- In my classroom I see a lot of what Almasi's article called "recitation" because often the MT reads a book and asks questions about the reading and the students have a response to what they think the correct answer is. The students are used to this I-R-E (Initiate-Respond-Evaluate), so the first time I saw the MT try to have a real discussion over the reading the students were confused and did not know how to respond to others. The MT told the students that they did not need to raise their hands because a literacy discussion is when you talk to others in your class like you would talk to them about anything else in a conversation, in which you would not raise your hand then. The teacher had to start the discussion by asking a question about what she thought of the reading and if the students agreed or disagreed and why. This way the students would start to discuss what they thought and slowly the teacher did not have to talk any more, it was the students who were actively participating in the discussion without being told what to do or asked right or wrong questions about the reading.
- The students have not had much practice with an effective discussion, but they are still learning. In our classroom, there are many books that students enjoy and talk about with each other. We can use this as a model or example of how our class has an effective discussion. This can also help the students who do not actively participate in classroom talk. If we read a book that a majority of the students are familiar with and enjoy to read and/or listen to, then they will be more likely to want to discuss that book with their classmates. To get the students to participate who usually don't, they need to feel comfortable in the group discussion. That is why I thought it would be a good idea to continue what my MT has started by teaching the skills used for a discussion. The students need to know that there is no right or wrong answer because in a discussion you will talk about how the reading makes you feel or what you agree or disagree with, not just tell what happened in the story. Also, the teacher (MT, the intern, or me) at the time of the discussion needs to be prepared with discussion questions that do not focus on having a correct answer so that they can manage the discussion and try to allow time for everyone to share their thoughts. It is important for the students to try to include everyone, so if it seems that one person is doing a majority of the talking than others should ask the students who have not shared yet what their opinion is about the reading.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Holly's Week 4 Post
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Similar to Holly, my MT only uses recitation with the students. Not only have I seen her use this I-R-E pattern for Language Arts, I have also seen her use this for all of the other subjects. However, this semester is the first time I have been able to go to my placement in the morning, which is when my MT teaches Language Arts. Therefore, I have only seen her read and "discuss" one story on her SMART board with the class. This discussion centered around the I-R-E pattern, but she let more than one student answer one of the questions. Otherwise, I have only seen my MT do a read-aloud for fun during snack time each morning. At the end of reading these books aloud, no discussion follows.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I like the idea of using response-centered talk, like that from the McGee article, in my classroom. This article mentions that response-centered talk takes advantage of the social aspects of discussion, which is what discussion should be based on. Also, the Almasi article discussed how the role of the students greatly increases when discussion is used. The students get to be curious learners and ask the questions, they state their ideas by answering the questions, they control where the discussion goes, and they evaluate the other students' responses. This can be very meaningful to students because it allows them to interact with each other, instead of listening to the teacher talk. Also, this type of interaction takes the pressure off of the students because they do not need to get the "right" answer. Instead, each student's views are seen as important.
In my classroom, for response-centered talk to occur, the students would need a lot of scaffolding. The McGee article mentioned establishing rules for the discussion, and making the students aware of those rules. This would be important in my classroom because the students are not used to this type of interaction. Also, the students would need to be taught how a discussion runs. They are so used to being called on by the teacher that they may have a difficult time adjusting to the idea of being able to talk without raising their hand and being called on. In addition, my students would need an open-ended prompt to begin the discussions, at least until they have enough experiences with this type of talk to do this on their own. Finally, my students need a lot of practice engaging in response-centered talk. The more they practice this skill, the more comfortable they will be at engaging in a discussion.
The quiet students in my classroom who do not participate actively would need extra support during response-centered talk. They might need an adult sitting next to them to encourage them to voice their opinions. Also, they may need to be called on by a student to see what their ideas are. For example, there could be a student leader who leads the discussion by making sure all students have a chance to participate. In addition, these students may need prompts as to how to participate in the discussion (e.g., "I think..."). Finally, these students might need reinforcement that there is no wrong answer in a discussion, so they do not feel pressure to get the correct answer.
My MT's classroom also features mostly recitations and very few discussions. In fact, I saw my first discussion when my MT read a book about Martin Luther King Jr to my kindergarteners. Typically my MT asks one word one answer questions after a reading but after this book she allowed students to talk freely between each other without being asked a question first. This discussion allowed me to see my students' thinking more clearly and I hope that my MT encourages this kind of discussion throughout the school year.
ReplyDeleteI think my students need more direct instruction about book and class discussions to help them lengthen and develop the discussion. Direct instruction of the different roles students will take throughout the discussion may also help students to understand what they should be doing through the discussion. It is important that all students have experience with the many different roles; inquisitors, respondents, facilitators, and evaluators. Teaching the students about their roles in the discussion may encourage all students to participate or have students encourage their quiet peers to add to the discussion. In addition to direct instruction I think students would benefit from small group discussions where they may feel more comfortable sharing their ideas before a large class discussion.
I agree with Holly that students need to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and know that no comment is wrong or unwanted. "In a discussion, the thoughts, ideas, feelings, and responses of all participants who have read a given text contribute to the event and that event has an influence on a participant's eventual interpretation." (Almasi) All participant's thoughts, ideas, and comments are valuable to the discussion and the event.
Teachers need to be prepared for classroom discussion. They should read through the story create a list of open ended questions, anticipate the students reactions, and create follow up questions or comments. "In a discussion teachers act more as facilitators, scaffolding student interaction and interpretation when needed." (Almasi) I think it may be difficult for teachers who have used recitation throughout their career to transition to discussion.
The Beck and McKeown article discussed the disadvantage of students ignoring text and relying on pictures and their background knowledge. "The problem is that this reduces the opportunities for children to construct meaning from decontextualized language which, as we have noted earlier, is essential for building mature literacy skills." (11) When students focus on the pictures their understanding of the story may be skewed. The picture may conflict with the text leading students to a different understanding of the story. And if the picture coincides with the text the teacher may be unsure whether the student is listening and comprehending or simply looking at the pictures. Further more, if students rely too heavily on their background knowledge they may respond in class discussion based on what they previously know instead of what they heard. They may ignore the text and respond to classmates and the teacher based their past experiences.
Allison, I agree with your thoughts about transitioning to a discussion instead of a recitation when the students are used to I-R-E. In my classroom the students would also need a lot of scaffolding and I tried to think of some other ways. I know I already said in my initial response that you need to explain what a discussion is and learn the skills or rules to have one, but I also think a demonstration of one might help. Maybe show the students by asking them a simple, self experience question and give them some guide lines (be kind to others, listen, etc.). Like, "What is your favorite thing to do at recess and why?" Then let the students share their ideas with a couple partners neaarby or in small groups. This way all the students have something they could share about your school's recess and it is something they enjoy. Then it might be easier for a whole class discussion since this is a short practice activity. I have seen my MT do similar activities like this to get the students use to sharing their ideas. So then, when it comes to discussing a reading they can have a discussion more easily if they know how one works.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Hannah about being prepared with open ended questions and follow up questions. This will help the studnets get started and have a good closing to the discussion. Also, it will help them see how to start a critical thinking discussion about a book or any other information. Hannah, Allison, and I all agree that it is a difficult transition, but all of these ideas are great ways to start preparing students for one and attaining the skills for a discussion.