This 'conversation' is so interesting! We just finished our 2nd quarter and we completed 1on 1 reading tests on all students k-3. We are finding that comprehension is holding many of them back....it is in the coversation about their thinking that really holds them back, as well as recalling information. The types of questions that require explanation (inferential and critical thinking) really require having experience talking about our thinking and how the text and/or our own experiences have influenced our thinking. If any of you have great suggestions as to how to really deepen our conversations within our day and how to get across to our parents the importance of having conversations about what they may be reading with their child, I would greatly appreciate it! My winter break is going to focus on this topic!
Thank you! Mary Helen ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jones, Rex" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:38 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reasonforreading. . . > Ellin, I agree about the importance of discussion--and it can't just be > unthoughtful discussion. I think we need to reflect on and continually > try to elevate the quality of the talk in our classrooms--and to expect > our students to be able to rise to that level. I'm reading Around the > Reading Workshop in 180 Days by Frank Serafini. He cites Martin > Nystrand's suggestion that the quality of student learning is closely > linked to the quality of classroom talk. And at some point, that talk has > to translate into written response. When my students take the Connecticut > Mastery Test, and I get the results, I'm always shocked at the scores of > students who should have done so much better because I know those students > are smart and chock full of content knowledge. What they lack, however, > is a sense of urgency about being able to communicate what they know in > the social process that reading is. They completely get the cognitive > part of reading--they don't get the social part of it. > And typically, those students are boys. My girls seem to be much better > at written response than my boys. > > I envy you that snow in Denver! We haven't had so much as a flurry in the > Northeast all season. I'm ready for some snow! > > Happy Holidays! > > Rex Jones > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ellin Keene > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:38 PM > To: 'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv' > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason > forreading. . . > > > I have read with interest everyone's comments about strategies becoming > too > much the focus of children's reading and want to just throw in a quick > thought or two. I, too, am concerned with the strategies assuming too > prominent a role in children's understanding and that is the central idea > in > the book I just finished, To Understand, which, like the second edition of > Mosaic, will be out in 2007. In it, I argue that the strategies are > necessary tools to enhance children's comprehension, but that we need to > discuss (with colleagues and children) what results when someone uses the > strategies and understands. I pose the question - what does it really mean > to understand and write about some "mentors" - writers and artists - I've > studied in an effort to discover how people come to understand deeply. > > > > In To Understand, I argue that it is fruitful to have the discussions with > children about what happens when we really know we comprehend. In it I > talk > about what I've observed, cognitively and behaviorally, when children and > adults are truly understanding and that we talk explicitly with kids about > those behaviors in order to increase the likelihood that they understand > at > deeper levels. Ultimately, I think you've all been right - the point > isn't > the strategies, the point is what they help us understand that we may not > have understood without them. > > > > I'm not a big fan of prompts - I think that children have much more > authentic conversations when they are focused on the ideas in books and > when > we have modeled what great book conversations look and sound like. I just > try to think about what the talk is like in my own book club and to > articulate some of those characteristics to children. > > > > I'm so fascinated that you all started posing and responding to these > questions because I have found them important questions, too, and though > there aren't any "right" answers, I've tried to explore the very thing > you've been talking about in this book. I do so hope it will shed some > additional light on your important conversations. > > > > As I write today, Denver is buried under more than 2 feet of lovely, soft > snow and everyone is home and loving the fire, the Christmas tree and > books > we've been hoping to read. My best to everyone for a magical holiday. > > > > ellin keene > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
