I just started chapter 4 and found it interesting how they interchange author's intent and author's purpose as very similar strategies. I see the similarities in them and it makes sense on how Michelle is teaching the students. I really enjoyed reading her lesson intro on author's intent and identifying test talk language and how this lesson even was reviewing concepts of test talk strategies from before. Once again, an easy lesson to incorporate into the classroom.
I agree with you. It seems vocabulary terms and usage are big factors in the teaching/learning connection.
I liked Glennon's use of "quality talk" instead of short answers or one word answers. To answer in complete sentences and support opinions with evidence from the text is a teacher's dream!
On page 74, I can really connect with students picking the close answer but not the best answer. It is so important to discuss reasons for selecting certain choices. This takes a lot of practice especially when authors use the right test talk in the wrong answer choice to trick the test taker. After much practice students love to pick out the tricky questions or answers and they are so proud of themselves that they didn't fall for the trick.
I agree with you Leanne. Being able to determine the best answer from the correct answer does take a lot of practice. I liked how the book refers to the teacher demonstrating different ways to read the passage and picks out important portions of the passage for the students to really focus on. The students need to be able to understand what they should be focusing on and how they should interpret the information they are reading. This is very important for understanding why an author wrote something and the determining the main idea.
Leanne- Definitely another amen on this one!! Even going through the practice SOLs last year students were very good at explaining why one of the answers "could have been" the right one. And honestly, there were times we all had to go back and reread to figure it out. But, talking through it and looking at two close answers and deciding which is best is a good but very challenging skill. It is definitely one we can't expect kids to get on their own without our support and modeling!
I liked how on pg. 59 Michelle used the notecards at lunch for the students to write down 3 things they said to their friends at lunch. I thought this was a great example of how to capitalize school time and a wonderful way to introduce why authors write certain texts.
Also, I liked how she is making the students tell her their thinking out loud to the class as they answer multiple choice questions. The think aloud process is powerful and even though we model this during read aloud in reading workshop it can also be modeled when answer test taking questions. Michelle was able to see all the strategies that she had taught being put to use.
I love the activity that the authors used for teaching about the author's intent. The lunch activity is a great way to connect what you are teaching to a real situation in the students' life.
I just finished reading chapter 4 and I really enjoyed the lessons that Michelle taught her students. Author's Intent/What I call Author's Purpose is a huge obstacle for students to overcome and learn for the SOL's and reading in general.
The note card activity was a great way to introduce the topic and have it relate directly to the students. I would love to try this activity this year. I really enjoy teaching about author's intent/purpose because it gives students such a great view of different types of texts and allows them to appreciate the different texts.
Wrapping up the whole unit ... well each of the units in the books so far ... with the Test Talk is really awesome. I love how each test question builds on each skill and how the teachers are taking the time to dissect the questions, ensuring the students understand not only skill, but what the SOL will be asking.
I found the Test Talk for Author's Intent Questions; Questions about Whole Passages and Questions About Parts of Passages (the examples on page 64 and 65) to be particularly helpful.
I enjoy how the teachers use sample tests throughout the book... I will make sure I not only give my students the benchmarks this year, but thoroughly go through them and guide my kids to a better understanding.
The beginning the unit and game lesson ideas in this chapter were great! I really like the way the class, together, prepares charts of the different types of questions from released tests so that there is no surprise on test day. I know I used released tests with my students but really focusing on specific types of questions one at a time seems so much more beneficial. Wish I had read this book when I first started teaching a tested grade level. Lynn Pickering
I just started chapter 4 and found it interesting how they interchange author's intent and author's purpose as very similar strategies. I see the similarities in them and it makes sense on how Michelle is teaching the students. I really enjoyed reading her lesson intro on author's intent and identifying test talk language and how this lesson even was reviewing concepts of test talk strategies from before. Once again, an easy lesson to incorporate into the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. It seems vocabulary terms and usage are big factors in the teaching/learning connection.
DeleteI liked Glennon's use of "quality talk" instead of short answers or one word answers. To answer in complete sentences and support opinions with evidence from the text is a teacher's dream!
On page 74, I can really connect with students picking the close answer but not the best answer. It is so important to discuss reasons for selecting certain choices. This takes a lot of practice especially when authors use the right test talk in the wrong answer choice to trick the test taker. After much practice students love to pick out the tricky questions or answers and they are so proud of themselves that they didn't fall for the trick.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Leanne. Being able to determine the best answer from the correct answer does take a lot of practice. I liked how the book refers to the teacher demonstrating different ways to read the passage and picks out important portions of the passage for the students to really focus on. The students need to be able to understand what they should be focusing on and how they should interpret the information they are reading. This is very important for understanding why an author wrote something and the determining the main idea.
DeleteLeanne-
DeleteDefinitely another amen on this one!! Even going through the practice SOLs last year students were very good at explaining why one of the answers "could have been" the right one. And honestly, there were times we all had to go back and reread to figure it out. But, talking through it and looking at two close answers and deciding which is best is a good but very challenging skill. It is definitely one we can't expect kids to get on their own without our support and modeling!
I liked how on pg. 59 Michelle used the notecards at lunch for the students to write down 3 things they said to their friends at lunch. I thought this was a great example of how to capitalize school time and a wonderful way to introduce why authors write certain texts.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I liked how she is making the students tell her their thinking out loud to the class as they answer multiple choice questions. The think aloud process is powerful and even though we model this during read aloud in reading workshop it can also be modeled when answer test taking questions. Michelle was able to see all the strategies that she had taught being put to use.
I love the activity that the authors used for teaching about the author's intent. The lunch activity is a great way to connect what you are teaching to a real situation in the students' life.
DeleteI just finished reading chapter 4 and I really enjoyed the lessons that Michelle taught her students. Author's Intent/What I call Author's Purpose is a huge obstacle for students to overcome and learn for the SOL's and reading in general.
ReplyDeleteThe note card activity was a great way to introduce the topic and have it relate directly to the students. I would love to try this activity this year. I really enjoy teaching about author's intent/purpose because it gives students such a great view of different types of texts and allows them to appreciate the different texts.
Wrapping up the whole unit ... well each of the units in the books so far ... with the Test Talk is really awesome. I love how each test question builds on each skill and how the teachers are taking the time to dissect the questions, ensuring the students understand not only skill, but what the SOL will be asking.
I found the Test Talk for Author's Intent Questions; Questions about Whole Passages and Questions About Parts of Passages (the examples on page 64 and 65) to be particularly helpful.
I enjoy how the teachers use sample tests throughout the book... I will make sure I not only give my students the benchmarks this year, but thoroughly go through them and guide my kids to a better understanding.
The beginning the unit and game lesson ideas in this chapter were great! I really like the way the class, together, prepares charts of the different types of questions from released tests so that there is no surprise on test day. I know I used released tests with my students but really focusing on specific types of questions one at a time seems so much more beneficial. Wish I had read this book when I first started teaching a tested grade level.
ReplyDeleteLynn Pickering