How to Teach Reading in 8th Grade

Today I taught three classes of Middle School (you have to capitalize; it's just that important) Social Studies. And let's be clear here; this is not 6th grade social studies but 8th grade social studies. The French and Indian War was the topic du jour; I think I have learned about it three times now and promptly forgotten everything as soon as the test was finished.

But besides the fact that George Washington fought with the British against the French; that the Native Americans fought on both sides but were lumped with the French in the title of this 7 year skirmish; AND that Spain actually ended up with additional land.... this was a lesson about reading.

My MT gave me a Bellevue School District lesson plan, and a curriculum coach's set of instructions for a reciprocal reading activity and told me to "make it my own." She really wasn't able to sit back for long; but it turned out to be a beautiful meld of reading and pre-revolution and I'm proud of both of us for bringing it together.

The kids were split into groups of four and had five pages of their textbook to cover. A map and a political cartoon were in there too; it wasn't terribly dense. I had made up color coded cards for each group; 1)Predicting; The next thing to happen is...because.... 2)Clarifying; What does ___ word mean? What did this paragraph try to tell us? 3)Summarizing; The main events in this section of the text are... 2)Questioning; What would a teacher ask on a quiz in order to know that I read this paragraph?

There was a bit more to the cards but the idea was that they would take turns reading the paragraphs (take two if they are small!) then someone would take a card and address the content using that strategy, and another person would respond to them. Three people out of four would be speaking in regards to each paragraph.

The lesson plan was hard; it was full of "The student will be able to identify the events leading up to the French and Indian War....." and on and on. But really I wanted to say "The student will be able to practice the skill of careful, content specific reading."

The kids did great. Even 7th period; the ones I have termed the To Sir With Love period. They didn't want to move their chairs, this was the class that NEARLY did not stand up when I needed that too. But they did; so achingly slow that I thought I would leap over the desk and just help them out, but they did. And they worked in groups and made thoughtful responses to their classmates questions, summaries, requests for clarifications and predictions. Now granted there were a few that continually predicted that George Washington would die; that may not have been the most level headed thought considering that we were going into the Revolutionary War next; but they tried. This group work lasted for over 25 minutes and the vast majority of it was not desk wiggling (one desk squeaks like a stuck pig) or chair tipping or girlfriend lusting (would those two just break up already?)or continually yelling my name; minus the Ms. part. (Becker-Brown! Hey, Becker-Brown! What... I said Mzzzz, you just didn't hear me.) They sound awful but they are the most exciting to be trapped in a classroom with of all the 8th grade classes.




So we tried to work on reading skills; in 8th grade Social Studies. I thought you should know it went really really great.

Test Blog for video

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This is the first ten minutes of the Harvard commencement address given by JK Rowling. She speaks of the importance of failure and imagination. And makes a very funny joke about them not running off to become gay wizards.

Week Four:

"All students, especially those who begin school with limited literacy skills, need to think of themselves as readers and writers, see the processes as meaningful, and have posititive attitudes about literacy before they can successfully engage in literacy practices." This quote is from page 34 of Writing Essentials.

I have noticed that in science; workbooks, worksheets and teachers especially have begun using the term scientists instead of person or student. "Today all the scientists in room 104 will be working on an experiment that involves water and lifeboats." For example; "List the names of the four scientists who worked on this experiment." At first it sounded clunky, and a little wierd, but I really like it now; it sets the tone for a transition and change; from student to scientist. For their part the kids seem to take it at face value; no one questions the terminology and kindergarteners see themselves as scientists with their bean plants just as well as High School students with their bunsen burners.

Thinking of themselves as readers and writers, and their work (or process) as meaningful will help to support positive attitudes about literacy, shoring up those with poor literacy skills to a higher elevation in reading. I am a reader. I am a writer. It's an important first step.

In middle school Social Studies they learn and practice pre-reading skills with a KWL chart, and by segmenting pre-reading textbook skills and learning them in small groups then bringing them together. I have not heard the terms reader, or writer; but I have heard (and have said) "yes, in 8th grade you need to be using complete sentences." A better way to say that would be "yes, complete sentences are required for this exercise and for all the work you will be doing in this class."

At our house we have a reader party for your first book you are able to read alone; and it was a really big deal for the third child because the older two made it seem like this would be an attainment, a definition for life, you would become A READER. Not all bad, but a little pressure there! We make a cake, the child reads their book to everyone and shows the pictures like a teacher or librarian, then we sing "for he's a jolly good reader" and they blow out the candles. Corny, I know, but in some ways there needs to be more celebrations and less drudgery. We have had the kids' friends come over to tell me that they can read their first book and have thrown together a cake for them too. Betty Crocker, she should jump on this one!

Becoming a reader doesn't mean that the hurdles are over; but the glow they felt reading that book out loud; and then calling Grandparents to tell them that they are a reader now; that was a glow of success and pride. They should be proud.

Week three ... on Fox

Based on my experience, and on Fox chapter Three; my feelings about invented spelling are mixed at best. It's almost a nature vs. nurture arguement.



My fourteen year old can't spell her way out of a paper bag. It mostly does not hinder her, she is creative and funny, has found her voice and writes circles around her parents. All spelled peculiarly until spell check has done it's magic. She learned all the words for the tests; then promptly released them back into the universe. She loves to read.



My ten year old is ready for the nation championship spelling bee.... almost. He gets spelling, it is easy for him. He learns the two words that he didn't already innately know each week and then makes them part of his written knowledge. His stories are not as long, as creative or as detailed as others; he writes to fulfill the assignment, for the most part. He also loves to read.



My youngest.... we will see. At first grade they are just starting spelling tests; and use primarily invented spelling. But at home he wants it spelled right; he asks for the right letters and is impatient with the "just sound out how you think it would work and move on" philosophy. Plus there are a bunch of us now with the knowledge of how to spell it, and he figures that if we are not willing to help him out we are just mean mean mean.



In Fox, chapter three, it states that children move through unconventional spelling as they learn to put beginning, middle and ending sounds together; and that their unconventional spelling gives the teacher necessary clues as to how far along this student is towards becoming a good reader. I had initially thought that my eldest was allowed to use invented spelling for too long; and that was why she couldnt spell. Through time, and some intense literacy homework, i see that the same practices were used for both children and one flourished and the other did not. She doesn't see spelling; she sees a picture of what the word means, and can't wait to attach more words to it; like so many baby elephants linking trunks and tails.

Is it just different skill sets? Genes? They actually had the SAME teachers. Nature vs Nurture, I think that has some sway, and thank-goodness for spell check.

First Week Post/Reading, Writing and Communicating

In the Sulzby and Teale article I read that emergent literacy is a newer term; and yet I remember being read to as a child. It was a special time; with four kids in the house this was an opportunity to have mom (ususally) or dad to ourselves, if only for a few minutes.

It may be a new term but literate parents have known that to pass on the LOVE of reading you must read to your child. To share your old friends; Spot, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Berenstein Bears, Lilly, and Corduroy with your children; that is heaven, and a chance to hand the keys to heaven on earth to your child.

Emerging literacy, as seen from a childs point of view, makes good sense. So does the conclusion they reached that a strong oral language base facilitates language learning. A strong base will always facilitate upward growth, in my opinion, and a strong speaking and comprehension of a language must facilitate greater language learning; including writing.

Examples of emergent literacy I have seen in children would include our own grocery lists constructed here at home; with pictures and scribbles underneath. Usually on the back of the grocery list is the "map" of all the errands that must be done that day; and we were helped by the third child with Dora the Explorer and her interactive map. First they draw a picture of where we are going, provide an initial sound or scribble underneath and then memorize the path we will take. Then we get to hear them repeat this until all the errands are done; and checked off in their memory. The youngest is the most concrete about this; and is not happy if we deviate from the list or need to add another stop.

In the classroom the temporary spelling is a big one for me; Kindergarten and first grade both use it in story and short answer writing. By first grade they are doing short spelling tests already, but spelling is not part of the rubric for their assignments either in class or outside as homework. Our eldest still uses temporary spelling and relies on her spell check to catch her innacuracies; which I find discomforting at best. The child in the middle has awesome natural talent in the spelling arena and just finds the right letters in place, even when he has not seen that word before. It doesn't seem fair to compare one that really does not need to work at a skill to one that needs to correct nearly 30% of her essay, even in middle school. She just does not remember past getting them right on the spelling test.

Also in the classroom; the rich use of stories and opportunities to go beyond the worksheets has abounded in classrooms I have been a guest in. Pre-reading, story telling, discussion, sharing, cheers for the letters and letter sounds, songs for short stories, pictures in story format, and more. Always more. Making letter shapes with their bodies, hands, paper. Marching to the alphabet song. Letters cut into scrabble blocks used to play games. For each of our kindergarteners it seems that the curiculum gets broader and richer; more inclusive and exciting.

In nearly every classroom undert third grade that I have been a guest in there has existed a separate world of reading that lives under the banner "labels." Over the water fountain, the cupboards, the math games, the book case, each child's place at at table or desk, the teacher's desk and all the belongings there (stapler; tape; pencils) as well as the door, coat racks, windowns, glue sticks and colored paper drawer. Younger grades may have pictues as well, but always tied to the letters and sounds of the descriptive word. Older grades may have instructions on their labels; "One or two paper towels please" or A two second drink if there is someone in line."