Ginger - This is just what I was trying to put together for my first grade class that starts in two weeks.
Thank you so much! Tracy On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:36:43 -0700, ginger/rob <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Here is a unit of study I compiled from various sources/expert authors. > It helped me to write it down step by step. It works well at the > beginning > of the year. > Ginger W. > +++++++++++++++++ > > Metacognitive Overview/Introductory Unit of Study > adapted by Ginger Weincek 2005 > > A. INTRODUCING THE "INNER VOICE" > Kids need to be explicitly taught that they have two inner voices. The > reciting voice which reads the words and the conversation voice that > talks > back to the text. > 1. Modeled-step 1 > · Teacher does the work/kids watch and listen. > · You need to decide what visual action/sign you will take when > you > are no longer reading but are sharing your thinking. This is especially > crucial with younger students as they may not realize you have stopped > reading the words when you are sharing your thinking. Some people close > the > book. Others set the book on their lap and look out to the kids when > sharing their thinking. Looking up to the ceiling can be a visual sign > that > you are sharing your thinking. **Be sure to tell the kids you will be > reading the words and then stopping to share your thinking. Tell/show > them > how they can recognize the difference. "Today when I am reading to you, I > will be holding the book like this. But I am going to stop along the way > and share my thinking. I will tell you what my inner voice inside is > saying. All readers have a reading voice that reads the words. This > voice > is called our reciting voice. We have a second voice that talks in our > heads about what we are reading. That voice is called our conversation > voice > (inner voice). When I am sharing my thinking it will look like this. I > will > close the book and look out at you. That's how you'll know I am sharing > my > thinking. Then I'll open the book back up, like this, and continue > reading > the words." > · When reading aloud, read some text and then stop and set the > book > down and talk out loud saying whatever thinking comes to your mind. Then > pick the book up and return to the text. Read until you have more > thinking > and then stop, set the book down and share that thinking. > · It is helpful to start your sentences like this: > "I'm thinking that ......." > "Wow! After I read that ..... it made me think ......." > "Now I'm thinking ......." > · Do this for many days in different genres and in all subject > areas. > (You can share your thinking about math for example.) > · Always remind them that careful readers think along the way when > they are reading the words. They don't just read the words. Reading is > thinking. > > 2. Modeled-step 2 > · Once your students get used to hearing you explicitly say "I'm > thinking...", then you can mix in any wording you want. > "I'm wondering..." > "I can just smell those...." > "How come he just did that? I sure would have been more careful.." > "No way! They broke it? Oh my! What's going to happen next?" > · Whatever YOU are thinking as you are reading the words is what > you > would share with the kids. > · Teach the kids the word "metacognition". Tell them that > metacognition means THINKING ABOUT YOUR THINKING. It is important that > we > KNOW we have an inner thinking voice and that we LISTEN to that voice. > · Say- "See how I talk to myself as I read? I don't just read word > after word after word. Careful readers do more than that. They stop and > take time to "catch" the thinking in their heads and they MAKE SURE they > think ALONG THE WAY. I let my thinking bubble up and I have a discussion > with myself. I talk in my head about what I am reading. I am doing it out > loud so you can hear what my discussions sound like inside my brain. > When I > do this I am being metacognitive." > · At this point you can simply suggest "Maybe you guys could try > this > when > you are reading at home and at school. See if you can "catch" your > thinking > AS you are reading. But you'll have to stop every once in a while so > your > thinking can come out." > > 3. Shared-step 1 > · The next step is to tell the kids that their job is to watch what > you are doing and listen to what you are saying. Say "Today when I am > reading I want you to watch what you see me doing and listen to what you > hear my saying. Be ready to turn and talk about this and then share > back." > · Read through an interesting text and stop and think along the > way. > Be sure to be obvious about when your reading the words and when you are > thinking. > · Say "O.K. Turn and talk with a partner about what you saw me > doing > and heard me saying when I was reading this book." > · Call on several groups and have them start their sharing by > saying: > "Mary and I saw......" > "We heard ........" > These are some sample responses you want: > "Mary and I saw you read a little bit and then you closed the book > and > said what was in your head and then you went back to the book." > "We heard you stop reading after _____ and tell us what you were > thinking." > "Marty and I heard you ask a question after reading ........." > "Renni and I noticed you were not just reading the words and that's > it." > "Manuel and I heard you thinking about what you were reading." > "We heard you tell about how you thought _____ must be feeling." > "We heard you tell us that you how you thought the _______ sounded." > "We heard you say that you thought the author was really meaning ...." > If they don't come up with those types of responses, restate what it was > you > were modeling for them. > > 4. Shared-step 2 > · Tell the students that today you will invite them to share their > thinking as you read to them. > · Read an interesting picture book. Stop and share your own > thinking. > · Read on to the next best place for some thinking to bubble up. > Have your students turn and talk with a partner to share their thinking. > · Then call on a few groups. (always having them start out by > saying, > "Steven and I think...") > · Work through the book this way. Reading to a good thinking > place. > Stopping and having them turn and talk and then share back whole group. > · If you don't want to do turn and talk be sure to remind them to > start out their sharing back with "I'm thinking ..." > · Do this with many picture books and vary the genre. > > 5. Small Group Instruction > · Pull small groups and read a new text piece. > · Have them share what they hear their inner voice in their head > saying. > > 6. Independent Practice > · During independent reading have your student listen for their > inner > voice. > · Say- "Today when you are reading I want you to try and catch > your > inner voice talking to you as you are reading. Take 3-5 post its and > when > you hear your inner voice I want you to write down what it is saying. > Stick > the post it right where that thinking bubbled up in your head. Be ready > to > meet with others to share how it was for you to catch that inner voice > and > how it felt to you as you were reading." > · 10 minutes before the end of independent reading, put your > students > in groups of three to share where in their books they had thinking. Next > ask them to talk about how it felt to read and then stop to think and > then > go back to reading. > · Ask the students to keep track of their stopping and thinking > when > reading at home. > > B. RECOGNIZING CONFUSION > 1. Modeled > · Teacher does the work/kids watch and listen. > · Students are not always AWARE if they are understanding what they > are reading or not so we must explicitly teach this and also what they > can > do to repair that confusion. > · This builds on the "inner voice" work you have just completed. > · When reading aloud you need to find places in the text where you > are confused. (fake this if you have to!) > · Do the "finger one and finger two" idea talked about in the > professional book Mosaic of Thought, page 39. > · Before you actually teach it to your students start doing it > yourself as you > are reading aloud to them. Hold up one finger just next to the > book. When you get to a part that was confusing or where you found your > mind > wandering or that didn't make sense switch your finger to two fingers > out. > · Talk out loud like this- "Oh, that doesn't make any sense. I > need > to go back and reread that part." > · Reread where you became confused and if rereading helped you > understand that part put back up just one finger. > · If not, say, "Well, that didn't help. Now I am going to read > on a > bit > and see if that helps me out." > · Read on a bit and if that helped you understand, put back up one > finger. > · If that didn't help you, (so you would be still holding up 2 > fingers) say, "Well, rereading didn't help me, reading on didn't help > me, so > now I am going to have to find someone to ask because I can't go on if I > don't understand this part." > · Then ask one of the students to explain that part to you (or > another adult if one is available). > · ***This is NOT used when coming across tricky words- words you > could not READ. This is just for passages you did not understand. > · Do this naturally for a few days as you are thinking aloud. > Catch > your inner voice letting you know that you are confused and not > understanding what you are reading. > > 2. Shared > · Ask if anyone had noticed you doing anything unusual with your > fingers as you were reading these past few days. (Of course they had.) > · Have them tell you what they SAW you doing and what they HEARD > you > saying. > · Talk about WHY you were doing it: because readers need to > understand what > they are reading to fully enjoy or learn from the words. A book will > be more rewarding if it makes sense to the reader. This is what CAREFUL > READERS DO!!! They don't just keep reading or put the book down when they > don't understand it. (Of course talk about exceptions!!!) Their inner > voices tell them they are confused and they stop and do something to > repair > that confusion. > · From that point on invite them to hold out one finger when you > are > reading aloud and switch it to two fingers when they become confused > (when > they recognize confusion). > · Stop during those times and reread, read on, and then explain > it to > them if need be. > > 3. Small Group Instruction > · Pull small groups and either read a challenging text piece or > have > them bring their own self selected texts to the group. > · Have them show you when they recognize they are confused and > what > they can do to repair that confusion. > > 4. Independent Reading > · Have them practice this on a whole group text and then > independently using post its to mark when they used the "HELP strategy" > (reread, read on, ask). > · Have them write HELP at the top of the post it. Under it they > write in a > list: reread, read on, ask. If they find themselves being confused or > distracted they should place the post it note at that point in the text > and > cross off what they tried in that order and circle where they got back > their > clarity/understanding. > > C. STRATEGIES TO "FIX-UP" CONFUSION > 1. Step 1 > 1. There are many other ways that readers can learn to help > themselves > get unstuck. > 2. Many of these strategies will be the main focus of upcoming > strategy > studies, so at this time we are just introducing these fix-it strategies > in > a very general way. > 3. Either provide the following list or brainstorm with your > students: > (list from Cris Tovani) > · Reread, read on, ask. (previously taught) > · Make a connection between the text and your life, another text, > or > the world. > · Make a prediction. > · Stop and think about what you have already read. > · Ask yourself a question and try to answer it. > · Reflect in writing on what you have read. > · Use print conventions. > · Notice patterns about text structure. > · Create mental images. > · Retell what you've read. > · Adjust your reading rate: slow down or speed up. > > 2. Step 2 > 1. When a reader is confused, the above are all things he/she could try > to > repair the confusion. > 2. Below you will find an excerpt from the professional book, I Read > It > But I Don't Get It by Cris Tovani (Stenhouse, 2000) explaining each "Fix > It" > strategy. > > Make a Connection Between the Text and Your Life, Your Knowledge of the > World, or Another Text > Sometimes a reader has information about a topic in his head that isn't > being used. When brought to bear, this background knowledge can be a > powerful tool, helping the reader repair meaning. Good readers know that > using knowledge to make a connection will help them understand their > reading > better. They use memories, personal experiences, information about the > subject, the author's style, and textual organizations to help them > visualize, predict, ask questions infer, stay focused, and remember what > they have read. > > Text connections can give a reader insights into a character's motive. > Sometimes recalling factual information helps the reader understand why > an > event is taking place. Remembering another story with a similar plot > enables the reader to anticipate action. Identifying an author's writing > style or the organizational pattern of a text helps the reader understand > what the author is saying. > > Make a Prediction > Good readers anticipate what's coming next. Based on what they've > already > read, readers expect certain new events to occur. When an event doesn't > match a prediction, readers rethink and revise their thinking. More > important, they are alerted to possible confusions. Sometimes misreading > words throw the prediction off. When readers predict, they are aware > meaning > is breaking down. Instead of ignoring an incorrect prediction, they get > back into the action by making a new guess. Predicting jolts readers > back > on track. It keeps them involved so they aren't surprised by incorrect > conclusions. > > Stop and Think About What You Have Already Read > This one is so easy most students ignore it. Yet it is one of the most > useful fix-up strategies of all. Good readers ponder what they have > read. > They connect newly acquired knowledge with information they already have. > Stopping and thinking gives readers time to synthesize new information. > It > allows opportunities to ask questions, visualize, and determine what is > important in the text. > > Ask a Question > Good readers ask themselves questions when they read. Curious about the > answers, they continue reading. Sometimes these questions are answered > directly in the text, and meaning is clarified. Typically, clarifying > questions are about a character, setting, event, or process: who, what, > when, and where questions. > > Other times, answers to readers' questions aren't found in the text. > These > are pondering questions that don't always have simple answers. They ask > how > and why. In these cases, the reader is forced to go beyond the words to > find > the answer, either by drawing an inference or by going to another source. > > Struggling readers sometimes expect to find all the answer to their > questions in the text. These readers often miss test questions like, > "What's > the best title for this piece?" or "What's the main idea?" They don't > realize that the answers can be found by using clues from the text and > their > background knowledge to draw an inference. Many secondary students think > this is cheating or wasting time. > > Readers who ask questions and know where the answers to their questions > are > to be found are more likely to have a richer read, to infer, to draw > conclusions, and regain control of their reading. > > Write About What You've Read > Writing down what they think about what they've read allows readers to > clarify their thinking. It is an opportunity to reflect. Readers better > understand their reading when they have written about it. The writing > may > be a summary or a response. Sometimes just jotting a few notes will > clarify > meaning. > > Visualize > When meaning breaks down, good readers consciously create images in their > head to help them make sense of what they words are saying. They use > movies, television, and life to help them picture what is happening. > When a > reader can visualize what is happening, comprehension improves. > Secondary > students are bombarded with visual images. These images can help readers > make a video in their head. If they can "see it," they often understand > it. > > Use Print Conventions > Key words, bold print, italicized words, capital letters, and punctuation > are all used to enhance understanding. Conventions of print help the > author > convey intent. They help the reader determine what is important and what > the author values. Conventions of print give the reader insight into > voice > inflections and how the author wants the piece to sound. Poor readers > often > ignore conventions because they are unaware of their function. Pointing > out > conventions will not only improve reading comprehension but all will help > students use these same conventions to convey meaning when they write. > > Retell What You've Read > Taking a moment to retell what has been read helps the reader reflect. > It > activates background knowledge and also provides a check on whether the > reader is understanding. When readers can't retell what they read, it > is an > indication that their minds have been wandering or confusion has set in. > Asking What have I just read? Refreshes the reader's memory and prepares > her > to read the next part. This is a useful strategy when returning to > reading > after some time has passed. Students frequently read something and then > don't > pick up the material again for several days. Teaching students to > quickly > recall what they have already read before starting new material can save > time. Readers who don't recall what they have read before beginning new > text end up doing it while they are reading the new material and > therefore > don't pay attention to it. > > Reread > When meaning breaks down, readers can stop and decide whether there is > something in the text they can reread that will help them understand the > piece better. Since this is the one strategy most readers know > automatically, it needs little explaining. An important aspect to > remember > is that a student doesn't have to reread everything for the strategy to > be > helpful. Sometimes rereading portions of the text- a sentence, or even > just a word- can enhance comprehension. Struggling readers tend to think > rereading means they have to reread everything. > > Notice Patterns in Text Structure > Genres have specific organizational patterns. Recognizing how a piece is > organized helps readers locate information more quickly. > > Some struggling readers believe that they have to read everything from > cover > to cover, even nonfiction. Taking time to explain how a piece is > organized > helps students figure out where information is found. It helps them > determine what is important. When meaning breaks down, readers can stop > and > think how the text is organized and see whether there is something in the > organizational pattern that will help them understand the piece. > > Adjust Reading Rate: Slow Down or Speed Up > Contrary to what struggling readers think, good readers don't read > everything fast. They adjust their rate to meet the demands of the task. > Many secondary students read course textbooks at the same rate they read > their favorite magazine. Good readers slow down when something is > difficult > or unfamiliar. They realize that in order to construct meaning, their > rate > must decrease. They also know that it's okay to read faster when > something > is familiar or boring. Reading faster sometimes forces the brain to stay > engaged. Good readers select a rate basked on the difficulty of the > material, their purpose in reading it, and their familiarity with the > topic. > > (Tovani, pp. 51-57) > > 3. Over several days find different text pieces to model each of these > fix-it strategies for your students. > 4. Make an anchor chart listing these and put it up in your classroom > so > the students can refer back to it to remind them what they can do when > confused. > > 3. Step 3 > 1. Comprehension Constructor (from Tovani, page 59) > 2. Model your own confusion using the Comprehension Constructor to > give > evidence of how you repaired the confusion. > > I am confused by (copy directly from the text whatever your confusion > is): > ________________________________________________________ page _____ > > I am confused because (try to figure out why you are confused): > __________________________________________________________________ > > I will try (record different fix-up strategies you try): > __________________________________________________________________ > __________________________________________________________________ > > I understand (explain how your understanding is deeper as a result of the > fix-up strategies you've used): > ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ > > 3. Give the Comprehension Constructor to your students to complete > when > reading during independent reading. > 4. Be sure to stress that careful readers try other fix-up > strategies if > one does not help them repair the confusion. This is called being > flexible. > Trying more than one way rather than doing nothing. > > Once kids can hear the voice in their head, and are thinking as they are > reading, they will be better able to do the strategy work because they > will > be > metacognitive from this point forward. It becomes natural to hear that > inner voice and that is how they integrate the use of all the > comprehension > strategies- letting questions come up as they have them, experiencing the > sensory images in their texts, inferring deeper meanings, connecting to > their own schema, synthesizing understanding as they read with stamina, > and > determining the authors message/getting what is important. All of this > is > metacognition. Metacognition is the umbrella over all the comprehension > strategies. > Adapted by Ginger Weincek 2005 > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.5/1618 - Release Date: > 8/18/2008 6:51 AM > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
