Instruction
Instruction is imperative! But how I deliver and include students in my instruction is even more critical. Through my research projects in ECI 546 (New Literacies and Media) and 523 (Teacher as a Researcher), in addition to my readings from other classes, I have come to realize that there are four major components of effective teaching. These four components can help students build their comprehension while reading informational text:
1. Engagement: Students have to be motivated and engaged in what they are about to learn. According to Vacca, Vacca, and Mraz (2011), “if students believe, for example, that they have a good chance to succeed at a reading task, they are likely to exhibit a willingness to engage in reading …” (p. 170). Teachers are the main “cheerleaders” for engaging students. In ECI 541 (Content Area Reading), I was able to learn and use a plethora of instructional strategies that are intended to motivate and engage students:
--->Anticipation Guides (Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, 2011, pp. 181-182): Given to students before the reading with true and false statements. Students are required to predict and determine whether they agree or disagree with the statement.
--->Story Impressions: There is more than one way of creating "story impressions". They can be developed by picking keywords from the text, and then allowing students to write their prediction of what will happen in the text. Students are requires to include the keywords in their stories. Or, it could look like the example provided below (example was provided by K. Conradi from ECI 645 (Diagnostic-Prescriptive Practicum in Reading)).
2. Vocabulary: Vocabulary MUST be taught! Knowing vocabulary almost has the same function as background knowledge does, in regards to enhancing comprehension. When students are equipped with the meaning of vocabulary words, it will help aid in their ability to comprehend text and construct meaning, because they are able to make connections between the words and content (Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, p. 240). Through my Scaffolded Reading Experience project in ECI 541, I was able to use effective instructional strategies to enhance my students' vocabulary knowledge before they started reading informational text on trees.
Instructional Resources
Resources were obtained in ECI 541and ECI 544:
>Word Sorts
> Concept Maps
> List-Group-Label
3. Modeling: Explicitly teaching how expository text is structured, and how to use reading strategies is important to model. Richard Allington (2002) conducted a study, in which he sought to discover the instructional practices of “exemplary teachers.” Among the traits that he discovered, explicit modeling was one of the practices used by the teachers (Allington, 2002, pp. 743-744). One effective form of modeling is “think-alouds.” Think-alouds involve a teacher verbally explaining how a strategy is used, while reading-aloud a book (Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, 2011, p. 197). My research project on blended approaches to re-teaching math in ECI 523, taught me that explicitly telling and showing students how to read and use information is important, because it equips students with knowing how and when to use strategies. Giving a visual representation of strategies is also a great way to model teaching. Below is a visual representation of how to ask questions and think about the text while reading. This picture was used in my final paper on metacognition in ECI 545 (Theory and Research in Literacy).
1. Engagement: Students have to be motivated and engaged in what they are about to learn. According to Vacca, Vacca, and Mraz (2011), “if students believe, for example, that they have a good chance to succeed at a reading task, they are likely to exhibit a willingness to engage in reading …” (p. 170). Teachers are the main “cheerleaders” for engaging students. In ECI 541 (Content Area Reading), I was able to learn and use a plethora of instructional strategies that are intended to motivate and engage students:
--->Anticipation Guides (Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, 2011, pp. 181-182): Given to students before the reading with true and false statements. Students are required to predict and determine whether they agree or disagree with the statement.
--->Story Impressions: There is more than one way of creating "story impressions". They can be developed by picking keywords from the text, and then allowing students to write their prediction of what will happen in the text. Students are requires to include the keywords in their stories. Or, it could look like the example provided below (example was provided by K. Conradi from ECI 645 (Diagnostic-Prescriptive Practicum in Reading)).
2. Vocabulary: Vocabulary MUST be taught! Knowing vocabulary almost has the same function as background knowledge does, in regards to enhancing comprehension. When students are equipped with the meaning of vocabulary words, it will help aid in their ability to comprehend text and construct meaning, because they are able to make connections between the words and content (Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, p. 240). Through my Scaffolded Reading Experience project in ECI 541, I was able to use effective instructional strategies to enhance my students' vocabulary knowledge before they started reading informational text on trees.
Instructional Resources
Resources were obtained in ECI 541and ECI 544:
>Word Sorts
> Concept Maps
> List-Group-Label
3. Modeling: Explicitly teaching how expository text is structured, and how to use reading strategies is important to model. Richard Allington (2002) conducted a study, in which he sought to discover the instructional practices of “exemplary teachers.” Among the traits that he discovered, explicit modeling was one of the practices used by the teachers (Allington, 2002, pp. 743-744). One effective form of modeling is “think-alouds.” Think-alouds involve a teacher verbally explaining how a strategy is used, while reading-aloud a book (Vacca, Vacca, & Mraz, 2011, p. 197). My research project on blended approaches to re-teaching math in ECI 523, taught me that explicitly telling and showing students how to read and use information is important, because it equips students with knowing how and when to use strategies. Giving a visual representation of strategies is also a great way to model teaching. Below is a visual representation of how to ask questions and think about the text while reading. This picture was used in my final paper on metacognition in ECI 545 (Theory and Research in Literacy).
4. Practice: “Practice makes perfect.” We have heard this cliché over and over again because it is true. Students must be given the opportunity to practice strategies, and discuss ideas derived from authentic text with peers (not worksheets with passages and questions). In my groups' PBI project for ECI 546, we were able to see how giving students the opportunity to practice through a Voicethread, was helpful in enable their summarizing and comprehension skills for the book Dovey Coe.
Through ECI 546, I learned that technology is a powerful tool for motivating and engaging learners. We live in a world that has increasingly become more and more consumed with technology, so why not include it in the classroom? Below is a short list of resources that will help build background knowledge, activate prior knowledge, engage students, and help students discuss text:
- BrainPOP
- Peeble Go
- National Geographic for Kid
-YouTube: Students can gain knowledge about topics. Or, create videos to demonstrate their understanding of a particular text (i.e., Story Trailer).
-KidBlog: Create a blog in which students can hold discussion.
Through ECI 546, I learned that technology is a powerful tool for motivating and engaging learners. We live in a world that has increasingly become more and more consumed with technology, so why not include it in the classroom? Below is a short list of resources that will help build background knowledge, activate prior knowledge, engage students, and help students discuss text:
- BrainPOP
- Peeble Go
- National Geographic for Kid
-YouTube: Students can gain knowledge about topics. Or, create videos to demonstrate their understanding of a particular text (i.e., Story Trailer).
-KidBlog: Create a blog in which students can hold discussion.
example_of_a_story_impression.doc | |
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