Being a good reading model allows yourself to show students that even though you are an expert in your field it is still okay to struggle with some text. When modeling how to read, it is good to show patience, strategies, and model that you are thinking while reading. Demonstrate patience by allowing yourself time to think about words that are difficult. Demonstrate use of strategies by using highlighters and model thinking about the text by asking and writing questions and relating the text to other areas. Of course there are different ways to model patience, strategies and thinking, it depends on the teacher and individual to choose what works for them. One of Tovani's teaching points is "Good readers use information from a variety of sources to connect to daily events and affect their lives." Being a good reader allows us to make connections to what we read to other events, we can demonstrate those connections with students. Having classroom discussions about the text and having students come up with questions and make connections is a great way to help everyone in the classroom understand the text.
Tovani explains that it is important to use different text sets in the classroom. While it is important to use a textbook in class, its not the only text that should be used. Students should have the opportunity to explore different text sets to grasp the same meaning. "Text sets are designed to give reluctant readers a choice of interesting and accessible text." An example of a text set in a physical education class would include text that is designed around health, fitness, wellness and drug, alcohol use and information from organizations such as the American Council on Exercise. Accessible text would include clips from internet writing, photos, newspaper or magazine articles, picture books, recipes, brochures or charts and graphs. Providing information from different sources makes reading less daunting to students. Text sets allow for students to read text that is less difficult, more difficult and sometimes just right. As teachers we should allow our students different opportunities to practice reading. Practicing reading is what makes us all better readers.
As teachers we are often coming up with ways to get our students interested in reading. We can often come up with great strategies, but most of the time we can keep it simple. Being a good model, displaying patience, strategies and thinking while we are reading can provide a great example to students. As teachers we can come up with text sets and accessible text, but we need to remember to allow the students to do the work in order for them to understand.
This modeling thing is one technique that I have never found really successful. I find that kids get really bored and tune out, especially the good readers. Research does bear out that metacognitive awareness of our own reading is helpful, however. But I find that it is more interesting for kids if I just do a quick demo of what I mean by thinking about reading and then let the kids share their experiences with a text, rather than blather on about my reading. I just never could keep the class engaged when I "modeled" so I had to come up with another way to achieve the same end. Guess I'm just no Tyra Banks of reading.
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