READ 3226 Intermediate Grades Literacy

Chapter 6 of our text presents information about how to teach concepts and vocabulary and begins to address the vital topic of comprehension. Let’s talk about these issues in this blog post by address the following discussion points:

• What do you remember about learning vocabulary while you were in school? What was helpful and what wasn’t?
• After reading, Chapter 6, how have your ideas about teaching vocabulary and concepts changed or evolved?
• How would you help students in your classrooms and the KidPower kids learn challenging concepts and vocabulary? What would you NOT do?

Let’s talk.

We didn’t get to this in class, so let’s use the blog to discuss books we’d like to read in small groups or book circles (also known as literature circles). Post up your ideas for good books to read together. Let’s see if some groups begin to form and then we can wrap this up on Feb. 24 in class. Click on the “comments” to this post to add your thoughts.

Chapter Nine (9) of our text, How to Teach Reading, focuses on assessment. Post your thoughts about assessment, and, in particular, what you think about the following questions:

1. What kinds of assessment inform our work as classroom teachers?

2. Of the different forms of assessment, which do you see as most useful?

Let’s talk about assessement.

Here are some of the service learning projects we discussed in class. Tuesday you will engage your groups in a brainstorming session to see what thoughts and additional ideas the students have. Here are some of the ideas that surfaced in our discussions:

• homelessness
• conservation & recycling
• bullying
• voting
• improving the grounds around the school

These ideas seem to be the ideas that caught our attention:

• Campus clean-up
• Helping the elderly
• Food & clothing

There was some discussion about combining two of these. Let’s be sure to keep this to a manageable size, but we can look to the community for help. For now, let’s talk here amongst ourselves to see what additional thoughts we have. That should help us Tuesday in our discussions with the kids.

Directions:  Read the information on Service-Learning provided by the following links. Comment to this post with your thoughts about Service Learning.

What is Service-Learning?

http://www.servicelearning.org/welcome_to_service-learning/service-learning_is/index.php

Why should I engage students in Service-Learning?

http://www.servicelearning.org/resources/fact_sheets/k-12_facts/why/index.php

What does the research on Service-Learning find?

http://www.servicelearning.org/resources/fact_sheets/k-12_facts/impacts/index.php?search_term=impact%20OR%20impacts%20OR%20outcome%20OR%20outcomes

What are the components of a Service-Learning Project?

http://servicelearning.org/resources/links_collection/index.php?popup_id=419

Now, take some time to just browse the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse site to find interesting and relevant information to address questions/concerns about service learning.

http://servicelearning.org/index.php

Dear READ 3226 students,

Welcome to READ 3226-003, a service learning section of the Intermediate grades reading course. We will meet in COED 110 the first week but on Sept. 2 will move to First Ward Elementary School to begin working with students there. This will be our second year at First Ward and our third year doing service learning courses with students in schools. I think you will find the experience helps you in your development as a teacher and provides experiences working with diverse unlike most clinical experiences. I look forward to the semester.

Dr. Taylor

Over spring break I have been in Washington, D.C. and during my stay I went to the National Archives and got a firsthand look at the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and other documents important to the establishment of democracy in our country. I was awed. I share a photo of the original U.S. Constitution:

If you are interested, you can check out other photos of Washington, D.C. at

http://education.uncc.edu/dbtaylor/PhotoAlbum2.html

Dr. T

We have read several quite a bit about Book Circles and Literature Circles up to this point. I’ve also asked you to view two video segments from the DVD that accompanies the book (Rechenka’s Eggs & Private Captain segments). What do you see as the strengths and limitations of organizing reading instruction this way? Would you implement this in your classroom and if so, how? What thoughts do you have about using a modified version of this with your KidPower kids? Let’s talk. Dr. T

Before class on Jan. 23, read Chapter 3 of Teaching for Comprehension & Fluency and view the segment of the DVD that comes with your book and listen to the two readers, Nyazia and Forrest. Consider the following in your comments:

• Critique the strengths and weaknesses of these readers 
• What evidence is there that these readers draw on visible and invisible sources of information?
• What are your thoughts about teaching these students?

As you post comments, feel free to respond to each other.

Dr. T

After reading Chapter 1 of Teaching for Comprehending & Fluency, respond to this post with your comments about what it means to be a reader. Reading is something we often take for granted. How does this chapter change what it means to read and, more broadly, to be literate? Put on your teacher hat and discuss how you’d make use of this information as a teacher.

To post a comment, simply click on the link that reads “No comments” or “# comments” (with the number of comments listed). Follow the directions. You’ll have to give a name (first name only) and email. It also has an anti-spam code you’ll have to copy. Email me if you have any problems.

Dr. Taylor