Putting all the
pieces together
My book is: Benjamin,
A. (2007). But I’m Not a Reading
Teacher: Strategies for Literacy
Instruction in the Content Areas. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Black font indicates what the author says.
Red font indicates my comments.
At the end of the book, Benjamin has a
dandy chart that she calls “The Strategic Reader”.
The Strategic Reader
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Before Reading
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What do I
already know about this subject?
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What am I reading to find out?
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What do I know about the main ideas from previewing?
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During Reading
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What are the main pattern clusters?
(Narrative, classification, comparison/contrast,
process analysis)
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How can I
connect my life, other readings, and the world, today and in history, to this
reading?
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What am I visualizing and animating as I read?
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After Reading
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What can I
create, think about, talk about, or do that will help me make sense of and
remember what I just read?
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This might be a great
addition to the wall in a classroom, to remind students that reading is more
than fluency! I’ve highlighted my
favorites. The most powerful concept to
me in this entire section (which was about half the book) was the notion of connecting
prior knowledge to new knowledge, in all phases of reading.
She also has a closing section on what
kinds of strategies work at schools and which ones don’t. By far the most successful strategies are
those that are student directed and selected.
The more typical practices of looking up vocabulary words to write
definitions and reading a chapter to take a quiz on it immediately afterward were
considered the least effective for both reading comprehension and retention.
Ooooh, I like this. I always enjoy a good visual aide! This strategy also connects writing with creativity as a way to remember--helpful in art, for certain. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI like visual aids.
ReplyDeleteAt my mentoring school, nex Gen Academy, some of the teachers use a visual aid similar to your chart. The teacher would discuss a subject, Then students would write questions that they had about that subject on a piece of paper. All questions were posted on a board. At the end of a time period, students would stand at the board, take a question from the board and movie it to another board that displayed level of understanding. While moving the question, that student would explain to all the other students what their question was and what they have learned.
There a lots of little visual aid activities, like your chart, that are really clever! I am glad you had reminded me of that!
I like visual aids.
ReplyDeleteAt my mentoring school, nex Gen Academy, some of the teachers use a visual aid similar to your chart. The teacher would discuss a subject, Then students would write questions that they had about that subject on a piece of paper. All questions were posted on a board. At the end of a time period, students would stand at the board, take a question from the board and movie it to another board that displayed level of understanding. While moving the question, that student would explain to all the other students what their question was and what they have learned.
There a lots of little visual aid activities, like your chart, that are really clever! I am glad you had reminded me of that!
Great stuff. I copied your matrix. I will post it to my classroom wall; mentor teacher permitting of course. It is a tool that I am adding to my teacher bag!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Great summary and great matrix. I too have printed it to post in my room. I love being able to read you take on the same book. You and I have taken such a different approach but I really like it.
ReplyDeleteIm so glad that this book helped you gain more understanding! Its amazing how we as teachers can still learn different technique's and strategies in the classroom but that just makes us better teachers! I wish I could be in your science class!
ReplyDeleteI also like that graphic organizer. It would be a great resource to have on a classroom wall. It would be a great thing to have students fill out before reading texts.
ReplyDeleteI also like that graphic organizer. It would be a great resource to have on a classroom wall. It would be a great thing to have students fill out before reading texts.
ReplyDeleteI also like that graphic organizer. It would be a great resource to have on a classroom wall. It would be a great thing to have students fill out before reading texts.
ReplyDelete