Arthur HeilmanArthur Heilman

Penn State UniversityPenn State University

Principles of Reading Principles of Reading InstructionInstruction

The ability to promote literacy (reading The ability to promote literacy (reading and writing proficiently) has a profound and writing proficiently) has a profound effect on the lives of students.effect on the lives of students.

Learning to read is a complex process Learning to read is a complex process which is effected by many factors (some which is effected by many factors (some are controlled by the teacher; others are are controlled by the teacher; others are not.)not.)• IntelligenceIntelligence• Background knowledgeBackground knowledge• language abilitylanguage ability• emotional stability emotional stability

Defining the Reading Defining the Reading ProcessProcess

You can ‘read’ your old high school You can ‘read’ your old high school German text, but can you understand it?German text, but can you understand it?

Reading is an active process of Reading is an active process of constructing meaning from written text in constructing meaning from written text in relation to the experiences and knowledge relation to the experiences and knowledge of the reader.of the reader.

Thorndike (1917): Reading is thinking: Thorndike (1917): Reading is thinking: Involves synthesis, analysis, problem Involves synthesis, analysis, problem solving, inference, generalization, solving, inference, generalization, concentration. concentration.

Effective Schools Effective Schools Research: School Reform Research: School Reform Movement ‘80-’90 Movement ‘80-’90

Word Identification is crucial, but Word Identification is crucial, but stress is placed on meaning.stress is placed on meaning.

Cognitive psychology: Schema Cognitive psychology: Schema theory-Relationship between text theory-Relationship between text and background knowledge. and background knowledge.

Experiential and Experiential and Conceptual backgroundConceptual background Reader’s experiences in both Reader’s experiences in both

concrete and abstract knowledge. concrete and abstract knowledge. Includes reader’s ability to use and Includes reader’s ability to use and apply this knowledge. apply this knowledge.

Example: Gardening directions. Use Example: Gardening directions. Use background knowledge to make background knowledge to make hypothesis about new information. hypothesis about new information. This must make sense based on This must make sense based on background knowledge. background knowledge.

Interactive theory of Interactive theory of readingreading

Active process : Students interact Active process : Students interact with print and context. with print and context.

Strategic reader: applies Strategic reader: applies strategies to unlock meaning of strategies to unlock meaning of text.text.

Specific comprehension Specific comprehension strategies will be found in Ch. 2 strategies will be found in Ch. 2 and 7.and 7.

A Balanced Literacy A Balanced Literacy ProgramProgram

Uses a variety of teaching approaches, Uses a variety of teaching approaches, strategies and material to teach strategies and material to teach students what they need to know.students what they need to know.

Content includes: Word recognition, Content includes: Word recognition, word meaning, comprehension, reading word meaning, comprehension, reading study skills, independent and study skills, independent and recreational reading and literature.recreational reading and literature.

Using these strands are like braiding Using these strands are like braiding and then weaving a basket. and then weaving a basket.

Literacy Program includes:Literacy Program includes:

1. Developmental reading1. Developmental reading• Sequential development of reading skills.Sequential development of reading skills.

2. Application-transfer2. Application-transfer• Apply skills to a variety of literary forms Apply skills to a variety of literary forms

3. Independent or recreational reading3. Independent or recreational reading

4. Content area: study skills4. Content area: study skills

5. Functional reading: instruction and 5. Functional reading: instruction and practice in filling out loan applications, using practice in filling out loan applications, using phone books. P.10phone books. P.10

Principles of Reading Principles of Reading InstructionInstruction

Uses the same principles from ed. Uses the same principles from ed. psy.:psy.:• Human growth and developmentHuman growth and development

– intellectualintellectual– physiologicalphysiological– psychologicalpsychological– emotional emotional

Traditional view of Traditional view of ReadingReading

Passive ReaderPassive Reader Has mastered a large number of Has mastered a large number of

subskills: word identification, subskills: word identification, phonics, vocabulary meaning, phonics, vocabulary meaning, main idea, summary, sequence.main idea, summary, sequence.

Assumes that a reader Assumes that a reader automatically uses these subskills automatically uses these subskills while reading.while reading.

Cognitive views of Cognitive views of ReadingReading

Active readerActive reader Mixes existing and new knowledgeMixes existing and new knowledge Is flexible in using many strategiesIs flexible in using many strategies Concerned with comprehension:Concerned with comprehension: Tries to foster, monitor, regulate and Tries to foster, monitor, regulate and

maintain comprehension.maintain comprehension. Reader will automatically use these Reader will automatically use these

strategies. strategies.

Experiences that promote success in Experiences that promote success in reading occur long before a child reading occur long before a child comes to school.comes to school.• Students who have had a wide variety of Students who have had a wide variety of

language experiences need to be language experiences need to be challenged beyond the basic decoding challenged beyond the basic decoding instruction.instruction.

• Students with limited experiences need to Students with limited experiences need to start with basic concepts: the written start with basic concepts: the written word conveys meaning.word conveys meaning.

Home environment is Home environment is importantimportant

Listening, Speaking, Listening, Speaking, Reading , Writing.Reading , Writing.

All are interrelated and All are interrelated and interdependent.interdependent.

Standards for the English Standards for the English Language Arts : written by IRA Language Arts : written by IRA and National Council of Teacher of and National Council of Teacher of English. English.

Literacy is a Literacy is a Developmental Process. Developmental Process.

Reading and writing are the construction Reading and writing are the construction of meaning. It is never mastered. of meaning. It is never mastered. Students evolve. Students evolve.

Chall (1996) defines the stages:Chall (1996) defines the stages:• Stage 0 recognizes letters- preschoolStage 0 recognizes letters- preschool• Stage 1 decoding or word pronunciation -grade Stage 1 decoding or word pronunciation -grade

1-21-2• Stage 2 decoding abilities automatic-Stage 2 decoding abilities automatic-

grades 2-3grades 2-3

Chall (cont.)Chall (cont.)

Stage 3 Reading to learn new Stage 3 Reading to learn new ideas. Comprehension in different ideas. Comprehension in different texts: content area and complex texts: content area and complex fiction (grades 4-8) fiction (grades 4-8)

Reading and writing are Reading and writing are closely related.closely related.

Children predict and plan and Children predict and plan and summarize ideas when they write. summarize ideas when they write. These skills are also vital to These skills are also vital to reading. Both processes involve reading. Both processes involve the interaction and understanding the interaction and understanding of ideas. of ideas.

Students are very Students are very differentdifferent

Must plan appropriate instruction Must plan appropriate instruction for a wide variety of students.for a wide variety of students.

All student can and will be All student can and will be successful in literacy.successful in literacy.

Reading should involve automatic Reading should involve automatic decoding.decoding.

It should be a meaningful active, It should be a meaningful active, and strategic process.and strategic process.

Balanced ReadingBalanced Reading

In order to meet the needs of all studentsIn order to meet the needs of all students reading instruction must be balancedreading instruction must be balanced Students respond differently to Students respond differently to

• direct and indirect instruction.direct and indirect instruction.• Materials (commercial and personal)Materials (commercial and personal)• motivational strategies (Intrinsic-extrinsic)motivational strategies (Intrinsic-extrinsic)• computers, literature books, magazines, games.computers, literature books, magazines, games.

Effective teachers use them all to meet individual Effective teachers use them all to meet individual needs. needs.

Time is importantTime is important

Students need time to read and Students need time to read and discuss.discuss.

Reading is social as well as cognitive.Reading is social as well as cognitive.• Peer teaching and cooperative learning Peer teaching and cooperative learning

are effective methods of teaching are effective methods of teaching reading.reading.

• Learning is more likely to occur when Learning is more likely to occur when students are asked to defend, explain, students are asked to defend, explain, and elaborate on their ideas.and elaborate on their ideas.

Identifying unknown Identifying unknown words words

Independent reading demands this Independent reading demands this skills.skills.

Sight word drills are sometimes Sight word drills are sometimes necessary necessary

Reading should combine Reading should combine phonics with good phonics with good literature.literature.

This promotes a joy of reading.This promotes a joy of reading. Spelling or learning structural parts Spelling or learning structural parts

of a word should be combined with of a word should be combined with context in which the word appears.context in which the word appears.

Over reliance on any 1 cue is Over reliance on any 1 cue is inefficient, time-consuming and inefficient, time-consuming and likely to bring poor understanding likely to bring poor understanding to the reader. to the reader.

Quality literature Quality literature throughout the curriculum throughout the curriculum

Should not be an add-on program.Should not be an add-on program. Should be used in all content areas Should be used in all content areas

to help build vocabulary, practice to help build vocabulary, practice inferential and critical thinking inferential and critical thinking abilities, and promote the joy of abilities, and promote the joy of reading. reading.

Content area readingContent area reading

Lets the student apply the reading Lets the student apply the reading skills they have gained.skills they have gained.

Success in the literacy program Success in the literacy program doesn’t guarantee success in the doesn’t guarantee success in the content area reading.content area reading.

The reading is more difficult and The reading is more difficult and the student are expected to be the student are expected to be more independent.more independent.

New knowledge is rapidly New knowledge is rapidly being disseminated.being disseminated.

Students must be able to pursue this Students must be able to pursue this ever increasing amount of knowledge.ever increasing amount of knowledge.

Students must learn to evaluate Students must learn to evaluate critically all written ideas and to think critically all written ideas and to think for themselves.for themselves.• SynthesizeSynthesize• Analyze, Analyze, • Critically evaluate ideasCritically evaluate ideas

Motivation is importantMotivation is important

Teachers have a direct effect on Teachers have a direct effect on this factor.this factor.

Need high levels of student Need high levels of student engagement.engagement.

Must provide a wide range of Must provide a wide range of literacy activities.literacy activities.

Classroom managementClassroom management

Teachers must be able to organize Teachers must be able to organize 20 students and manage group 20 students and manage group instruction.instruction.

Need to plan, and monitoring Need to plan, and monitoring student progress.student progress.

Need to deal with many different Need to deal with many different reading levels and levels of reading levels and levels of motivation. motivation.

Parent InvolvementParent Involvement

Ask for tutors for students who Ask for tutors for students who need extra help. (Grandparent need extra help. (Grandparent aide) aide)

Tell parents specifically how they Tell parents specifically how they can help.can help.

Most parents need help finding the Most parents need help finding the comfortable reading level for each comfortable reading level for each child.child.

Success depends on the Success depends on the teachers.teachers.

Effective school literature explains Effective school literature explains the teachers role and the the teachers role and the administrator’s role.administrator’s role.

One particular method or material One particular method or material is not exactly right for all students. is not exactly right for all students.