A Few Thoughts on Reading Comprehension...

Our school switched to a scripted reading curriculum about 5 years ago.  Although I mostly like it, my students are not making the same progress they used to.  AND... they come to me without ever having read a book.  All they have read are stories in their anthology and maybe chapter books at home; if their parents made them.  That's it.  Worst of all, they hate reading.

It's not the curriculum's fault.  It's not the teacher's fault.  It's simply because our literacy block has been micromanaged and forced to be rigid.  Is that what's best for kids?  Maybe.  BUT then again... maybe not?

I've been teaching long enough that I have weathered the storm of scripted curriculum and the years of no curriculum, only standards.  I don't really prefer one over the other.  What I do prefer is flexibility.  Maybe as a "seasoned educator" I don't care as much anymore, so I tend to bend the rules.  When I bent the rules last year, magic started to happen.

First of all, I shortened the scripted curriculum.  As I said, it's not all bad.  I made it into a 15-20 minute lesson.  Then we went to a more traditional literacy block- reading groups with chapter books.  Oddly enough, the kids loved having a chapter book with QUESTIONS to answer.  So weird.  Then, while they worked silently, I pulled groups.  Groups are my favorite.  🤓

The downside is I had to keep my groups short.  I needed comprehension skill work that was to the point.  That's when I wrote this:  click here.  

I did a mini lesson with my strugglers everyday.  Then, we dug into our chapter books.  Those kids were so happy to actually have a book to read!  The whole point of reading is enjoyment.  My fourth graders had to find the joy in reading- that innocent joy that was taken away by an anthology.  And very well meaning teachers who were just following the rules.

I consistently met with all my groups and my strugglers worked through the daily reading comprehension skills.  I spiraled the skills throughout the school year so they wouldn't forget a skill.  

Did it work?  Absolutely!  😁 Every one of my strugglers grew.  A few even came off their reading plans.  I was very proud of their hard work.  

I plan on using it again this year.  This time I already have it written and ready to go, so I'm going in with a plan.  I'll write more later about my reading groups and the books I have chosen for each group.... and yes, I do choose their books, and yes I have a very good reason.  

Happy Teaching!

Nala Bella