Chapter 7
1.“The goal is to determine how instruction improves reading performance, a text that is moderately difficult (90% oral accuracy and 60% comprehension) provides a more appropriate measuring tool. Using a moderately difficult text allows the teacher to assess the student’s change in reading as a result of instruction.” Page 121
I do try to pick a book at the level for the student that is not too difficult for them. Using a book that is not too difficult can show you how your instruction is improving their skill of reading. You should see an improvement rather easily if the text is not too difficult. If you don’t, then I would pick an even easier text to try the instruction strategy with, so the student gets confident with it. After seeing the confidence build, then move up to the moderate text again and see if they are improving.
2.“Having the student read the first section at sight and without assistance serves two functions: (a) to add Information to the diagnostic hypotheses and (b) to establish baseline behaviors so that the effectiveness of instruction can be evaluated. The section should be about 100 to 200 words long and may be read either orally to evaluate print processing or silently to evaluate meaning processing. The data are analyzed by computing the percentage of comprehension and error rate as well as evaluating the patterns of the reading performance.” Page 125
I have not tried to have the student read the first part silently, I have only used oral reading. After they read the first section orally, you will know if the text is at their level and you should continue. I count miscues and time them during the oral reading. I have the students read silently and give them their questions that evaluate meaning processes after the oral reading.
3.“When using repeated readings with Ted, a second grader, for instance, the diagnostic teacher found that simply discussing the miscues did not result in decreased miscues, so she modeled her own self-correction process by saying, “Oops, that doesn’t make sense; let’s see what would make sense and start with a g. Oh, girl starts with a g. The girl hit the home run. Yes, that makes sense and sounds like it looks,” Then Ted read the passage again, and the teacher recorded the miscues and evaluated the amount and kind of change evidenced in the reading performance. Because the number of miscues decreased and fluent reading increased, the teacher recommended the procedure with the modifications be tried during the diagnostic lesson.” Page 125
I have used this type of teaching but a little differently. I do not allow those in group or round robin reading to help the other readers by giving them the words. So if someone makes an error they know that they need to catch it themselves. If they do not catch the error they made, I will say oh, wait, did that make sense to you? Then they go back and reread and sound things out and work on it themselves until they can get the word. I do give encouragement if they are stretching or chunking the word correctly so they have more confidence.
4.”The degree of task modification becomes a key factor in determining future instructional interactions. If a high degree of task modification is required, a less difficult test or a different technique should be selected. If a low degree of task modification is needed, however, a more difficult text or task can be employed.” Page 128
I agree with this. If the teacher is really trying to modify something in the way that the student is reading, we need to choose a lower level book for the student, one that is very easy to read. Modeling the strategy on a lower level text will build confidence in the student. If the modification is making minor adjustments then a harder to read text for the child would be better.
5. Bobby could not recognize the word skated in this sentence: :The girl skated around the rink.” … Another student had the same difficulty, … Fred read to the end of the sentence but could not recongnize the word rink either. In this case, the teacher had to probe further. She asked Fred to think about the story and what the girl might be doing. Still there was no response. The teacher then said, “In the picture, there is an ice rink. Now what do you think the girl is doing?” “Skating” was his reply. The teacher instructed him to read the sentence again. Fred now read, “The girl skated around the rink.”
I don’t think I would call attention to the picture and then tell the child the miscued word. I would give clues, but I would not have just shouted out the unknown word. Tell the student to look at the picture for clues to figure out the unknown word.
