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Readerly exploration #7

Due: Dec. 4th

“Hard Words: Why aren't kids being taught to read?”

Takeaway: There is a difference between what teachers are being taught and prepped for vs. the instructional that actually helps students learn how to read. Balanced literacy is an approach that is beneficial to all students.

Nugget: For decades, scientific research has revealed that reading does not come naturally! The human brain is not wired to read, instead, our brains were designed for things such as object recognition. 

Activity

For this reading I decided to document my initial response(s) to this article then consider how the ideas made me feel and/ or think about. First I want to start by saying that this article contained a lot of information that was difficult for me to comprehend. When I say comprehend, what I really mean is, how could administrators be so careless in this district and for five whole years to sweep these issues under the rug. Maybe it is just because I’m from a small town, but wouldn't that be a scandal just waiting to happen? How did the parents of these students feel after this information was made public? I felt so many mixed emotions as I read through this article. I was angry, frustrated, sad, and glad all at the same time. I was angry and frustrated with the staff, I was sad for the students and their experiences with literature, and glad that finally something was done about these issues. I cannot imagine being a child in this position or even a parent of a child in this situation for that matter. I can only imagine how my mom would have reacted if I was one of those many children who struggled. I am not directly related to this situation in any way and it made me feel so many emotions! 

For my multimedia component of this activity, I document my initial responses I created a makeshift concept map on Canva. 

[emkathleennn]

Readerly exploration #5 & #6

Due Dec. 3rd.

“Why Reading Fluency Should be Hot”

Takeaway: In 2009, it was determined that reading fluency was no longer a “hot topic” for reading but it should be! Reading fluency is still one of the pillars of effective reading instruction. 

Nugget: I had no idea that reading for meaning and enjoyment is not part of fluency instruction. Additionally, comprehension and reading for pleasure are also considered different parts of the reading curriculum (apart from fluency). Fluency is considered non- essential to real reading, too. This is all quite concerning considering I believe fluency and comprehension coincide in instruction. 

“‘She’s My Best Reader; She Just Can’t Comprehend’: Studying the Relationship Between Fluency and Comprehension”

Takeaway: A student can be a fluent reader but still struggle with comprehension. 

Nugget: It is concerning to me that there is an overemphasis in schools on the development of oral reading indicators without an accompanying emphasis on comprehension. If fluency really promotes reading comprehension, students should be able to demonstrate reasonably high performance levels when comprehension is assessed. Instead, assessments encourage teachers to work on the speed, phrasing, or prosody of their students’ oral reading while giving minimal attention to actual comprehension.

Activity

For these readings I decided to choose a song that communicates the same or similar big ideas of the assigned readings. I chose the song “Hot N Cold” by Katy Perry to compare both Rasinski’s and Applegate & Modla’s texts. I chose the song “Hot N Cold” because Rasinski is arguing that fluency should be a “hot” topic. The song “Hot N Cold” quite literally talks about changing “your mind”. Furthermore, the song also expresses the feelings of right and wrong and/ or making decisions. Similarly, Applegate & Modla’s text argues some of the same issues that Rasinski talks about. As mentioned before, reading for fluency and comprehension are not the same thing which was very surprising to me. In Applegate & Modla’s article it states that a student can be a fluent reader but still struggle with comprehension. On the other hand, some people have differentiating views concerning the matter. I consider this to be a hot and cold topic. Sometimes people agree with these arguments, others feel mutual, and some disagree completely. It can be confusing to figure out how people really feel about something. For example, fluency is most commonly used in literacy as an indicator of speed and accuracy but then where does comprehension lie? There are many mixed options on that matter.

For my multimedia component I have attached the song I compared the articles to. 

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Readerly exploration #4

Due Sept. 18th

“Why Children Need Play”

Takeaway: Pretend play should be encouraged because it is beneficial to a child’s learning and development! 

Nugget: Children now do not interact with toys in a conductive way and therefore build imagination. For many children, pretend play is not even available with their siblings or neighborhood children. This is something vastly different from what I experienced during my childhood. 

Activity

For my activity, I took a field trip off campus to Pinchot Lake and brought my dog, Kenzo with me. I chose this location specifically because I grew up coming to Pinchot with my family for different events (i.e. My brother’s boy scout events, kayaking, hiking, etc). Pinchot brings back so many memories from my childhood and is still a place that I continue to make new memories at. I had a very positive experience and it was very nostalgic for me. First, I started by driving to Pinchot, of course. After I parked, I first started by just walking. Kenzo and I walked around down by the water and bicycle trail. I spent a lot of time down by the water during my childhood and these were core memories to me. We walked down by the playground and saw kids laughing, playing with each other, and interacting with their families. [I did not want to take a picture of this per the child's faces & such]. It brought me back to being four years old. I have a very vivid memory, so things like this tend to bring me back to a specific memory from my childhood. I could remember being there with my sister, Abby playing on the swings, and pounding on the plastic bongos. Later I remember sitting in the mud and I was sad because I got mud on my butt. When walking Kenzo, there was a family that rode their bikes past us, and another family that complimented Kenzo for being so well behaved. It made me think about being a young girl and watching the adults walk by with their dogs. By engaging in this readerly exploration activity, it helped me better comprehend and relate to what I was reading. The text clearly states, “There is a growing body of research that shows a link between play and the development of cognitive and social skills that are prerequisite for learning more complex concepts as children get older”(Leong & Bodrova, 2018). Play can be directly linked to growth in memory and increased social development. Even as I walked around Pinchot with Kenzo, I still considered the perspectives of others and thought about my memories I had once made there. In the 21st century, because of the mass use of technology, many children do not have different play opportunities at home. As I reflected, I realized that I should be so grateful for the pretend play I had with my sister and thankful my parents encouraged that type of play with us. 

@sfischer819

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Readerly exploration #3

Due Sept. 4th

“Reading with a Crayon: Pre- Conventional Marginalia as Reader Response in Early Childhood”

Takeaway:  Children coloring in books is much more than a scribble, they are making an attempt at conveying a message! 

Nugget: I think it’s so intriguing that very young children who can read and write look and use their books more as a spare piece of paper for drawing and even writing practice rather than just something to read.

Activity:

I chose to pick an excerpt from “Reading with a Crayon: Pre- Conventional Marginalia as Reader Response in Early Childhood”  and had my mom read it. The excerpt was, “Analyses of readers’ marginalia have been a focus of book history and literary studies for centuries. In her extensive historical study of the phenomenon of marginalia, Heather Jackson reveals important sociocultural attitudes toward book annotation that have constructed the stigma of pre-conventional marginalia as an act of defacement and devaluing. Jackson points out that due to obvious aesthetic and proprietary reasons ‘‘marginalia arouse strong feelings’’ (2001, p. 235). Most public and institutional libraries have policies against writing or drawing in borrowed books to protect the common good over the individual’s desire to respond to a text (p. 243). Library and museum special collections, however, have paid surprising sums of money to acquire annotated copies of books belonging to famous authors Children’s Literature in Education” (Fischer). I also explained briefly the premise of the article to her. She thought this was very interesting and stated that the “older generation people feel strongly that drawings are considered defacing, which is what I was always taught, as well as being disrespectful. It’s interesting now that they are looking at the drawings as a way of studying development and social cultures.. Even going as far as paying for a famous author’s early annotations/ drawings!” Engaging in this conversation helped me better unpack this article. 

@sfischer819

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Readerly exploration #1 & #2

Due: Aug. 28th

“Toward an Educationally Relevant Theory of Literacy Learning”  

Takeaway: A student’s engagement is key! If a student does not engage in literacy or language, no learning will occur.

Nugget: Sometimes we don’t realize the simple things like how habits are best formed by associating a desired response with the appropriate stimulus. This all relates back to dynamic systems theory. When a human perceives something as appealing or motivating, they are more likely to act.

“Building a Literacy Community: The Role of Literacy and Social Practice in Early Childhood Programs”

Takeaway: It is so beneficial for teachers or aides to extend a child’s need to maintain sel- direction as well as their problem- solving abilities. This gives the child a sense of ownership and independence. 

Nugget: I think it’s so crazy that teachers have the ability to recognize patterns in a young student’s writing/ print and they can use this as a guide in selecting appropriate reading materials and sound games to focus on that individual student.

Activity

For these readings I decided to learn something about the author(s) of the readings and note how what I’ve learned impacted my motivation and/ or purpose for the reading.

“Toward an Educationally Relevant Theory of Literacy Learning”:

Brain Cambourne is currently an associate professor and Principal Fellow at the University of Wollongong in NSW, Australia. He began teaching in 1956 and has since become one of Australia’s most eminent researchers for literacy and learning. He is best known for creating the 7 conditions for learning. Cambourne believes that these seven factors must be in place to provide an optimal learning environment for all students. It is clear that Cambourne is very passionate about this topic. He has spent over 20 years researching in finding an educationally relevant theory of learning. He knew that what he observed day to day in a classroom conflicted with what he knew these children could do. These children did not display the deficits of understanding and mastering skills. He knew he needed to act.

“Building a Literacy Community: The Role of Literacy and Social Practice in Early Childhood Programs”:

Susan J. Britsch is an associate professor of Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University. Britsch is also a formal preschool teacher. She has published several other academic articles about children’s language and literacy development and about the ways in which teachers are able to research perspectives of young children’s behavior. Daniel R. Meier is a professor of Elementary Education at San Francisco State University. Dr. Meier works with local early childhood inquiry groups and teaches preschool in the area of language and literacy development. He, too, has written multiple articles and books on early childhood education, language, literacy education, international education, etc. Britsch and Meier both have expertise in the area of young children and you can tell they worked very diligently to write such an informative article. It is important to recognize that there is attention being called to direct instruction in reading skill development from preschool to third grade. Together, they were able to address and research the needs of young students. There is community in literacy and it can all be tied to notions of literacy teaching and learning as a social practice.

@sfischer819

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