...` There has been been light shed upon recently to the effects of emergent literacy in the early learning environment of children and the children’s later knowledge. It is no longer believed that a child needs to learn to read and write once they are put into school and given instructions to do so but rather during their early childhood. While they are home, they must develop appropriate skills through the reading books, communicating with friends and family, and educational activities. Emergent literacy perspectives also emphasize the effects of promoting development and preventing later reading difficulties. As these young children are guided through the reading process by their parents at an early stage, they possess a higher level of...
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...providing a comprehensive account of new theoretical and empirical contributions to reading research. Respectful of the cross-age approach that Pressley took in the last volume (account for progress of beginning readers, adolescent and adult readers— and along the way highlight some pedagogical processes that are salient at all levels, such as word recognition, vocabulary, and comprehension), we took a different approach. We decided to focus on reading as a fundamentally cognitive process that can be influenced by contextual forces at many levels, most notably for education, schools, and policy environments. Thus we deal with the fundamental psychological aspects of reading—word level processes (including subword processes such as phonological awareness and decoding, word reading, and vocabulary, with all of its entailments), and text-level processes as they are grounded in structures, genres, and disciplinary knowledge pursuits. After the account of these cognitive processes, we turn to a setting-level analysis, in which we examine word- and text level processes within schooling (including instruction in English language arts and the subject matters of history and science) and policy contexts. As we unpack each...
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...Balanced Literacy Instruction Grand Canyon University: RDG 512 May 28, 2015 Abstract The purpose of this essay is to explain a balanced literacy program and how it will be organized in a classroom. Students need a balanced literacy program to become fluent readers and comprehend text. Two instructional approaches: language and literature based are presented as approaches that would be included in the plan. These approaches will aid in the plan giving a glimpse of how the lessons will be implemented. Explanations of approaches show how they will benefit the program and students learning. These approaches are then compared to components of balanced literacy, based on where they fit in the framework. As a teacher my personal beliefs will be discussed about how I think students learn best through interactive lessons and examples. Introduction A Balanced Literacy program helps to create an environment that fosters the necessary language and phonic develop that students need in literacy. Through balanced literacy it will instill in students the necessary reading skills that they need in order to grow into proficient readers. Balanced literacy is made up of five different components that cater to individual needs for students to become lifelong readers. These components are the read aloud, guided reading, shared reading, independent reading, and word study. Researchers of education have stated that successful implementation of a balanced literacy program has to be teacher...
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...used in schools today, and those philosophies are Constructivism and Explicit Instruction. Teaching strategies have long generated debate and ideological controversy, especially as to ‘best practice’. Two clear orientations have provided the basis for this controversy: direct (or explicit) instruction, and student-centered constructivist approaches ((Rowe, 2006, p. 1). In order to develop good reading skills, the teacher must first determine which philosophy will benefit his or her students in the classroom. From a constructivist view, the teacher would use a student-centered approach and the students would learn by constructing their own knowledge and meaning through the use of hands-on and problem solving activities. Also from a constructivist standpoint the classroom environment would consist of open discussion about various topics that would build a foundation for reading on what the students already know by sharing their personal experiences through writing personal journals and narratives. Also in a constructivist classroom the student would use critical thinking to solve their difference while learning how to respect each others views. From a Constructivist approach, students would be assessed using authentic evaluations such as writing journals, their ability to comprehend information, working in groups to solve real life problems, and other various writing skills to help build their vocabulary of information...
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...Reading Philosophies Comparison Chart Constructivist Instruction: The student is viewed as an active participant in their own learning. The student will use personal experiences to influence and shape learning ( Ying-Tien , 2005) Reading Activities for Constructivist Instruction: Teaching students new vocabulary by using various picture visual aids. If the student has difficulty reading the word the visual aid will represent the word. Using familiar words will allow the students to use vocabulary from their own experiences and make a connection between the word, picture and experiences. Students will read a book and then be dispersed into small groups. Within the small groups students will discuss their reading and create another story with similar elements. This will allow students to bring their own experiences to the table and take an active role in their learning. Assessment for Constructivist Reading: A student kept journal based upon the readings in class. This will allow students to take control of their learning while reflecting on the presented information. Reading portfolios made for each student. These portfolios would include sample work and teacher notes on observations of the student in the classroom in regards to reading. This will serve as a great tool during conferences with parents to show students strengths and weaknesses. Classroom discussion based on the readings in class. This would showcase the students knowledge...
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...Chapter Two 8 Teaching Vocabulary 8 Textbook analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....................20 CONCLUSION ...22 INTRODUCTION It seems almost impossible to overstate the power of words; they literally have changed and will continue to change the course of world history. Perhaps the greatest tools we can give students for succeeding, not only in their education but more generally in life, is a large, rich vocabulary and the skills for using those words. Our ability to function in today’s complex social and economic world is mightily affected by our language skills and word knowledge. Words are the primary building blocks of effective communication. Although gestures and facial expressions work well in face-to-face communication, words carry the weight of meaning when people are removed from each other in distance and time.The linguist David Wilkins summed up the importance of vocabulary in this way:”Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”. His view is echoed from a course book (Dellar H and Hocking D, Innovations, LTP):”If you spend most of your time studying grammar, your English will not improve very much. You will see most improvement if you learn more words and expressions. You can say very little with grammar, but you can say almost anything with words!” The aim of the current term paper is to learn more about Vocabulary Teaching and to analyze...
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...“Reading is commonly viewed as a basic set of skills, widely adaptable and applicable to all kinds of texts and reading situations.” Teachers have a responsibility to ensure that each student that enter their present have a strong foundation in reading. The bible identifies teacher’s roles in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is breathed out of God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. Teachers have a responsibility to ensure they provide instructions that will promote growth for all students. Although students have various learning styles, teachers can successfully teach reading through differentiated instructions. Many teacher fail to integrate reading into their subject because they often feel like they do not have the tools need to successful implement the content area (Wilson, 2011). In this paper, I will address the how ideal reading programs for first grade students should include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to ensure the success of each student in reading. Phonemic awareness Phonic awareness is an important part of a strong reading foundation for students in first grade. Students entering first will have prior knowledge of phonic awareness from kindergarten classes. It is important as the teacher to build on the prior phonic awareness knowledge and correct inaccurate information to assist the students in building a strong foundation. Students will gain several skills from...
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...are “breaking the words down” and “asking”. Administering the DRA can help to see if Marvin is displaying any use of other strategies that maybe he is not aware that he is using. The DRA also allows for the assessment of fluency and comprehension. Since, Marvin believes that his main reading problem is comprehension, this is a good way to check if he has correctly assessed himself. The Silent Reading Comprehension Test is an alternate method of assessing Marvin’s comprehension skills. This test will be able to give the instructor an idea of Marvin’s instructional reading level. And finally, a Word Meaning Test could be administered to give an idea of Marvin’s vocabulary development. SUGGESTED READING PROGRAM According to Marvin’s educational history, he has been mostly exposed to instruction that included closed tasks, limited choices in what to read or write and limited exposure to literature outside of the basal readers. In addition, Marvin is not provided with the opportunity to discuss what he is reading with the teacher or his peers and he is not encouraged to use and display higher order thinking skills. There also seems to be a lack of ongoing progress monitoring. It appears that Marvin would benefit from...
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...|*Grade/Level |4th Grade | |*Summary |The students will learn how to classify plants and animals into groups based on their characteristics. | | |Some of the characteristics that students will look for include plants, animals, things, that lay eggs, | | |things that live underwater, etc. Students will be able to visualize and know that sometimes plants and | | |animals can be classified into more than one group depending on the features of the specific groups. | |STANDARDS AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: | |*Standards |NSES Standards: Life Science: The Characteristics of Organisms -#1 | | |Alabama Science Course of Study Standards – 4.6...
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...state student performance assessment scores don’t create possible sanctions for the school district. Additionally, the SEI program provides support for ELL students who previously reached a plato at an intermediate level, conversational English. School districts found ELL students were taught in English, but were not actually learning the rules, structures, and vocabulary of the English language. According to the article The Case for Structured English Immersion authored by Kevin Clark, implementing the SEI program was interpreted differently in school districts around Arizona. Some educators viewed the program as a form of submersion in which ELL students were placed in regular classrooms with little or no modification. While others viewed the program as sheltered instruction in which students of higher proficiency are provided strategies to understand grade-level content. Successful frameworks for SEI have common elements, however; a large amount of time is set aside for English instruction, students are grouped by their English language ability, academic content plays a secondary role to English language instruction, students and teachers speak, read, and write in English negating a bilingual atmosphere, teachers use foreign language instructional methods, English grammar skills are taught, and timelines are created for exiting students from the SEI program. Proponents of the SEI program believe students learn English faster and lesson design based on...
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...English has been challenging because there are some more abstract thoughts. Certain words can only be used with others depending on the phonetic sound of the word that follows, for example “an”. The first recommendation in the chapter reminded me that as an educator it is my job to ensure that vocabulary is covered as a class. Students need to hear and understand the word and the definition should be made clear for everyone. I carefully listen to native speakers because it helps me understand the words I read. It is vital that other educators do the same for all of their...
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...ASKING USEFUL QUESTIONS: GOALS, ENGAGEMENT, AND DIFFERENTIATION IN TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LANGUAGE LEARNING by Joy Egbert Washington State University jegbert @ wsu.edu In his popular 1997 article, Steve Ehrmann encouraged us to ask useful questions about technology for education (Ehrmann, 1997). In the years since Ehrmann asked his questions, increased pressures from legislative bodies, educational stakeholders, and business have driven an ever-increasing influx of technology into schools; however, this is not necessarily the evil that it has been portrayed as in various media. Within classrooms the availability of technology is offering us as language teachers the opportunity to usefully question what we do and why. Although technology itself is incapable of action or thought, its presence in our classrooms and schools is helping to facilitate questions about the goals of language classrooms, conceptions of teaching and learning, and our ability to address student needs. If we ask good questions and apply the answers to use technology in effective ways, resultant changes in our thinking and our pedagogy can lead to greater student achievement This paper first asks questions about and discusses language classroom goals. It then reflects on two related, essential strategies for language teaching and learning that can help us meet these goals: engagement and differentiation. Finally, the paper provides examples of how technology can be used to engage and differentiate for our learners...
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...Students Name: Aria Age: 10 Grade: 5 School type: rural Examiner: Melissa Cordeiro Date of testing: 2/10/2012, 2/15/2012 Background: Aria is a white 10 year old girl in the fifth grade, at a rural elementary school in Dartmouth, MA. Her overall appearance is clean and well groomed. She wears glasses for correction of a strabismus (lazy eye). With glasses her vision appears to be normal. Aria is also diagnosed with asthma and requires the use of an inhaler to treat symptoms. Arias primary language is English and she is a very social child. Aria’s oral language skills are age appropriate for social situations. Aria is currently placed in and integrated classroom and works with a reading specialist three times a week for 30 minutes. In the past, Aria has academically performed average in ELA and Math, but performed below average in Science and History. Aria is very concerned with making mistakes and will not participate if she doesn’t know the correct answer. During Science and History assignments Aria struggles with decoding unfamiliar word and reading comprehension. Aria enjoys reading at her independent level but becomes frustrated when reading materials that are challenging. Aria currently knows her letters and sounds and she can answer simple comprehension questions during ELA activities. Aria also performs extremely well on spelling test. She has many friends at school and participates in several after school programs. Aria has also participated...
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...conversation began: P MARILYN: Can you tell me something you know about multiplication? PAUL: [Thinks, then responds] 6 x 8 is 48. MARILYN: Do you know how much 6 x 9 is? PAUL: I don’t know that one. I didn’t learn it yet. MARILYN: Can you figure it out some way? PAUL: [Sits silently for a moment and then shakes his head.] MARILYN: How did you learn 6 x 8? PAUL: [Brightens and grins] It’s easy—goin’ fishing, got no bait, 6 x 8 is 48. connects to addition. Paul wasn’t the only student in this class who was floundering. Through talking with teachers and drawing on my own teaching experience, I’ve realized that in every class a handful of students are at serious risk of failure in mathematics and aren’t being adequately served by the instruction offered. What should we do for such students? Grappling with Interventions My exchange with Paul reminded me of three issues that are essential to teaching mathematics: I It’s important to help students make connections among mathematical ideas so they do not see these ideas as disconnected facts. (Paul saw each multiplication fact as a separate piece of information to memorize.) I It’s important to build students’ new understandings on the foundation of their prior learning. (Paul did not make use of what he knew about addition to figure products.) I It’s important to remember that students’ correct answers, without accompanying explanations of how they reason, are not sufficient for judging mathematical understanding. (Paul’s initial...
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...CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Reading Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency and motivation. It is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning (reading comprehension). It is a means of language acquisition of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and language community which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practice, development and refinement. Reading is making meaning from print, it requires that we: i. Identify the words in print – a process called word recognition. ii. Construct an understanding from them – a process called comprehension. iii. Coordinate identifying words and making meaning so that reading is automatic and accurate – an achievement called fluency. Sometimes you can make meaning from print without being able to identify all the words. Sometimes you can identify words without being able to construct much meaning from them. Sometimes you can identify words and comprehend them, but if the processes don’t come together smoothly, reading will still be a labored process. Reading in its fullest sense involves weaving together word recognition and comprehension in a fluent manner. These three processes are complex and each is important. i. To develop word recognition...
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