8:2 Text Reformulation

When and Where did I Find it: I discovered this word while reading When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers (2003) for my LTED 612 course. Beers (2003) discusses this idea when exploring after-reading strategies.

What it means: According to Beers (2003), text reformulation is "a strategy in which students transform a text into another type of text" (p. 160).

Level of familiarity: I have never heard this word before. I continue to learn about new reading strategies to employ in the classroom. I would like to become more familiar with this word and add it to my toolbox.   

                        

Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to explore this word further. I think it could be a great and effective strategy to employ in the classroom. It encourages students to find the main ideas of a text and create another text to convey the content and ideas. I would like to explore the possibilities of using this strategy in all grade levels and across the content areas.  


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think all teachers should know and understand this word. Teachers should be encouraged to continue to develop their toolbox of strategies to teach their students to help them make meaning from text. Students should also know this strategy, when to use it, and how it can help them understand what they read in the classroom. 

Beers, K. (2003). When kids can't read: What teachers can do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

8:1 Aliterate student

When and Where did I Find it: I came across this word when reading When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers (2003) for my LTED 612 course. Beers (2003) discusses these students in the context of teaching students the tools they need to be independent and confident readers.

What it means: According to Beers (2003), aliterate students are "students who can read, but choose not to read" (p. 11).

Level of familiarity: I have never heard this word before. I continue to develop my understanding and definition of being literate, but I did not know how "aliterate students" connected to this notion.  

Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to explore this word further. As Beers (2003) discusses, the number of "aliterate students" in the classroom is on the rise. There are numerous factors that may effect if a student chooses not to read a text - interest, difficulty level, topic, length, etc. It is important for me to be able to anticipate these students. By planning purposefully and creating engaging learning experiences, I will provide meaningful instruction that are interesting and manageable.  


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think all teachers should know and understand this word. Teachers will undoubtably have these students in the classroom, so knowing the characteristics of these students, how they present their reading behaviors (or lack there of), and what strategies can be employed to help get students back on track. Teachers should be encouraged to continue to explore what this word means and how to problem solve when it arises. 

Beers, K. (2003). When kids can't read: What teachers can do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

7:3 Essential

When and Where did I Find it: I have come across this word in many contexts. I constantly "throw" this word around in professional circles, especially regarding planning and insturction. 

What it means: According to disctionary.com, the word essential is defined as "absolutely necessary or indispensable." In the context of education, essential does have a similar meaning, but is more associated with the imperative knowledge and concepts that students must know and understand. 

Level of familiarity: I have heard this word many times before. As a teacher, I constantly employ this word when collaborating with the general education teachers on my teams. I continue to develop my understanding of this word and its importance in the context of instruction. 


Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to continue to explore this word. When designing lessons for my students, I constantly inquire about and look for the content "essentials." As content experts, the general education teachers inform me of the content the students must know. As with backward design planning, I take these essentials and design my lessons and objectives. I would like to continue to explore how essentials may look and be different depending on individual student needs and levels. 


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think all teachers should know and understand this word. The word "essential" is a foundational concept that most teachers encounter in their early education courses. Teachers should be encouraged to continue to explore what this word means and how it changes depending on curriculum, standards, assessment, and most importantly, students. I think it is also important for students to know what this word means. Many classrooms have the "essential questions" posted every day, but many students may not know what it means or why it is important for them.

Essential. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/essential  

7:2 Strategic Teaching

When and Where did I Find it: I have come across this word in many contexts. When researching articles for my Reciprocal Teaching Session, as well as Part II of the SCATP, I found this word in many texts. 

What it means: According to Billmeyer and Barton (1998), strategic teaching is defined as "being purposeful and thoughtful about planning instruction," as well as "analyzing how every aspect of the lesson will contribute to the instructional goal or objective" (p. 57).  

Level of familiarity: I have heard this word numerous times before. As a teacher, I have a new understanding and appreciation of the word. I am coming to understand this word and its importance in the context of student success. 


Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to continue to develop my understanding of this word. I think it is imperative to understand this word and what it looks like in various contexts. Strategic teaching is a goal that I strive for every time I design a lesson and provide instruction to my students. 


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think all teachers should be well versed in this topic and recognize what it means. Teachers should be encouraged to provide this purposeful and meaningful instruction. To do this, teachers must have student needs and interests in mind. Essentially, this is something that all teachers should strive toward and be expected to provide to all students.

Billmeyer, R. & Barton, M.L. (1998).  Teaching reading in the content areas:  If not me, then who? (2^nd ed.).  Aurora, CO:  Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory.  

7:1 Scaffolding

When and Where did I Find it: I come across this word in several articles and texts throughout my undergraduate and graduate courses. The article assigned for this week, Scaffolding students' comprehension of text, by Clark and Graves (2005), explored and discussed this word in novel ways and helped to enhance my understanding of this word.  

What it means: Clark and Graves (2005) discuss several definitions for scaffolding. Some such definitions they cite describe scaffolding as: "a process that enables a child or novice to solve a problem, carry out a task or achieve a goal which would be beyond his unassisted efforts"; "what teachers say and do to enable children to complete complex mental tasks they could not complete without assistance"; and "a temporary supportive structure that teachers create to assist a student or a group of students to accomplish a task that they could not complete alone" (p. 571).

Level of familiarity: I have heard this word numerous times before. As a teacher, the word is used quite often when discussing instructional strategies and planning. I have a solid understanding of this word and what it means in the context of education and instruction.

 Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to continue to develop my understanding of this word. As I develop my tools as a teacher, it is important to understand what this word means and how it will impact my instruction. I especially would like to explore how scaffolding may look different across the content areas, as well as how it varies between students (based on student needs).



Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think teachers are already relatively familiar with this word, especially when considering the role of differentiation and support in the classroom. I think students should be aware of what the word means as well. Students may be more apt to advocate for themselves if they recognize what scaffolding is, what it looks like, and essentially, how it helps them succeed in the classroom.

Clark, K. F., & Graves, M. F. (2005). Scaffolding students' comprehension of texts. The Reading Teacher, 58(6), 570-580.

6:2 Instruction

When and Where did I Find it: I have found this word in countless texts and articles, but was prompted to select it for my journal after re-reading Dreher and Singer's (2001) article "Friendly Texts and Text-Friendly Teachers."
 

What it means: According to Dictionary.com, instruction is defined as "the act of furnishing with authoritative directions" and "the act or practice of instructing or teaching."  

Level of familiarity: I have heard this word numerous times before. As a student, the word instruction was used when giving directions. As a teacher, I have a new understanding of the word. I now see it as a teaching practice that is imperative for student success. 


Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to continue to develop my understanding of this word. As I grow as a student and teacher, it is important to analyze the importance of this word in various contexts.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think teachers are already relatively familiar with this word. I think students should be aware of what the word means for them, what their role is in designing it, and how their feedback helps teachers determine what they will include in their instruction.

Dreher, M. J. & Singer, H.  (1989). Friendly text and text-friendly teachers.  Theory Into Practice, 28(2), 98-105.

6:1 Metadiscourse

When and Where did I Find it: I found this word while re-reading Dreher and Singer's (2001) article "Friendly Texts and Text-Friendly Teachers."

What it means: Dreher and Singer (2001) define this word as "writing about writing, or whatever does not refer to the subject matter being addressed" (p. 101). The authors go on to state that metadiscourse "is a way for an author to provide readers with instructions on how to assemble the information they are reading" (p. 101).

      

Level of familiarity: When I first read this word, I thought it would have to do with literacy because of the use of the word discourse. I did not know it had a specific meaning in the context of reading texts.

Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to explore this topic in more depth. I think it would be important for teachers to be aware of the ways in which the authors of texts help support and facilitate student learning. Being conscious of the ways in which they preface and present information will help teachers determine what else they can do to supplement this reading and help students develop their understanding.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think it would be helpful for other teachers to understand what this word means. More importantly, students should recognize these "instructions"and be able to use them independently when reading the text.

 

Dreher, M. J. & Singer, H.  (1989). Friendly text and text-friendly teachers.  Theory Into

Practice, 28(2), 98-105.

5:2 Cultural Discontinuity

When and Where did I Find it: Like my previous post, I came across "cultural discontinuity" when reading the article "Opening the Dialogue: Using Culture as a Tool in Teaching Young African American Children" by Debbie Diller (1999).  

What it means: Cultural discontinuity is defined as a "mismatch between the culture of the school and the culture of the home" (Diller, 1999, p. 821). This theme is especially prevalent in schools that have a diverse student population that is made up of students who's home lives and communities are not in line with those of the school or its curriculum.

                 

Level of familiarity: I have heard these words in separate contexts, but never together. I understand that the word cultural is concerned with way of life, while discontinity relates to a gap or irregularity.


Do I want to know this word well and why: Now that I have a new understanding of this word and what it means in the education setting, I think it would be important to explore this topic in more depth. Considering how diverse the student population is becoming, it is important to understand what this means for teachers.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I think it would be helpful for other teachers to understand what this means for curriculum and instruction. Essentially, this idea supports the notion that school should be a place to extend learning, as well as develop an understanding and appreciation for diversity. Students should be encouraged to draw connections between their lives at home and their lives at school.

Diller, D. (1999). Opening the dialogue: Using culture as a tool in teaching young african american children. The Reading Teacher, 52(8), 820-828.

5:1 Dialogue

When and Where did I Find it: I came across this word when reading an article for my LTED 612 course entitled "Opening the Dialogue: Using Culture as a Tool in Teaching Young African American Children" by Debbie Diller (1999).  

What it means: Dialogue is defined as a conversation or exchange. It can be employed as a noun or verb. It is usually understood as being a verbal exchange of thoughts and ideas.

Level of familiarity: I have heard this word in many circles before as both a students and as a teacher. I always considered dialogue to be a conversation or discussion. It was not until I began my Graduate coursework that I started to enhance my understanding of this word and look at it through the context of literacy.


Do I want to know this word well and why: I would like to continue to develop my understanding of this word. Dialogue is something that will consistently occur in various ways, whether it be between students, peers, other professional, etc. As a literacy specialist, it is imperative for me to have a solid understanding of this word and how to help students develop skills in this area.


Do I think others should know this word well...if so, who and why: I have discovered the importance and the art of dialogue when instructing the students with disabilities in my classroom. I see the deficits they have when it comes to social skills and communication, and work with my team to come up with effective ways to help them develop these skills. I think it is also important for people to know and understand this word because it is one that may look different in various contexts (home, school, work, etc.).

Diller, D. (1999). Opening the dialogue: Using culture as a tool in teaching young african american children. The Reading Teacher, 52(8), 820-828.