- The Literacy Event In this chapter, you are given an opportunity to reflect on the five components of a reading event--teacher, reader, text, context, and task.
An effective teacher has more influence over a child’ s ability to learn to read than does any curriculum. Effective teachers must be able to differentiate instruction and motivate all students. The chapter next discusses the role of the student in the reading event. The student brings the following elements to the process, which the teacher must consider: background knowledge, literacy knowledge, language systems, different learning styles, and different dominant multiple intelligences. Based on a student’s needs, teachers must explicitly teach reading strategies and then give the student opportunities to use them while under their supervision. The goal is for a student to use a strategy readily when reading independently.
Text can be categorized into three levels of reading--easy or independent reading level (readers can read it and comprehend it with 95 percent accuracy), instructional reading level (readers can read and comprehend it with 90 to 95 percent accuracy), and frustration reading level (readers read this level with less than 90 percent accuracy). Readers should be given a good deal of time for reading texts on their easy or independent reading level; during instructional time, they should read texts on their instructional level. They should never spend time with books that are too difficult for them.
The context of the reading event is the entire classroom climate: teacher’s beliefs, student grouping, and type of literary talk. Many schools now use the guided reading method, which focuses on grouping readers into small, dynamic groups, based on readers’ need.
Reading tasks should be authentic. Children should be given large blocks of time for engaging in authentic writing tasks and for reading good children’s literature. Integrated reading/writing tasks should foster higher-level thinking skills instead of literal recall.
- Leveled books Before discussing the characteristics of leveled books, each small group will be given a set of A–J leveled books. You will describe the characteristics of each level and present your findings to the class.
- Scenario Read the following scenario. List what you must consider when working with Joey and what you will do to help him.
Joey, a first grader, lives in a foster home; this is his fifth. He does not stay in one home very long because he is extremely active and difficult to discipline. His current foster parents say he has a very short attention span for most activities, but he will stay occupied for quite a long time with computer programs or television programs about animals.
He attended four different kindergarten classes last year and did not do well; because he is already seven and a half years old, however, the present school put him in the first grade. It is obvious that he has not had many book experiences. He does not understand the difference between a letter and a word. He can write his name and the letters of the alphabet, but he does not know the sounds of the letters. - Ch. 2 PPT Attached Files:
- ch2PPT.pptx (1.883 MB)
- Ch. 2 Quiz