Chapter 9: Learning Log

Jennifer Jones
Chapter 9: Learning Log

Page 148: “Teachers have a myriad of materials available, including basal readers, trade books, predictable books, magazines, skills books, computer software, Internet information, video tapes of classic stories/songs and student-produced work”
I think Walker makes a brilliant insight in this selection about the variety of reading material available for teachers to use in their classrooms. In my opinion, many teachers get “stuck in the rut” of using the same pieces of literature (mostly non-fiction) in their classrooms partly because of ease (completed lesson plans etc.) but all the while limiting their students’ in -school accessibility to other types of media including video tapes, songs and computer software. In my opinion, students should receive formal instruction in deriving (useful) information from websites, newspapers and other print and non-print sources as they could potentially be more useful life skills. I also like Walker’s suggestion of student-produced work. Not only does that build a sense of community (sharing in the accomplishment of a fellow student) but it also stands to legitimize students’ own work as important pieces of writing.

Page 149: “Major basal reading and structured literature based programs are published by the following companies: Houghton Mifflin Reading, Harcourt Trophies, Scott Foreman Reading, Macmillian/McGraw- Hill Reading, Kendall-Hunt Pegus II, SRA Open Court Reading.”
The reason I picked this passage from the text is because of the wide variety of reading programs (curriculums) available to purchase. My question while reading this section is: Does purchasing a district-wide curriculum help students build English- Language Arts skills any better than a teacher created and implemented program? I also wonder how schools/school districts judge the success of one program over another and what process there is to abandon a reading program to adopt another. My limited experience with reading instruction comes from my AIS work in Niagara Falls most recently discarded Open Court after only several years implementing it. I wonder that effect switching programs has on student achievement.

Page 150: “These books are stories that would appeal to an older student but are written at an easier level to provide interesting stories that help improve literacy.”
The reason I picked this passage is because it is a very big concern of mine (especially with working middle and high school level) that students do not become so overwhelmed by the extent of their reading difficulty as they get older, being their reading/language deficient swells in comparison to their peers. I have spoken in earlier learning logs about providing students with ample (and meaningful) success experiences to ensure continued motivation and effort, but in this passage Walker presents a great forum for achieving that end. A high interest (perhaps even student selected) text can be extremely worthwhile, especially in a classroom where many students are disinterested or disengaged.

Page 151: “Poetry is a type of material that is effective for developing readers. Many poems have rhyme and rhythm that invite students to read them again and again. An easy poem is a good way to begin tutoring sessions for older readers. When read chorally the poems provide a successful experience that starts off a session well.”
Before reading this chapter I had forgotten the importance and power of using poetry with struggling readers. The reason I picked this passage is because I really like the suggestions Walker provides for reading teachers who want to the predictability and rhythm many poems contain. One idea for using poetry Walker did not mention but that I think might be very appropriate would be to consider the ambiguity and images of poems. Often struggling reading face very direct, expository pieces so a carefully chosen piece of poetry (that while accessible had some more figurative components) could be a very powerful tool for sparking the creativity of reluctant readers.

Page 155: “To evaluate the reading ease of the text, the diagnostic teacher can use a readability formula for textbooks and chapter books or leveling system for predictable books.”
The reason I picked this passage is because the notion of readability of textbooks is a tremendously important issue I face with my students as seventh graders. The current science text, the science department uses is particularly challenging, not in content but the complex sentence structures, use of long words and the fact that there is often too many new ideas presented at once. As educators we talk about schema formation and the notion that student learn best when their ideas are connected to what they already know and have experiences (when they have a hook) but the text is presented simply as facts. I think Walker’s point here is well taken and something that should definately be discussed and critically examined as school districts look to adopt texts.