EDU 407

Using Cognates to Scaffold context clue strategies for Latino EL’s:

This article was very interesting to read. I can relate to this article because in my preschool classroom we have a variety of Latino students that we are teaching them how to speak English, read, and write. I can say after reading this article I did learn a lot more teaching EL students to read and write in English. I was a student who spoke a different language at home. When it came to reading and writing it was difficult for me. I know from my experience that it is not an easy task to teach English language learners how to read and write in English. It can be difficult and frustrating for the student like the article mentioned. I liked a few of the strategies that were mentioned in the article like context clues having the student guess the meaning of an unknown word. This strategy can enhance their meaning-making capabilities. Research has shown that using the context activities are beneficial for students ( Fukkink & de Glopper 1998). It can get really difficult when Spanish words look the same as an English, but have two different meanings to them. Which can make it even harder on the child. It can be overwhelming too. The context strategies that were mentioned in the article can help those English language learners out as long teachers are providing those cognate resources to them. Building their strengths and demonstrating the power of language to enhance their reading and writing skills

Exploration in developmental spelling: Foundations of learning and teaching phonics, spelling, and vocabulary: 

Reading fluency improves reading comprehension. Phonics instruction improves spelling ability because it emphasizes spelling patterns that become familiar for reading. This article introduced the understanding of spelling development. I learned a lot from this article and the importance on the exploration in development. There are five stages of spelling developments. Precommunicative, semiphonetic, phonetic, transitional, and the correct stage. It was helpful to read about these stages and know what to discover when they are spelling. As preschool and early elementary school children discover intricacies of printed English, they go through several stages of spelling development. These stages are very important to know as an educator so we know where the child stands in their development in spelling. This article was a great read and it had a lot of important information.

Fostering Lifelong spellers through meaningful experiences: 

Another great article. The first section of the article caught my attention. It stated, “Move away from the Friday spelling test by involving students more directly in instruction, and watch spelling ability improve. I truly believe that students learn better oriented rather than giving them an assessment that is timed with grading. I know that as a child when a test was timed I would just completely blank out and worry about how much time I had to complete my test. Or when a teacher titled an assessment as a “test” or “quiz” I would panic right away because I wanted to get a good grade. Students learn in different paces so it wouldn’t be right to time an assessment or go with the grade that they received because not every child learns the same and it may take more time for others. As a teacher I want to focus on my students development more than anything else. I want to do hands on activities and group work with them as well instead of having tests and quizzes every Friday. I believe that it is important for teachers to focus less on grades and more on getting the students to do hands on activities and other different strategies to see their development.

Grade: K

Book: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Objectives: Students will be able to engage in small group discussions .

Students will be able to identify the main characters in the story.

Students will draw a their favorite part from the book using the four colors mentioned in the story.

Materials: 

Book

Markers

Paper

Lesson: The first day I will introduce the book. I will ask the students, “where is the cover page?” Where is the title? “I will then read off the title, authors name, and illustrator. I will ask “where is the back of the book?” I will then have the students get into small groups and discuss what the story may be about.

We will all come together as a class and I will start reading. Before I do I will ask my students where I should start reading. I will ask them where the first word is and if I should start reading from the left or from the right. I will start reading the book and stop when I feel like I should ask an important question about the story. “What do you think will happen next?” “What is Pete the Cat’s color shoes now?” “Will Pete the Cat cry?”

After reading the book we will go over it as a class to make sure all the students understood. Then they will be able to draw their favorite part of the story onto a paper using markers.

Guided reading:

The goal of guided reading is for students to develop skills to help them read independently. I think guided reading is a great strategy to use with students. I try and use guided reading with my cousin who is in second grade and it really helped him read silently and now he is reading fluently. Guided reading can help a teacher differentiate and group children in different reading levels. A teacher can target those specific skills and strategies needed to advance a student to the next level. Some groups may need help on other things while another group may need a higher level of guided reading. This way the teacher can work with all the students and meet their needs. I liked how the reading mentioned how the teacher breaks up the students in the class so that she is able to work on their reading and know which group needs help in certain areas based off of their reading levels. In my field work that I am in now the teacher has boxes for each student with books for their reading level. While they are reading their books, the teacher has a small group working on guided reading. The children also have the option of having a reading partner. This way it can build a child’s stamina until they are able to function on their own. I strongly believe that guided reading is an important strategy to use with children. Students will be able to learn skills which will allow them to read those difficult texts independently. The article made some really good points about guided reading. What I found interesting about the article is the guided reading program concept. I like how the program allows students to become familiar with a variety of different books that meets their reading level.

What If “Just right” is “ Just wrong” “?

Hoffman is asking educators if they have done enough to level texts and readers. Sometimes us educators may think a text is good for the student, but in reality it is not. I liked how the author included an example of a teaching plan for the interests, inquiry, and advocacy of the student. “Just right” leveling denies access to informational texts that readers want to read and can read. After reading a few of these, I see how leveled reading and reading levels come with certain consequences.

How Knowledge Powers Reading

I think it is important that teachers become familiar with their students and how us teachers can make learning easy and fun for them. The article mentions hoe background knowledge is more important than skill when it comes to most things. I really enjoyed reading this article. I feel like I now have knowledge on why background knowledge is so important.

Interactive read-aloud:

This was a great article. It was very interesting and I learned a lot from it. Read-aloud are a productive way to expose students to effective listening comprehension skills. They can also develop and increase their vocabulary, concepts of print, concepts of story, and background of knowledge. This was a reading I can relate to, the way that Mrs. Jones decided the strategies that she wanted to use for the interactive reading is the same way my headteacher from work does it. Before my headteacher chooses a book she pre-reads it so she knows if its a good book to read to our students. She also tries to challenge our students by asking them questions after she reads a page to see if they are comprehending the information and really grasping it like Mrs. Jones did with her students. Interactive read aloud lessons help engage children in listening, and speaking when a question is being asked about the book. I know interactive read-aloud benefit students because my students really grasp the information when we read the book to them several times throughout the week. As a teacher I want to be able to model what is expect from my students with peer work, or group talk. So they are all able to participate and engage into the lesson. This article was a great read. I have a better understanding of the benefits of interactive read aloud. I want to be able to use these same strategies in my classroom one day with my students.

What is your literacy mantra? 

My literacy mantra connects to the readings for this module. I know that in my preschool classroom we challenge our students when it comes to literacy and writing words. We also try to use literacy and connect it back with out students personal lives. This way the students can be interested and engaged. I know as a child I did not enjoy reading unless it was something that I can relate to or something that interested me. For teachers I think it’s important to know what interests your students when it comes to literacy so that they can have fun and learn at the same time. Its important for teachers to have that instruction at all levels using resources to have all of their students grasp the information and learn.

Reading: Thinking Globally In Literacy Instruction 

This reading really impressed me. There was a lot of information I had no idea about.  I always thought that the United States of America had the best Education system and that we were above, but it turns out that other parts of the world have some challenges that are similar to the U.S when it comes to Education which is mind blowing. I am from Cape Verde which is located in West Coast of Africa, and the Education there is no where near what we learn, but now that I’m thinking about it there are some similarities of Education challenges that we face here and its similar to what they face there. Another part of the reading that I liked was the teachers sympathy for her students. I can relate to this because if I see something that can benefit my students with learning I will purchase it with my own money. I don’t mind it if I know my students will benefit from it. Reading something that I can relate to made me feel happy inside. I want to keep this going when I become a teacher and care for my students the way I do now.

Reading: Lessons From Sociocultural Writing

This was another reading I can relate to. My students in preschool use their iPad for educational games for literacy. I’ve also seen computers in Kindergarten classes where they complete a reading or writing assignment online. I think that technology can help improve teaching. It is everywhere in almost every part of our culture. I also agree with having students write good. Good writers are good readers. Writing makes for better readers and improves comprehension and critical thinking. In the preschool that I work at we try to use words that students may have never heard or words that are challenging.

My name is Brittany Santos.