Shared Readings: Modeling Comprehension, Vocabulary, Text Structures, and Text Features for Older Readers September 27, 2009

The research and findings contained in this article were extremely informative and gave me a new insight into reading instruction.  Using shared readings in the classroom is a vital component to assure that students reading skills are growing and developing.  As teachers, we cannot expect students to simply “know how to read.”  Yes, they may have learned how to decode words using phonics and know how to read a passage.  However, as we discussed in RE 3030, is just knowing how to read a sentence phonetically correct the same as comprehending what is read and being able to process and use that information?  I believe the answer to that questions is, “No.”  We have to teach students how to authentically take a piece of liteature and read it, understand it, use it, OWN IT.

For me, modeling was an important component in my journey to becoming a reader.  Although it was somewhat different from what is being described here, its worth is still valid.  My mother, who is currently an elementary school teacher and has been for 34 years, read to me from the time I was born.  Hearing her read, seeing her point to each word, processing the information I heard, and listening to the inflection and emphasis she put on certain words, helped me become an early, strong reader.  At one point, around the age of 2 and 1/2 years old, I had listened to her read “Cinderella” so many times that I could sit down with that book, point to each word, and read it aloud.  I was actually able to read, not just have the words memorized, around age 3.  Word recognition and using text structure and text features (although I did not know it at the time) have always been important methods which have aided in my reading abilities.  Therefore, my experience, and I’m sure many others, can serve as a success story to the practie of modeling.  As an elementary student, I remember using the shared reading strategies, such as echo reading, choral reading, and cloze reading.  As a preservice teacher, I have found that cloze reading is extremely effective, especially when having students read certain vocabulary words (that are phonetically related) independently.  This gives them practice, and as we know, practice makes perfect.

I really like the fact that the article explained which strategies were used most often.  It served as a guide to help me know which ones I should focus on the most.  I did not find it surprising that comprehension was the most frequently used strategy to model reading.  As we know, authentic reading is based on comprehension and is vital if reading is to be meaningful.  I found the examples of the ways teachers modeled reading comprehension to be like Text Talk, a type of reading comprehension lesson we used in Dr. Schlagals RE 3030 class.  I only have one question, before we read a story and share our thinking with students, should we ask them to pretend like they are asking these questions?  If we encourage them to think as if they are “in our shoes,” will this serve as an even greater modeling strategy?  I think it would.  I also found many similarities or ways the reading comprehension questions could be used in a double entry diary.  For example, on page 550, the Charlotte’s Web example reminds me of questions and connections someone could ask themselves or make when completing a double entry diary.  It also allows students to connect their own opinions with the literature.  I really like the multiple ways in which this could be used.  The term, metacognition, seemed to play a huge role in reading comprehension.  This was interesting since we just discussed it in RE 4040 with Dr. Frye.  It means using “big thinking” which is exactly what comprehension is.  Students can read a passage and know what they are reading, but not have to pay attention to this fact (by picking apart each word).

The second strategy of shared readings is vocabulary.  I think this is extremely important, and its value in upper elementary school classrooms cannot be ignored.  The three systems included in this strategy are context clues, word parts, and resources.  These strategies reminded me of the phrase “ask three before me” used by my teacher at my internship.  She encourages the students to ask three students around them before they ask her.  Using these strategies help students become independent learners.  As teacher, we have to remember that “we are guides, not a sage on the stage.”  Encouraging students to become independent learners can help them in all facets of life.  I also found it beneficial that each system meets a standard course of study goal/objective.  Learning how to find context clues focuses on discovering definitions, synonyms, antonyms, comparisions, contrasts, descriptions, and examples.  Teachers can use these strategies simultaneously to meet several goals.  I also found the system of word parts to be intriguing.  Knowing what different parts of a word means and being able to put those together to create the meaning of a single word is pretty awesome.  Making real-life connections to these parts of words is even more interesting to me, and I would like to know more about how the brain works in processing and making connections with these things.  Using valid resources is also another skill students need to develop.  They can practice this skill here by using the Internet and books to find out the meaning of a word.  The point is, vocabulary study can be fun.  Using games or songs will help students remember vocabulary much better by making meaningful connections.

The third section, concerning text structures, was very familiar to me.  I feel as if I use text structures constantly in my reading and writing practices.  I used organizational features to organize my thinking, especially when reading or writing notes and blogs.  As modeled in this blog entry, I have divided my responses according to each section used in the article.  (It would really confuse me if I just wrote one large paragraph.)  Highlighting these sections and reading and discussing their information step by step, provides students with a strategy they can easily use on their own.  It helps them not become overwhelmed, as well as helping them make sense of information by categorizing it.  The can also use these categories when organizing and double entry diary.  Taking notice of certain features such as plot and climax in a narrative selection will also help them become better analyzers of what they read.  For example, processing information in this way could be the deciding factor on how well they do on the End-of-Grade test.

The fourth section is modeling with text features.  Teachers can model how to use text features by going through the chapter and simply reading all of the headings.  The teacher could then conduct a KWL with the students, asking them what they think they know and what they want to know, before they read the entire passage.  Afterwards, the KWL could be completed with what the students learned.  Text features also provided multiple learners with resources to aid them in their reading.  For example, some students have great comprehension strategies, and by simply reading a text can comprehend it.  However, others need graphs, pictures, and charts to help them make connections.  Pointing out these features is a great way to include all students and force them to think on a higher level.  My favorite way to use text features involves the writing connection.  Studying the way an article or book is written is a great way for students to model and use these organizational strategies in their own writing.  As we can see, modeling should not be something we discourage.  It should be encouraged.  How can we become better writers if we do not learn from the best?  I love the term, “marinate,” that Dr. Frye uses, and I think it is the best way to model good reading and writing practices for our students.  We have to “marinate” our students in good, solid pieces of work.  They have to read it, study it, and practice using it.  Maybe it’s not just that pracitice makes perfect, but focusing on exactly what they are practicing.  I thinking “modeling makes perfect” would be a better phrase.

Finally, I also like how each of the four strategies provided examples of being used in a lower and upper elementary classroom with students who have multiple intelligences.  It encourages teachers to start simple and then build on what students already know how to do.  I am currently interning in a fourth grade classroom, and I can connect these ideas with several different ways they could be used in my classroom.  However, I was also able to find ways I could implement certain strategies in a kindergarten classroom.  It was also nice to find that these strategies can be used simultaneously.  Modeling just one at a time would make the process cut and dry, not lending itself to a variety of ideas.  Therefore, the reading comprehension strategies work just as our minds do, sorting through hundreds of ideas and focusing on the most important.  If some students are not able to handle this, one teacher suggested that she uses the guided instruction time to focus on specific strategies with such students.  This helps meet the needs of all students.

Meeting the Needs of Low Spellers in a Second-Grade Classroom September 23, 2009

As the author mentioned in the beginning, I think it is extremely important for us to realize that spelling is inextricably related to reading and writing.  I also learned that spelling is a process that evolves over time.  Therefore, it only makes sense to teach spelling in a sequential pattern.  We should never give students a list of words that are not in their developmental level of understanding.  I have always thought it silly and trivial to give students a list of “Thanksgiving words” to memorize for a test during November.  How is learning to spell turkey helpful in learning how to spell cornucopia?

I was also very interested in three stages of learning to spell.  The semi-phonetic stage, the phonetic state, and within-word pattern stages seem to follow a logical sequence, and I believe it makes teaching and learning these steps much more plausible when they are grouped in these categories.  I can relate my knowledge of these stages to last semester’s RE 3030 class with Dr. Schlagal.  During our internship, we administer several of the reading assessments.  As a child, I remember I always wanted every word I wrote to be spelled correctly.  I also see this tendancy coming out in my teaching practices.  I like every student’s writing to be grammatically correct.  However, it is important that I realize and practice this notion of spelling phonetically correct.  A kindergartener or first grader who spells the word sleep as “slepe” is still understanding the concepts and processes of phonics.  Through these assessments, I can take what they are having trouble on and use this as a guide for what I should teach them.

Overall, I think it is a wonderful idea to split students into groups and give them varied spelling lists.  It would be a major disservice for teachers not to promote their differences in order to help them gain an academic advantage.  I also really like the data information provided after each assessment.  I found it extremely reliable that a set standard was placed on the reading levels, which makes it much more reliable for teachers to use.  They are not using a guess and check method, but using actual data that has been gathered and studied.

I thought the “organizing for spelling instruction” section was the most beneficial.  It gave me actual ideas and resources I will most certainly ues in the future.  I also enjoyed see the break down of the days of the week with the activites that were involved in each day.

Finally, I can see how implementing the multi-level spelling instruction practices can be vital in the early elementary grades.  Without an early, firm, strong foundation in these types of spelling, reading, and writing skills, the word study practices discussed in the intermediate grades will not be valuable for students.  Therefore, early elementary education teachers have a high sense of responsibility to set their students up for success by putting them in appropriate ability level groups.

Bringing word study to intermediate classrooms September 23, 2009

I absolutely loved this article.  I could tell the authors were excited about using word study in exciting and innovative ways, and that made me all the more excited.  I honestly have to say that when someone puts enthusiasm into something, they can usually “sell it” to me, no matter what it is.  Therefore, when teaching students, we have to put time, effort, and enthusiasm into the lessons we plan for them.  I chose to read this article for two reasons.  The first reason is because I am becoming more interested in the upper elementary grades.  I feel as if I do not know as much about the type of instruction that occurs in these grade levels, and I would like to know more about it.  Also, I am currently doing my intership in a fourth grade classroom.  I thought it would be most beneficial to me to glean some ideas from this article that I would hopefully use in my classroom.

Interestingly enough, we don’t often think of having to do a word study in the intermediate grades.  We often think students have already learned all those things and now it is time to learn comprehension strategies.  However, I learned that even comprehension strategies can be supported through a word study.  For example, the “Roots and Branches” chart can be used to break down the meaning of the Latin or Greek root word.  It expands beyond that to include a variety of words and their definitions.  Having this visual aid can help students see how all these words are related.  This is a very important concept in the intermediate grades.  The possibilities of using a words study are seemingly endless which is a really exciting proposition for me as a beginning teacher.

The first thing I noticed about the article was that it reviewed a great deal of the word patterns.  We learned these extensively in RE 3030, and it was refreshing to know that I recognized these and knew how to use them.  It was also very helpful because as I reviewed each one, I was able to think of ideas and ways to teach each type.  It not only reviewed the word patterns that should be learned in the intermediate grades, but it discussed the basic word study patterns such as C-V-C and C-V-C-e.  I made the connection between the fact that they included these beginning word study patterns because not all students will be instructionally ready to learn concepts such as syllable juncture pattern in the fourth grade.  They may still be grasping the concept of C-V-C and C-V-C-e.  Therefore, elementary teachers have to know a wide variety of word study patterns used across each grade (K-8).

I also found it interesting that students build reading, writing, and spelling concepts through oral language.  Teachers should integrate these concepts and make a sequence of events where it flows smoothly from one to the other.  Students should be able to see how each concept is related.  By doing this, it will greatly increase their retention rate.  This also supports the fact that students should learn the word study patterns in a sequence.  It is foolish to think a fourth grader can learn homographs-syllable juncture stage when they haven’t even learned all of the simple vowel patterns.  It should be a process of mastery, where students master a concept before moving on to the next.  I believe that is one of the huge problems in schools today.  We are rushing to get through the material so quickly that we just learn general bits and pieces while forgetting the rest.

The thing I enjoyed the most was finding that a word study can be modified to meet the needs of multiple students.  For example, on page 252, the article mentions teachers became more comfortable with the word study as they used it more often and became familiar with making changes to fit individual students.  I connected this with the social studies/reading article as well.  For instance, if you have three reading/spelling groups, it should be no different for word study.  The word study activites you give a student should be based on an individual level of achievement.  I also like that the word study promotes placing students at their instructional level.  By providing just enough challenge in the appropriate sequence, teachers can scaffold kids learning and see improvements almost immediately.  By taking little extra time, which will be well worth it in the end, you can help all your students work at their instructional level.  Overall, I thought all the ideas, such as the homophone dictionary and the homograph concentration, were superb.  I plan on keeping this article as a resource for the future.

Instructional-Level Social Studies Trade Books September 23, 2009

With social studies and literature being my two favorite subjects, this article really intrigued me and taught me a great deal about how to use these two subjects to teach.  I believe one of the most powerful statements was at the end, written by Betts.  On page 15, it reads, “Teaching is the practical recognition of differences.  Until differences among the pupils of a given class are recognized, instruction cannot be on a sound, effective, systematic basis.  A ‘class’ or a ‘grade’ is an abstraction; it exists in the teacher’s mind or nervous system…No one has ever seen a ‘first-grade class,’ or a ‘fifth-grade class.’  What a teacher should ‘see’ is a group of individuals, unique unto themselves.”  I do not believe that we can understand any of the levels of instruction without fully understanding this first.  As teachers, we so often think of our classroom as a whole.  For example, they are a whole class of second graders.  They work and function as one.  This could not be more from the truth.  Throughout my substitute teaching experiences, as well as my internships, I have seen this concept of seeing each child as an individual over and over again.  Each child is so extremely unique.  They come from different backgrounds, have different perspectives on education, have different interests, and learn different ways.  I believe the most important here is that they learn different ways.  I cannot simply teach a social studies/literature lesson by reading a passage out of a book.  That would only meet the needs of the auditory learners.  What about the learners who learn best by doing?  By seeing?  By a combination of these things?  I would be doing a major disservice to my students if I did not prepare instruction for students with multiple learning strategies.  Thankfully, this article gave me some great ideas as to how I can do this.

The section of the article that really struck a chord with me was at the beginning.  I have always been a good reader, and I never had trouble comprehending what I read.  Therefore, it is difficult for me to relate to the student, Jon, who was mentioned in the article.  However, as a teacher, I will need to empathize with students like Jon and create real solutions to help students like him.  The section I learned a great deal from was when it discussed Jon, who was unmotivated and quite frankly, beaten down by the instructional strategies employed by his teacher.  He was at his frustration level, proven by the fact that he couldn’t read very well and when he read out loud he asked the teacher when his turn was up so she could pick someone else.  I got the feeling of frustration right along with him as I read this section.  It only makes sense that giving students materials that are too hard to read would weaken interest and cause frustration. 

I also made several connections between our discussion in class today and this article.  Since we know that a poor reading rate will affect motivation, it should also make sense that a poor reading rate will affect comprehension.  This is exactly what we discussed in class today.  If a student can not automatically decode a word, then their ability to comprehend a passage with those words is weak.  This was proven on page 5 which states, “Over time, this restricted reading practice (due to the fact that he can’t read very many words per minute) contributes to deficits in sight vocabulary, fluency, and content knowledge.”  If a student is not at their instructional level, reading material that is not too hard, but not too easy, then they will never make gains.  We want “maximum development” (page 6) to occur.  This can only occur when students are challenged, successful at these challenges, and never frustrated.  As a child, I remember how I used to feel when I would get frustrated doing something.  I didn’t even want to try it again.  This is exactly how our students will feel if they are placed in the wrong grade level.  I also learned that the instructional level is not just giving them “easy work.”  It providing them with work that may require some instruction but comes next in the sequence of their developmental process.  Picking instructional level books also help students practice vocabulary or concepts again and again (page 11).  For instnace, if they see a word pattern they are having trouble on, the teacher can easily scaffold them by using this pattern as a part of their spelling test.

I also learned specific strategies on how to treat each reading level group of students.  On page 7, it discusses the three reasons most children have reading disabilities.  They are lowered expectations, lowered levels of reading practice, and lowered motivation.  I can definitely identify with the fact that lowered expectations have a negative affect on reading.  I was always involved in the A.G. program during my school career.  I can distinctly remember a time when the A.G. students were having to do a different project than the other students, although it was similar.  I will never forget a teacher telling the A.G. students she had high expectations for us, while she did not expect as much from the other students.  One of the students in the other group said that she did not want to workon this project and if the teacher didn’t care, she didn’t care.  We can never, ever give the impression that students at lower levels should not have high expectations for their work.  Most of the time, students want to please, and if we set the bar high, they will more than likely surpass it.

I also really identified with the suggestion that a teacher should get to know a student personally before helping them pick their trade book.  Even though I try to pick books that will broaden my spectrum of thinking, I know that I tend to pick books that I can relate to or am interested in.  A book about the South, the Civil War, a love story, or an adventure are sure keepers for me.  I never realized how important this method would be, and I most certainly plan on using this strategy in the classroom.

After reading this article, I also have some questions.  My mother is a second grade teacher and last year, she had a student in her class who could read any word you put in front of her.  She could decode that word and say it correctly.  However, even when she was reading at her grade level, she could not comprehend what she was reading.  When answering comprehension questions about something she had just read, she was not able to answer the questions.  What does this imply?  How do you find an instructional level for this student?  Also, is it a good idea for students to keep a “continuing dictionary?”  In it, they will write down words they do not know while reading their instructional materials and look up the definition in the dictionary.  Below the definition, the teacher could even have them write what the word means in the context of the story.  I think this would provide students with an opportunity to learn on their own, without the teacher telling them the answer straightforward.

Finally, I think the human aspect of it all is the most fascinating.  So often we get caught up in the academic part of teaching that we do not see the personal side that is so very important.  In fact, most of the reasons students have reading disabilities relates to personal issues such as motivation, practice, and expectation: items that can easily be fixed with the right instructional materials.  As I perused through the list of books, I found some awesome books that I most certainly will use in my classroom.  However, it is interesting, and exciting, to know that I might use books from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade all in the same classroom.

Sadie Mae Ensley…A new addition to our family! September 23, 2009

Well, my husband called me today and asked me what I thought about getting a dog.  He told me that he read in the paper that a family in our county wanted to give away a redbone hound (coon dog) that they had found abandoned and had nursed back to health.  Initially, I was extremely excited!  I love dogs and have always had at least one or two dogs throughout my entire life.  However, my husband, Miles, and I have not yet gotten a dog, simply because we are both busy and do not know exactly what kind we wanted.  We knew we wanted to “rescue” a dog.  Whether it be from a pound or from a person who could not keep the dog, we knew we wanted it to be a matter in which we were helping out a dog and the previous owner.  My favorite types of dogs are daschunds, German shepards, hound dogs, and labs.  We also agreed that we really like “muts” because my parents have one currently and it is just a mix of sweetness and goodness!   So, we knew to be on the look out for dogs like this.  Also, I told Miles the other day that I wanted our first dog to be a girl named Sadie.  Well, get this.  He went to pick up the dog today, and the man giving her away said that they had already named her Sadie but we could change it if we wanted to.  Miles told me this and I was like, “No way are we changing it!  It is like this was meant to be!”  So, now we have a precious, ten month old redbone hound dog.  She has a lot of puppy left in her and is very active!  I love her to death already!  Here is a pic of my sweet girl…

Sadie Mae Ensley - Redbone Hound (a.k.a. Coon Dog)

All I need to know about research and learning, I learned from an Internet workshop. September 19, 2009

Little did I know while I was completing the internet workshop at home, I was learning a great deal not only about what they are, but how I can implement in a variety of ways.  It was not until our discussion in class on Thursday that I was able to collect all of my ideas and find that these ideas culminated into a huge lesson that I can effectively use as a teacher.  I have always realized how important it is to use legitimate resources when researching a topic, simply because you want the correct information.  However, I did not realize how vital this would be to the learning process of a student.  I was really impressed with the activities supporting an internet workshop, such as locating internet sites, designing the research activity, completing the research activity, and sharing information in the workshop.  Each of these support learning in such a critical way, that I cannot imagine introducing and teaching a new topic with out them.  The Internet workshops are such a great way to do this, that I will most certainly be using them in my unit lesson plans.  I gleaned so many ideas on how to teach a unit, such as “the launch” and finding that you do not have to give a 30-minute lecture to teach about buccaneers.  There are so many creative ways to do this, along with discussion (which I love), and it really excites me about teaching and using units!

Rain, Rain September 9, 2009

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Rain, rain

pitter, patter

Rain, rain

splitter, splatter.

“Won’t you come another day?”

“No!,” we proclaim.

“Yay!, we exclaim.

For the joyful sounds

of rain

are coming our way!

I Wish September 9, 2009

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I wish

the dusky black fly,

clinging

to the wall,

was as translucent as its wings,

telling me

all its secrets.

Learning vs. Teaching September 9, 2009

Today, while I was on campus, I overheard a girl say, “I am nervous about teaching.  I mean, I can learn stuff, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to teach it.”  This statement really made me stop and reflect.  What is learning?  What is teaching?  (See, I really like to ask reflect questions.  Hopefully, it will keep you asking for more. )  Anyway, as I kept pondering this statement I came up with some ideas.  You can’t teach without learning, and as a result, you can’t learn without teaching.  Furthermore, have you really learned something if you can’t teach it to someone else?  If you have truly learned something, shouldn’t you be able to teach it to others?  Don’t we ask our students to explain things to us (a form of learning and teaching), so we can check for understanding?  Does learning and teaching go hand-in-hand or are they two isolated things?

The statements made by the girl not only caused me to think, but they concerned me.  How are we supposed to be effective teachers if we can’t communicate (teach) what we have learned?  Did any learning really take place if this scenario is not possible?  As an education major and soon-to-be educator, I feel like a majority of our professors have done a substantially fine job of promoting this, “I learn; therefore, I teach” mentality.  I hope to implement this type of learning style in my own classroom, where learning is meaningful and applicable.  I am all about what we do, as students and teachers, being useful in the real-world.

What do you think?

All About Pirates! – Articles September 9, 2009

The two articles I read about pirates, Pirates in Historical Fiction and Nonfiction: Twin-Text Unit of Study and Swashbuckling Adventures on the High Seas, were excellent resources to me as I start to think about using and teaching pirates in the classroom.  It was also a wonderful springboard for the ideas I would like to implement in my literature unit.

First and foremost, I really enjoyed how the unit integrated social studies and literature.  These are my two favorite subjects.  Since I know I will be using these a great deal in my classroom, I have often thought of how I could use these two subjects to teach other subjects.  For example, I could use pirates to teach about math.  If we were learning about graphing, we could use pirate names, the number of raids each pirate made, and how much loot they captured.  The possibilities are endless which is another reason why literature, paired with social studies, is such an exciting way to learn.  While reading this article, I also learned another method of teaching social studies which is very beneficial.  For instance, the students read stories from two different genres, historical fiction and informational.  This allowed students to see that the information about about Jake (what he did, where he went, what he used, etc.) was not fabricated.  By reading the informational text, they can see that these things were real, important, everyday things in this time period.  It helps students grasp what is real and what is not real by juxtaposing fiction and nonfiction.

I also gleaned some great ideas for the unit I will be planning.  Getting students involved immediately is extremely vital if we want to capture their interest and pique their curiosity.  Genuine, active learning can take place only if these things are present.  For instance, I liked how the students were allowed to rotate around the room, exploring and discovering new things about pirates.  Maybe the pirate ship interested one student, while the life of a pirate interested another.  By doing this, it helps the students expand and broaden their horizons, because the teacher is not limiting them to learning one thing.  It can also spark a year-long, or even lifelong, curiosity and passion for learning about a particular subject.  Therefore, I need to incorporate active learning where students are allowed to learn while finding things that interest them.

There were several methods of learning and teaching that I found useful.

The first was learning about how the teachers used the KWL strategy.  Until now, I did not realize how important this method of teaching and learning actually is, but now I see its benefits and uses.  It not only helps the student understand where they are in their learning, but it helps the teacher find a starting point from which he/she can effectively provide instruction.

Another method of learning that I really appreciated from this unit was that the students were allowed to make a dictionary for themselves.  They weren’t asked to write the dictionary definition, but to put the meaning in their own words and draw a picture if necessary.  These kinds of connections create student ownership of their work.  I believe when students feel a sense of ownership, of their work and the learning environment, real learning takes place.  Therefore, I plan on using this type of teaching style in my own classroom.

I also noticed some very important information on questioning in this article.  On page sixteen, I noticed all the questions began with “who, what when, where, why, or how.”  These types of questions demonstrate higher order thinking skills and are very appropriate for students at this level.  I really liked these questions because they went beyond yes and no answers and provoked the students to think more, with a justification.  Most students are very opinionated, and by leading class discussions or letting students work in small groups, the process of justifying your answer will become a more natural task.

I also learned some useful information about the type of books I choose for my students.  One of the books, Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter, is about a young boy.  From my previous experiences in the classroom, I have found that students like to read about other children who are similar in age to them.  They like to believe that a child, just like them, can do amazing things.  Reading content such as this inspires them.  I believe it would help them connect much more effectively to the book and the events.  They would be more interested in the historical facts, as well as the actual reading of the material.  While planning my unit, I should also try to choose at least one piece of literature that reads in a question and answer format.  By reading this type of material, I have experience this type of “hook” the authors discuss.  Appropriate questions always draw me in, making me think, and even ask more questions.  Students could use these additional questions for their double entry diary or date retrieval chart.  I have even noticed that I ask questions at the beginning of a paper because it helps me clarify what I am writing about, and I know it will draw readers into the story.

I absolutely love the double-entry diaries.  In high school English, we kept one of these, and it helped me organize my thoughts efficiently and effectively.  If I had a statement or a question I would like to make in class the next day, I had a way I could reference it.  The quote, “Emphasize to the class that proficient readers constantly seek to use their personal knowledge to help them make sense of the new information,” really struck a chord with me.  As a teacher and reader, I need to practice this same set of skills so I can glean more information from the text.  By doing this, it will improve my teaching.

Finally, I believe the data retrieval chart is extremely useful.  It is a wonderful research tool in which students can organize their data.  So often, students do not even know where to begin when researching a topic.  They randomly search for things, jotting information down here and there.  Unfortunately, information can be lost because they do not have a set pattern or sequence to follow.  Providing them with a type of formula (chart) such as this can help students tremendously.  They are able to ask what they need to know and then record the information and site their sources.  I think I might use it when researching topics as well.

Overall, these two articles were fabulous.  They provided me with much insight into the diverse ways students learn and how I can foster this diversity.  It also forced me to evaluate the ways I learn and use these ways as ideas for the future.  I will most certainly use this article for ideas and suggestions when planning my own unit.