So You Want to Teach??Some Fundamentals for a Basic Teacher Interview

The single most important factor that influences children’s learning is the quality of their teacher.

What do new teachers need to know about reading and reading instruction? NCLB and reading

instruction SBRR Components of reading

instruction How to design a reading

lesson Using authentic texts

from a variety of genres When and how to group

for instruction Effective instructional

strategies. What good and poor

readers do. Assessment

Components of reading instruction (National Reading Panel, 2000) Phonemic

awareness Phonics Fluency (oral

reading) Vocabulary Text

comprehension

Print Skills and Meaning Skills

Word recognition

Word analysis (Structural analysis)

Phonemic &phonological awareness

Sight words Spelling

Word Meaning (Vocabulary)

Background Knowledge

Reading Comprehension

Using authentic texts from a variety of genresAuthentic texts are noncontrived and come froma variety of genres: Folk literature Poetry Nonfiction Fantasy & science

fiction Historical fiction Realistic fiction Biography Picture books

Effective reading instruction

Shared book experience

Language experience

Guided reading Literature circles Reading

workshops Reading aloud—

interactive & traditional

Buddy reading

Grouping for reading instruction

whole room instruction

small-group (flexible) formats

cooperative grouping

working in pairs individualized

reading

The reading mini-lesson is a thought driven demonstration of a particular literacy strategy. Step 1—Modeling—the teacher as solo

performer. Step 2—Guided practice—the teacher as

coach Step 3—Independent practice—students

read/write independent of teacher. Step 4—Reflection—students and teacher

talk about the effectiveness of the strategy.

Designing/teaching a comprehension strategy lessonBefore reading: Introduce strategy (main idea,

author’s purpose, etc.) Remember to teach only the strategies that are relevant.

Activate prior knowledge. Set purpose. Call attention to tricky or

unusual vocabulary.

During reading

Help students self-monitor—You may not do this with all readers. Poor readers may need to have you step in to ask questions to keep them on track—help to ensure that they are making sense of the text being read.

Whisper reading for emergent/early/transitional readers/silent reading for self-sustaining readers

After reading

Follow-up purpose Elicit additional responses Do word work Extend the comprehension strategy

through a variety of activities.

Developing fluency in oral reading: Allow children to rehearse (read to

themselves before reading aloud). Use easy materials. Don’t let children correct each other. Ignore errors that don’t change

meaning. Wait when a reader makes a

meaning changing error. Coach for strategies needed.

Two well-loved, but fluency destroying, strategies:Round robin

readingPopcorn

reading RIP FLUENCYRIP FLUENCY

What good and poor readers do:

Use prior knowledge Determine what is

important Draw inferences Ask questions Anticipate and predict Monitor

comprehension and meaning

Use fix-up strategies when lack of understanding occurs

Create mental images

Start reading without preparation.

Read without knowing why.

Read without considering how to approach the material, i.e., read all texts alike.

Do not know what to do when lack of understanding occurs, i.e, have few strategies for making sense of text.

Read to get done

Effective and authentic assessment

Running record Miscue analysis Concepts about

print Informal reading

inventories Classroom

observation also known as “kid-watching”

Portfolio

What do new teachers need to know about teaching writing? Steps in the

writing process Interactive and

scaffolded writing Teaching

mechanics and usage through the writing process

Types of writing, e.g., descriptive, persuasive, expository

Steps in the writing process(Think circular, not linear)

Pre-writing (brainstorming, tapping background knowledge)

Drafting (putting pen to paper) Revising (getting paper

audience ready) Editing (getting paper reader

ready) Sharing/publishing (presenting

to audience, e.g, author’s chair)

One should know the following and how to instruct or assess using them:

Balanced reading instruction

Guided reading Shared book

experience Interactive read aloud Grouping for

instruction Literature circles Writing process Running record Concepts about print

Research shows that if you don’t like to read, odds are you will pass that dislike on to your students. You cannot teach what you do not like. Happy reading!