| Throughout the course of this school year, I have | | | | questioning. This strategy can be used effectively |
| attended a number of staff development | | | | both with a whole group and a small group. I will |
| meetings where research based reading | | | | be taking time at the beginning of the school year |
| strategies were taught. These strategies have | | | | to teach these four underpinnings of reciprocal |
| been taught in order to facilitate reading | | | | teaching so that students will recognize the |
| comprehension within the classroom. Extensive | | | | strategy and by the end of the year be able to |
| research has been done and long-term studies | | | | apply the method to independent reading material. |
| have been conducted that prove using these eight | | | | There are a number of different ways to teach |
| reading strategies will indicate positive results. | | | | this strategy. With second graders, I will begin by |
| Having a variety of methods at hand, a student | | | | using picture puppets to illustrate the four |
| will be able to engage in the text and eventually | | | | strategies. The pictures puppets include Prince |
| process information which will transcend to higher | | | | Predictor, Princess Clara Clarifier, Silly Sam |
| comprehension rates. Each strategy is unique and | | | | Summarizer, and Queen Questioner. Once the |
| user-friendly even in the lower elementary grades. | | | | students can identify the four methods when |
| My focus in the next year will be to teach the | | | | reading, I will allow the students to use |
| eight strategies to my second grade students and | | | | sticky-notes to mark items in the text to make |
| encourage the use of these strategies in order | | | | connections. By the end of the year, the students |
| for them to become independent readers. | | | | will be using discussion cards to increase |
| Strategy number one is called Directed | | | | questioning skills. All four methods will be applied in |
| Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA). It involves | | | | both classroom instruction and small WOW group |
| predicting and verifying throughout a particular | | | | sessions. |
| text. Predictions are made at the beginning of a | | | | Strategy number six is Thinking Aloud. This |
| story by using the title or the cover of the book. | | | | strategy can effectively be taught to students in |
| From there, a student will verify if his/her | | | | order to increase comprehension. Students need |
| prediction is correct by reading subsequent | | | | to make connections to text as they are reading. |
| sections of the story. This process can be used | | | | By designating areas in the text as stopping |
| before, during, and after reading a text. Predicting | | | | points, the students can collectively put their |
| is a commonly used strategy in my classroom. | | | | thoughts together and think aloud. One way to |
| This year, I will be able to take it one step further | | | | use this method is to have a chart in the room |
| and have students verify their predictions. Most | | | | with statements listed that allows the student to |
| students do very well with this strategy. | | | | choose which connection is being made. Some of |
| However, struggling readers need this for | | | | the statements on this chart include; (TS) I |
| scaffolding. A WOW group with struggling readers | | | | thought of something in my life, (TT) I thought of |
| will use prediction boxes in order to make the | | | | another book, (?) I was confused, (P) I made a |
| abstract more concrete. | | | | prediction, and (V) I visualized. This strategy will |
| The second strategy is called visual imagery which | | | | be used in both my regular classroom and my |
| allows the students to visualize a story as they | | | | WOW group. WOW groups with struggling |
| read. When reading, a student should be able to | | | | students will definitely benefit from this strategy |
| develop pictures that will help them comprehend a | | | | in that it will allow the students to process |
| story. Teaching my students early how to create | | | | information in a more concise fashion and then |
| mental pictures while reading will increase recall, | | | | express their comprehension skills as they are |
| making inferences, and predicting what will come | | | | thinking aloud. |
| next. One way I will incorporate visual imagery | | | | The final strategy for comprehension is using |
| into my lessons is by using illustrations. When | | | | Discussion Cards. This strategy involves cards |
| modeling this strategy, I will draw pictures as I | | | | that will provide cues to help students come up |
| read a story. The students will be able to follow | | | | with better responses than they might otherwise |
| the imagery and how it represents the story | | | | make. Each student in my class will have a folder |
| being read. After the strategy is modeled, | | | | containing the four discussion cards labeled, |
| students in my regular class, as well as students | | | | character, setting, problem, and solution. These |
| in a WOW group, can begin illustrating a story on | | | | cards can be used before, during, and after |
| their own while a story is being read to them. | | | | reading. A student may hold up any one of these |
| This strategy will allow the children to use art as a | | | | cards to indicate what he/she would like to talk |
| way to comprehend. | | | | about. These cards allow the student to make |
| Another comprehension strategy learned is KWL. | | | | connections to what they are reading and it gives |
| This strategy is to be used with expository text | | | | them the ability to share what they have learned |
| and can be used in a whole group or a small | | | | with the class. In both the WOW groups and my |
| group atmosphere. One of the reasons the KWL | | | | homeroom, the students will have access to |
| chart is effective is because it activates students' | | | | these cards so that they can engage in reading |
| prior knowledge of a topic and gets them thinking | | | | and increase their comprehension skills. |
| about experiences they can relate to when they | | | | The framework in which we have been taught |
| read. Second, it is an excellent way for the | | | | involves many different strategies to help all levels |
| teacher to drive instruction, primarily because it | | | | of learners. My main focus this year will be to |
| allows the teacher to focus on the interests the | | | | effectively teach these strategies so that the |
| students have on a particular subject when they | | | | students will be able to apply them independently |
| fill out the 'W' section of the chart. Third, it allows | | | | and in doing so will increase their ability to |
| the students to expand their knowledge of a | | | | understand the written word. I will also focus on |
| particular subject beyond what the text or | | | | active participation both in the main classroom as |
| classroom may provide. This strategy will be used | | | | well as in my WOW group. This year, I am |
| before starting a new reading unit or when | | | | determined to help all levels of readers so that |
| introducing a new topic to a WOW group. | | | | they will appreciate reading and be able to take |
| Reciprocal teaching is the next strategy which | | | | with them strategies to help them become more |
| involves clarifying, predicting, summarizing, and | | | | independent readers. |