I was very interested by the article entitled "Narratives of the Struggling Reader" by Saba Vlach and Judy Burcie, particularly the discussion about some of the methods for guiding students, who may already be struggling in reading, in their studies, so that they can be successful.
The story that the authors offer about the two students who have already pretty much given up on learning is heartbreaking, especially since I know that it does happen. It's hard on students when they fail, especially if they continue to fail repeatedly and teacher reactions can make that feeling of failure all the worse if the situation is handled improperly. But, teachers also have the ability to help students through this difficult time and aid their success. It's all a matter of reaction and understanding why your students are reacting the way that they are and working with that student towards a positive solution. In the first example offered in the text, the young girl reacts with anger to her perceived failure and this led to her being kept separated from the rest of the class, but this reaction did more harm then good because all it did was make her feel worse. Her anger was never about being "bad" or "disruptive" or anything else that might have caused her to be separated from the other students in class. Her reactions were nothing more then frustration at the difficulties that she was having in class and, at the end of it all, the reaction stated in the article to her feelings didn't actually accomplish anything outside of causing the student to see herself in a very negative light. Had the real problem been confronted, perhaps she would be in a very different place emotionally by the point that we see her in the article.
I like some of the methods that the authors of the article suggest to help struggling readers, especially the "attitude and interest surveys" (pg. 523) and the "Turn-and-Talk" (pg. 524) strategy. I like the first because I do think that it's important for teachers to know where their students are emotionally so that potential issues can be solved quickly before they cause any harm. And I like the second because I think it would be an excellent way to engage the students as well as help build social relationships within the classroom.
Hi Jennifer --
ReplyDeleteI was struck by the emotional side of your post. It got me to thinking about how we, as teachers, have to not only know about the learning styles of our students, we also have to know their background and history -- where they are coming from. Some of my young students act out in different ways, and I have to stay calm and try to realize that there's usually always a reason for "acting out" behavior. It doesn't make it any easier to deal with the behavior, though!
I'm sure some of these "acting out" types are at-risk for academic difficulties. I think when we think about intervention, we have to address the many background issues our students bring to class.
An example of lots of "background issues" can be found in a book review I found concerning a book about adolescent girls. Talk about depressing!!
The book reviewer offers a summary of the book, which deals with the many challenges facing some young girls. The book also offers clinicians and caregivers strategies for dealing with some of the issues facing adolescent girls. A brief read of this summary makes me realize that helping a struggling student isn't just about academics, it's also about knowing a student - and it's about a lot more than teaching. . .
Source
Whitlock, J. (2010). Review of 'adolescent girls in crisis: Intervention and hope'. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(9), 966-967.
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog post. Yes, “Narratives of the Struggling Reader” broke my heart as well! I think the authors touch on some excellent ideas for helping these children. I completely agree with the emphasis on developing a sense of equity among students and tactfully protecting the fragile little ego of the struggling reader while he or she improves. The “literacy attitude and interest and survey” makes sense – I think it needs to happen not just once at the beginning of the school year – but maybe weekly if not daily…and in different forms. A teacher can encourage and check in by asking, “How did you like this? How did you like that book? Any new favorites this week? You are really becoming a good reader!Do you see how well you are doing?...etc.” The authors note that “Effective teachers spend most of their day meeting with children in small-group settings, rather than whole-class settings”. I think this says it all. I have long thought that the 25+ student class is just too large – especially for younger students; small group instruction should be the norm even when we’re not talking about struggling readers. Anyway, when it comes to teaching reading, I don’t think there is any match for one-on-one instruction with a qualified and caring parent or teacher. Small group instruction would represent a close second. And one final thought – I understand that this article is primarily about what a teacher can do within the classroom to help the struggling reader; however, I think the authors have forgotten to mention the importance of a positive parent/teacher partnership. Although some parents of struggling readers may not have the interest, skill, or time necessary to teach their children (what a tragedy), many parents are eager to help and may simply need a little guidance and encouragement. Take-home literacy bags seem to be an excellent way to connect parents and teachers in the effort to develop children’s reading skills. The bottom line is that these kids need quality instruction and the time, protection, and love of teachers and parents. Thanks again for the post!
Zeece, P. , & Wallace, B. (2009). Books and good stuff: A strategy for building school to home literacy connections. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37(1), 35-42.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog! I think that you are absolutely right in saying that often student behaviors and linked to struggles or problems in other areas. This is particularly true with the younger kids who are not as adept at expressing their feelings or the cause of their feelings. I recently had a student who was always dragging her feet to reading group and looking off into space while there. I tried picking different books, making sure that they were a good level for her, engaging the group in games, plays, etc, but she just did not seem engaged or interested in reading group. I was really concerned that she wasn't making progress, but more importantly wasn't developing a love of or at least an interest in reading. I contacted her mother about my concerns and was shocked by what the mother had to share. She was experiencing just the opposite! She said her daughter came home everyday and insisted on practicing her Word Wall words, or readding her library book or reading group book, or making games with the words and letters we had worked on. It made me realize that something was holding her back in the classroom. After digging a bit deeper I found out that one of the other kids in her group had given her a hard time one day at recess because she had said a word incorrectly. I worked with the group more on accepting that we are all learning and helping each other and the girl still seemed reluctant to try. Finally, I moved her to a new group and immediately she showed a greater interest. Her comfort level went up and she started making great progress. It is amazing what variety of issues might be causing reading problems and can be very time consuming to try to figure out what they all are. I have learned that the benefit makes it all worth while! Thank you again for sharing your ideas as well!
-Justine