January 31st, 2012
Tovani- Chapter 5
Chapter 5 started off by talking about how students perceive reading. Some students see it as a race. They think that being a good reader means you can read something quickly. It discusses that fact that teachers need to be clear on what they want their students to take from the text that they are reading. Setting a purpose is very important. The chapter also discusses how teachers often times are so knowledgeable about their topic that they end up giving students too much information and characterizing more and more information important to remember. This becomes overwhelming for both student and teacher. The chapter then discusses a few strategies to help students pick out key points. It stresses the fact that teachers need to realize what is important and they need to make sure their expectations are not to high when it comes to absorbing all of the material. If the teacher supplies a reason for the students to read something, they are more likely to actually read it a retain the information. It is important to have clear instructional purpose. I could really relate to this chapter because I am the type of person who can do a required reading take notes on what I read and then fail the test because I didn’t pick out the right information to retain. I am also the type of student who needs direct instruction. If the teacher is giving to much content to read I simply will not understand, but if the reading is directed and they let me know what to look for I will have no problem understanding the text. As it said in the book teachers become experts at their content and sometimes end up demanding too much. This has been my favorite chapter to read because I feel like it relates to me very much and my struggles with reading. I like to read, but I do not like when I can’t understand what or why I am reading something. Or when I am told to read something and given no direction on what I am supposed to note as important. I do not do well with vague instructions I need to be told specifically what to look for and what is important.
The strategy that helped me in this chapter would be reflecting on the reading, because it helped me to understand what I need to do as an educator when I applied it to my own life and made connections.
Citations
Tovani, C. (2004). Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, grades 6-12. Portland, ME: Stenhouse
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