To 5th grade Teacher,
After observing some of your students read and then answer comprehension questions I found that most of the students were having difficulty with the comprehension of the passages. Although these students are seemingly reading above grade level based on fluency requirements I am concerned with their comprehension ability. Reading is not just about sounding out the words phonetically and in a set amount of time. Rather, reading is being able to understand the text though obtaining meaning. This can be done through making connections to schemas and using the context to gather meaning. I find that your students are struggling in this area. I would suggest moving away from the fluency practice and working on reading strategies. One way I love to monitor the use of reading strategies is through sticky notes. To begin with I would have the students read one page of their book. Then, on their sticky note have them show the use of a reading strategy (retell, summarize, make connections, predict, visualize, question, show their thinking, etc. ). You may need to demonstrate your expectations for a quality sticky note before having students do this. This strategy will really get the students to begin thinking while they read, which is what reading is all about. “Reading is Thinking” is my motto. Have students record their sticky notes on a piece of paper and keep in their readers’ notebooks or folders. Monitor their progress through individual conferences. Note changes in their comprehension levels. Over time you will notice quality notes from your students. This will lead to better comprehension rates within your classroom. Then, when the students combine their above grade level reading fluency skill with their improved comprehension ability, you will then have a classroom of true readers!
Sincerely,
Ms. Bruce
Lindsey, I agree with your motto, "Reading is thinking". That is so true. Reading is making meaning of the words within the text. That is why as teachers, we must stress the importance of making meaning while reading. I have also used the sticky note strategy in my own class. It really allows students to think about their reading and what is offering difficulties for them. This is also a way you, as the teacher can informally assess strategies you should re-teach. It also allows for peer tutoring, you can pair up students and have them discuss which strategy they utilized while reading. They can compare the strategies that worked well or strategies that proved to be more difficult. Great job!
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