mrtfunlearning

BUILDING READING FLUENCY THROUGH READERS THEATER

WHAT IS READER’S THEATER ?

Reader’s theater is minimal theater in support of literacy and reading. There are many categories of reader’s theater, but nearly all have the same learning principles. Students are provided with leveled scripts without the need of costumes or props. When these students read these scripts aloud with their peers they are developing practice in their oral reading fluency and which at the same time helps them build up their reading confidence. This is most neccessary for reading and writing success. It was originally developed as an efficient and effective way to present literature in dramatic form.

In addition, there are no full memorization. Students are allowed to use the scripts throught out the performance.

UDL COMPLIANT

Reader’s Theater is UDL complaint due to the fact that is covers the three principles of UDL which are: presentation, engagement and expression. This activity allows students to display their understanding of the text in a different way while at the same time visualizing what is being demonstrated by their peers opposed to someone who is reading independently. It also helps students who struggle in reading an option for repetition to assist with their reading comprehension and fluency (rehearsing lines). In addition, it keeps students fully engaged because they are emotionally invested in the characters they are portraying not mention they are all working together in groups and performing for an audience. It’s a fun activity that everyone can be a part of.

STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING

1. Hand out scripts to students and have them anticipate where the story is going and identify with the characters in the story.
2. Compile a list of vocabulary words found in the script.
3. Put students in groups of 3-4 and assign specific page numbers giving ALL STUDENTS an opportunity to take part in.
4. Check-in with each of the groups making sure that each student is familiar with the text, the parts each student is responsible for and ensure that your students are using the proper tone, pitch and volume so they will be ready to perform in front of other teachers, peers and parents.
5. Have students in the class perform for their class and possibly others.

RESEARCH FOR READER’S THEATER

Readers Theatre taps the multiple intelligences of a reader and allows for multiple ways of understanding (Gardner, 1985). Support for the comprehensive nature of Readers Theatre is found in several reading theories and educational paradigms including those of Samuels (1979). More recent studies by Griffith and Rasinski (2004) and Young and Rasinski (2009) indicate that Readers Theatre also promotes fluency and interest in reading. Through repeated readings of the text, students increase sight word vocabulary and the ability to decode words quickly and accurately (Carrick 2006 & 2009). The repeated readings allow the students to phrase sentences appropriately, read punctuation markers, and read with greater ease. This fluent reading enables students to spend less time on decoding and increase comprehension (Pikulsi & Chard, 2005).

The Readers Theatre script acts as an incentive to elicit thoughts, ideas, and past experiences from the reader. This allows the reader to read the script through an interpretive process and use both the cognitive and affective domains (Carrick 2001 & 2006).

READER’S THEATER SCORING RUBRIC

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

www.cast.org/udl/

Kinniburg, Leah and Shaw Jr., Edward. (2007). Building Reading Fluency in Elementary Science through Readers’ Theater. Science Activities. 44(I) p.p. 16-22.

http://www.readingrockets.org › Reading Topics A-Z › Fluency

Samuels, S.J. (1979). The method of repeated readings. The Reading Teacher, 32(4), 403–408.

Carrick, L. (2001). Internet resources for conducting Readers Theatre. Reading Online, 5(1). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/carrick/

Carrick, L.U. (2006). Readers Theatre across the curriculum. In T. Rasinski, C. Blachowicz, & K. Lems (Eds.), Fluency instruction: Research-based best practices (pp. 209–230). New York: Guilford Press.

Carrick, L.U. (2009). The effects of Readers Theatre on fluency and comprehension: A study on fifth-grade students in a regular classroom. Saarbrucken, Germany: VDM.

Shepard, Aaron. Readers on Stage, Shepard Publications, 2004

Young, C., & Rasinski, T. (2009). Implementing Readers Theatre as an approach to classroom fluency instruction. The Reading Teacher, 63(1), 4–13.

Pikulski, J.J., & Chard, D.J. (2005). Fluency: Bridge between decoding and reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 58(6), 510–519.

Factor Captor for Everyone!

CHILDREN’S STRUGGLES IN MATHEMATICS

Students of today are taught several ways on how they need to master their math facts.

Some of the methods teachers present to their students are by learning through memorizing flash cards, lattice, drawing pictures out, or just simply counting fingers. Sure those methods are more likely suitable for a child who falls under the category of regular education, but what about the child who may lack those basic functional skills. I’m talking about students with learning disabilities. More and more I get children in my case load who come up from the fourth grade and are still difficulties learning their traditionally. Most I the children I encounter have learned how to solve multiplication problems through the way of lattice. I’ve always been the type who’s flexible and would encourage my students to solve problems in different ways.

ORIGINS OF A MATH DISABILTIES

When a child is identified with having a math disability his or her struggles may originate from problems in one or more areas such as cognitive development, memory, or visual-spatial ability (Bryant 1990).

Cognitive development– difficulty with processing resulting in delays.

Examples: fully understanding number relationships, number systems, solving word problems, and counting strategies.

Memory– difficulty remembering basic arithmetic facts.

Examples: recall steps need to solve more word problems or algebraic equations.

Visual-spatial ability– effect child’s capability to perform math tasks correctly.

Examples: difficulties in place value (base ten), comprehending geometry or map reading, properly placing numbers into columns for calculation.

HOW TO PLAY FACTOR CAPTOR

Materials needed– 1 calculator for each player, paper and pencil for each player, 1 factor captor grid, coin-size counters or tiny pieces of scrap paper to mark the spots you have used.

Grid 1 (beginners level)          Grid 2 (Advanced Level)

Players– 2

Objective– finding multiple factors of a number

Directions (Taken from everydaymathonline.com)

1. Player 1 chooses a 2-digit number on the grid, covers it with a counter, and records the number on paper. This is Player 1’s score for the round.
2. Player 2 covers all factors of Player 1’s number with counters, finds the sum, and records it on paper. This is player 2’s score for the round.
3. A factor may be covered only once during a round. The first player in a round may not cover a number less than 10, unless no other numbers are available.
4. If Player 2 missed any factors, Player 2 can cover them and add them to Player 1’s score.
5. In the next round, players switch roles. The game continues with players trading roles until all numbers on the gird have been covered.
6. Players use calculators to find their total scores. The player with the higher total score wins the game.

Video that shows instructions on how to play :

UDL COMPLIANT

 Factor Captor would definitely fall into the category of being UDL compliant due to is flexibility in help educators teach to such diverse populations. The games provides students with multiple options to solve certain problems using alternatives into the materials, content, tools, context, and supports they use.

3 PRINCIPLES OF UDL FRAMEWORK

Principle 1: To support recognition learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation.

Principle 2: To support strategic learning, provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship.

Principle 3: To support affective learning, provide multiple, flexible options for engagement.

[http://www.cast.org/TeachingEveryStudent/UDL]

RESEARCH

Brain imaging studies have shown how the progression from effortful processes, such as finger counting, to automatized retrieval is associated with actual changes in the regions of the brain involved in mathematical computation (Rivera, Reiss, Eckert and Menon, 2005).

Through automaticity students free up their working memory and can devote it to problem solving and learning new concepts and skills (Geary, 2004).

It has been proven that fact fluency supports problem solving and help students build fact to their results. It allows the mind to have a higher order of thinking. fact fluency assists us in everyday activity whether if its going shopping and handling money, being ontime or keeping track of certain commitments people rely on number combinations and fluency.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Factor Captor is a fun and motivating math game that kids can play with their peers. It’s a game that makes learning math facts fun, creating multiple ways to solve equations, and most of all give young students a competitive boost the more and more you play the game. The best part of Factor Captor is that the game has two separate grids for beginners and advanced levels. It can also be played on the Everyday Math web site if you wanted extra practice before playing an opponent.

It’s a fact game that allows all students to get in on the fun and at the same time build strong relationships with their peers.

REFERENCES

Bryant, D. P., Bryant, B. R., & Hammill, D. D. (1990). Characteristic behaviors of students with LD who have teacher-identified math weaknesses. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33, 168-177

Rivera, D. P. (1997). Mathematics education and students with learning disabilities: Introduction to the special series. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 2-19, 68.

Geary, D. C. (2004). Mathematics and learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37, 4-15.

Hallahan, D. P., Lloyd, J. W. Kauffman, J. M., Weiss, M. & Martinez, E. A. (2005). Learning disabilities: Foundations, characteristics, and effective teaching. Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Click to access g5_tlg_Lesson_1_4.pdf

http://www.cast.org/TeachingEveryStudent/UDL

Wilson Reading Program

The Wilson Reading program was development and published by Barbra Wilson in 1988. I was based on the Orton-Gillingham principles that help teachers directly teach the structure of language to students and adults who have been unable to learn with other teaching strategies, or who may require multisensory language.

This program is appropriate for students in grade 2 and beyond. This step-by-step program gives teachers the tools and confidence they need to work with even the most challenging reader.

In this post I will introduce what the Wilson program does, how it’s measured towards other reading programs, why I love Wilson now and will continue to use it for my students, if it’s UDL compliant and lastly, the pros and cons.

www.wilsonlanguage.com/FS_PROGRAM_WRS.htm

OVERVIEW OF WRS

• Follows a ten part lesson that addresses decoding, comprehension and oral reading fluency.
•  Offers a research-based program with more than twenty-five years of data collected and analyzed from school districts implementing the program.
• Unique sound tapping system
• Provides two levels of vocabulary that makes the program appropriate for readers at the elementary, middle and high school levels and beyond.
• Helps teachers by making instructional time interactive and multisensory.
• Uses criterion-based assessments that measure the student’s progress and success.
• Instruction is delivered 3-5 times a week for about 60 minutes in a 1:1 or small group setting.

MATERIALS

1. WRS starter kit
2. Each student must have his or her own Student Reader for whatever step is being studied.
3. Magnetic journal with word tiles
4. Dictation Workbook
5. Student Workbook

Magnetic Journal taken from wilsonlanguage.com

Great link on how to teach Wilson Reading to an entire class using technology!

Wilson Reading Teaching with Technology by Kelly Mott.wmv – YouTube

COMPARED TO

• Hooked on Phonics
• Letterland (Online)
• Orton-Gillingham
• SPIRE
• LIPS
• Smartway Reading and Writing
• Reading Mastery
• Lexia (Online)

PROS

• Varied and keeps students interested
• (No pictures) students must use word clue to help with their decoding
• Really works well with students who have Dyslexia
• Covers all of the main reading essentials such as: decoding, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and comprehension and mechanics of writing.

CONS

• No color or pictures in student materials
• Students with language processing issues or low IQ may struggle with learning the concepts.
• Teachers must create their own lesson plans
• Don’t use with students with great decoding skills, but lack fluency.

CRITIQUE

In my opinion the Wilson Reading Program is one of the best teaching resources out there. It allows a student multiple opportunities throughout each lesson to learn and practice each word type and concept in both reading and spelling. Wilson also provides sound cards to help the teacher demonstrate important concepts. Students can see as well as hear the concepts being taught. In addition, Wilson also provides material that teach students to identify serious components such as like vowels, vowel consonants (v-c-e, v-c), syllables, suffix endings (-ed –ing -s) and diagraphs. These materials were designed to help keep the students fully engaged using hands-on multisensory methods while at the same time provide several opportunities for the students to practice then demonstrate through dictation to provide what they learned from each session. It’s a great way for the teacher when tracking each student’s current progress. It explains whether the student fully understanding each of the concept s or which concepts need to be reviewed more for that student to achieve reading and writing success.

This program is a must to use if you have a student who has Dyslexia!

REFERENCES

Wilson Reading System Instructor Manual. Barbara Wilson.1996

Wilson, Barbara A. (1998). “Matching student needs to instruction : teaching reading and spelling using the Wilson Reading System”. In Susan Ann Vogel and Stephen M Reder. Learning disabilities, literacy, and adult education. Baltimore: P.H. Brookes Pub. Co. ISBN 978-1-55766-347-4. OCLC 39069274. 

http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/19/01/1901.htm

Helaine, Schupack; Wilson, Barbara A (1997). Reading, writing and spelling : the multisensory structured language approach. Baltimore, Md: International Dyslexia Association,. ISBN 978-0-89214-013-8. OCLC 40476264.