Exactly!:) That is what I do also, Robin. Thanks for explaining it so well! I don't think I made myself too clear in my last post. Most of the time I use parts of a familiar text to model my teaching point. This week has been a little different, though. We had been tracking our thinking with post its and have even worked on text codes. My more advanced readers take these strategies and run with them. I found that the average to struggling reader needed a more step by step strategy for how to begin to track our thoughts as we read. We began with lessons on how to read something for the first time. Therefore, we have been exploring this together as we are reading unfamiliar text during the lesson. Our series of lessons on reading a text for the first time have been to chart observations about the title and covers, to picture walk, to make a prediction, and then to be a "reading detective" to confirm or change our thinking. This started with me modeling this process with the book "Owl Moon". The next two lessons were guided and charted with the books "Now one foot, Now the Other" and "A Chair for my Mother". Together, we discussed and charted our observations about the title and cover, we charted our observations during the picture walk. Then, children turned and talked and partners wrote their predictions on their sticky notes to add to our chart. I made smaller, blank versions of the anchor chart that I will later put on the materials shelf for children to use by choice with their independent reading if they need the support. Teaching this "new text" thinking explicitly with the gradual release model has really helped some of my struggling readers to transfer this engagement to their independent reading time. Now, about five of my below level readers are finally beginning to use some of the metacognitive strategies we have been focusing on. ( I am also working with them in small groups or in conferences to help guide them with these steps to be active readers, though.) I'm finding that they are sticking with the text much longer because of the engagement that is happening with the before reading thinking.) Meanwhile, in writer's workshop, we are using parts of the same texts to identify parts where the author stretched out small moments by adding details. (Lucy Calkins' Units of Study). We will come back to these familiar texts again later in RW with our study of schema and connections. We make time for read aloud many times throughout the day, also. These are the texts that we are able to bring back later throughout the weeks or the year, as we are looking at the book in a deeper way to develop ourselves as readers or writers. We start the day with a read aloud and at least one or two songs or poems. Sometimes these read alouds are books that students bring in. Other times, the read aloud is chosen very purposfully in order to be able to use it as a model in an upcoming lesson. Still, other times, we just read a book that we just adore. This morning time does help to build our classroom community feeling. We also incorporate a lot of reading into our science and social studies units each day. We read aloud after lunch. We read various things at that time. We alternate between reading chapter books and reading picture books. Right now we are reading "A Dog Called Kitty", but when we finish, we will start to read picture books or poems for two or three weeks before we begin another chapter book. Another time we read aloud is during dismissal. My kids sign up to be the student reader for the day on a chart, kind of like the sign up to share during morning meeting. Right before dismissal, the student reader reads aloud a book he or she has practiced. The kids really love this time. It is a chance for the class to hear more read aloud, and for the reader to have an authentic audience. Debbie Miller, in Reading with Meaning ,wrote that she couldn't believe she used to feel so guilty about reading aloud that she would close the door, and she could not have expressed my feelings more. There is so much value in reading aloud and learning to really enjoy and love books and reading. I can remember feeling the same way she did in previous years. She is such an inspiration to me. I am so glad to have found this group and to be able to learn so much from all of you! Cynthia 2nd grade In a message dated 10/7/2008 12:07:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
I so agree!!! **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out! (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001) _______________________________________________ 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.
