Reading Program

The reading program provides special instructions for English language learners. However, due to lack of resources, my cooperating teacher is unable to implement them. The special instructions include a lot of small-group work and guided reading among the English language learners. She does her best to sit the English language learners together. If possible, I or a resource teacher, provides special instruction occasionally.

During independent reading, English language learners are able to pick books that interest them and flip through the pages, occasionally reading the words. For the students with IEP’s a resource teacher is available during shared-reading and whole-class reading. She is there, specifically, to instruct them. The students with IEP’s have no trouble picking books and reading them out to their level and peace.

The SmartBoard activities are designed for differentiated instruction. Students with IEP’s and the English language learners have no trouble participating in the activities for phonics and phonemic awareness.

For comprehension, English-language learners are, sometimes, allowed to complete their work in their primary language. Therefore, their language is not a barrier in assessing their comprehension.

Explicit Instruction

At the beginning of the week, my cooperating teacher spends time explicitly explaining concepts and directions. For example: She introduces the vocabulary at the beginning of the week.

Model

Throughout the entire week, the reading program asks her to model every concept. At the beginning of the week, my cooperating teacher models activities, as well as at the end of the week. Although the themes, vocabulary words, and strategies are the same, the activities change throughout the week. My cooperating teacher models every activity before assigning it to the class.

Guided Practice

Every SMARTboard activity is a guided practice opportunity. My cooperating teacher lets the students come up to the board, and take turns completing activities. She stands near the SMARTboard to assist any students that are struggling.

Scaffold

At the end of the week, students are expected to

read a short story

use the comprehension strategies that they learned that week

use their vocabulary words in conversation

construct words, using their phonics theme

Reading a big book- A big book is read, by the teacher, during whole-class reading. This tests their listening comprehension. Throughout the story, the teacher asks them questions about foreshadowing, retelling, predicting, etc. Students review the key concepts of the big book days later. Then, they reread the book as a class. At the end of the week, they must retell the events of the book.

Vocabulary words from shared reading- Words are explicitly taught using an example and a definition. Then a follow-up question to ensure they understand each word. Throughout the week, they review the words. At the end of the week, it is the students who must define the words, give an example, and share it with the class.

Words coinciding with phonic theme- Students are given 5-20 words on the SMARTboard. Individually, the students are called up to answer questions or underline sounds.

Shared reading- Students use their Reading/Writing Workshop books to read as a class or with partners.

Introducing sounds (short a, th, ng, etc.)- Students are introduced to the sound, and engage in SMARTboard activities to familiarize themselves with words that contain those sounds. 

Review- Students review the phonics theme in a SMARTboard activity. Students take turns participating.

Isolating sounds- Students learn strategies to sound-out a word. First the teacher models, then a guided practice activity is given on the SMARTboard.

Categorizing sounds- Students listen to words and categorize them by their beginning, middle, or end sound.

In my field-placement, my cooperating teacher has been unable to have guided reading instruction. She has yet to receive the materials necessary. Reading Wonders does have a Guided Reading program but it has not been implemented in my classroom.

Recently, she has started script-reading and assigning parts to each student. They are currently reading and performing a short rendition of Frosty the Snowman.

The students in my field placement use individual books during whole-class reading. They refer to them as the "Reading/Writing Workshop" books. Every week has a specific concept that relates to the thematic unit.

During shared reading, teachers go over four areas: vocabulary, phonics/fluency, comprehension, and writing/grammar.

For example:

Unit 1, Week 1- At School

Vocabulary- does, not, school, what

Phonics/Fluency- short a sound, and a short story containing many short a sounds

Comprehension- Discovering key details, finding text evidence