RUNNING HEAD: Elementary School Reading and Language Arts

Chapter Reflections
Marcus Dolliver

Elementary School Reading and Language Arts

St. Thomas University Education
Dr. Marcea Ingersoll
March 1st, 2107
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Chapter 1: Active, Critical, and Reflective Response

Kid Watching is our most effective way of evaluating students learning (p.3, Tompkins).
Some skills needed to evaluate through kid watching may be to read body language and
recognize what progressions each child is making with their language, problem solving ability,
connections, and patterns.

Jean Piaget, Constructivist Framework. Described learning as the modification of students

cognitive structures as they interact with and adapt to their environment(p.5, Tompkins).
Knowledge is created from experience, teachers facilitate the experience. I agree with this
framework to an extent. For example; by reading a book you are interacting with that book and
learning from it, but are you interacting and adapting to the environment? I believe that this
framework is applicable for specific activities but not all.

Assimilation cognitive process by which new information on the environment is integrated

into the existing schemata
Accommodation cognitive process by which existing schemata are modified or new schemata
are restructured to adapt to the environment.
These two cognitive processes allow for schemata to expand and branch, widening the learning
process. Example: learning to drive (p.7 Tompkins).

Childrens metacognitive abilities, and providing guided practice for development of them
sounds very important. If a child understands how they learn best and can develop these
learning strategies, we should accommodate them forcing them to learn different learning
strategies which the instructor believes more effective.

Finding a childs zone of proximal development (range of tasks the child can perform with
guidance from others but cannot yet perform independently (p.8 Tompkins)). must be difficult.
What are some techniques we can use to ensure we are not outside that childs zone and they
arent just saying that they understand? Maybe we can pick up on these things easily when
working one on one rather than in groups?

Students Learn 8-10 words per day (p.11 Tompkins). This statement seems to be a little
stretched and broad. I agree that some students may learn this amount if not more per day, but
everyone student is different and their exposure to words may not be equal depending on their
environments and interactions. I disagree with this statement because I feel as though it is more
of an assumption.

Valuing a students first language seems very important to me. My parents have brought in
exchange students and it is very interesting seeing how they develop over their time in Canada.
It is not hard to tell that in class their first languages are considered but not always addressed
appropriately. By living with them and hearing their stories when they leave compared to when
they first arrived, as well as how happy they are when they have an opportunity to speak their
first languages with another person is quite eye opening. Although I feel this textbook
addresses younger children than the exchange students we have had, its hard to see how things
would be different for younger students.
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Using books which address different culture, gender, and social contexts seems to be a very
wise decision as an educator to get children to recognize the variety of backgrounds others
around them may have. Having a good balance of familiar and new (p 24. Tompkins) may
provide comfort, yet attend to the zone of proximal development.

An area within this chapter which I will be reviewing will be the Four language Systems. It has
been an extremely long time since I have reviewed these and the uses in elementary grades
found on the The Overview of the Four Language Systems (p.13 Tompkins) seem useful to
know.

Taking note of the Teachers Notebook as the chapter went on seemed like some very important
things to review as well, especially once in the field. Knowing and understand guidelines for
many aspects of language arts will be a very useful tool for having a successful and interested
class.

Chapter 2: Teaching the language arts

Clear Expectations, integration of subjects, and the opportunity for students to critically think
will allow them to be more successful in the classroom. I agree with this, and it is true all the
way to the university level. When I look at my highest graded work, almost all of it has had a
strong rubric, provides opportunity to use multiple subject areas, and provides a pathway to
appropriate critical thinking for that assignment.

Language arts instructions should be based on how children learn, the impact of language and
culture on learning, and societys goals for its childrens literacy development. These are all
valuable life skills which need to be addressed at a young age. In todays society it is becoming
more important to be literate, and have skills learned to develop.

Students are more motivated to read when reading tasks and activities are relevant to their
lives. This is an obvious and clear note, however sometimes these things which are relevant to
ones lives dont actually educate in ways others may. For me reading books about basketball
players, teams, experiences, ect. Is educational to a point.

Language arts strategies (Tompkins p.35) figure 2-1. Important to know!

Language arts skills (Tompkins p.38) figure 2-2.

Displaying students work and projects is seen as a characteristic of a language-rich classroom.

However i have heard from multiple teachers today of their inability to post things on walls due
to fire, and in exceptional learners we have looked at minimizing distractions. What is
appropriate to post on walls in a classroom in terms of classwork, and amount?

Having a centres approach for a classroom setup seems very beneficial to me at the elementary
level. Not all classrooms will be able to provide a classroom such as the one shown on p.44
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figure 2-5 due to size, but it is easy to visualize how this kind of setup would be beneficial in
multiple courses including language arts. With that being said, when are individual rows of
tables appropriate? Is it only for certain subjects?

Resource based units, Theme study units, and inquiry based Units seem to be very important.
Throughout my schooling I have experienced mainly resource based units and theme study
units, however the idea of inquiry based units seem very interesting to me. I like the idea that
the student learns with the students. I can see how that would motivate the students to put
together issues through interest and curiosity.

When looking at direct and indirect instruction, would either one of these methods be more
beneficial due to class size or other class differences? From my previous experience on
placement at Holy Family elementary school it seemed as through larger numbered classes
required very direct instruction. Additionally classes who were in french immersion seemed to
need less direct instruction, and their classes looked much different in reality when they were
quite similar on paper (lesson plan). The teachers methods of teaching were quite different, and
allowed students to explore the activity rather than be instructed on what to do immediately.
Chapter 3: Emergent Literacy (p. 66-81)

The assessment method Linda Pierce uses seems very simple and easy to understand. It seems
to be the normal way to assess many topics at the elementary level as we have discussed similar
methods in science and math. I like that she provides time to assess one on one with students to
really see their strengths and allow the class to understand that each person develop skills in
varying rates.

Is metalinguistics (the ability to talk about concepts of language) one of the main concepts to
assess? It seems quite important for real life skills as well as educational progression.

It is important to allow students to experiment with reading and writing. This can be done by
examples seen on page 69 & 70, Tompkins

Children acknowledging rhyming words are normally recognized to have good phonemic
awareness. As a teacher it is important to provide appropriate books where children have the
opportunity to recognize phonemes although they may not fully understand what they are. Be
sure to ask questions that relate to rhyming words when doing read alouds. I can somewhat
recall my teachers doing this when I was in elementary school.

I can see how phonics would be the most widely misunderstood aspect of reading instruction. I
like how the textbook breaks down sounds to decode words. I can see how sounding out even
the most simple words would be a good way to begin phonic recognition and understanding.

The Most Useful Phonics Generalizations (Tompkins, p.79). I remember learning these and
struggling more than my peers (or so it seemed) and this was the beginning of my dislike
towards language arts/english classes. As time has gone on I have overcome this but it is very
apparent to me that keeping students positive through their first schooling struggles is
important not only at the present time but for the future. When in language arts and english,
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through middle school and high school, I was always convinced that I did poor work. When in
reality my work was actually above the norm for the class. I never felt positively about these
classes until seeing success in university on typed assessments

Chapter 5: The Reading and Writing Process (156-175)

There are a lot of things included in the reading Nate the Great, so many that it makes me
wonder if this is a full unit or what kind of time frame it would take a grade three class to
complete. This seems like a very effective way to have children involved in similar stories
using many different teaching strategies.

Could there be a middle ground between aesthetic and efferent reading? I feel as though some
readers not only read for enjoyment but also to acquire knowledge, or vice versa.

Pre-reading and choosing books for children looks like it may be a difficult task for younger
grades. As a future educator, is there any methods other than observation you can use to see
where children may need guidance towards choosing appropriate books? The Chart (figure 5.1,
p. 161) provides useful tools, however I distinctly remember myself not knowing what books to
read when I was young.

Shared reading is very important and through reading this passage I can see some ways I could
have improved my recorded reading posted on my weebly. It makes sense to follow the words
with your finger or a pointer to show students where your spoken words are coming from. The
ability for them to visually acknowledge the sounds and spelling each word makes allows for
conceptual integration about words, letters, and sentences. I really like the idea of starting a
chapter book together as a class because it gets the class started on the same track and allows
immediate feedback on whether or not the book will work for that class.

Round Robin Reading was a method which as practiced at my elementary and middle school
which was always uncomfortable. Myself, along with others who werent strong readers were
heavily discouraged and nervous when at the library using this method (about once a week).
Im very happy that this is no longer a recommended, and I believe it shouldnt be done at all.
It is essentially bullying someone into doing something:
1. They dont want to do
2. That could be potentially harmful to their desire to learn/read
3. That could be embarrassing (constantly requiring guidance, and taking much longer to
read things other students may breeze through)
I was this person, and I was always extremely uncomfortable reading in front of the class.
There was no option, or way to avoid it, and once again another reason why I disliked language
arts (or English) from childhood to university.

I feel as though grand conversations (discussion) in small groups would be the most effective
path towards getting the entire class involved and allowing everyone equal opportunity. This is
because not everyone is comfortable talking in front of a whole class.
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Chapter 5: The Reading and Writing Process (177-191)

When pre-writing, and choosing a topic, I always struggled to choose appropriate topics. Are
there some strategies you can use as a teacher to help guide students to choosing topics based
upon the content you wish to cover? Is providing a list of topics to choose from the best
method?

Re-reading the draft after time away from it (a day or two) is something I never clued in on
until late in my education career. This strategy works!

Writers groups were my saviour as a student and is where I really learned the majority of my
writing skills. Having peer feedback, and seeing what my classmates were doing always guided
me in the right direction. It is also a good activity for students to interact about language arts in
a positive environment facilitated by the teacher. This is a really strong community building
activity, however must be monitored closely so that students are not being negative towards
others and their work.

Proofreading marks were never really my speciality, however simply correcting the error
seemed more beneficial. Are learning proof reading marks an outcome? What is wrong with
simply correcting mistakes?

Many of the shared writing methods provided in the text I never had an opportunity to do. They
seem really fun and critical to growing communication skills and confidence to display work
and vocalize opinions. Sharing work is also a good motivator for students because they do not
want their peers to see that they have done a poor job.

I really like the idea of theme study units. I can see that using these you can create awareness
and understand diversity through the use of literature. It seems like a very cross curricular
approach to learning writing skills and learning about important topics.

The writers process (page 190)***

Chapter 5: The Reading and Writing Process (191 - 210)

In Stage three (revising) of the differentiating writing process it brings up participation of

writers groups with older more compatible students. I like the idea of this, but Im not entirely
sure how it would work/what grade level it would be appropriate for. Through my observations
of grade 2s on my Field Placement, they have drastic amounts of revisions which would need
correcting. Therefore, Im assuming that these groups would be at a higher level when
revisions are better understood?

Throughout my placement I noticed that reading and writing is worked on multiple times
throughout the day. Even during their eating time before going outside for lunch there is a read
aloud played on the smart board. However, it seems as though there is little direct explicit
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instruction done by the teacher. The balanced approach which is discussed on page 194-195
highlights some things such as this which I wonder may be incorporated into the classroom Im
placed in.

The main source of assessment done at the school which I am placed at is running records.
They use running records to see where students educational development level is and then put
them in groups accordingly. Students who are exceptional, or below development levels are
sent to work in small groups with other teachers to work n their skills. In these groups teachers
use checklists and anecdotal notes to record the progress of students from week to week. This
method seems to work very well, however the students who are not in these two categories
seem to be missing out on small group learning time. They write in and put their work into
portfolios for assessment. It makes me wonder if this is the most effective method for
everyone.

Assigning grades to me is very intimidating because completely unaware of what is a good

mark and what is not. I understand the methods used based on the textbook, however if a
student does poorly in a grade 2 class based on the assessment what grade do they get? Does
everyone always pass? If a student is developmentally below grade level and does terrible on
an assessment, however is showing improvements, is that reflected in the mark given? I really
would like to learn more about grading and hope that this is a topic which we look at further in
all subjects in our next semesters.

Chapter 6: Reading and Writing Narrative Text (212 - 265)

Peer feedback on writing seems as though it would provide writers with a strong sense of
where they are at in comparison to their classmates. I sometimes wonder if this is always a
good thing. Even at the graduate level of studying I sometimes find it awkward handing my
work to a peer to consider. This may be because of my previous experiences in school and
being a below average writer throughout my schooling. I like that this teacher (seen on page
214) allows the writer to disregard parts of the peer feedback if they wish, however the opinions
of readers should be valued.

Omniscient definition knowing everything

Empathizing to readings is something which I have never bee able to do. I am a very good
visualizer, however I can never get to the extent of empathy when reading longer books.

Aesthetic reading Reading to explore the work and oneself

Efferent reading Reading to take away particular bits of information

I find it very interesting that the textbook suggest using intertextual links to develop stories. I
would not have though that this would be used due to copyright reasons. Additionally, I have
never done this myself.

Stories are probably the most complex writing form that elementary students use(Thompkins,
P.233). After my experience in a grade 2 classroom I 100% agree with this statement.
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Throughout my time in the classroom we looked at adding voice to the students writing. In
many cases their writing got slightly better, however it became very clear to me that writing
stories at that age is very much a challenge.
Personal journals is an awesome way to get children interested in writing because they are
doing it for no one but themselves. When we had our parent teacher meetings, my mentor
teacher suggested that some students begin attempting to write personal journals at home to
provide them with more writing practice throughout the day. One of the major issues which
arose (from the parents/guardians) was that they wouldnt be able to actually read what they
were writing because it was a personal journal.

Dialog journals sound like an awesome idea for students and a new teacher! What a unique
way to know more about what is happening with your students while working on their writing
fluency, voice, word choice, etc. This seems like something I would be very interested in using
once I get into the workforce.

Onomatopoeia a device in which poets use sound words to make their writing more sensory
and vivid. I love adding these to my writing, I was unaware it had a specific title.

Guidelines for writing poems page 261

Chapter 7: Reading and Writing Expository Text (266 - 301)

Figure 7-1 seen on page 273-274 shows the 5 expository text structures.

SQ4R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review, Reflect). This method of reading expository
text sounds to be extremely useful for gaining and the information provided. One thing I found
many students tend to do well on my placement is survey and question books before reading.
Nearly all students when first picking a book look at the cover, the title, then the pictures before
reading. However there was little reviewing after completing books, and in many cases little
reflection unless directly instructed in reading groups. I feel as though this would be something
to try and make routine for reading, especially when reading expository text.

As seen on page 281, there is the Guidelines for Using Content-area Textbooks. I am
wondering at what age do you start using text books, and what exactly is considered a text
book?

To me, Hypermedia and Hypertext seem to be very intriguing. I feel as though I would love to
explore these types of readings based on the description provided. Additionally, I believe that
students would love it as well because of its interactivity and it is a non-linear text. (no distinct
beginning or end, there is an active role in navigation)

Collaborative reports looks to be a fun way to get students in the class to interact together and
develop an expository text/layout. Since they may have the option to choose their own topic to
research they are able to explore something they are interested in, learn about it, and develop
strong writing skills and characteristics. The research, writing, sharing process looks to be an
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extremely effective learning tool which should be incorporated into the classroom.

Writing Research Reports step by step is seen on page 291. This outline looks to be useful for
both collaborative and individual reports, providing 7 steps to take when creating research
reports.
I like the idea of writing letters to real people because they may take more pride in their work,
and how their writing sounds/looks. Additionally, the students are more likely to revise and
reflect on their writing if writing to a real person about something authentic instead of always
writing to a teacher.

Chapter 8: Words, Their Meanings and the Tools to Use Them: Grammar, Spelling, Handwriting,
and Word Processing (302 - 353)

Integral in the performance task as well was the integration of technology Technology
enhanced the interest, motivation, and effort of the majority of my students Janice Beland

This is something which I found was extremely accurate in relation to my placement. Being in
a grade 2 classroom, the students where always very eager and excited to do activities dealing
with electronics. Even the simple ability to speak to the class through a microphone
(presenting) made the interest and motivation of all students to increase.

Root words are morphemes. See Figure 8-1 on page 306 & 308

Introducing homonyms, idioms, etc. in books/read alouds is an effect way to introduce topics.
It allows students to get clear examples of what figurative language sounds like and looks like.

Bringing in the history of language in elementary is surprising to me. I know that I was not
taught the history of the English language at all until high school, where it was still not overly
addressed. I can see the importance of bringing further meaning to the vocabulary students use.
I am just not sure if their writing and word choice would be at the level where bringing in
language history would be beneficial.

Word-Study Activities (pages 315 317) All these activities are very useful in the classroom
and I wish I would have had read about them for my practicum! Some great ideas.

Page 320 reads: Teachers cab also give tests on the vocabulary of words, but this is probably
the least effective approach, because a correct answer on a test does not indicate whether
students have ownership of a word or whether they are applying it in meaningful and genuine
ways. This is still something which I believe needs to be reconsidered in some ways. I saw a
lot of students who knew the meaning of words, and could use them in meaningful ways,
however they could not spell it. Therefore, are they ready to learn the spelling?

Grammar The description of the syntax or structure of a language and prescriptions for its use
(Weaver 1996).
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See Pages 325 329 for examples of Minilessons/Grammar Lessons

See Pages 337 340 for Components of a Spelling Program

- After being on practicum, many of the components in a spelling program according to this
text were added to the class/lessons. Some of the components may not be entirely useful for
younger grades because they do not use the same technology, or have yet to learn their way
around dictionarys.

Is cursive writing still being taught? I saw very little cursive writing during my placement, and
rarely see anyone using it anymore. My writing skills in general were heavily improved when I
learned cursive writing and believe that it is a useful tool towards understanding different fonts
and developing fine motor skills.

Chapter 9: Viewing and visually Representing (354 - 381)

The important thing is to remain flexible and to create an experience that scaffolds students
abilities (Tomkins, p. 356). This statement is one which applies to all subjects, levels, and
abilities when teaching. Being able to adapt your lessons to improve the learning of students on
the fly is crucial to the overall experiences they have in the classroom.

Visual Literacy Definition the ability to understand communications composed of visual

images as well as being able to use visual imagery to communicate with others. It is the ability
to see, understand, think, create, and communicate graphically.

IT is interesting to read about the skills required for the viewing process. After considering
what is said in this section it makes sense that we acquire skills that effect our interpretations of
what we are viewing. A good example of this is despicable me. A 4 year old may not
completely understand all of the sly jokes which is implemented into the movies, where an adult
who has develop their literacy skills would.

Less capable students who dont visualize the story in their minds often prefer the video
version, while more capable readers often prefer the book version because the video doesnt
meet their expectations (Tompkins, p. 363). I completely disagree with this statement. Often
times students (just like myself) would much rather watch a movie than read a book. This has
no relation towards my capabilities of reading and visualizing.

See page 364 to see guidelines for using visual media in the classroom. This is a good source to
use for setting up lessons which contain videos, YouTube clips, or movies.

Developing critical listeners at a young age is extremely important to students ability to

effectively communicate and develop understandings in the future. I struggled for a long time
with my reading and listening because my mind wanders very easily. However, throughout my
university lifetime I have made conscious efforts to improve this and now am able to do both
quite easily. With that being said, I wish that this would have been addressed earlier in my life.
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See page 378 for differentiating concepts with viewing and visually representing.

Chapter 10: The Language Arts and the Fine Arts (382 - 397)

Gardners seven intelligences is found on page 386 describing what exactly each category does.
All of these are extremely valuable to a students learning and ability to socialize and
communicate in todays world. One of the intelligences I find interesting is the intrapersonal
category which looks at self reflecting and original thinking. As I have gotten older and moved
forward with my education the ability to use original thinking has actually been decreased
drastically. In many cases I find that things are being done in a very specific way to fulfill what
someone else wishes. When I begin teaching I will do my best to avoid this and encourage
original thinking and variety in the classroom.

Fine arts offer alternate forms of assessment and evaluation. Using portfolios to assess music,
art, drama, and writing allows teachers to monitor improvement and guide students goals
appropriately. These portfolios were being used in the classroom throughout my first practicum
and where very useful towards this, and showing parents improvement their child is making.

Students need to know that creative expression is valued. Allowing students to develop their
own imaginative skills will help them develop into their own being. Not only this but it allows
them to work in a way they are actually interested in. By allowing students to develop in a
motivated and interesting environment, they will have a large margin for progression provided
the tasks are within that students zone of proximal development.

I have a deep love for music, and am very passionate towards the integration of music in the
classroom. See page 392 for examples of musical activities.

Story dramas to me looks like a very engaging way to get students interested in the stories they
are reading, or listening being read. It seems like a language arts technique to Grant Williams
science kinulations.

After reading this chapter, being a physical education major and heavily involved in sports, it is
quite clear that sports use many fine arts skills incidentally. It allows players to develop
relationships with one another, be creative with their movements, develop social skills,
understand group process, and contains health benefits (Drama). In many cases sport and
physical education has some musical integration as well, allowing students to develop an
interest and learn rhythms which may not be seen in the classroom. I owe a lot of my
development to my involvement in sports throughout my childhood and teenage years. Giving
up sport has been very difficult; however, my new-found passion of coaching has filled this gap
and I look forward to providing these opportunitys to students.
Elementary School Reading and Language Arts 12

Questions for students should be based on the curriculum and their feedback from previous activities.
By asking questions that students can relate to and still be considerate of the outcomes to be met, they
are able to inquire about topics and have a higher order of thinking. Questions should be open ended
and have areas for expansion to develop creativity and imagination. This will allow students to
develop their knowledge of a topic in their own way, and maintain an interest in the class. When
providing students with these questions it is important to come prepared so that your questions have
been thought out and will provide optimal room for developmental growth.