Private: Teaching Reading: 3-5 Workshop

Professional Development > Private: Teaching Reading: 3-5 Workshop > 3. Building Comprehension > 3.5 Reflect on Your Learning | Building Comprehension

English Language Arts

3-5

Building Comprehension Reflect on Your Learning | Building Comprehension

What Did You Learn?

Assignment

Think about what you have learned about comprehension instruction from Professor Duke’s comments and the classroom examples. Write a summary of what you have learned. Use the questions below to guide your thinking. When you have finished, save your written reflection to submit as an assignment and, if you are taking this workshop for credit, include it in your Literacy Practices Portfolio.

Which ideas from the video struck you as most relevant to your teaching of comprehension?
What questions from your chart were answered after watching the video?
What classroom practices might you change or modify?
What new instructional practices will you implement in your classroom?
How will you use the ideas presented in this video to improve the comprehension of your struggling readers?

Final Project

If you are taking this workshop for credit, complete the next section of the Literacy Practices Portfolio.

Create a Literacy Practices Portfolio

If you are taking this workshop for credit, continue constructing your portfolio of instructional practices. Your portfolio for this workshop will include the following:

current practices in place in your classroom
changes you would like to make
a description of one change you have implemented
evidence of student learning

1. Current practices

Include the Components of Comprehension Instruction Chart that you started in Session Preparation. You will complete it below.

2. Changes you would like to make

Include your written response from What Did You Learn? Then, return to the Components of Comprehension Instruction Chart. Complete column 4, noting any changes you would like to make in your instructional practices for each of the components. You may want to change or add more than one instructional practice to each component.

3. One change you have implemented

a. Make a change

Choose one instructional change that you described in What Did You Learn? to implement now. What is your thinking behind making this change? Describe the change in detail and explain how it will be implemented (e.g., an instructional practice, a lesson plan, a plan for modeling a strategy, etc.). What are the expected outcomes for student learning? Design a lesson plan and implement this change.

b. Reflect on the change

Write a brief reflection about what worked when you implemented this change and what you will change the next time you teach this lesson. (If you are taking this workshop during the summer, describe the learning goals and expected outcomes of this change.)

4. Evidence of student learning

In this section of your portfolio, you will submit evidence demonstrating student learning. Explain how students exhibited better comprehension as a result of your instruction. Listed below are possible pieces of evidence:

a journal entry
a student reflection
a student response to reading
notes from a teacher-student reading conference
notes from a student think-aloud
observational notes from a book discussion
a video recording of a book discussion
an audio recording of a discussion group
evidence of student engagement through an authentic activity

Series Directory

Private: Teaching Reading: 3-5 Workshop

Credits

Produced by WGBH Educational Foundation. 2006.

Closed Captioning
ISBN: 1-57680-815-7

Sections

3.1 Before You Watch | Building Comprehension

3.2 Analyze the Video | Building Comprehension

Watch the video, "Building Comprehension," taking notes as you watch. After you watch, jot down your answers to the questions below. If you prefer to watch the video in segments, pause the video when you see the next chapter heading.

3.3 Extend Your Knowledge | Building Comprehension

3.4 Put It Into Practice | Building Comprehension

3.5 Reflect on Your Learning | Building Comprehension

Supplementary: Components of Comprehension Instruction Chart

Handout

Supplementary: Examine the Literature Response Chart

Handout

Supplementary: Effective Practices for Developing Reading Comprehension

Handout

Supplementary: What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Comprehension

Handout

Workshops

Workshop 1 Creating Contexts for Learning

This session examines how classroom organization, routines, and grouping practices can enhance literacy skills in the middle grades. Literacy expert Jeanne Paratore discusses teaching strategies that foster reading and writing skills. Classroom examples illustrate the research.

Workshop 2 Fluency and Word Study

This session focuses on how students in the middle grades develop vocabulary and reading fluency. Literacy expert Richard Allington discusses specific teaching strategies that help build fluency and vocabulary, illustrated by classroom examples.

Workshop 3 Building Comprehension

Comprehending text is one of the main goals of reading. In this session, literacy expert Nell Duke discusses what good readers do and strategies teachers can use to help students build comprehension skills. Classroom footage provides examples of comprehension strategies.

Workshop 4 Writing

This workshop examines the relationship between reading and writing in the middle grades. Literacy expert Nadeen Ruiz discusses the connections, conventions, and inventions that provide a framework for teaching writing, illustrated by classroom examples.

Workshop 5 New Literacies of the Internet

This workshop focuses on the evolving use of networked technology in education. Literacy expert Donald Leu discusses strategies that help students effectively read, write, and communicate on the Internet. Classroom examples illustrate strategies for using Internet resources in the classroom.

Workshop 6 Teaching English Language Learners

Changing classroom demographics call for a range or teaching strategies. In this session, literacy expert Robert Jim�nez discusses strategies teachers can use to create a successful learning environment for all students, while supporting English language learners. Classroom examples illustrate the research.

Workshop 7 Teaching Diverse Learners

In this session, literacy expert Dorothy Strickland discusses how teachers can meet the diverse needs of readers and writers in their classrooms. Classroom examples and teaching strategies address different aspects of diversity, including culture, language, background, ability, and learning approaches.

Workshop 8 Assessment and Accountability

This session explores assessment, standards, and outcomes. Literacy expert Kathy Au discusses the strategies teachers can use to assess students' understanding in reading and writing. Classroom examples illustrate how students can participate in their own assessment.