WEEK 5: APPROACHES WITH FOCUS ON READING

Literacy and Bilingualism: Chapter 5: "Approaches with Focus on Reading" pg. 82
Several strategies are provided to help build your students focus on reading. Pick a strategy and explain how and why you would use it in your lesson. 

I would incorporate the reader-generated questions as a strategy to use to improve reading.  ELLs have a hard time understanding what they read.  This strategy forces them to activate their thinking and assess their own understanding as they read.  In my classroom, I would first explain the strategy and then model it with a short text on the smartboard.  I would model by reading the title and using think aloud to discuss what I know about the topic, make prediction and inferences about the text.  Next, I would preview the text and using think aloud discuss how I gain meaning through text pictures, heading and bold text.  After previewing the text, I would generate questions about the text.  Then, I would read the text out loud.  As I read, I would look for answers to my question by underlining important or relevant information that will help answer my questions.  Then, I would provide an opportunity for guided practice by offering another short text.  If I feel the students have learned the skill, then I would have them work independently with a partner to read a third text using the skills I already taught.  I really like the reader generated strategy because it allows students to read with a purpose and monitor their understanding throughout the reading.  Hence, improving their reading comprehension.