And also because there has been a deliberate public misinformation campaign by the DI folk and their ilk to comvince administrators that independent reading has been proven by "research" to be wholly ineffective. Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] Sender: [email protected] Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:37:17 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Chapter 1 (Book Whisperer) I also think they question it because they do not see the value in it. Without the numerous "activities" many feel they are "not teaching". It is very hard to get buy in and trust that Independent Reading can work. Laura -----Original Message----- From: Hillary Marchel <[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, Jul 8, 2010 2:32 pm Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Chapter 1 (Book Whisperer) Maybe they question it because it has not been successful for them or they do not have a real understanding of how it should work in the classroom. Independent reading is a lot of work. The teacher has to really know their students - know their likes and dislikes and/or their interests. Have an organized an exceptional classroom library, one with different topics and genres- where you have enough RIGHT books (at the students level) to chose from for your students. This means your students can read more confidently and are actually excited about their ability to read. They need to be able to read the book without much teacher input which gives them ownership in their reading process. Independent reading helps to improve fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and most importantly the love of reading. A teacher needs to think and be creative on the ways to "hook" the students to read books. Start by modeling good reading behavior- Students watch what you do. If they see you read, they'll be more likely to read, your passion for reading will be contagious. Time- time- time, oh time.........a teacher needs to set aside long blocks of time for independent reading, students will quickly get the idea that reading is very important and exciting. You can use this time to conference with the students. Listen to their reading and see how they apply the reading strategies. You can help your students set a reading goal based on the strategy they need to strengthen. I love to share after reading a REALLY GREAT BOOK, and I love to give students the same chance, they can draw a character or event in the book, write a question to the author or character are just some ways students can share. This may result in other students that may want to read the books shared. My goal is to make certain that my students read something delicious everyday and hopefully become lifelong readers and not just readers in a classroom. I want them to fall in love with reading and one of the best ways of achieving that goal is by independent reading. Hillary Marchel Reading Specialist Elementary North [email protected] "Instruction begins when you, the teacher, learn from the learner, put yourself in his place so that you may understand that he understands and in the way he understands it,.." -Soren Kierkegaard (1848) > Suzanne, Laura and list, > > > I can’t fathom the reason people question independent reading. Reading > must be practiced and absorbed. I tell my students reading is just > like > practicing anything else. . . piano, basketball, soccer, painting > etc. It > seems in education we must always prove why something is working --- > really??? BUT to say independent reading is not beneficial is just > crazy! > How else can students read if they don’t read?? I agree with Laura > we must > work to find the right book for the each student. > > Rhonda > > > > > >> Suzanne, >> >> You bring up an important point. The reason many of us fall into >> the >> trap >> of making activities to go with the book is to have something to >> show the >> kids "got it". We also want a product to put in a portfolio to >> demonstrate to administrators that the children did indeed do the >> work. >> There isn't a trust in the fact that given the opportunity to do >> so, kids >> will read. I know that several teachers I have worked with have >> said the >> kids are not really reading during independent reading. I feel it is >> because they are not engaged, or invested in the text they are >> reading. >> We as teachers have to trust that if we get the right books into kids >> hands they will be engaged and reading. It is a great leap of faith. >> >> Laura >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. _______________________________________________ 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.
