Classroom Observation Essay

In chapter five, by Cris Tovani, “Why Am I Reading This” explains how educators need to establish a clear reading instructional plan. In order to accomplish understanding students need to concentrate on main ideas from the readings. Tovani explains that it is vital for teachers to model how students should hold their thinking or slow down their reading. Throughout the chapters she gives examples as question strategies, highlighting text, or summarizing key points. As this will benefit students in their reading assignment. Tovani also explains throughout the chapter that teachers should model thinking aloud. This strategy will benefit students on how to negotiate difficult text.

Learning to read is a complex task which involves active problem solving through the implementation of several intertwined skills. When providing reading instruction, it is not feasible to expect that children will pick up these skills implicitly. Effective reading instruction requires an explicit and systematic approach which aims to develop the specific skills and understanding required for successful reading. As children move through the stages of reading, learning is supported through methodical and integrated instruction in concepts of print, phonemic and phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. However children are active learners rather

A typical high-school student struggles in learning new concepts, in AP Language & Composition many students learn new challenging concepts which make the class difficult.

To assist students to “read with purpose and anticipation,” Vacca et al. (2014, p. 173) suggests, in their book Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum, that teachers need to “create an instructional context” that activates their students’ “prior knowledge” and helps them to become interested in a lesson. Throughout chapter six, “Activating Prior Knowledge and Interest,” Vacca et al. (2014, pp. 172-173) explain instructional strategies that can lead students to “read with purpose and anticipation.” This chapter presents the reader with a plethora of instructional strategies and means for applying them, along with example for real educators. As I journeyed through this chapter, I discovered many instructional strategies,

Teachers can help improve student reading comprehension by generating questions that get students to think about what the text means, and by

During the observation of Morning Meeting, I noticed that my mentor teacher separated the children by gender when the calendar helper counted the number of boys and the girls in the classroom. My mentor teacher asked the calendar helper to have either the boys or girls stand up first to be counted. When the children are getting ready to go outside or to the bathroom, the teacher has also the boys and girls in separate lines. I felt that there were other characteristics for the teacher to separate the children. For example, she could she could have asked the children stand up or line up based on their eye color, hair color, the color of their clothing, their favorite animal, or even the first letter of their name. If my teacher broadened the

Using guided reading could be another way that educators tap into individual students and their needs. Abbott, L., Dornbush, A., Giddings, A. & Thomas, J. (2012) found that students in four kindergarten and first grade classrooms were identified as having poor reading strategies. They were lacking processing, comprehension, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and fluency skills. Site A included 712 students and site B served students ranging from 3-8 years of ages with a total enrollment of 577 students. The researchers used a parent survey to gain insight into the students reading habits at home. They also used an observational checklist. It was used to observe students’ behaviors during whole group and small group instruction. Researchers also used baseline assessments. The reading strategies that were implemented were successful. Through the use of guided reading, small instruction groups, students were provided ample support and time to utilize new

Teachers should teach reading in, fun, exciting, and research based findings in order to help students with their comprehension. The teacher from the video "Rick's Reading Workshop: Mini-Lesson", did an exemplary job of executing all three of these factors to positively impact his students comprehension. His class was built on the foundation of wanting all his students to have a love of reading, because he believed that when students are engaged and having fun they are more susceptible to comprehend and ask questions. He read to the students in a tone that was highly engaging, and overall a joy to listen to, the students were actively engaged and with the teachers enthusiasm they never had a chance to stray from topic. I also appreciate

Jeanne Chall,suggested, grades Kindergarten through second are learning to read. However, students in third grade and higher are reading to learn. Therefore, reading becomes an ever increasing important tool to help a student to expand their knowledge after third grade, because learning to read does come to an unexpected standstill at the end of the second or third grade. Therefore, Torgesen, Houston, Rissman, and Kosanovich (2007) found similar reading techniques to yield effective teaching for second and third grade students; Phonics/word analysis, fluency, vocabulary study and reading comprehension. Comparably, Torgensen, Rissman, and Kosnovich revealed similar effective reading techniques released by the National Reading Panel. The researchers, also suggested effective teachers must build upon reading skills, and third grade teachers must apply targets (Grade level appropriate reading techniques) and methods of instruction to include word analysis, fluency vocabulary and reading comprehension. However, in order for these reading techniques take place in the classroom, the effect of high quality teachers must deliver high quality reading instruction. Therefore, principals must ensure teachers receive effective training to support the growth of critical reading skills, along with the practice to ensure core reading programs affect classroom

It has discussed how the elements along with explicit and systematic reading instruction all work together to create successful readers. It is clear that reading development begins with children understanding that print carries the message and, as a result, this creates the motivation to read. Reading development then progresses to the development of phonemic awareness which lays the foundation for phonics instruction. Once the skills of decoding are learnt, children can then start to combine these skills with comprehension strategies to make meaning of what is read. These skills and strategies do not come naturally to children, therefore, effective teachers provide rich learning experiences which model, scaffold and allow children to apply what they have learnt to authentic

This helps the child learn by modeling fluent reading; practices such as taking turns reading and letting them read out loud should be provided on a daily basis. It is very important to start with short texts with words they can easily recognize, and then gradually introduce more complex selections. Literacy instruction for this stage should include texts such as short stories, non-fiction books, poems, and should focus on oral reading opportunities such as with the whole class, with parents, with a friend or classmate, in small groups, etc. This could also be practiced through skits, plays, or musicals as a type of reader’s theatre. In this stage, building vocabulary is very important. This can be done formally through lessons and informally through conversations. Constantly talk to the child and introduce new concepts, ideas, vocabulary, and their meanings. The child is mastering reading comprehension and by the end of this stage is moving out of the “learning to read” phase and into the “reading to learn”

Chapters 6 through 9 discuss strategies that aid in comprehension. These chapters dive deeper into strategies that will help a reader’s comprehension while thoroughly explaining strategies that should be implemented in a classroom. One main point is that readers should follow their thinking tracks and explore their thinking and be able to notice when they are straying away from the meaning of the reading. It’s important that students are able to make connections while they’re reading. Another main point would be that questions help clarify and unlock a deeper meaning while reading. Visualizing and inferring is an important aspect for reading because it helps aid in understanding. Comprehension strategies allow readers to know a variety of tools that are beneficial.

Reading is defined as the process of identifying and decoding symbols in order to get meaning out of the symbols. Reading is key in communicating and understanding the world we live in. It is vital to teach children to read, therefore, students can intake knowledge from the texts and books they read. Teaching a child to read from an early age has plentiful benefits such as early literacy, confidence in the class, increased vocabulary, as well as independence. Reading also serves a purpose to those who are hearing or speech impaired. Reading is often a skill that is overlooked and not seen as a necessary tool. Reading serves as a universal way to communicate all over the world, from the prehistoric world to the 21st century.

Education has long been the center of reform with new ideas about learning and teaching. Educators are regularly introduced to new teaching strategies, curricula and rigorous standards in an effort to provide effective instruction to students. However, the pursuit of proficiency in mathematics and reading through the use of research-based methods requires an understanding of the learning models and theories that both drive instruction and learning in the classroom. In this paper I will address the evolution of ideas about learning and teaching in education as well as address the shifts in learning in the 21st century.

In this information–driven age, preparing students to read a variety of texts with complete understanding should likely be one of our educational system’s highest priorities. Understanding is more than just the ability to produce information on demand (knowledge) or the ability to perform learned routines (skills). “Understanding is the ability to think and act flexibly with what one knows.” (Active Learning Practice for Schools, n. d.) A review of the literature in the area of reading comprehension of elementary-age students shows two principle areas of focus. There is a body of literature that examines the development of proficient vs. struggling comprehenders and another body of literature that compares methodologies for teaching