Hi Jessie. Sounds like you have a cold. I hope you are feeling better. I like how you categorized the different reading processes in your post. One idea I wanted to comment on is "assessment." Yes, indeed, assessment is part of every reading program. We want to be able to understand our readers' strengths and needs. The more we know about the process of how people make sense of print, the better able we are to assess them. That said, all too often standardized tests do not necessarily test these processes, they only assess students ability to attach sound to symbols and to decode the symbols. Teachers need to become wise consumers of reading assessments, so that we know what they do and don't tell us about our readers. Thoughts?
I also thought you had a great idea in creating different categories. In retrospect, I wish I had done the same. I guess that's one benefit to doing group assignments - you get to see many different perspectives!
I found Jill's perspective interesting in that the entire point of standardized reading testing is to evaluate reading proficiency, yet, the tests stop short of giving us a complete picture. By simply evaluating students on part of the process, we're left with an incomplete profile. Fixing the problem is above my pay grade, however, it doesn't take much to see that is a completely ineffective system of evaluation!
Categorizing helps to create meaning and relationships within and between other groups so I can appreciate your reasoning there. Are there some words that would apply to your age level and some that might apply to others? I think it's interesting to talk about reading assessments here and maybe compare them to math assessments, which I think are also partly done on speed rather than based on proof of understanding.-Heather
Hope you are feeling better! I like your idea of categorizing the list. I was trying to find words in the list that didn't apply to what reading was at the elementary level, but had a difficult time doing so. I also need to evaulate the testing a little more considering that I don't recall ever taking them. With my son in Kindergarten it will interesting to see what types of assesments he takes in class. Tests will never evaluate everything properly, I agree with Jill that it will up to us to see what they can and cannot tell us about our students.
Thanks, guys for the well wishes! I actually had an atrocious allergy attack. My husband cracked up after he learned that I had done my yodio post that day. He informed me that I sounded horrible (in a nice loving way of course). As far as the assessment part goes, I have to say do think it needs to be in there, having said that I want to be clear that I'm not talking about standardized testing or anything of that nature. What I feel is appropriate is assessing my students progress so that I can better help them learn to read and teach in that "magic middle". I agree with you Chris about standardized testing being an" ineffective system of evaluation". I think the list of words and phrases are somewhat subjective. I felt like I could make a case for the words being used in a 1st grade reading program or a 5th grade reading program by altering what each word was meant to accomplish through the process. I hope that makes sense! I found it easier to categorize the words to determine if they were appropriate. Funny side note: I was waiting for things to come off the color printer in my school library and there in front of me was a poster which read: A Good Reader Knows How To.... and then it listed like 7 of the words from the list! I found it amusing. -Jessie
Hi Jessie. Sounds like you have a cold. I hope you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI like how you categorized the different reading processes in your post. One idea I wanted to comment on is "assessment." Yes, indeed, assessment is part of every reading program. We want to be able to understand our readers' strengths and needs. The more we know about the process of how people make sense of print, the better able we are to assess them. That said, all too often standardized tests do not necessarily test these processes, they only assess students ability to attach sound to symbols and to decode the symbols. Teachers need to become wise consumers of reading assessments, so that we know what they do and don't tell us about our readers. Thoughts?
Jessie,
ReplyDeleteI also thought you had a great idea in creating different categories. In retrospect, I wish I had done the same. I guess that's one benefit to doing group assignments - you get to see many different perspectives!
I found Jill's perspective interesting in that the entire point of standardized reading testing is to evaluate reading proficiency, yet, the tests stop short of giving us a complete picture. By simply evaluating students on part of the process, we're left with an incomplete profile. Fixing the problem is above my pay grade, however, it doesn't take much to see that is a completely ineffective system of evaluation!
Categorizing helps to create meaning and relationships within and between other groups so I can appreciate your reasoning there. Are there some words that would apply to your age level and some that might apply to others? I think it's interesting to talk about reading assessments here and maybe compare them to math assessments, which I think are also partly done on speed rather than based on proof of understanding.-Heather
ReplyDeleteJessie,
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling better! I like your idea of categorizing the list. I was trying to find words in the list that didn't apply to what reading was at the elementary level, but had a difficult time doing so. I also need to evaulate the testing a little more considering that I don't recall ever taking them. With my son in Kindergarten it will interesting to see what types of assesments he takes in class. Tests will never evaluate everything properly, I agree with Jill that it will up to us to see what they can and cannot tell us about our students.
Thanks, guys for the well wishes! I actually had an atrocious allergy attack. My husband cracked up after he learned that I had done my yodio post that day. He informed me that I sounded horrible (in a nice loving way of course).
ReplyDeleteAs far as the assessment part goes, I have to say do think it needs to be in there, having said that I want to be clear that I'm not talking about standardized testing or anything of that nature. What I feel is appropriate is assessing my students progress so that I can better help them learn to read and teach in that "magic middle". I agree with you Chris about standardized testing being an" ineffective system of evaluation".
I think the list of words and phrases are somewhat subjective. I felt like I could make a case for the words being used in a 1st grade reading program or a 5th grade reading program by altering what each word was meant to accomplish through the process. I hope that makes sense!
I found it easier to categorize the words to determine if they were appropriate.
Funny side note: I was waiting for things to come off the color printer in my school library and there in front of me was a poster which read: A Good Reader Knows How To.... and then it listed like 7 of the words from the list! I found it amusing.
-Jessie