My Culture and Heritage

Ethnicity and Race

I come from a Caucasian middle class, Catholic family in suburban Atlanta.  My paternal grandfather is of English descent and my maternal great grandfather is of Irish descent. I come from a very European background but have been raised in the southern United States.  I am the oldest of four children with no first cousins. Growing up in a middle class neighborhood and in an area that was better off than other parts of the Gwinnett county area, many people thought I came from a rich family that afforded me cars, large allowances, and high end clothing.  Not true by any definition. 

            My great grandparents and my grandparents on both sides came from their native countries in order to have better opportunities for their family and future generations.  My family has worked very hard to save money and provide for each generation.  My paternal grandfather worked for Western Electric in New Jersey which led him to transfer to Georgia when my father was just ten years old.  My maternal grandfather worked for Exxon in Maryland and later transferred his family to Georgia when my mother was 18 years old.  None of my grandparents went to college, and I remember my grandmother telling me stories of when she used to sell Lifesavers candy on the side of the road.  All my grandparents lived through the Great Depression which taught them to save even more and not waste anything- this was passed down to my parents and to my brother and sisters. 

Family

During my childhood, both of my parents worked. My mother is a teacher and my father an engineer for Lockheed Martin.  Growing up I saw the majority of my father’s home life revolve around the yard work, fixing things or building things and my mother’s home life revolved around household work, and helping us with homework.  On the weekends, we were typically at the ball field cheering my brother on in baseball or my sister on in soccer.

We believe in family dinners.  Every night.  My mother would spend an hour or so cooking a hot meal most nights of the week and we would share Sunday dinner with one or both sets of grandparents.   We also believe in supporting one another, even though we may not agree or understand the choices each of us makes.  My family is very loud, but loving and we enjoy spending time together

During the holidays we would spend Thanksgiving at my paternal grandparent’s house and Christmas at my childhood home.  My mother is still so big on traditions that as we have gotten older it has been very hard to tweak the small things in order to accommodate everyone. As we are growing older, however, we are creating new traditions as there are more grandchildren that are being born.   As a child, we would take a family vacation up north to visit family and go to the beach.  My mother’s family always went to Ocean City, Maryland and that tradition continued until I was about seven and then we made only a few more trips after that.    

Values

Growing up we attended Sunday school at church and I often went to youth group when I was in middle school and enjoyed going, even though it was a fight for my mother to get my younger siblings in the car.  We are Catholic and have grown up expecting to reach each milestone within the church by achieving the sacraments (Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Marriage).  While my father was not raised Catholic, he was raised Episcopalian, he has always been supportive of the Catholic ceremonies that we have gone through. 

            My family truly believes in marriage and having a family within marriage.  There are no divorces in the long lines of family trees that my mother and aunt have researched.  My paternal grandparents were married 52 years before one of them passed and my maternal grandparents were married close to 40 years before my grandmother passed away.  With marriage comes children and we believe in raising children in a home with both sets of parents along with grandparents playing an active role in the child’s life. 

            My grandparents all worked very hard to be able to afford their homes and cars during the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.  My parents still work today, and miss very little days unless it is necessary. By the time they retire, they will have worked for over half their life and into their sixties.  My grandparents also retired when they were in their 60’s after long years working with their respective companies. 

Both of my parents attended college, even though their parents did not.  My mother graduated from Oglethorpe, working her way through college while working at Macy’s and my father went to Georgia Tech to receive an engineering degree.  My mother later went on to receive her Specialist in Education and has many years of teaching under her belt.  My parents expect all their children to attend college and graduate within four years.  My mother always said to us that it didn’t matter what grade we received on an assignment as long as she knew we had worked hard and done our best.  Of course she wanted us to get A’s, but she knew this was not realistic, especially in areas we struggled, for me it was math.  As long as my parents knew we had done our absolute best then they were okay with that. They knew that getting a college degree would put us at an advantage in the real world and an education was not something that could be taken away from us so it was always pushed very hard.  My husband has his master’s and I am in pursuit of mine, so education is something that we value as well and expect for our daughter too.

Other information

            White Americans or European Americans have a lot of pride in their native land and their history.  We are truly proud of how far our family members have come since their days of living in poorer parts of England, Ireland, Sweden, and Germany.  Since many of my family members came from so little in their native countries, I feel it is an obligation to make sure that I take advantage of all the opportunities that are available here in the United States.  I feel as though they came here to better themselves and their families and in order to honor their sacrifices I must do what I can to work hard, educate myself, and provide a rich family dynamic for my daughter and future children.

Assumptions and Stereotypes

            Being Catholic, many people assume that I am not Christian.  Catholics are Christian however, we believe the pope and the priests are to read through the Bible.  During our mass, we do not read along with the passages in the Bible, only listen.  It is also assumed that we worship Mary.  We do not, we hold her in high regard as she is the mother of Jesus. 

            Since I am a Caucasian in the South it is assumed that I am a racist, rich woman who has not had to work hard for what I have.  I am not racist, I teach many children of various races, ethnicities, and culture and truly find them all to be unique but do not have negative feelings towards any.  I am a true believer in actions- a person’s actions are a true reflection of their character.  My husband and I both teach, therefore we have little extra money in our pockets after pay day and bills.  We live within our means and save up for what we want.  That is how it has always been, even growing up.  I finished college in four years, as per my parents’ expectations and began teaching right after college.  I have had to work hard to get through this part of my career and have worked hard to put myself through my master’s program while raising a family and working. 

Family Tree

Below is a family tree dating back to 1878 with lineage to Ireland and England, Older generations date back to 1700, with roots in Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden.  This is only one piece of my family tree, however it is a valuable insight into my family roots.  Many family members were born outside of the United States and many others were born and grew up in the north eastern area of the United States, such as Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Maryland.  My family members from England came from very poor families.  They worked very hard but did not have much.  My Irish family had farms and lots of land, however, still worked very hard attending to the farm and the animals.  They did not have the opportunities that were available in the United States which is what led them to leave and settle in parts of the eastern United States. 

Generation 1

1. Courtney Elizabeth WOOD: born 2 Mar 1986.

Generation 2

2. Gregory Steven WOOD: born 17 Jul 1952; married 24 Mar 1984 in Decatur GA.

3. Susan Elizabeth GRADY: born 2 Oct 1953 in Bon Secours Hospital, Baltimore MD.

Generation 3

4. Leslie Ernest WOOD: born 22 Feb 1919 in Walsall, Staffordshire County, England; married 1947; died 27 Jan 2000 in Decatur GA.

5. Ethel Lois GUSTAFSON: born abt 1922 in Illinois.

6. Edward Nerius GRADY: born 12 May 1916 in Baltimore, Maryland; married 18 Jun 1949 in St Cecilia RC Church, Baltimore MD; died 8 Apr 1998 in Eastside Medical Center, Snellville GA.

7. Rubye May DUNN: born 16 Oct 1920 in Baltimore, Maryland; died 3 Dec 1990 in Shallowford Community Hospital, Chamblee GA.

Generation 4

8. William Ernest "Ernie" WOOD: born 1895 in Walsall, Staffordshire County,England; married abt 1918 in England.

9. Doris Hilda "Dolly" PERKS: born 1895 in Walsall, Staffordshire County, England.

10. Herbert E GUSTAFSON: born abt 1897 in Illinois; married abt 1920.

11. Emma L BENZ: born Oct 1899 in New York.

12. Owen Joseph GRADY: born 26 Dec 1876 in Clogarnaugh, Frenchpark, Co Roscommon, Ireland; married 28 Sep 1910 in St. Ignatius Church, Baltimore MD; died 18 Mar 1978 in Baltimore, Maryland.

13. Ellen Marie BARLOW: born 24 Dec 1887 in Ballymoe, Co Galway, Ireland; died 7 Aug 1950 in Baltimore, Maryland.

14. John Patrick DUNN: born 6 Jun 1898 in Baltimore, Maryland; married 27 Feb 1914 in Ellicott City Maryland; died 1 Nov 1936 in Baltimore MD at 426 Hanover St,.

15. Mildred Ellen ROBERTS: born 22 Jan 1898; died 5 May 1981 in Doctors Hospital, Tucker GA.

Module 2: Opitz Chapters 5 & 6 and Article Comparison

As I read the Opitz text and the article I can see where ideas merge and where they are different.  Both the article and the Opitz text discuss that students should create assessment tools in order for students to be involved and understand how they will be evaluated.  Both the text and the article discussed testing- whether it be norm referenced, criterion referenced, or interim/benchmark testing and discussed that those tests have faults in that it may not address "skills and standards that were taught from day to day" (Risko and Walker-Dalhouse, 2010). The idea of using assessment to guide instruction was also discussed in both readings and the article made direct mention of differentiation (Risko and Walker-Dalhouse, 2010).  The Opitz text discussed the importance of using assessments to guide instruction but also gave a lot of examples about the many types of assessments that can be used.

Both readings discussed assessment, however, when I think of assessment I automatically think of testing or tests as assessment and sometimes forget that just a casual conversation, inventory, or observation can be assessment.  I really like how the Opitz text divided up assessments into standardized assessments and informal assessments.  The Optiz chapters 5 and 6 really went through the various types of observation techniques, anecdotal records, and student interest surveys and I liked how each informal assessment had an actual example of one that could be used in the classroom (Opitz, Rubin, and Erekson, 2011). The article addressed more of the formative and standardized assessments and did not mention a lot about the informal assessments that teachers use on a day to day basis.

I like how the Opitz text discussed standardized testing and how they can be administered in the fall and then used to guide instruction but if they are administered later in the year it doesn't help to guide instruction (Opitz, Rubin, and Erekson, 2011). This is so true.  Giving my students the CRCT at the end of the year only serves to evaluate the teacher and students and not guide instructional practices.

Both readings though really focused on assessments guiding instruction.  Targeting skills that students need and using their interests, strengths, and weaknesses is going to be more valuable than teaching every student the same skill.  "When teachers used formative assessments to guide their instruction, students made gains that were considered large and meaningful" (Risko and Walker-Dalhouse, 2010).

Module 2: Article: Making the Most of Assessments to Inform Instuction

As I read this article by Risko and Walker-Dalhouse I realized that this article is addressing differentiated instruction and RTI.  I really liked how the authors addressed pacing guides because what we, as teachers, should be doing is evaluating students and discovering what skills they need or don't need and then really focusing in on those skills that students need.

Students' skills, strengths, needs, and interests should be used when creating instruction and then assessments should be created and used that are tailored to those skills and instruction.  Since common core focuses a lot on deeper thinking, assessments should evaluate more than just the basic knowledge of a book.  Assessments should be used to test the deeper knowledge and multiple skill sets that have been taught and modeled.  Using open ended formats for assessment not only can evaluate that deeper understanding, but a teacher can also evaluate writing and vocabulary.

My district uses benchmark/interim testing each nine weeks in each subject area.  I really liked how this article addressed that type of testing as well.  These tests address every skill that is to be taught within the nine week period, however, may not assess the skills that were taught based on the needs of the students.  Using assessments to guide instruction is part of differentiation.

Allowing students to take what they have learned and evaluate themselves or allowing them to be apart of the process that creates the assessment will give students more understanding of how they will be assessed. Since students are in a very technological world, these technology modes should be incorporated into the instruction and assessment.  Technology should be incorporated into the regular classroom and used as part of instruction and assessment and not used sporadically.  These different technological modes can be beneficial to lower readers and writers and ELL students.

Classroom assessment should be based on frequent data collection, and instructional adjustment based on the data.  Teachers need to be pushing students to that deeper level of understanding and thinking but it needs to be done as each child needs it and not tailored to a "one size fits all" model.

Risko, V. J., & Walker-Dalhouse. (2010). Making the most of assessments to inform instruction.
The Reading Teacher, 63(5), 420-422. DOI:10.1598/RT.63.5.7

Module 2: Video Analysis- QRI-5

As I watched this video and read over the steps to administering a QRI-5 I realized that I do this very often with my own students.  My district uses the Fountas and Pinnell leveled kits to administer reading tests to students three times a year.  I use the leveled word lists at the beginning of each evaluation to determine which book to use during the test.  If a student misses two or more words I go down a level when I give the book test.  After the student reads the word list, I then administer the boko test and check for fluency as the child reads out loud.  Students then read the rest of the book to themselves and then when tehy are finished, I ask them questions in which answers can be found within the text, beyond the text, and about the text.  I then score the student a 0,1,2, or 3 to determine comprehension.  Using the word list really helps to narrow down which level to start off a book test with and saves time by not having to test a student multiple times in one sitting.

After I administer a book test, I am then able to determine what that student struggles with and then create lessons that are focused on those skills.  I can group students based on skills in order to effectively teach those skills in small groups or one on one.

Through tutoring, I can encourage my tutee to administer a word list then determine the student's level for a book test.  The word list also gives important information to the teacher such as vocabulary knowledge, and decoding strengths and weaknesses.  Through the word list, my tutee can then determine what skills the student needs when encountering unfamiliar words.  After my tutee has administered a word list and the book test a lot of information can be gained from comprehension questions such as a student may be able to answer low level questions but have difficulty with higher level questions.  In which case, a plan of action would be discussed and carried out.

Module 2: Power Point Response: Assessment of Reading and Writing Processes

I really liked reading through this power point.  I felt like a lot of my time is spent assessing, whether it is formal or informal and much of it is related to reading and/or writing assessment.  I give Fountas and Pinnell tests to my students 3 times a year.  I have seen how low comprehension is driven by low vocabulary.  In today's classroom, many students use slang when they speak and it is hard to evaluate their vocabulary when they use words that are not often found in print books. However, I have asked students what some of their terms mean and they are able to tell me and when they read and answer comprehension questions, they are also able to translate phrases or words into their own dialect or slang.  Therefore, you can evaluate their vocabulary acquisition.

My students create a writing portfolio, however it is not used to assess their writing progress throughout the year.  Each of their scored writing pieces is kept in this portfolio so the progress can be seen at the end of the year.  Students also keep a reading and writing journal but typically it is used for students to respond to a book or a prompt. We do use writing rubrics to evaluate writing.  I do teach 5th grade and my students take the GA 5th Grade Writing test.  In my county students are required to pass before they can be promoted to the 6th grade.  However, on the rubrics, the ideas sections is weighted more heavily than the other components of the rubric because the ideas reflect the paper as a whole.  Students do not help in the construction of these rubrics since they are county made. The components to the writing we use are Ideas, Organization, Style, Conventions.  Word choice is within style.

I have never heard of the TOWL before.  I think it would be an interesting assessment to use with many students.  However, I think with the writing rubrics that are used county wide within my district, each student is evaluated using components of TOWL-3.

AS students write, even within the content areas it is important to observe whether they are going through the stages of writing- planning, drafting, revising/editing, proofreading etc. Students who fully understand the stages of writing will use these techniques in any situation they are asked to write.  The more students read the wider vocabulary they will use within their conversations and within their writing.

Module 2: Powerpoint Response: Strategies that Support Emergent Literacy

As I read through the powerpoint presentation titled Strategies that Support Emergent Literacy I found myself relating to it a lot.  My daughter is 2 years old and is in the Emergent literacy stage.  Her speech is developing out of need to communicate with us and out of frustration when we don't always know what she is trying to tell us.  She is able to recognize different print, her favorite being Chick-fil-A which she calls "moo cow" and she knows she eats chicken nuggets and fruit there. :) She loves for us to read books to her, but doesn't quite understand that we are reading the words on the page.  She knows that letters are "abc's" but doesn't understand that those letters are put together to make words, sentences, or the story. My daughter loves to color or use chalk and her formations consist of scribble since she has no concept of the letter formations yet and the letters don't mean a whole lot to her.

I have never taught in a first grade classroom where many of the early reading stage is formed.  I do know that the first grade teachers at my school have the sight word wall and go over those words daily.  I think it would be interesting and valuable to spend time in a first grade classroom to see how these students move from emerging readers to early readers.  

I really love that this power point addressed all the elements of reading.  Since I teach 5th grade, my students are reading for meaning however, it is important for my students to be able to use phonological and phonemic awareness in order to decode unfamiliar words. Decoding however, can affect fluency if they spend too long decoding the word. When I taught 4th grade we actually used many nursery rhymes in our poetry unit and it saddened me that so many of our students didn't know many of the basic nursery rhymes we discussed throughout the unit.This is a strategy for improving phonemic awareness.
 

Module 1: Article and Text Comparison

I found the article, Data, Our GPS to be very interesting.  Throughout the article the authors focus on the ELL population.  While this is important, the strategies used within this school district can and should be used with various sub groups of students. I think that using the methods presented in the article can be a great way to help students and collaborate with fellow teachers.

As I read the sentences about the student Sergio, I found it interesting that his accident had not been discussed before.  As mentioned in this module's power point, ELL students need to be monitored closely and it is important to know whether or not an ELL student struggled in their native language.  This information, or data, is vital and can provide a lot of information as to how to teach that student.  It is important to understand if an ELL student has struggled with native language reading and if not then the student is having difficulties with the English language and not the reading skills.  

As noted in the Opitz text, Response to Intervention is key in determining how to teach struggling students.  My school district automatically puts every child in Tier 1 of RTI because the use of differentiation cause be used with any student.  Through RTI, data is collected that determines the skills the student needs to work on and then the teacher designs lessons centered around those skills.  RTI is a constant cycle of data collection, instruction, and checking for udnerstanding.

I also liked how the authors of this article discussed district testing.  My distrcit uses Elements, a computer system that administers tests for each subject.  The questions are written by teachers within the district who have content knowledge for those grade levels.  Stuents are given these Interim/Benchmarks tests on teh computer each nine week period.  The tests are scored automatically through the computer system and as the teacher, I have a detailed look at each standard that was tested and the percentage of students who missed that standard.  I am also able to see which students met or did not meet on standards.  It is a great tool not only to guide my instruction, but to show to parents as well.  Not only do we have that testing, but I am required to use the F&P tests on my students three times per school year.  This gives valuable information on decoding, fluency, and comprehension.  I can then use this information to guide instruction for small groups and one on one conferencing.  Again, this use of data drives my instruction.

We have PLC meetings at my school once a week.  In these meetings we discuss student progress and student data.  On page 58 of the article Smith, Johnson, and Thompson mention that their teachers identify groups of students with particular needs and group them for instruction.  A few years ago my school used CQI to group students for math and each week an assessment was given and then students were regrouped based on the skills they needed.  We have moved away from that since we use workshop methods for each subject area and we are expected to be using the workshop as a way to use flexible groupings in order to meet the needs of each student.  I feel as though CQI has been replaced with RTI.

When I compare the text and the article I definitely see that the use of RTI is valuable and important and ELL students need to be monitored closely.  However, I feel as though the article gave more real classroom and school examples of how these processes are being handled and the book merely explained what each of these processes are.  I think they both incorporate the ideas of collecting data in order to guide instruction.  Both references were different in that the article did not go in depth with the levels of language when discussing the ELL students.

Opitz, Michael F., Rubin, D., and Erekson, J. Reading Diagnosis and Improvement: Assessment and Instruction. 6th ed. Boston, Mass.: Pearson, 2011. Print.

Smith, R., Johnson, M., & Thompson, K. (2012). Data, our GPS. Educational Leadership, 69(5), 56-59.
 

Module 1: Powerpoint

As I read through the powerpoint presentation I came across many points that were also made from the Opitz text.  I do agree that many ELL students struggle with reading and writing because they are not familiar with the language and that is why it is important that they are completely immersed into the language within a classroom.  They should be given the opportunity to hear as much language as possible.  Sometimes teachers fail to question if the student struggled in their native language and immediately think that because they are ELL they will struggle with the English language.  If a student struggled in their native language then there may be a serious learning issue that needs to be evaluated and addressed, however, any child or adult will struggle with a new language. The command of a language is what will determine success.  If a student did not sturggle with their native language then they will be able to successfully learn the English language.

AS I have tested my 5th graders I see decoding issues as the main problems.  Many times my students are skipping over the words and not attempting to decode and replace the word with something that has the same letters but doesn't make sense within the sentence.  This decoding issue then affects the comprehension.   Many times as a result of this issue, students are put through the RTI process in order to prevent major gaps and remediate the issues with interventions.

In my reading workshop I encourage students to read something that interests them and believe in the power of free choice.  I teach mini lessons that introduce skills and then use conferences or guided reading groups to reinforce skills that the students need to work on.

Module 1: Chapters 1 and 2 Opitz text

It has been studied that students take on the attitude and view that the teacher has of reading.  Therefore, it is important for students to understand that reading means to comprehend.  As I mentioned in my post about the video, it is important for teachers to assess students' reading skills frequently in order to provide intervention of specific skills that the student lacks.

I have never really thought about assessing a child's reading and determining a diagnosis, however, it does make sense to diagnose a child's reading and determine what skills the child needs and what skills the child is strong in.  When I administer F&P tests to my students, it becomes very clear what a student needs and then I create lessons that center around those skills.  Many times, if a child is below grade level I begin to take data and begin the RTI process in order to administer interventions that would help with a child's weak reading skills.  Of course, if the child does not make adequate progress through RTI then other steps are taken to determine if the child should be given testing to determine if there is a learning disability.  Typically we see progress when using RTI and then if any progress is made the child is monitored from then on.  It isn't okay to label children with weak reading abilities into a category of special education before there is enough data to prove there is a significant gap.

My administration talked a lot about the RTI process how each student should have equal access to their education and that doesn't all mean that it is fair.  I thought they did a really good job showing visuals that represented this.  One picture showed three students of tall, medium, and short heights standing behind a fence and the short and medium height students didn't have  step stool.  The picture next to it showed the medium height child with a step stool and the short student with two step stools.  Therefore showing they each had equal access some were provided with an accommodation to allow them that equal access.

Since I am administering my F&P tests to my students I have seen many behaviors listed on both sides of the Proficient/Less Proficient chart.  There are very few students at this point in the year that read to make it sound like language.  Students have had some background knowledge on earthquakes and animal adaptations so many have been able to use their background knowledge to help them answer the deeper questions I ask about those books in the F&P kit.  Many of the students I have tested do seem to go back and reread if they call out a word that doesn't make sense and they correct themselves.

However, I have had many students also attempt to read the words correctly and fail and not go back and reread.  FOr example, one student was reading about a jaguars sleek broad legs, and instead of saying broad she said board.  She did not go back to fix her mistake and did not seem to think it didn't make sense.

I do not believe in the bottom up approach to reading.  I feel that it teaches that letters sounds, and words are more important than the text itself and the meaning within the text.  I used to feel as though the top down approach was where I fell  because it teaches the value of the whole text over the words and letters, however, after my summer reading class, I now see the value in and interactive approach and teaching the letters and sounds in combination with the whole text meaning.

As a teacher it is vital that I take notice of how I teach and how I deliver my message to students.  Students who struggle due to disabilities, or language barriers need my messages to be clear and purposeful.  In order for that to occur I must self evaluate and make plan accordingly. I believe a balanced approach to reading is necessary.  There are times such as a mini lesson that should be delivered whole group and then the one on one instruction and small guided groups should be used to reinforce and teach the students the skill based on their instructional reading level.  It is important to know your students in order to provide an effective reading plan.  You must be aware of how much support they have at home and if the parents are willing and able to provide support at home.

Module 1: Page #14, Activity 4

Since I am administering my F&P tests to my students I have seen many behaviors listed on both sides of the Proficient/Less Proficient chart.  There are very few students at this point in the year that read to make it sound like language.  Students have had some background knowledge on earthquakes and animal adaptations so many have been able to use their background knowledge to help them answer the deeper questions I ask about those books in the F&P kit.  Many of the students I have tested do seem to go back and reread if they call out a word that doesn't make sense and they correct themselves.

However, I have had a handful of students also attempt to read the words correctly and fail and not go back and reread.  For example, one student was reading about a jaguars sleek broad legs, and instead of saying broad she said board.  She did not go back to fix her mistake and did not seem to think it didn't make sense.

Module 1: Video Analysis

As I watched this video I found it very interesting and I was able to relate to this assessment style.  We use the Fountas and Pinnell kits to test reading comprehension and use the word list that is provided to determine where to start testing.  I did find it interesting that the assessor wanted the child to read the word list as fast as she could and she was timed; this is something that I am not encouraged to do when I give reading assessments.  My fear with timing a student reading a word list and assessing their words per minute is that the words are not in context and then they are only being assessed on word call and not comprehension. I only use the word list provided by the F&P kit to give me a baseline in order to know which leveled book test to give the student.

I do assess my students frequently in order to meet their needs and plan instruction based on what skills they need to work on.  I use running records/records on the go to assess fluency and comprehension as students read independently.  This is the only way to truly gauge and diagnose and identify what skills students are continuously using and what skills students need to be retaught or addressed.

I do agree that reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading and students who struggle with decoding lose the fluency piece of reading and then comprehension is lost.  I have seen this first hand and I try my best to make sure that I teach decoding skills to those students.  Usually I see this happen with ELL students or students who hear or speak another language at home but may not be labeled as ELL.

Final Personal Model of Reading Theory

            Reading is a crucial and vital skill for every child and adult.  Reading is used to interpret meaning from novels, newspapers, and even recipes.  The way in which a teacher views and instructs reading within a classroom can mold the way students view the act of reading and how they view themselves as readers.  It is essential for every teacher to study and implement a comprehensive literacy program within his or her classroom.  The skills taught within this program are foundational and can be used long term.  I believe, as a teacher, it is my duty and responsibility to create life-long learners and teach students how to construct meaning through reading.  At the beginning of this literacy course, I knew what pieces of literacy and reading workshop I used within my classroom.  My personal reading theory has evolved throughout this course and I now feel more confident about how I teach reading in my classroom. 

            As a student reads a passage or text it is fundamental that the student is doing more than just identifying the words.  The student must be creating meaning from what is being read.  Once meaning is created, then true comprehension has taken place.  Students must be able to have a connection and background knowledge to what is in the passage in order to create meaning. 

            Reading comprehension must be taught through many strategies.  A comprehensive literacy program enables me to use many strategies and create lessons that are centered around student needs and abilities.  Through the use of reading workshop, I am able to meet with students and work on skills through whole group, small group, and one-on-one conferencing.

            Reading workshop uses one to two hour blocks of time to create a classroom environment that is comfortable for students to explore reading and test their ability as readers.  This comfortable environment gives students the opportunity to freely share their reading responses and learn from each other.  I believe that I must give students a lot of choice in what they read.  This is important because many students do not have access to a variety of books at home and students want to read what interests them.  They will be more likely to read if they have choices and they may be more willing to share what they have read if they are interested in it.  The routines put in place during this long block of time helps students to anticipate what happens next and what is expected of them, both behaviorally and academically.  This huge block of time allows students to learn reading skills, practice the skills that are taught, and indicates the importance of reading. 

            As students move through the different stations of reading workshop, I can create opportunities to scaffold students in learning new skills.  This scaffolding paves the way for the student to begin practicing the reading skills on their own and eventually use that skill frequently as he or she reads.  Reading workshop provides opportunities for students to work together and collaborate, practice skills independently, and work with me to learn new skills, either in a small group or a one-on-one conference.  Mini lessons and read alouds provide students with a goal to work on and gives them a chance to hear fluent reading. 

Through the reading workshop model, it is vital that skills are not taught in isolation.  All reading skills must have purpose and be taught within the context of reading.  Word study is also important for expanding students’ vocabulary and decoding skills.  Phonics should not be taught in isolation, and but should be integrated through reading workshop in context.  Students need to see phonics modeled within context and need to be able to apply it within their reading in order to show they understand the “rules” of our language.

Assessment is also important in a comprehensive literacy program.  Reading for meaning and reading comprehension must be determined through discussion of the text.  Using fluency as the only factor in reading comprehension does a huge disservice to the student.  Proficient readers make miscues that do not interfere with meaning, and if a student reads fluently and does not make any miscues, they are not interpreting the text in order to create meaning.  Students must understand that making miscues is okay and it is even better if they make miscues that do not affect the meaning because that lets the teacher know they are predicting what is coming next or translating into their own dialect and ultimately creating meaning.

I believe that using reading workshop in my classroom will give students the opportunity to grow as readers and allow many of them to grow to love reading.  I must scaffold students in their learning and give them opportunities to practice the skills I teach them.  Students must feel comfortable to share and respond as well as work with their peers in collaborative groups.  Reading is an important lifelong skill, and I owe it to my students to create meaningful lessons that teach them that reading for meaning is true comprehension.  Teaching reading for meaning and other reading skills can be achieved through a comprehensive literacy program and reading workshop. 

Module 6: Reading Reflection

Does any of the information presented in Chapter 15 influence your personal philosophy of reading? In what ways? How has your perspective this changed since you took the DeFord TORP a few weeks ago?

The information presented in chapter 15 heavily influenced my personal philosophy of reading.  As I moved through the class I gained more support for why and how a comprehensive literacy program works and how it helps higher readers but has more impact on struggling readers.  The data provided within this chapter emphasizes that children from lower socio economic communities benefit from a comprehensive literacy program because they hear fluent reading, are offered opportunities to work on skills through guided reading groups and individual conferences, and have a vast array of choices to read.  Many of these students do not have people at home to read to them or work with them and many do not have access to different book choices.  

When I first took the DeFord TORP at the beginning of the semester, my answers fell within the skills range.  There seems to be so much emphasis on test scores and accountability these days that teachers sometimes forget what is truly important- teaching the students based on what they need and their abilities.  At the beginning of this course, I was not a huge proponent of phonics instruction (mainly because I had been taught more whole language approach and felt uncomfortable with phonics and its rules)- I however, have seen that value in teaching phonics to students but incorporating it into reading through context and not taught as separate skills.  Emerging readers need pieces of phonics in order to use those skills with unknown words they find in their reading. 

Module 6: Instructional Challenge

Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? 

I do not teach at a Title 1 school and I am lucky to have many of my students come from homes that parents read to their children, and have many books for them to choose from.  However, there are students that pass through my classroom doors that do not come from this situation.  

In order to ensure success for students that did not meet the standard on the state test and qualify for free and reduced price meals I would implement a comprehensive literacy program that uses modeling, conferencing, and writing within reading will enhance students' ability to comprehend texts.  Students need to have access to many books and need to hear fluent and proficient readers read aloud.  This will open the door for valuable discussion of skills such as prediction techniques, connections, and vocabulary.   Reading skills need to be taught within context to help the student understand how to apply the skill.  Isolating skills without context does not allow the student a chance to practice the skill while reading. Utilizing shared reading can limit the number of miscues and help them create meaning and students do not feel isolated as they read.  

Limiting the number of worksheets that promote skills, especially phonics, will allow the students to ask themselves critical questions such as "does this make sense" and using their emerging letter sound knowledge to determine unfamiliar words.  Worksheets promote skill and drill activities and not application.  

These students need opportunities to make analogies between unfamiliar and familiar words by using the print.  Using word families will help them increase their vocabulary and help them practice what would 

The most important strategy that students need when learning to read is to use their background knowledge.  Many students that are in low income communities do not have the opportunity to take trips with their families and experience different places.  It is up to the teacher to evaluate the students' background knowledge on a particular topic and increase that background knowledge in order for them to make connections to the text.  

My grade level has a minimum requirement of reading each night.  While this may not seem ideal, we do allow them to choose what they read in an effort to encourage them to read for longer amounts of time.  There are times, when we assign readings that are on topics we have been studying in class.  Students respond to higher level questions using Survey Monkey and we evaluate their responses.  We do not choose readings for this topic that we have not provided sufficient background knowledge of.

Module 5: Instructional Challenge

As your school year starts, you realize that you have three ELLs who are newcomers to the United States. Discuss how a comprehensive literacy program addresses their needs, drawing attention to specific components of the framework that are particularly relevant. Then discuss any additional scaffolding you would offer to support these children's needs. Post it to your blog and name the posting "Module 5: Instructional Challenge."

Respond the the Instructional Challenge Blog Postings of two other members of the class, discussing how your responses overlap or differ. For information about evaluation, remember to see the Participation Rubric.

In order for these new ELL students to be successful, they will need to be immersed within the English language.  A comprehensive literacy program can address their needs and help them learn the language.  

Read alouds will help the ELL students hear the language, hear a proficient reader read fluently and will give them the chance to hear conversations surrounding new vocabulary, introduce concepts of print, discuss predictions through the use of the pictures or text, and allow them to connect to the story in order to build schema and create meaning.  

Shared readings will help the ELL students become familiar with the book and offer chances for the student to read with guidance when the student feels comfortable.  Using the pictures to help identify words will lead them to be able to read the words as the shared reading is repeated over the course of a few days. This will offer letter sound relationship skills, sight vocabulary, and word attack skills which will help the ELL student with literacy and reading comprehension. 

Guided reading groups will give the teacher the opportunity to zone in on specific skills those ELL students need through the use of mini lessons in a small group.  This guided reading group can be integrated with the shared reading group as well.  

I would also use inquiry to help the ELL student learn the English language.  Allowing them time to investigate a topic that interests them will give them the chance to experiment with the language.  I would provide books that are on their level or provide them with a listening station with the information. 

I would also allow these students many opportunities to create a written response.  This might require them to draw pictures at first or have them verbalize their message to me as I write for them.  However, as they begin to learn the language and acquire more vocabulary I would gradually release the writing to them and require them to write using words and sentences. 

For ELL students that are new to the English language, I would use these components of a comprehensive literacy program more often.  I feel as though these components would be the most beneficial at the beginning of their learning language journey.  I would not want to put them into a Literature group to be an active participant without adequate knowledge or understanding of the language, however, having them sit in and listen to the conversations of other students would be very beneficial for them.  ELL students need to be immersed in as much of the English language as possible, so providing these opportunities for them to hear conversations or participate in readings as they feel comfortable, is vital. 

Module 5: Reading Reflection

After completing the reading for the week, consider these questions:
Where does phonics instruction fit within a comprehensive literacy program? When and how would you teach phonics?

Post your response on your blog. Name this blog posting "Module 5: Reading Reflection."

Respond to the Reading Reflection Blog Postings of two other members of the class, making connections with their responses. For information about evaluation, remember to see the Participation Rubric.

Phonics is a component of a comprehensive literacy program.  It should not be taught in isolation as a set of skills but within literacy, integrated within reading comprehension.  According to Weaver's Reading Process and Practice, she notes that studies have found that reading progresses from "wholes to parts" and therefore students should learn to read using sight words, environmental print, and chunking among other strategies.  

Phonics shouldn't be taught as individual letter sound relationships especially while reading because a student may lose some or all meaning of the text.  Students can use chunking or other word parts in order to help them determine sounds of new words or word parts.  The deep rooted meaning of phonics is to teach word recognition and not meaning, therefore during reading instruction teachers should utilize other reading strategies in order to teach students how to read.  Since the goal of reading is to create meaning, it is important that as we teach students, we teach them strategies to create meaning or give them strategies to use when they come to words that they are unsure of. 

I can teach "phonics" as a more of word work/study.  I can teach my students the meanings and pronunciations of prefixes, suffixes, and root words in order for them to transfer these meanings to new and unfamiliar words.  If students are able to identify word parts they will be able to break down the words into chunks and use these meanings and pronunciations to help them as they read.  Using these word parts along with context of the sentence students can learn to identify unknown words. These skills can be taught through flexible guided reading groups, individual conferences, or through mini lessons during reader's workshop. 

Module 4: Activity 2

Take a look at the NRP Report Summary:
http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications/summary.htm
and Allington�s response:
http://www.hcd.hr/conference/key_allington_eng.pdf

Which NRP topic area(s) or �missing pillar(s)� that Allington describes do you find to be most vital for children�s literacy success? Why? 

I believe that the NRP topic areas or missing pillars that Allington describes that are most vital for children's literacy success are access to interesting texts and choice and matching kids with appropriate texts. 

There were times in middle and high school when I had to read texts that were not interesting to me or I was not allowed choices in my reading and I really did all I could to get through the book or I didn't read it at all.  If children are not given access to texts that are interesting to them, we will lose them as readers.  As teachers, we want them to read anything and everything they can get their hands on, and if the choices are limited or the choices don't peak an interest of theirs then they may not read at all. The more students read, the better they will get. 

If students are given texts that are too difficult for them to read they will become frustrated.  They won't be able to learn anything from texts that are too challenging and for students in the ELL or Special Education programs, they need to have access to books that are conceptually appropriate and on their reading level.  They need to practice using these books before they can move on to challenging material.  That isn't to say that they should read challenging books, but they need to feel success in reading books that are on their reading level in order to build their reading confidence. 

Module 4: Activity 1

Even though this video has strong religious overtones, (please let me know if it offends you, and I will provide an alternate assignment), it is useful for determining strategies that beginning readers use when becoming literate, even at age 50. Watch the video and reflect on what strategy or strategies Robin used most to help him learn to read.

As I watched this powerful video I was amazed at how determined Robin was to learn to read. Robin used various strategies in order to learn to read and as the video shows he used some phonics, but did not focus on phonics as the primary source for his learning.  He would chunk some sounds within words to get the sound parts but did not recite individual letter sounds in order to figure out the word. 

He also read children's books, but as he read and miscued, he would ask if what he said made sense and would go back and re read. He was using the context of the sentence and his schema in order to determine the correct words in the sentence and the meaning of the words.   

He read ads in the paper, and read signs he saw, and articles in the newspaper.  The most significant strategy that I noticed was that he used his schema and the context to determine if what he was reading was making sense.  He was reading for meaning by the end of the video. 

Module 4: Instructional Challenge

Marcus is a student who very frequently miscues by substituting words that start with the same letter or first few letters of the word in the text, but his substitutions often are not syntactically or semantically acceptable (they neither sound right grammatically nor make sense). What possible teaching strategies would you suggest to help Marcus? 

In order to help Marcus, I would figure out if there are other students who have the same issue as he does.  I would pull them in a group together and do a shared reading.  I wouldn't want to do this activity with him one-on-one unless I had to in fear it might hurt his self esteem or make him feel devalued as reader.  

I would choose a picture book and conduct a picture walk and discuss with him or the group, the pictures, title, cover and allow him to predict what the book will be about. I would read the book and discuss it with him or his small group. 

I might also try to tape record Marcus and play it back and stop the recording at places where he has miscued and as him if that makes sense and offer him the chance to re read. 

I would also provide a copy of a passage and omit key words and have him read the passage aloud and try and fill in the blanks with words that might make sense. I would make sure Marcus has enough background knowledge of the topic in the passage so that he could replace the blanks efficiently. 

I would also set Marcus up with a buddy to read.  I would have to chose a buddy for him that wouldn't just tell him the words but would offer valuable suggestions to him when he stumbles upon a word he doesn't know and replaces it with a word that doesn't make sense. 

Finally, I would allow Marcus ample amounts of time to read independently reading a book of high interest. 

Module 4: Reading Reflection

Looking across Chapters 10 and 11, which of the understandings and strategies in the comprehensive literacy program are you already addressing/doing with your students (or have you done, or do you plan to do)?

As I read through Chapters 10 and 11, I found that I am doing many of these activities in the comprehensive literacy program with my class.  My grade level is departmentalized, which means that each of us teaches separate subjects and the students switch classes.  I teach reading and integrate Social Studies strategies into my reading class which means I teach 4 reading/social studies classes. 

Activities in comprehensive literacy program that I currently do: 

Read Alouds- I do read alouds, but not necessarily everyday.  I try to read picture books to my students that address issues we are currently discussing in Social Studies (Pink and Say- Civil War, The Memory Coat- Immigration) and I have read a novel (Number the Stars) out loud to them. We have discussions about these books and it benefits all the students in the class but it seems to have greater effects on the ELL and Special Education students because they are able to hear a more difficult book being read to them and they are hearing the comprehension discussion that takes place after the read aloud is completed. 

Guided Reading- I have students grouped by their Fountas and Pinnell Reading level (which I know now is big no no) but have also pulled certain students who share the same difficulty with certain skills.  So I do a little of both.  Last year it was a bit more difficult to do guided reading groups but I have done them in the past with my 4th graders and found that students greatly benefited from those group meetings.  I used to meet at a teacher table in the back of the room, but have more recently met on the floor with students.  

Sustained Reading- I love letting students read for enjoyment.  I have a lot of students who love to read and those students are always begging me if they can just read that day and often seem very disgruntled when I have to pull them for a group.  I haven't explored the idea of using books on tape with my 5th graders but tried to do it with my 4th graders a few years ago and found my resources were limited.  I like how the book gave me ideas of where to find other books on tape or recorded books so I may search those websites to find some that are more appropriate for upper grades.  

Individual Reading conferences- I tried my very best to keep up with this as best I could.  I had a folder set up with note cards and on each note card was assigned a student and I would jot down notes, skills, or fluency documentation on the note cards.  I kept a class list on the front of the folder to write down the dates I met with those students.  I found myself meeting with each student about every 2 weeks.  I like how Weaver's book gave a very concise direction for the conferences, so I am going to integrate those into my conferences. 

Literature groups- I have used lit circles in the past, but usually used them in my classroom after CRCT was over and we had about 2 months until summer.  I found it very overwhelming to use that during the rest of the school year, even though the benefit is great, but always ended up using it at the end of the year in order to keep students engaged. 

In the writing section I have done the write aloud, sustained writing, individual writing conferences, and journals.  I incorporate as much as I can into my reading/Social Studies class now though. 

I would like to use shared reading, literature groups, and improve on the inquiry/reading to learn aspects of the comprehensive literacy program.  If my grade level ever goes back to teaching all subjects to our homeroom class, I would like to use more of the shared writing, guided writing, and inquiry/writing to learn. 

Shirley Brice Heath

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-PwM0Vnty0wUnB0WGpNMTBBdkE/edit?usp=sharing

Module 3: Activity 2

What do you think of this? What do such activities and �cracking the code� contribute to proficient reading? What else might a reader need to become proficient? Record your thoughts in a blog posting. Name this posting "Module 3: Activity 2."

I do not believe that phonemic awareness single handedly helps students crack the code at the English language.  Since proficient reading encompasses syntax, schema, and phonics, students need to use real words and teachers need to create background knowledge or help students identify background knowledge of real words rather than nonsense words.  

I feel as though using nonsense word lists or having students complete the activity such as the one in the video, you are wasting a child's time and wasting valuable instructional time by having them sound out words by letter sound.  Oftentimes, in the English language the "rules" of phonics don't work 100% of the time and then students who rely on those rules are left to struggle on their own because the rules don't work with particular words.  The sounding out of individual letters in a word does not accurately portray the pronunciation of the word, and therefore meaning is lost. 

It seems like it would be much more valuable to use words that are simple and common in a student's language to use and create meaning for or build upon the meaning that is already there.  As teachers, we want to use as much instructional time as possible and we want students to become proficient readers.  Using nonsense word lists defeats both objectives.  Students need schema and background knowledge for the words and need to use the context or syntax of the words in order to create meaning and use it effectively in the future. 

Module 3: Mock Memo from a Reading Specialist

Instructional Challenge:

Erica, a fifth grader, reads grade level passages at a rate of 177 words correct per minute, or 30% faster than grade level norms. When asked to retell what she has read, Erica struggles and is able to give little to no information from about the text. Many other children in Erica's class also read well above grade level expectations for fluency rate (or automaticity), but the teacher laments that they struggle with comprehension and using appropriate expression and intonation while they read. What is going on here? What advice can you offer the teacher? Write a memo to the teacher from the viewpoint of the school's Reading Specialist. Give the teacher and explanation for the phenomenon and offer her advice on dealing with the situation. Please keep the memo to no more than 400 words. Post it to your blog and name the posting "Module 3: Mock Memo from a Reading Specialist."

From: C. Benton
To: Classroom teacher
Re: Comprehension and Fluency

Dear teacher, 
I am really impressed with the fluency rate that Erica has while reading.  However, I am very concerned that she does not comprehend what she reads.  Reading's true purpose is to gain meaning and while Erica is able to read words correctly off of a page, she is not creating meaning.  Erica does not understand the true meaning of reading and therefore thinks that true reading is fluency or accuracy in reading words out loud.  

We need to take a step back and use a text that is on a lower level, possibly a picture book, or even a book that she knows very well and allow Erica to read this book and answer questions and retell the events of the story. We need for her to understand that being a good reader does not mean that all the words are said correctly.  As she reads we need to record her and then let her listen and find any miscues she makes.  If she can point out her miscues and describe the process she was going through as she read, we will be able to show her that a proficient reader makes miscues but those miscues do not affect the meaning of the text.  

We then need to model and practice (over and over again) reading more difficult texts and answering comprehension questions and retells.   This practice can be done during guided reading, independent reading, or shared reading times. Once again, if she able to see and hear a proficient reader make miscues on more difficult texts and answer comprehension questions and retell the story we will be able to change her perception of reading.  We need for her to continuously ask herself "what did I read" and "how does this connect with my life, another book, or something I have learned" if she can do this effectively then she will increase her comprehension.

If these strategies are not successful, we need to evaluate the passage or text she is reading and determine if she has a significant amount of back ground knowledge on the topic, vocabulary, and language that is used in the text.  If she does not have this background knowledge or is lacking an understanding of the vocabulary, we need to create schema for her in order for her to be successful in reading this passage and comprehending its meaning.

C. Benton

Module 3: Reading Reflection

Reading Reflection Prompt:

Do you agree with Marilyn Adams (1990, p. 108) who argued that rather than relying on context, �Skillful readers of English thoroughly process the individual letters of words in their texts?� Why or why not?

I do not agree with Marilyn Adams and her theory that readers thoroughly process individual letters of words rather than relying on context. As Weaver's Reading Process and Practice book has stated in earlier chapters, proficient readers use the context of the word, syntax of the sentence, and their schema of other words they have read in order to verbalize words or create meaning.  

Weaver's book references a study about eye fixation on page 106 and it says that skilled readers do not focus on each and every word as they read (Weaver, 2002).  The section on eye fixation also reveals that the brain is able to identify the individual letters of a word after the reader has identified the word and the brain does not identify the individual letters first (Weaver, 2002).  

I think about myself as a reader, and when I am reading new material, I do not process each letter or letter sound as I come to an unknown word. I use the context of the sentence or paragraph, and my schema in order to create meaning. Weaver's book reveals in earlier chapters that if adult readers, or even child readers, read each letter or letter sound of a word, the meaning of the word or sentence would be lost because that reader has spent so much time trying to identify that word.  

Readers are able to use semantic and syntactic context within the sentence in order to determine the meaning of unknown words.  It would be an waste of valuable time for a student or adult reader to process each individual letter of a word while reading.  The brain is able to make connections to other passages where those words have been used, or conversations where the word has been said and is able to recognize the meaning or pronunciation of the word in a passage that is unfamiliar to them. 

Module 2: Activities 1 & 2

Activity 1: 
Complete Exercise #3c on page 58 in the text: first write a definition of each word listed. Did you notice yourself using any fairly consistent principle for determining what the words might mean? Discuss. Then read the first chapter of A Clockwork Orange to find the meanings of at least six of the words: http://www.ebooktrove.com/top_ten/AClockworkOrange.pdf. In each case, how do you finally determine what the word means? 

Exercise #3c.
1. creech-a sound
2. droogs- animals maybe a dog
3. glazzies- glass like
4. goloss- something lost
5. malenky- silly
6. messel- a small vessel
7. millicents-something small
8. poogly- sluggish
9. razrez- criss cross
10. skorry- fast
11. spatted- to spit or to say
12. zoobies- people

As I read this list of unfamiliar words, I tried to use prefixes to aid in my meaning.  I also looked at the suffixes of the words to determine what part of speech they might be in order to help me determine their meaning. It was very difficult since there was no context.  

After reading the first chapter of A Clockwork Orange, I can determine the meaning to the following words:
1. droogs- brothers or friends
2. skorry- quickly
3. glazzies- eyes
4. goloss- personality 
5. zoobies- teeth
6. malenky- small amount; little

As I read the first chapter and discovered the meaning of these words, I used the context of the sentence and paragraph to create meaning for the unknown words.  I found myself having to re-read the sentences and also pay attention to the syntax of the word within the sentence to determine what the words mean. I also noticed myself creating pictures of movies in my mind of what was happening in the story; this helped me to visualize the story in order to create meaning and better understand the reading.  


Activity 2: Exercise 7 pages 85-86:

1. Who tried to read the words letter-by-letter?

• I did not try to read the words letter by letter.  This would have caused me to lose some, if not all meaning I might have had of the word. 

2. Who tried to read the words mostly by chunking them into syllables?

• I was able to chunk some words into syllables, but only because it was written out to the side. If that hadn't have been there, I wouldn't have been able to do that. 

3. Who tried to read the words by sampling the letters more or less all at once?

• I was able to read some of the words by sampling the letters, mainly in chunks.  I did not read them letter-by-letter but I know how some letter blends sound and was able to read the word using my knowledge of letter blends (phonics).

4. What words did you know the meaning of, or think you know the meaning of?

• I think I know the meaning of sarsparilla.  The only reason I knew that one, is because I had heard it on a School House Rock video. But reading off the words in this list did not help me understand the meaning of the words, only how to attempt to sound them out. 

5. Did pronouncing the words give you insights into their meanings?

• Pronouncing the words did not help me gain insights into their meanings because there was no other context.  They are by themselves and therefore I am unable to use context and schema to determine their meanings. 

6. How do you handle unknown words when you encounter them in normal reading?

• In normal reading, if I come to a an unknown word I use the context of the sentence or paragraph, syntax, and my own schema in order to create meaning of the word. 

7. What do you think are the implications of this experiment and discussion for how we should help students deal with unfamiliar words?

• This experiment verifies that we, as teachers, cannot rely on basic word call to determine if a student is comprehending what is being read.  In many of the leveled reading tests that are administered to students, fluency and word identification are a portion of the test.  Students may word call correctly but are unable to answer the comprehension questions or retell information from the passage correctly.  As students read it is important for us to recognize how they are creating meaning.  Word calling a list of words is not sufficient evidence that students understand the meaning of the words presented.