I agree with Leslie. I beat myself up feeling like I should be reading every comprehension book published and doing every comprehension activity in all the books. I posted a list of books to use with high first graders yesterday and this taught me a lesson. I had some of the best conversations ever without me doing anything. I had taught some of the strategies and then I just focused on the reading and the high kids on their own remembered some of the strategies and some of the students simply said that they knew what to do to understand the text. In my case the students don't get the strategies year after year because some teachers just don't do anything that is not in the manual so I feel so guilty if I don't stay current and teach all the different types of books and all the strategies and with some classes I just can't do it. And now I'm learning that with certain readers I don't have to forced everything down their throats...I just need to enjoy reading with them. Dee
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stewart, L Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 11:10 AM To: 'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group' Subject: [MOSAIC] FW: teaching reading strategies to advanced readers I would just like to refocus on my original post. I never said the strategies should not be taught. My question was that once a child is intrinsically using all of the strategies to discuss a book, what purpose does it serve to continue to explicitly teach each strategy as implied through our current guided reading model? These children are hearing the strategies explained to them over and over again, year after year. I think we are defeating our own purpose. Once we have raised a reader...let the reader grow. If the reader struggles with something, then I would step in and hopefully I would be invited in by the student learner. How many years do we need to spend teaching a "common language" so our students can talk about the books they are reading? Leslie Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss From: Stewart, L Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 9:19 AM To: '[email protected]' Subject: teaching reading strategies to advanced readers We are deeply entrenched in teaching explicit reading strategy instruction to our students (K-4) on a daily basis. While this does look somewhat different in each classroom and hopefully on each grade level, we are basically teaching the same concepts many times over. As I come to the end of another year, I have the same question: once a child is reading and comprehending at a consistent upper level of understanding (a third grader reading and comprehending at a level 44) does that child need continual explicit instruction on reading strategies? If a child is questioning the text, making inferences, and figuring things out do they need instruction or should they just do what they absolutely love to do - read and talk about the book? This is a dilemma for me. Once our state testing is over in March, I let my strong readers form their own book clubs, choose their "group" books and read and talk about the books they are reading. I spend my time really teaching the strategies to the struggling readers. I fear that we have latched onto strategy teaching and we are in overkill - slaying a few would-be readers as we go. Your thoughts are respected and would be greatly appreciated. Leslie My strongest readers are now reading Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech and I can't wait to get to school every day to listen to what they have to say. Some of their insights have eclipsed mine and I am an avid reader! It's a great book to talk about if you haven't discovered it yet. Leslie R. Stewart (203)481-5386 X310 FAX (203)483-0749 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~ Dr. Seuss _______________________________________________ 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. **************************************************************************************************** This e-mail message contains information that may be privileged or confidential and is the property of the Board of Education of Deerfield Public School District No. 109. It is intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy, disseminate, distribute, or use this message or any part thereof. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete all copies of this message. _______________________________________________ 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.
