Chapter 8

                Writing is an essential process for any age group and curricula. When a student can effectively transmit their thoughts through writing, it is apparent that they truly understand the material. Generally, teachers present students with on-demand writing to prepare for high-stake testing such as SOLs or SATs. These writers are not learning to write to be beneficial to their learning, but rather to be able to chunk out a summary of information in a short amount of time with a cookie-cutter structure. It is important for teachers to use styles of writing that are more natural to the student and engage their students. Writing is a process and presenting writing throughout the PAR framework can assist students into becoming writers that are more authentic.

                Many times, teachers do not know that they can use writing as part of the preparation phase in the PAR framework. One of my favorite methods presented in the book is cubing. In this method, a cube is made from a tissue box or out of paper. Each side of the cube has another area of focus: Describe, compare, associate, analyze, apply, argue, etc. The areas of focus can be different depending on the topic that the student is learning. I particularly like this method as a future science teacher because it is something that students can make at the beginning of the school year. In my class, I think I would use these six areas of focus: definition(s), theory/hypothesis, people, chronology of events, questions you have, and associations. Each week I would give my students a section/chapter in their textbook to read and they would have to write a journal entry using these six areas of focus.

                On the subject of journals, my favorite assistance phase for writing is the learning logs. Every class, my students will have the homework assignment of writing a learning log where they can answer one of several questions, relate the topic to their life, create a thinking process, or anything else along those lines. The journals will be checked during the warm-up of every class for completion, but will not be shared with the class unless the student wanted to. Letting the student participate in a journal lets them open up and really connect to the topic that is being discussed. I am under the impression that science is not a favorite topic to many and that this can be altered by making it more pertinent to the lives of the students. Once the student has successfully connected the topic to their lives, it will be easier for them to complete the assigned writing.

                Reflecting on the writing is best done through getting feedback from peers and the teacher. Students should always be provided with a writing checklist and/or a rubric so that they know how they will be graded. Peer editing is a great way to get feedback, especially if combined with the C3B4Me concept where students have to contact three of their peers before returning to the teacher. As the teacher, grading will also become easier and less frustrating if students have helped to edit other papers. Using writing in preparation, assistance, and reflection will help students who are at risk or poor readers. When writing becomes a part of every class, writing skills will improve. The key is to keep students interested in what they are writing.

Chapter 6

                      Textbooks are one of the key features to success in the classroom. Providing a good textbook to students gives them the opportunity to expand their knowledge on a given topic. Oftentimes, students will experience texts that are too far above their level. This runs the risk of poor comprehension. Teachers and administration should focus on the textbooks that they choose for the classroom and make sure they are readable to the level of the students. Textbooks now come in traditional text and e-text versions to fit different teaching styles. E-texts are often preferred for their multimodal approaches reaching out to students on many different levels. However, traditional texts should still be used with proper strategies (i.e. read aloud, literature circles, jigsaws, etc.) to best benefit the student’s comprehension.

                Some students might find it difficult to focus on the textbook. Literature circles can be beneficial across the curricula in both content area and multimodal styles. With the content area approach, a single topic is focused and many texts can be referenced. The students can be split up based on the types of readings they are reading (i.e. fiction, non-fiction, biography, etc.) and come together as a group to discuss the topic. Using the multimodal approach incorporates technology throughout the group. The students can be split by different expertise levels (i.e. CEO, illustrator, etc.) and will use a different form of technology depending on their focus. Using these strategies can help a student focus on the text therefore comprehending it on a higher level.

                Teachers should also assess the readability of a text before presenting it to the class. Educators should be on the lookout for red flags such as inconsiderate discourse, text ambiguity, and dumbed-down text. These prevent the reader from appropriately grasping the idea behind the text. When scanning for the appropriate text to use, teachers and administration can use checklists, the “rule of thumb,” and readability formulas. Checklists allow the text to be analyzed based on its pros and cons based on the class needs. Using the rule of thumb lets the teachers consult with the students by seeing how much the student struggles when reading the text. It is important to keep some tougher content to allow growth in the student. Lastly, readability formulas are used to determine the recommended grade level for a specific text.

                Different formulas are currently in place and can be analyzed in different ways. Teachers can even input a section of text into Microsoft Word and use the spelling and grammar tool to assess the overall readability score of the text using the Flesch-Kincaid method. This can be done by adjusting the proofing settings on Microsoft Word allowing for the readability to be analyzed. After the grammar and spelling check is complete, the user is presented with a predicted grade level of the reading. Other readability formulas are in placed with varying levels of student comprehension; however, not one readability formula can be considered the right way. While readability formulas are a good tool for teachers to use when analyzing a text, they should be taken loosely. Grade levels from the scores should be seen as an ambiguous number as it can depend on the topic being discussed and even the writer’s interest in the subject. Readability formulas calculate their values from sentence and word length but this cannot always determine the difficulty of a text. In order to have a more accurate measure, a majority of the text should be used.

                Teachers can test out students’ comprehension of a text by using a couple of different methods called the cloze and maze procedures. The cloze procedure takes portions of text and blanks out certain words or phrases. The student is required to fill in the blanks to the best of their abilities. The maze method is similar but the students are given options to choose from when filling in the blanks. These methods are excellent as they can be used across the curricula. Using these methods and others presented in this chapter, teachers can make reading a more interactive experience for students to help them better comprehend textbooks and other texts they are presented with.

                

The Flesch-Kincaidreading ease of this post: 51.2

Flesch-Kincaid grade level: 10.5 

Chapter 11

                Every classroom faces diverse learners – students with differing levels of achievement, language knowledge, cultural backgrounds, etc. Not many classrooms have the same ratios of these students compared to others. Many teachers think that diverse learners are only those who may be struggling within their classes but the definition is much more than that. It encompasses special education students, at-risk students, students from low-socioeconomic environments, students with low self-esteem, etc. Focusing on the diverse needs of students allows teachers to reach students on a level that potentially no one has before, by including them.

                With the least restrictive environment provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with special needs are now being placed in regular classrooms through a principle called inclusion. This allows students with special needs feel included among their peers with the same workload. Determining a student’s special education status is the role of the student, the parents, and even the educators by using the response to intervention model. This tiered scale indicates the level of intervention that a student should have to succeed throughout school and the tier a child is in can vary throughout their schooling experience depending on the current needs. This intervention model is present to keep students out of special education which is the ultimate goal.

                Some students in the classroom are at-risk of dropping out due to a variety of possible factors. It is important for educators to be able to identify these students and provide a positive, caring setting. With proper guidance, students can become resilient and thrive in school despite other factors in their lives that may be acting against them.

                One of the factors that can inhibit at-risk students is their socio-economic status due to their family not being able to afford supplies that are essential to optimizing the learning experience. Many families can just afford the basics like food and clothes. Students in these settings might have parents who are not employed and may feel like they need to care for their parents or siblings and decide to drop out of school. Helping these students requires the educator to be sensitive and understanding about the situation.

                Other at-risk students may suffer from low self-esteem, or self-efficacy, which can be mended through having a good student-teacher relationship and good peer-peer relationships. It is important to not play favorites within the classroom because low-efficacy students might suffer even lower self-esteem. Avoiding favorites will also build a sense of trust among all of the students that can provide a comfortable setting for all at-risk students, especially though with low self-esteem. Some of the key strategies to focus on include focusing on student strengths, giving students opportunities at their level, and providing a good cooperative learning environment.

                Many diverse learners may struggle with reading but there are ways to assist them. It is important to keep students on track and make sure that they comprehend the material. In order to do this, teachers can implement the PAR framework and keep track throughout the reading of the student’s progress. Giving students goals for what to look for at different stages of reading is crucial. Differentiating the style that a material is learned or read by student can make a huge difference. Teachers should focus on the acronym PLEASE by focusing on physical factors, language, environment, aptitude, SES, and educational factors. If a teacher can pinpoint where a student is struggling, then they can best manipulate the lesson to facilitate learning.

                There are many good strategies that can be used by teachers to benefit diverse learners. One of my favorites mentioned in the book is the mystery clue activity. With this activity, students will have to be able to incorporate information into chronological order in order to solve a problem. This could be very helpful for struggling students when I become a biology teacher as there are many difficult topics with long processes. Another neat activity is the concept formation study guide. Some students just need a little help organizing the information in order to help solve problems about it. This guide helps them do so by providing an area to take directed notes and another area for questions relating to the information collected.

                Chapter 11 has provided me with some interesting insight into the world of diverse learners. I encourage you all to check out the following link below which I discovered while doing some of my own research about diverse learners. This website provides tools and articles for educators and future educators relating to how to work with diverse learners in the classroom.

http://www.tolerance.org/

Evolution Lesson Plan

Hannah Aliyetti

Lesson plan – READ 680

Written Purpose

Within Biology, students must understand how certain features are kept or lost through generations and how new species begin to emerge. By completing the readings, students will also be presented with insight into how theories are formulated and changed over time.

Excerpts

Zoological Philosophy, by Jean Lamarck

On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type, by Alfred Russel Wallace

On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin

SOLS

BIO.8 The student will investigate and understand dynamic equilibria within populations, communities, and ecosystems.

b) How genetic variation, reproductive strategies, and environmental pressures impact the survival of populations;

e) Scientific explanations for biological evolution.

Objectives

- TSWBAT visualize how theories can change over time.

- TSWBAT comprehend the differences between the theories proposed by Darwin, Lamarck, and Wallace and be able to represent them on a pattern guide.

- TSWBAT reflect on the readings through a double-entry journal expression their own thoughts an opinions.

- TSWBAT fill in an unfinished graphic organizer relating the vocabulary to Darwin, Lamarck, and Wallace and will also be able to turn in a well-written short essay summarizing the graphic organizer.

Preparation

Pre-learning concept check on vocabulary: environment, habit, zoology, succession, adaptation, attribute, generation, Charles Darwin, Jean Lamarck, Alfred Wallace, evolution, genetic variation

Students will know what key terms they should be looking for while they are completing the readings. Knowing what vocabulary the class is already familiar with can help to direct the lesson a certain direction if needed. An option with this activity can also be to have the students get together to discuss the terms that they know to enhance other students knowledge of vocabulary if it seems that a majority of students are confused about the terms. Since the readings chosen are professional readings, it is important for students to have an understanding of the terminology before trying to tackle the texts (Richardson et al., 2012, pg. 61).

What-I-Know Activity

        

Students are allowed to continue to explore the information that they already have learned and also propose questions to find out in the "What I'd like to Know" section. Students can work together while coming up with questions so that they are all on the lookout for the answers. While the What-I-Know Activity can encompass all aspects of PAR, I am using it in this lesson plan as a primary source for preparation to get the students thinking about the questions that they should be looking for during the readings (Richardson et al., 2012, pg. 64).

Assistance

Pattern Guide -- Similarities and Differences Map: Lamarck, Wallace, and Darwin

         

While reading, students can add to their map creating a list of similarities and differences between the three naturalists. The relationship between the three naturalists can come to light easier if students are able to have a place to organize their information. Students can answer their questions from the What I Know Activity in the Preparation step to add to their map (Richardson et al., 2012, pg. 95).

Vocabulary List (Organizational Jot Chart)

        

Students will be given an Organizational Jot chart to fill in with the vocabulary terms they were provided in the preparation step with blanks to fill in more if needed. The chart will ask the students to give where they found the word, their definition, and the dictionary definition. The list can then be used as a reference for following classes and also a study guide for the test (Richardson et al., 2012, pg. 191).

Reflection

 Double-Entry Journals

        

Students will pick a quote from each of the three readings and add them to their journals. Next to the quote the student will write a quick paragraph about their thoughts/reactions relating to the quote. The responses should be a reflection of the readings by including some of the author's insights as well as the student's (Richardson et al., 2012, pg. 123).

Student Generated Questions

Students will build off of the questions that they created in the preparation phase and will be asked what types of questions they will expect to see on their quiz for this material. Generating questions gets students to think critically about the material they have been presented. Students can also work together in small groups to cooperatively come up with questions and help each other get the answers to those questions (Richardson et al., 2012, pg. 130).

Evaluation

Graphic Organizer with blanks and essay

         

Students will be handed a graphic organizer that is partially filled in with a list of terms to fill in the remaining blanks (which are numbered). They will then give a reasoning on the back of the sheet with a sentence explaining why they put their chosen term where they did. Lastly, students will submit a short essay (300-500 words) summarizing the graphic organizer as a whole. Points will be awarded at each stage with more points being given for the essay.

Chapter 7: Vocabulary PAR

Having a robust vocabulary is very important in any subject. Vocabulary is a large portion of SAT testing that high school students take to get accepted into their dream schools. Knowing how to find the definitions of words and retaining that information is important. Teachers can help students do this across the entire PAR framework. Using some of the tools presented in the previous chapters can be deemed useful, most notably graphic organizers and concept maps. There are other tools that teachers can use to make sure their students are keeping hold of the information that they are being presented in the aspect of vocabulary.

For the sake of not rambling on about all of the activities presented within Chapter 7 of our text, I will go through my most favorite ones that the book presents for each section of PAR. As far as preparation goes, I like the idea of taking an inventory to see what the students already are familiar with. Using this as a preparation activity also gets their minds set on the task at hand and hints to them that they should be looking out for the terms that they are unfamiliar with. Teachers can help students dissect the vocabulary they are reading by helping them with word roots. One of the classes in high school I found most beneficial for vocabulary was etymology. The semester was centered on learning word roots and determining the meaning of words that we had never seen before

.

Lastly, I would like to focus more on the reflection step as it has one of my favorite activities. Students can use illustrations to make sure they fully understand the concept behind a term. When taking English in 10^th grade, I remember my teacher preparing us for the vocabulary portion of the SAT every class. She presented us with a set of terms at the beginning of the week. The rest of the week she would start off by having us recall the terms by showing us cartoon illustrations. Later in the week, we had to come up with our own sentences and illustrations relating to the terms. I feel like using vocabulary illustrations in this way was more than just reflection. She was really using them across the whole PAR framework over the course of the entire week.

I have never been a huge fan of vocabulary, I would say that is probably one of my biggest areas I have to focus on when I read. I mentioned an example in the previous paragraph about an experience from my tenth grade English class. Let’s jump ahead to my junior year English class. At this point in my life, I was becoming interested in journalism and was a part of the newspaper staff which had a whole class associated with it. I expressed to my 11^th grade English teacher that I wanted to become more proficient in vocabulary and he introduced me to a really neat tool. There was a book he leant me called “Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the SAT.” I felt this book was a really neat tool because I really liked to read and it introduced vocabulary throughout a novel that was written as a mystery. It was not until sophomore and junior year of high school that I really began to understand how to use vocabulary tools most efficiently, but it has made me a better reader since.

Reflection within PAR

This week, we will complete our discussion on the PAR framework by talking about the reflection, or final, portion. Reflecting upon material allows for better retention and can encourage further learning on a topic. One of the main goals of the reflection phase is to allow for students to become autonomous learners, meaning that they become self-regulated. Once students begin to become autonomous learners, they are better at monitoring their level of comprehension throughout the readings and can alter their reading style to compensate if necessary. The reflection phase also allows for students to focus on communication, critical thinking, and critical literacy.

Often times, reflection can occur within groups. A common misconception lies between simple group work versus cooperative learning. While doing typical group work, the student works with others to complete a set of goals dictated by their teacher. Working in a cooperative learning holds students responsible for their own work but also responsible for making sure everyone in the group is getting the material. The effectiveness of cooperative learning lies in several different strategies: rehearsal, elaboration, organization, comprehension, and affective strategies.  These different stages can be achieved through several different activities discussed within the chapter.

Think-pair-share is a strategy that works as a rehearsal step. Students work individually with thought provoking questions then work with a partner to discuss their answers to these and maybe more questions in depth. As a group, the class then gets together to discuss what has been learned. Students are allowed to elaborate through activities such as paired reading and three-step interviews where they talk about a specific section of reading with a designated to help others learn about it. Graphic organizers are a great way to keep what has been read organized. Comprehension can be monitored through activities like rally table and numbered heads together. Rally table gives students an open-ended question and a paper is passed between the students giving everyone an opportunity to put an answer down for the question. In numbered heads together, students are given a number and asked a question. The students are placed into groups based on their numbers and the teacher will then call out a random number and call on a student given that number to answer the question. Lastly, some affective strategies include paired readings and discussion groups.

This chapter presented us with several different activities to use within the classroom to help students reflect on material that has been learned in the lesson. By following the full PAR framework, students should be able to grasp just about any information that has been presented to them. Visit the link below for another popular reflection strategy that was not discussed within the textbook.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/student-goal-setting

Assistance in Learning

Preparation, assistance, and reflection. These are the three steps to the PAR framework that is a common lesson strategy to follow. While in past posts, I have discusses preparation steps within this framework, today I will be focusing mainly on the assistance aspect of it. Reading is a typical routine that occurs in classrooms across the curricula. Whether you are teaching a math class, a science class, or an elementary class, I am sure that you expect your students to read the text that you assign. To some, this process may be burdensome so it is your job as the teacher to facilitate learning and help them overcome this barrier.

Several techniques exist to encourage students to read more actively and comprehend the material that is put before them. As a refresher, the preparation step exists to help the students recall information that they have learned previously that relates to the topic at hand. The assistance step exists to aid the student in understanding the material. Presenting questions with the reading is a good step to take but there are other more effective methods to consider. Having the students create a concept map while they read will help them organize their thoughts while being able to continue to make further connections after the reading is finished. Another good organization tip is to have the students create a chart to organize the information.

In fear of becoming repetitive, questioning students may not be the best way to get them to understand the information; however, using proper formatting when presenting the questions can be essential to fixing this issue. If the questions are presented in such a manner that they follow the text, then the material might be easier for the students to discover. A technique that I learned about in this reading that I felt was interesting and helpful was the Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DR-TA). This method allows the students to predict what the upcoming text will say based on what they previously read and compare it later on to what they actually read. Students can use DR-TA for both fiction and non-fiction readings and study the different parts of the text (ie. Pictures, figures, graphs, titles, etc.). The last activity I would like to bring up were the study guides that do exactly what their title suggests. They guide the reader to finding the information in an orderly fashion.

This reading has helped me get a better grasp of how teachers can engage their students while reading and assist them through the “suffering” that some may feel. How do you feel these techniques can help your field of teaching?