I took Linda Dorn's early literacy class years ago and she made the point that whatever puts students at risk for learning to read - does not necessarily go away just because they were taught/learned to read. They often need *continued support* throughout their schooling.....
The other thing I think we need to consider is that we often have children who come to us and they are *natural learners *(not your gifted students). They would learn to read- no matter which method was used- learning is easy for them- they can fill in the gaps. The difficult part is- you can work with a struggling reader and bring him/her up to "grade level"- but we forget- the kids who find learning easy- generally continue to learn at a faster pace and are still well ahead of the struggling reader- and the struggling reader continues to *look like* a low reader- even though s/he may be at grade level and still be at risk.... So I agree with Kathy- there are many factors to be taken into account when looking at these students... On Sat, Jul 23, 2011 at 6:11 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Jan, > . I took the following of your email to imply that you felt these kids > were just passed along by teachers at the previous levels. I was > disturbed by that because it is way too simplistic an assumption and unfair > to those who work so hard with these kids. > I am glad to know that wasnt what you meant. I do think these kiddos need > more support at every level and perhaps they should have reading support in > the content areas . Possibly using time to provide push inssupport in the > science and social studies classes would be of more use than pulling them > during up electives. Just a thought > > Kathy > > > > > I believe that if schools would take the initiative and > > make sure > > that a child receive all the help necessary for the child to be able > > to read on > > grade level before they are move on to the next grade or take drastic > > action to > > make sure that the child catch up to their reading grade level then > > we will have > > less student in the 8th grade reading on a 4th grade level. It is not > easy, > > trust me I have the real deal, the 8th graders who do read on a very > > low level > > but was just pass on through the system; but, it is possible if the > > school work > > as a team. > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: write <[email protected]> > To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group < > [email protected]> > Sent: Fri, Jul 22, 2011 8:29 pm > Subject: [MOSAIC] reading instruction...sigh... > > > > > Hi Kathy, > I think we're all in agreement that elementary teachers work hard to > make sure that all students can (and do) read. > > It is, however, true that I have students reading well below grade > level. When I see them, the reason is no longer important. I need to > figure out the best way I can to help those students. > > I'm glad to see that at least some people think that middle school > students need to give up electives in order to get more time on > reading. I'm going to see if that is an idea my building is willing to > embrace. > Jan > > > Quoting [email protected]: > > When a middle schooler or high school student is reading on an > elementary > > level, It's easy to assume that somebody below didnt do it "right" . > > But as an > > elementary teacher, I just need to say that we bust our butts on > > those students > > who are below grade level. We meet with them daily in small group > > and and are > > always hovering by their desks to help them with added support. We > provide > > them with as much intensive support as availalbe from reading > > teachers,we work > > with parents, set up before and after school buddy pals, and nightly > > send home > > books at their level for them to practice and now with RTI. probably > spend > > triple the amount of time planning lessons and assessing these > > students as we do > > our grade level or advanced student. > > > > We take so much abuse from the "political public" about how all we > > need is good > > teaching and all will be right with the students. > > I have to caution you not to buy into this. Students who struggle > learning to > > read have many and varied causes, and we have yet to find the cause > > or "cure" > > for all of them. Please, dont play the bashing game and blame the > > other guy. Chances are, your own success with these kiddos will be as > > limited. > > > > Kathy > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Denise Diana Saddler <[email protected]> > > To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group > > <[email protected]>; write <[email protected]> > > Sent: Thu, Jul 21, 2011 7:15 pm > > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] "Better" reading instruction...sigh... > > > > > > Hi Jan > > I am glad you ask that question about the hypothetical 8th grader who > > currently > > read on a 4th grade level what can we do. Well just to inform you I > > currently > > teach intensive reading for middle school students 6-8th grade and > > many of them > > do read on an elementary grade level. Our school has a block > > schedule in which > > students goes to three classes on one day and three different classes on > the > > next (alternating class), which also include extra-curricular > > activities. The > > students who have my class, have there required classes, such as > > Language Arts, > > Math, etc..., but because they have Intensive Reading they do not get > > extra-curricular activities instead they see me every day of the week > > not only > > on alternate days. By the way our school is an “A” school again > > this year, > > thank God. I believe that if schools would take the initiative and > > make sure > > that a child receive all the help necessary for the child to be able > > to read on > > grade level before they are move on to the next grade or take drastic > > action to > > make sure that the child catch up to their reading grade level then > > we will have > > less student in the 8th grade reading on a 4th grade level. It is not > easy, > > trust me I have the real deal, the 8th graders who do read on a very > > low level > > but was just pass on through the system; but, it is possible if the > > school work > > as a team. > > > > Denise D. Saddler > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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
