Cory Koss
Inquiry Two, Part A
1.
Describe your target area for guided lead
teaching.
- As of right now, it is still kind of up in the air because
of the way we switch for reading and writing.
I will be focusing on Fable’s for the reading portion of my lesson. For the way we switch, I will be working with
the lowest readers between 4 classes in our school. We use the program called “Read 180”, which
is a program that uses the computer to keep track of progress, regular reading
books for certain levels, and audio books for extra help. Students also use computers to read back into
the program to test fluency. I will be
separating these groups into centers, where they will be working through these
activities, using prompts, and incorporating the 6 traits of writing, one
prompt at a time.
2.
Approximately how much time per day is allotted
for your instruction in this area?
- 1 hour each day for our reading groups, an additional hour
for my regular class will be allotted as well.
3.
Which
Common Core State Standard(s) will you work toward?
- 3. Know and apply
grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences,
syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately
unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.
- 4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support
comprehension.
a. Read on-level text with purpose
and understanding.
b. Read on-level prose and poetry
orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
c. Use context to confirm or
self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
- 1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a
point of view with reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text
clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which
related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
b. Provide reasons that are
supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using
words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition).
d. Provide a concluding statement or
section related to the opinion presented.
4.
How will teaching in this target area provide
opportunities for students to learn important content and/or skills
that relate to their lives? In what ways
does this learning include learning literacy, learning about literacy, and/or learning
through literacy?
- Teaching in this target area will allow me to teach
students about recognizing goals, morals, and lessons through fables. Fables are very relatable for students and
working with the lowest group, I need to relate to interests and content in
which students will be able to work through.
I will be working with students who will be way below grade level
reading and trying to get them to understand core standards that are above what
they are able to get through at this time.
By incorporating a new writing straight with each writing prompt,
students will be able to build upon their own learning.
5.
What types of classroom talk take place within
this target area? To what extent is the talk teacher-led, student-led, or
focused on higher-level thinking? What norms for interaction would you like to
build within your classroom as you teach in this target area (e.g., see ideas
in Chapter 6 of Strategies that Work, the Berne & Clark 2008
article, or draw from some of the readings done in TE 402 on classroom talk)?
- I will be using mostly teacher-led strategies to begin my
lessons. The point of using Read 180 is
to get the students to start recognizing their own strengths and
weaknesses. Student-led practice will
also be going on once they break off into groups. I will mostly use text-to-self references to
relate the fables to lessons they have heard before or can relate to.
6.
Which ‘core practice’ do you want to work on
developing/improving as you teach in this target area (refer to document
“Resources for Developing Core Practices”)? How will focusing on this core
practice contribute to your own professional learning?
-I will be
working with thinking aloud, reading aloud, interactive reading aloud, guided
interactive discussions, writing about reading, visualizing, summarizing and
synthesizing information.
-By focusing on
these practices, I will gain the skills and strategies of working with a wide
variety of lesson planning and administering, rather than just focusing on a
few practices.
7.
What resources within the community,
neighborhood, school district, school or classroom do you have to work with in
this target area?
- Our classroom received a grant for Read 180 that is going
to be my major resource for my lesson.
8.
What additional resources do you need to obtain?
- We separate into groups based upon reading levels, I will
need to look at CA 60’s, Gates & MacGinnity scores, and DRA levels to see
where our students stand.
9.
How will you pre-assess your students in your
target area?
- Pre-assessment
will mostly be given through seeing what reading levels our group is at. I will also have a pre-assessment writing for
them to see if paragraphs can be formed, fluent writing, correct punctuation,
etc. This will be to see how much I will
need to establish the 6 traits of writing.
10.
What else will you need to find out about all
students in your class to help you develop lesson plans for your Guided Lead
Teaching?
- I think I will just mostly need to figure out where this
group stands at reading and writing. If
I need to focus more on reading or writing, fluency or strategy.
11.
What else do you need/want to learn about the
‘core practice’ to support your planning and teaching?
- Not
really able to figure out at this point, haven’t seen where any of my students
stand.
12.
What concerns, if any, do you have about
planning and teaching your unit?
- Just the amount of pre-assessment/learning of this new
program I will have to do.
In question 4, I like the way you will not only teach with a specific goal in mind, but will inform the students of the goal to be achieved. By doing so, the students will be able to monitor their work throughout the unit to assess whether or not they are working toward accomplishing the over goal of the unit, rather than accomplishing the individual tasks being asked. You had said that "you are still up in the air about reading and writing," which I think is great that you have assessed yourself prior to beginning the lesson and understand your predicament. Too often, we jump into a situation that we may not be prepared for and things begin to fall apart or unravel. By understanding that you still have things to be worked out before beginning will really help you to assess what it is you want out of your unit, rather than just putting something together. Perhaps you could try speaking with your mentor about specific methods and strategies within the "Read 180" program to help you create a great unit.
ReplyDeleteCory, I like that you plan on using assessments the students have already taken. They will probably give you all the information you need for their reading, so you can focus your energy on giving them a writing pre-assessment. I'm interested in the "Read 180" program and how it helps students recognize their strengths and weaknesses. This should provide you excellent formative assessment data to guide your instruction.
ReplyDeleteAgain, from problem 4, I wanted to point out that your plan of action is really hitting some of the points for Effective Comprehension Instruction from Chapter 3 in Strategies that Work. Its great that you have assessed and thought about how you can use different goals for the different levels of the students. One strategy is, "Plan instruction that is responsive to the individual needs of the students." Having pre-assessed and stated thinking about some of the adaptations and accommodations you can make to your lesson and the goals of your lesson for the lower students, you are making the goals more accessible for all students. Often times, students in these "lower" groups can get left behind when we only have one goal in mind for all students to reach. But by being able to adapt the goals to specific students needs, you have the opportunity for all students to comprehend the instruction in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteIn question 5 I really like how you plan to have the student recognize their strengths and weaknesses. This is a great step for "gradually releasing responsibility for using strategies to the students..." Once the students can recognize what strengths and weaknesses they have, the can use that information to decide which strategies are most effective for their strengths, and which may not be effective because of their weaknesses.