Post on 18-Nov-2014
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InferringThe Heartbeat of Comprehension, K-6
Pat Johnson and Katie Keier IRA Conference Orlando
May, 2011
patjohnson222@gmail.comkatieannkeier@gmail.com
Catching Readers Before They Fall: Supporting Readers Who
Struggle, Johnson & KeierOne Child at a Time: Making the Most of Your Time with
Struggling Readers, K-6, Pat Johnsonwww.stenhouse.com
In this session we will make two assumptions:
• that we are all on the same wavelength when understanding reading process
• that we all understand effective teaching as explicit modeling and gradual release of responsibility
Adapted from Schulman, Guided Reading in Grades 3-6
Pinnell & Fountas, Guiding Readers & Writers, 3-6
Johnson, One Child at a Time
Explicit Modeling and Gradual Release of Responsibility
1 2 3 4
I do I do You do You do
You watch You help I help I watch
Wilhelm, Baker, Dube
Strategic Reading
Dorn & Soffos
Shaping Literate Minds
Modeling
Coaching
Scaffolding
Fading
Pat Johnson
One Child at a Time
Modeling
Scaffolding
Prompting
Backing Off
Reinforcing
Regie Routman
Reading Essentials
Demonstration
Shared Demonstration
Guided Practice
Independent Practice
Fountas & Pinnell
Guiding Readers & Writers, 3-6
Show
Support
Prompt
Reinforce
Observe
Questions for this session:
• What is inferring?• Do students have to be able to define the
term? Or say when they are using this strategy?
• How do we teach students to infer?
Poetry: Mother to Son Well, son, I'll tell you:Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.It's had tacks in it,And splinters,And boards torn up,And places with no carpet on the floor—Bare.But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on,And reachin' landin's,And turnin' corners,And sometimes goin' in the darkWhere there ain't been no light.So, boy, don't you turn back.Don't you set down on the steps.'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.Don't you fall now—For I'se still goin', honey,I'se still climbin',And life for me ain't been no crystal stair
Langston Hughes
Readers who infer “go beyond the literal meaning of a text to derive what is not there but is implied.”
Fountas & Pinnell, 2001, p. 317
When readers infer they “round out and fill in what the author has written, giving the piece a personal texture and making it whole from their own perspectives.”
Owocki, 2003, p. 46
“Inferring is thinking in your head to help you understand, when the story doesn’t let you in on it.”
Colin, first graderMiller, 2002, p. 117
Session activity:
• Work with 1-2 partners• Brainstorm a list of when readers might use inferring• Share out as a whole group
What kind of things might readers have to infer when they read?
Setting, problem, narrator Predictions Character’s personality Feelings or thoughts of the characters Theme Subtle humor Figurative language, sarcasm, irony The author’s meaning, message, or point of view A poem’s meaning, metaphors Meanings of unknown vocabulary words
Students need to learn to infer at:
• The word level
• The text or story level
• Beyond the text level
Adapted from Schulman, Guided Reading in Grades 3-6
Pinnell & Fountas, Guiding Readers & Writers, 3-6
Johnson, One Child at a Time
Can we teach one strategy at a time?
Keene & Zimmerman say, “turn up the volume”
Dorn & Soffos say, “spotlight”
Fountas & Pinnell warn, “heavy- handed”
Remember the goal is to integrate the use of all the strategies.
The difference between spotlighting and heavy-handed teaching depends on:
How you introduce the strategy.
Whether or not you give time and opportunity for students to see/feel the strategy working for them.
Spotlighting
• Begin with a desire to make meaning of a particular text
• Explain how the strategy helps you make meaning as you model
• Do together; discuss how it helps them (or not)
• Students take over and self-initiate
Heavy-handed Teaching
• Name and define the strategy
• Teach the strategy for strategy sake
• Students practice the strategy at the request of the teacher
• No gradual release to independence
“Meaning doesn’t arrive because we have highlighted text or used sticky notes or written the right words on a comprehension worksheet. Meaning arrives because we purposefully engaged in thinking while we read.”
Tovani, 2004, p. 9Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?
With just one coin, I t u m b
l e
outfrom a round glass worldthrough a silverspout
When Riddles Come Rumbling: Poems to Ponder By Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Books where children need to infer meanings of words:
• The Toy Brother by William Steig• Nocturne by Jane Yolen• Hello, Harvest Moon by Ralph Fletcher• Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare by Patricia Polacco• Non-fiction texts with bold print vocabulary
Predicting at the text level:
• Z was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg• My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza• Stephanie’s Ponytail by Robert Munsch
Books with surprise endings:
• Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg• Any Chris Van Allsburg book• Wolf’s Coming by Joe Kulka• Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Character’s personality:
• Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes• Brave Irene by William Steig• Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Tell a partner about a character’s personality in a book you recently read.
Subtle Humor:
• Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin• I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff• The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor
Author’s perspective:
• When Wild Animals Become Pets • School Uniforms• Fast Food Restaurants• Magazine articles
Character’s perspective:
• Great Joy! by Kate DiCamillo• Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne• Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman• Zoo by Anthony Browne
Phrases, metaphors, figurative language:
• Turtle reference in Because of Winn Dixie• The Quiet Book, by Deborah Underwood• A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutt Aston• An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutt Aston• Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater
Change in the character:
• The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail DeMarcher• “Spaghetti” from Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant• Love that Dog by Sharon Creech• The Giver by Lois Lowry• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Books where readers dig deeper to find a theme:
• Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg• The Araboolies of Liberty Street by Sam Swope and Barry Root• “Slower than the Rest” from Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant• Crow Boy by Taro Yashima• Wringer by Jerry Spinelli
Can you think of a picture book with a theme?
“There is some demand for inference in every level of text, and we can intentionally foster growth of this kind of strategic action in our teaching.”
Fountas & Pinnell 2006, p. 56
“The goal is not naming a strategy, but applying it to the reading of text.”
“Keep the language grounded in good texts so that students understand that their goal is to understand and notice more rather than to ‘do’ a strategy.”
Fountas & Pinnell Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency, p. 353
Closure/Think about:
• Start early• Set the tone; value original inferential thought• Use books for interactive read alouds that
lend themselves to inferring• Nudge its use; sometimes merely saying
“hmmm”• Use the books you already have• Look for non-fiction opportunities too
Each participant will give his/her last word:
• Mention one thing that you are walking away with from today’s session or something you want to think more about
OR• Tell about one thing that you plan to try out in
your classroom.