Chapter 7

I wonder...

• This teacher showed literacy as a socially constructed event by creating and building context or schema for children to draw from, allowing the children to experience different scenarios and activities so they can make sense of what they are learning in the classroom.
• Reading big books, creating a writing journal, drawing pictures based on the story discussed in class, exposing the students to meaningful environmental print [words in the book was posted in their word charts, word walls], and providing access to picture dictionaries.
• When students see the connectedness of activities, and not just separate chunks of skills being introduced, literacy becomes more meaningful and relevant to them. When students then get a book, they don't see it as a task "they have to do" because it helps them become better readers, in terms of their fluency, etc. Instead, they see the book as a tool to create meaning of the world around them. The book is a source of knowledge that can enrich their lives. When they write in their notebooks, they don't see it as something that they have to do, but instead, they will see it as a form of self-expression, a way to extend their learning, a way to put down their thoughts that they can revisit, review or even edit at a later time if they want to. Oral retellings is not viewed as a way to measure how good you are in the English language, but instead will be viewed as a tool for self-expression, a way to share out your ideas, thoughts, and wonderings even.
• When beginning readers see predictable texts, or see books using a predictable pattern in language, they will not stress over the complexity of the word form itself, but will try to make meaning from the pictures or illustrations in the book. This will give them a lower affective filter in trying or attempting to read books. Reading becomes enjoyable and less stressful.
• Ms. Simon's method in teaching reading is similar to my experience when I was beginning to teach kindergarten in my country. A lot of reading books that we have access to needed a lot of background building on my part. There are a lot of words in the books that we read that we are not familiar with, or is not part of our environment. I had to create scenarios and make sure my students will at least have an idea of what we are talking about. I recall these experience because I had to exert an extra effort to do so, and it was very time consuming for me. However, I also know that I want my students to have authentic materials in the classroom. Therefore, towards the end of the year, my class ended up creating our own books, from stories and folktales we have in our country. I saw that my students, when I give them the free time to pick a book and read, almost all of them go for the books we made. It just made sense!

Questions for Further Reflection:

• I feel that code breaking practices have dominated beginning reading instruction because it is viewed as a prerequisite or an instrumental component in the reading process. When students are not able to decode, it is assumed that they will have a harder time making meaning of what they are reading. In the prescriptive (traditional) approach, code breaking is seen as a stand-alone part of the curriculum that can easily be implemented by teachers using a scripted curriculum. 
• It is important to have a range of text materials in the classroom library to expose students to different genres, themes, as well as literary elements. This way, students have a wider base in terms of background building, as well as, wider choice to what interests them.
• I have observed some of the classroom experiences and illustrations mentioned here. However, there are not too many classrooms that provide students with flexibility in making choices, opportunities to be exposed to themes that is not mandated in their curriculum, or even allowed to make meaning to what they are reading. If students do not think, speak, or write the way 'the curriculum' wants them to, these students are viewed as different and needy students. They are seen as students needing help or needing intervention, sometimes even special education.