Final Reading Theory

Jaclyn Campbell

Personal Model of the Theory of Reading

July 1, 2012

After rereading my initial personal model of reading, I have to say I still have strong beliefs for what I originally stated about reading. I discussed my experiences in a Kindergarten classroom and how I learned that building a foundation for letter-sound relationships and sight words can begin to build fluent readers. From there, I moved to a third grade classroom where students are beginning to “read to learn”, rather than lower grade students who are “learning to read”. There is a big difference between the two, and I am grateful to see the different levels of readers.

            In my initial personal reading model, I stated the importance of emergent readers to learn letter-sound relationships and sight words to begin to read repetitive text with strong picture support. It is important to allow students to rely on picture clues and context clues to determine meanings for words. Something I have learned throughout this course is the importance of context clues. I have always known it is important, but my understanding of context clues is much deeper now that I have read so much on the topic.

            Another topic discussed in my initial personal reading model is differentiating for developing to fluent readers. There was a wide range of abilities when I taught in third grade. I had students who were reading on a first grade level through a high fourth grade level. For obvious reasons, differentiation was imperative in my classroom. In my initial personal reading model I discuss how I challenge each of my students in different ways to cater to individual needs and allow each child to succeed. I still strongly believe in this, as catering to needs will allow for individual success.

            I believe overall my beliefs have stayed the same, only my knowledge has grown and expanded throughout this reading course. I feel I have “dug deeper” into topics I knew basic knowledge about. My understandings of topics from context clues, miscues, to comprehensive literacy programs has grown to allow me to be the best reading teacher to my students.

            Reading is a process, and I believe it is very important for students to have the basics and foundation of letters, letter sounds, and sight words to continue to be a fluent reader. Guided reading throughout students school career is very important as well, as it allows for more individual attention, and for students to build to become fluent readers in leveled text. Building fluency allows students to understand what they are reading, and will most likely have the positive effect of allowing students enjoy reading.

Module 6: Instructional Challenge

Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom. Post it to your blog and name the posting "Module 6:Instructional Challenge."

I found it interesting to read about the economically disadvantage school studied and discussed on page 372 showed greater gains when teaching in context, rather than out of context and meaning was not emphasized. This shows you the importance of context clues and allowing students to use those clues to understand and determine what they are reading.  

I believe guided reading is a very important literacy approach to support all students. First, professional development is needed to educate all teachers and staff about guided reading and running records. Running Records are an assessment tool that allow you to place students in leveled guided reading groups. Also, I believe teaching a common language throughout a school is very important. It is important to teach students the same terms so they can apply those terms in different classrooms year after year.

Outside of the home, I think the most important thing a family could do is to supply age appropriate books and encourage reading. Like discussed on page 375, poor neighborhoods tend to have less age appropriate books in the home, and even in the library. If the school can allow students to “check out” books throughout the year to take home, it would only lead to more students reading and progressing to become fluent readers. 

Module 6: Reading Reflection

Does any of the information presented in Chapter 15 influence your personal philosophy of reading? In what ways? How has your perspective this changed since you took the DeFord TORP a few weeks ago?

I found it very interesting to read on page 370 that children of all academic levels had better comprehension with shared reading compared to round robin. I have a personal dislike towards round robin reading. As a child, I remember doing this in almost every classroom I was in. The only thing I would concentrate on is not WHAT I am reading, but WHEN am I going to read? Counting the paragraphs or pages until it would be my turn, then secretly practicing the passage I had to read. In other words, I had no clue what the students around me just read, and they probably feel the same way. 

Another interesting point is the below average readers had almost half as many oral reading miscues in shared reading compared to round-robin reading. All the more reason to not use round robin in the classroom! I know I do not use round robin with my students, there are plenty of other ways to have shy students read aloud and still pay attention to what others are reading at the time. This is something I believe in and did not change my beliefs but encouraged them even more.  

My persectives on the DeFord TORP are actually pretty similar to when I took the test in the beginning of the semester. I found myself agreeing with what I previously marked as my beliefs. 

Module 5: Instructional Challenge

A comprehensive reading program has many aspects that allow for differentiation and individual time. It would be important to allow the new ELL students to be in the same group, if they are in the same academic area, so they can help each other if they speak the same native language. I believe peer support can help a lot for ELL students. Guided reading time and individual time would be important for these students to build on content they need to know to become fluent readers.

It would be important to assess these students regularly throughout the school year, along with your other students, to see if the appropriate amount of progression is being made. Assessments tell you where the students are struggling, and what needs improvements. The feedback from the assessments help the ELL support teachers and the regular education teacher. Sometimes ELL students struggle because they need even more support, but teachers believe it is just a language barrier. These assessment help show you what areas the student is struggling.

If extra ELL support is needed, that usually allows for a lot of growth. I have seen great success with students first spending much time in the ELL classroom, to have the basics for the English language. Then they will come to the regular education classroom to apply their skills to the regular education classroom. Rosetta Stone can be used for extra English language support. As far as scaffolding, many assignments are scaffold because they need guidance on how to complete basic skills, and much further, learn the content we are teaching. I think it is important for students new to the country to have spent time in the ELL support classroom before trying to teach them in a regular education setting. 

Module 5: Reading Reflection

As shown in Figure 12.1 in the Weaver text, phonics instruction is shown to fit into whole-class instruction. It shows during whole-class discussion that the class can read text and focus on concepts of print, letter-sound chunks (phonics), punctuation, etc. It then shows then guided reading is below whole-class instruction in a comprehensive literacy program, which instruction focuses on current need of student(s). If students are struggling with phonics, I also believe guided reading is a time to focus on specific content and allows for individual attention. I have had much success focusing on needs of students in guided reading groups. Even if students in a small group are working on different skills, you can hone into their needs in small but easy ways while they are reading in groups. I ask students to read in a "whisper voice" and I listen or walk around to hear them reading, if I notice something that they may need work on, that is a great time to discuss it so they can think about that as they continue to practice reading. 

On page 286, the text states phonics could be taught during mini-lessons, during reading workshops, and once again in whole group, small-group, and individual settings.  I am beginning the Daily 5 approach in the fall, and mini lessons will be a big part of that. The mini lessons will be new to me, but I think that would be a great time to teach content students are struggling on, to allow them to practice these strategies or concepts as they read/write.


I believe "chunking" sounds together is a great strategy to promote fluency, rather than the single letter sounds. Also, onsets and rimes can improve fluency because it focuses on chunks, or groups of sounds, compared to single letters. These are both very important to teach to emergent and beginning readers so they can use these skills as they become more fluent readers. 

Prominent Theorist Paper

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g7hDL2jCovm5o02fRx-AjKcWgrzvGOEK-JOVI8d4mpc/edit

Module 4: Activity 2

I believe one of the most important things to have in a reading program is to match students with appropriate text, as stated in Allington’s work, that is one of the missing pillars. When students read independently especially, they use the skills they have learned to understand and read the story fluently. If a child is reading a text that is much too difficult, most likely they will be frustrated and it could turn into a life-long frustration with reading. In The Daily 5 book and approach, one of the key components is matching students to a reading level BELOW their actual level. This is done because students can read the text fluently, without mistakes, thus building more fluency, understanding, and creating a love for reading. Real aloud and guided reading time can be a place where reading more difficult or on-level text can be read because guidance is provided. No child should be asked to read quietly, silently suffering reading a text that is much too difficult for them.