Module 3: Mock Memo from a Reading Specialist

Erica, a fifth grader, reads grade level passages at a rate of 177 words correct per minute, or 30% faster than grade level norms. When asked to retell what she has read, Erica struggles and is able to give little to no information from about the text. Many other children in Erica's class also read well above grade level expectations for fluency rate (or automaticity), but the teacher laments that they struggle with comprehension and using appropriate expression and intonation while they read. What is going on here? What advice can you offer the teacher? Write a memo to the teacher from the viewpoint of the school's Reading Specialist. Give the teacher and explanation for the phenomenon and offer her advice on dealing with the situation. Please keep the memo to no more than 400 words. Post it to your blog and name the posting "Module 3: Mock Memo from a Reading Specialist."

Dear teacher, 

I would like to start off by saying that I am very impressed  with your class' accomplishment on reading  above grade level expectations for fluency rate. You've done a marvelous job with your students so far on reading with fluency. Thank you, for bringing to my attention about your concerns with your students struggling with text comprehension. Let's take a closer look at a student in your class, Erica, it appears that she is mainly focusing on reading all the words correctly when she reads. She is not focusing on gaining meaning from the text that she is reading. You've also noticed similar cases with your other students. Your students are focusing more on words identification/words accuracy  rather than trying to construct meaning from the text they are reading. 

Here are some of my suggestions, first allow your students more opportunities to read independently and read with a partner (a less proficient reader with a more proficient reader) with texts that presents supports and challenges to the students (text should be easy enough to keep students going, but challenging enough to keep students learning). The texts can be teacher-selected  or student-selected text on the students' independent reading level that way they're able to read books based on their interest and read to get meaning from the the text.  Encourage the students to make connections and share their connections with a partner. Also, the students can practice re-telling the story to their parents. Second, I suggest doing more shared reading with your students to provide additional modeling of strategies proficient readers use including concept of print, word study, syntax, and comprehension strategies (making connections, determine importance, predicting, asking-questions, re-reading, and self-monitoring). Before reading an unfamiliar text to the children, you should provide support through the introduction to the book. For instance, reads the title and author, activates background knowledge, give a brief summary of the book,  introduces any challenging words, concepts, and language structures. Be sure to allow students to practice these strategies after you model them. Shared reading  or reading aloud to your students with modeling reading with expression  and intonation will help them strengthen this area of their weakness listening to you read aloud.  My next suggestions to help readers who have difficulty comprehending texts is the thinking-aloud strategy. This strategy will help them focus on meaning, develop effective reading strategies, and reflect on their reading strategies. For this think-aloud strategy, you should model reading aloud and stop periodically to show your students your think process while reading. This strategy will provide a effective model for children to engage in their own meta-cognitive comprehension strategies while they read a text. 

Please try out these reading strategies with your students and update me on their progress. We can arrange a planning time to develop different strategies to make the needs of the individual students in your class. In addition, I have a copy of Weaver's text called Reading Process & Practice, you may stop by to check it out during your planning time to reference back to this book for additional strategies you can implement in your classroom to help the students construct meaning of the text. Let me know if you need further assistance. 

Sincerely, 


Loan Le
Reading Specialist