VOCABULARY
Vocabulary development is an area of instruction that helps students acquire new words into their everyday lives. Teachers should work on strategies to help develop word awareness and meaning. Research suggests that vocabulary instruction is important in helping develop reading comprehension and it also prepares students to become productive citizens.
Reading a wide range of books:
Students should be exposed to a variety of text non-fiction books, poetry, fiction, mysterious, etc. Over the years, I have tried to use non-fiction books more than fiction books. We discuss the features of non-fiction and expository text. I think that students are more motivated to read books that are of a personal interest. Vocabulary is rich in non-fiction books and it provides an opportunity to explore new words in their everyday world.
Students should be exposed to a variety of text non-fiction books, poetry, fiction, mysterious, etc. Over the years, I have tried to use non-fiction books more than fiction books. We discuss the features of non-fiction and expository text. I think that students are more motivated to read books that are of a personal interest. Vocabulary is rich in non-fiction books and it provides an opportunity to explore new words in their everyday world.
FLUENCY
Reader’s Theater in my classroom, but now I believe that I should incorporate other opportunities to increase fluency. One way to use repeated reading is to use Choral or Echo Reading. This is a fun way to build fluency and motivate students to read. I like music and we often sing songs or read nursery rhymes for our choral and echo reading during the week. The example below is one we used for our science class unit on matter.
COMPREHENSION
The Mosaic of Thought (1997) Keene, E.O., & Zimmerman proposes a strategy for reading comprehension where students create visual images during reading. “Proficient readers use images to draw conclusions, to create distinct and unique interpretations of the text, to recall details significant to the text, and to recall a text after it has been read.” With direct instruction, students can construct meaning by connecting their personal experiences with those that are expressed in an author’s writing.