Foundations of Reading ED 5308-Dr. Seawell Danette M. Sandoval Target : Middle School Fall 2013

Writing Brainstorm (create a list of reasons you write in 2 minutes) 2 mins-Share some ideas from the group. We write for a purpose, we write when it is important to us. We create list, we write emails, we write letters, we send out notes on Christmas cards. We write because we want to communicate something. Children will learn to write and read when it is important to them or when the reason they are writing becomes important to them.

Blog Writing Reading/Writing Connection “Classroom blogs are a powerful way to combine the best of education with the best of technology and use both in a creative way to motivate students” (Wells, 2006, p.40). Blog Writing has proven to be a great way to incorporate writing and reading into classrooms. Research indicates that blog writing creates a motivation to write, it provides an audience for the child's work, it helps ELL students experiment with writing and it makes writing easier for those students who have difficulty starting their writing, because they are afraid to make errors.

Blog Writing: Creating a purpose for writing Motivation Students know how to use devices easily Meet the needs of all students (use of spell check, faster to write, audience) Ownership Use a rubric to grade writing, just as you would handwritten papers Letter writing, book reports, journal writing, two way communication Parents can view blogs Blogs can be accessed from home/school or via smartphones or tablets Students can respond to blogs, making it meaningful, writing for a purpose, engaging other students in the learning. Quotes from Wells, Sun, Potosh and Witte.

This is what it looks like! You can provide instructions/rubric of what the blog entry should include depending on the assignment. Figure 1-Blogging with English Learners. Example of a student blog and posts. Retrieved from http://ellteaching20.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html Students will want to write, they will want to read and they will want to respond. Figure 2-Blogging with English Learners. Example of a teachers instructions to her students regarding a project. Retrieved from http://ellteaching20.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html

Tell Me What You Think Quick Write: What is a Book Club? Who is part of has been part of a book club. How relaxing is it for you to read a book for enjoyment and then meet for dinner with your friends to discuss and share what happened in the book.

Book Clubs Reading Comprehension “Book club experiences ask students to explore the present through an applied reading experience that operationalizes the practices of the language arts-reading, writing, talking, and listening.” (Kooy, 2003, p. 138).

Book Clubs-An opportunity to share a reading experience! Encourages discussion and language Provides alternate perspectives Students select what they feel they want to read based on a list of books There is a purpose for their reading-they have a purpose in a book club which eventually evolves into a commitment to the group which may then evolve into a need to share their thoughts about the book they are reading. Based on a form of membership/community-Students have a reason to talk, share information based on a book Opportunities to share their connections to the story and their life with their peers, creating a meaningful learning experience Quotes or information provided from sources.

Organized Chaos -provide a condensed list of books-about 10 from which to select from -students select books according to interest (when you want to know something your learning becomes meaningful) -create groups -students write questions, comments in their reading log that they will share with their group each day -there should be talking and discussing Figure 3-Two Reflective Teachers. Example of an anchor chart created by the students and the teacher of what book club conversation might sound/look like. Retrieved from http://tworeflectiveteachers.blogspot.com/2013/03/social-issues-book-club-unit.html

“enthusiastic participation cemented for us the fact that adolescents, just like adults, will read if the book is a good read, if the book is accessible, and if they can have some ownership in the selection” (Lapp & Fisher, 2009, p.560) Sign Up: Teacher Book Club The “Sign up” for the teacher book club will be posted soon…any ideas on books??

Graphic Organizers Reading Comprehension in Content Areas “Graphic organizers empower students to take responsibility for their own learning, negotiate and personalize meaning, share information with others” (Gallavan & Kottler, 2007, p. 117).

Graphic Organizers-Let me see what you are learning! Provide a visual for your ELL & Struggling Learner Hands On Creates meaning Student Ownership Helps recall important facts quickly Used as a resource/tool for later learning Engaging

Figure 6-Graphic Organizer. Retrieved from http://www Figure 4-Graphic Organizers retrieved from http://www.educationcreations.net/FreeStuff/WritingSamples.aspx Figure 5-Science and Social Studies. Graphic Organizer. Retrieved from http://mssavvyscience.weebly.com/1/previous/2.html Figure 9. Science and Social Studies. Graphic Organizer. Retrieved from http://mssavvyscience.weebly.com/1/previous/2.html Figure 8-Topic Tree. Graphic Organizer. Retrieved from http://www.do2learn.com/organizationtools/SocialSkillsToolbox/TopicTree.htm Figure 7-Science Foldable. Graphic Organizer. Retrieved from http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2012/03/science-foldable-vocab-and-heads-up.html

It takes a village… Creating better writers and readers takes the help of everyone involved in the students life. Help organizing a student book club Assistance with initiating a class blog spot Selecting books for your student book club Graphic organizer ideas Teacher Blog “None of us are as smart as all of us, and all us know more than we think we know”-Dr. Pat Seawell

References DoToLearn. (2013). Topic Tree. Figure 8. Retrieved from References DoToLearn. (2013). Topic Tree. Figure 8. Retrieved from http://www.do2learn.com/organizationtools/SocialSkillsToolbox/TopicTree.htm Education Creations. (2010). Graphic Organizer. Figure 4. Retrieved from http://www.educationcreations.net/FreeStuff/WritingSamples.aspx Fourth Grade Frolics. (2012). Science Foldable, Graphic Organizer. Figure 7. Retrieved from http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/2012/03/science-foldable-vocab-and-heads-up.html Gallavan, N. P., & Kottler, E. (2007). Eight Types of Graphic Organizers for Empowering Social Studies Students and Teachers. Social Studies, 98(3), 117-128. Kooy, M. (2003). Riding the coattails of Harry Potter: Readings, relational learning, and revelations in book clubs. Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 47(2), 136-145. Lapp, D., & Fisher, D. (2009). It's All about the Book: Motivating Teens to Read. Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(7), 556-561.

References continued… Meehan, M. and Swider, M. (2013, 21 March) References continued… Meehan, M. and Swider, M. (2013, 21 March). Two Reflective Teachers. Book Clubs. Figure 3. Retrieved from http://tworeflectiveteachers.blogspot.com/2013/03/social-issues-book-club-unit.html Mrs. Hastings Science and Social Studies. (2012). Graphic Organizers. Figure 5 and 9. Retrieved from http://mssavvyscience.weebly.com/1/previous/2.html Pascopella, A., & Richardson, W. (2009). The New writing Pedagogy. District Administration, 45(10/11), 44-50. Potash, B. (2013). Why I Blog. Independent School, 72(4), 14-16. Study Skills for All Ages. (2009). Graphic Organizer. Figure 6. Retrieved from http://www.study-skills-for-all-ages.com/graphic-organizers.html Sun, Y. (2010). Extensive writing in foreign-language classrooms: a blogging approach. Innovations In Education & Teaching International, 47(3), 327-339. doi:10.1080/14703297.2010.498184 Vazquez, A. (2012, 7 September). Blogging with English Learners. Figure 1 and 2. Retrieved from http://ellteaching20.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html Wells, L. (2006). BLOG IT: AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO IMPROVE LITERACY. Reading Today, 24(1), 40.