Beers tells us “Not being able to read can mean a variety of things, depending on the student’s strengths and weakness” (24). She gave us a list of things to consider when we make the conclusion that a student “can’t read.” This is a very important part of the process of identifying and assessing the needs of the dependent reader.
Last year I worked in a fourth-grade inclusion class. Two of the students were working on becoming independent readers. When reading aloud, one student was so expressive, making certain to pause and stop at each punctuation mark. However, most of the time she had no idea what she had read. Knowing where her strengths were, helped us develop a plan to work on her area of need. Going back to Chapter 2, this also gave us the opportunity to build on her social confidence while working to develop cognitive confidence.
I think the biggest idea this chapter left me with is the importance of knowing what your students can and can’t do, so that you can make a plan to teach them. I loved Beers “Instructional Plan for George.” This plan was simple, to the point, and fact based. I know that I get overwhelmed in “how do I???” when I encounter a problem. Breaking the problem down into small parts is the best way to make sure you tackle each component.
Another key point in Chapter 3 are the Good Reader skills that Beers identifies. Prefacing our instruction with “good readers…” helps students reinforce the importance of using specific strategies in order to become an independent reader. We have to remind students that reading is an active process, one that requires their engagement, their active construction of meaning (35).
Beers spells out her beliefs about teaching struggling readers and I couldn’t agree with her more! These beliefs are the foundation from which her book is built and encompass three premises:
- Teachers – not programs – are the critical element in a student’s success
- The goal of reading is comprehension
- Comprehension is a complex, abstract activity
The Diagnosis and Remediation in Reading class that I took in the spring was invaluable in relation to the topic of assessment. A teacher's ability to discover the particular area that causes a student difficulty is critical to being able to ameliorate the problem. Struggles with decoding, fluency, and comprehension all require different methods of intervention to bring a dependent reader up to the level of independence.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned Beers' "Instructional Plan for George", and I feel like I just have to mention this. Her short letter to him was so powerful and so encompassing of the hope all, ideally, teachers have for their students. She writes, "Had I only known then what I know now...I would have been a teacher who made a difference in your life" (39). Honestly, I almost cried reading that. That's the point, right there. Students must construct their own meaning of life, and the path to doing so can be found using literature as a means. Her tentative plan was completely comprehensive and really straightforward, yes. But, she wasn't able to use it. A part of reading the experiences of teachers before me is for me to learn from their experiences. I may sound a little overzealous in writing this, and I'm alright with that. My interpretation of that entire section is that we must pay close attention to each student when potential difficulties arise, and be knowledgeable about the way in which to handle those problematic areas. We have such power to shape lives as teachers, and I think one of here messages here is that we need to realize that and plan accordingly.
ReplyDeleteAllie,
ReplyDeleteI'm passionate about this also. Sometimes I feel like I'm on a soapbox, but I will never accept that a student cannot read! This is a second career for me and I plan on doing everything in my power to help kids learn. I completely agree that we have the power...we need to use it wisely.
I too agree that we should never say a child can't read. I have heard that statement more than enough times this week to make me want to break down and cry. The fact that teachers are working with students and setting limits for them by saying they can't do something upsets and hurts me. I think daily about what would have happened to me if I had people in my life telling me I couldn't do something. Would I be where I am today? This was a wonderfully written summary for this chapter and so many of the things you said hold true in my heart as well.
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