Cassaundra Mayer

EDUG
August 31, 2015
Cognitive Response
Reading and Learning to Read ch. 2 &7
Rica ch. 1 &2
Essential Understandings from Text Readings/Articles

*Note: Reference title of

book/reading

Teachers who possess interactive belief systems are likely to achieve an equilibrium in the
teaching of reading because they strike a balance between childrens immersion in reading and
writing experiences and their development as skillful and strategic readers and writers. (Reading
and Learning to Read, p. 38)
Teachers who know the art and science of teaching reading are able to provide skillful, effective
reading instruction, and help students who need it overcome obstacles that keep them from
becoming readers. (Reading and Learning to Read, p. 50)
authentic assessment, as described by Farr and Tone (1998, pp. 18-19): Students are doing
reading and writing tasks that look like real-life tasks, and students are primarily in control of the
reading and writing tasks. (Reading and Learning to Read, p. 147)
The term kidwatching has been coined to dramatize the powerful role of observation in helping
children grow and develop as language users. (Reading and Learning to Read, p. 166)
Because each childs needs are unique, teachers must differentiate instruction to meet individual
differences. Instruction is differentiated if the teacher has made adjustments to meet the needs of
individual students or a group of students sharing the same need. (RICA, p. 3)
An informal reading inventory (IRI) is a battery, or collection, of assessments administered
individually to students. (RICA, p. 20)
Key Discussion Questions / Perspectives

What tools, strategies, or methods could you bring into your teaching in order to achieve
equilibrium in your classroom?

What sort of obstacles do students face that keep them from becoming readers, and how can you
as a teacher help your student face them?
What are the benefits of authentic assessment, and letting students be in control of their reading
and writing tasks?
What tools and methods can you use in the classroom to help aid in kidwatching?

What are some ways in which a teacher can identify the individual needs of students, and where to
make adjustments to meet those needs?
What are the benefits of informal reading inventory and what are some methods to use while doing
IRIs?
Professional Application / Observation

In order to create a more balanced classroom that is interactive I would create lessons that
integrate readings, writing, listening, and speaking. In this way I would help scaffold childrens
experience in the classroom. It is important to have a well-balanced teaching method in order to
better reach children with diverse learning.
There are many reasons a student may not become a reader, whether they fell behind their peers,
they do not speak the language you want them to read, the student is apathetic, or they have never
had a teacher to work with them individually. In order to reach ALL students it is important to have
a classroom conducive to learning. Classroom conditions for learning are immersion, engagement,
expectation, responsibility, response, approximation, employment, and demonstration (Reading and
Learning to Read, p. 43).
Authentic assessment will develop responsibility, ownership, and engage students. Authentic
Assessment will also help students assess themselves (Reading and Learning to Read, p. 147).
When students are able to reflect and assess for themselves it creates self-learners.
Kidwatching is important because it is a part of continual reflection and assessment. Tools to help
aid in watching your students could be anecdotal notes, which records something of significance the
teacher noticed that could be used to view progress. Another tool would be to form a checklist of
standards and as each student meets those standards or goals, simply check it off, this way you can
quickly move through out the room without getting caught up writing notes (Reading and Learning
to Read, p. 166-167).
Some ways in which a teacher can identify individual needs of students are through ongoing
assessments, reflection, and through interviews with the student. Through ongoing assessment
teachers see where the student is improving, staying stagnate, or falling behind. Reflection on the
teachers end helps effective teacher look back on their lessons and make adjustments where things
may not be working. Interviews with students, or one-on-ones, are great tools because it gives the
student the teachers undivided attention and lets them know their value as well as helps the teacher
understand the students thoughts and feelings behind their reading.
Informal reading inventories are used to determine a students reading level. Using tools such as,
word recognition lists, spelling tests, structural analysis assessments, and reading interest surveys
will help aid teachers in IRIs. It is always recommended to use multiple methods in IRIs in order
to collect better evidence and a more rounded assessment for students reading.