The Value of Read-Aloud

As a child, I would ask my parents to read the same books to me over and over again so many times that I would "read" them at two years old by reciting the words.  I even knew when to turn the page at the appropriate times.  This article was great at giving specific examples of why reading aloud is so beneficial for kids.

First, the author pointed out that reading is not only about comprehension.  It can open up so many avenues for subjects that could peak students' interest.  Everyone knows that reading is a very important, if not the most important skill that a student learns in school. This article focused on the reasons why teachers should have read-aloud time on a regular basis in class.  Hearing the words brings the text alive for the students.  They will hear tones and inflections that they might have missed otherwise.  They will hear excitement, sadness, exaggeration, and they will learn to apply these things to text when they are reading independently.

I really enjoyed reading the sample read-aloud texts in the article.  The important part of choosing a text is making sure it is something that will spark student interest.  Whether it is the sound of the words, or just the conversational nature, students need to be intrigued by what they are hearing.  My mentor teacher is really fond of using authentic materials like poems and short stories in this manner. In a foreign language, so much of becoming proficient in the language involves being able to hear and understand spoken conversation.  In this way, read-aloud activities in class are extremely valuable.

Reflection 3

Chapter 5 in Subjects Matter by Daniels and Zemelman is all about different strategies that can be used before, during, and after reading to help students make connections and better understand the reading.  As I was reading each of the different strategies, I noticed that so many of these have been used not only in my high school classes, but in my college classes as well!  I had already been using some of the strategies, like the "post-it response notes" when reading difficult texts.  I would put a star next to what i I didn't understand and go back later.  

While each strategy is different, they share a similar theme of teaching students to analyze a text and not just read the words on the page.  Each of the mentioned strategies teaches students to make connections and assumptions that give them an extra layer of understanding of the text.  As teachers, we employ many of these methods without even realizing we are doing it.  When I read a text with my students, I do a lot of modeling of my thinking process.  I'll look at a word and make connections to English cognates and say, "hmm, what word in English does this remind me of?"   I also use exit tickets most days, and especially when something new has been introduced.  Even though my students will not be reading complex text it is just as important to learn to analyze and not just take the text for face value.  I really liked several of the strategies mentioned, and I will definitely be implementing some of them into my class!

Reflection 2

"Teaching Text Structure to Improve Reading Comprehension" discusses how a child learns to read informational texts, since children are more used to reading narrative pieces.  The biggest thing I take away from this article is that children cannot be expected to just look at a text and analyze it.  They must be trained to use first figure out what kind of text it is, and then learn strategies to most efficiently read each type of text.  I thought that the images of guided reading practices were actually really interesting.  They are all similar, and yet different enough that the student knows exactly what he or she is looking for.

Even though lower level foreign language classes do not really read difficult texts in the target language,  there are times when a culture lesson is presented in English.  By using the strategies in this article, students can pick out what is really important.  So, even though my French I kids won't need to do this every single day, it is a base for being able to read and understand any text in any subject.  This skill is so important, and even in college, I've known people who truly struggled with reading and comprehending informational texts.

So, it's not only the responsibility of the English teachers to develop this skill in students... All subjects should be regularly practicing guided reading that helps students become better readers.  More importantly, we want the students to be able to look at a text and know by its structure what is important.  That doesn't mean that all subjects need to teach a novel, but even just an article on the latest news in the subject or about a historical event can give students some really great practice!

Web Resource Review

The web resource I will be reviewing is called "1 Minute au Musée." 

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr/outils-transversaux/galerie-video/1-minute-au-musee.html

These are videos that are short and informative about pieces of art in the Musée d’Orsay.  Since it is impossible to take a day trip to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, this is the next best thing!  Students can experience different pieces of art and learn about their history all in the classroom. 
 

·         The videos are each only one minute long.

·         The site is put on by the museum, so the information is reliable and accurate.

·         The videos are humorous.

·         Each one features a famous piece of art or a specific artist.

·         Links are provided to learn more about each artist or piece of artwork.

·         The site also provides links to virtual tours of the museum and short video clips about different exhibits.

·         There is a similar site for the Louvre and for other museums in France.

·         I like that the video is funny and fairy easy to comprehend.

·         Students could learn vocabulary needed to comprehend the video. 

·         The entire website is in French

·         It is completely free.

·         There is an entire virtual tour of the museum to further explore.

·         It is a good way to introduce an artist.

·         The characters introduce the art as if they are learning about it for the first time.   

Reflection 1

Since my book has not yet arrived in the mail, I'm going to reflect on the article, "The Early Catastrophe," by Hart and Risley. 

This article discussed a study done on how much impact a child’s first three years and family environment can have on their vocabulary.  The child’s socioeconomic status is directly related to his or her vocabulary at age three.

For me, this article was heartbreaking because the conclusion was that there was nothing that could be done that would change the rate at which the children acquire vocabulary. I came from a household of educated parents, and I was always a strong reader with a large vocabulary.  As I got older, I realized that this contributed to my success in school, but I always assumed that a student's motivation was what mattered most.  However, from working with students from diverse backgrounds throughout college, I have realized exactly how important your home life is to your ability to do well in school.  I had not thought about what a difference the first three years make, and this article was really eye opening in that aspect.  I had a false assumption that kids start on a *semi even playing field when they start pre-school or kindergarten.  This article really made me think about how, as teachers, it is so important to realize that students will have differing vocabulary and reading skills and to modify lessons for these various levels.