While reading the Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy Instruction, I noticed that the theme was about how to get students to comprehend what they are reading. In Mosaic Thought, they bring up the idea of students who are able to read fluency but using the comprehension strategies only “slows them down.” They bring up the point that many students are not reading books at their level. This means that the students are not reading books that enrich their minds while reading. Are they able to use the comprehension strategies on this book or is there not enough plot to do so? We also talk about this with my fifth graders; a lot of time when the text is not challenging enough you will use the strategies automatically without thinking. This is a great thing, but we want you be challenged.
Fluency is first tested in our classroom through the DRA (Development Reading Assessment). This assessment is done at the beginning and end of each year to see where each student is at for their reading. The assessment looks at their fluency and reading level.
We use a couple of different strategies to teach fluency in my classroom. The first thing that we do is to make sure all of the students are reading ‘just right’ book. This should be a book on their level. We test to see if the book is on their level through the five-finger test, as well as making sure the students understand what they are reading. Then we set goal for the students to help them keep on pace while reading. For instance, we tell them they have a week to finish reading one of their books. My mentor said that she finds students often work best when they have a set in stone goal. This will help them monitor their reading.
In my classroom, we spend most of the time working on silent reading and improving that fluency. The students do not seem to be able to read aloud as much. As a reader, personally, I find I struggle most with reading aloud. While reading their books, how do we know they are reading word for word? Are the students actually reading or are they able to grasp the basic idea of the book? Also, we teach them all of these reading strategies, how can we get them to do them naturally? The strategies will help them become fluent readers, however they how do you get them to them naturally?
I could pull them more for conferencing. I think the only way to really find out how much your students know is to ask them and work with them. We can’t leave all of our ‘assessments’ up to a formal test, we need to work with them as much as possible.
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteI liked reading your post about comprehension. As I was reading I was thinking of the point you made about comprehension and reading strategies slowing them down. It is almost as if the books have to be easier for them to read so that they are only concentrating on comprehension or reading strategies. If they are trying to juggle too many things they are really getting anything out it if. For example if they are struggling with a text that is too hard comprehension pretty much flies out the window because they are concentrating on only reading the words on the page.
However, if we teach them strategies while reading an easier book the comprehenion of that strategy is easier to understand.
Comprehension is a huge factor of literacy and sometimes it seems like a student is great at reading because of fluency. But with the experiences I have had with students, they read great but they don't comprehend anything. It is so important to take that extra step and see if they understand what it is that they are reading.
Nice post, always something to think about!=)