Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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The following questions are ones that I get asked quite often . . .

1.	Does the MCR process ever interfere with reading comprehension. That is, don't some students get distracted from what they are reading by having to tell or write what they are thinking?
	Just the opposite is true. When students think about what they are reading, they use their background knowledge, they predict, and they focus on what they are reading. Comprehending (thinking while reading) enhances reading comprehension (answering questions after reading).
2.	*Will the MCR process increase reading test scores?*
	Better comprehending will increase a reader's understanding of a text. Comprehending will lead to better comprehension--and better reading comprehension test scores.
3.	You were a wonderful help to me when I emailed you last June for information on you Modeling, Coached Practice and Reflection approach. I am hoping you can direct me in resolving my present dilemma. I just got a new job as the itinerate ESL reading teacher. I have never taught students whose home language is anything but English. I now have 23 elementary students, grade 1-6, from various backgrounds, Russian, Bosnian, Italian, Puerto Rican, Vietnam, etc. that I am to teach reading to. I am not sure how to go about it. I would really appreciate it if you could direct me to current resources which outline "best practices" for teaching reading to these kind of students. I need help fast!
	The modeling, coached practice, reflection procedures have been used successfully with students whose first language is not English. The emphasis of the approach is getting students to think while they read. We know that students think best in their first language. In fact, research has demonstrated that an ESL student will compose an answer first in his or her native language and then translate that answer into English. What you need to do is to allow the students to think-aloud in their first language when they are doing the oral think-alouds. When you go to the writing in the boxes phase, allow the students to write in their first language. After the story has been read and the students, discuss what they have read in the boxes, they can then translate their thoughts into English. The strength of the MCR process for ESL students is that the process is intended to make conscious the thinking process we all use when reading. Thus, the process is slowed down until it becomes automatic. Another activity you can try is to pair each ESL student with a first language reader. Have the first language student, read the selection aloud to the ESL student, then have the ESL student write in the box (in his or her first language) what he or she is thinking. When the story is finished the two students can discuss what was written in the boxes and how it tells about the story. Who know, the first language learner may even begin to learn a bit of a second language. These techniques and others are included in a set of MCR practice books which will soon be available from Steck-Vaughn Publishers. You can ask for sample materials by checking on my web page for information about the books. The web page address is www.rogerfarr.com
4.	I attended your recent workshop at the Indy Omni. I have been studying and think I am ready to implement your strategy with my 6th grade literature students. I feel comfortable with the first three steps because the information in the pamphlet is so complete. The writing and the conferencing parts of the strategy are a little more confusing. May I have another story or two with writing activity ideas? Will you give more detailed info regarding the writing? Your lesson plan for one week for the MCR part of the strategy really spells it out. In the reading part I'm supposed to think! Oh no! Do I just keep going with the reading/writing activities and never go back to the MCR? How often should I use the 4-week schedule during the year? What about evaluating? Is that what conferencing is? More details please. I want better learners in my classroom.
	It is good to have the students write (but not every time) after they are finished reading and discussing what they wrote in the boxes. Sometimes the writing activities will grow out of discussions--the things that students talk about. An idea about writing to a government agency to deal with a problem, or writing a similar story, or writing their own thoughts about a character in a story or a dilemma faced by a character. Other times you will need to develop a writing activity that fits your curriculum focus in literature or connected to what they are focusing on in social studies or science class. Writing should be as natural an activity as possible, but it should be focused. As far as going back to the MCR, you will be doing the C (Coached Practice) every time you discuss with students their thoughts as they read. However, if you are talking about going back to the oral coaching and your think-aloud (modeling), you should consider doing that every time the reading gets more difficult for the students, you introduce a new genre, or the topic being read about is one you feel a need to help students with their thinking. Of course, anytime that students are having difficulty comprehending, it is a good time to model and coach. You can do this with individual children or with small groups. Conferencing is a chance for students to discuss and talk about what they have written in the boxes. It is, therefore, a chance for you to evaluate their comprehending. It is also a chance for the students to think about their thoughts. So conferencing about the ideas written in the boxes is an evaluation process. In another sense, conferencing is also evaluating. In addition, to having students discuss what they have written in the boxes, you need to have them discuss whether they think that thinking-aloud and writing in the boxes helps them to focus on the story--and to remember what they have read. You asked about doing the 4 weeks again doing the year. I have discussed that above. However, I also want to emphasize how much more effective the process will be if it also happens in social studies, science, mathematics, and other subjects they students are taking. Hope all of this helps. I hope you will write me another e-mail as you get started. I want to know how it goes. What works--and what doesn't! Thanks, Roger Farr
5.	Roger, I have implemented the first five days of Modeling and Coached Practice and now I am about to begin with the text with boxes. I'm a little unclear about exactly what happens for the next four weeks. I know the students need to be reading and writing what they're thinking in the boxes, and I know that they need to share what they wrote and discuss it. Should they read and write in boxes everyday? Do they read and then do some writing and then do some more reading? When should they be reflecting-each time or after the first five weeks are up? Is there a strategy for getting students to diversify the types of responses they're writing or will they begin to incorporate more variety as they hear others' responses? Should I be trying to teach the strategies through the writing in the boxes? Do I need to wait until the five weeks are up to begin modeling and coached practice with a different genre? I am sure that much of this may be an individual decision based on your students. However, I would appreciate any input you can give me based on your experiences with the program. I can already see a difference in my students and I want to be sure I am maximizing the effect this strategy has on their comprehending by implementing it in the most successful way possible. Where to next,
	Where to next, Lots of good questions. It is, of course, your observations and understanding of your class as to exactly what you should do. However, I will give you my responses--as long as you understand they need to be modified your situation. From the questions you have asked and your observations, it is clear that you are implementing the MCR strategies effectively. For the next four weeks you should try to do the "writing in the boxes" phase each day. You can go back to modeling and the oral phase if you find students are having difficulty. However, that is usually not needed if you spend time after the reading of each "total" story and have had the students discuss what they wrote in the boxes. It is best to have the students read the entire selection and write in the boxes before they discuss what they have written. The fact that they are at different places in their reading--and the interruptions during reading are not helpful--it is better to have them complete the story and then discuss. Be sure to have them explain to each other why they wrote what they did. Of course, you should "coach" your students while they are writing in the boxes by going around the room and encouraging students to write in every box. You can/should stop as you move around the room and conference with individual students about what they wrote and why they wrote what they wrote. You can have them discuss after every story or two whether they think that the writing in the boxes helps them to think about the story and to remember what they have read. To get students to use a broader range of strategies, we sometimes write short questions in the boxes. Such as "What do you think happened next?" "What do you think the house looked like?" "Does this remind you of another story you read?" Such questions can encourage broader strategy development. The discussions after reading will let you know if the students are using different strategies. The concern we have is with those students who just reguritate what they read when they write in the boxes rather than writing what they are thinking. Sticking with the same genre until the students really "get it" is best. However, your students may have caught on quickly and you can move to another genre sooner. Sounds like you are making great progress. Let me know if you have other questions. Roger

Last updated
February 14, 1999

Author: Roger Farr