This course, The Nature of Reading, along with its text Lenses on Reading and a collection of articles on the topic of literacy, made me aware of the fact that I had a narrow perimeter of the meaning of what literacy includes. Its definition could no longer be confined to the mere thought of decoding words and understanding their meanings. Nor could it be limited to being able to decode, understand, and use symbols to covey your meaning. Being literate today means so much more. It includes all of the above plus the ability to research information, select information, evaluate information, synthesize information, solve problems and communicate with others.
Revisiting the history of literacy helped me to appreciate that literacy is not stagnant, that it is forever changing as society and technology changes. I do believe that the foundation to literacy is listening (for most people) followed by reading. It is extremely difficult to learn to read if you can not hear. You can not communicate verbally if you do not have a vocabulary representing specific sound and corresponding symbol recognition. You can not read if you can not decode or know the spoken language. You can not decode or spell if you do not know consonant and vowel sounds. You can not listen, with understanding, if you do not know the spoken language. You can not respond correctly to either verbal communication if you do not know the language. You can not communicate in writing if you do not know how to spell and comprehend the language’s vocabulary.
Because I have had to give thought to just how learning to read develops I find that I favor the theory of Constructivism as being the most definitive of how reading is learned. I believe that all forms of communication are connected and that as children develop skills in one area, they grow simultaneously in all forms of literacy.
The theory of Constructivism does not exist in a vacuum. It derived from ancient theories and incorporates the new theories, such as the Social Learning Theory/ Social Cognitive Theory (l997). Constructivisms, and the many theories connected to it, are demonstrated in the way some students learn to read. As stated earlier first you learn the alphabet, you build on that until you learn letter sounds and symbol recognition and you continue to develop until you can read, understand, communicate, and comprehend.
In the early stages of learning parts of the Unfoldment Theory come into play. A child has to be interested in learning and exist in a stimulating environment that makes them curious about doing what others’ are doing. The Unfoldment Theory works along with the Constructivism theory in that its four stages are dependent on building one stage on top of the other, in order to construct learning. First there is the attentional phase, second the retention phase, third the reproduction phase and fourth, the reinforcement phase. This theory is based on the concept of learning by observational learning and modeling. I saw this working in my class with students who had ADHD. My students were curious about what I wrote and read. I shared with them a thesis I had written prior to graduation. They knew that I was not asking them to do anything I hadn’t done myself – such as rewriting. Demonstrating the writing process some how made it seem less painful and they were encourage by their own growth.
Even when accessing information and communication technologies, I see the principles of Constructivism and its off–shoots enable students to become more proficient, as they expand their range of literacy. As brought out in the article Toward a Theory of New Literacies Emerging From the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies, technology requires the ability to research information, evaluate information, synthesize information, and to communicate answers to others.
The theories based on the principles of Constructivism, are linked to the earlier theories, such as Mental Discipline, Associationism and Unfoldment. More current theories of learning, such as the Social Learning Theory/ Social Cognitive Theory (l997) work with the Constructivism theory in that its four stages are dependent on building one stage on top of the other, in order to construct learning. First there is the attentional phase, second the retention phase, third the reproduction phase and fourth, the reinforcement phase. This theory is based on the concept of learning by observational learning and modeling. I saw this working in my class with students who had ADHD. My students were curious about what I wrote and read. I shared with them a thesis I had written prior to graduation. They knew that I was not asking them to do anything I hadn’t done myself – such as rewriting. Demonstrating the writing process some how made it seem less painful and they were encourage by their own growth.
Understanding these theories on reading will help me to be a more proficient teacher. One of the personal goals I gave myself for the next school year was to improve in my teaching of literacy. I now have a better understanding of the role technology plays in literacy and will include technology into my curriculum with more of a passion. This course and the material accompanying it have given me the tools needed to improve.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Patricia A. Holley
Blog: Week 7/23/07
Read 500
TECHNOLOGY…Reflects the Way We Think
Several years ago, when I was still an undergraduate, I was advised to take a basic computer course, because I was considering teaching as a career. I did not get the connection, at that time. Now I am being asked to consider technology’s impact on literacy, and it finally dawned on me just how the internet, combined with a word processing program is more reflective of the way we think and write then just pen and paper or a typewriter. What brought this home to me was watching the video, which featured a hand writing the statement “technology is linear” then correcting the sentence to read “technology is unilinear.” What I found interesting about this statement is that the word “unilinear” does not even appear in my Random House College Dictionary, which was published in 2000. Nor does is appear in my computer word bank. It keeps appearing as a misspelled word, underlined in red. However, the prefix “uni” has the meaning of “one”, and linear refers to “line”. Perhaps, in relationship to technology and literacy, this means that technology reflects the way we actually think, how we actual contemplate, in that we do not necessarily think in one direction at a time, but that our synapses branch out in all directions, simultaneously, until we come to one solid thought, supported by a plethora of information. Technology now helps us to do this visually in that we can now insert graphs, pictures, links, as well as other supportive resources into our body of work – by way of the internet.
The video helped me to visualize what the article Toward a Theory of New Literacies Emerging From the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies was saying. As a literacy teacher I have the responsibility to instruct my students on how to use technology to do research. After topic materials are located, students will also need to know how to apply critical thinking in evaluating the material found. They will also need instruction on how to synthesis the information – just as they would be instructed for the traditional paper text research materials available. This new literacy (media literacy) is international in scope. The ability to shift through materials, ask questions, locate information, evaluate information, synthesize information, solve problems, and communicate it to others are skills needed in an international job market. Not only is there more information available to students, as a result of technology, but as the article brought out technology has now “[made] possible a panoply of media forms within a single message, thus increasing the importance of understand how each may be used by an author to shape a reader’s interpretation.”
As with printed or audio information we must teach that plagiarism also applies to information attained through new technologies. Perhaps this means that we will have to introduce how to cite online databases much earlier then we ever thought. But on the other hand, technologies have relieved us as teachers from being the only source of knowledge on any given topic. With the unlimited range of information in cyber space our students can roam around the planet look for information on topics that interest them.
Students will have their imaginations stimulated by the new multiliteracy technologies. I have already observed in my Resource Pull–out classes that the use of the internet encourages learning because it is visually engaging and fun to use. I have also seen how it helps improve social skills as the children share knowledge and skills on editing and downloading information into their body of work. I look forward to using it, creatively, this coming year.
Blog: Week 7/23/07
Read 500
TECHNOLOGY…Reflects the Way We Think
Several years ago, when I was still an undergraduate, I was advised to take a basic computer course, because I was considering teaching as a career. I did not get the connection, at that time. Now I am being asked to consider technology’s impact on literacy, and it finally dawned on me just how the internet, combined with a word processing program is more reflective of the way we think and write then just pen and paper or a typewriter. What brought this home to me was watching the video, which featured a hand writing the statement “technology is linear” then correcting the sentence to read “technology is unilinear.” What I found interesting about this statement is that the word “unilinear” does not even appear in my Random House College Dictionary, which was published in 2000. Nor does is appear in my computer word bank. It keeps appearing as a misspelled word, underlined in red. However, the prefix “uni” has the meaning of “one”, and linear refers to “line”. Perhaps, in relationship to technology and literacy, this means that technology reflects the way we actually think, how we actual contemplate, in that we do not necessarily think in one direction at a time, but that our synapses branch out in all directions, simultaneously, until we come to one solid thought, supported by a plethora of information. Technology now helps us to do this visually in that we can now insert graphs, pictures, links, as well as other supportive resources into our body of work – by way of the internet.
The video helped me to visualize what the article Toward a Theory of New Literacies Emerging From the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies was saying. As a literacy teacher I have the responsibility to instruct my students on how to use technology to do research. After topic materials are located, students will also need to know how to apply critical thinking in evaluating the material found. They will also need instruction on how to synthesis the information – just as they would be instructed for the traditional paper text research materials available. This new literacy (media literacy) is international in scope. The ability to shift through materials, ask questions, locate information, evaluate information, synthesize information, solve problems, and communicate it to others are skills needed in an international job market. Not only is there more information available to students, as a result of technology, but as the article brought out technology has now “[made] possible a panoply of media forms within a single message, thus increasing the importance of understand how each may be used by an author to shape a reader’s interpretation.”
As with printed or audio information we must teach that plagiarism also applies to information attained through new technologies. Perhaps this means that we will have to introduce how to cite online databases much earlier then we ever thought. But on the other hand, technologies have relieved us as teachers from being the only source of knowledge on any given topic. With the unlimited range of information in cyber space our students can roam around the planet look for information on topics that interest them.
Students will have their imaginations stimulated by the new multiliteracy technologies. I have already observed in my Resource Pull–out classes that the use of the internet encourages learning because it is visually engaging and fun to use. I have also seen how it helps improve social skills as the children share knowledge and skills on editing and downloading information into their body of work. I look forward to using it, creatively, this coming year.
Friday, July 13, 2007
No Child Left Behind Act (Act! Is there a pun intended?)
No Child Left Behind Act
In essence, the idea of No Child Left Behind sounds noble. In reality, it has created more focus for itself as a controversial law (Public Law 107–110), as opposed to investigating authentic reasons why targeted groups of students are in dire need of educational improvement. It has been stated that the primary focus of NCLB is to improve and equalize the educational opportunity for all children in the country. In an effort to do so, the government has placed emphasis on improving the reading and math scores of students. In order to accomplish this, the standards for teachers (credentials) have been increased, testing of students (for the purpose of accountability?) has become almost paramount, and an insufficient amount of funding has been set aside.
What I have seen of this law in action has caused me to be concerned for the students it is intended to help, then relief that NCLB exist. To be specific, this existence of this law has never been discussed, in my presences, by administrators, as something positive. Instead it is referred to with annoyance. The testing, which is supposed to measure the progress of students, which the government sees as reflective of teaching skills, has taken center stage to education. Teaching the test is a reality. Teaching the test undermines constructive learning. For exceptional children the test produces even greater stress than it does for general education students. Standardized testing is not authentic testing and not necessarily suitable for students that have already proven to be below grade level. What it has done is to validate what they do not know; instead of measure what they do know.
Also in regard to children living in poverty and those with learning disabilities, there are so many factors affecting their ability to learn that NCLB doesn’t take into consideration. It would not surprise me to learn that both States and Districts fudge testing results to appease the government. There is also pressure on internal Child Study Teams to classify students in order to separate their cores from the general education students. As a first year teacher I have seen practices that have given me pause. I will not even mention the lack of funding and how that has affected my class…..
In essence, the idea of No Child Left Behind sounds noble. In reality, it has created more focus for itself as a controversial law (Public Law 107–110), as opposed to investigating authentic reasons why targeted groups of students are in dire need of educational improvement. It has been stated that the primary focus of NCLB is to improve and equalize the educational opportunity for all children in the country. In an effort to do so, the government has placed emphasis on improving the reading and math scores of students. In order to accomplish this, the standards for teachers (credentials) have been increased, testing of students (for the purpose of accountability?) has become almost paramount, and an insufficient amount of funding has been set aside.
What I have seen of this law in action has caused me to be concerned for the students it is intended to help, then relief that NCLB exist. To be specific, this existence of this law has never been discussed, in my presences, by administrators, as something positive. Instead it is referred to with annoyance. The testing, which is supposed to measure the progress of students, which the government sees as reflective of teaching skills, has taken center stage to education. Teaching the test is a reality. Teaching the test undermines constructive learning. For exceptional children the test produces even greater stress than it does for general education students. Standardized testing is not authentic testing and not necessarily suitable for students that have already proven to be below grade level. What it has done is to validate what they do not know; instead of measure what they do know.
Also in regard to children living in poverty and those with learning disabilities, there are so many factors affecting their ability to learn that NCLB doesn’t take into consideration. It would not surprise me to learn that both States and Districts fudge testing results to appease the government. There is also pressure on internal Child Study Teams to classify students in order to separate their cores from the general education students. As a first year teacher I have seen practices that have given me pause. I will not even mention the lack of funding and how that has affected my class…..
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Assessment: Portfolios as a tool
Assessment– Chapter 15
Routman’s chapter on assessment pretty much covered the same information taught in Dr. Kennedy’s class on assessment. What I particularly appreciated about Evaluations as Part of Teaching was the information on portfolios as a tool that, when used correctly, could assist teacher and parents, as well as serve to drive the self–assessment need in students.
Fortunately, my school gets a lot of parent visitation during Parent Conference nights. During these conferences both parents and students are present. Next year I will use the portfolio as a tool which will allow children to show their parents what they have accomplished between each report card period. Because I am a resource pull–out teacher for literacy and math my class’s portfolios will be limited to those two topics. This year we did create portfolios, but they were not used to their maximum good. I think that when students better understand the purpose of the portfolio (to show growth), they will understand why it is okay to include some of their less successful papers or projects.
I must say that the math portfolio was created with more enthusiasm by my class. I think the reason for this success was that it contained art/math related projects which included math stories of their own creations. For next year I will plan a more creative literacy portfolio. It will be my purpose to stress self assessment as a goal and the portfolio as a means for making the assessment more meaningful.
Because my students require special education service, as they perform below grade level as a result of mild learning disabilities, the creating of portfolios will be a fairer means to assess their learning and at the same time provide me with a tool to drive instruction. It will also continue to give parents physical evidence of learning that they can appreciate. Because the creating of portfolios is so personal, it will continue to allow me to sit beside (Routman p. 557) my students and really have an opportunity to give authentic assessment. Hopefully the portfolios will lessen the stress created by subjecting my students to Standardized testing, in particular.
Routman’s chapter on assessment pretty much covered the same information taught in Dr. Kennedy’s class on assessment. What I particularly appreciated about Evaluations as Part of Teaching was the information on portfolios as a tool that, when used correctly, could assist teacher and parents, as well as serve to drive the self–assessment need in students.
Fortunately, my school gets a lot of parent visitation during Parent Conference nights. During these conferences both parents and students are present. Next year I will use the portfolio as a tool which will allow children to show their parents what they have accomplished between each report card period. Because I am a resource pull–out teacher for literacy and math my class’s portfolios will be limited to those two topics. This year we did create portfolios, but they were not used to their maximum good. I think that when students better understand the purpose of the portfolio (to show growth), they will understand why it is okay to include some of their less successful papers or projects.
I must say that the math portfolio was created with more enthusiasm by my class. I think the reason for this success was that it contained art/math related projects which included math stories of their own creations. For next year I will plan a more creative literacy portfolio. It will be my purpose to stress self assessment as a goal and the portfolio as a means for making the assessment more meaningful.
Because my students require special education service, as they perform below grade level as a result of mild learning disabilities, the creating of portfolios will be a fairer means to assess their learning and at the same time provide me with a tool to drive instruction. It will also continue to give parents physical evidence of learning that they can appreciate. Because the creating of portfolios is so personal, it will continue to allow me to sit beside (Routman p. 557) my students and really have an opportunity to give authentic assessment. Hopefully the portfolios will lessen the stress created by subjecting my students to Standardized testing, in particular.
Friday, July 6, 2007
How do we learn to read?
Before reading Lenses on Reading I never gave much thought to how we learn to read. It became apparent that as more readers emerged in society, more thought was given to not only how we learn to read, but to why some readers are better others. The reasons why some (students) are better readers have to do with an overabundance of circumstances, for which theorist have tried to provide us with explanations. While I found the numberous explanations mesmerizing, I found that my first year's class experience, as a Resource Pull-out teacher, provided me with personal anecdotes that related to most of the theories advanced in the reading.
Most releveant to me were the theories based on the principles of Constructivism, which linked to the earlier theories Mental Discipline, Associationism, and Unfoldment. Accessing and building on prior knowledge was just one method I experienced success with. In addition, I saw the relationship between home literacy influence where the students with strong parental support and influence proved to be the most successful students in the class. All of my students were male, Hispanic, and from homes where travel to outside communities were not unusual. This made my instruction easier because I had similar background information to access for additional learning.
I also noted that the attitude of the most influential parten had an effect on the willingness to learn by the student. One student whose father was a construction worker had informed his son (my weakest reader) that he could get a job as a construction worker when he finished school. Presently he was in the 4th grade. This was his reason for not trying to do better and it also affected his attention span. His mother, on the other hadnd was a LPN. Because he was a stepchild in a second marriage, he spent the weekends withhis natural father doing "guy" things - not homework.
Then in direct contrast there was another male student who was being tutored by his natural father. This child was my most studious learner. He took every lesson seriously and also consistently did his homework. He connected his vocabualary to his writing without being constantly reminded. My concerns developed when I noticed he would cry anytime he got a wrong answer, or if I had to make some corrections to his writing task. This was solved after having a conversation with his parents. I brought this behavior to their attention and assured them that any mistakes made would become a learning experience for him, similar to what he would undergo in real life. This studen developed the willingness to share his work with others (mistakes and all). He became proud of his work and could see, through the corrections made, his own advancement. Bassically what I was saying to his parents was that he would construct information from his mistakes. I encoureage them to supervise him, but with a lighter touch.
Thes two personal experiences are at the opposite end of my teaching success pendulum. In between there are others in which I experienced evidence of all theories mentioned in Lenses. In all this discussion on how we learn to read, I also found it interesting to read the different theories on when children should start reading. I was a victim of the earlier theory of Maturation. Fortunately I came from a family of readers, I always had my own books, I was read to by both parents and I lived in a home were there was a bookcase - as a result I did not suffer too greatly from the delay posed by theorist. My family was awar of the Maturation principle because we had aunts in the fam ily who were teacher and my parents were active in school activities. Now I am priviledge to help my four year old nephew learn to read. He expressed the desire to learn.
Most releveant to me were the theories based on the principles of Constructivism, which linked to the earlier theories Mental Discipline, Associationism, and Unfoldment. Accessing and building on prior knowledge was just one method I experienced success with. In addition, I saw the relationship between home literacy influence where the students with strong parental support and influence proved to be the most successful students in the class. All of my students were male, Hispanic, and from homes where travel to outside communities were not unusual. This made my instruction easier because I had similar background information to access for additional learning.
I also noted that the attitude of the most influential parten had an effect on the willingness to learn by the student. One student whose father was a construction worker had informed his son (my weakest reader) that he could get a job as a construction worker when he finished school. Presently he was in the 4th grade. This was his reason for not trying to do better and it also affected his attention span. His mother, on the other hadnd was a LPN. Because he was a stepchild in a second marriage, he spent the weekends withhis natural father doing "guy" things - not homework.
Then in direct contrast there was another male student who was being tutored by his natural father. This child was my most studious learner. He took every lesson seriously and also consistently did his homework. He connected his vocabualary to his writing without being constantly reminded. My concerns developed when I noticed he would cry anytime he got a wrong answer, or if I had to make some corrections to his writing task. This was solved after having a conversation with his parents. I brought this behavior to their attention and assured them that any mistakes made would become a learning experience for him, similar to what he would undergo in real life. This studen developed the willingness to share his work with others (mistakes and all). He became proud of his work and could see, through the corrections made, his own advancement. Bassically what I was saying to his parents was that he would construct information from his mistakes. I encoureage them to supervise him, but with a lighter touch.
Thes two personal experiences are at the opposite end of my teaching success pendulum. In between there are others in which I experienced evidence of all theories mentioned in Lenses. In all this discussion on how we learn to read, I also found it interesting to read the different theories on when children should start reading. I was a victim of the earlier theory of Maturation. Fortunately I came from a family of readers, I always had my own books, I was read to by both parents and I lived in a home were there was a bookcase - as a result I did not suffer too greatly from the delay posed by theorist. My family was awar of the Maturation principle because we had aunts in the fam ily who were teacher and my parents were active in school activities. Now I am priviledge to help my four year old nephew learn to read. He expressed the desire to learn.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Thinker said...
Most of you know me. All but one arein my program. I have only read the article entitled "Why is Reading os Important"? I really apprediaated the history of reading. It coninsided with another article I read on the History of Writing. It seems as time goes on everything changes, including the definition of literacy - for social, economical and technical reasons, to name a few. I will write more tomorrow. The Thinker
June 26, 2007 2:55 PM
The Thinker said...
This is a test.
June 27, 2007 6:28 AM
The Thinker said...
This is the last time will will try to resend my comments.The trouble I am having using this system almost makes me want to take back my earlier (lost) comments. After reading the article I saw more clearly the connection between tech coding and phonics. I can also more appreciate the need to keep up with technology - as a form of literacy. As for the second article on Silencing Teachers...I had a experience in which I too was prevented from teaching according to how I felt that my students could learn. The experience revolved around a writing prompt I chose to present to the class (also Resource Pull Out). It was the cover of a New York Times magazine on the Children of Katrina. My thinking was to have the class just get started on writing and expressing themselves before I started to correct them. It would give me an opportunity to assess their skills. In this class I had a 5th grader who was basically a defient student. Another child was on meds to control his hyper activity and implusiveness. Both of these student responded to the photo and began to respond to my open-ended questions. The whole class wrote for the whole period, without further prompting. I though I was on to something and mistakenly shared this with the head 4th grade general ed teacher. The result was I was told not to use the photo prompt as it was too sophisticated for my kids and would not help them learn the skills required in order for them to pass the NJASK !
June 27, 2007 6:40 AM
The Thinker said...
What I got from reading the article on "Why reading is so important" is a new awareness as to the breathe of literacy on an international bases. I also can better appreciate that "literacy" is not a stagnent condition - that it is an ongoing state.Key issues are the importance of staying current and proficient in the current mode of literacy for two reasons. First as individuals we want to bring our skills up to date in order to communicate with others via what ever means necessary. Secondly, we want to teach our students to become and remain proficient in literacy, in order for them to be able to function at their peak, in todays society. What I am wondering about the most is how we can improve literacy proficiency for our students creatively.
June 27, 2007 7:00 AM
Most of you know me. All but one arein my program. I have only read the article entitled "Why is Reading os Important"? I really apprediaated the history of reading. It coninsided with another article I read on the History of Writing. It seems as time goes on everything changes, including the definition of literacy - for social, economical and technical reasons, to name a few. I will write more tomorrow. The Thinker
June 26, 2007 2:55 PM
The Thinker said...
This is a test.
June 27, 2007 6:28 AM
The Thinker said...
This is the last time will will try to resend my comments.The trouble I am having using this system almost makes me want to take back my earlier (lost) comments. After reading the article I saw more clearly the connection between tech coding and phonics. I can also more appreciate the need to keep up with technology - as a form of literacy. As for the second article on Silencing Teachers...I had a experience in which I too was prevented from teaching according to how I felt that my students could learn. The experience revolved around a writing prompt I chose to present to the class (also Resource Pull Out). It was the cover of a New York Times magazine on the Children of Katrina. My thinking was to have the class just get started on writing and expressing themselves before I started to correct them. It would give me an opportunity to assess their skills. In this class I had a 5th grader who was basically a defient student. Another child was on meds to control his hyper activity and implusiveness. Both of these student responded to the photo and began to respond to my open-ended questions. The whole class wrote for the whole period, without further prompting. I though I was on to something and mistakenly shared this with the head 4th grade general ed teacher. The result was I was told not to use the photo prompt as it was too sophisticated for my kids and would not help them learn the skills required in order for them to pass the NJASK !
June 27, 2007 6:40 AM
The Thinker said...
What I got from reading the article on "Why reading is so important" is a new awareness as to the breathe of literacy on an international bases. I also can better appreciate that "literacy" is not a stagnent condition - that it is an ongoing state.Key issues are the importance of staying current and proficient in the current mode of literacy for two reasons. First as individuals we want to bring our skills up to date in order to communicate with others via what ever means necessary. Secondly, we want to teach our students to become and remain proficient in literacy, in order for them to be able to function at their peak, in todays society. What I am wondering about the most is how we can improve literacy proficiency for our students creatively.
June 27, 2007 7:00 AM
Monday, June 25, 2007
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