Blog 2- Reading Comprehension

Brief Summary

The main topic this week is reading comprehension, which is the interactive process between text, reader and instruction. When comprehensive reading is expected, many students are taught skills such as finding the main idea, looking for details, or drawing conclusions. These are supposed to help the students better understand what they are reading. According to the media and texts from our lesson this week, it takes more than just telling our students to do these things. Teachers engage students in comprehensive learning through motivation, choosing topics that interest students, giving a purpose, and considering students’ prior knowledge (Alvermann, 165). Teachers must model how to read comprehensively. As the article Literacy Instruction for Adolescents states,  “Students need to witness a skilled reader explaining the various ways that he or she makes meaning from the text” (Wood, 355). I remember many of my teachers in school doing just this. They would read a passage and then talk through it out loud to the class. It was very effective because I always had a better understanding by the end of it. Modeling how to use reading graphs and charts is another important strategy in enhancing reading comprehension. After a teacher has modeled for their students, they must allow their students to practice the behaviors with a little guidance, and then eventually independently. One other strategy for comprehensive reading that is discussed in the article is reciprocal teaching. This involves the students acting as leaders and working with their peers to read. Students read texts together and then summarize, question, clarify, and predict (Wood, 338).

Critical reflection

The information and strategies about comprehensive reading instruction discussed in the course readings and minilecture this week is all very valuable. It is very important that students have the proper instruction and guidance on how to comprehend texts. Students will be more likely to engage in reading if it is interesting to them and they know how to properly sort out their ideas. Using background knowledge to enhance comprehensive reading can be a difficult task, especially if there is classroom that is very diverse culturally as well as academically. If this is the case, teachers will have to make sure they give a bit of a background on the topic to the students so that they can all be on the same level.

Implications for teaching

In my future classroom, I will be sure to always make sure that my students know the purpose for why they are reading on a certain topic. For example, if my string orchestra is playing a piece by Strauss, I may have them read a paragraph or two about Strauss’ life and the history that happened during his time. I would tell my students that the reason why they are reading the text is because it will help them to better understand why Strauss wrote the piece the way he did. Or if we were playing an arrangement of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, I would have the students read the poems that go with the piece. This would help them to better understand and visualize what the music has to say.

I also will use modeling, specifically showing them how to make diagrams. I feel that this is especially helpful when sorting ideas from a text. Venn Diagrams are a great way to compare and contrast two concepts.

Relationship to Standards

This weeks readings and media relate to a lot of what is expected in the music education reading instruction standards. Strand 1 in the standards requires that the music teacher understands how motivation, background knowledge, motivation and interest impacts comprehension. These are the topics that were discussed in course readings. Students are expected to use a variety of strategies to expand their reading, writing and speaking skills. These strategies such as teacher modeling, reciprocal teaching, and creating graphs were discussed in detail in the course readings.

Blog # 1

Brief Summary

Chapter 1 of “Content Area Reading and Literacy” defined three different types of readers: active, independent and fluent. It is important that we as teachers can guide our students so that they will be successful at one, or all three of these reader types.

Active readers are constantly asking questions about the content they are reading, as well as monitoring (checking for understanding). A successful active reader knows how to separate the important information from unimportant information. Active readers also are great at open-forum discussions, in which they can interact with their peers. 

The independent reader is one who is also an independent learner. They are able to make connections from their own experiences to what they are reading and make judgments about the quality/value of what they read. Independence takes time and guidance from both peers and teachers to help interpret, clarify, and explain texts that are read. Lastly, fluency in readers is determined by the ability to comprehend texts based on "speed, accuracy, and appropriate expression" (Alvermann et al, 9).

This chapter also introduces the term "content literacy." Content literacy is "the ability to use reading and writing strategies to learn new content" (Alvermann et al, 10). Writing strategies can include personal response, journals and diagrams to reflect on text.  If the students are successful in accomplishing the reading types above, they are more likely to be successful with content literacy. Module 1 explains that reading in the different content areas usually applies for middle and secondary levels because these students are reading to learn versus learning to read. Motivation and reader interest was also an important theme in helping students to better comprehend texts in content areas. 

Critical Reflection

The ideas/terms above are important because there will be many different readers in a classroom. It is important that the teacher is aware of this and can create activities that will foster the growth of each student's reading skills. I also think that the statement made in Module 1 (students in the secondary and middle levels are reading to learn) is an important thing to keep in mind. Teachers need to realize that even though this is what they expect the students at those ages to do, they may actually not be at that level yet. Teachers may have to guide them and teach them the skills and strategies to effectively read to learn. 

As I was reading about content literacy strategies, I found myself disagreeing with the claim that "educators who teach from a reader response perspective put too much emphasis on personal and individual interpretation" (Alvermann et al, 16). I believe that a student's input and interpretation is extremely important because it allows the student to really think about a topic. They can relate it to their own experiences and get their thoughts down on paper (if they are journaling). It is also a good way for the teacher to get to know the thoughts and ideas of his/her students. Teachers can still show their students how to think critically of a text, but to think critically, you must know where you stand first. 

Module 1 explained how motivation is a strategy that should be used to help students comprehend subject areas better. I agree with this. When a student is motivated, they are reading because they are interested in the topic and feel that they have the ability to complete the task. Module 2 talked about how many textbooks are not well written or not engaging, and this is an important thing to think about as a teacher. When deciding on a textbook, make sure that it is also visually appealing and a good fit for your students. 

Implications for Teaching 

In the music classroom, students don't necessarily read textbooks on how to play music, but they do use method books and read music notes off of scores. I can definitely use some of the strategies listed above to help my future students to better comprehend and read in my classroom. The first, and most important in my mind, deals with motivating the students. I can do this by finding out what their interests are, what kinds of music they like and include those things into my daily lessons. For example, if I were teaching a middle school string orchestra, I would find an arrangement of a popular song on the radio for them to play. This would get them excited to learn it, and because it is an arrangement, it will be suitable for their playing level. I could also go further and teach them about the history of American pop music. In this lesson I would use the active reading strategy of having the students read about the history and then make a timeline or diagram of important events/artists/musical characteristics. 

Relationship 

This week’s readings and modules speak true to what the standards for Music Education state. Music teacher are expected to understand the methods of motivation and using reader interest to impact comprehension. Both the media and Chapter 1 of Alvermann talked about the importance of these two things. The second standard listed in the Music Education document is the ability to use a wide range of instructional practices to support reading and writing. Chapter 1 of Alvermann explained a few approaches to help comprehension such as peer discussion, self-reflection, and generating questions/monitoring.