KWL: Horvath Style

Brian Horvath recently used a KWL reading strategy in Applied Christianity. 

"I made two blank columns on the white board. One column was named, ‘don’t know,’ and the other, ‘I know.’  Students were processing information from chapter 1 in The Case for Christ. The students were asked to, at any time during the class period write down a word they did not know on the board. The rest of the class, while noticing one of their classmates wrote down a word, if they  knew the word, would walk up to the front and write a quick definition of that word.

Students were to do this without talking and distracting the class. They had 100% freedom as to go up to the front or not."

 On a scale of 1-10 Brian rated this experience an 8, explaining, "It has potential." 

What would he change or tweak if he repeated this strategy?   I’m not opposed to using it again. I think it’s valuable because students find the courage to come up and write down a word they don’t know. The other students who know the word are able to assist another student based on their prior knowledge. And the student who didn’t know the word, now has a better idea.

Brian found a unique way to blend this reading strategy with technology:

 I would tweak it this way (and did in one class): Students were hesitant to go in front initially and I knew they knew what a word meant. In one class, I used Polleverywhere and the question was, ‘what does exemplary mean?’  I went from having no definition to have 10 definitions. Apparently, there is more stress related to going in front than I thought.

Vocabulary Strategies

Reading strategies strengthen students' abilities to comprehend and understand what they read. Vocabulary strategies do the same and that's why this year we are shifting our focus from reading strategies to vocabulary strategies.

The National Reading Panel offers some great insights into the importance of effectively teaching vocabulary:

"First, vocabulary should be taught both directly and indirectly. Repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items are important. Learning in rich contexts, incidental learning, and use of computer technology all enhance the acquisition of vocabulary."





In his book Reading Reminders, Jim Burke offers some guidelines for teaching vocabulary:

Teach the words that are most useful now and in the future

• Teach the words they need before reading; review them after they are done; reinforce them when they come up in the subsequent readings


• Provide multiple exposures to these words in different contexts over time
  
• Help students activate their prior knowledge when learning new words
  

Burke also offers a warning with vocabulary instruction:

• Don't spend too much time preparing students to read a text; too many vocabulary words and too much review of prior knowledge will intimidate the readers and undermine their interest in the reading selection.

Here are some strategies Burke recommends: word walls, Semantic maps, Modeling, Words as ideas, Vocabulary square, Linear array, Concept target.We will have a closer look at these Wednesday, October 13. If you would like to borrow my copy of Burke's book, I'd be more than happy to share.

Word wall: Keep a running display of words you have introduced so they can be referred to or reviewed by students. Model using the words yourself. When students see you consulting the word wall for just the right word, they will be more likely to do the same.

Whose job is it?

"The college instructor blames the high school teacher, the high school teacher complains of the grade teacher, each grade teacher above first grade finds fault with the poor work of the teacher in the grade below, and the first grade teacher in turn is chagrined at the shortcomings of the home training. Must this go on indefinitely? Whose opinion shall prevail? Is it not possible to get away from personal opinion to an agreed-upon consensus of opinion? May we not replace the constantly conflicting subjective standards with definitely defined objective standards?" —Wilson & Hoke, 1921 1

Although Wilson and Hoke are discussing the need for national standards, the same idea can be applied to reading strategies and thinking skills. When struggling readers walk into our classrooms, what can we do to help them better understand and learn content?

Using reading and vocabulary strategies across the curriculum is a great way to improve our students' ability to read, think and learn.

Baiting the Reading Hook

The October issue of Educational Leadership has a great article entitled "Baiting the Reading Hook." There is a copy of it posted in the faculty lounge for your perusal.

One quote stood out of the article.
"Research has shown that high-achieving students read more than low achievers (Allington, 2006; Guthrie, 2008). To accelerate students' achievement in reading, literacy educators must ensure that striving readers are reading at least as much as their higher-achieving peers."

How can we accomplish this simplistic, yet crucial goal? The article offers some insights.

Reading-as-Thinking

Harvey Daniels is the author of Subjects Matter: Every Teacher's Guide to Content Area Reading. The Lutheran North faculty is using this book to help students become better readers and thinkers in all their classes.

Daniels authored another book, Teaching the Best Practice Way. Chapter two of this book is entitled "Reading-as-Thinking" and contains some great insights into what students, teachers and parents can do to help readers better understand what they are reading.

Follow this link and peruse chapter two to learn what educators and parents can do to help students become better readers, better learners, better thinkers.