L517: Advanced Study of the Teaching of Secondary School Reading

INTRODUCTION TO CONTENT AREA READING

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Reading Assignment
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Reading Assignment

 
bullet Brozo & Simpson, Chapter 1

Lecture

 

Reading comprehension is a complex process that we continue to struggle to understand and define. How we view and define reading comprehension is reflected not only by our theoretical perspective, but also by our goals to improve learning and understanding in the classroom.

Over the years, research has enabled us to understand some important aspects of the reading process. The following framework for the reading process can help you better understand the objective reading process as well as your own reading process.

bullet Social process - Reading is a social process; neither readers nor reading exist in a vacuum. Readers interact with a text and, in turn, with an author who has written down his or her ideas. Readers perceive the text and message in a certain manner based on societal views as well as their own personal meaning.
bullet Schema - Cognitive theorists have posited that knowledge does not exist in a vacuum but rather within contextual relationships. Within this theory, knowledge is conceptualized as a large network of interrelated propositions called schemata (Lefrancois, 1991). Schemata are abstract frameworks that organize knowledge of memory into related slots. A useful metaphor for schemata is the concept map. The brain is made up of interrelated structures (called schemata) that theoretically are much like a concept map consists of interrelated parts. Readers use schema to store related concepts, link and cross-link concepts, recognize text structure, and relate new ideas to existing ideas. This is strongly related to prior knowledge, which readers use to build new knowledge or schemata.
bullet Reader Response Theory - No matter what type of text is being read, readers will not only respond to it intellectually (e.g., learn facts and information from it), but they will also respond to it affectively. Louise Rosenblatt (1982) argued that thoughts and feelings are important components when comprehending and interpreting texts. Readers are constantly thinking about how interesting (or boring) a text is, how they feel about what they are reading, and what experiences they have had that the text is reminding them of. Unfortunately, in many classrooms students are only encouraged to respond to texts intellectually. According to Reader Response Theory, when students are encouraged to express thoughts and feelings about what they are reading, their reading experiences are going to be more authentic, and comprehension will improve.
bullet Metacognition - Metacognition is often described as "thinking about thinking." It is the knowledge and control we have over our own cognitive processes. Metacognition enables readers to monitor their progress, select and switch strategies for learning and remembering, and measure their efforts. Some examples of metacognitive strategies are: identifying key concepts, making predictions, rereading, self-questioning, and comparing and contrasting.
bullet Practice - Like any skill, reading improves with practice. As readers practice an activity, they practice multi-step procedures and learn gradually more complex skills. As they become better at it, they begin to internalize a set of skills until it becomes second nature. However, like any skill, practicing is more profitable when students are taught specific strategies to focus on. 
bullet Motivation - Motivation plays a huge role in reading comprehension. A reader's perception of his or her ability to read and how reading is perceived in general can directly impact literacy success. A reader's sense of self efficacy is critical to building the reading process. Addition motivators include interest and curiosity.
bullet Purpose - Purpose for reading plays an enormous role in supporting our efforts to comprehend. Think about why you read the newspaper this morning, the novel you started last night, the manual that came with your new VCR, or this web page you are reading now. Now think about how you read (or are reading) each of those texts. Did the purpose for which you were reading drive the way you read those texts? Good readers allow purpose to drive their approach to reading.
bullet Personal meaning - Readers bring their own perspective and experience to the reading process. Reading is not an objective activity. By building on personal meaning and prior knowledge, teachers can help students build strong ties to what they read as well as what they understand.

In this course, our goal is to better understand the reading process as well as the reader himself. As a future literacy professional, your own views of literacy and reading play an important role in how you both learn and teach. It is very difficult to encourage practices that will improve your students' reading comprehension if you don't understand the reading process. Over the course of the semester you are encouraged to be more aware (metacognitive) of your own reading processes, regardless of the type of text you are reading. You'll be surprised what you can teach yourself about the reading process, just by being aware of what you are thinking and doing as you read.

References
Lefrancois, G. (1991.) Psychology for Teaching (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co.

Rosenblatt, L.M. (1982). The literacy transaction: Evocation and response. Theory into Practice, 21, 268-277.
Oncourse Activity

If you have any questions about how to post to Oncourse or what your responsibilities are for posting to Oncourse, please visit the L517 Posting to Oncourse web page.

DEBATE!
ORIGINAL POSTING--By the end of the day on Wednesday of this week post your response to the following topic on Oncourse.

Even if you don't agree with the stance you're given below, post a response on Oncourse as though you do.

Partner # 1: You feel strongly that the vast majority of modern day high school and college instructors are doing the best they can to embrace the principles of language-based teaching. When they fall short, it is due to factors that are out of their control. On Oncourse, explain in what ways the principles of language-based teaching are evident in most high school and college classrooms. Be specific. Then explain what factors that are completely out of the control of the instructors cause them to be unable to be completely successful in achieving a thoroughly language-based classroom.

Partner # 2:  You feel strongly that the vast majority of modern day high school and college instructors are failing to embrace the principles of language-based teaching. Moreover, they have no one to blame but themselves. On Oncourse, explain in what ways most teachers consistently teach in a way that ignores the principles of language-based teaching. Be specific. Then explain why the teachers alone are to blame for this problem.

RESPONSE TO PARTNER'S POSTING--By the end of the day on Friday of this week respond to your partner's posting.

Tell your partner what you actually do agree with in his/her posting as well as what you don't agree with. In other words, forget about the stance you were asked to take for your original posting, and respond to your partner's posting according to your own true beliefs. (Keep in mind that your partner has written some things that he or she doesn't agree with, so be kind in your response to him/her J.)

CLOSING WORDS --By the end of of the day on Sunday, read your group's and one other group's postings for this topic and then reflect on  both.

Last updated: 06/07/2006, by Jennifer Conner
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~l517/introduction.htm
Comments: jmconner@indiana.edu
Copyright 2006, Jennifer Conner