Hello everyone!
Our reading assignment for this week is Chapter 2 (p. 29-62). Please have your responses posted by tuesdayat midnight! :) (Let me know if you have any problems)
The job assignments are as follows:
Discussion Director: Danielle
Notetaker: Emily
Connector: Lutvija
Summarizer: Jennifer
I really loved the quote “reading comprehension depends on a wealth of encyclopedic knowledge and not merely on definitional knowledge of the words in the text.” It’s a perfect way of describing how I feel about reading. I feel that just knowing what a word means isn’t enough – it doesn’t mean that a student fully comprehends the content behind that word. It makes me know that I have to be able to do more than just teach definitions of words. I have to be able to get them “engaged, interested, and wanting to know more” (62) behind any vocabulary. When students are interested, they will be able to walk out of the classroom with more knowledge about the content behind the word and possibly relate it back to their lives.
ReplyDeleteThe strategies shown in this chapter was really intriguing because I enjoyed looking at the various examples of graphic organizers. I think the best example was the “words in context plus” because it breaks down each part of the word and also has elements that help students learn more than just the definition. Students would know what it is not, what it is, which parts mean what, what other words are “related” to that specific vocab word, and also practice using these words in sentences. This graphic organizer, alone, demonstrates the understanding of a vocab word thoroughly because it isn’t just a definition, but it also pushes past the definition and allows students to create connections with other words and how to use it correctly.
In addition, another great quote would be: “good reading instruction focuses the attention of readers by teaching them what to expect from different kinds of texts, how those texts can fulfill their needs (their purposes for reading), and the strategies for constructing the meaning they need from particular kinds of texts” (48). I believe that this correlates with the previous quote too because it’s about finding supplementary resources for students to use and also to get students to focus on the broader meaning of a certain reading.
A history/ social studies classroom has various types of texts in order for students to view and understand multiple viewpoints. These various types of readings will help support students in the classroom and also with an in-depth understanding of the content. A strategy shown in the text was the “content brainstorming” activity. I thought that his content brainstorming graphic organizer was so in-depth and analytical. It made students predict patterns, use key words, look at images, and also create connections between what they are about to learn and what they want to focus on when reading this material. I’m really surprised that this strategy has so many components, however, it wouldn’t be an “overload” for students because it’s something that students can do before reading, while reading, and afterwards. It’s structured so that students can generate questions that focuses them and also guides them while they are reading. They can then make new questions after reading. Students can use the words, subtitles, pictures, and captions to help make connections and predictions, which supplements their learning and understanding.
I thought that this chapter was interesting because it helped provide strategies that allow teachers to make reading, specifically in history, much more engaging to students that would also create a foundation of content knowledge for students. The strategies would also be able to inspire students to read more, and find more supplementary information about a topic. Overall, I thought that this chapter was really helpful and it also was interesting to read about how important graphic organizers are. Students need more than a definition or a reading assignment in order to demonstrate their understanding of the material, and the examples shown in this chapter showed that it is possible to engage students in reading more about the content that is being taught.
In our social studies methods class with Professor Kava we each had to choose an article to read and then summarize for the rest of the class. The article I chose was entitled “Textbook and Primary Source Analysis.” This article was about teachers encouraging students to look at their textbooks – the default source in the social studies classroom – as a primary source. Doing so, the article pointed out, would further develop students’ critical thinking skills.
ReplyDeleteI thought about this article when I read the very first paragraph of this chapter, which states that one task of a teacher is to increase his or her students’ ability to comprehend a range of texts – including the textbook used in the classroom. If a student is truly comprehending what he or she is reading, then he or she is far more likely to find meaning in that text for themselves. This was a point made in my article for Professor Kava.
The ability of a student to comprehend what he is reading is crucial for that student to fully understand what he is reading. However, in order for that to occur, the student must feel engaged in the material and want to learn more. This chapter was about strategies that will help me to help my students want to understand what they are reading.
I liked the strategies outlined in this chapter more so than those in chapter one. Although the book mentions that these strategies are effective only when combined with those strategies found in chapter one, I feel that as a student I would feel more engaged in what I was reading if I was generating and answering questions and brainstorming ideas rather than simply listing words that I thought were important. I think these strategies encourage the students to connect with the material more so than those highlighted in chapter one.
I particularly liked the strategy entitled Questions Game. This strategy allows students to generate questions based on what they are reading. I think that this strategy encourages students to read the text carefully, and then decide on what they want to know more about. Instead of answering questions printed out for them, these are questions that are important and meaningful to them. It is just the first step in helping students connect with the material.
I also liked the reading about the importance of supplemental sources. If students are encouraged to look beyond their history textbook – at a poem, or a video – than they are more likely to find a connection to the material. Textbooks aren’t always the most fun to read, and oftentimes students are put off by them. By looking elsewhere for outside information, students are going to find something for themselves. Doing so allows them to make those important connects, and will allow them to comprehend what they are learning and will (hopefully) leave them wanting to learn more.
This reading was much more interesting to me than last week’s reading was. Chapter 2 seemed to be much more focused on the incorporation of various types of historical texts as well as a number of different strategy studies. Initially I was reminded of Emily’s article summary from our methods class. She discussed the importance of not only textbooks but other types of historical primary sources as well; which helped me make a direct connection to this chapter. I feel like it is very important to keep students engaged while they are reading the texts we provide them or maybe even give them the tools and knowledge to find historical texts that interest them.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of what interests students was brought up in one of the strategy studies in this chapter. There were a few strategy studies specifically directed towards getting students engaged, interested, and involved in the reading rather than just being passive readers. It is key to engage students in their reading in any way; maintain their interest in the reading is absolutely crucial. One of the strategy studies specifically had students reading along with the text and creating their own questions rather than answering those provided by the teacher.
There was also an emphasis on the importance of vocabulary understanding, rather than just mere memorization of terms. By students holding an actual understanding of the vocabulary in the content they will have a much better understanding and a deeper historical perspective. The incorporation of outside sources other than official textbooks and documents is a great way to promote student engagement and excitement about the content. Using literary tools like songs, journals, poems, etc. may help students to make connections to the content. For example, reading the poem, “In Flander’s Fields” in our methods class along with watching a creative cartoon video of the poem, it helped all of us to get a more vivid picture of the battle scene depicted in the poem. It also helped all of us to understand the somewhat complex language.
I really like the opening to this chapter 2 with the quote "As teacher, we cannot simply define what our students already do well or what we like to teach. We need to have a clear sense of the range of strategies all readers should have at their disposal, and to insure that our students develop these." I believe that this quote is simply stating that we are really are at a disposition as to what are students like to do. We need to incorporate in our teaching strategies what students like to do otherwise we have lost the attention of half of the classroom. One strategy I am personally going to use during the beginning of the year in my class is conduct a survey. In the survey I want to ask the students what methods of learning do they prefer, whether it be more projects, take home assignments, notes on a power point rather than on the board and some ideas they have and would like to see in the classroom. Simply giving the students this opportunity of having some sort of autonomy about what goes on in the classroom will have them interested. I will not due away with notes, but rather explain to the students why notes are important to take and have. As I continued to read through just the first page, the common theme that students believe history is boring keeps popping up! I understand that some aspects maybe, however with all of our resources that we have in society today -- this should not be the case! Students should be interacting with more resources than just the textbook -- as the chapter has stated that when students are asked about reading history, they immediately talk about the textbook! I am sorry but I do not blame them if they think the subject is boring, especially when every time they come into class, the do now consists over questions from the book -- that are NEVER looked over. (cpd experience) Students need to know AND use different types of resources such as historical fiction, periodicals, biographies, diaries, documents, reports, and documentaries! I personally am going to "borrow" an idea from my high school of imposing a BBC Friday! BBC Friday would open their minds to so much more than just the textbook! Its information on whats going on in the world!
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ReplyDeleteAlso a direct connection that I had with this reading is the use of the strategy picture book with a twist for our reading demo. We placed students on a virtual tour. This tour gave them a greater understanding and meaning of the concentration camps during the Holocaust. This strategy that we used in class I believe is a great way to have students read, and not just read out of the textbook. As I continued to read, I cam across the Questions Game. I definitely approve of this strategy and think that it should be used for readings as much as possible. It allows students to read the text, write down three questions they would like answered, share with a partner and discuss. I think this is a great way for students to dissect the text so that they have better and overall understanding of what they are reading. However, I believe you can only use the strategy so many times before students begin to become bored with it and it falls into routine for them -- which then produces no benefit to them.Another big idea that chapter 2 talked about is this notion of providing ongoing support. I believe that ongoing support should be a given for every teacher -- they should be doing this constantly. In my opinion, if you are not continually helping the students -- then why are you teaching? However, I do realize that ongoing support in this context has a slightly different meaning. I believe students should be given ongoing support. One important way I believe a teacher can give tremendous on going support throughout the year is with writing DBQ essays. I believe the best way to teach a student how to do this is by step by step instruction. You must show students how to interpret a document, how to use the documents in their essays, how to write a proper introductions with a thesis statement, and all of the fundamentals regarding DBQ essays. However, I believe that you have to take away some of the support, because students need to be expected to do tasks and assignments on their own.All in all, this book is taking a turn for the better! (not that it was bad to begin with) This chapter was great in providing ideas, strategies, and tools for teachers to use with interest and emphasis on literacy. History shouldn't be all about the textbook but rather information from everywhere and everything.
REally thoughtful posts up here. I'm glad you are making so many connections but one common theme is apparent- there is more to teaching history (and reading in this content area) than the textbook and that there needs to be more active ways to support reading and comprehending the content that students come across in a history class, from whatever source it comes. How do you relate some of what you are reading here to the ideas found elsewhere in our readings this semester?
ReplyDeleteDanielle's Post:
ReplyDeleteThis chapter really focused on demonstrating the idea that shouldn’t should be able to not only understand the word but also understand the meaning and possible correlations to that word. Furthermore students should be able to recognize different contents the word may be used in. As Jen pointed out the chapter focuses on different examples of graphic organizers. Some of these organizers show different ways of how to break down a word to better understand its meaning. We (as student teachers) see examples of graphic organizers all the time. Specific to my own CPD is the fact that I am in middle school. Middle School is a sort of preparation period (among other elements) it is at this time that students are learning how to organize their thoughts, and present them in a way that is thoughtful, insightful and rich with key content. This is where vocabulary and by extension graphic organizing become crucial tools to supporting those in building that foundation of critical thinking that is or should be necessary in high school. I have seen the tactics and strategies discussed in this chapter in the classrooms I am observing which also reminds that these are things I will be responsible for building into my lessons.