Ch. 2 A Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach to Literacy
This chapter discussed in specific detail the language and role of teachers in literacy activities. The teachers’ tools for communicating specific knowledge, skills and strategies to children assist to stimulate children’s problem solving processes and to provide immediate feedback explicitly describing children’s behavior to reinforce the desirable response (p. 16). Dorn, French and Jones (1998) believe that good questioning prompts help children learn how to problem solve; examples include: Does that make sense?, Does that sound right?, Does that look right? Language to promote self-monitoring actions include: Were you right?, Try that again., What else can you do?, What’s wrong? Along with this the teacher has to monitor their own language and ensure it is meaningful to the students as they ponder the relevance to the task at hand. Our interactions with students is imperative to promote understanding and transfer to all subjects.
Another important aspect to consider is what the authors, Dorn, et. al. (1998) researched as intersubjectivity. This means that the teacher and children share a similar understanding of a particular task. The students have limited experiences especially young learners so the teacher and student have to have the same understanding which comes from the language we choose to use. This concept can be relative to older students in regards to vocabulary. They have to understand the many ways one can explain a concept. A younger child has to know what “little” means in terms of letter case as well as “lowercase” and “small” for example. We cannot assume that students know all vocabulary related to a topic or concept. A child develops new meaning with assistance in the Zone of Proximal Development which is dependent on meaningful interpretations of the situation (p. 18).
The authors of this book characterizes apprenticeship learning as shared problem solving between and active learner and a more skilled partner (p. 19). This sounds like the Discourse theory that Gee (1989) talks about. Modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulating and reflecting are key points to apprenticeship learning. Modeling requires simultaneous models of language and action for children to observe the strategies and skills they need to apply as they problem-solve on their own. This is done by “think out louds” and asking yourself questions to demonstrate the process of solving a problem say trying to read an unknown word. At the same time the teacher observes the students for understanding. Good models provide children with standards or benchmarks against which they can reflect and evaluate their own progress (p. 19).
Coaching involves guided participation where the teacher observes children and offers hints, reminders, feedback, modeling and other support to ensure a successful performance (p. 19). If a child reads a word wrong, the teacher brings attention to it and knows the skill she is trying to teach which could be first letter cues as she questions the child for meaning and correct letter pronunciation for the word. If the teacher needs to go to a higher level of support she should. This coaching allows the child to understand a new concept from meaningful and successful performance. As students become better readers they can learn to monitor their own reading. The teacher should not red light mistakes with their language but allow the student to problem solve on their own. My son is going into third grade and is not reading at grade level for second grade. We have been reading but I tend to give him the words when he is stuck and he looks at me for corrections or reassurance when he sounds a word out by himself. He does not have self monitoring strategies and will just read and read without understanding what he has read. This is most likely due to a timed reading test from Dibels to show progress and growth that his school assesses. I will have to monitor my language when reading with him.
Scaffolding occurs during guided instruction where teachers provide support to enable students to accomplish a specific task. This is an interactive process where the teachers regulates levels of support according to the child’s understanding so that they can successfully complete the task at hand. Levels of support vary at different times and depend on what the child needs to do and what he needs to accomplish.
Articulation is any language prompt that encourages children to articulate their own knowledge or problems solving strategies during a particular task (p. 21). Articulation develops cognitive processes. Questions allow students to answer as they clarify their thinking. The key to articulation is that students must know the meaning of the language as it describes a way to help them accomplish their goals.
Teachers promote reflection through questions that focus on personal accomplishments as students learn to set standards for themselves in their work. Students learn to self reflect as they analyze work and find examples of good spacing or letter formation at the same time they reflect on what needs improvement. Teachers models reflective actions through “think out loud” when writing or editing.
This chapter discussed in detail the teachers role in apprenticeship learning and how that role extends to students as they acquire new learning and begin to expand their knowledge and skills. A major aspect is the language the teacher uses to guide students toward successful interactions that lead to becoming better readers and writers. Intersubjectivity occurs when both parties of the apprenticeship understand concepts with meaningful interactions that lead to accomplishing a goal with success.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Right to Literacy
Chapter 1 The Right to Literacy
Three teachers began writing Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing to share their story of teaching reading and writing to K-3 students with other teachers. The major emphasis would be on identifying and articulating the transitions that occur as children become more competent readers and writers. The teachers found that for struggling readers they needed to do something else besides immerse them in a literacy rich environment. The teachers needed to be knowledgeable about the literacy process and to provided them with constructive reading and writing opportunities that guarantee their right to literacy. In our school which is in restructuring we have heard from our consultants from observation that teachers do not have the skills and knowledge to explicitly teach reading. Dorn, French & Jones (1998) have suggestions to promote higher-level literacy development in young children: carefully observe children in the process of learning, design instructional interactions that involves personal knowledge as a foundation for constructing new knowledge, monitor progress in new situations and be prepared to make adjustments to support continued learning and use observations of children’s learning to evaluate and plan new instructional interactions to validate old knowledge and activate new learning. These suggestions are in line with scaffolding and use of prior knowledge as well as providing Discourse to keep moving forward.
The authors also distinguish between Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the Zone of Actual Development (ZAD) where behavior development occurs on levels. ZAD is the child’s independent level of performance, what the child knows and can do alone while the ZPD is the maximum level of development the child can reach with assistance (p. 4). Higher levels of understanding take place with assistance in the ZPD and the child moves forward as that knowledge becomes independent maybe even the next day. Teachers need to provide verbal cues and facilitate reflection to evaluate as well as justify with reason the importance of the activity or skill. This apprenticeship allows modifications to occur to support the child’s feedback. Interaction between teacher and students supports the new learning. I think most teachers use this theory in classrooms the key is actual knowledge of where students are at.
Developing self-regulated learners means a child is able to use his knowledge to advance his own learning. The definition given in the book is “the child’s capacity to plan, guide, and monitor his or her behavior from within and flexibly according to changing circumstances” (p. 10). This phenomenon has characteristics such as guiding, planning, linking, monitoring, confirming, generating, reflecting, rejecting, discovering and checking that occur while children engage in reading and /or reading activities. No action exists in isolation but work in a network to help student make sense of incoming information. Meta-cognitive process, meta-knowledge and reflective learning can only occur in classrooms where Discourse is encouraged and expected. Respect and active listening is also key for success.
Teaching for transfer requires the teacher to know what a child knows and be able to design instructional interactions to provide the learner with opportunities to transfer existing skills, strategies and knowledge to new problem solving activities. Teachers teach for strategies to allow the child to use processing based on existing knowledge and ability to apply problem solving strategies to tackle unknown information. When a child applies processing behavior he taps his background knowledge, sees relationships and applies problem solving strategies to construct meaning. A self regulated learner applies his current skills, strategies and knowledge at a new level of cognitive activity in various situations. Teaching for transfer requires the teacher to be observant of child’s existing knowledge and know how to present opportunities that enable the child to transfer this knowledge to different situations with the appropriate types of materials to apply existing skills in flexible ways. This is transferring our learning to increase our learning.
Accuracy versus mistakes - teachers who emphasize accuracy deprive students to learn to generalize problem-solving and validate strategies in new situations. Students must make mistakes to “sort out” mistakes that lead to meaningful learning that can be scaffold to increase reading skills. Reading is successful when students can make sense of the reading to understand the author’s intended message and purpose. In the apprenticeship approach, teachers guide the child to apply checking and confirming strategies to promote meaningful interactions with text.
Teachers cannot teach reading if they are not observant and knowledgeable about students ZAD to move them toward ZPD where learning takes place. Teaching students to become self-regulated learners is key to successful reading. The cycle of transfer is needed to promote understanding and making sense of text to move beyond the process of reading to meaningful interactions with text and prior knowledge. Within an apprenticeship approach students could be proficient readers by 3rd grade and they will have access to literacy.
Three teachers began writing Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing to share their story of teaching reading and writing to K-3 students with other teachers. The major emphasis would be on identifying and articulating the transitions that occur as children become more competent readers and writers. The teachers found that for struggling readers they needed to do something else besides immerse them in a literacy rich environment. The teachers needed to be knowledgeable about the literacy process and to provided them with constructive reading and writing opportunities that guarantee their right to literacy. In our school which is in restructuring we have heard from our consultants from observation that teachers do not have the skills and knowledge to explicitly teach reading. Dorn, French & Jones (1998) have suggestions to promote higher-level literacy development in young children: carefully observe children in the process of learning, design instructional interactions that involves personal knowledge as a foundation for constructing new knowledge, monitor progress in new situations and be prepared to make adjustments to support continued learning and use observations of children’s learning to evaluate and plan new instructional interactions to validate old knowledge and activate new learning. These suggestions are in line with scaffolding and use of prior knowledge as well as providing Discourse to keep moving forward.
The authors also distinguish between Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and the Zone of Actual Development (ZAD) where behavior development occurs on levels. ZAD is the child’s independent level of performance, what the child knows and can do alone while the ZPD is the maximum level of development the child can reach with assistance (p. 4). Higher levels of understanding take place with assistance in the ZPD and the child moves forward as that knowledge becomes independent maybe even the next day. Teachers need to provide verbal cues and facilitate reflection to evaluate as well as justify with reason the importance of the activity or skill. This apprenticeship allows modifications to occur to support the child’s feedback. Interaction between teacher and students supports the new learning. I think most teachers use this theory in classrooms the key is actual knowledge of where students are at.
Developing self-regulated learners means a child is able to use his knowledge to advance his own learning. The definition given in the book is “the child’s capacity to plan, guide, and monitor his or her behavior from within and flexibly according to changing circumstances” (p. 10). This phenomenon has characteristics such as guiding, planning, linking, monitoring, confirming, generating, reflecting, rejecting, discovering and checking that occur while children engage in reading and /or reading activities. No action exists in isolation but work in a network to help student make sense of incoming information. Meta-cognitive process, meta-knowledge and reflective learning can only occur in classrooms where Discourse is encouraged and expected. Respect and active listening is also key for success.
Teaching for transfer requires the teacher to know what a child knows and be able to design instructional interactions to provide the learner with opportunities to transfer existing skills, strategies and knowledge to new problem solving activities. Teachers teach for strategies to allow the child to use processing based on existing knowledge and ability to apply problem solving strategies to tackle unknown information. When a child applies processing behavior he taps his background knowledge, sees relationships and applies problem solving strategies to construct meaning. A self regulated learner applies his current skills, strategies and knowledge at a new level of cognitive activity in various situations. Teaching for transfer requires the teacher to be observant of child’s existing knowledge and know how to present opportunities that enable the child to transfer this knowledge to different situations with the appropriate types of materials to apply existing skills in flexible ways. This is transferring our learning to increase our learning.
Accuracy versus mistakes - teachers who emphasize accuracy deprive students to learn to generalize problem-solving and validate strategies in new situations. Students must make mistakes to “sort out” mistakes that lead to meaningful learning that can be scaffold to increase reading skills. Reading is successful when students can make sense of the reading to understand the author’s intended message and purpose. In the apprenticeship approach, teachers guide the child to apply checking and confirming strategies to promote meaningful interactions with text.
Teachers cannot teach reading if they are not observant and knowledgeable about students ZAD to move them toward ZPD where learning takes place. Teaching students to become self-regulated learners is key to successful reading. The cycle of transfer is needed to promote understanding and making sense of text to move beyond the process of reading to meaningful interactions with text and prior knowledge. Within an apprenticeship approach students could be proficient readers by 3rd grade and they will have access to literacy.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Blogging???
Bogging????
I heard the word blog in the McDonald’s commercial about the little old lady stating she needed to blog about the blueberry, nut oatmeal but did not really comprehend what it was. I did not realize that the Internet was full of personal blogs, educational blogs, business blogs, self-help blogs, etc… In fact you could probably find a blog about any topic and interest. I knew the Internet was full of information which I assumed was just information. I never really paid attention to the give comments sections or question section of websites or blogging pages. I actually didn’t really know the difference between a blog and a website. I asked my daughter and she knew. Blogging would be a new tool for me to use.
I never really branched out when surfing on the Internet. If I found what I needed then I was satisfied and closed the window. I check my email, face book, daughter’s school website frequently. I also search online for new lessons and activities for my class. I have also shopped online a little which resulted in my credit card number being stolen. When my job is done I close the window. I am a single parent, rancher, elementary teacher, adjunct faculty at Dine College and friend. So my highest priorities do not include engaging in Internet activity. Also when I run into trouble with technology I usually just shut the computer down. I had trouble beginning our personal blogging page but I managed to get it right after 3 or 4 tries I think. If a link does not work I go elsewhere. If several links do not work I usually give up and shut down. This is my experience online.
When I came across personal blogs and began to read them I felt a sense of disassociation that I could not see the person in real life and as I read their entries I felt like I was invading their space. So I am a person who likes face to face contact with people I know and would like to know. I had to step back and remember that these blogs are for sharing information and getting feedback to reflect on our thoughts and actions. I also realized that these bloggers were trying to expand their prior knowledge and gain new experiences and insights to what they were doing as well as reach out to others they normally would not associate with. So after pondering this I read again and felt much better and enjoyed reading what other teachers or runners (searching workouts for my daughter) are doing. While reading a teaching blog site, I realized how many teachers love what they are doing and how much they wanted to share. This encouraged me and inspired me even though I did not know them personally.
When I read some running and training blogs, I realized just how many experts were willing to share information and if one asked a question how many people were willing to help by answering the question. The tone was that of equality in terms of the topic and assistance with inspiration for the teaching blogs. No one talked down to anyone and responses were encouraging especially in the cross country training blogs. I did not come across any negativity with the blogs I encountered. So concerns are few but I can see that if people do not follow the code of conduct interactions could be negative.
I came across some blogs that had 3 hits and some that had over 1000 hits so when Wikipedia states that not all blogs are read I found that to be true. The main idea is to share and reach out. I enjoyed the videos that people created on some running blogs about training. Most answers to questions were to the point and short which made them easy to read and comment on. I also found that visuals on teaching blogs helped get the gist of the activity across in a simple fast way rather than trying to explain through words and more words. I know I will enjoy using this new tool.
These blogs I liked:
Teaching Blog Addict
Secrets to Coaching a Successful High School Cross Country Team
Nike running
http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_training-en-US/
http://www.teachingblogaddict.com/2011/04/oh-places-well-go-join-tba-as-we-travel-.html
I heard the word blog in the McDonald’s commercial about the little old lady stating she needed to blog about the blueberry, nut oatmeal but did not really comprehend what it was. I did not realize that the Internet was full of personal blogs, educational blogs, business blogs, self-help blogs, etc… In fact you could probably find a blog about any topic and interest. I knew the Internet was full of information which I assumed was just information. I never really paid attention to the give comments sections or question section of websites or blogging pages. I actually didn’t really know the difference between a blog and a website. I asked my daughter and she knew. Blogging would be a new tool for me to use.
I never really branched out when surfing on the Internet. If I found what I needed then I was satisfied and closed the window. I check my email, face book, daughter’s school website frequently. I also search online for new lessons and activities for my class. I have also shopped online a little which resulted in my credit card number being stolen. When my job is done I close the window. I am a single parent, rancher, elementary teacher, adjunct faculty at Dine College and friend. So my highest priorities do not include engaging in Internet activity. Also when I run into trouble with technology I usually just shut the computer down. I had trouble beginning our personal blogging page but I managed to get it right after 3 or 4 tries I think. If a link does not work I go elsewhere. If several links do not work I usually give up and shut down. This is my experience online.
When I came across personal blogs and began to read them I felt a sense of disassociation that I could not see the person in real life and as I read their entries I felt like I was invading their space. So I am a person who likes face to face contact with people I know and would like to know. I had to step back and remember that these blogs are for sharing information and getting feedback to reflect on our thoughts and actions. I also realized that these bloggers were trying to expand their prior knowledge and gain new experiences and insights to what they were doing as well as reach out to others they normally would not associate with. So after pondering this I read again and felt much better and enjoyed reading what other teachers or runners (searching workouts for my daughter) are doing. While reading a teaching blog site, I realized how many teachers love what they are doing and how much they wanted to share. This encouraged me and inspired me even though I did not know them personally.
When I read some running and training blogs, I realized just how many experts were willing to share information and if one asked a question how many people were willing to help by answering the question. The tone was that of equality in terms of the topic and assistance with inspiration for the teaching blogs. No one talked down to anyone and responses were encouraging especially in the cross country training blogs. I did not come across any negativity with the blogs I encountered. So concerns are few but I can see that if people do not follow the code of conduct interactions could be negative.
I came across some blogs that had 3 hits and some that had over 1000 hits so when Wikipedia states that not all blogs are read I found that to be true. The main idea is to share and reach out. I enjoyed the videos that people created on some running blogs about training. Most answers to questions were to the point and short which made them easy to read and comment on. I also found that visuals on teaching blogs helped get the gist of the activity across in a simple fast way rather than trying to explain through words and more words. I know I will enjoy using this new tool.
These blogs I liked:
Teaching Blog Addict
Secrets to Coaching a Successful High School Cross Country Team
Nike running
http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_training-en-US/
http://www.teachingblogaddict.com/2011/04/oh-places-well-go-join-tba-as-we-travel-.html
Friday, June 22, 2012
First post
Creating a blog is hard. I had to do everything twice and still didn't do it right until now I hope. So this is my first time creating a blog and reading others to comment. I think with practice I will get the hang of it.
The book I chose is Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing (1998) by Linda J. Dorn, Cathy French and Tammy Jones.
The book I chose is Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing (1998) by Linda J. Dorn, Cathy French and Tammy Jones.
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