Effective Reading Instruction: The Teacher Makes the Difference

Why is learning to read so important? Declared the “new civil right” Without the ability to read 1. cannot fully access democratic rights 2. cannot fully consider political positions and issues 3. cannot access rights and responsibilities as citizens 4. the inability to read has been listed as a national health risk (listed as a life- threatening disease) because of the effects reading failure has upon the quality of our lives

What is reading? The learning of a complex set of skills and knowledge that allows individuals to understand visual and print-based information The goal of reading is to empower readers to learn, grow, and participate in a vibrant and quickly changing information-based world. The ultimate goal is to comprehend what is read

Early reading tools/skills children must acquire: Phonemic awareness Letter identification Understanding concepts about how printed language looks and works Increasing oral language vocabularies Understand the connection between spoken language and written language Decoding with accuracy, speed, and expression

Teachers Make the Difference Competent teachers make the difference in effective reading instruction The teacher, not the method, makes the real difference in reading success.

The Structure of Language Phonology – sound structures Orthography – spelling patterns Graphemes – letters Morphology – word structure Syntax – rules that govern our language Semantic – meaning Etymology – the study of word and language meanings Pragmatics – how language is used in different societies

The Seven Characteristics of Highly Effective Reading Teachers (group explanations) Characteristic 1: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Understand How Children Learn Oral Language and How Children Learn to Read 1. development of oral language directly linked to reading and writing success 2. language is both expressive (verbal & visual) receptive (decode to construct meaning)

Characteristic 2: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Are Excellent Classroom Managers Allocate classroom space for multiple uses Supply and arrange classroom materials Cleary communicate expectations and rules within a positive classroom climate Employ effective instructional practices Effectively train students in classroom routines and procedures Establish a predictable and familiar daily classroom schedule

Characteristic 3: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Begin Reading Instruction by First Assessing to Find Out What Students Already Know and Can Do Determining strengths and weaknesses Understand multiple purposes of assessment strategies (screening, diagnosis, progress monitoring, outcome assessment) Use assessment to drive instruction View reading and writing as a process Document reading growth Examining a child’s opportunities to read (school, home, classroom) Use a variety of assessment strategies during the school year Integrate assessment, instruction and practice Use technology for collecting, storing organizing and analyzing assessment data

Characteristic 4: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Know How to Meet the Needs of Learners with Special Needs Differentiating Instruction Provide instruction addressing specific needs of every child based on continual assessment findings Translate assessment data into effective instruction Use multiple instructional strategies Use multiple organizational and classroom management techniques Guided reading groups utilized at appropriate levels Classroom management plan in place and inforced

Characteristic 5: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Teach the Essential Components of Reading Using Evidence-Based Instructional Practices Curriculum essentials * oral language development * concepts of print * letter/sound correspondence * sight word recognition * phonemic awareness * phonics * fluency * vocabulary * comprehension * writing/spelling

Characteristic 6: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Model Reading and Writing Applications Throughout the Day As children read they learn about how author’s structure their writing, how they select words to convey an idea, how they organize and present their thoughts Children need to afforded the opportunities to “read like a writer” and “write like a reader” on a daily basis.

Characteristic 7: Highly Effective Reading Teachers Partner with Other Teachers, Parents, and Community Members to Ensure Children’s Learning A teacher’s willingness to reach out to parents and homes is vital to young children’s progress in learning to read successfully.

The Five Pillars of Effective Reading Instruction Teacher Knowledge – Know the sequence skills should be taught in Classroom Assessment – Essential for making sure every student receives appropriate instruction, and then verifying learning has taken place Effective Practice – Effective teachers have a plethora of tools to ensure every child is helped to reach their full potential Differentiating Instruction for Diverse Student Needs – In many schools English is not the first language. Effective reading teachers have the necessary tools for adjusting instruction to children with diverse learning needs so all are able to reach their potential Family/Community Connections – Teachers can educate adults in to a child’s literacy learning program in proven reading development strategies

Characteristics of Good Readers

A Good Reader …. Repeats Self-monitors and self-corrects Searches for meaning, structure and visual information Uses what they know Problem solves on the run Reads for meaning Uses natural language Reads fluently

Components of the Reading Process Knowing what reading is and how to deal with books Recognizing words accurately Recognizing words with ease and fluency Understanding and being able to study and learn what is read Responding actively to reading Enjoying and appreciating reading

*Accomplished readers are able to construct meaning from reading without conscious effort and to combine many abilities into the single act of reading.

The Reading Process Visual Scanning – recognizing individual letters, letter order, and whole words Sounding Out – matching distinct sounds to written symbols, and combining those sounds and symbols together to form words Analyzing Sentence Structure – using rules of grammar, mechanics, and spelling to connect words to form sentences Deriving Meaning from Text – relying on prior knowledge and real-life experiences to see and understand the written message.

Phases of the Reading Diagnosis 1. Determining the existence of a reading problem. 2. Investigating the 5 correlates of reading disability. These include: Environmental, Emotional, Physical, Intellectual, and Language Factors. 3.Determining the general reading level and areas of reading difficulties. 4.Determining specific areas of reading strengths and weaknesses. 5.Developing a teaching plan. 6.Using diagnostic teaching to monitor ongoing needs.

Five Correlates of Reading -What to look for: PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Hearing Vision General Health Neurological ENVIRONMENT Home School Educational History Attendance Social and Cultural INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT IQ Other Testing EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Problems that may impede learning LANGAUGE DEVELOPMENT Oral Language Speech