am still searching for the most effective ways to help reading become more enjoyable and engaging for all.
Below is an excellent article in Scholastic Instructor that illuminates several reasons why many of us teachers fight this battle everyday. One of the most powerful deterrents for reluctant readers comes as no surprise--the pressure of standardized testing. Fear and anxiety about reading in the classroom is another factor that I have been aware of for years--and wish I could remove completely. Reading this article gives me a critical lens through which I can reflect on my own arsenal of strategies for teaching children how to read.
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I am always on the lookout for poems that relate thematically to the literacy units in Treasures that we study. This week we concluded Unit 1, "Friends and Families." I pulled out one of my favorite poems for students to read and memorize, "Could We Be Friends," by Bobbi Katz. We use poems such as this one to practice reading fluency, explore rhyme and rhythm, and we sometimes (depending on the poem) use them as springboards for writing. I even use it as a classroom management strategy; I'll prompt students to recite a poem as they transition into another activity, maintain some order and keep down the chatter. A fun way to get children to read is to have them make a recording of their own reading. Try it at home! I'd previously written a blog entry about it (1.3.13, "Using an iPod to Improve Reading," just look it up under the blog category, "Reading Strategies."). Here's an audioclip of Room 17 reading "Could We Be Friends" with me. After this initial practice, we made subsequent recordings on my iPhone of children leading the whole class in reading and reciting this poem. As students become more familiar with the poem, I will be asking each of them to recite it from memory. (Seems like such an old-school practice, I know! But in this day and age when we so often rely on technology to help us remember things, I feel it's important to be able to memorize, particularly when it comes to literature).
To truly enjoy reading, it needs to become second nature. Children should read both silently and aloud and develop fluency--the ability to read smoothly and expressively--so that not too much time and effort is spent struggling with decoding words. One of the best ways is to practice with familiar text, even if a child chooses to read the same book over and over again.
Many struggling readers don't enjoy reading to themselves and haven't developed the stamina to read independently for sustained periods of time. In the classroom, reading with a peer often helps to engage better with the text, and it's also fine to read to a sibling or even the family pet at home. In point of fact, a study by UC Davis showed that second graders who read aloud to the family dog for ten weeks improved their reading skills by 12%. The bottom line is, however, that children benefit most when a parent reads with them, taking the role of an encouraging listener and partner, every day for at least 20 minutes. But what if a parent doesn't have the time? And what if a child is anxious about reading aloud and making mistakes? Here are two high-tech options that have been shown to be helpful: 1) Use an iPod Touch or iPad. I have found that children love reading into a recording device and playing back their recording, and the iPod's audio memo feature is no exception. If a Mac product isn't on hand, I have seen a tape recorder (I know, how archaic!) work wonders, too. 2) Audio books. Research has shown that listening to audio books, which reinforce the flow of words, can also improve a child's ability to read aloud. Listening to books on tape, CD, or the computer brings opportunities to hear examples of good literature and fluent reading, as well as to expand vocabulary and ultimately become better readers. Some most excellent strategies to use when reading with a child at home -- written by a National Board certified reading teacher who uses these strategies with her own children.
Why???: A huge part of learning the material in 2nd grade (or any grade, for that matter) is knowing why we are learning it. Before we dive into our Read to Self Time (independent reading time), I review with the class why we do it. They should be able to tell me two reasons: "We read to self because it is the single best way to become better readers," or, "We read to self to build up our reading stamina." Please ask your child about Read to Self time and what the necessary behaviors need to be. Today we were able to read for six minutes with remarkable focus and silent concentration and hope to build our stamina to at least 25-30 minutes in the next several weeks. I have also been teaching three main ways to read a book: 1) read the pictures, 2) read the words, and 3) retell the story.
I ask my students "Why?" in regard to so much of what we do in class. Why is it useful to think addition in order to subtract? Why do we review those sound-spelling cards on the wall during our phonemic awareness warm-up before getting into our weekly story? Knowing the "Why" behind everything we do is key to becoming a better learner. Book Orders: Due Friday, 9/28. When ordering online, the class activation code is DY72V. |
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