Leveling Books... Good or Bad?

Recently in our classes there has been much talk about leveling books.  There are many different opinions on the subject.  Whether it is effective or not and why its so popular.  The article "Let's Start Leveling About Leveling" by Kath Glasswell and Michael Ford was assigned in our literacy K-2 class.  The article makes some great points about the pros and cons about leveling. 

Glasswell and Ford have five key principles to remember when leveling. 

• Leveling takes a complex idea and makes it too simple
• Leveling takes a simple idea and makes it too complex
• Reading levels are not the same as reading needs
• Progress does not equal proficiency
• Readers have rights (as well as levels)

As someone who has little to no experience leveling children these five principles were good information.  I think in my future these principles can better my abilities as a teacher.  Glasswell and Ford give examples of how to turn each principles into a great idea. 
Leveling makes a complex idea and makes it too simple.
Including a range of topics and text styles are important to engage readers.
Encourage students to read texts that interest them.
Leveling takes a simple idea and makes it too complex.
Choose authors during author studies that write at multiple levels.
Reading levels are not the same as reading needs.
Use multi-aged groups so some struggling older readers can read at their level.  
Progress does not equal proficiency.
Have meeting more often.
Readers have rights. 
Provide opportunities to engage in cognitively demanding work in reading

Glasswell and Ford want to make sure that teachers consider the impact of leveling on their students across the entire reading program, not just during the guided reading lesson.    I think that leveled reading if done correct and with some thought can be effective.  I would never tell students they can't read something.  I think having a great selection and let students spend time with text that will help them grow as readers.  I think letting students read what interest them also engages them more in reading.  Glasswell and Ford finally state that teachers need to know needs are different from levels.  I couldn't agree more.  Student growth can be obtained by thoughtful leveling.

Schema: Making Personal Connections

Recently read a chapter from Reading with Meaning over Schema.  Schema is all the stuff that's already inside your head. This could be books you've read, places you've been, things you've watched or places you've been.  Using your schema is using your background knowledge to make connections to text.  Using your schema is a key strategy for any young reader. In the chapter it discusses how to get your students started in using their schema.

I see this happening in my field experience classroom. Even though the 6th grade classroom I am in has mastered this I see it happening.  Last week they were doing a social studies activity on Rome. Specifically about Roman teenagers and activities they did.  The students would make connections with the examples of the Roman teenagers. The saw how some things are similar to what they do today with their friends.  They also related the discussion and images to movies and TV shows they had seen.  I thought it was awesome to see schema in the classroom.  I knew this class had already mastered this skill but since just reading this chapter  I saw the connection.

In the article the teacher goes through multiple lessons for teaching students to use their schema.  The teacher starts by explaining schema and how relating the text to your schema helps you better understand and interact with the text.  She starts with text-to-self connections.  The teacher reads a book and while reading she stops and makes a personal connection about her childhood.  She connects to her grandparents farmhouse and the fun her whole family had there.  She mentions to the students "did you notice how much fun I was having just thinking about being with my cousins sleeping downstairs on those hot Iowa nights?'" As you continue this students become eager to share what they can connect too.  As you continue to model your connections as a teacher encourage the students to do the same.  This gives them good practice seeing you do it as well as the students doing it themselves.

Next the teacher explains using anchor charts to record the students connections.  She is trying to teach these students about making meaningful connections.  Making meaningful connections is important. After using these charts she would have the students rate with a 1 or 2 how important the statements where.  This is a way to show meaningful connections and show the difference between meaningful and less meaningful connections.

The teacher then after a few weeks starts to work on text-to-text connections.  When starting new topics always ask your students what their schema is for this?  When reading a book to your class make connections from past books that you have read to the class.  When making the connection explain that is text-to-text connection.  Then use Venn diagrams to show the connections you can make between the two texts/books.   Using a chart will make it visual and easier for students to see.  The students will also be able to contribute to making the chart.  While continuing to work you can implement text-to-world connections.

Building schema is a time consuming skill.  This will be done throughout the year and is worth it at the end. The connections students can make will make reading easier and more enjoyable.  This is done in younger school age classrooms.  I think it would be fun and very rewarding like teaching is to see the students start making connections.

Alphabet Learning

This week I listened to another weekly podcast from Voice of Literacy.  Dr. Shayne Piasta was the guest on this podcast.  Dr. Piasta is an assistant professor at the Ohio State University.  She specializes is researching early literacy skill and alphabet learning and instruction.  Dr. Piasta did her undergraduate work at Florida State University in developmental psychology.  Doing most of her work with the Florida Center for Reading Research.  Dr. Piasta got interested in alphabet learning and early literacy when she noticed the lack of basic or applied research being done in the classrooms.

Meta Analysis was her method when researching.  Meta Analysis is a quantitative approach to synthesis research in a particular area.   The interventions or instructional programs impact on children's alphabet knowledge was the focus.  Wanting to see what impact she saw between the students who got the program vs. those who didn't get the programs. 

Alphabet instruction has to do with familiarity not only with letters but the sounds associated with them.  Alphabet knowledge is crucial for emergent literacy and we do not always consider this.  Eventually alphabet knowledge will help with phonological awareness.  Phonological awareness is the ability to not only hear but to manipulate sounds.  For example a student knowing batman is composed of bat and man.  Dr. Piasta also mentions that alphabet knowledge instruction doesn't have to be done independently.  Teachers can include it during many areas of teaching. 

Working with children at a young age is important.  Parents need to help out when possible too, especially when reading with your child.  Parents and teachers focus on letters and sounds in the stories you are reading.  Include explaining the meaning of the story but find a balance between the meaning and letters and sounds.  This will help young children's alphabet knowledge and begin them early on a path for success. 

Dr. Piasta mentions that the future she hopes that schools develop a curriculum to include alphabet knowledge instruction.  Having regular instruction and it included in the curriculum is her goal.

Including alphabet knowledge instruction into your classroom is vital.  Getting past the classic "sound it out" is needed in classrooms.  Though that strategy is needed it could be better used by students with alphabet knowledge.  We as teachers of the future need to get past just drilling on isolated letter sounds.  Students can learn so much better when skill and drill  or rote memorization.  I hated that method when I was a student.  Listening to people like Dr. Piasta better us as teachers.  There is research to backup why this is effective.  I hope this starts being implemented in younger grades it will be effective. 

Early Writing (Pre-School to First Grade)

I listened to a Voice of Literacy Podcast about Early Writing.  The guest was Dr. Debby Rowe from Vanderbilt University.  Dr. Rowe is also the Co-Director U.S. Department of Education Early Reading First Project.  Dr. Rowe focus is working with young two-three year old pre-school students.  She has had years of experience both in and outside the classroom setting.

Dr. Rowe works to develop young children's writing abilities.  She does this developmentally working with the children's expressed interests.  What you have in your classroom especially for young students and children is vital.  Having fun yet challenging and engaging toys is essential.  She mentions having choices like puzzles, blocks, science and writing centers. 

Having a writing table and center will further children and start them writing at an early age.  At the writing table much like with older students have mini writing conferences.  Start writing conferences with social stuff like small talk or asking how the students day is going.  I think this will take pressure of the student from thinking they have to do well at this.  Take writing into areas students are interested in.  Having a wide variety of topics the interest all types of students is essential.  Make writing general and fun do not force it onto students.  Making it a fun activity will have students wanting to come to the writing center or table. 

Dr. Rowe believes there are four types of kids when it comes to writing.

1. Socially Oriented Interests Kid

• likes being around people
• plays and interacts
• varied profiles beacasue they do what frends do more often
• flexible

2. Procedural Kid

• kid that likes to know how things work
• build or write on how it actually looks 
• choose to copy letters

3. Creative Kids

• tries to learn new uses or procedures
• creative example using marker caps as finger nails
• write all things creatively works with different materials

4. Conceptually Oriented Kids

• topical interest (dinosaurs)
• write with them and let students lead instead of the adult

All students will try all four at one time or another.  Typically a studnet will find one kind that is them and stick to it.

After listening to this podcast is really surprised me and excited me on how much can be taught to kids at such young ages.  I never realized when working with younger students how eager and developed they could become as writers. Systems similar to this would be great if implemented at all pre-schools.  The advantages and development for the students is amazing.  As one becoming a teacher I am excited to teach and see children develop.  Dr. Rowe and her research is great and I hope more parents and teachers start writing with their children when they are three or four.