Posts Tagged “language”

The Need for Speed??

I recently read an article in USA Today which I found very interesting, not because it provided me with NEW information, but because it seemed to confirm what I have learned through my years of teaching struggling readers. Here is a link to the article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-06-19-slow-reading_N.htm

If you ask a struggling reader how they will know when they are a good reader, many times they will answer, “When I can read FAST.” They just want to be able to rattle off the words without stumbling, stopping or thinking – because that is how they interpret what they “hear” the kids who they think are good readers sound. Part of the issue is competition related, they want to “win”, want to be the best, and they want to be the first to say, “I’m done!” just once. Unfortunately this expensive problem isn’t just true for struggling readers; this is also true for those zippy readers as well. What is the cost? Comprehension, appreciation of the art of good writing, vocabulary and enjoyment all pay the price.

“What’s our next book?” “What’s the next assignment?” These are questions I have heard coming from my students – before we have finished the book or discussion, unaware that they have missed major points in the story. They have accomplished the “job” of reading the assigned pages and are ready for the next “job”. If they are asked to bring words they don’t understand to discussion, many times not one student will have a word to discuss, yet, when I point out challenging words – they have no idea what they mean. Again, I explain that it is necessary to understand the meaning of the words to understand the meaning in the story. How can a student enjoy a story they don’t understand? And if you don’t enjoy an activity, the probability you will repeat this activity is very slim.

Admittedly, I have had told students on more than one occasion that I really do not care how fast they read, when push comes to shove – speed really has little to do with enjoying literature. The focus should be comprehension and appreciation. Students should be building vocabulary skills, and learning to love words in general. The end goal should never be to get a student to read over 200 words in a minute, rather it should be to cultivate a love for language, engaging them, immersing them in the experience of literature so they bring themselves to the book, short story, poem or play. Lifelong readers do not zoom through, they do not look at the pages they are reading, set the timer and play beat the clock!

Fluency is a factor in developing good reading skills, but it is not THE MOST IMPORTANT one. I wonder if teachers don’t get caught up in the speed trap because it is an easy, fast, objective way to assess students. The push for data, and goals based on assessments, make it easy to fall into this situation. In fact, administrators love good hard numbers that show clear improvement. But numbers shouldn’t be the focus here, language and communication should be. As I tell my students, “It’s not a race; there is no prize for finishing first. The prize is what you learn, how the book changes your thinking, and perhaps, changes your behavior. The reading experience is the prize; make sure you get all of it.”

Kindergarten Logic and Language

As I have said before, I try to stay away from the Kindergarten rooms in my elementary building. Not because the students aren’t adorable, energetic and fun, but because their verbal filters have very large holes. They will and do say anything. Being the teacher, I have to have an appropriate response. Sometimes THAT is just too difficult for me, the laughter erupts before I can stop it.

Mrs. Mc. has been a Kindergarten teacher for many years. She is a bubbly, practical, patient, down to earth lady and I am continually amazed at her ability to live in the Kindergarten zone. At an after school debriefing last Friday(hot fudge sudaes at McDonald’s) she told our close knit group a couple of stories that had us all chuckling….so I thought I would share.

# 1. She has her students bring in photos of themselves when they were younger and their families, etc. Anything they feel is important that they would like to share with the class. One little guy brought in a few pictures, all just of him. As he showed the pictures, he would say, “Dis is jus me.” “Dis is a picher of jus me.” So, Mrs. Mc. asks him, “What’s the story behind the picture?”

He says, “Nuffin.”

She says, “There’s no story?”

Carefully, he turns the picture around to show Mrs. Mc. the back of it and tells her matter of factly, “Dares nuffin on da back, Mrs. Mc., see.”

Yep, figurative language can be a problem in Kindergarten. She did clarify, and then he spent the next 20 minutes telling a story she was pretty sure had nothing to do with the picture he was showing them.

#2. One of her students got in a little trouble at recess for pulling down his pants and shaking his naked behind at a group of little girls. One of the teachers on recess duty relayed the story to Mrs. Mc. and the second delivered the little offender a few minutes later. Mrs. Mc. says to him, “So what happened at recess?”

“I don’t remember.”

“You don’t remember, well, I guess I have enough time to wait until you can remember. You think about it.”

At that the little offender says, “Well, I do remember.”

“Why did you tell me didn’t remember then?”

“I think if I tell you how bad I really was you won’t let me have center time. But if I can’t member, then you don’t know it’s that bad, so I can still go to centers. But, now I’m just BUSTERED.”

“Bustered?”

“You know, when your mom says, “Now you did it BUSTER.” And you get it big trouble.”

“Yes, you’re right, you are bustered.”

In Kindergarten you learn new vocabulary every day! I sure hope there is a special place in heaven for Kindergarten teachers because they have earned it.