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· BLOGGING ASSIGNMENT #1
1) Read Article # 1 Stephanie Harvey on
Comprehension (Traditional Literacies)
2) View the
following three lessons
· Overview
Read and Annotate-grade 1
Enriching Thinking with a Backchannel Discussion-grade 5
Introducing to Blogging with a Small Group
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Blog about what Reading Comprhension entails according to Stephanie
Harvey’s view and discuss in your individual response. Consider how it fits with what you have learned so far
about reading comprehension? What was interesting, surprising about the
videos? Discuss some key ideas and how the use of ipads can support
comprehension. In addition to your individual response please respond to the ideas of two of your classmates.
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DUE: #1 Blog on Stephanie Harvey and assigned videos
Materials and ideas for Professional Project I (BEFORE CLASS on January 5) |
posted by Professor Blog @ 12:44 PM
19 Comments:
hi
Harvey's article "Comprehension at the Core" posits that children are born with the ability to think and comprehend, hence teaching students how to think is a moot point. Harvey maintains however that teachers have the power to; teach students to be aware of their thinking,teach students to think strategically and teach students to recognize the power of their thinking. This information brings forward the importance of teaching students comprehension strategies. Given that teachers do not teach students how to think, it is their duty to equip students with necessary tools to make sense of what they read. Harvey also mentions how comprehension instruction should be structured in order for students to be aware of their thinking, think strategically and recognize the power of their own thinking and develop agency; having a sense that their actions contribute to the world around them.
The video that resonated with me the most was the video with the Grade one students making annotations and engaging in discussion. I was surprised at how articulate the students were in expressing their thoughts even though they seemed as if they had just learned to talk and they were barely able to write. I was impressed with how they spoke about ways of tracking their thinking and how they demonstrated these strategies while they were doing class activity on their own. Additionally, I was surprised that the students were able to respond positively to the level of questioning that was used by the teacher. In addition the teacher used questioning as a strategy to allow students to find answers to the questions that they asked. At no point in the video did she give them an answer, the students were guided on how to think strategically through the various questions that were asked.
The iPad was used as an instructional tool in the videos. The iPad allows students to blog about what they are thinking. Through blogging they get to share their ideas without the pressure of giving an immediate response as opposed to face to face discussion. Blogging, facilitated by the use of the iPad allows students to give more thought to a question before they respond and thus improves the likelihood of deeper comprehension taking place. Additionally, the iPad in conjunction with the internet opens classroom discussion to a much wider space, thus moving learning beyond the walls of the classroom. Furthermore, millennials are technological creatures and are almost always more eager when the teaching- learning exchange involve technological gadgets and applications that they are accustomed to.
Georgia I agree too with Harvey that children are born with the natural ability to think and reason. Also, I agree with you that teachers should equip students with the tools to help them to read but the sad reality is that some teachers are not knowledgeable or they have not being keeping abreast with the best practices in reading to foster thinking skills in students. To date some teachers place more emphasis on making students answer a lot of recall questions rather than also focusing on letting students answering varied higher order questions to help them in developing their thinking skills aligned with the comprehension taxonomy which would allow them to become critical thinkers.
Finally, I agree with you on the use of Ipads as a way of enhancing comprehension gains in students.
How does it fit with what you have learned so far about reading comprehension?
I found this article quite interesting from the onset, based on the statement made by Stephanie’s professor Author costa that “You cannot teach kids to think.” Immediately, I started to fathom what this was actually saying because it had to have a deeper meaning. This intriguing article fits perfectly in to what I have learnt about comprehension. In the course RDG 585- Reading in the Content Area, I garnered that a successful reading experience for a student is impossible if we do not teach them to be active, independent, strategic learners. Both statements are aligned to what Stephanie has outlined in three essential aspects that we need to teach students, which are being cognizant of their thinking, thinking strategically and teaching students to be cognizant of their thinking realizing how powerful they are in thoughts. Modeling how to think aloud is a powerful method which should not be overlooked by teachers because you would be so amazed at the extent to which students are emulating what we actually do in class. Her students admitted that they lose focus often, especially when they are not really enticed by the information presented to them, therefore, our mandate should be to teach them a repertoire of reading comprehension strategies.
I was impressed about the number of reading comprehension strategies that Kristin’s students were able to recall and apply. It was thought-refreshing to watch small students formulating questions, demonstrating that students have brilliant minds and ought not to be underestimated by teachers who surmise that they are incapable of understanding higher level thinking. Noteworthy is the fact that a student was quick to recollect learning from another class. I like the fact that she scaffolded their thinking by asking questions and making suggestions relating to what they could jot down. I paid attention to how she gave encouraging words to her students throughout the lesson, such as “Interesting!” in order to make them more assertive speakers, thinkers and writers. I admire the way she thought-aloud and showed how to incorporate technology in spreading their innovative thoughts, not only with those in the classroom but on a worldwide scale. The second video “Enriching Thinking With a Backchannel Discussion” proved also to be fascinating and practical. One of the main points that I gleaned from this video is that gone are the days when teachers would ask students to read a passage and answer the comprehension questions which follow, without any form of meaning attached to it. The lesson was expertly taught and I picked up on strategies such as activating background knowledge about guide dogs, sharing their answers and questions, and working in pairs and small groups to keep them engaged purposefully. How delightful for the teacher to ask them to close their eyes to activate prior knowledge, before reading the text, making their jottings, thinking then writing independently. On keenly observing the students in this fifth grade class reading each other’s posts, I theorize that they were exposed to more insights about guide dogs than what they would have garnered if they had read and not publicized their knowledge. Using the ipads made this comprehension lesson pleasurable and less time consuming for the teacher as well as the students.
Upon reading Georgia's comments, I realize that we have noticed similar key concepts such as the importance of teaching a wide array of comprehension skills which are imperative in building critical thinking. We are both in agreement that the Grade One students in the video were thinking and posing challenging questions. This is lacking, to an extent, in Grade One classes in Jamaica and teachers need to be empowered to assist our students in developing thinking strategies.
Georgia also mentioned that the use of iPads is necessary for developing comprehension skills and this is something that I agree with. Our challenge in Jamaica though, is that most of our students are not exposed to such technological devices in classrooms, therefore, they are at a disadvantage.
Good Job Georgia!
Alecia I liked the fact that you could relate what we have learned in Reading in the Content Area. I really wish teachers would employ the think aloud method not only in Reading classes but across all disciplines because it is a helpful strategies to help pupils monitor their comprehension. Some educators believe that thinking skills are confined to reading but they are incorporated in all disciplines and should be taught to students in all disciplines.
Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis in the article “Comprehension at the Core”, speaks of thinking as being an integral part of gaining understanding and essentially knowledge. The article suggests that information must be met by thinking and it is through this process of thinking that comprehension becomes evident. They posit that thinking and evidently comprehension cannot be taught, but comprehension strategies can be taught to students for them to use in turning information into knowledge that they are able to recall and use. Comprehension strategies according to both writers are a combination of reading and thinking strategies. Strikingly too, the article speaks of a comprehension continuum that moves from the literal, that which is readily known to the unknown where the student must apply and use the knowledge gained. Essentially, the continuum reminds me in a sense of Bloom’s Taxonomy, which progresses from remembering that which is known to creating and applying using that which has been learnt. Notably, the continuum begins with the literal questions that can be readily answered, then a retelling of the information presented. Following this, there is a merging of thinking and the content presented (which is where comprehension begins to develop) which fuel knowledge acquisition and later the application or use of this knowledge. Central to this continuum is the teacher, and the fact that he or she must ask to right questions to fuel the student’s thinking. Like the Bloom’s Taxonomy that moves from simple verbs such as recall to more complex ones such as reconstruct, the process must demonstrate progress as well as the application the newly gained knowledge.
Interestingly, the information presented in the article fits perfectly into what I have gleaned thus far about reading comprehension. The fact that comprehension is not a skill that one is born with, but must be taught using strategies is clearly reinforced in this article. Students are born with the natural ability to think but as teachers it is our task to instruct them on strategies to use to think through reading comprehension tasks. Importantly, as teachers we are trained to devise interesting methods to activate the schema and background knowledge of students and where that is absent, we are given the task to develop creative ways to building that background knowledge. Strategies such as questioning, inferencing, annotating texts, as well as discussions must be taught as they provide avenues for students to think through and eventually comprehend a text. Additionally, modeling and scaffolding are integral to the development of comprehension skills as the teacher must demonstrate how it is done if students are to follow suit. As this is modeled and students begin to practice using these methods, the teacher can become less involved in the process and students begin to practice and use these strategies independently.
Moreover the videos watched were quite interesting and insightful as they brought to life as well as demonstrated what an ideal class geared towards reading comprehension should be like. What was interesting about both is that the students not only knew the comprehension strategies but they were also able to utilize them. Coupled with this is the fact that the teacher in the second video was able to appeal to the diverse needs of the students, as she employed several methods of instruction (differentiated instruction). By utilizing whole and small group discussions, as well as online conversations via Edmodo, the teacher was able to get them to read, talk, discuss and type all in one lesson. This allowed everyone to be involved as there were varying methods to appeal to the like of everyone. What was most interesting though was the teacher’s (Kristen) incorporation of social media as an aspect of the lesson. The fact that she posted on Twitter in order to gain additional responses about the topic, was for me a unique way of gaining information for the class. By posting on social media I believe it adds a different spin to the perception of how social media is used and emphasizes the fact that it can be included in a lesson once monitored and used effectively.
Evidently in the videos, Ipads were used by the teacher and students as part of the lesson. It is used to support comprehension as students were able to use it to type and express what they understood and their perspectives on the topic given. Additionally, they were able to use the Ipads, as a means of accessing Edmodo where they were able to have conversations with and among each other which fueled various views on the topic. These varying perspectives can assist with further comprehension as students are able to see beyond their own eyes and understand how others see things. Comprehension then, in this case is not an individual effort but is achieved by the efforts of the entire class.
I must agree with Georgia on the point that “millennials are technological creatures and are almost always eager when the learning-teachings exchange involve technological gadgets…”. This is indeed true as children in this modern time (as young as two years old) are able to navigate these technologically advanced gadgets, admittedly sometimes even better than us older folks. They are so drawn by and glued to technology, that I believe teachers must use this as the means of appealing to them. As teachers we must be mindful of the fact that students must learn and especially for the ones who lack interest we must be able to use things that they love, be it games or gadgets to appeal to them. We can find creative ways to utilize these resources to help them comprehend the many lessons we impart daily.
I also liked the idea that you mentioned about the Ipad along with the internet expanding the classroom beyond mere walls but taking it to a much wider scope. I believe that this should be the aim of all teachers, as too long we have held on to the notion of the classroom being an enclosed space. In this changing world we must evolve with the time and extend ourselves to meet the changing needs of our students and the world in which they exist. If this is not done, we will produce students who will only be able to comprehend the world created in the classroom and not the world that truly exists.
@Alecia, it is commendable that you have made reference to Reading in the Content Area, a course that we previously did. I also agree with you that in our Jamaican context, Grade One students seem to be way behind their counterparts that were featured in this video. One factor contributing to this may be that teachers tend to "talk at student" or "talk down to them" or even talk to them as if they are incapable of thinking rather than engaging them in meaningful conversation. Too often we underestimate the capabilities of our students or sometimes we do not have the opportunity to interact with students on a more meaningful level. Classes are often overcrowded coupled with the fact that instructional methods are not geared towards meeting the diverse needs of learners in a given classroom. @ Des Des, indeed the videos showed that social media can be used in a constructive fashion, not only are Twitter and Face book used to keep up with celebrity gossip but they can be used to engage in meaningful conversation and facilitating comprehension at a higher level.
Reading is a valuable tool in gaining background knowledge on a wide range of content areas. Even more, once an individual or child is able to read with comprehension it makes what is read easier for the child to reproduce and transcend into their own. According to the article written by Stephanie Harvey, there were many truths surrounding reading comprehension that were expressed. The first idea that resonated with me is the idea “You can’t teach kids to think, because human beings are born thinking.” Hence, a child’s ability to think is innate and natural. It is something that the child already has the ability to do. However, it is an ability that should be nurtured by the parent, teacher and other individuals that are a part of the child’s educational circle. In fact, I can think of the analogy of a plant that has to be nurtured with water and other valuable nutrients despite the fact that it already has the ability to grow and reproduce fruit. If it is not nurtured properly too, the quality of fruit that it produced is questioned.
The article interestingly shed light on various ways in which a child’s reading can be nurtured. This includes being aware of their thinking, thinking strategically and to recognize the power of their own thinking. All of these principles shared in the article focuses on the student’s ability and not the teacher’s ability to think for the student but vice versa. Firstly, having students being able to become aware of their own thinking is to utilized monitoring strategies that would encourage them to think aloud while reading as a way of monitoring their understanding. Importantly too, there are many times when students become easily distracted while reading, and as a result of that the teacher should model how to refocus and get back on track as they are reading.
Losing focus can allow the individual to be on top of their thinking. Also, as a child reads, they are reading in different content areas and will read with different objectives and purposes in mind. In order to achieve this, various strategies can be taught to meet the challenges as it relates to the distractions that children face. Many of the Jamaican classrooms are not ideal as there are many distractions however, classroom teachers ought to take on a “strategic spirit” according to Tishman, Perkins and Jay. With this kind of spirit, there is a readiness to implement a plan of action whether while reading or doing other task in the classroom.
One of those strategies mentioned by Harvey is the use of questions which will explore the knowledge that the children already have and to push them to think beyond the surface when it relates to comprehension. Therefore, students will be able to recognize the power of their own thinking. This should also help them to consider the difference between information and knowledge. Having such a distinction will enable one to become an active participant in the process, rather than one who passively gathers information and not being able to critically evaluate the information. Moreover, with comprehension at the core of the various strategies that can be used in monitoring the comprehension of the students, teachers can enhance the traditional learning styles with that of the new literacies approach that is recommended for teachers in the 21st century.
Based on knowledge gained on comprehension, the article “Comprehension at the Core” rightly highlights nestles itself in the main points highlighted by the contributors of that article. The fact is that when it relates to comprehension, the child must be able to utilize a number of strategies to ascertain understanding for themselves. These strategies should include what is done before, during and after reading is done. The main aim is for comprehension to take place and not only for it to be initiated. That is the child should be able to also create meaning based on their own experiences and background knowledge and not solely rely on what the teacher says. Being critical to the information is also an important aspect , because you do not want a child take information from the teacher as the only source of information, but one who is able to think critically and to apply other sources of information where necessary.
In the video “Read and Annotate-grade 1” I found it interesting that annotation was highlight as the main comprehension tool in that classroom demonstration. It is definitely a powerful tool that is able to track the thinking of the students and for them also to monitor their own reading and comprehension. Notably, in the classroom, the teacher utilized content that the children would be familiar with to an extent, as not all students although living in the United States would be knowledgeable on Polar Bears, but what I found interesting is the fact that the teacher assuming this while preparing the instruction, also informed herself of ways in which she can assist students to become aware of their own thinking by using other sources to find the answers to their thought provoking questions.
Furthermore, within the Jamaican context, it is evident that many of the students, although that really relies on their background knowledge, would not be too familiar with the topic of Polar Bears, but a Jamaican teacher in this instance would use a topic that all students can relate to. I was also impressed by the fact that the teacher encouraged the comprehension strategy of questioning, collaboration, practice and also working independently. Questions are able to raise their curiosity and new learning, collaboration and practice will foster team work and respecting other student’s ideas and independent working will show how much the child can think critically on their own. The classroom teacher’s example also highlighted the importance of expanding the walls of the classroom to the virtual space in order to create opportunities to expand their comprehension. This video also highlights that sharing and learning should not be isolated but should also connect with the larger world.
Furthermore, in video two “Enriching Thinking with a Backchannel Discussion-grade 5” there were many important techniques that were brought to the fore in the classroom demonstration such as visualization and read alouds that will help in guiding the child’s reading as well as making connections with the text. Also, it encourages the child to think “outside of the box” and to use a diversity of text to build on the student’s thinking. This is coupled with the fact that all these approaches are student-centered and the teacher is only a facilitator of that knowledge. In video number three “Introducing to Blogging with a Small Group” the teacher displayed the value of not only creating but also sharing the knowledge. It will not only allow and focus on student’s writing but also their level of understanding based on what they write. Blogging is an essential tool that will assist in evaluating the framework through which the child forms the basis of his or her understanding.
As I read the comments, I had to agree with Georgia as it relates to the benefits of blogging. Of course, blogging allows the students to make deeper connections as well as getting immediate responses. I found this interesting and also the fact that not only are the children able to gain more insights through the virtual space but the teacher can also garner more insight into the students comprehension level and will be able determine what strategy can be utilized to enhance an area of weakness. Also, as I read Alecia’s response I then recognized even more importantly the need to make learning fun especially for children in their formative years. It also calls upon us as Jamaican teachers, in spite of our limited resources, the need to be creative and innovative in the classroom. The traditional ways may not work for these 21st generation kids and as such more innovative ways and strategies should be implemented to assist in getting to the core of comprehension.
Having read Paula's ideas about the article, I must agree with the point that students are often and sometimes easily distracted while reading. Interestingly, this often occurs in my opinion when the concept or idea being discussed in the in the reading passage is far-fetched or something they are unable to relate to. Thus I believe that teachers must not assume that students have the requisite background knowledge on a topic or concept but to in some way create that background knowledge for them. I also support the idea brought out in Paula's comments on the need for these (comprehension) strategies to be taught not only for the sake of being taught, but also in a bid to help students to keep focused on the passage/article being read. These strategies, once taught, as Paula said, will help to "limit the distractions while they read".
The article "Comprehension at the Core" was an interesting read that opened my eyes even more. Comprehension involves combining reading with thinking and reasoning. As teachers we need to make reading count! We ought to teach children to be aware of the power of thinking. If we stopped to ask our students how they see reading, and if they were honest they would say: "I find it difficult, it is hard to follow or keep up, I get bored, I am not sure what the most important parts are because none of this means anything to me". We have the power to turn reading into a meaningful experience. While I agree with Harvey that children are born to reason and think. I strongly agree that there are skills that need to be taught explicitly.
The students in Grade 1 were absolutely phenomenal. They were expressive and used up critical thinking. I liked the ease and ingenuity in which the iPad was used to generate students thought processes. Overall this was quite engaging.
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