Hello colleagues, There was a lot of enthusiasm at today's Coffee Break on the Science of Reading. During the live event, moderators Susan Roberts, Steve Schmidt and I invited anyone who is interested to join a group of colleagues who will take the (FREE) LINCS online course on Teaching Adults to Read: Beginning and Intermediate Readers. Those who participate will also discuss together in our communities over the next 4 weeks what they gain from the course. Certificates will be awarded to those who complete the course.
While we are encouraging everyone to take the course -- because it is excellent!-- the discussion is open to everyone. You are not required to take the course to participate in the discussion.
Here's the schedule for our discussion to take place over the next 4 weeks. We plan to post the first question on Monday, and the second question on Wednesday each week. Of course, participants are welcome to pose their own questions, too.
Week 1 – 3/20: Teaching and Learning Group
- Try one or more of the diagnostic assessments with your students. What did you learn that is surprising?
- After reviewing the handout “Alphabetics: What to Teach,” introduced in Module 2, what language would you use to describe the difference between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness?
Week 2 – 3/27: Reading and Writing Group
- What does evidence-based reading instruction look like in the classroom?
- How does this compare to how your students are currently being taught?
Week 3 – 4/10: English Language Acquisition Group -- right here!
- What are some of the challenges English learners face when learning to read English?
- How should reading instruction be approached with English learners who have a solid literacy foundation in their primary language compared with those who do not?
Week 4 – 4/17: Teaching and Learning Group
- What are key takeaways from this course and/or our discussion that have changed the way you view literacy instruction in your classroom?
Looking forward to a robust discussion on this important topic!
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, English Language Acquisition Group
Comments
Hello colleagues, Our discussion related to teaching reading is getting started this week in the Teaching and Learning group. Click the link below to join!
Week 1 – 3/20: Teaching and Learning Group
Cheers, Susan
After reviewing the handout from Module 2 entitled 'Alphabetics: What to teach,' I thought of the pronunciation courses/lessons I have used with my ESL students:
For phonological awareness, we begin with one syllable words with the same sounds: man, bat, hand, fan. Also: main, bait, fame. We also practice rhyme to repeat the same or similar sounds: fan, man, tan, van. For phonemic awareness, I could also use onset and rime to change/create a word by changing/adding onset: an – tan, in – pin, at – hat, van – tan, pin – win, hat – sat.
For a beginning ESL class, I would try to use very simple language to describe the difference between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness. I would use the term 'sounds' to explain phonological awareness. I would use the term 'letters' to explain phonemic awareness. For example: 'notice the similar sounds in these words: man, fan, van, tan. notice the different letters with the same sounds: pay, day, say, or hat, bat, sat.' After a few days/weeks in the class and after the students are familiar with the ideas of different sounds and different letters, I would introduce them to the terms 'vowels and consonants' and teach them the 'one-vowel rule' and the 'two-vowel rule' for pronunciation of one syllable words. I would also write some fun conversations with lots examples to help them pronounce these words. To build on that, I would also then teach them the 'one-vowel rule' and the 'two-vowel rule' for pronunciation of multi-syllable words.
Hello colleagues, Our discussion on the science of reading continues in the Reading and Writing group on Monday, March 27. We are eager to hear what you are learning from the online course as well as how you are approaching reading instruction with low-level readers. Join the discussion by clicking on the link below
Cheers, Susan
Week 2 – 3/27: Reading and Writing Group