It was refreshing to read how an 8th grade science teacher instills the importance of reading to her class. I think if more teachers across the disciplines did this type of thing they would greatly help their students not only transition into academia, but also foster them in reading fluently.
This chapter shows how students may not realize how complex the reading process is and that we as teachers can be mentors to our students. We can and should share with them the knowledge we have gained as well as the strategies we have used to be academically successful.
Take aways:
- Reading is problem solving and there are many ways the reader connects to the topic they are reading (e.g., their own ideas, memories, background knowledge, etc).
- It is important for me as a teacher to be aware of my reading process so I can give insight to my students.
- Fluency for developing readers comes from frequently reading accessible texts and rereading more difficult less accessible texts.
- It is important to expose our students to a wide variety of texts from different genres.
- Not all students that struggle with reading struggle with all types of texts. (e.g., I may be fluent in reading Japanese literature, but have difficulty reading science journals).
- Community building and creating a safe environment in the classroom is important in helping developmental readers.
- Extensive reading may enable students to expand their knowledge.
- Using books that appeal to students may foster them in becoming intrinsically motivated and could be contagious in the classroom.
- Students benefit from authentic discussions and group work on readings in class.
Michael, I haven't gotten into the Schoenbach book yet, but I'm excited to b/c I've heard so many good things about it. As a "remedial" reading teacher myself, I tend to think of teaching the reading we expect college students to do as more of participation in a discourse - much like how you discussed in your prior post about learning a new language. I agree that modeling reading strategies is critical for students to see what's going on and to have opportunities to practice themselves so they can be recognized by other discourse insiders as "competent." A part of this for me is the social focus Schoenbach emphasizes and that you addressed as a take-away. Good reading has to be recognized as good and so depends on the social. (In another post, I do realize that just as we are guiding students into being recognized in a discourse, they also presumably become discourse members who accept... or reject others into the discourse. For me, a critical conversation of how we identify good readers and who's in and who's out as a way to disrupt the "naturalness" and realize the social construction of "good" reading and "good" readers.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, this is Julie, right? Thank you for your reply to my post. I like your idea of participation in a discourse. For me as a reader I love to discuss the novels I have read with my friends who are also avid readers. I want to help my students become a part of the discourse communities in my classes and hopefully be passionate about sharing their thoughts and what they have learned from their reading. I look forward to our reading group because I think it will be a great way to start a discourse community and give me ideas of how to incorporate a reading group around a novel in the classes I hope to eventually teach.
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