(p.228) Calkin (2001) talks about how books that are most appropriate for working on fluency in intermediate grades are those that are relatively easy, have long sentences, use authentic and natural language (language that is similar to how we talk), and contain many high-frequency words.
(p.246) Bomer (2001) said "children need to know how to have a good conversation that build on and follow a line of thinking... they need to learn how to listen and respond to one another in a way that creates connections and builds a conversation history over time.
Questions:
1. While reading this chapter, it just makes me wonder how important is fluency in reading? If reading is to make meaning? Is it important that you are able to read fast?
2. How can you explicitly teach students to be aware of how they are thinking when they are reading a story?
Issue:
For ELD 1 or 2 students who are in 3rd - 5th grade, how can you balance the four-resource model without emphasizing code-breaking or one other component?
2 comments:
Hi Paulette, In regards to Question 1,I think that at some point, yes, the child does have to read at a rapid pace and comprehend what they are reading. I think that we shouldn’t be grading students if they are not reading as fast as other students. These children may just need more time and practice. Maybe students would do better in fluency tests if they were reading authentic texts because it would be something that might capture their interests better than a story in a decodable, that even I as an adult have to read slowly to be able to make meaning from the choppy sentences.
Issue: Maybe you can work with the child in his or her language to see what they already know about language and how it is structured. If a child already reads and writes in their own language then they won't have too much trouble trying to figure out another language because they'll already have some code breaking skills. I think that if you just follow a holistic way of teaching then they will catch on without having to teach everything separately. Although sometimes you might need to do some explicit teaching, but it shouldn't be all you do.
Question:
Fluency is a result of efficient reading, decoding and comprehention of the text being read. Fluency will be implemented in popcorn style reading events. Ideally students will understand what they read at any speed. The discrepancy is usually held in the value placed on fluency as reading speed alone. The goal of reading is to connect with the text, if the student is not cogitively vested in the reading event, it is unlikely that reading comprehention will result. Reading with dyslexia is a challenge and helps me relate to what my students may be experiencing. I am offten frustrated with the ease with which others can read and understand apasage of chapter, but remind myself of the goal, learning and understanding. Not reading fast.
Issue:
For ELD 1 or 2 students in the upper grades, the "drill and kill" approach will be overwhelming. Giving these students more opportunities to experiance language in songs, readalouds and with literagy cames on the class computer with headphones, they will acquire language. Small groups would be most useful to facilitate these ELD students and assess their progress. Havign them work with "higher" students in a peer teachign opportunity will create another venue for authentic experiences with language in spoken and text form.
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