A Day in the Life A Day in the Life

The Three Approaches to Middle The Three Approaches to Middle School Reading InstructionSchool Reading Instruction

The Three ApproachesThe Three Approaches

1. Regular education classroom1. Regular education classroom 2. Foundations of Learning2. Foundations of Learning 3. Read 1803. Read 180

Reading Instruction in the Reading Instruction in the Regular Education ClassroomRegular Education Classroom

Classroom Atmosphere

Instruction was scaffolded, differentiated, and explicit as evidenced by teacher modeling, guided

practice, and independent practice.

Students were able to take risks (Reading aloud, participating in discussion) in an atmosphere of

respect and motivation.

Evidence of higher order thinking skills being exercised throughout lesson.

Lesson Components

Nearly a third of the period was devoted to independent reading, with a few minutes

allowed for writing in a reading response journal.

The strategy being used was effective. “SQ3R” ( SURVEY- students skim text looking

at headings, pictures, and captions, QUESTION - students reword all headings into

questions, READ - students read text, RECITE - students recite answers to

questions, and REVIEW - students review what they’ve read and learned.

This strategy was whole group in the beginning, then broken into smaller groups to

complete assignment.

Resources

The classroom text was Houghton Mifflin Triumphs. This set of materials included many sets of

beautiful leveled readers to accompany each unit, which in turn allowed for differentiation.

A large collection of of other materials and textbooks to allow for teacher discretion and to reach

many learning styles.

A typical Reading class the size of approximately 25 students.

Foundations of LearningFoundations of Learning

1st level of intervention for 1st level of intervention for struggling students.struggling students.

Qualifying students score below Qualifying students score below the 50th percentile on the MAP, the 50th percentile on the MAP, have a Word Per Minute score have a Word Per Minute score of less than 125, and a of less than 125, and a Comprehension score of less Comprehension score of less than 75%.than 75%.

Classroom Atmosphere

Although students were expected to read independently the assigned text for most of

the class, a relevant “priming” activity was supplied to get them started.

Clear expectations and directions for what was expected, students knew what to do.

One student was off task, but most seemed to accept expectations and followed

classroom routines easily even though the teacher was in an adjoining room

assessing individual students.

Lesson Components

Assessment driven, as evidenced by frequent Qualitative Reading Inventories.

Independent reading and written assignment.

Teacher set the purpose for the day and the assignment.

This was an assessment day - a time to formally assess students individually.

Resources

The materials for this class had just arrived the day I visited, so had not been used.

The teacher had pulled together her own resources. The students were reading Roald Dahl’s

Witches and had writing journals.

The room was a bit small and had no signs of any technology except a very old overhead.

Read 180Read 180

2nd (and lowest) level of 2nd (and lowest) level of intervention for struggling intervention for struggling readers.readers.

Scholastic program that utilizes Scholastic program that utilizes a combination of technology, a combination of technology, whole group and small group whole group and small group instruction, and independent instruction, and independent reading.reading.

Highly scriptedHighly scripted

Whole Group - 20 minutes

Teacher begins with Read Aloud

Teacher led discussion

Students are to respond to Read Aloud and discussion with two

sentences in journal

Students share their responses

Small Group - 20 minutes

Teacher led

Skill based

~2 students per group (no more than 5)

Quality of lesson relies on quality of teacher

Computer - 20 minutes

Three main options , “Word Zone,” “Reading Zone,” and “Spelling Zone.”

The Word Zone refers to vocabulary building, and allows puzzles and games to build

vocabulary.

The Spelling Zone is just that, a place to practice spelling words in isolation.

The Reading Zone allows the student to listen to text and to practice reading the text

in a built in microphone.

Students are free to move from one category to the next freely.

Independent Reading - 20 minutes

Students are to read an assigned book for about 15 minutes. At end of reading they

are expected to “make a connection” with what they’ve read.

Reading assignments are based on MAP scores where a reading lexile level can be

approximated.

At the end of each book students complete several worksheets and must pass a quiz

with a score of 8 out of 10 correct to move to a new book.

Once four books have been completed, the student may choose to listen to an

audiotape of a book.

In the End…In the End…

Although I have described what I saw in the Middle School in terms of the Although I have described what I saw in the Middle School in terms of the

reading program, it is important to remember that I saw only one day. I do reading program, it is important to remember that I saw only one day. I do

feel that when I walked out at the end of the day I had a a very good idea feel that when I walked out at the end of the day I had a a very good idea

of the width and depth of the Reading instruction in that school. However, of the width and depth of the Reading instruction in that school. However,

in the regular education classroom particularly, I really got only a small in the regular education classroom particularly, I really got only a small

snapshot of the curriculum that will be covered over the course of a school snapshot of the curriculum that will be covered over the course of a school

year.year.