Reteaching

In yesterday's film sesson, I realized that I needed to really teach my stuents what it means to partner read. This was the weakest point of yesterday's lesson using reciprocal teaching, so I gave my students a mini-lesson on how to read with a partner. Firstly, my students took guided notes on exactly what I wanted them to do when they read with a partner. I did not pass out any materials other than the textbook we were using. The only ask in front of my students was to read the text with their partner, where partner 1 reads one paragraph while partner 2 listens and helps out. The partners then switch after each paragraph. When my students read the story together, it was really very successful - much more successful than the class where I did not explicitly teach my students how to read with a partner. I think I really took it for granted that they may not know the expectations for partner reading, or what this looks like or sounds like. Even as my air conditioner was being vacuumed out by maintenance with a giant piece of loud equipment in the room and dust everywhere, my students were still pushing through and READING passionately together. My students then went on to complete their reciprocal teaching roles and discussed the text in their groups. Overall, for our first time using reciprocal teaching in groups, it was highly successful. Also, I think it is interested to see that our students really often can read well - there are just some skills that need reinforcing. I think that often we get into a deficit mindset with our students and we only think about all of the social skills and academic abilities they may lack. I think this experience highlighted the fact that my students do actually want to read, and they want to work in a safe space where they can push themselves with a trusting reading partner whose job it is to help them.

At the end of the class (3rd period), I gave my students a survey in which they were asked questions about their reading engagement and their feelings on working in a group. I had 1 or two students who were particularly dissatisfied with their experiences, mostly because they were upset that there were consequences for being off task during their work - also one student who rated the experience very poor because they had a disagreement with a partner. Here are the questions and some results:

1. Does working in a group help you understand more from your reading? Why or why not?

-Yes, because my partner can help me. 

-Yes, it helps me because I'm not having to read a long story with big words by myself. 

-No, because someone is always too slow or just can't read. 

-A little, because you have to listen harder and it helps us read better out loud. 

-Yes, because it gives us more options. 

-Yes, because it helps me learn more. 

-Yes, it helps me get a better view of the story. 

-Yes, because you hear everyone's perspective on the work. 

-Yes, because I can read to somebody. 

-Yes, because we can all say something. 

-Yes, because it helps us get it done faster and understand more. 

-Yes, sometimes because if I don't understand the other one probably will. 

-Yes, because it helps me learn better. 

-Yes, because I'm not the only one reading. 

-Yes, because it will help me to understand it. 

-Yes, because it helps me a little more so I can ask them how or what it means. 

2. Are you more interested in what you are reading when you read in a small group? Why or why not?

-Yes, because working together can be fun. 

-Yes, because I don't have to worry about a big crowd and I focus more on the story. 

-No, because I can stay at my own pace.

-No, because sometimes they play too much. 

-Yes, because you don't have to worry about your group and you are into the story. 

-Yes, because it is fun when they make facial expressions. 

-No, it is still the same. 

-Yes, because you have more people helping you on the reading. 

-Yes, because your partner is helping you.

-Yes, because they help you. 

-Sometimes, because the stories are boring sometimes. 

-Yes, because you have more ideas. 

-Yes, because we are all paying attention. 

-Yes, I'm more interested because I'm helping my partner. 

-Yes, because it helped me a lot on what I didn't know. 

3. On a scale of 1-7, how engaged were you during your reading today?

average: 5.36

This average includes two students who rated it a 0 because they essentially just had a bad day.
This is an entire point higher than the first poll of student reading engagement - their initial poll reported 4.32 before collaborative work...it's slowly working!

4. What would make our collaborative reading better? Give one suggestion that could help you learn more from this activity in class. 

-Listening to each other and asking questions.

-We want stories that make us not want to put them down.

-to work with who we want

5. Other comments?

-Reading can be fun if you work with your friends.

-I wish we could do more things and be in groups more and work together more than working alone. 

-I really like this class because I feel like it helps me understand what I am reading. 

-Put people in a group with others that they don't know well or talk to very much.