We need to do better for our struggling readers and reluctant writers. I understand the reality of test scores, whether SBAC or SAT, often dictate how we approach the teaching of reading and writing. And after a year in which my students' test scores did not make the gains I wanted, it would be easy to abandon my philosophy of student choice and voice, instead opting for more teacher control and more direct instruction.
But I can't do that. I'm doubling down on the power of "wow." This week, Jennifer Serravallo's Reading Strategy 9.2, from The Reading Strategies Book, captured my attention as I reviewed our 6-8 ELA curriculum. The strategy, titled "Reading with a Sense of 'Wow'" invites students to "[a]pproach the text expecting to learn." How incredibly powerful for us to help our readers develop a mindset of curiosity and wonder. Using this strategy, and modeling it ourselves, will help students to have more "'Wow, I never knew...'" moments. Of course, for me, it means making sure that I am offering students high interest non-fiction that promotes questions for students to consider. As I have been doing, I searched for a partner Writing Strategy from her The Writing Strategies Book. Of course she delivered! Writing Strategy 4.8 "Find Your Passion to Focus" fits perfectly with "Reading with a Sense of Wow". In this strategy, students are asked to "Identify [their] passion and/or what [they] really think, feel, and believe." Students want to explore what they find important, especially at the middle school level. Whether students are writing to inform, explain, or persuade, they are more likely to invest into the writing process, which is time consuming and challenging, if they are writing about topics that move them. This is why finding high interest topics for their reading selections is critical. When partnering these two strategies, we can help students examine texts with curiosity, pointing to the ways in which the author captures and keeps our attention. Then, set them loose to use their passion and interest to create their own writing that captures and keeps their audience's attention.
0 Comments
For me, one of the most important teaching practices we can include in our daily lessons, is that of promoting metacognition in our students. If we can help young readers to think, and think about what they thought, they will develop much quicker as readers and writers.
Today, I was thinking about how I, as an expert reader, come to a fuller understanding of what I read, especially with non-fiction. And as usual, I turned to Jennifer Serravallo's seminal book, The Reading Strategies Book, where I found that one important skill I use is "Consider Structure," which is strategy 8.19. In this strategy, the teacher's goal is get students to think about "How is the information being presented? What's the overall structure?" And then, after examining this, to think about how that structure impacts their understanding. Of course, the way that students make sense of the text, meaning, which approach do they use in their notebooks to show that understanding, is going to be determined by the structure. When students consider the author's structuring of the text, they have a better chance of synthesizing that material accurately in their reader's notebook. The follow up to this lesson, naturally, is one that asks students to consider how they, as young authors, present their information so that readers can make sense of it. In essence, what are the clues that an author uses to guide the reader to understanding. In her equally important book on writing, The Writing Strategies Book, Serravallo provides strategy 5.16, "Moving from Chunk to Chunk." One important way that writers guide their readers is through transitions. In strategy 5.16, we ask students to examine their writing, box up the sections and "[n]otice how you transition from one part to the next. Think, 'Did I use a transition word or phrase that makes sense given the relationship between the parts." In this process, it is again important to show mentor texts so that students see the language of compare/contrast, sequence, or providing examples being employed accurately. Then, ask student to consider the purpose of their piece and their choice of transition words. Many students, especially struggling readers and writers, have difficulty determining what the author intended to be the central idea or key details. Connected with this is the parallel issue for developing writers who don’t yet know how to emphasize the most significant ideas in their writing, or how to support their central idea or claim with enough strength.
Reading strategy 8.9, “Most Important...to Whom?” and Writing Strategy 5.34, “Weight the Parts of Your Piece” from Jennifer Seravallo’s Reading Strategies and Writing Strategies books can help teachers develop these skills in focusing on what is most important, while pointing out the connections between the reading process and the writing process. Reading Strategy 8.9 asks readers to consider what they think the most important from the text. Developing readers are understandably self-centered readers. They are expending a great deal of mental energy simply trying to understand the general meaning of the text. The easiest way to understand is through their own lens. But, the second part of this strategy is key to pushing readers to the level of being critical readers: ask them to consider what the author thinks is most important; follow that up with having them return to the text and find support, being sure to ask a lot of questions like “Do most of the details support that?” or “What’s different about your idea and what you think the author’s idea might be?”. When conferencing with young writers, it is important to get them to consider whether or not their readership will be able to determine what they, the authors, want to convey as most important. Writing Strategy 5.34 addresses this skill development. Have student examine their drafts and draw lines or boxes around the different parts of their text. Help them to question which part is most important by carefully considering the amount of writing and strength of writing in each section. Do they need to cut from a lesser section? Do they need to elaborate more in the area they want readers to find as most critical? As part of my own development as a middle school Literacy Coach entering a second year in the role, I am examining the incredible genius that is Jennifer Serravallo. We purchased both titles for our Language Arts team, and I will be reentering the blog world by posting about a reading and writing strategy each week.
Our very first unit when we return in late August is a narrative writing unit partnered with reading and analyzing short stories. This first post looks at how to use Writing Strategy 3.37, "Defining Moments", and Reading Strategy 7.4, "What Can Characters Teach Us?". First, any time that we as literacy teachers can help students make connections between reading and writing, we ought to jump at it, so partnering these two strategies made a lot of sense to me. "Defining Moments" has students dig deep into their own life story, mining their life for moments or experiences in life that have impacted them. By encouraging students to see how the plot of their own lives has shaped who they are as young person, we can than explore "What Can Characters Teach Us?" while examining a mentor text. The strategy of "What Can Characters Teach Us?" focuses on having students think about the character's traits and wondering why the character might act a certain way, and then moving that to asking "what can this character teach me about life?" As student generate small moment stories from their own life, they can then begin to develop a character who comes alive, acts in response to that life, and ultimately comes away with an important message about life. In both strategies, the teacher questions drive students to think and make connections. They aren't just doing an assignment for a grade; they are analyzing and evaluating at a high level. Make sure to help them see that connection between their own writing, and the reading that they do. |
Author
Educational Leader providing challenging and equitable learning experiences for students. Archives
July 2018
Categories |