group+11+module+9+questions

1.What does research say about the topic? GJ: Students who are actively engaged in the reading process are better readers. They use a variety of strategies while they read, and other students can be taught these strategies and how to use them. Studies found that students who employed reading strategies while reading, scored better on comprehension and remembered the text better than students who did not use the strategies. JZ: If we will teach comprehension strategies, we will see improved comprehension as well as as an increase in metacognition. JD: Student who exhibit good metacognition skills can comprehend and have specific knowledge of the reading text. They will self-monitor and are motivated when it comes to reading skills.

2. In what ways does strategically active reading affect metacognition? GJ: It causes students to be aware of what they have read, and if they understand it or not. It also allows students to be thinking about what strategies they need to employ to better understand the text - rereading, predicting, summarizing, questioning, and clarifying. JZ: It seems like a no-brainer...if you are employing various strategies, you are more focused and so it is only logical that you will be thinking about thinking/learning! JD: It demonstrates the process of metacognition. If teachers are implementing and modeling the appropriate reading strategies.

3. Plan ways to have students become active readers within your classroom. GJ: Provide good books for my students to read in order for them to build background knowledge. I need to explain and model for my students the strategies I want them to learn, and they need to be able to practice the strategies with my help. JZ: I really need to spend much more time teaching/modeling strategies! Practice makes perfect-right?! JD: Nonfiction magazines, nonfiction stories for boys, wide variety of reading levels and interest.

Your questions GJ: With so many strategies, how do you know which ones to start with? JZ: Again, do you have any favorites for 1st graders? JD: Do you feel comprehension is the utmost that we as teachers are striving for.