Felicita’s Strategies In Teaching Reading: ( The videos can be seen at here under Literacy 786. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t416UlHAgNY&feature=channel_page)
The teacher using questioning strategies by asking related questions to students, plus providing photo to help the students. Before that, students were sit according to their reading groups. Felicita provided big cardboards that in the middle of the cardboards have photos taken from students previous reading. Please notice the teacher gives clear instruction including minutes and what should they do, this is to focus their attention and students will discuss pertaining to the topics and pictures. Teacher specifically mentioned, “You write what you see, what you know, you can label, you can draw, and I am giving you two minutes to do this.” This is meaningful for students as first, their affective filter level is low because they were grouping according to the reading group that makes them familiar with their friends. Regarding to the activity, nothing to be worried about as the activity is solely based on their previous learnings. The reading material itself is about ants which I assume is a common knowledge among CLD and Non CLD students.
Teacher focuses on students work, evaluating their work and focusing asking questions. Teacher can evaluate his students responses/understanding by repeatedly saying, “ I want you to write down your good thinking on the piece of paper.”Take notice as well teacher allows students to draw but at the same time reminding him to put his thinking on the photo. This I believe has elements of metacognitive in her teaching. In the bilingual classroom setting, teacher allows /using Spanish to help/ assisting bilingual student.Take notice the teacher herself explaining in Spanish especially when it is related to direction as it is mostly about playground language. The student himself arrived in United States not long time ago.
Later, the teacher asks the students to present and they do it in groups. Teacher uploads all the students’ work and pastes it so that everyone can see and discuss their works. Prior to that, groups will move from one group to another to view others’ works. They can comment and discuss as well as ask questions to respected groups.After that, students discussing their works while teacher observe and listen and correcting misconceptions that might arise. After that, teacher reviews/explaining what they learn and at the same asking questions to expand the thoughts and concepts that students already learn.
Teacher now moves on to second strategy on teaching reading/vocab. Every student was given a word. This strategy is to enhance students’ vocab. Students were given vocabulary quilt activity. Teacher gave instruction what they should do with the word that they were given. They will use the book and the word, finding/giving the definition, finding the word in the book, construct their own sentences using it and lastly draw pictures. While students completing this activity, again, Teacher provides questioning strategies to students, guiding them what to do, letting the students use the book to refer.
In conclusion, Felicita uses various strategies incorporating her reading lesson to the students. I feel glad being able to observe this great teaching that reflect her deep understanding on Teaching Reading using Differentiated Literacies Strategies.
Tags: cognitive, diffrentiated strategies.literacy, metacognitive, reading lessons