Wisconsin Teaching Standards
and
The Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #1- Teachers know the subjects they are teaching.
InTASC Standard #4- Content Knowledge, InTASC Standard #5- Application of Content
Through the Emergent Literacy course, I have learned so much more about reading instruction and analysis as evidenced by the artifact I chose. I understand the reading behaviors expected by students at all elementary age levels. I understand that reading is about making meaning and the struggling readers are the ones who need our content knowledge and instruction the most. If we are not successful in helping children to learn to read early on, it can be expected that they will continue to have reading difficulties throughout their lives. I need to do everything in my power to help every single one of my students to make meaning of what they are reading. As an elementary educator, it is my duty to teach all of my students strategies that can be used to help each and every one of them become a better reader and better understand what they are reading. Students not only need to be taught about the comprehension strategies: predicting, connecting, visualizing, questioning, identifying big ideas, summarizing, monitoring, and evaluating; but they also need a teacher who is knowledgable about each strategy and can show them how to apply each of these strategies to gain better comprehension understanding.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #2- Teachers know how children grow.
InTASC Standard #1- Learner Development
The artifact I chose illustrates how children grow and change as their reading progresses through the three stages of literacy development (early, emergent, and fluent). All three of the students I worked with showed growth in their reading ability from the level they started with to the level they ended with. The analysis provides an in-depth look at how different students have different strengths and areas of potential growth in their reading abilities. Student 1 needs to work on sound analysis when they come to an unknown word by working on word study and reviewing the sounds different spelling patterns create, whereas, Student 2 needs to work on comprehension understanding by working on comprehension strategies and further exposure to the English language, and Student 3 needs to work on self-monitoring while reading in order to go back and self-correct more often. Each individual's miscue analysis allows for instruction to be differentiated to meet their needs. The running record analysis also helps gain insight on students who receive English Language Learner (ELL) services and what they need further instruction and support in. Students receiving ELL services may not be at the same level as their peers due to their personal background if they come from a home that only speaks the family's native language (in this case, Hmong). This will be important in determining a child's reading level as they may be in the beginning reading and writing stage while their peers are fluent readers and writers. Throughout this course, I am able to use the many strategies I learned to continue to encourage students to grow in literacy development. I now have many strategies and activities that I can use with individuals and/or small groups of students to help them continue to grow as a reader.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #3- Teachers understand that children learn differently.
InTASC Standard #2- Learning Differences
In the Emergent Literacy class, we created group presentations on the different types of reading instructional strategies we could use in our classrooms. We researched the positives of each instructional strategy and also shared any misconceptions about each strategy. I was able to analyze how each instructional strategy could work in my classroom and which students I think would benefit most from each instructional strategy. Through these group presentations, I was able to increase my knowledge of the different types of reading instructional strategies I could use in my classroom to reach the needs of all of my students.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #7- Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons.
InTASC Standard #7- Planning for Instruction, InTASC Standard #8- Instructional Strategies
In the Emergent Literacy class, we created group presentations on the different types of reading instructional strategies we could use in our classrooms. We researched the positives of each instructional strategy and also shared any misconceptions about each strategy. Through these group presentations, I was able to increase my knowledge of the different types of reading instructional strategies I could use in my classroom to reach the needs of all of my students. The running record analysis artifact shows that I can plan instruction based on students' needs. The analysis provides an in-depth look at how different students have different strengths and areas of potential growth in their reading abilities. Student 1 needs to work on sound analysis when they come to an unknown word by working on word study and reviewing the sounds different spelling patterns create, whereas, Student 2 needs to work on comprehension understanding by working on comprehension strategies and further exposure to the English language, and Student 3 needs to work on self-monitoring while reading in order to go back and self-correct more often. Each individual's miscue analysis allows for instruction to be differentiated to meet their needs and students to be grouped together with others who share the same needs.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #8- Teachers know how to test for student progress.
InTASC Standard #6- Assessment
The running record analysis is a normed, formal, and consistent way to check for student progress in accuracy, rate of a student's oral reading, and comprehension understanding. A running record allows me to have a conversation with students about a book to gain insight on a student's level of comprehension understanding at three different levels: Thinking Within the Text, Thinking Beyond the Text, and Thinking About the Text. The running record is given multiple times throughout the school year (at least three times: beginning of the school year, end of semester, and end of the school year) to progress monitor reading growth. The information I gain from conducting running records allows me to find appropriate instructional reading levels to teach during guided reading (large group and small groups). Informally, I confer with students and have them read a book of their choice to me to monitor accuracy and have short conversations with the student to gain insight into their comprehension understanding. As a teacher, I am responsible for ensuring that my students are given all of the tools and feedback they need to continue growing as readers. Conducting running records is one way to do this and monitor progress.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #9- Teachers are able to evaluate themselves.
In my reading record analysis artifact, I reflected on individual student's reading behaviors through independent, instructional, and hard reading levels, and the progress they have been making throughout the year. I also reflected on how I have used running records in the past. I was not using running records to their full potential. I was skipping parts of the miscue analysis because I did not completely understand how to use each part or how to fully analyze miscues. I have been missing out on a lot of information about my students because of this. After digging deeper into running records and reading instruction and strategies in this class, I am now a lot more knowledgable when it comes to running records. I feel much more comfortable conducting a full analysis and using the running records to inform my instruction. Due to this newly acquired knowledge, I will be able to change my teaching and cater more to each of my student's needs.
Wisconsin Teaching Standard #10- Teachers are connected with other teachers and the community.
InTASC Standard #10- Leadership and Collaboration
The running record analysis artifact I chose shows valuable information about a child as a reader that can be shared with other school staff and guardians during meetings and conferences. I am able to show guardians the areas of strength that their child has as a reader and areas where their child has opportunities for growth to become a fluent reader. Being able to talk with guardians about positive attributes their child possesses builds rapport with families and students. I am also able to share strategies with guardians as to how they can help their child continue to grow as a reader. Lastly, I can use the running record analysis information to talk to colleagues. We are able to compare data and determine areas that our classes as a whole need further instruction in and see what areas we are seeing success in. I can also use the running record analysis information for class placements and determining if a student needs additional instruction services outside of the classroom.
This class as a whole has allowed me to expand my professional community to include those who are also seeking their Reading 316 license within my district and other districts. The other professionals in this course have shared their knowledge and ideas through resource shares, group presentations, class discussions, and online discussion posts.