The Threads of Reading Blog » high achievement

Understanding the Characters

KTankersley — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:53:58 +0000

In our diverse culture, students bring their own culture to the reading experience. We can help students better understand the characters in the fiction they are reading by asking them to consider the perspectives a character might have rather than looking at the issues or problems from their own background or cultural perspective. Some questions we can ask that can help guide students in their thinking are the following:

1) Would you have felt like that if (event) happened to you?

2) How might you have felt (reacted) in that situation?

3) How is (character) different from you?

4) Since (character) is different in this way, how do you think s/he might have felt in this situation?

5) What clues in the story tell you how s/he might have been feeling?

This type of discussion helps students focus more on why something happened and also helps them learn to identify a different perspective from their own. This may also help students better accept different perspectives and reactions in their own world.

Silver Bullets for Instructional Success

KTankersley — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:07:04 +0000

Research indicates that there are two instructional strategies that, when done well, can boost students’ reading abilities: Sustained silent reading and direct vocabulary instruction. Yet, says Robert Marzano, no schools or districts in the United States have created programs that combine the two. The strategies, observes Marzano, are silver bullets “just sitting out there.”

Teaching Reading for Long-Term Mastery

KTankersley — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:19:00 +0000

One of the complaints I hear from teachers is having to spend a substantial amount of time each year preparing students to take state assessment instruments. My stance is is that this is not necessary. We can take a few good lessons from how the coaches of Olympic athletes prepare their protegees for that all important day. For years, prior to the actual Olympic event, these coaches provide guidance to build muscles, increase endurance and build stamina in the young athletes. As the big day finally approaches, they refine their instruction so that their mentees can maximize their performance and do their best. So too, should teachers provide long-term practice over the entire course of the school year. No matter what state, most typical state reading tests focus on four text elements: main idea and supporting details; relationships (sequential, comparative, or cause and effect; generalizations or conclusions; or some facet of the author’s craft or writing style. To ensure that students will score well on these tasks, using them regularly throughout the year. When students are used to analyzing stories in this way on a daily basis, it is second nature to respond appropriately on state tests. For more helpful tips on maximizing student performance, see “Tests that Teach: Using Standardized Tests to Improve Instruction.” (ASCD, 2007). You can pick up a copy of “Tests that Teach” from the main pages of my website.