Response to discussion 6
Shawanda
Supported reading activities, provide organization of thoughts and concepts learned or read. These reading activities are necessary to ensure that students are comprehending strategies and understanding stories. Teachers use the student work activities to ensure reading proficiency and these tools provide the diagnostic necessary to do so. These activities can also assist teachers is teaching reading and writing strategies. too.
I definitely use many of the strategies mentioned in Chapter 11 by Dewitz et al. (2020). One specific strategy that I use in my classroom is the Venn Diagram. It is used to compare various story elements in two different texts. For example, when teaching setting, I’ll use the Venn Diagram to compare the setting in one book to that of another. This strategy is also useful when analyzing two different characters within the same text, too. Story mapping is also used in my classroom too. Story maps help to dissect stories after reading. If a student can independently complete a story map after reading a text, then more than likely the student understands what has been read and comprehends the text.
My personal philosophy about supported reading strategies is: Take, teach, and give every opportunity you can, to help students make meaning out of any text. Seek opportunities, Teach strategies, and make sure that you positively reach the masses.
Jennifer
The purpose of supported reading activities is to help students with reading comprehension, vocabulary, phonics, and assessments. Chapter eleven described three comprehension curriculums that can help in reading. This chapter included Basal Reading Programs, which consist of short stories that help increase comprehension, vocabulary, and phonics. Guided reading is also included in this chapter, and that typically has three components, which are shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading, which provides a variety of comprehension. A thematic approach is also included in this chapter, and that is when the goals, the text, the discussion, and the writing are integrated around a theme, which encourages students on what they may be reading. All the mentioned supported reading activities give teachers the chance to try different approaches with their students.
I find that these strategies are very useful within the classroom. They provide assistance in different ways for students to gain better comprehension. I would use all strategies in my classroom. Recently, the strategy that’s been most effective is guided reading. I find it best to read the same text with students, whether it’s just me reading to them or the students participating in popcorn reading. By doing guided reading, I can see which students are comprehending the text that’s being read.
These strategies can often be appropriate when trying to ensure that the students are grasping everything they are reading, especially when it’s a text that most students are finding difficult. They may be inappropriate when the same strategy is done too often. They may also be inappropriate when they aren’t being effective for all students.
