Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
Analyzing tests When we analyze a test, we look at the question stem and decide what aspect of comprehension it takes to answer the question. What we have discovered is that many require inference. EX- many questions in a narrative pertain to the character. To be able to answer most character questions, the reader must infer about the character through actions, speech, feelings. description, etc. The reader has to go back into the text and find the supporting evidence. Then using that inference, the reader infers what the character was thinking, why he did an act, or how he feels, etc. If you analyze what thinking is involved is cause and effect, main idea, summarization, drawing conclusions, you will see that they require higher level thinking as well. Then, taking that information, we make a table of the what type of thinking was required. We also match it to the particular state skill (TEK) to see how it correlates to that skill. Whne you analyze your thinking as task analysis, you see the layers that are required. As for benchmarks. being a Texas school, we have been through the agony of how much testing is too much testing. Our district does a short (2 - 3 passages) test in the middle of October to see where the students are and who needs support. This helps with our long term planning. Schools with lots of need have the option of another short test in Dec. In the middle of January we do a released test to see where we are for the real TAKS. So most schools have one short test in the fall, one long test in the winter, and the real test in the spring. We use this data to hone in on the TEKS that need emphasis. Using data properly is very important or all the testing is for nothing. It is more than who passed. My personal philosophy with testing is that if we apply the thinking behind reading for depth, then a test passage is just one more form of text to use. The difference is the questions at the end, which is another specialized skill to teach. I have the students answer the question without looking at the answer choices first and then match their answer to one of the choices. That way they are really thinking and not using a gimmick to answer the question. We also use QAR. Finally, our benchmarks have open-ended questions on them also. This is a very short answer to many topics, but I hope it helps. Marsha ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
Help! Help! I am desperately searching for the toolbelt and garden analogy that was posted several years ago. Basically comparing your metacognition to growing a garden and the toolbelt as the holder for all your comprehension strategies something like the seeds in the belt was a souvenir of schema, sunglasses for visual imagery and the like. I thought it was listed on the tools page but I really haven't had success locating it. Thanking you in advance for your help. Pam ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
Pam that would be http://literacy-garden.tripod.com I am sorry you could not find it. I will have to ask Ginger to update to the new link because it contains the PowerPoint and the old one does not! Happy New Year!! Good Luck!! Michele of the Literacy Garden NBCT '06 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Help! Help! I am desperately searching for the toolbelt and garden analogy that was posted several years ago. Basically comparing your metacognition to growing a garden and the toolbelt as the holder for all your comprehension strategies something like the seeds in the belt was a souvenir of schema, sunglasses for visual imagery and the like. I thought it was listed on the tools page but I really haven't had success locating it. Thanking you in advance for your help. Pam ___ 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. ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
I am in Texas also and I know what you mean about the benchmark tests--it's like 3 or 4 state tests--and our districts compares the schools on the benchmark tests. Our school has always done fine on TAKS but we haven't done as well on the benchmark tests--it's just too much testing! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 9:17 PM To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . . You know, this is my first year teaching third grade and I have said that I missed real teaching...fun teaching. I struggled with how do I have fun teaching and still keep my mind of the test. We have benchmarks each nine weeks, so I feel as if I am preparing my kids for those test. I know in my heart that the TAKS test is most at the high end of Blooms, but my head can't pull away from the test. I struggle...I struggle within myself. Shelby and Veronica Walker -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Sent: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 8:42 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . . Kelli, I'm interested in how you analyzed the Arkansas Benchmark to get the findings you mention below. If someone wanted to analyze their (my!) state test similarly, how would you recommend going about that? Did you use a certain tool to measure the test items? Heather Wall/ 3rd grade/ Georgia NBCT 2005 Literacy: Reading - Language Arts - Original Message From: RICHARD THEXTON [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 3:13:41 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . . I struggle with teaching for the sake of the test, but in a recent item analysis myself and fellow lit coaches did on the Arkansas Benchmark, 85% of the test items were on the high end of Bloom's taxonomy. Only 15% of the test items asked students to literally retell an event from the text. That means 85% of the questions were asking students to use those strategies...infer, predict, connect, answer questions that weren't directly answered in the text. ___ 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. Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more. ___ 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. ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
How do you practice this? Pat K to be nobody but yourself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. e.e. cummings On Dec 30, 2006, at 4:57 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Another aspect of reading that we need to have them apply is understanding the connection between comprehension and text structures. ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
What do you mean by mentor texts On Dec 30, 2006, at 5:44 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am reading with earnest all the talk about strategies. I think the point i want to reiterate is that the strategies are comprehension strategies... not just reading comprehension strategies that are used for more challenging text. I really agree with the comments about teaching metacognitively across the curriculum: in math, writing, and social studies and science. Then the practice and deep understanding you are talking about really come in to play... not just a particular author's meaning but just that... finding meaning in all that you do. This becomes especially apparent in math where often kids are working with algorithms and abstracts devoid of the personal touches of an author or apparent visual cues that are so often found in story... although all printed media is text LEARNNG HOW YOU THINK, HOW OTHERS THINK, HOW TO MODIFY, REVISE, AND DELETE ARE MAJOR SKILLS THAT I tend to believe need to be presented with a SYSTEMATIC and SEQUENCED CONTINUIM in mind.That much said, I find fault at the elementary level as I observe classes using the same mentor texts from grade level to grade level. Maybe it is the lack of time or perhaps the flood of information that teachers are trying to assimilate quickly but I'd rather hope for the skill to be practiced with all kinds of texts and in all kinds of frameworks. Maybe the emphasis should be on how we connect the strategy and not the presentation of the strategy itself. As a teacher of first graders, I find that the strategy must be named, applied, dissected and modeled in many different ways in order for little ones to really get when and how to think deeply about anything. I know that Debbie Miller's book was written with first graders in mind but I also look at STRATEGIES AT WORK and that same sense of deliberate modeling and then gradual release is evident. No matter whatshowing how to think about thinking is such a step above my memories of school, we can only be on a very good track Happy New Year everybody! ___ 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. ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] when comprehension strategies become the reason forreading. . .
Thanks Kellli, You are right I do use mentor texts, just never you that name for it. Michelle On Dec 30, 2006, at 7:26 PM, RICHARD THEXTON wrote: A mentor text is a book/story, either fiction or non-fiction that you have read to your class for enjoyment, then you can go back and use it again to teach a concept, strategy, etc. Each time you go back to your mentor text, you might use just one page or passage to teach whatever concept you are focusing on. I love to use Owl Moon to teach how to use comparisons in writing. I also use it for descriptive words and visualizing. I even use it for grammar. Ultimately, you use the mentor text to show your objective in an authentic setting. Debbie Miller's Reading With Meaning and the Strategies that Work list Mentor texts to use to teach comprehension strategies, Bringing Words to Life lists mentor texts to use to teach vocabulary...See www.basicsplusbooks.com for a great list of correlation books to go along with some of our favorite professional resources. Hope this is helpful! You probably use mentor texts all the time, but just didn't put this name to them:) Kelli Michelle Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What do you mean by mentor texts On Dec 30, 2006, at 5:44 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am reading with earnest all the talk about strategies. I think the point i want to reiterate is that the strategies are comprehension strategies... not just reading comprehension strategies that are used for more challenging text. I really agree with the comments about teaching metacognitively across the curriculum: in math, writing, and social studies and science. Then the practice and deep understanding you are talking about really come in to play... not just a particular author's meaning but just that... finding meaning in all that you do. This becomes especially apparent in math where often kids are working with algorithms and abstracts devoid of the personal touches of an author or apparent visual cues that are so often found in story... although all printed media is text LEARNNG HOW YOU THINK, HOW OTHERS THINK, HOW TO MODIFY, REVISE, AND DELETE ARE MAJOR SKILLS THAT I tend to believe need to be presented with a SYSTEMATIC and SEQUENCED CONTINUIM in mind.That much said, I find fault at the elementary level as I observe classes using the same mentor texts from grade level to grade level. Maybe it is the lack of time or perhaps the flood of information that teachers are trying to assimilate quickly but I'd rather hope for the skill to be practiced with all kinds of texts and in all kinds of frameworks. Maybe the emphasis should be on how we connect the strategy and not the presentation of the strategy itself. As a teacher of first graders, I find that the strategy must be named, applied, dissected and modeled in many different ways in order for little ones to really get when and how to think deeply about anything. I know that Debbie Miller's book was written with first graders in mind but I also look at STRATEGIES AT WORK and that same sense of deliberate modeling and then gradual release is evident. No matter whatshowing how to think about thinking is such a step above my memories of school, we can only be on a very good track Happy New Year everybody! ___ 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. ___ 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. ___ 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. ___ 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.
