We had an interesting chat about supporting our struggling readers in content classrooms. Last week I mentioned using picture books for older adolescents. This afternoon, she showed me some picture books she just bought. I was surprised how quickly she acted on the suggestion that she could use picture books for cross-curriculum reading, especially with text-to-text reading activities that can develop her students’ higher level thinking skills.
By the way, I shared my concern that Accelerated Reader program may have these titles listed and the quizzes, in this program, tend to evaluate on knowledge recall. These students cannot just read independently and take computer quizzes; they need modeling opportunities to practice their thinking skills. I described Pam Cole’s questioning techniques and the use of graphic organizers to help with clarifying meaning with text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections. Also, I mentioned some questioning techniques. When she appreciates that I teach literature as a content course, she shares a common perspective: We don’t just teach subjects but students with literacy needs.
Pam Cole’s integrated content/reading instruction model encourages me to get out of my box as a reading teacher and explore a history teacher’s vantage viewpoint on user-friendly instructional approaches. By working together, we will be able to model these approaches with other teachers. I believe Pam Cole is suggesting these constructive approaches for us to supplement the lack of teaching preparation for secondary teachers to deal with the struggling readers. She inspires us to move in this direction.
-RJ
I agree - the strategies she uses would be great tools to teach high level thinking and reading. The job of teaching reading doesn't end once 3rd grade is passed. I wish I had some of these strategies taught to me in MS or HS - I had to teach myself critical reading in college. I don't have the opportunity to try them now, but I look forward to using them when i can.
ReplyDeleteRJ
ReplyDeleteI think you brought up some very important ideas. Some of the program out there do not take into account the importance of modeling, thinking, discussing, questioning, inferring, and making connections. When we can integrate literacy into all of the content areas, we are really do a huge justice to our students. It is good to step out of our box sometimes.
By working together, we will be able to model these approaches with other teachers. media influence essay
ReplyDelete