kwlreading

=gKWL for Reading=

toc What is a KWL? A graphic organizer that allows you to list what you already KNOW about a topic, what you WANT to learn, and what you HAVE learned. This organizer is useful both at the beginning, middle, and end of a professional development session or a student project. There is also an adaptation to KWL that includes what you still want to learn.

What do I KNOW about Reading?
I know I love reading. I know without the ability to read your world will be smaller. I know all people can learn to read. Reading can be a pleasure or a chore. It is all in the perception of the reader Reading is fundamental to everything we do and everyone can learn to read. . . BUT they will not all learn the same way. . at the same speed. . . or in the same manner. . . and that is okay. Reading is the key to unlock life, but it is also meant to be enjoyable. When we require too many stipulations like levels, chapters, genres, etc. we take the joy out something that can be so beautiful. We unwittingly make it just another task to check of a list. Some people never learn well enough to enjoy a good book. It needs to be taught k-12 to everyone. Good readers will enjoy the opportunity to read while struggling readers learn what they don't know. Learning to read is the greatest gift (just ask Frederick Douglass). Reading a book can take you to places far beyond your imagination. Though it is important to emphasize reading throughout a child's eduational career and one can always improve one's reading skills, there is a critical time to teach children to read; if that moment is "missed" a child will never be as proficient a reader as he or she might have been. From my personal experience and observation through the years, students who learn to read phonetically tend to enjoy reading more and read better than those who have learned through other methods. I know that the best way to become a better reader is to read more. One of my favorite posters lists the top 10 ways to become a better reader and every single one says READ. I know that reading is so closely related to thinking that a person who cannot read can never think as deeply as one who reads. I know that teaching reading to high school students is frustrating. I know that teaching reading in a classroom with multiple ability levels can be frustrating. I know that students come to junior high and high school without the needed literacy skills Reading is about the process; the product is only a means for evaluating. Learners need to be given time and support to fully engage in internalizing the skills needed to become independent strategic readers. Better readers = better thinkers with better vocabulary Reading is a television show without commericials. Without literacy, your life experiences are limited. Reading brings you knowledge, emotional experience, relaxation, and so much more. The Accelerated Reader program in my system has ruined reading for many students, especially the good readers. For these students, being forced to read has eliminated the enjoyment for them. Reading needs to be encouraged and developed in the early stages of a child's education, and it needs to be continually built on each year. Students --and all readers-- need to use certain strategies to comprehend: asking questions, making connections, recognizing where confusion set in, etc. People read ALL the time: stop signs, emails, advertisements, texts, facebook, twitter...they just don't call it "reading" It makes since when people who are considered so intelligent are called "well read" - Reading is knowledge. Students need explicit instruction and using Before, During, and After strategies helps keep students engaged. Being on-task is not the same as being enaged in learning. Teaching reading is a responsibility of all secondary teachers. Reading is essential for a productive life. Reading is the foundation of education. Without proper reading techniques and tools, the students will not be able to fully analyze or understand what they are reading in the content area. Reading is a habit, we need to help students form a productive or good habit. Reading must be learned in the early grades. The students I receive at the secondary level who are nonreaders many times use misbehavior to try to cover up the fact that they cannot read.

Reading is constantly reinventing itself. Standard printed textual reading is the center of a graphic organizer. It too has become reflective of the web, many links.

Reading is one of the few ways we can actively expand our minds and horizons. Few high school students read for pleasure. Reading is beneficial to every citizen who anticipates being active or productive in our society. Regardless of the form through which reading is presented, it is a must. Even the visually impaired must be exposed to a medium of reading to communicate more intelligently with others. Reading will always be worth your time. Learning new techniques will make reading more accessible to all people of any age. Walt Whitman says that reading is not a passive act- but a gymnastic feat of the mind. Linda Stringer Many adolescents do not read at all. Linda Stringer Many students and adults do not know how to read functional/informational pieces. Linda Stringer Reading is like breathing---you have to do to live! As more communication tools focus on understanding written communication--text, blog, etc---reading skills become even more important.

Higher levels of literacy are linked to higher levels of income later in life. It is not necessarily every teacher's job to teach reading, but every teacher should provide tools and strategies for comprehending texts used in class. Reading instruction does not end in elementary school -- as we provide students with texts that are increasingly difficult, we should also provide them with strategies and tools for comprehending them. ("Learning to read" means more than being able to call out the words.)

I know that just because I love to read, that does not mean everyone else loves to read. I know that reading takes work, and we need to equip our students with the tools needed to do that work.

I know, as a teacher of many different types of students for many years, that those adolescents who read, are those who will learn. I also know that learning to love to read can be taught. My favorite accomplishment each year is to turn someone on to books!

I kNOW that kids don't want to read dumbed- down garbage. Whether their reading materials are old or new, fact or fiction, they need to be well-written. We need NOT to be as concerned about leveled vocabulary as about interesting and meaningful content, and helping students connect what they read to what they know. They'll pick up vocabulary in context, or we can help them along as needed. (Laura Page)

I know that when I teach good literature, and we take the time to read one or two whole novels (The Awakening, Wuthering Heights, etc.) rather than excerpts, the passage rate on both the Reading AND English exams goes up. The students are exposed to quality writing, they flex their intellectual muscles, and both comprehension and awareness of proper language structure rises. We discuss these things in context, quiz on them, have kids write in imitation, read parallel poetry, carry onconversations in iambic pentameter, tie in period history, whatever. I make English like the on-deck circle, so that when they bat, it's easy! and the majority PASS. Rural, high-poverty, Title I kids PASS. (Laura Page)

Students can easily be hooked into reading good literature when a teacher uses marketing as a strategy. Sell the book! (Ken L. Spear)

I know that students can be hooked into reading fiction when they see me read what they might pick up to read on their own. I have worked with my media specialist to broaden my horizons to include quality young adult selections (in addition to the classics I love so much). When we visit the media center, it is empowering for me to be able to suggest a new title to one of my students, and they love to discuss books with me. (Rhonda Lasser)

To be a good reader, you must read. The more you read, the better reader you will become. I have had great success with getting students to read with Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). I made my students come to class with a book everyday. Twice a week I roamed around the room while students read and recorded the pages they were on. They were required to read at least 60 pages a week. This was a great system to get students to read

Educators have find ways to incorporate reading skills into the lives of our digitally minded students. (depps-peavy)

Reading material that isn't on a struggling student's level shouldn't be assigned to them. Period. We must remember that students who have weaknesses in reading and comprehension don't enjoy reading. Therefore, they should never feel compelled to read a novel like those who do not struggle with reading. I've found that if I take just one short chapter from an interesting book, comprised of 2-3 pages, and have my students read it twice, they can answer statements and questions that I posted on the side with deeper meaning. The discussions will also be more interesting. (Terry Green)

I know everyone can learn to read. I know everyone doesn't like reading the same material. I know everyone does not get the same meaning from what they read. I know teachers need to try different avenues to embrace every student comprehension level to help them become successful readers, which means out of the box activities. (Betty Love)

I know reading is a fundamental skill that is often taken for granted at the secondary level. I know reading is one of my favorite things to do. I know students who do not like to read have usually had a bad experience with it and need specific help in overcoming that experience. I know reading, like anything else, requires practice. I know when I show a passion for reading in my classroom my students are more likely to give reading a try. (Becky NeSmith)

I know that reading technical text in science is more difficult than reading other types of text. (Lynn Owens)

I know that reading is the key to a student's success in all areas of his or her educational experience. I know that students who struggle with reading tasks often struggle in all academic areas. (Jennifer Moore)

I know how important reading comprehension is to life and I know many of my kids hate reading unless they see some relevance to their lives. I know that this is a new generation and I need to find new and current ways to get them interested in reading (Vicki Cornelius).

I know reading is: a skill the impacts every area of life a lifelong learning skill that is necessary for a person to be a successful member of today's global society. one of my passions. Teaching reading is another. (Amelia Odom)

What do I WANT to know about Reading?
How to get teenagers engaged in reading. How differentiate to others that Reading and Literature are not the same thing. How to get struggling high school aged readers "hooked" when they come from such a limited background. How to convince the administration that reading should be a required course for everyone. What strategies can I use in my classroom that will help improve students' reading levels. How to get reluctant readers to read during sustained silent reading. I want to know how to effectively facilitate sustained silent reading. I want to know how to get students to realize that reading can be enjoyable. I want to know how to teach kids to enjoy reading while at the same time making adminstrators happy with test scores. I want to know strategies on how to motivate students and teachers to improve literacy skills. What methods can be implemented to increase the internalizing of strategic reading skills. How can I make reading an activity that is enjoyable for ALL of the students? How can I teach my students that reading is enjoyable? How can I convince students that reading is fun and exciting? I want to know how to show my students the value of being a good reader. I want to know whether I should structure a reading course where every student reads the same thing or let students choose what they read. Another option might be to offer choices and have students work in groups. I want to know how using blogs and wikis will inspire reading other things. I want to find books online that will interest teenagers, yet still be appropriate for the classroom. How do you motivate students to understand that reading is beneficial to them, and it can open up a whole new world Ways to use the internet to help me teach reading How to incorporate reading into my classroom even though I am not the "Reading/English" teacher? I want to know all of the above PLUS how to fund books and enough computers when the state keeps cutting funding every other year for Library Enhancement and Technology. I want to know how to get struggling readers to really read instead of just pretending to read. I want to know how to reach students where they are when each class has students with such a vast range of reading skills -- from non-reader to above grade-level. How can I enhance my reading resources for all learners?

I want to learn how to teach better skills in reading for every child. The best way to accelerate instruction for nonreaders.

How do we increase our passage rate on the AHSGE Reading Subtest? More and more students struggle with this. When will we continue to read aloud in the secondary grades and even be read to? I want to learn how to make students understand the importance of reading and get them excited about reading. I want to learn different strategies that can be catered to students specifically to help them with reading. I want to learn how to incorporate web tools in the reading learning environment to increase interest and enjoyment while learning. If reading is FUNdamental, I want to make sure it is fun most of the time. How will middle school students respond to readalouds? Linda Stringer What about censoring the reading- how much of an issue is that in middle and high school/ Linda Stringer I want to know how to specifically aid my students who are struggling as they confront college level material.

How can I use the Internet to support reading instruction in my classroom and help my students develop literacy skills for the 21st century?

I want to know some helpful strategies to use with struggling or disinterested readers. I want to know how to bridge the gap between reading the words and actually comprehending the meaning. I want to know how to create readers from 9th grade students who claim to have never read an entire book. I want to know how to use what these kids are interested in to inhance their love of reading.

I want to know what happens in late elementary school that diminishes students' interest in reading. I want to know why we accept "I don't like to read.". The proper response is, "That just means you haven't found what you want to read YET.". (Laura Page)

How do you keep a student motivated to read independently? (Ken L. Spear)

I want to know how to motivate all of my students (even my "good readers") to be excited about reading in my history class--they want to read Twilight and the Hunger Games, so how do I translate that desire into an excitement for reading the Declaration of Independence or Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? What specific strategies can I use for this type of task? (Rhonda Lasser)

Most of my students are high schoolers reading on a third or fourth grade level. I have several reading series that are high-interest, low reading ability, but wonder if their are any good web resources for these students. It is particularly difficult in the content areas such as history. (Linda Carter)

I want to know how I can help close the reading gap of my students while making it interesting enough to make them want to participate. (depps-peavy)

I want to know any strategy that I can adopt to keep my students engaged in reading. (Terry Green)

I want to know if written text the only avenue that a student can use to comprehend what is needed to say I am reading? (Betty Love)

I want to know how to get high school students interested in reading again. I want to know how to get students to actually read on their own time so we can do fun things with books in class. (Becky NeSmith)

I want to find sources of text that is interesting and relevant to high school students and still covers the course of study objectives for chemistry and physical science. I want to find text that does all of that and addresses students of various reading levels. (Lynn Owens)

I want to know how to help my struggling readers at the high school level. I want to know how I can help the struggling readers while still meeting the needs of other learners. (Jennifer Moore)

What I want to know about reading is HOW to find new and interesting ways to unblock the block they seem to have when it comes to reading (Vicki Cornelius).

I want to know how to incorporate web 2.0 tools into reading intervention classes as a legitimate means of increasing adolescent learner reading engagement and reading volume. (Amelia Odom)

What have I LEARNED about Reading?
Reading is fun. You have to know how to read even in the technological era Being able to read is essential to being able to do just about anything else in life. Reading will help shape the lives of tomorrow leaders. Students need varied instructional strategies in order to be successful readers. Students are more likely to read when they have a purpose for reading and a text they are interested in. Reading strategies can be employed to help students become better readers. Reading skills are a leading factor in student dropout. Students need strategies that will give structure to how they approach reading and classwork. Reading at the secondary level is not as simple as just telling a student to read chapter one for homework. Reading is guiding and leading the students to become more analytical when reading. Reading is the master key for life long learning. Reading is the key to success at so many levels. Students will read text messages and social networking sites without a thought. Advanced readers use strategies to help them comprehend what they read. While these strategies are transparent to those advanced readers, unskilled readers struggle with these concepts. It opens up a whole new world of information and adventure. Students comprehend very little when there is just one or even two words that they don't understand - it throws off their complete understanding of the reading. The ability to read is an empowering skill that no one can take away from you and it will open so many doors and opportunities. Everyone deserves this gift. Everyone! Until all teachers realize that they need to teach reading and writing strategies to their students, our students will continue to struggle in the language arts. Reading involves thinking processes that can be explicitly taught. Teachers should encourage active reading. “I know that teaching reading in a classroom with multiple ability levels can be frustrating.” “I know that students come to junior high and high school without the needed literacy skills.” Yet, my job is to meet students where they are and take them to where I need them to be – in other words to make sure learning (reading/comprehension) takes place. Many of my struggling readers now have a driver’s license. Those same students felt reading was important enough to read a driver’s book, be examined and pass a state driver’s license test. Comprehension can occur. I know that every student deserves the very best that I have to give. Teachers need to be involved in intense, continuous professional development to identify reading interferences within their classroom, strategies for those interferences and reflection of lessons, projects, etc. Reading is an art, a gift, and a challenge. It is not so simple to just teach the alphabets and phonics. We must reach ahead and approach today's learners by incorporating a decade ahead lesson plan. I have learned that we need to spend more time and resources helping those students who have struggles with reading, as reading is a fundamental for success in today's society. By encouraging active reading, students will become more engaged in their reading. If students are introduced to good reading skills in the early stages of development, they will be more successful in all of their educational endeavors. Their participation, initiative, willingness to improve, and eagerness to share with peers will soar to a high level when they have that self confidence of knowing how to read and assimilate what's read.

People are constantly creating new ways to help struggling readers. Authors are writing great books to keep us entertained. Learners need to be taught reading strategies and practice those strategies so they become automatic.

Reading no longer is simply whole language or phonemic, reading encompasses much much more. Reading does not have to mirror a student holding a text book and speaking words. Reading is now conversation. It is a relationship between the text and the "receiver", ""engager". Educators must take more thought into text selections and how the student will interact with the text. Strategies to assist reluctant and struggling readers must be a part of every lesson plan. (Felicia)

I have learned that reading is more than simply reading a textbook or printed text. Reading is collaboration and creation. I have learned that Wikipedia has its positives and its negatives. I have learned that some blogs are educational and that people are doing podcasts, which I didn't even know existed before I have found out how frustrating it is to not have the skills to be able to read technical information and follow simple directions. I now have more empathy for students who are struggling. Linda Stringer I now know what a podcast, social networking, wikkis, and blogs are. I had no clue earlier. Linda Stringer

I have learned that most students get more excited about reading something off a screen than they do about reading something off a page in a book.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED (Cox for Bryan) 7/22/09

Wow!.... The course in 21st Century Web 2.0 has really been an eye-opener for me. I have been retired for five years and missed out on all the "boom" of technology. Before I had this course, I didn't have a clue what Web 2.0 meant. It frightened me because I had no knowledge at all of many of the tools. I now am much more knowledgeable and have been exposed to so many new avenues of technology. My grandsons are impressed that I know about wikies, podcast, delicious, and blogs. The term Web 2.0 threw me for a loop at first, but then I realized that I did know what it meant and had used some forms of Web 2.0 but just didn't realize it. The forms I did use were not tied to computer usage as much as it could have been. I now know that the sky is the limit as young people are taught through the use of these wonderful tools. I wish I had known how to use these tools when I was still in the classroom. Now, at least I have some new technology knowledge and will know what students and teachers are talking in respect to lessons that use these tools when I resume my duties this fall as a substitute and contract teacher. (Rebecca Cox)

I have learned that many students are more likely to read from a screen than to read from a book. Students need to interact with their text and we can help them do this by modeling how we interact with text. I have learned that reading aloud, which I have always loved, is an authentic strategy and that if I enjoy it, then I should find ways for my students to enjoy it by giving them assignments that enable them to read aloud. I have learned that the web can expand students opportunities to read and learn, and we need to get out of our comfort zone and embrace those opportunities. (Grace Andres)

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED. Reading cannot be seen as insular. Technogy is influencing how students read, write and communicate. (Andrea Granger)

I have learned that technological flexibility can engage an otherwise-uninterested reader. (Laura Page)

The Internet is loaded with many tools and resources that can assist a student in navigating a good book. (Ken L. Spear)

Helping students overcome reading deficiencies is the responsibility of all the educators the come into contact with the student. (depps-peavy)

Reading isn't just about reading the books assigned by our teachers from kindergarten to 12th grade, and beyond. The world has changed. We don't need a hard-back book, or even a paperback. Reading happens as our day starts. We read the cereal box, the newspaper, our planner, our text messages, the captions on the television, or telephone, if we use a TTD. We read anything from Stop signs, to more sophisticated items, like digital car radios, that tell us what song is playing. Emails, wikis, blogs, documents, Kindles, Nooks, tablets, computers. It is a continuous activity that takes place throughout our life. (Terry Green)

I have learned that Web 2.0 tools will definitely help students with reading. I have learned many tools that I can use to help the students in my classroom to start to enjoy reading! (Betty Love) I have learned that their are several options as educators for student support through technology. I have to take the time to sort them in my head and organize which would be most valuable for my group of students. (Shannon Park)

I have learned that high school teachers don't think of themselves as reading teachers. I have learned that when used correctly technology can enhance students' love of reading. (Becky NeSmith) I have learned that there are a lot of web tools that can be used to help and motivate students to read and write. I have learned some ways to use my student's addiction to their electronic devices for good! (Lynn Owens)

I have learned that there are tools on the web that can help students who lack motivation. These tools can help students enjoy reading...which is half the battle. (Jennifer Moore)

What I have learned about reading is that new technology can attract the interest of students and make reading less of a "chore" to them (Vicki Cornelius).

I have learned that struggling readers/learners experience the same literacy struggles with technology based reading/learning as the struggles they encounter on paper. I must assist them with gaining strategies to assist them in web based reading/learning. (Amelia Odom)