Kelly.McLaughlin Combined Grade Classes, Curriculum Planning, Language Learning, Literacy, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, Struggling Readers

Intermediate Reading- Part One

This year, myself as well as the other intermediate teachers in my school will be taking place in a three-part reading school sponsored professional development. We will be looking at phonics and its place in the intermediate classroom. I look forward to blogging about these three sessions.

For these sessions, Kate and Ashley (our consultants) came in to lead us through our reading PD. We had our first session last week with the focus on what everyone’s current literacy block looks like and how much time we are devoting to word studyfocus on the right to read report. To start our PD session, we looked at our different students and what their current needs are. We know that some of our students are starting to read, reading with some understanding or reading with a good knowledge of what they are learning about. We want to focus on assisting each student at where they are at.

We were introduced/re-reminded of what a literacy block should look like:

Literacy Block

  1. Whole group oral language and knowledge building- 30 minutes
  2. Whole group word study- 20 minutes
  3. Small group instruction- 20 minutes
  4. Reading and writing- 20 minutes 

Our focus for our first PD would be whole group word study and how we can incorporate that into our language lessons. Recently, our school support staff helped complete a CORE phonics assessment for our students. The data showed where students were at and what their needs were. Some examples of needs were: reading  multisyllabic words and di & trigraphs. The lessons we use in our class should be based on our core phonics reading data and the gaps displayed in that data. 

Our focus and curriculum expectation for our the lesson we would be co-creating would be:

Grade 7:

B2.1- use generalized knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell complex words with accuracy and automaticity

B2.2-  demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of words, acquire and use explicitly taught vocabulary flexibly in various contexts, including other subject areas, and use generalized morphological knowledge to analyze and understand new words in context

B2.3- read a variety of complex texts fluently, with accuracy and appropriate pacing, to support comprehension, and when reading aloud, adjust expression and intonation according to the purpose of reading

Grade 8:

B2.1- use consolidated knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell complex words with accuracy and automaticity

B2.2- demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of words, acquire and use explicitly taught vocabulary flexibly in various contexts, including other subject areas, and use consolidated morphological knowledge to analyze and understand new words in context

B2.3- read a variety of complex texts fluently, with accuracy and appropriate pacing, to support comprehension, and when reading aloud, adjust expression and intonation according to the purpose of reading

 

Throughout our PD, we looked at how to teach our students these important skills and how they could be integrated into our other subjects. Some strategies include:

  • Using the vocabulary from our science units 
    • Break up the syllables, read, identify consonants and vowels
  • Using the vocabulary from Nelson literacy texts
    • Break up the syllables, read, identify consonants and vowels

Our school provided us with a book that would help us teach this new learning. The book is:

“Teaching phonics & word study in the intermediate grades” by Wiley Blevins. I have already tried one lesson from this book and my students had a great time. This lesson was designed with Kate & Ashley with other intermediate teachers.

Word Study Lesson

Activity: 

Write the word “fabric” on the board. Have the students count the syllables in the word and divide the syllables with a line. Identify underneath the consonants and vowels in the word. Then, repeat with several other words without saying the word aloud to them. Have students read the word out together after they have broken up the syllables. 

Duration:

We did this for about 20 minutes as a whole class with multiple words. 

Consolidation:

We talked about patterns and how we noticed that the word was broken up in between its consonants. We also talked about what type of words we were reviewing and how they were all closed vowel words.

Other words used:

  • Husband
  • Beverage
  • Jogger
  • Active
  • Package
  • Splendor 

I look forward to trying another lesson from the book during my next language class. 

Stephanie C Constant Learning, Diverse Learning Needs, Language Learning, Media Literacy, Struggling Readers

Forest of Reading and Literacy Award Programs

As school starts up again every January, I always look forward to the recommendation list in my public library ebook section for the Forest of Reading program, an annual initiative in Ontario to get kids reading from a wide variety of levelled books (picture to high school chapter reads).  There are so many new local authors I have had the chance to be exposed to from this program and I have yet to find a student that couldn’t find something that interested them either from the list of fiction or non-fiction books.

Much can be written about the positives and negatives of student incentivization to read more, but in this case I feel that the Forest of Reading and other programs in Canada and around the world strike the perfect balance of getting students excited about competing with others for reading the most books as well as getting the chance to interview with teachers about their completed selections. In our region, students get to accompany their classmates in the school board to a celebration at the local sports arena to hear from some of the authors in person as well as see arts presentations and hear the final winner in each category for Favourite Book.  The connection to seeing people talk about their inspiration motivated students to think about what ideas they could have that could one day be in a book, or how they could persist in not giving up in a variety of career fields.

One of my favourite aspects about the Forest of Reading is that it promotes equity in how the books are distributed.  If you can’t get a copy from the local library in print or digitally, school libraries receive funds to distribute multiple copies of some of the books to students where teachers can have them read independently or as a class so they don’t miss out.  Every year, I see that some authors have had another one of their books selected sometimes in the same series which shows their ability to connect with the committees and students.  Forest of Reading is also great at promoting diverse reads where even tough subject matter is communicated in a way that students can understand and relate to.

When I taught in a school with middle school grades as well as early elementary years, I always wanted to ensure that students were able to tell me something they learned or thought about after reading the book, even if it wasn’t one they would recommend personally.  In addition to ensuring students weren’t looking up crib notes as much, it gave me insight into how students felt about characters and what sparked their interests.  It also gave me insight into what other sorts of recommendations we could make to have them continue their reading journeys.

Given the state of the world these past few years, literacy is always something that we can encourage with our students to open doors as well as become involved with, as a family.  The Forest of Reading name is perfect in inspiring the image of children starting a lifelong journey into a world of possibilities, and reminding teachers to continue to read in their spare time as well.

 

Deb Weston Differentiated Instruction, Learning About Your Students, Making a Difference Through Education, Special Education, Struggling Readers

The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read

It’s hard to imagine that a school board would every hire a teacher who couldn’t read. Well, if I have been given a reading test past the grade 4 level, I may not have been hired.

I am a teacher with 18 years experience. I am qualified in many areas including Reading, Technology, Math, and Special Education. I have 5 university degrees. But I cannot read well aloud past the grade 4 level, really.

I went through school with an undiagnosed reading disability called Dyslexia. When I read, words and letters move. I have a great difficulty writing and especially when I need to proofread my work. As a student, I was told I was slow … I failed grade one. I was told I made careless mistakes and I was sloppy. Spelling tests were a nightmare for me. Luckily, through lots of hard work and determination and using computers to support me in my work … I am here writing to you today as a teacher.

I’ve written a book about my challenges as a student to help students, teachers, and parents become informed of the challenges faced by struggling readers.

Here’s the link to a PDF download … share it with your students, their parents, and your colleagues.

Remember, everyday students come to school to do their best learning.

Collaboratively Yours,

Deb Weston

Review of The Girl Who Couldn’t Read

The Girl Who Couldn’t Read Friesen Press

The Girl Who Couldn't Read