English, Literacies and Policy Contexts B Developing Reading Skills in the Middle and Upper Years of Primary School Part A English, Literacies and Policy Contexts B

Understanding the Reading Process What is reading? Why do we read? How do we read? How do we develop reading skills, in the early years of primary, in the middle and upper years of primary and in adolescence and adulthood?

The Four Roles of the Reader Code breaker: focuses on the letters and words and letters used in the text (includes phonics and sight words). Text user: identifies and responds to the form and genre of the book. Text critic: evaluates the authors purpose and responds personally to the book. Meaning maker: reads to understand and interpret. Knowledge of and an ability to understand the vocabulary in a text is important, uses context clues to assist. (Luke and Freebody)

Developing Readers in the Middle and Upper Years of Primary Motivation: How do teachers motivate students to support their learning of reading and develop their love of reading? How does this change as students progress through the primary years? What are teachers trying to achieve? What challenges do teachers encounter?

Components that support the reading process include: Phonemic awareness and phonics Word identification Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Text analysis Discuss how these components vary in form/content as students progress through the primary school years. (Refer to p. 36 & p.44 Tompkins et al. to support your discussions)

Skill Development: Accuracy Why/when is accuracy important in reading? What strategies and skills assist in the development of accuracy? How do teachers know which skills need to be developed? How do teachers monitor student progress? What have you seen in schools?

The A in CAFE Accuracy I can read the words

Reading Accuracy Classroom activities that support the development of accuracy include: Guided Reading Reciprocal reading Shared Reading Reading to students Buddy reading Independent reading (with reflection) Student conferencing Direct instruction (whole grade, small group or individual) based on identified student needs Developing knowledge of letters and sounds Group writing tasks Editing of writing (with teacher or ‘buddy’) Developing awareness of words and word ‘patterns’ Utilising word games and ‘word play’ ICT (ipad apps) And ....

Accuracy Strategies that students can use to develop reading accuracy include: Cross checking, does it sound right, look right and make sense. Using the pictures. Do the words and pictures match? Using beginning and ending sounds. Blending sounds. Stretching and rereading. Flipping the sound (long or short vowel sound. Chunking letters and sounds together. Skipping the word, then come back. Trading a word/guess a word that makes sense. Rereading (what makes sense). (Boushey & Moser, 2009)

Reading Skills Accuracy Automaticity Fluency Discuss the links between each of the above areas. Discuss and list strategies teachers use to monitor skill development in these areas.

Phonics Terms In groups discuss the following: Consonants, consonant blends, hard and soft consonant sounds, consonant digraphs. Vowels, long vowel sounds, vowel digraphs, r controlled vowels Phonograms Digraphs Vowel diphthongs Onset and rime List some examples for each of these terms. (Refer to p. 148 Tompkins et al. if you need additional guidance with this activity).

Skill Development: Vocabulary Why/when is vocabulary knowledge important in reading? What strategies and skills assist in extending a student’s use, identification and understanding of words? How do teachers know which skills need to be developed? How do teachers monitor student progress? What have you seen in schools?

I know find and use interesting words. The E in CAFE Expand Vocabulary I know find and use interesting words.

Vocabulary Classroom activities that support the development of vocabulary include: Class discussions and circle time Excursions, investigative and interactive group work. Modelled Reading Guided Reading Reciprocal reading Shared Reading Buddy reading Independent reading Student conferencing Direct instruction (whole grade, small group or individual) based on identified student needs Quality questions, eg Blooms, Thinkers Keys, Blank Level of Questions Graphic organisers eg Semantic Webs Playing word games ICT Experiences with varying text genres (reading and writing) VCOP eg Wow words And…

Expand Vocabulary Students know, find, and use interesting words Strategies that assist in extending vocabulary include: Voracious reading. Tuning in to interesting words and using new vocabulary in speaking and writing Using pictures, illustrations, and diagrams Using word parts to determine the meaning of words (prefixes, suffixes, origins, abbreviations, etc.) Using prior knowledge and context to predict and confirm meaning Asking someone to define the word for you Using dictionaries, thesauruses, and glossaries as tools. (Boushey & Moser, 2009)

Expand Vocabulary In groups discuss the following: Synonyms Antonyms Homonyms Words with more than one meaning List some examples and discuss strategies/activities that teachers can implement to develop knowledge and awareness of words. (Refer to Ch 8 Tompkins et al. for guidance with this activity).

Literacy Programs and Approaches As well as CAFÉ there are a range of commercial programs and approaches that you may have seen being implemented during you time in in schools. These include THRASS, MultiLit and VCOP (others will come and go during your teaching career). What do you know about these programs? What strategies do they employ to develop reading skills? How do they relate to the theories and practices outlined in the course readings? How do they relate to the learning expectations outlined in the Victorian Curriculum?

Other CAFÉ: The CAFE Book, Engaging all students in Daily Literacy Instruction, Gail Boushey & Joan Moser (The Sisters), Stenhouse Publishers. Website: http://www.thedailycafe.com/ Thrass Australia Website: www.thrass.com.au Multi Lit Reading Tutor Progam Website: www.multilit.com VCOP: Andrell Education: www.andrelleducation.com.au