Apologies I'm not going to be explaining what this is or isn't. Rather I hope to draw your attention the beginning of our reading PD journey @pes for 2020.
This was a point raised...we have different names for often the same thing in NZ around reading! One myth we've put to rest is that my title here - are different things. Moving forward at PES we've decided they are one in the same. We're going with INSTRUCTIONAL READING to describe what some teachers have been practicing as guided reading.All teachers have a target group to observe closely.
a. What are these children doing when they come across an unknown word?
b. What behaviours do you notice while they are reading?
c. What strategies do they have?
d. What do you do to help next?
These are some of the questions I will be exploring with my group of 4 students. 3 of the 4 are year 7 boys, 1 year 8 girl. Here poses another challenge. What texts do I select that will be appealing to 3 very active year 7 boys and a very mature year 8 girl. Looking forward to this challenge.
So far I've noticed the following:
Student A: is nervous to try out new words, knows his limitations and does not know what to do with a new word
Student B: very confident even though says many words incorrectly, will read through any word and not stop until asked to, continues without concern for making meaning
Student C: confident reader, knows to break up word to try and sound out new word. Will often give the words others in group are stuck with
Student D: seems confident however any word will appeal to the teacher for support. No other strategies.
All students do not practice reading from beginning of sentence or earlier/on after to make meaning of an unknown word.
I need observe more and research what to do next in terms of teaching strategies to these year 7 & 8 students who are reading at the 9 and 9.5 year level.
