(2/20) Erin "Understanding MY Reading Processes"

After reading Tomkin's Chapter 7 on Facilitating students' comprehension and the article "Profiles in Comprehension" I feel that I'm a little more metacognitive about the comprehension strategies I use and the struggles I personally face.

Out of the eight comprehension strategies mentioned, I think I most struggle with identifying big ideas and summarizing. I have a hard time making my reading, or writing experience, as compact as needed. I'm sort of one of those people that highlight everything in the text. Too many things seem important to me, I include many details as part of my "big ideas." The two strategies are definitely interrelated. If you struggle identifying "big ideas" than you most likely struggle summarizing because summarizing is joining all of the big ideas together. Say I read an article or selection for class, the next day I'll usually remember a random detail but maybe forget a few of the main points. I think I do this because the comprehension strategy, connecting, comes to me most easily. Connecting is when readers activate their background knowledge to make connections or links. Three main connections are text to text, text to self, and text to world. I think since I've been in college I've greatly improved my "connecting" strategy. As a language arts teaching major, I've had to take a fair amount of English classes. Many of these classes require the student to make one of the three connections.

When reading Applegate, Quinn, and Applegate's article "Profiles in Comprehension" I definitely saw myself in one of their eight profiles. Before I went to college, I know I definitely was a "literalist." A literalist looks for all answers to any type of question to be stated in the text. I definitely did just that. I distinctly remember become frustrated when I couldn't find an exact answer in the text. Throughout my schooling, however, I have found that my comprehension struggles have lessoned. I have become a better reader.

Andy Schiller- 2/20

The readings that I had for this week were Tompkins chapter 7 and Carlisle’s How Can I Help Children with Learning Disabilities. Carlisle’s article gave me a lot of advice on how assist literacy development for children with learning disabilities in my classroom, but it did not teach me much about my own reading comprehension process.

The Tompkins chapter on the other hand did teach me a lot about my reading comprehension process. The first thing I learned was what the definition of comprehension actually was. In the book, Judith Irwin defines comprehension as the reader’s process of using prior experiences and the author’s text to construct meaning that is useful to that reader for a specific purpose. I thought that this was a perfect definition for comprehension because I too believe that it’s the meaning you form for whatever purpose you are attempting to address or answer. I can relate this to my own experiences when I have failed on a test or did not come away with the same meaning or understanding as everyone else who read the same text. I realize now that just because I failed does not mean I didn’t comprehend what I read, but instead it may mean that I used the text to construct meaning for a different purpose than everyone else had. This makes a lot of sense because in the end we all don’t think alike.

Chapter 7 also talked about the factors that influence a reader’s comprehension. After reading over these factors, I can see which ones I struggle on and which ones I excel on during my reading comprehension process. I know that I definitely use my background knowledge when I am reading. I am always try to connect what I am learning with what I already know because my understanding then is way more in depth. I use my background knowledge either to relate what I already know or to relate an experience I had in the past.

I know that I am pretty fluent as well. When I am reading, I never find myself sounding out or struggling with many words that I do not know or cannot pronounce. I never thought how important this was in relation to comprehension before I read this chapter. Now however. it makes sense because if you are struggling to read every word, then how can you think or eternalize what you are reading.

The other factors that I realized which I never had any issues with are comprehension strategies and making inferences. I know that I make inferences when I read because of the fact that I like to use background knowledge with whatever I am learning or doing. I now realize how this background knowledge causes me to make inferences because I am constantly comparing what I am reading with what I already know so that I am always inferring something is going to happen based on my background knowledge. I have always known comprehension strategies such as predicting and summarizing are an important role in comprehension so it comes with little surprise to me that it impacts my reading comprehension process. This is something I think is engrained in your head as a child and so you do it naturally whenever you read.

Finally I realized that having a purpose and motivation are two factors which have not played an active role in the process of my reading comprehension. As a child I use to really enjoy reading books, but as I grew up I started to like reading less and less and I started to get less and less out of what I read. After reading this chapter I now realize that these two factors affect my reading comprehension. I think these 2 factors disappeared from my reading comprehension process when what I was reading became less personal. Once this happened the reading had no purpose to me because I didn’t know why I was reading it; it had no relevance or importance to me so why should I read it? I now realize that you if you do not see a purpose to reading then you are not actively involved with it. This makes a lot of sense compared to my enthusiasm for reading, and I think it has a lot to do with motivation as well. If I don’t see a purpose to what I am reading, then how can I be motivated?

Noteblog 2/20 - Kelly

The readings that I had to do for today (Tompkins Ch.'s 7 and 2) centered around the reading process and reading comprehension. The reading process is a five stage process that is used to help student to comprehend and find meaning in the text. Comprehension basically put is, “a thinking process” (p. 223). Comprehension is the way in which the student understand, interact, and find meaning in the reading.

I have never seen the five stages of the reading process before reading this chapter. I think that I do a lot of the steps while I am reading without actually knowing it. I usually preread a book before I read it. I like to look through the book to see how long it is, how small or large the font is, how the chapter are broken up, etc. Generally I read for pleasure and so I do not think too much about my background knowledge on the topic. When I am reading for school or for acquiring information, I do think about the knowledge that I already have on the topic in order to connect the new information with the information I already have. Next I read the book. For the responding stage of the reading process, I do not usually do that so formally. I tend to think and reflect on the book, to see how it made me feel, but unless asked to, I do not generally write about the book. I love to reread books, especially ones that I enjoyed, so I participate in the explore stage of the process. I also participate in the applying stage of the process when I tell a friend about the book, or when I recommend the book to someone else.

When I am reading a text that I have not read before, or that is an informational text, I do pay attention to the comprehension factors. As I said before I only sometimes think about my background knowledge before I read. When I am reading informational text, I do think about the big ideas that I should get out of the reading. I am a fluent reader and I know how to make inferences, although that concept can get a little confusing for me sometimes. I am always motivated to read, because I love to do it and I love to learn new information.

Both of the readings that I had to do for today helped me to see how the reading process works and how it helps to boost students reading comprehension. I liked being able to see if I actually follow the steps of the reading process and if it helps me to understand what I am reading. It is funny to think about how something so simple (to me), can be made so complex by labeling each step you take during the process!

Noteblog 2/6 - Kelly Briggs

Before I took the digital native quiz I thought that I knew a lot about technology, but after taking the quiz I am questioning that. I only knew 50% of the questions that were asked and those questions were the most basic of the six. I think that I am part digital native, part digital immigrant. I say this because I know a lot about basic technology, but the more complex technologies are confusing and a little bit intimidating to me. I know a lot more about computers and technology than my mom, but my younger sister is way ahead of me. So that puts me somewhere in the middle of the technology spectrum.

The term emergent applies to my digital literacy because I do fall somewhere in the middle of the technology spectrum. I know a little bit about technology, but I do not know everything. I am slowly gaining knowledge. I have the basics, which I use to build upon. Also, I want to continue to build up more of my technology knowledge. When I become a teacher, my students are going to be way ahead of me with their knowledge of computers, games, and programs. I am going to have to learn a lot to keep up with them. The information on the website talks about how students today have so many fast moving stimuli, teachers need to embrace the knowledge that their students hold, and try to match them at it.

Emergent literacy is related to emergent digital literacy by the fact that they both can be a path on the way to higher literacy. Emergent literate students have the basic alphabet skills, can listen and retell stories, and know the order of a story. Emergent digital literate students have the basic computer skills. Both are progressing towards becoming more proficient in their particular area. Both of these students need a teacher who can lead them on that path. As future teachers, we need to be able to provide our students with literacy knowledge and digital knowledge. In order to do this, it is our job to become more knowledgeable in literacy and digital technology.

(2/6) Erin "Digital Natives Quiz"

After taking the digital natives quiz, I learned I’m sort of a digital native. I didn’t know the following terms: modding, smart mods, and wiki (although I knew about wikipedia, so I get it now :) ). The terms I did know where: blog, IM’ing, and MM Online Games. However, I definitely think of myself more as a digital native than a digital immigrant. Like the definition states, I rely on technology for studying, work, play, and communicative purposes. My parents would definitely be examples of digital immigrants. Although they try, they definitely struggle to master new technologies. They just recently got cell phones and use the computer primarily for e-mailing … that’s it.

The website addressed the fact that emerging digital natives have different cognitive learning patterns. It addressed a few that I understood and related to. The first was the parallel vs. linear way of thinking. That talked about the issue of multi-tasking, which I can very much now relate to. I can be on the computer turning an assignment in, while talking on the phone, and IM’ing a friend. I also related to the connected vs. standing alone change of thinking. This way of thinking addressed how different modes of technology can actually be viewed as learning tools. One example that was stated, which I have become more familiar with, are blogs. Last semester for my TE 448 class, and this semester for TE 402 I have had to participate in blogging as part of my course assignment. Blogs serve(s) as a learning tool because you can write and respond to them. Another one I related to was active vs. passive learning. This semester, I’m taking an online course. Like the article mentioned, listening to lectures is seen as more of a traditional way to learn, which has since changed. Now, many classes are offered online.

In her book, Tompkins defines emergent literacy as a view on how children become literate. So if I view myself as an “emergent digital learner,” I need to focus on how I am becoming literature through the means of technology. Tompkins mentions certain qualities of “young literacy learners” that I can relate to my experience as an emergent digital learner. One aspect of an emergent literature is that “children learn the functions of literacy through observing and participating” (84). The same holds true for technology. The more someone observes and participates with different domains of technology, the more familiar they will be with its functions. Tompkins also states how young literacy learners’ “reading and writing abilities develop concurrently and interrelatedly” (84). The more experiences one can have with different forms of technology, the more connections within technology they will have. And finally, Tomkins states that “through active involvement ... young children construct their understanding of reading and writing” (83). Emergent digital literacy learners will become more learned if they are actively involved with technology that is consistent with this new way of learning.

To meet the needs of emerging digital literacy learners, I feel it’s important to teach in a way that is consistent with the new ways of learning. This can be done by focusing on the new styles of learning the article mentioned and altering lessons to fit these new needs.

Andy Schiller- Digital Literacy (2-5-08)

After taking the quiz I would consider myself to be digital native. I was able to define every one of the definitions besides one. I do not think that I would say that my digital literacy can be described as “emergent”, however, I think that in this day we can all describe ourselves as emerging technology. A new invention and breakthrough seems to happen daily and something that is new becomes old just as fast as overnight. I have always had a niche and curiosity for technology so I have always tried to stay on top of the latest and greatest technological advances. I took computer classes in high school and I am also currently taking a class right now called “Teaching and Learning with Technology” (CEP416). To give a brief overview of my digital knowledge, I will explain how I am familiar, or am not familiar, with the words that were on the quiz.

Modding- I was familiar with this word because I have “modded” an X-box game system before. In order to do it you had to take the machine apart and insert a chip inside the machine. Once the chip was in you could play games and movies that you couldn’t before.

Smart Mobs- I was unfamiliar with this definition. However, after reading the answer it makes a lot of sense.

Blog- I have recently become very familiar with blogs because I am using them in both of my classes (actually right now J ). I have both written my own blogs and have browsed others as well. As a future teacher I think that these blogs are a good resource for a way to communicate with your class, their parents, or your colleagues.

Wiki- Like blogs, I have just recently become familiar with Wiki as well. I use Wiki to submit my homework to my online class every week and therefore have become pretty familiar with it. However, besides for handing in work to a teacher I haven’t seen a real relevance to it.

Instant Messaging- This is a no-brainer. Anyone who is thirty years old or younger should be able to define Instant Messaging. I use AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) every day to keep up with my friends and or classmates. I have had an AOL account pretty much since it came out; I remember having to use a dial up modem just to connect to the internet.

Massive multiplayer online games- I have been familiar with this definition since my freshman year in college. I have used a program called Xbox Live which allows you to connect and play with people from around the world through the internet. It is kind of interesting; I have had one game where I’m playing with someone who speaks another language from across the world, and the next game I will be playing with another kid at Michigan State.