Hi! Welcome to Yolanda's Land. Here you will find tidbits for teaching reading and writing, as well as tips for classroom management. Please feel free to add to or comment at anytime.
My workshop on "Interactive Word Walls" was a hit. The participants were great and the evaluations were positive. However, we had some very interesting conversations. One that really sparked my interest was a trend across the district, to put pressure on second grade teachers because third grade students were not reading on grade level.
Folks the research is has indicated that if we follow the state/district curriculum, which includes the five major components of reading instruction, our students will learn to read, and read on grade level. We must remain consistant in our pedagogy. If we receive students who are not reading on grade level in the intermediate grades (3-5), then we provide intervention. We focus on where they are and provide intense intervention to get them where they need to be. The problem is that as teachers , we don't always know how to get them there. How do we get a third grader who is reading at the beginning of the second grade level to read at the third grade level?
Well, we go back to the basics. Assess until we know exactly what the student does not know and begin there. If they are not strong in phonics, begin with syllable types instruction. This will provide them with generalizations, such as when to give a syllable a long vowel sound or a short vowel sound. As a former intermediate teacher, this can be somewhat tedious, but if we are truly learner-centered and believe that all students can learn, then this is a must! Just remember, if not you, then who?
i'm looking forward to hearing your insight and opinions (:
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your training today. It sounds like it is going to be very engaging!
ReplyDeleteMy workshop on "Interactive Word Walls" was a hit. The participants were great and the evaluations were positive. However, we had some very interesting conversations. One that really sparked my interest was a trend across the district, to put pressure on second grade teachers because third grade students were not reading on grade level.
ReplyDeleteFolks the research is has indicated that if we follow the state/district curriculum, which includes the five major components of reading instruction, our students will learn to read, and read on grade level. We must remain consistant in our pedagogy. If we receive students who are not reading on grade level in the intermediate grades (3-5), then we provide intervention. We focus on where they are and provide intense intervention to get them where they need to be. The problem is that as teachers , we don't always know how to get them there. How do we get a third grader who is reading at the beginning of the second grade level to read at the third grade level?
Well, we go back to the basics. Assess until we know exactly what the student does not know and begin there. If they are not strong in phonics, begin with syllable types instruction. This will provide them with generalizations, such as when to give a syllable a long vowel sound or a short vowel sound.
As a former intermediate teacher, this can be somewhat tedious, but if we are truly learner-centered and believe that all students can learn, then this is a must! Just remember, if not you, then who?